Project Zomboid keeps its server settings in three files in Zomboid/Server/. The .ini file holds server rules like the password and player limit. The _SandboxVars.lua file holds the world rules, like how many zombies there are. You can change the common ones in Settings without opening a file.
Where the config files are
Project Zomboid names its files after the server’s internal name. Guides on the web call them servertest.ini and so on, because servertest is the name the game picks when you don’t choose one. On Wilderack the internal name is wilderack, so you’ll see these files:
| File | What it holds |
|---|---|
Zomboid/Server/wilderack.ini |
Server rules: name, password, player limit, PvP, mods, ports |
Zomboid/Server/wilderack_SandboxVars.lua |
World rules: zombies, loot, day length, start date, power and water |
Zomboid/Server/wilderack_spawnregions.lua |
The towns new players can spawn in |
Zomboid/db/wilderack.db |
Player accounts, access levels and the whitelist. It’s a database, so change it with commands, not by hand |
The world itself lives in Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/wilderack/. See backups.
How to change settings
You have three ways, from easiest to most detailed:
- Settings in the panel. Easy settings with plain labels: server name and description, password, max players, PvP, pausing when empty, and a sandbox preset.
- Advanced under Settings. The real files, in an editor with the right highlighting.
- Files, or SFTP with the details from the SFTP card in Files.
If you edit a file by hand, the easy settings read your change back instead of overwriting it.
Project Zomboid has a settings editor built in. On your PC, open Host in the game and edit the server settings there. It writes the same three files to your own Zomboid/Server/ folder. Upload them in Files and rename them to wilderack.ini, wilderack_SandboxVars.lua and wilderack_spawnregions.lua.
Server settings
These live in Zomboid/Server/wilderack.ini, one Key=value per line.
| Key | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
PublicName |
My PZ Server |
The name shown in the public server list |
PublicDescription |
empty | The description shown in the list |
Public |
false |
true lists the server in the game’s public list |
Password |
empty | The server password. Empty means no password |
MaxPlayers |
32 |
How many players can be on at once. Admins don’t count. Above 32 can cause lag |
PVP |
true |
Whether players can hurt each other |
PauseEmpty |
true |
Stops the game clock while nobody’s online |
Open |
true |
Anyone can make an account by joining. false means only players an admin adds |
SaveWorldEveryMinutes |
0 |
Saves the world every this many minutes. 0 turns the timer off |
Mods |
empty | Mod IDs, separated by ;. See mods |
WorkshopItems |
empty | Steam Workshop item numbers, separated by ; |
Map |
Muldraugh, KY |
Map folders. Map mods go in front of the main map |
DoLuaChecksum |
true |
Checks that players’ game files match the server’s |
Some settings are ours to manage. DefaultPort and UDPPort are the game’s ports (16261 and 16262 by default). We set them to your server’s own ports, so leave them as they are. RCONPort and RCONPassword let the panel’s Console talk to the server. Changing them breaks the console.
Sandbox settings
These live in Zomboid/Server/wilderack_SandboxVars.lua. The file is a Lua table, so keep the commas and braces as they are:
SandboxVars = {
Zombies = 4,
Distribution = 1,
DayLength = 3,
-- more settings below
}| Key | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
Zombies |
4 |
Zombie population: 1 insane, 2 very high, 3 high, 4 normal, 5 low, 6 none. Changing it also sets PopulationMultiplier |
PopulationMultiplier (in the ZombieConfig block) |
0.65 |
Fine control of the population. Normal is 0.65 and insane is 2.5 |
Distribution |
1 |
1 puts most zombies in towns. 2 spreads them evenly |
DayLength |
3 |
How long a day lasts in real time. 3 is one hour |
StartMonth, StartDay |
7, 9 |
The date the world starts on |
WaterShutModifier, ElecShutModifier |
varies | How many days until the water and power go off |
WeaponLootNew and the other ...LootNew keys |
varies | Build 42 loot amounts, from 0.0 (none) to 4.0. Each loot type has its own key |
Build 41 uses some different keys, especially for loot. If you run Build 41, copy settings from a Build 41 file, not from a Build 42 guide.
Loot is created the first time a player sees a container. Changing loot settings mostly affects places nobody has visited yet.
Spawn points
Zomboid/Server/wilderack_spawnregions.lua lists the towns new characters can pick, like Muldraugh, West Point, Riverside and Rosewood. Remove a line to stop players spawning in that town. Map mods that add towns often tell you which line to add.
Admins, whitelist and bans
Project Zomboid stores accounts and access levels in its database. You manage them with commands in Console, without a slash. In game, admins type the same commands in chat with a / in front.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
setaccesslevel "Name" admin |
Makes a player an admin. Use moderator for fewer powers, or none to remove rights |
adduser "Name" "password" |
Creates an account. Use it when Open=false, so only the players you add can join |
kickuser "Name" |
Kicks a player off the server |
banuser "Name" |
Bans a player |
unbanuser "Name" |
Lifts a ban |
servermsg "Restart in 5 minutes" |
Sends a message to everyone |
The admin, allow and ban lists under Settings > Players run these commands for you.
Which changes need a restart
| You changed | When it takes effect |
|---|---|
Most keys in wilderack.ini |
After a restart, or right away with the reloadoptions console command |
Mods, WorkshopItems or Map |
After a restart |
Anything in wilderack_SandboxVars.lua |
After a restart |
wilderack_spawnregions.lua |
After a restart |
| Admins, kicks and bans | Right away |
A sleeping server picks up every change the next time it starts.
Questions
Where is servertest.ini on my Project Zomboid server?
On Wilderack it's called wilderack.ini and lives in Zomboid/Server/. Project Zomboid names its settings files after the server, and servertest is only the name it uses when you don't pick one. The keys inside are the same.
How do I change the zombie population on my Project Zomboid server?
Pick a sandbox preset in Settings, or edit Zombies in Zomboid/Server/wilderack_SandboxVars.lua. It runs from 1 (insane) to 6 (none), and 4 is normal. Restart the server for it to take effect.
Do I need to restart after changing Project Zomboid server settings?
Usually yes. The reloadoptions console command reloads many settings in the ini file while the server runs, but sandbox settings and mods only change after a restart.
Sources we checked
- Server settingsPZwiki (official Project Zomboid wiki)
- Admin commandsPZwiki (official Project Zomboid wiki)
- Dedicated serverPZwiki (official Project Zomboid wiki)
