The same 20 slot server does not keep the same players after 48 hours depending on whether SERVER_PVE is True or False. The setting decides whether you attract builders, breeders, night raiders or a closed group of friends. You end up with a clear choice: PvE or PvP, public or private, BattlEye active or not.
Choose an ARK PvE or PvP server before opening it to the public
SERVER_PVE does not just change the tone of the server. It sets the basic permissions. With ServerPVE=True, players cannot destroy other tribes' structures or directly kill their characters. With ServerPVE=False, a player who finds your base at 3 a.m. can break a door, empty a chest and leave with an Argentavis.
On a public 20 slot ARK PvE server, you mainly attract players who settle in for several weeks. They build lineages, place bases of 200 to 500 structures and ask for rules against cave blocking. On a public 20 slot ARK PvP server, you see groups arrive that test the defenses on the first evening. Three raids in 24 hours are enough to make a small tribe leave if the rules stay vague.
The wrong choice costs time. A server announced as PvE then switched to PvP without a wipe keeps bases built without defenses, often in wood or stone. The reverse also leaves annoying leftovers: metal bunkers, 40 turrets, traps and doors everywhere on a map where nobody can break them anymore. The ports stay the same, 7777 UDP for the game and 27015 UDP for the Steam query. The public, however, changes completely.
Open in PvE if your community talks about breeding, bosses, building and events. Open in PvP if it accepts loss, alliances and raid schedules. Between the two, you do not get the best of both worlds. You mostly get complaints, then departures.
Setting SERVER_PVE in GameUserSettings.ini without making a mistake
The setting ends up in GameUserSettings.ini, in the server configuration folder. On Linux, the usual path looks like Saved\/Config\/LinuxServer\/GameUserSettings.ini. On Windows, you will more likely see SavedConfigWindowsServerGameUserSettings.ini. The name changes little. When you are troubleshooting an ARK server on a Sunday evening, you want to open the right file on the first try.
- Stop the server. Do not modify this file while ShooterGameServer is running, because the process can rewrite the old value when it stops.
- Open GameUserSettings.ini and look for the server section. Only one value should decide the mode.
- Write
ServerPVE=Truefor an ARK PvE server. WriteServerPVE=Falsefor an ARK PvP server. Two contradictory lines in the same file create pointless tests, especially after an automatic restart. - Restart the server, then log in with a player without admin rights. Hit a wall from another tribe with a hatchet. In PvE, the damage does not go through. In PvP, the hit points go down.
Do not judge the result from the server selection screen. The Steam list can keep an old session name for several minutes. Test in game, with a normal character. The reliable symptom remains damage to a player or enemy structure.
On the panel Starmine, the PvE/PvP selector writes ServerPVE, the password field writes ServerPassword and the BattlEye option avoids having to type -NoBattlEye again in the launch line. The main gain is there: you avoid two stupid mistakes, leaving the password empty after a private test, or restarting in public with anti-cheat disabled.
Combining private ARK server, password and public visibility
A private ARK server is not just a server with few players. It is a server that filters access. The password decides who gets in. The PvE or PvP mode decides what those players can do once inside. Set both before opening, not after the first argument on Discord.
| Case | Password | Mode | Consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public PvE | None | ServerPVE=True | Easy entry, but risk of pillars, abandoned bases and blocked caves after 7 to 14 days. |
| Public PvP | None | ServerPVE=False | Fast population at launch, fast departures too if offline raids are not framed. |
| Private with friends | Yes | True or False | 5 to 12 regular players, less moderation, but slower recruitment. |
| Manual whitelist | Yes, plus Discord validation | Often PvE | Calmer community, but each new arrival requires an admin action. |
The password line is set with ServerPassword=. Leave it blank, and the server is accessible to anyone who finds it. If it is filled in, it blocks entry before the map loads. Do not confuse it with ServerAdminPassword: this one gives access to admin commands, not to the server.
Keep the ports open even on a private server: 7777 UDP for the game, 7778 UDP depending on the network setup, 27015 UDP for the query. If 27015 is closed, the server can run without showing up correctly in the lists. For a group of 6 friends, a password is better than changing the port. Players remember a word. They forget an address with a custom port.
Enable BattlEye ARK or disable it depending on the real risk
BattlEye filters part of modified clients and known injections. It does not replace a present admin, but on a public ARK PvP server it removes one layer of problems before the first raid. Turning off anti-cheat on a server without a password, in PvP, at 20 or 30 slots, opens the door to players who come to test the limits.
Disabling it often goes through the argument -NoBattlEye in the launch line. Use it for a mod test, a LAN evening, or a private ARK server with 4 to 6 players you really know. Leave it out for a publicly listed server. The difference shows quickly: in public PvP, a single player with ESP or aimbot destroys the trust of 15 players in one evening.
BattlEye errors do not always mean cheating. The exact message « You have been kicked by BattlEye. Reason 'Client not responding' » also appears with a blocked client, a connection that loses packets, or an antivirus that is too aggressive. The message « BattlEye: Query Timeout » points more to a client that no longer responds to the service. Read the logs before banning.
The decision comes down to a few lines. Public PvP: BattlEye active. Public PvE: BattlEye active too, because duplication, speedhack and scouting tools break the server economy. Private among friends with a password: you can disable it for troubleshooting, then turn it back on as soon as you open to strangers.
Switching an ARK PvE server to PvP without sacrificing the save
Changing ServerPVE from True to False takes 30 seconds. Handling the consequences takes several days if you do it on a living map. PvE bases are not built to absorb rockets. Players place walls for decoration, not to slow down a raid. A map open for 30 days in PvE often contains teleporters, huge pens and stored resources without defense.
Delete or replace ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks wipes the map, tribes, characters, tamed dinos, storage boxes and structures. Keep an archive before any wipe or migration test.tar -czf ark-save-avant-pvp.tgz ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks- Announce the change at least 72 hours in advance. Below that, players who farmed for 200 hours feel trapped.
- Make a full backup with the server stopped. Check for the map file, for example TheIsland.ark, and the .arkprofile and .arktribe files.
- Decide on wipe or transition. Without a wipe, give 7 days of written protection or forbid raids while the bases are rebuilt.
- Change the mode, restart, then test damage between two test tribes. Do not test with an admin in god mode.
A wipe is often cleaner for a real ARK PvP server. It puts everyone back at level 1, with no PvE stockpiles turned into missiles on the first evening. A transition without a wipe can work for 8 friends. On a public server, it mostly creates winners before it even opens.
Set rates, rules and sanctions according to the players you want
PvE or PvP mode is not enough. Rates decide the pace, so the type of players who stay. On an ARK PvE server, XP x2, harvest x2 and tame x3 give clear progress without turning every evening into a chore. Beyond harvest x5, bases grow fast: more foundations, more useless dinos, more backup to write every 15 minutes.
In PvP, the same rates change the war. Harvest x3 and tame x5 make it possible to bounce back after a raid, which keeps small tribes alive. Harvest x10 has the opposite effect on a public server: large tribes replace 40 turrets and 200 walls before the others have finished their first forge. The server becomes a race for playtime.
Set the rules with specific values. "No offline raiding" is not enough. Prefer time windows, for example raids allowed from 20:00 to 23:00, Paris time, from Friday to Sunday. If you use PreventOfflinePvP=True, keep a 900 second delay before it activates. Below 300 seconds, players abuse disconnections. Above 1800 seconds, the protection is no longer useful for someone who disconnects after a crash.
In PvE, also write the penalties for pillar spam, blocking artifact caves, and abandoned bases. A demolition delay after 14 days of inactivity works for a small community. For 50 players, drop it to 7 days for structures with no chest or bed, otherwise the map ends up covered in remnants that are impossible to read.
Guides
Can an ARK PvE server still have player duels?
Yes, but PvE blocks free damage between tribes. For duels, use event rules, an arena, and consenting players. If the community wants danger everywhere on the map, go straight to PvP.
Why does my private ARK server still appear in the list?
A password does not necessarily hide the server. It blocks entry. If the query port 27015 UDP responds, the session may appear in the Steam list with a padlock or a password prompt.
Does BattlEye stop all cheaters on ARK?
No. BattlEye blocks some modified clients and triggers kicks, but it does not catch everything. Keep logs, proof rules, and admins able to check a suspicious raid.
Should you wipe when switching from PvP to PvE?
Not always. Switching from PvP to PvE keeps bases that are often very defensive, but they no longer give such a strong advantage. A manual cleanup of traps, useless turrets, and abandoned structures is often enough for a closed group.