Configure Sleep and Time Settings
Manage time progression, sleeping, and pause-when-empty behavior on your Project Zomboid server.
Controlling how time works on your server affects pacing and the overall experience. This guide covers sleep, time, and pause settings.
Time Settings
Edit Zomboid/Server/[servername]_SandboxVars.lua:
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
DayLength | 1 | Day length (1=15 min, 2=30 min, 3=1 hr, 4=2 hr, etc.) |
NightLength | 1 | Night length (1=Short, 2=Normal, 3=Long, 4=Always Night) |
StartMonth | 7 | Month the game starts (1–12) |
StartDay | 1 | Day of the month to start |
StartTime | 2 | Starting time of day |
Pause When Empty
When no players are online, you can pause the server to freeze time progression:
Edit Zomboid/Server/[servername].ini:
PauseEmpty=trueThis prevents zombies from moving, time from passing, and resources from being used when nobody is playing. Highly recommended for all servers.
Sleep Settings
| Setting | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
SleepAllowed | .ini | Allow players to sleep |
SleepNeeded | .ini | Require sleep for character needs |
SleepAllowed=true
SleepNeeded=false📝 Note: In multiplayer, sleeping fast-forwards time for the sleeping player but doesn't affect the server clock. Other players continue in real-time.
Common Configurations
Casual (no sleep needed):
SleepAllowed=true
SleepNeeded=falseRealistic (sleep required):
SleepAllowed=true
SleepNeeded=trueNo sleeping at all:
SleepAllowed=false
SleepNeeded=falseRelated Guides
See also: Sandbox Settings | Performance Guide | Configure Your Server
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