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ARK: rates, mods, and server configuration

Tune harvesting, taming, and XP multipliers, add mods from the Steam Workshop, and understand the two config files that control everything.

Last updated July 16, 2026

ARK is endlessly configurable, and it's all driven by two files: GameUserSettings.ini and Game.ini. Learn what each one does and you can tune rates, tweak the rules, and add mods with confidence.

The two config files

Both live under your server's config folder (open the File Manager):

ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini
ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/Game.ini
  • GameUserSettings.ini — the common stuff: server name, passwords, and the top-level multipliers (harvesting, taming, XP, day length).
  • Game.ini — the deeper tuning: per-resource rates, engram points, breeding/maturation, stat-per-level. Game.ini may not exist until you create it.

Edit a value, save, then restart from the Console tab. ARK only reads config at boot.

The multipliers everyone changes

In GameUserSettings.ini, under the [ServerSettings] section:

Setting Effect
HarvestAmountMultiplier Resources gathered per hit. 3.0 = triple.
TamingSpeedMultiplier How fast dinos tame. Higher = faster.
XPMultiplier Player and dino XP gain.
DayCycleSpeedScale Length of the day/night cycle.
DinoCountMultiplier Wild dino density.
ServerPVE=True Turns off player-vs-player (PvE mode).
MaxPlayers Player cap (this often lives in the startup args too — see below).

For breeding and maturation speed, use Game.ini:

[/script/shootergame.shootergamemode]
MatingIntervalMultiplier=0.5
EggHatchSpeedMultiplier=10.0
BabyMatureSpeedMultiplier=10.0

Install mods from the Steam Workshop

ARK mods come from the Steam Workshop and load by mod ID.

  1. Find the mod on the ARK Steam Workshop and copy its ID (the number in the URL).
  2. On the Startup tab, add the ID to the mods variable (often GameModIds / -mods=). For several mods, comma-separate the IDs — order matters; put total-conversion mods first.
  3. Restart. The server downloads the mods on boot (the first start after adding mods takes longer).
  4. Every client must be subscribed to the same mods on Steam, or they can't join.

Map mods (a custom map) are set differently — you change the map name on the Startup tab to the mod's map, and add the mod ID. Check the mod's Workshop page for the exact map name.

Common issues

  • Changes don't apply: you edited the wrong file/section, or didn't restart. Confirm the path is .../LinuxServer/ and the value is under the right [section].
  • Server won't start after adding a mod: a broken or incompatible mod ID, or a load-order problem — remove the mods one at a time to find the culprit.
  • Players stuck on "Downloading Mods" / can't join: their Steam subscription doesn't match the server's mod set — they must subscribe to the exact same mods.
  • First boot after a mod change hangs for ages: normal — it's downloading mods. Give it time before assuming it's stuck.
  • Config keeps resetting: something is rewriting it — make sure you edit while the server is stopped, then start.