ARK Ascended GameUserSettings.ini and Game.ini Settings

Locate and back up the files

On Windows, server files normally live at:

ShooterGame\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\GameUserSettings.ini
ShooterGame\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\Game.ini

Stop the server and copy these files together with ShooterGame/Saved/SavedArks/. If the provider offers a visual editor, check whether it rewrites INI files on startup; manual values controlled by the panel may be overwritten.

Configure GameUserSettings.ini

Core options sit under [ServerSettings]. Adapt this conservative example:

[ServerSettings]
ServerPassword=
ServerAdminPassword=CHANGE_ME
ServerPVE=True
ShowMapPlayerLocation=True
AllowThirdPersonPlayer=True
XPMultiplier=1.0
TamingSpeedMultiplier=3.0
HarvestAmountMultiplier=2.0
DifficultyOffset=1.0

Do not duplicate session values already forced on the startup line. The wiki documents [SessionSettings] for name and port, but ASA requires -port=<port> at startup. For ASA slots, use the provider field or -WinLiveMaxPlayers=<number> rather than assuming the old ASE MaxPlayers key is sufficient.

Booleans use True/False, decimals use a period, and each option occupies one line. Start with moderate multipliers: extreme values can increase world, inventory and save growth.

Configure Game.ini

Advanced gameplay settings belong under this exact section:

[/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameMode]
BabyMatureSpeedMultiplier=5.0
MatingIntervalMultiplier=0.5
EggHatchSpeedMultiplier=5.0
bAllowUnlimitedRespecs=True

These are examples, not universal balance. Test a real breeding cycle and the interaction of maturation, imprint and interval before opening publicly. Custom engrams, level curves and dino replacements create long lines; generate them from a current source and keep each change separately in version history so it can be removed.

Apply and validate without losing the save

If an option has no effect, check spelling, ASA rather than ASE support, section, file and duplicates. Do not delete the world to fix an INI. The ASA setup guide covers installation and ports.

Frequently asked questions