Articles on: 7 Days to Die

How to edit your 7 Days to Die server config

How to edit your 7 Days to Die server config

The serverconfig.xml file is the master configuration file for your 7 Days to Die server.


How to Edit serverconfig.xml

Using Loafhosts Panel:

  1. Log into your Loafhosts panel
  2. Select your 7 Days to Die server
  3. Navigate to File Manager
  4. Find serverconfig.xml in the root directory
  5. Click to edit
  6. Make your changes
  7. Save the file
  8. Restart your server

Important Notes:

  • Always backup before editing
  • Validate XML syntax - one typo breaks everything
  • Restart required after changes
  • Comments use <!-- --> format


Server Identity & Network

ServerName

<property name="ServerName" value="My 7D2D Server"/>

What it does: Your server's display name in the browser
Default: My Game Host
Recommendation: Make it unique and memorable


ServerDescription

<property name="ServerDescription" value="A great 7 Days to Die server!"/>

What it does: Description shown in server browser
Default: A 7 Days to Die server
Tip: Include server rules, mods, or special features


ServerWebsiteURL

<property name="ServerWebsiteURL" value=""/>

What it does: Website link in server browser
Default: Empty
Example: https://discord.gg/yourserver


ServerPassword

<property name="ServerPassword" value=""/>

What it does: Password required to join server
Default: Empty (no password)
Security: Use for private servers
Tip: Share only with trusted players


ServerLoginConfirmationText

<property name="ServerLoginConfirmationText" value=""/>

What it does: Message shown when joining server
Default: Empty
Use case: Server rules, welcome message, Discord link


Region

<property name="Region" value="NorthAmericaEast"/>

What it does: Geographic region for server browser filtering
Options:

  • NorthAmericaEast
  • NorthAmericaWest
  • Europe
  • Asia
  • Oceania
  • SouthAmerica

Default: NorthAmericaEast


Language

<property name="Language" value="English"/>

What it does: Primary server language
Default: English
Options: English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese


Player Limits & Slots

ServerMaxPlayerCount

<property name="ServerMaxPlayerCount" value="8"/>

What it does: Maximum players allowed
Default: 8
Recommendations:

  • Small/Casual: 8-16
  • Medium: 16-32
  • Large/PvP: 32-64

Performance impact: More players = more resources needed


ServerReservedSlots

<property name="ServerReservedSlots" value="0"/>

What it does: Reserved slots for admins
Default: 0
Example: Set to 2 to reserve 2 slots for admins even when server is "full"


ServerReservedSlotsPermission

<property name="ServerReservedSlotsPermission" value="100"/>

What it does: Permission level required for reserved slots
Default: 100
Note: Admins (level 0) can always use reserved slots


ServerAdminSlots

<property name="ServerAdminSlots" value="0"/>

What it does: Extra slots beyond max for admins
Default: 0
Example: Max 20, AdminSlots 2 = 22 total (20 public + 2 admin)


ServerAdminSlotsPermission

<property name="ServerAdminSlotsPermission" value="0"/>

What it does: Permission level required for admin slots
Default: 0 (full admins only)


Gameplay Settings

GameWorld

<property name="GameWorld" value="Navezgane"/>

What it does: World type to generate
Options:

  • Navezgane - Fixed handcrafted map
  • RWG - Random World Generation

Default: Navezgane
Tip: Use RWG for endless exploration


WorldGenSeed

<property name="WorldGenSeed" value=""/>

What it does: Seed for random world generation
Default: Empty (random)
Note: Only works with GameWorld="RWG"
Tip: Share seed to recreate same world


WorldGenSize

<property name="WorldGenSize" value="6144"/>

What it does: RWG world size (in meters)
Options:

  • 4096 - Small (8km²)
  • 6144 - Medium (12km²) - Default
  • 8192 - Large (16km²)
  • 10240 - Very Large (20km²)

Performance: Larger = more generation time and disk space


GameName

<property name="GameName" value="My Game"/>

What it does: Save folder name
Default: My Game
Warning: Changing creates NEW save. Backup world first!


GameMode

<property name="GameMode" value="GameModeSurvival"/>

What it does: Game mode type
Options:

  • GameModeSurvival - Standard survival
  • GameModeCreative - Creative mode (not recommended for servers)

Default: GameModeSurvival


Difficulty & Survival Settings

GameDifficulty

<property name="GameDifficulty" value="2"/>

What it does: Overall game difficulty
Options:

  • 0 - Scavenger (Easiest)
  • 1 - Adventurer (Easy)
  • 2 - Nomad (Normal) - Default
  • 3 - Warrior (Hard)
  • 4 - Survivalist (Hardest)
  • 5 - Insane (Brutal)

Recommendation: Start at 2 (Nomad) for balanced gameplay


ZombiesRun

<property name="ZombiesRun" value="0"/>

What it does: Zombie movement at night
Options:

  • 0 - Walk (default)
  • 1 - Jog
  • 2 - Run
  • 3 - Sprint
  • 4 - Nightmare (always run)

Default: 0
Note: Higher = scarier and harder


BloodMoonEnemyCount

<property name="BloodMoonEnemyCount" value="8"/>

What it does: Zombies per player during blood moon
Default: 8
Range: 0-64
Tip: Lower for easier blood moons, higher for intense action


BloodMoonFrequency

<property name="BloodMoonFrequency" value="7"/>

What it does: Days between blood moons
Default: 7
Options:

  • 0 - Disabled
  • 1-30 - Custom frequency

Recommendation: 7 is standard cycle


BloodMoonRange

<property name="BloodMoonRange" value="0"/>

What it does: Random variation in blood moon timing
Default: 0 (exact timing)
Example: Frequency 7, Range 3 = blood moon between days 4-10


DayNightLength

<property name="DayNightLength" value="60"/>

What it does: Real-time minutes for full 24-hour cycle
Default: 60 (1 real hour = 1 game day)
Popular settings:

  • 30 - Faster (30 min cycle)
  • 60 - Default
  • 120 - Slower (2 hour cycle)


DayLightLength

<property name="DayLightLength" value="18"/>

What it does: Game hours of daylight
Default: 18
Range: 1-24
Note: 18 = 18 game hours day, 6 hours night


PlayerSafeZoneLevel

<property name="PlayerSafeZoneLevel" value="5"/>

What it does: Beginner protection level
Default: 5
Options:

  • 1-5 - Protection until this level
  • 0 - Disabled

Note: Zombies won't spawn near very low-level players


PlayerSafeZoneHours

<property name="PlayerSafeZoneHours" value="5"/>

What it does: Real-time hours of beginner protection
Default: 5
Note: Works with PlayerSafeZoneLevel


Experience & Progression

XPMultiplier

<property name="XPMultiplier" value="100"/>

What it does: XP gain multiplier (percentage)
Default: 100 (normal)
Examples:

  • 50 - Half XP (slower progression)
  • 100 - Normal
  • 200 - Double XP (faster progression)

Popular: 150-200 for faster progression servers


PlayerKillingMode

<property name="PlayerKillingMode" value="3"/>

What it does: PvP rules
Options:

  • 0 - No Killing
  • 1 - Kill Allies Only
  • 2 - Kill Strangers Only
  • 3 - Kill Everyone (Full PvP)

Default: 3
Recommendation: Use 0 for PvE servers


Loot & Resources

LootAbundance

<property name="LootAbundance" value="100"/>

What it does: Loot spawn percentage
Default: 100 (normal)
Options:

  • 25 - Very Scarce
  • 50 - Scarce
  • 100 - Normal
  • 125 - Abundant
  • 200 - Very Abundant

Tip: 125-150 for more casual gameplay


LootRespawnDays

<property name="LootRespawnDays" value="7"/>

What it does: Days until loot containers refill
Default: 7
Options:

  • 0 - Never respawns
  • 1-30 - Custom days

Note: Players must be far away for respawn


AirDropFrequency

<property name="AirDropFrequency" value="72"/>

What it does: Game hours between airdrops
Default: 72 (3 game days)
Options:

  • 0 - Never
  • 24 - Daily
  • 72 - Every 3 days
  • 168 - Weekly


AirDropMarker

<property name="AirDropMarker" value="true"/>

What it does: Shows airdrop marker on map/compass
Options: true or false
Default: true


MaxSpawnedZombies

<property name="MaxSpawnedZombies" value="64"/>

What it does: Maximum zombies alive at once
Default: 64
Performance:

  • Lower = better performance
  • Higher = more zombies, more intense

Recommendations:

  • Small server (8 players): 60-80
  • Large server (32+ players): 100-150


MaxSpawnedAnimals

<property name="MaxSpawnedAnimals" value="50"/>

What it does: Maximum animals spawned
Default: 50
Performance impact: Moderate


Building & Land Claims

LandClaimSize

<property name="LandClaimSize" value="41"/>

What it does: Land claim block protection radius
Default: 41 (blocks)
Note: Total protected area = 41x41x41 blocks


LandClaimDeadZone

<property name="LandClaimDeadZone" value="30"/>

What it does: Minimum distance between land claims
Default: 30 blocks
Note: Prevents claim spam near others


LandClaimExpiryTime

<property name="LandClaimExpiryTime" value="7"/>

What it does: Days inactive before claim expires
Default: 7 days
Options:

  • 0 - Never expires
  • 1-30 - Custom days


LandClaimDecayMode

<property name="LandClaimDecayMode" value="0"/>

What it does: What happens when claim expires
Options:

  • 0 - Slow decay
  • 1 - Fast decay
  • 2 - Instant decay

Default: 0


LandClaimOnlineDurabilityModifier

<property name="LandClaimOnlineDurabilityModifier" value="4"/>

What it does: Block durability multiplier when owner is online
Default: 4 (blocks take 4x damage to break)
Note: Prevents offline raiding


LandClaimOfflineDurabilityModifier

<property name="LandClaimOfflineDurabilityModifier" value="4"/>

What it does: Block durability multiplier when owner is offline
Default: 4
PvP tip: Set lower than online value to enable offline raiding


LandClaimOfflineDelay

<property name="LandClaimOfflineDelay" value="0"/>

What it does: Minutes after disconnect before "offline" protection applies
Default: 0
PvP tip: Set to 30-60 to prevent combat logging


Performance & Technical

ServerMaxAllowedViewDistance

<property name="ServerMaxAllowedViewDistance" value="12"/>

What it does: Maximum view distance clients can request
Default: 12 chunks
Performance:

  • Lower = better performance
  • Higher = better visuals but more server load

Recommendations:

  • Budget server: 8-10
  • Standard: 12
  • High-end: 14-16


MaxChunkAge

<property name="MaxChunkAge" value="-1"/>

What it does: Chunks stay loaded this many game days
Default: -1 (infinite)
Performance: Set to 3-7 for better performance


SaveGameFolder

<property name="SaveGameFolder" value=""/>

What it does: Custom save location path
Default: Empty (uses default)
Note: Advanced users only


MaxUncoveredMapChunksPerPlayer

<property name="MaxUncoveredMapChunksPerPlayer" value="131072"/>

What it does: Maximum map chunks player can uncover
Default: 131072
Performance: Lower to reduce save file size


BedrollDeadZoneSize

<property name="BedrollDeadZoneSize" value="15"/>

What it does: Blocks around bedroll where others can't place bedrolls
Default: 15
PvP consideration: Lower = more cramped spawning


Server Performance Settings

EACEnabled

<property name="EACEnabled" value="true"/>

What it does: Enables Easy Anti-Cheat
Options: true or false
Default: true
Warning: Disable only for private servers - prevents cheating


HideCommandExecutionLog

<property name="HideCommandExecutionLog" value="0"/>

What it does: Hides command execution from logs
Options:

  • 0 - Show all
  • 1 - Hide from normal logs
  • 2 - Hide from all logs
  • 3 - Hide from all logs including admin

Default: 0


MaxQueuedMeshLayers

<property name="MaxQueuedMeshLayers" value="1000"/>

What it does: Mesh processing queue limit
Default: 1000
Performance: Lower reduces memory usage


ControlPanelEnabled

<property name="ControlPanelEnabled" value="false"/>

What it does: Enables web control panel
Options: true or false
Default: false
Note: Loafhosts provides better panel - leave disabled


ControlPanelPort

<property name="ControlPanelPort" value="8080"/>

What it does: Web control panel port
Default: 8080
Note: Not needed with Loafhosts panel


ControlPanelPassword

<property name="ControlPanelPassword" value=""/>

What it does: Web control panel password
Default: Empty
Note: Not needed with Loafhosts panel


TelnetEnabled

<property name="TelnetEnabled" value="false"/>

What it does: Enables telnet remote console
Options: true or false
Default: false
Security risk: Leave disabled unless you know what you're doing


TelnetPort

<property name="TelnetPort" value="8081"/>

What it does: Telnet connection port
Default: 8081


TelnetPassword

<property name="TelnetPassword" value=""/>

What it does: Telnet password
Default: Empty
Security: Use strong password if telnet enabled


TelnetFailedLoginLimit

<property name="TelnetFailedLoginLimit" value="10"/>

What it does: Failed logins before IP ban
Default: 10


TelnetFailedLoginsBlocktime

<property name="TelnetFailedLoginsBlocktime" value="10"/>

What it does: Minutes to ban IP after failed logins
Default: 10


TerminalWindowEnabled

<property name="TerminalWindowEnabled" value="false"/>

What it does: Shows terminal window on server
Options: true or false
Default: false
Note: Only for local/dedicated servers


Advanced Settings

DropOnDeath

<property name="DropOnDeath" value="1"/>

What it does: What players drop when they die
Options:

  • 0 - Nothing
  • 1 - Everything
  • 2 - Toolbelt Only
  • 3 - Backpack Only
  • 4 - Delete All

Default: 1


DropOnQuit

<property name="DropOnQuit" value="0"/>

What it does: What players drop when disconnecting
Options:

  • 0 - Nothing
  • 1 - Everything
  • 2 - Toolbelt Only
  • 3 - Backpack Only

Default: 0
PvP: Set to 1-2 to prevent combat logging


BlockDamagePlayer

<property name="BlockDamagePlayer" value="100"/>

What it does: Block damage from players (percentage)
Default: 100 (normal)
Example: 50 = blocks take 50% normal damage from players


BlockDamageAI

<property name="BlockDamageAI" value="100"/>

What it does: Block damage from zombies (percentage)
Default: 100
Easy mode: Set to 50 for weaker zombie attacks


BlockDamageAIBM

<property name="BlockDamageAIBM" value="100"/>

What it does: Block damage from blood moon zombies (percentage)
Default: 100
Challenge mode: Set to 200 for harder blood moons


DynamicMeshEnabled

<property name="DynamicMeshEnabled" value="true"/>

What it does: Enables dynamic mesh system
Options: true or false
Default: true
Performance: Keep enabled for better performance


DynamicMeshLandClaimOnly

<property name="DynamicMeshLandClaimOnly" value="true"/>

What it does: Dynamic mesh only in land claim areas
Options: true or false
Default: true


DynamicMeshLandClaimBuffer

<property name="DynamicMeshLandClaimBuffer" value="3"/>

What it does: Extra chunks around land claims for dynamic mesh
Default: 3


DynamicMeshMaxItemCache

<property name="DynamicMeshMaxItemCache" value="3"/>

What it does: Maximum cached dynamic mesh items
Default: 3
Performance: Lower = less memory usage


Casual/PvE Server:

<property name="GameDifficulty" value="1"/>
<property name="ZombiesRun" value="0"/>
<property name="XPMultiplier" value="150"/>
<property name="LootAbundance" value="125"/>
<property name="PlayerKillingMode" value="0"/>
<property name="BloodMoonEnemyCount" value="6"/>

Standard Survival:

<property name="GameDifficulty" value="2"/>
<property name="ZombiesRun" value="0"/>
<property name="XPMultiplier" value="100"/>
<property name="LootAbundance" value="100"/>
<property name="PlayerKillingMode" value="3"/>
<property name="BloodMoonEnemyCount" value="8"/>

Hardcore/PvP Server:

<property name="GameDifficulty" value="4"/>
<property name="ZombiesRun" value="2"/>
<property name="XPMultiplier" value="75"/>
<property name="LootAbundance" value="75"/>
<property name="PlayerKillingMode" value="3"/>
<property name="BloodMoonEnemyCount" value="12"/>
<property name="DropOnQuit" value="1"/>
<property name="LandClaimOfflineDurabilityModifier" value="2"/>

Performance-Optimized:

<property name="ServerMaxAllowedViewDistance" value="10"/>
<property name="MaxSpawnedZombies" value="50"/>
<property name="MaxSpawnedAnimals" value="30"/>
<property name="MaxChunkAge" value="5"/>
<property name="MaxQueuedMeshLayers" value="500"/>


Troubleshooting

Server Won't Start:

Check XML syntax:

  • Every <property must close with /> or >
  • Attribute values must be in quotes: value="text"
  • No extra or missing brackets

Validate XML: Use online XML validator or text editor with XML checking
Restore backup: If broken, replace with backup serverconfig.xml

Changes Not Taking Effect:

Restart required: All changes need server restart
Wrong file: Make sure you edited serverconfig.xml in root directory
Cached settings: Some settings only apply to NEW worlds

Performance Issues:

Lower view distance to 8-10
Reduce max zombies to 40-50
Lower max animals to 30
Reduce BloodMoonEnemyCount to 4-6
Set MaxChunkAge to 3-5

Players Can't Join:

Check ServerPassword - verify it's correct
Verify ServerMaxPlayerCount - not full
EACEnabled conflicts - some mods require this disabled


Best Practices

Backup before editing - Save copy of serverconfig.xml
Test one change at a time - Easier to identify issues
Use XML comments - Document your changes

<!-- Changed this for better performance -->

Validate syntax - Use XML validator before saving
Monitor performance - Adjust settings based on server load
Document settings - Keep notes on what you changed and why


Need Help?

If you need assistance configuring your 7 Days to Die server, our support team is ready to help!
Contact us through the Loafhosts panel or join our Discord: https://discord.gg/loafhosts

Updated on: 08/11/2025

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