How to Change Sons of the Forest Settings on an Existing Save

To change settings on an existing Sons of the Forest save, stop the server, edit dedicatedserver.cfg in the server's user data folder (serverconfig/ on GamezServers) and start it again. Server options such as MaxPlayers, Password, SaveInterval and IdleDayCycleSpeed apply to the island you already have. GameMode and everything in CustomGameModeSettings are only used when a save is created, and ignored after that. Also check the launch line: any -dedicatedserver.<Key> option there overrides the file.

What you can change on an existing save

The island itself, your bases and every log you placed live in the numbered save folder, and none of the server options touch it.

Where is dedicatedserver.cfg?

The file is JSON, so every value except the last in a block needs a comma after it. Endnight's dedicated server guide documents every key, and our Sons of the Forest server settings explained goes through them one by one.

Step 1: Back up first

Click Backup, or copy the whole Saves folder and dedicatedserver.cfg somewhere safe. A wrong SaveMode or SaveSlot can cost you the island, and a backup is the only undo.

Step 2: Stop the server

The server reads dedicatedserver.cfg once, when it starts. Stop it from the panel so it saves cleanly, and wait until it is offline.

Step 3: Edit the options that can change

Change values only, keeping the JSON structure:

"MaxPlayers": 6,
"Password": "longsharedpassword",
"SaveMode": "Continue",
"SaveInterval": 300,
"IdleDayCycleSpeed": 0.0,
"GameSettings": {
  "Gameplay.TreeRegrowth": true,
  "Structure.Damage": false
}

Leave SaveMode on Continue. With New, the server creates a fresh game on the slot at start, replacing the island you meant to keep.

Step 4: Check the launch line before you start

This is the step that explains most "my edit did nothing" posts. The dedicated server accepts any config key as a launch option, for example -dedicatedserver.MaxPlayers "4", and a launch option wins over the file. Hosts use this to drive settings from their panel.

On GamezServers, the start line passes these from your Settings on every start, so change them there, not in the file:

Everything else in dedicatedserver.cfg, including SaveMode, SaveInterval, GameSettings and CustomGameModeSettings, comes from the file. Then start the server and join from Multiplayer, Join, with Source set to Dedicated.

The gotcha: difficulty is written into the save

When the server creates a save, it stores the game mode and every custom rule inside that save. From then on it loads those stored values and ignores GameMode and CustomGameModeSettings in the config, without any message. You can set "GameMode": "Peaceful" on a Hard island all day and the cannibals keep coming.

There is no supported way to change the difficulty of an existing island. What you can do is start a second island with the new rules and keep the first one on disk.

How do I start a new save with different rules?

1. Back up and stop the server.
2. Set the mode. For your own mix, use "GameMode": "Custom" (on GamezServers, set Gamemode to custom in Settings, since the start line overrides the file) and fill in CustomGameModeSettings in the file:

"GameMode": "Custom",
"CustomGameModeSettings": {
  "GameSetting.Vail.EnemyAggression": "Low",
  "GameSetting.Environment.SeasonLength": "Long",
  "GameSetting.Survival.ColdPenalties": "Off",
  "GameSetting.Survival.BuildingResistance": "High"
}

3. Pick an empty slot, for example 0000000002, in Save Slot (or SaveSlot in the file). Keep SaveMode on Continue, which creates a save when the slot is empty.
4. Start the server. A new island begins with your rules.

Your old island stays in its own folder under Saves/DedicatedServer/Multiplayer/. Set the slot back to its number to play it again.

Common problems

• Difficulty did not change: GameMode and custom settings only apply when a save is created. Use a new slot.
• MaxPlayers or password ignored: a launch option overrides the file. On our servers, change them in Settings.
• Island reset to day one: SaveMode was New, or SaveSlot points to an empty slot. Restore the backup, set Continue and the right slot number.
• Server will not start after editing: broken JSON, usually a missing comma or an extra one before a closing bracket.
• MaxPlayers above 8 does nothing: 8 is the game's co-op cap.
• Server name changed back: on GamezServers the name comes from Name and server list. Restart after saving it.

On GamezServers

On a Sons of the Forest server from GamezServers, the panel handles the name, password, max players, game mode for new saves and save slot, while dedicatedserver.cfg and ownerswhitelist.txt are in the Files tab and over SFTP. Click Backup before trying a new ruleset, and your island stays online with no host needed. Bringing an island from your PC instead? See how to move a Sons of the Forest save to a dedicated server.

FAQ

Can I change the difficulty of an existing Sons of the Forest save?

No. The game mode and custom settings are stored in the save when it is created, so start a new save slot with the mode you want.

Why does my Sons of the Forest server ignore dedicatedserver.cfg?

A -dedicatedserver.<Key> launch option overrides the file for that key, or you edited it while the server was running. Stop the server, check the launch line, edit, start.

Do I need to restart after changing dedicatedserver.cfg?

Yes. The server only reads the file when it starts.

Can I keep my old island and start a new one?

Yes. Saves live in numbered slot folders, so set a new Save Slot for the new island and switch back to the old number whenever you like.