Configure Your Don.t Starve Together Server

Getting a Don’t Starve Together server to fit exactly how your group plays often means going beyond the default install. You can adjust settings like game mode, PvP, and tick rate through your Nitrado Web Interface under Settings > General, or by stopping the server and editing the cluster.ini file directly under Settings > Config Files. In this Nitrado guide, we’ll show you the settings you can change in cluster.ini, what each one does, and which values it accepts.

Where to Find These Settings

The Base settings section under Settings > General in your Nitrado Web Interface covers the most common options, including Game mode, PvP, and Tickrate.

Prefer to edit the file directly? Stop your server first, then open Settings > Config Files (or Tools > File Browser) and go to cluster.ini at /dontstarve/storage/config/Cluster_1/cluster.ini. The editor page gives you Download, Open in the file browser, and Save changes options.

What Settings Can You Configure?

Every option in cluster.ini sits inside one of six sections: [GAMEPLAY], [NETWORK], [ACCOUNT], [MISC], [STEAM], and [SHARD]. Here’s what each setting does and which values it accepts.

Gameplay Settings

These settings live under the [GAMEPLAY] section.

• game_mode: Sets which mode your world runs. Accepts survival, endless, or wilderness.
• max_players: Nitrado sets this automatically to match your server’s slot count. It has no panel field, and you can’t change it directly.
• pvp: Turns player-versus-player combat on or off. Set to true to activate PvP, or false to deactivate it.
• pause_when_empty: Pauses the simulation once every player disconnects. This is especially useful for a private server, letting you resume exactly where you left off with your group of friends. Set to true or false.

Network Settings

These settings live under the [NETWORK] section.

• cluster_description: Sets the description text shown alongside your server name in the server browser. Accepts any text value.
• cluster_name: Sets the name that appears for your server in the server browser. Accepts any text value.
• cluster_password: Sets the password players must enter to join your server. Leave the value empty for no password.
• enable_vote_kick: Lets players vote to kick someone who’s disrupting the game when no admin is present. Set to true or false.
• enable_autosaver: Saves your progress at the start of every new in-game day; if the server restarts, it resumes from that save. Set to true or false.
• tick_rate: Sets how many updates per second the server sends to clients. A higher tick_rate uses more bandwidth and CPU but can mean smoother gameplay for clients. Accepts a number from 15 to 60. The default is 15, and Nitrado recommends 15, 20, 30, or 60 because they divide evenly into 60.
• connection_timeout: Sets how many milliseconds the server waits for an unresponsive client before dropping it. Accepts a number; the default is 8000.
• server_save_slot: Sets which save slot the dedicated server loads. Accepts a number from 1 to 5.

Account Settings

This setting lives under the [ACCOUNT] section.

• token: Sets the client token needed to start the server. This value is your Steam64ID.

Miscellaneous Settings

This setting lives under the [MISC] section.

• console_enabled: Turns the server console on or off. Set to true or false.

Steam Settings

These settings live under the [STEAM] section.

• steam_group_id: Sets the Steam group ID linked to your server. Accepts your Steam group’s numeric ID.
• steam_group_admins: Gives server admin status to the admins (officers) of that Steam group, not to regular members. Set to true or false.
• steam_group_only: Restricts join access to members of that Steam group. Set to true or false.

Shard Settings

These settings live under the [SHARD] section, used for cluster or caves setups with more than one shard.

• shard_enable: Turns sharding on for a cluster or caves setup. Set to true or false.
• is_master: Marks this shard as the cluster’s master shard. Set to true or false.
• master_ip: Sets the IP address of the cluster’s master shard. Accepts an IP address.
• master_port: Sets the port used by the cluster’s master shard. Accepts a port number.
• shard_name: Sets this shard’s name, such as Overworld for the main shard or Caves for a cave shard.
• cluster_key: Sets the shared key that links the shards in your cluster together. Accepts any text value; it must match on every shard in the cluster.

Keep the Dark at Bay

With your game mode, PvP rules, and tick_rate all set the way your group wants, your Don’t Starve Together server is ready for whatever the night throws at it. Restart the server to apply your changes, then gather your camp and get the fire going. 🔥