How to Change Max Players on Your Nuclear Option Server

Learn how to set the maximum player count on your Nuclear Option dedicated server for the best gameplay experience.

The max players setting controls how many players can be connected to your Nuclear Option server at the same time. Setting this correctly ensures a good balance between action-packed gameplay and server performance.

Changing Max Players

Open the XGamingServer panel

Go to Startup

In the sidebar, click Startup.

Set the max players value

Find the Max Players field and enter your desired player limit.

Save and restart

Save your changes and restart the server.

The new player limit will take effect immediately after the server restarts. Players already connected will not be kicked — the limit only prevents new players from joining once the server is full.

Changing Max Players via Config File

You can also set the player limit through the config file:

Stop your server

Stop your server from the XGamingServer panel.

Navigate to Files

In the sidebar, go to Files.

Edit the config file

Open the server configuration file and find the max players setting.

Set the value

Change the value to your desired player count.

Save and start

Save the file and start your server.

📝 Note: If the max players value is set in both the Startup tab and the config file, the Startup tab value typically takes priority.

Recommended Player Counts

The ideal player count depends on the type of experience you want to offer:

Player Count	Experience	Best For
2–8	Small-scale dogfights and practice sessions	Squadron training, 1v1 or small team matches
8–16	Balanced combined arms with good action density	General multiplayer, mixed vehicle types
16–24	Large-scale battles with full combined arms	Community events, organized matches
24+	Massive battles with heavy vehicle presence	Large events, maximum chaos

💡 Tip: Start with a moderate player count (8–16) and increase it as your community grows. Higher player counts require more server resources, so watch for performance issues in the Console on the XGamingServer panel if you increase the limit significantly.

How Player Slots Work

Reserving slots — There is no built-in slot reservation in Nuclear Option. If you need to guarantee slots for specific players (e.g., admins or event organizers), set the max players slightly higher than your expected count.
Full server behavior — When the server reaches the max player limit, new players attempting to join will see the server as full in the browser. They will not be able to connect until a slot opens up.
Spectators — Spectators may or may not count toward the player limit depending on the server version. Check your specific configuration.

Performance Considerations

Higher player counts increase the load on your server. Keep these factors in mind:

Factor	Impact
Network bandwidth	More players means more network traffic — each player sends and receives position, vehicle, and weapon data
CPU usage	Physics calculations scale with player and vehicle count
Mission complexity	Missions with more AI units combined with high player counts will use more resources

If you notice performance issues with high player counts:

Check the Console on the XGamingServer panel for warnings or errors
Consider reducing AI unit counts in your mission settings
Try lowering the player count and testing again
Contact XGamingServer support if you need a higher-tier server plan

📝 Note: Your XGamingServer plan determines the maximum resources available to your server. If you're hosting large events with high player counts, make sure your plan supports the load.

If you get stuck at any time, you can join our Discord.

How to Change Max Players on Your Nuclear Option Server

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