ARK: Survival Ascended exposes hundreds of server settings, and the right ones turn a generic world into your server — a relaxed PvE build sanctuary, a hardcore PvP grind, or a boosted-rates family server. This guide covers the settings that actually define how your world plays, with a quick-reference table, plus how and where to change them.
Key settings & what they do
| Setting | Controls | Common change |
|---|---|---|
| XP Multiplier | Level speed for players & tames | Raise for faster progression |
| Harvest Amount | Resources per gather | 2–3× for build servers |
| Taming Speed | How fast creatures tame | Boost — vanilla can take hours |
| Difficulty Offset | Max wild dino level | Raise, then run DestroyWildDinos |
| Maturation Speed | How fast babies grow | Boost to make breeding realistic |
| Imprint Interval | How often babies want care | Shorten to keep imprints achievable |
| PvP / PvE | Whether players can damage each other | The core identity choice |
Rates: XP, harvest & taming
- XP Multiplier — how fast players and tames level. Raise it for faster progression.
- Harvest Amount Multiplier — resources per gather; the biggest quality-of-life lever for a build-focused server.
- Taming Speed Multiplier — how fast creatures tame. A popular boost since vanilla taming can take hours.
- Item Spoil & Crafting time — how quickly food spoils and items craft.
Difficulty & max dino level
The Difficulty Offset and difficulty override set the maximum level of wild creatures. A higher difficulty spawns higher-level dinos, which means stronger tames and better loot. Most servers raise this above default — then use DestroyWildDinos once after changing it to repopulate at the new levels.
Breeding multipliers
Vanilla breeding is a serious time sink, so these are among the most-changed settings: mating interval, egg hatch speed, baby maturation speed and the imprint interval. Boosting maturation and shortening the imprint window makes breeding and imprinting realistic for players who can’t sit at the screen for hours — essential for most community servers. See our breeding guide.
PvP, PvE & the world
- PvP vs PvE — the single biggest identity choice for your server.
- Day/Night cycle speed — lengthen or shorten the day.
- Structure decay & pickup — how long offline bases last, and the structure-pickup rules.
- Third person & crosshair — toggles that shape the feel for hardcore vs casual servers.
- Tribe limits — max players per tribe and alliance rules.
Where settings live
Most settings are stored in two config files: GameUserSettings.ini (common settings and rates) and Game.ini (advanced multipliers like per-stat and breeding tweaks). You can also change many live with admin commands (see the admin commands guide). On a managed XGamingServer plan you set them from the control panel and the server applies them for you.
Frequently asked questions
What ARK settings should I change first?
Taming speed, harvest amount and XP have the biggest day-one impact — vanilla taming and gathering are slow. For breeding servers, also boost maturation speed and shorten the imprint interval. Then set PvP or PvE, which defines your server’s whole identity.
How do I increase max wild dino level?
Raise the Difficulty Offset / difficulty override, then run DestroyWildDinos once so the map repopulates at the new levels. Higher difficulty means higher-level wild creatures, stronger potential tames, and better loot quality.
Where are ARK server settings stored?
In GameUserSettings.ini (common settings and rates) and Game.ini (advanced multipliers, per-stat and breeding tweaks). On a managed host you edit them from the control panel; on a self-hosted server you edit the .ini files directly and restart.
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