Once your Barotrauma dedicated server is running, almost everything about how it plays — player count, game mode, difficulty, respawns, friendly fire — is controlled by one file: serversettings.xml. This guide explains the settings that matter so you can tune your server exactly how your crew likes it.
Where the file lives (and the #1 gotcha)
serversettings.xml sits in the Barotrauma root directory, next to the server executable. The single most important rule: stop the server before you edit it. Barotrauma rewrites this file on shutdown, so any change you make while it’s running gets wiped. Stop, edit, save, start.
The settings that matter
- ServerName — the name shown in the in-game server browser.
- MaxPlayers — how many players can connect (e.g.
MaxPlayers="16"). Size this to your plan’s slots. - Password — set a value to make the server private; leave empty for public.
- playstyle — a hint shown in the browser (Casual, Serious, etc.) so players know what to expect.
- gamemodeidentifier — the game mode:
mission(one-off rounds),campaign(persistent progression and money),sandbox, orpvp. - Submarine — the starting sub for the lobby.
- LevelDifficulty — how dangerous the procedurally generated levels are.
- AllowRespawn / UseRespawnShuttle / RespawnInterval — whether dead players respawn, whether they arrive on a respawn shuttle (vs. spawning on the sub), and how long respawns take.
- AllowFriendlyFire — whether crewmates can damage each other (chaos on, teamwork off).
- AllowRewiring — lets players rewire the sub’s electrical systems; disable it on public servers to stop griefing.
- AllowVoteKick — lets the crew vote problem players off.
Choosing a game mode
Most groups who want a persistent server run campaign mode, where your sub, crew progression, and money carry over between rounds. For pick-up-and-play sessions, mission mode generates a fresh objective each round. You can read the full breakdown in our Barotrauma game modes guide and set up a persistent run with the campaign mode guide.
Editing it the easy way
You can also change most of these settings live from the in-game lobby once you’re an admin — handy for difficulty and respawn tweaks between rounds. For everything else, edit the file directly. On XGamingServer Barotrauma hosting you can edit serversettings.xml through the File Manager and restart in one click; our configuration guide walks through each field.
FAQ
My settings keep resetting — why? You’re editing the file while the server is running. Stop it first; the server overwrites serversettings.xml on shutdown.
How many players can a Barotrauma server hold? Set whatever your hardware/slots allow via MaxPlayers — 16 is a common crew size.
How do I make the server private? Set a Password value and restart.
