For a new DayZ server, start with Chernarus+. It is the default map and every player already owns it. Choose Livonia or Sakhal when you want official alternate terrain and can confirm each player’s edition or DLC access; choose Namalsk, Deer Isle or Banov for community-map gameplay, but plan for a Workshop mod, dependencies and a separate mission folder. The installation pattern is consistent: subscribe to the map, install dependencies, upload the mission files, add the mod IDs to the server startup configuration, set the mission template in serverDZ.cfg, then test the server before inviting players.
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Which DayZ map is best for your server?
There is no single winner for every community. The right map depends on whether you need the lowest join friction, official support, a harsh specialty experience, or a large custom world.
- Choose Chernarus+ for a reliable public server. It is the default map and does not require players to install extra map content.
- Choose Livonia for a denser official alternative. Its forests, fields, rivers, lakes, settlements and military areas create shorter sight lines and more frequent points of interest. Confirm its current Steam entitlement before advertising it: published guidance conflicts on whether it still requires the Livonia DLC or is included with the base game from update 1.25 in May 2024.
- Choose Sakhal for a cold-weather official experience. It requires the Frostline DLC, so every joining player must have that DLC. Published area figures conflict, ranging from about 80 km² to about 105 km² of traversable land and ice, or roughly 236 km² when navigable water is included.
- Choose Namalsk for survival-horror. It is a frozen community map described as about 50 km², with severe environmental pressure and a different rhythm from Chernarus. The mission-template name has varied between guides, so use the map creator’s current documentation.
- Choose Deer Isle for a large exploration map. It is a Maine-inspired community map reported at 256 km², includes vehicles, and requires the Community Framework (CF) mod.
- Choose Banov for a large-world server. It is reported at 256 km² and is built around cities, villages and forests in the Banov District, with large populations in mind.
Nasdara has been reported as part of a planned Badlands expansion, but no verified release date is established. Treat it as a future option rather than a map you can schedule a launch around.
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- Use any means necessary to survive a hostile open world for as long as possible.
- explore the authentic open world of chernarus, featuring 230 square kilometres of hand-crafted terrain based on real-life locations.
- become immersed in a tense, emotional experience driven by the emergent interactions of 60 players on a single server, each one fighting for survival.
- experience a wide variety of complex survival mechanics, from hunting and crafting, through to sophisticated injury simulation and transferable diseases.
- survive against environmental dangers, including the infected, dynamic weather, and animal predators
Map comparison
| Map | Type | Access or dependency | Reported scale and character | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chernarus+ | Default official map | Players already own it | Default DayZ setting; no extra map installation | First server, broadest audience, lowest friction |
| Livonia | Official map | DLC status is currently inconsistent in published guidance; verify Steam | Dense forests, overgrown fields, rivers, lakes, settlements, military zones and wilderness | Official alternate terrain and closer-range encounters |
| Sakhal | Official Frostline map | Frostline DLC required for each player | About 80 km², about 105 km² of traversable land and ice, or about 236 km² including navigable water, depending on the cited measurement | Cold-weather survival and an official expansion experience |
| Namalsk | Community map | Workshop map mod; verify the current mission template | Frozen survival-horror setting; about 50 km² reported by map guides | Hardcore events and atmospheric servers |
| Deer Isle | Community map | Map mod plus CF dependency | 256 km² reported; Maine-inspired setting with vehicles | Exploration, vehicles and a large custom world |
| Banov | Community map | Workshop map mod and its mission files | 256 km² reported; cities, villages and forests | High-population communities and varied urban/rural play |
| Nasdara | Planned expansion map | Release timing not verified | Reported as part of the Badlands expansion | Wait for a confirmed launch and installation documentation |
The community-map sizes above come from hosting and map-guide summaries rather than an official Bohemia Interactive measurement. Use them to understand relative scale, not as a guarantee of playable area or server performance.
What you need before installing a custom map
Prepare the server and the player experience before changing files.
- Server access: You need permission to stop the DayZ server, edit its startup mod list, upload files and edit
serverDZ.cfg. - A Steam Workshop subscription: Subscribe to the map and every dependency from the account or server environment that downloads Workshop content.
- The mission folder: A map mod is not always enough. Community maps commonly ship a separate mission folder, often distributed through the creator’s documentation, a code repository or a community chat rather than the Workshop page.
- Dependencies and keys: Install requirements named by the creator. Deer Isle, for example, requires CF. Copy any supplied key files into the server’s
keysfolder. - A backup and maintenance window: Stop the server before replacing mission files, and back up the existing
mpmissionsfolder and configuration so you can roll back. - Player entitlement checks: Anyone joining a DLC map must own the required DLC. The administrator does not purchase DLC on behalf of players.
How to install a custom DayZ map
The following procedure covers the common dedicated-server layout. The map creator’s own instructions take precedence when they specify a different folder name, dependency order or startup field.
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serverDZ.cfg, the current mission folder undermpmissions, and any custom economy or event files. Do not edit a live mission while the server is running. - Subscribe to the map and dependencies. In Steam Workshop, subscribe to the selected map. Subscribe to every required framework or content mod as well; Deer Isle requires CF. Allow the Workshop download to finish before starting the server.
- Obtain the matching mission files. Download the mission folder version recommended by the map creator. A Workshop subscription supplies the mod data, but community maps often distribute the mission separately. Do not rename the folder until you know the exact template name expected by the map.
- Upload the mission contents. Place the supplied mission folder in the server’s
mpmissionsdirectory. If the instructions say to copy the folder contents into an existing directory, follow that layout exactly. Copy every provided key file into the server’skeysdirectory. - Add the map and dependencies to the server mod list. Use the host’s startup configuration or command-line mod field. On panels that label this field
ADDITIONAL MODS, enter the required Workshop IDs. Put CF before Deer Isle when the map documentation requires that order. Keep the separators and ID format used by your panel. - Start the server once, then stop it. This first launch lets DayZ download or register map files and create the mission directory when the installation method requires it. Wait for the server to finish its initial startup, then stop it cleanly before editing the template.
- Set the mission template in
serverDZ.cfg. In theclass Missionssection, settemplate=to the exact mission-folder name. A Deer Isle example is:
class Missions
{
DayZ
{
template="dayzOffline.deerisle";
// other mission settings remain here
};
};Use the actual folder name supplied for your map. Do not assume that Namalsk, Banov or another map uses the same template as a guide you found for a different release.
- Restart and test as an administrator. Confirm that the server reaches its ready state, then join and check movement, spawning, loot, doors, vehicles where applicable, map-specific interactions and the absence of missing-key or dependency errors.
Changing an existing server from Chernarus to another map
Changing maps is a configuration and mission replacement, not just a Workshop subscription. Use a staged change so a failed launch does not destroy your live setup.
- Announce downtime and stop the server.
- Back up the current
mpmissionsfolder,serverDZ.cfg, persistence data and startup mod list. - Install the new map, dependencies, mission folder and keys using the procedure above.
- Change only the
template=value and the required mod entries first. Leave unrelated gameplay settings unchanged. - Start the server and inspect the log for missing files, keys or dependencies.
- Join with a test account, verify the new terrain and interactions, then invite the wider community.
Keep the old mission backup until the new map has passed a full restart test. A map switch can also change the persistence context, so tell players whether existing characters, bases and stored items will remain compatible before the cutover.
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How to choose between official and community maps
Choose official content when access certainty matters
Chernarus+, Livonia and Sakhal are the straightforward choices for a community that wants fewer custom files. Chernarus+ has the clearest access position because it is the default map. Sakhal has an explicit Frostline requirement, which makes an entitlement check part of your server announcement. Livonia needs special care because current published descriptions disagree about its DLC status; verify the map’s Steam listing and the edition your players own instead of relying on an old server guide.
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Choose a community map when the setting is the feature
Namalsk changes the survival premise through its frozen horror setting. Deer Isle and Banov offer much larger custom spaces and a different exploration loop than the default map. The trade-off is operational: you must track Workshop versions, mission-folder updates, dependency order and key files, and every player must have the required non-DLC content installed or downloaded before joining.
Match map scale to your population
A very large map can feel empty with a small population, while a dense map can create constant contact for a large group. Deer Isle and Banov are each reported at 256 km²; that scale suits communities that want travel and exploration, but you should schedule events or adjust travel expectations if the server rarely reaches its target population. Namalsk’s reported 50 km² footprint supports more concentrated encounters and a harsher, event-driven style.
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Common installation failures and fixes
The server starts on Chernarus instead of the selected map
Check that template= is inside the active class Missions block and exactly matches the mission-folder name, including capitalization and punctuation. A correct Workshop ID with an incorrect template still leaves the server unable to select the custom mission.
The server reports missing keys or signature errors
Copy every key supplied with the map or dependency into the server’s keys folder, then restart. Make sure the keys came from the same mod version currently listed in the startup configuration; mixing an old mission package with a newer Workshop download can produce mismatches.
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The map mod is listed but the world does not load
Confirm that the server completed one initial start after the files were installed, that the mission folder is under mpmissions, and that all required dependencies are present. For Deer Isle, check that CF is included and appears before the map where the startup panel preserves order. Re-read the creator’s install notes if the map uses a non-standard folder layout.
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Players cannot join a DLC map
Check the entitlement first. Sakhal requires Frostline, and each player must own the required DLC. Installing the map on the server does not grant that license to clients. For Livonia, verify the current Steam requirement because public guides disagree about its status.
The map worked once but fails after an update
Stop the server, compare the creator’s current mission files with the installed Workshop version, and replace the mission package if the creator requires an update. Keep a dated backup before changing persistence or economy files. Test the updated map on a maintenance instance or during announced downtime before returning it to public use.
Operational checklist before opening the server
- Map subscription and all dependencies have finished downloading.
- Mission folder name exactly matches
template=. - Required keys are in
keys. - Startup mod list contains every required Workshop ID in the documented order.
- The server has completed a start-stop initialization cycle.
- A test player can spawn, move, loot, open doors and use map-specific systems.
- DLC requirements and the map name are stated clearly to players.
- Backups exist for the previous mission, configuration and persistence data.
Bottom line for a new DayZ server
Use Chernarus+ unless a specific setting justifies the extra maintenance. Pick Livonia only after confirming its current Steam access rules, pick Sakhal only when your audience owns Frostline, and use Namalsk, Deer Isle or Banov when your community wants a distinctive custom experience and can handle Workshop dependencies and mission-file updates. Installation succeeds when the mod list, keys, mission folder and serverDZ.cfg template all refer to the same map release.
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