All the settings of an ARK server explained

An ARK ASA server often refuses to appear because the map, query port 27015, or session name do not match what Steam expects. You get the eleven panel fields explained one by one, the values to enter, and the cases where an advanced argument is worth the risk.

Configuring SERVER_MAP on an ARK ASA server

SERVER_MAP tells the ShooterGameServer binary which world to load. On ARK Survival Ascended, the values do not always match the name shown in game. The Island starts with TheIsland_WP, Scorched Earth with ScorchedEarth_WP, The Center with TheCenter_WP. TheIsland or Island does not point to the expected map. The server may keep restarting in a loop, or send players back to the menu without any useful error.

The value becomes risky when it no longer matches the save folder you want to use. ARK stores worlds in ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks, and the readable file remains ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini. Changing SERVER_MAP does not convert an existing save. You are starting another map. It has its own dinos, tribes, and structures. The old world stays on disk until you delete it.

Before deleting a map save, download the full SavedArks folder. Deleting the wrong place erases the bases, tamed dinos, local inventories, and tribes of that map.

Keep one simple rule. A public server keeps a map for at least 30 days, otherwise players do not build any real base. A cluster can host 2 or 3 maps, but each map takes its own disk space. An active ASA world often exceeds 2 GB after a few weeks. With large bases and lots of structures, it climbs much higher.

Set SESSION_NAME so the server appears

SESSION_NAME becomes the name shown in the server list. It is also the first text your players type to find you. A name of 12 to 35 characters stays readable. Beyond 60 characters, the interface often cuts off the end, so tags placed on the right disappear. Put the group name first, then the rate or the map. TribuNord ASA x3 PvE is found faster than French survival casual server.

The name does not fix any port. A server with a clean SESSION_NAME stays invisible if the game port 7777, query port 27015, or RCON port 27020 does not respond. On a machine hosting several ARK servers, two instances do not share the same port. The second one uses for example 7779 and 27017. Keep a gap of 2 on the game port, because ARK also uses the next even port in some cases.

Keep it simple with the characters. Accents work in most ASA lists, but some external tools and Discord bots render them badly. The brackets [FR] and [PvE] work. A vertical pipe or an emoji often ends up as a square. The game still runs, but support becomes annoying, because the same server has two different names depending on the tool used.

Set MAX_PLAYERS without killing the server tick

MAX_PLAYERS sets the number of simultaneous connections. The trap is setting 70 because official servers do it. A modded community server with 70 empty slots does not suffer. It suffers when 35 players split into 35 different bases, wake hundreds of creatures, and force the server to send too many network actors. On ASA, a small PvE map often handles 20 or 30 players better than 50 players with the same mods.

Check tick time before blaming RAM. A machine with 32 GB can lag if a single core stays at 100%. ARK spreads part of the work, but the world simulation still has bottlenecks. If doors open with a 2 second delay while free memory stays above 6 GB, lower MAX_PLAYERS by 10 and measure during a full evening.

Choose SERVER_PVE, SERVER_PASSWORD and ARK_ADMIN_PASSWORD

SERVER_PVE changes the damage between players, structures and tamed dinos. With SERVER_PVE=True, raids disappear. Blockades, however, remain. A player can still place foundations near a useful area if your rules do not forbid it. With SERVER_PVE=False, every lack of protection shows within one night. Decide before opening, not after three weeks of built bases.

[ServerSettings]
ServerPVE=True
ServerPassword=motdepassejoueur
ServerAdminPassword=motdepasseadmin

SERVER_PASSWORD locks access to the server. It is used for a tribe server, a mod test or a 24 to 72 hours preparation. On a public server, it slows spontaneous recruitment. A password shared on Discord eventually leaks out of Discord too. For a real whitelist, use a permissions tool or SteamID control, not a single password.

ARK_ADMIN_PASSWORD gives access to admin commands after enablecheats in game. Never make it the same as the player password. Use 16 characters or more, without the community name. An admin can use destroywilddinos, saveworld, broadcast or settimeofday. A leak does not just cause griefing. It can break the server economy in 10 minutes, with spawned items and forced dinos.

Enable BATTLE_EYE and install MOD_IDS correctly

BATTLE_EYE enables the anticheat used by ARK. On a public PvP server, keep BATTLE_EYE=True. Disabling it reduces a few connection refusals, but you accept modified clients. On a private server with 5 players, BATTLE_EYE=False is defensible if a player on Linux or Steam Deck gets BattlEye initialization failed. That case exists. It does not justify turning off the anticheat for 40 strangers.

MOD_IDS contains mod IDs, separated by commas, with no space. On ASA, these are numeric CurseForge IDs. On ASE, many guides still cite Steam Workshop IDs. Mixing the two sources gives a server that starts without loading the right mods, or that blocks players with Mod version mismatch. Check the platform before copying a list published in 2021.

Start with few mods. A structure mod, a quality of life mod and a stack mod already change server behavior. Ten mods add several minutes to startup, and every mod update can require a restart. Put dependency mods before the mods that use them if the author asks for it. If the mod page says it is incompatible with a dedicated server or a version not tested on 1.0 ASA, take the warning seriously.

Keep AUTOUPDATE enabled without surprising players

AUTOUPDATE launches the server update at startup, or during the scheduled window depending on the host. With AUTOUPDATE=True, you avoid the old Sunday night scenario, players have the client up to date, the server stays on the old build. For the player, that looks like a missing server, a connection loop, or an incompatible version message. With AUTOUPDATE=False, you choose the exact time, but you must follow ARK builds and mod updates.

The schedule decides the setting. For a family server, AUTOUPDATE=True is enough. For a community of 30 players, set a fixed restart, for example 05:00 French time, and announce it. An ASA update can take 5 to 20 minutes depending on patch size and disk throughput. With mods, add 2 to 10 minutes of verification. A sudden restart at 21:30 loses more players than an announced maintenance.

On the Starmine panel, these fields avoid having to edit the launch line, the GameUserSettings file and the mod list by hand every time the map, password or update changes.

Keep AUTOUPDATE=True if no one checks versions every night. Turn it off only during an event, a planned raid or a boss night, then turn it back on after the next backup. A server that stays 48 hours behind the client version loses visibility and fills support tickets.

Using PARAMS and FLAGS in ARK launch arguments

PARAMS and FLAGS are the two fields that break an ARK server configuration the fastest. They write directly into the ARK launch arguments. PARAMS usually receives options with a value or launch URL parameters, such as ?Port=7777 or ?QueryPort=27015. FLAGS usually receives switches, such as -log or -server. If the panel already manages the map, slots, BattlEye and passwords, do not copy them here. Two sources of truth always end up costing an evening, and ARK does not always say which one takes priority.

Three cases warrant touching these fields. The first is the cluster, with a shared identifier and transfer rules. The second is diagnostics, with -log to keep more verbose output during a crash. The third is the exact instruction from a mod or an RCON tool. Outside these cases, an argument taken from an old ASE tutorial mostly adds noise.

1. Stop the server and note the current values of SERVER_MAP, MAX_PLAYERS and MOD_IDS.
2. Add only one argument at a time in PARAMS or FLAGS.
3. Start it, wait 3 minutes, then check that it appears in the server list and the logs.
4. Remove the argument if the server does not go past the line Listening on port 7777.

A good advanced field stays short. Beyond 4 manual arguments, the configuration becomes hard to read six months later. This is often when a server starts on the wrong map after a migration.

Guides

Why is my ARK server not appearing in the list?

First check SERVER_MAP, SESSION_NAME, game port 7777 and query port 27015. If several servers are running on the same machine, each instance must have its own ports. A server that is up to date on the client side but not on the server side can also disappear from the list.

Where is GameUserSettings on an ARK Linux server?

The file is located in ShooterGame\/Saved\/Config\/LinuxServer\/GameUserSettings.ini. It contains persistent settings such as ServerPVE, ServerPassword and ServerAdminPassword. The panel can also pass some choices as launch arguments, so do not change both places at the same time.

Do I need to restart after adding ARK ASA mods?

Yes. MOD_IDS is read when the server starts, then the mods are downloaded or verified. Allow several extra minutes for startup, especially with 5 mods or more. Test the connection before announcing the reopening.

Can I switch a PvP server to PvE without wiping?

Technically yes, SERVER_PVE changes the rules on restart. In practice, bases, placements and inventories were created with PvP logic. Warn the players and watch for zone blocks, because switching to PvE prevents some conflicts from being resolved by destruction.