# Barotrauma Campaign Mode Guide (/docs/barotrauma/campaign-mode)



Campaign is Barotrauma's persistent co-op mode. The crew shares a save file — earning money, upgrading the submarine, hiring crew members, and progressing across a map of Europa together.

Starting a Campaign [#starting-a-campaign]

<div className="fd-steps">
  <div className="fd-step">
    Set the Game Mode [#1-set-the-game-mode]

    Stop your server, open `serversettings.xml`, and set:

    ```xml
    gamemodeidentifier="campaign"
    ```

    Save and start the server.
  </div>

  <div className="fd-step">
    Join and Create the Campaign [#2-join-and-create-the-campaign]

    1. Log in to the [XGamingServer Panel](https://panel.xgamingserver.com) and start your server
    2. Join the server with the RedM client
    3. In the lobby, click **New Campaign**
    4. Choose your starting submarine, difficulty settings, and optional modes (see below)
    5. Click **Start**

    ***
  </div>
</div>

Campaign Settings [#campaign-settings]

When starting a new campaign, you configure these options:

Difficulty Modifiers [#difficulty-modifiers]

* **Item consumption rate** — how fast supplies deplete
* **World hostility** — creature frequency and aggression
* **Character vitality** — max health modifier for the crew

Game Over Conditions [#game-over-conditions]

| Mode           | What happens on full crew death                                                                            |
| -------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Standard**   | Characters can be revived by medics mid-round. Dead at round end = character lost; other crew can continue |
| **Permadeath** | Any character death is permanent. Respawn as a bot crew member or hire new crew at an outpost              |
| **Ironman**    | Full permadeath — no respawning at all. If the entire crew dies, it's game over                            |

> ⚠️ **Warning:** Ironman mode is very unforgiving. Recommended only for experienced crews.

***

The Campaign Loop [#the-campaign-loop]

1. **Start at an outpost** — browse the map, spend money, hire crew, upgrade the submarine
2. **Pick a destination and mission** — vote on where to go next
3. **Navigate and complete the mission** — survive the journey, complete objectives
4. **Return to an outpost** — receive rewards, save progress
5. **Repeat** — progress further across Europa

***

Crew Management [#crew-management]

Player Characters [#player-characters]

Each player controls a persistent character with their own skills, talents, and inventory. Skills increase through use during rounds.

Bots [#bots]

Hired NPC crew fill roles not taken by players. If a player misses a session, their character remains as a controllable bot.

Hiring at Outposts [#hiring-at-outposts]

* Talk to the **HR Manager** NPC at an outpost
* Hiring cost = sum of the NPC's skill levels
* Fired crew are gone permanently

Jobs and Skills [#jobs-and-skills]

| Job              | Primary Skills            |
| ---------------- | ------------------------- |
| Captain          | Helmsmanship, Weapons     |
| Engineer         | Electrical, Construction  |
| Mechanic         | Mechanical, Construction  |
| Medical Doctor   | Medical                   |
| Security Officer | Weapons, Close Combat     |
| Assistant        | None (jack of all trades) |

Skills level up through use. Talents are unlocked at skill milestones and persist in the campaign save.

***

Saving [#saving]

Campaign saves automatically when the crew reaches an outpost between rounds. **Progress does not save mid-round.**

**Save file locations on your server:**

```
[ServerRoot]/Saves/Multiplayer/
```

Two files per save:

* `[SaveName].save` — world state, submarine, money, map progression
* `[SaveName]_CharacterData.xml` — all character data, skills, talents, inventories

Backing Up Your Save [#backing-up-your-save]

1. In the panel, click **Files**
2. Navigate to `Saves/Multiplayer/`
3. Download both the `.save` and `_CharacterData.xml` files

> 💡 **Tip:** Back up your save regularly, especially before major risky missions.

***

Loading an Existing Save [#loading-an-existing-save]

To continue a save on your server:

1. Upload both `.save` and `_CharacterData.xml` to `Saves/Multiplayer/` via **Files**
2. Start the server
3. Join, go to the lobby, select **Campaign → Load Campaign**
4. Select your save from the list

***

Transferring a Save from Local to Server [#transferring-a-save-from-local-to-server]

If you were running a campaign locally and want to move it to your dedicated server:

1. Find your local save:
   * **Windows:** `%LocalAppData%\Daedalic Entertainment GmbH\Barotrauma\Multiplayer\`
2. Copy both the `.save` and `_CharacterData.xml` to the server's `Saves/Multiplayer/` folder
3. Restart the server and load the campaign in the lobby

***

Console Commands for Campaign [#console-commands-for-campaign]

Admins can use these commands in the server console:

| Command                           | Description                                          |
| --------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| `campaigninfo`                    | Show current campaign state and location             |
| `campaigndestination [name]`      | Force set the next destination                       |
| `money [amount] [character]`      | Give campaign money to the crew or a specific player |
| `giveexperience [amount] [name]`  | Grant XP to a player                                 |
| `setskill [skill] [level] [name]` | Set a character's skill level                        |

> 💡 **Tip:** Need help getting your campaign set up? Join our [Discord](https://discord.xgamingserver.com).

Related Guides [#related-guides]

* [Game Modes](/docs/barotrauma/game-modes)
* [Configure Your Server](/docs/barotrauma/configure-your-server)
* [Change Submarine](/docs/barotrauma/change-submarine)
* [Console Commands](/docs/barotrauma/console-commands)