Abiotic Factor keeps its gameplay tuning in SandboxSettings.ini, a file the dedicated server never writes for you. Here is what every key actually does, its real range, and a sane value to set it to.
[SandboxSettings] header, inside your world's save folder (...\Saved\SaveGames\Server\Worlds\<World>\). Server identity (name, ports, player cap, password) rides on the AbioticFactorServer.exe launch line instead. Edit the ini with any text editor and restart the server to apply. To skip the hand-editing, use the generator.Name, ports, player cap, password, and world are launch parameters, not ini keys, and go on the server's command line.
| Setting | What it does | Default | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| ServerName | The name shown in the in-game server browser. Passed as -SteamServerName on the launch line, not stored in any ini. Purely cosmetic, so name it whatever helps friends spot you. | Abiotic Factor Server | Anything recognizable |
| MaxServerPlayers | Hard cap on concurrent players, 1 to 24, passed as -MaxServerPlayers. The game is built around 1 to 6 co-op and the server throws a warning above 6, so treat higher numbers as a your-hardware problem. | 6 | 6 |
| ServerPassword | Join password, passed as -ServerPassword. Leave it blank for an open server or set one to keep randoms out. It is separate from the admin password. | None (open server) | Set one for private servers |
| WorldSaveName | The save folder name under ...\Saved\SaveGames\Server\Worlds\, passed as -WorldSaveName. Reuse a name to continue that world, pick a new one to start fresh. The server's own built-in default is Cascade. | MyWorld | One stable name per world |
| GamePort | UDP game port, default 7777, passed as -PORT. Forward it and open it in the firewall or nobody connects. | 7777 | 7777 unless it clashes |
| QueryPort | UDP Steam query port, default 27015, passed as -QueryPort. This is how the server browser finds you, so forward it alongside the game port. | 27015 | 27015 |
Who can join across platforms. CrossplaySetting lives in GameUserSettings.ini, not SandboxSettings.ini.
| Setting | What it does | Default | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| CrossplaySetting | Controls cross-platform joining, and it lives in GameUserSettings.ini rather than SandboxSettings.ini. PartialCrossplay is the default and lets PC and console players mix. The game files also expose NoCrossplay and LocalOnly as more restrictive options, named for what they do (single-platform and local-only); if your setup depends on locking crossplay down, test it before you rely on it. Platform limiting is also driven by the -PlatformLimited launch flag. | PartialCrossplay | PartialCrossplay |
| __platform_limited | Adds the -PlatformLimited launch flag, which fences the session to one platform family (PC, PlayStation, or Xbox). Pair it with NoCrossplay for a strictly same-platform server; leave it off for normal crossplay. | Off | Off |
The master difficulty preset and the hardcore switch that everything else builds on.
| Setting | What it does | Default | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| GameDifficulty | The overall difficulty preset: 1 Normal, 2 Hard, 3 Apocalyptic. It governs how many enemies appear, how aggressive they are, and how fast they react, and anything above Normal overrides the game's dynamic difficulty. The multipliers further down stack on top of this. | 1 (Normal) | 1 (Normal) |
| HardcoreMode | One life per character, with difficulty forced to Apocalyptic while it is on. Default off. This is the real permadeath switch, not a gentle nudge, so only flip it if the whole group signed up for it. | Off | Off |
Day/night, weather, water, spoilage, and the world-rule toggles.
| Setting | What it does | Default | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| DayNightCycleState | 0 Normal runs the clock; 1 Always Day and 2 Always Night lock the lighting. Time still passes under a locked cycle, it just stops looking like it. Always Night is a genuine difficulty bump. | 0 (Normal) | 0 (Normal) |
| DayNightCycleSpeedMultiplier | How fast the clock advances, 0.1 to 3.0, default 1.0. It only touches time-of-day, not cooldowns or respawn timers. Lower it for longer days. | 1.0× | 1.0× |
| WeatherFrequency | How often weather events fire, 1 Never through 5 Daily, default 3 Normal. Mild impact overall, so set it to taste. | 3 (Normal) | 3 (Normal) |
| PowerSocketsOffAtNight | On by default, cutting facility wall power overnight so you have to plan around the dark. Turn it off for around-the-clock grid power if you would rather not babysit generators. | On | On |
| SinkRefillRate | How fast sinks passively refill with water, 0 to 10, default 1.0. Crank it if water hauling is tedious, or set 0 to kill sinks as a water source entirely. | 1.0× | 1.0× to 3.0× |
| FoodSpoilSpeedMultiplier | How quickly food rots, 0 to 2.0, default 1.0. Set 0 to stop spoilage dead, or push toward 2 for a tighter food economy. | 1.0× | 1.0× |
| RefrigerationEffectivenessMultiplier | How well fridges slow spoilage and hold cold, 0 to 2.0, default 1.0. Tune it alongside food spoil speed to decide how much fridges actually matter. | 1.0× | 1.0× |
| TaintedSinkWater | Off by default (clean water). On makes every sink dispense tainted water you must purify first, a straight survival-realism bump. | Off (clean) | Off |
| RadiationDealsDamage | Off by default. On turns radiation zones into a real hazard that hurts you, which the wiki flags as a large difficulty increase. Pairs with the invisible-radiation toggle below. | Off | Off |
| InvisibleRadiation | Off by default, so radiation shows its warning haze. On hides that visual, leaving a Geiger counter as your only tip-off. Only meaningful when radiation deals damage. | Off | Off |
| LootRespawnEnabled | Off by default, so world loot is one-and-done and the facility gets picked clean over a long save. On lets containers refill, which is friendlier for long-running or higher-pop servers. It can occasionally leave a floating object. | Off | On for long co-op runs |
| HomeWorlds | On by default. Governs access to the personal Home World portal spaces for everyone on the server. Leave it on unless you specifically want that feature gone. | On | On |
| StorageByTag | On by default. When on, containers restrict what they accept by item type (a fridge takes only food, for example) to keep storage tidy. Turn it off if you would rather dump anything anywhere. | On | On |
Structural support limits and whether player furniture can be destroyed.
| Setting | What it does | Default | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| StructuralSupportLimit | How high furniture and structures can stack before they need a support, default 5. Setting 0 removes the requirement outright. The wiki warns that values much above 5 can cause problems, so nudge it, do not crank it. | 5 | 5 |
| BridgeSupports | How many supports bridges require, 0 None / 1 One / 2 Two, default 2. Lower it for longer unsupported spans. | 2 (Two Supports) | 2 |
| PlayerFurnitureDestruction | Off by default, where furniture at zero durability packages back into a pickup instead of breaking. On lets furniture actually be destroyed, which suits PvP or teardown-friendly servers. | Off (packages instead) | Off |
Spawn rate, health, damage, and AI sharpness, the dials that make the facility safe or lethal.
| Setting | What it does | Default | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| EnemySpawnRate | How frequently enemies spawn and respawn, 0.5 to 3.0, default 1.0. Drop it toward 0.5 for a calmer base-building run, push it up for constant pressure. | 1.0× | 0.75× to 1.0× |
| EnemyHealthMultiplier | Enemy hit points, 0.75 to 3.0, default 1.0. Note the 0.75 floor: you can soften enemies a little but never make them trivial. | 1.0× | 0.75× for relaxed play |
| EnemyPlayerDamageMultiplier | How hard enemies hit you, 0.25 to 3.0, default 1.0. This is the main how-punishing dial. 0.25 is forgiving, 3.0 is brutal. | 1.0× | 0.5× for co-op |
| EnemyDeployableDamageMultiplier | Damage enemies deal to your turrets, traps, and placed defenses, 0.1 to 5.0, default 1.0. Lower it if you want base defenses to actually hold. | 1.0× | 1.0× |
| DetectionSpeedMultiplier | How quickly enemies notice you, 0.1 to 3.0, default 1.0. Above 1.0 they spot you faster; drop it for a stealthier, more forgiving game. | 1.0× | 1.0× |
| EnemyAccuracy | How tightly ranged enemies group their shots, 0 Pathetic through 4 Precise, default 2. Precise enemies punish standing still in the open. | 2 (Default) | 2 (Default) |
The survival-needs drain rates, XP gain, friendly fire, and starting perk points. Set a rate to 0 to switch that need off.
| Setting | What it does | Default | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| HungerSpeedMultiplier | How fast hunger builds, 0 to 2.0, default 1.0. Set 0 to switch hunger off completely. | 1.0× | 1.0× |
| ThirstSpeedMultiplier | How fast thirst builds, 0 to 2.0, default 1.0. 0 disables thirst. | 1.0× | 1.0× |
| FatigueSpeedMultiplier | How fast fatigue (the sleep need) builds, 0 to 2.0, default 1.0. Set 0 to disable it if nobody wants to manage sleep. | 1.0× | 1.0× (0 to skip sleep) |
| ContinenceSpeedMultiplier | How fast the bathroom need builds, 0 to 2.0, default 1.0. Yes, it is a real survival stat. Set 0 to turn it off. | 1.0× | 1.0× (0 to skip it) |
| PlayerXPGainMultiplier | Skill XP gain rate, 0 to 3.0, default 1.0. Raise it for faster progression; 0 freezes leveling entirely. | 1.0× | 1.0× to 1.5× |
| DamageToAlliesMultiplier | Damage you deal to teammates, 0 to 3.0, default 0.5 (not 1.0). Set 0 for full friendly-fire immunity. It has to be at least 1.0 before actual player-versus-player works. | 0.5× | 0 for co-op |
| BonusPerkPoints | Extra or fewer starting perk points on top of your job's allocation, -20 to 50, default 0. Positive gives everyone a head start; negative tightens builds. | 0 | 0 |
Stack sizes, weight, durability, and inventory space, the quality-of-life dials.
| Setting | What it does | Default | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| ItemStackSizeMultiplier | Multiplier on how many items fit per stack, 1.0 to 30.0, default 1.0. The floor is 1, so you can only grow stacks. A bump to 5 is a big inventory-juggling win for co-op. | 1.0× | 5× for co-op |
| ItemWeightMultiplier | How heavy items are, 0 to 5.0, default 1.0. Set 0 for weightless (no encumbrance), or raise it for a harsher hauling game. | 1.0× | 1.0× |
| ItemDurabilityMultiplier | How long gear lasts before breaking, 0.1 to 10.0, default 1.0. Below 1.0 wears faster, above 1.0 lasts longer. Bump it if constant repairs are not your idea of fun. | 1.0× | 1.0× to 2.0× |
| DurabilityLossOnDeathMultiplier | How much extra durability your gear loses when you die, 0 to 1.0, default a gentle 0.1. Set 0 to remove the death tax on gear, or 1.0 to make dying really sting. | 0.1× | 0 for co-op |
| BaseInventorySize | Starting inventory slots before any backpack, 0 to 42, default 12. Nudging it up is pure quality-of-life and does not touch difficulty. | 12 | 12 to 20 |
Death penalty, starting weapon, and the quality-of-life rule toggles.
| Setting | What it does | Default | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeathPenalties | What you lose on death, a 0 to 5 scale, default 1. 0 keeps everything, 1 keeps equipped items and hotbar, 2 keeps only the hotbar, 3 keeps only equipped, 4 drops all items, 5 destroys them permanently. Higher tiers pair naturally with hardcore. | 1 (Keep equipped & hotbar) | 0 for co-op |
| FirstTimeStartingWeapon | The weapon new characters spawn with on top of their job kit: 0 None through 6 Random, with Shiv, Desk Leg, Kitchen Knife, Starter Baton, and Pipe Club in between. Default None. | 0 (None) | 0 (None) |
| ShowDeathMessages | On by default, broadcasting a message when anyone dies. Turn it off to keep deaths private. | On | On |
| HostAccessPlayerCorpses | On by default, letting the host or admin open another player's death bag, useful when someone dies somewhere unreachable. Off locks a corpse to its owner. | On | On |
| AllowCharacterReset | On by default, letting players respec their job, skills, and traits in-world. Off locks builds in; pair with hardcore for commitment. | On | On |
| AllowIronMode | On by default, but it only does anything with Hardcore Mode enabled, where it lets players opt into the Iron Mode starting-job challenge. Off removes the option server-wide. | On | On |
| AllowRecipeSharing | On by default, so unlocked recipes propagate to the whole group. Off makes everyone research independently, which slows co-op progression. | On | On |
| AllowPagers | On by default, keeping the pager item (a player locator and ping) working. Off disables it. Mostly a co-op convenience. | On | On |
| AllowTransmog | On by default, letting players change armor appearance without touching stats. Purely cosmetic; turn it off to tie everyone's look to their real gear. | On | On |
| DisableResearchMinigame | Off by default, so research uses the minigame. On skips it and unlocks recipes instantly, a popular fix for players who find the minigame tedious. | Off | Off (On to skip it) |
These shape the generated start_server.bat rather than any game setting. The script already passes -SandboxIniPath so your ini loads.
| Setting | What it does | Default | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| __restart_loop | A start_server.bat option, not a game setting. Wraps the launch in a loop so the server relaunches after a crash or exit. Leave it on for unattended boxes. | On | On |
| __update_on_launch | A start_server.bat option. Adds a SteamCMD line that updates the dedicated server (Steam app 2857200) before each boot. The server does not auto-update, and after a patch, clients on the new build cannot join a stale server. Needs steamcmd available. | Off | On for unattended hosts |
| __log_to_file | A start_server.bat option. Redirects server output to server.log instead of the console window. Handy for unattended hosting and diagnosing crashes. | Off | On for headless boxes |
Abiotic Factor is tuned for small-group co-op, and the stock defaults lean survival-horror harsh. This baseline keeps the atmosphere but trims the tedium: fights end faster, deaths cost time rather than your loadout, and the facility keeps restocking.
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| MaxServerPlayers | 6 | Comfortable cap for a home box; the game is built for small co-op. |
| GameDifficulty | 1 (Normal) | Keep the baseline sane and soften with the multipliers instead. |
| EnemyHealthMultiplier | 0.75× | The lowest allowed, so fights end faster. |
| EnemyPlayerDamageMultiplier | 0.5× | Enemies still bite, but a bad pull is not a wipe. |
| PlayerXPGainMultiplier | 1.5× | Progress a bit quicker without trivializing it. |
| ItemStackSizeMultiplier | 5× | Far less inventory juggling. |
| DurabilityLossOnDeathMultiplier | 0 | No gear tax when someone goes down. |
| DeathPenalties | 0 (Keep all) | Deaths cost time, not your loadout. |
| LootRespawnEnabled | On | Containers refill so the facility never gets stripped bare. |
SandboxSettings.ini for you. With no file, it silently runs on built-in defaults, which is where every "I changed the settings and nothing happened" thread comes from. You have to create the file yourself and point the launch line at it with -SandboxIniPath. The generator builds both the ini and a start_server.bat that already passes that flag....\Saved\SaveGames\Server\Worlds\<WorldName>\SandboxSettings.ini. It has to start with the [SandboxSettings] header to load at all. If you launch with -SandboxIniPath, the server reads from wherever that points instead.-MaxServerPlayers, but the game is designed around 1 to 6 co-op and shows a warning past 6. Six is a safe default for a home box; higher counts want real hardware behind them.CrossplaySetting in GameUserSettings.ini, not SandboxSettings.ini. PartialCrossplay is the default and lets platforms mix. Because the server writes GameUserSettings.ini itself, you merge just that one line into the existing file rather than replacing it. The generator outputs it on its own tab.SandboxSettings.ini, save, and restart the server. The file is read at boot, not live, so nothing changes until the next launch. If you use the generator, drop the new ini in place and restart.