How to Configure Your Stormworks Server

Learn how to configure your Stormworks: Build and Rescue dedicated server by editing server_config.xml and managing server settings.

Stormworks: Build and Rescue server configuration is managed through the server_config.xml file located in the server root directory. This XML file controls all server settings including the server name, password, max players, and gameplay options. You can edit it directly through the XGamingServer panel's file manager.

Editing server_config.xml

Open the XGamingServer panel

Stop your server

Stop your server before editing config files to prevent your changes from being overwritten.

Navigate to Files

In the sidebar, go to Files.

Open server_config.xml

Find and open server_config.xml in the server root directory.

Edit your settings

Modify the XML values as needed. The file structure looks like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<server>
  <name>My Stormworks Server</name>
  <password></password>
  <max_players>16</max_players>
  <save_name>save</save_name>
  <settings>
    <day_length>1</day_length>
    <infinite_fuel>false</infinite_fuel>
    <infinite_ammo>false</infinite_ammo>
    <vehicle_damage>true</vehicle_damage>
    <player_damage>true</player_damage>
    <npc_damage>true</npc_damage>
    <aggressive_animals>true</aggressive_animals>
    <teleport_vehicle>false</teleport_vehicle>
    <cleanup_vehicle>false</cleanup_vehicle>
    <map_teleport>false</map_teleport>
    <photo_mode>false</photo_mode>
    <ceasefire>false</ceasefire>
  </settings>
</server>

Save and start

Click Save and start your server.

📝 Note: Always stop your server before editing server_config.xml. If the server is running, it may overwrite your changes when it saves or shuts down.

Key Configuration Settings

Here's a reference of all settings in server_config.xml and their dedicated guides:

Setting	XML Tag	Description	Guide
Server Name	`<name>`	What players see in the server browser	Change Server Name
Password	`<password>`	Password required to join (empty = no password)	Set a Password
Max Players	`<max_players>`	Maximum number of connected players	Max Players
Save Name	`<save_name>`	Name of the save file used by the server	—

Gameplay Settings

The <settings> block in server_config.xml controls gameplay mechanics:

Setting	XML Tag	Default	Description
Day Length	`<day_length>`	`1`	Multiplier for the day/night cycle. `1` = normal speed, `2` = twice as fast, `0.5` = half speed
Infinite Fuel	`<infinite_fuel>`	`false`	When `true`, vehicles never run out of fuel
Infinite Ammo	`<infinite_ammo>`	`false`	When `true`, weapons never run out of ammunition
Vehicle Damage	`<vehicle_damage>`	`true`	When `true`, vehicles can take damage from collisions and weapons
Player Damage	`<player_damage>`	`true`	When `true`, players can take damage and die
NPC Damage	`<npc_damage>`	`true`	When `true`, NPCs can take damage
Aggressive Animals	`<aggressive_animals>`	`true`	When `true`, sharks and other animals can attack players
Teleport Vehicle	`<teleport_vehicle>`	`false`	When `true`, players can teleport vehicles to their location
Cleanup Vehicle	`<cleanup_vehicle>`	`false`	When `true`, players can despawn vehicles from the map
Map Teleport	`<map_teleport>`	`false`	When `true`, players can teleport to any point on the map
Photo Mode	`<photo_mode>`	`false`	When `true`, enables the photo mode camera
Ceasefire	`<ceasefire>`	`false`	When `true`, weapons cannot fire (disables combat)

💡 Tip: For creative building servers, enable infinite_fuel, teleport_vehicle, and map_teleport to give players maximum freedom. For realistic rescue servers, keep these disabled and enable all damage settings for an authentic experience.

Using the Startup Tab

Some settings may also be configurable through the Startup tab on the XGamingServer panel:

Go to Startup

In the sidebar, click Startup.

Review available fields

Check if there are fields for server name, password, max players, or other settings.

Edit and save

Make your changes and restart the server.

📝 Note: If a setting is configured in both the Startup tab and server_config.xml, check which one takes priority by reviewing the console output after starting the server.

Save File Management

The <save_name> setting in server_config.xml determines which save file the server uses:

Default save — The server uses a save file named save by default
Multiple saves — You can create multiple save files and switch between them by changing the <save_name> value
Backing up saves — Use the Backups feature on the XGamingServer panel to create backups of your save data before making major changes

💡 Tip: Before making significant gameplay setting changes (like enabling vehicle damage on a creative server), create a backup first using the Backups tab on the XGamingServer panel. This way you can easily restore if something goes wrong.

Verifying Your Configuration

After making changes, verify everything is working:

Check the console

Go to Console on the XGamingServer panel and review the startup log. The server will display the loaded settings during initialization.

Check the server browser

Open Stormworks and verify your server appears in the server browser with the correct name and settings.

Test in-game

Connect to your server and verify gameplay settings (fuel, damage, etc.) are applied correctly.

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

How to Configure Your Stormworks Server

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