How to Change Your SCP: Secret Laboratory Server Settings

SCP: Secret Laboratory keeps its settings in plain text config files, stored per port. That last part matters, because a server with two config folders is easy to edit in the wrong one.

Where the files live

In the panel open Files and go to:

.config/SCP Secret Laboratory/config/<port>/

The folder name is your server's port. Inside are:

• config_gameplay.txt, the game rules.
• config_remoteadmin.txt, the admin roles and permissions.

There is also a global folder holding settings shared across ports. If a change has no effect, check that you edited the folder named after your port.

Stop the server before editing. The config is written back on shutdown.

The settings people change

server_name: My PlayNHost SCP:SL Server
max_players: 20
friendly_fire: false
friendly_fire_multiplier: 0.5
server_tickrate: 60
auto_round_restart_time: 10
round_time_limit: -1
respawn_time: 280
serverinfo_pastebin_id:
enable_lobby_lock: false
lobby_waiting_time: 20

• server_name is the name in the browser. It supports colour tags.
• friendly_fire and its multiplier are the settings most communities argue about. The multiplier lets you allow damage without letting one player wipe a squad.
• respawn_time is in seconds and sets how long between wave respawns.
• round_time_limit of -1 means no limit.

The file is long and every option is named in full, so search for the word you want rather than guessing.

Formatting matters

The format is key: value with a space after the colon. A missing space or a stray tab can make the server ignore the line, and in a list value a missing dash breaks the whole block. Copy the shape of an existing line rather than typing a new one from scratch.

Slots

Your plan's slot count is applied through the MAX_PLAYERS variable on your server's Startup Settings page, reachable from the server overview. Raising max_players in the file alone does not add slots. Upgrade the plan in the billing area to run more players.

Apply and verify

1. Save the file.
2. Start the server.
3. Check the name in the browser. If it did not change, you edited the wrong port folder or the server was running at the time.