V Rising Server Settings Explained

A V Rising server reads its settings from two JSON files, and on a Docker server some of them can also come from the environment. Knowing which one wins saves you from an edit that quietly comes undone at the next restart.

The two settings files

  • ServerHostSettings.json, the server itself: name, description, ports, MaxConnectedUsers, password, whether it is listed, autosave, RCON.
  • ServerGameSettings.json, the world's rules: game mode (PvE or PvP), difficulty, rates, castle limits and the rest of the gameplay.

Both sit in the Settings folder of the server's persistent data. If they are missing when the server starts, the image copies the defaults there from the server install.

Which setting wins

In order of priority:

  1. The game's own VR_ environment variables. On Flux, these are the fields in Deployment Settings: server name, join password, RCON and whether the server is listed.
  2. The files in the persistent data Settings folder.
  3. The defaults in the server install, copied in only when a file is missing.
Tip:A VR_ variable overrides the file without rewriting it: the file keeps its old value and the server simply ignores it. So a setting that is also in Deployment Settings has to be changed there, because editing the file does nothing. Everything else, including all of ServerGameSettings.json, is yours to edit in the file or the Server Settings tab.

Some Docker images for self-hosting also write HOST_SETTINGS_ or GAME_SETTINGS_ variables INTO the files on every start; if you run one of those yourself, a key set that way comes back after each restart.

Common changes

WhatWhere
PvE or PvPGameModeType in ServerGameSettings.json
Player limitMaxConnectedUsers in ServerHostSettings.json
Join passwordServer Password in Deployment Settings (VR_PASSWORD)
Show in the server listList on Steam / in-game browser in Deployment Settings
RCON passwordRCON Password in Deployment Settings (RCON itself is always on)

Restart the server after changing a settings file.

Admins and bans

Admins are listed by SteamID64 in adminlist.txt in the Settings folder, one per line, and the list is re-read without a restart. In game, enable the console in the options menu, open it with ~ and run adminauth. Bans made in game are written to banlist.txt in the same folder, which you can also edit by hand.

Frequently asked questions

Where are V Rising server settings stored?

In ServerHostSettings.json and ServerGameSettings.json, in the Settings folder of the server's persistent data.

Why did my V Rising setting change back after a restart?

Because it is also set in Deployment Settings: the server name, passwords, listing and RCON come from there, and they override ServerHostSettings.json. Change them in Deployment Settings instead of the file.

How do I make a V Rising server PvP?

Set GameModeType in ServerGameSettings.json and restart the server.

How do I become an admin on my V Rising server?

Add your SteamID64 to adminlist.txt in the Settings folder, then open the in-game console with ~ and run adminauth.

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