Running your own ARK: Survival Ascended server is one of the best ways to create a custom experience — whether you’re hosting for friends or building a thriving online community. Editing your server settings lets you control everything from XP rates and taming speed to PvP rules and creature spawns.
In this guide, we’ll walk you step-by-step through how to edit ARK: Survival Ascended server settings, whether you’re hosting a non dedicated server, renting a server, or managing a self hosted server.
Why Edit ARK Survival Ascended Server Settings?
By customizing your ARK server settings, you can:
- Adjust game difficulty (make it casual or hardcore)
- Speed up taming, breeding, or XP speeds
- Change weather or day/night cycles
- Shift play style based on your setting preferences
- Create custom events or balanced ecosystems
These changes make your server unique and can greatly improve player engagement and enjoyment.
How Do I Find ARK Survival Ascended Server Settings?
Depending on how you’re hosting your server, there are three main ways to access the settings files:
Local Single-Player/Non-Dedicated Host
If you’re hosting locally:
- Launch ARK: Survival Ascended.
- Choose Create Game from the main menu.
- Use the sliders and checkboxes in the Advanced Settings menu.
- After setting your preferences, click Play Single Player or Host Non-Dedicated Session.
Your changes will automatically save and apply each time you launch your world.
How to edit ARK Dedicated Server settings (Manual Setup)
If you’re hosting a dedicated/Unofficial server, your settings are stored in (.ini) files.
You will be looking for the Game.ini file and GameUserSettings.ini file. To find these you can go to your ShooterGame > Saved > Config > WindowsServer. From there you should see both of your ark settings .ini files
These .ini files are where you can fully customize your ARK experience.
Understanding the Key Config Files
GameUserSettings.ini
This file contains general gameplay and server settings, including:
- Server name, password, and message of the day
- Player stats multipliers (XP, crafting speed, etc.)
- Resource gathering and taming speed
- Difficulty level and PvP settings
Game.ini
This file controls the other half of game mechanics, such as:
- Dino spawn rates
- Engram unlocks
- Breeding and maturation speeds
- Custom quality loot drops
You can find more settings on the Official ARK Wiki page.
Editing Through Rented Hosting UI Panels
If you rent a server through an online provider, you can edit settings directly from their control panels:
- Log in to your hosting provider’s dashboard.
- Locate your ARK Survival Ascended server.
- Go to the Configuration Files or Settings tab.
- Edit values manually or use the built-in configuration editor.
- Save changes and start the server.
Most hosting panels make it easy with sliders, checkboxes, or dropdown menus — easy for new players not used to .ini files.
Applying and Testing Changes
Always be sure to shut down your server and then begin making changes to the configuration files.
After editing your configuration:
- Save all modified .ini files.
- Start your server to apply the new settings.
- Join your world and test to make sure changes worked correctly.
If something didn’t update, double-check for:
- Syntax errors (missing brackets, capitals or equals signs)
- Wrong file location or directory
- Cached settings (try restarting twice)
What Are The Best ARK Server Settings?
Here’s some recommended general settings to try out for your next game play:
- OverrideOfficialDifficulty=5
- XPMultiplier=4
- DayCycleSpeedMultiplier=1
- DayTimeSpeedScale=0.8
- NightTimeSpeedScale=4
- HarvestAmountMultiplier=4
- ItemStackSizeMultiplier=2
- bAllowSpeedLeveling=True
- bAllowFlyerSpeedLeveling=True
- TamingSpeedMultiplier=2
- SupplyCrateLootQualityMultiplier=3
- bDisableStructurePlacementCollision=true
How Do I Speed Up Breeding Settings?
Well here are all the breeding settings you will need to complete your mutated bloodlines in ARK with recommended boosted rates.
- MatingIntervalMultiplier=0.001
- EggHatchSpeedMultiplier=40
- BabyMatureSpeedMultiplier=80
- BabyCuddleIntervalMultiplier=0.0001
- BabyImprintAmountMultiplier=40
- BabyImprintStatScaleMultiplier=2
Final Tips for Editing ARK Server Settings
- Keep a backup of your settings after major changes.
- Regularly update your server and mods to prevent version and mod compatibility issues.
- Test new configurations on a local Test copy before applying to live servers.
Conclusion
Editing your ARK: Survival Ascended server settings gives you total control and freedom over game-play. Whether you want an ultra-realistic survival world or a boosted casual fantasy experience, your configuration files make it all possible.
Take time to experiment, back up often, and shape your world exactly how you want it and if you have trouble or need some help the ReadyGSM team is available for any assistance as well as questions you may have.
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