To change an active Nitrox server from in-game, join it with administrator privileges, press Y to open chat, and run /changeservergamemode creative. The documented mode values are survival, creative, freedom, and hardcore.
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If you manage the server through a hosting panel instead, stop the server, change Game Mode to Creative in Startup or the main configuration editor, save, and start the server again. The panel method is the safer choice when you do not have in-game administrator rights or when the server is offline for maintenance.
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Choose the method that matches your access
Nitrox gives you two practical ways to change the server’s game mode. The first is an administrator command entered while connected to the world. The second is a setting in your hosting provider’s control panel. Both change the server mode, but they differ in who can use them, whether the server must be stopped, and where the setting is found.
| Method | Access required | Where you change it | Must the server be stopped? | What to do afterward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-game command | Nitrox server administrator permissions and an active connection | Nitrox chat, opened with Y | The command guide does not require a stop or restart | Confirm the new rules in-game; have players reconnect only if your server behavior indicates it is necessary |
| Hosting panel | Access to the server provider’s control panel | Startup or the main configuration editor | Yes. Stop before editing | Save the setting, then start the server |
BisectHosting documents the Startup workflow. Citadel Servers and AA Game Hosting document the same stop-edit-save-start pattern in their configuration editors. Panel labels can vary slightly by provider, but the relevant field is named Game Mode.
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Change the mode with the in-game administrator command
This route is intended for a running server. It is the quickest option when you are already connected and have administrator access.
Before you start
- Connect to the Nitrox server whose mode you want to change.
- Use an account that the server recognizes as an administrator. A normal player account may be able to open chat but cannot necessarily execute server-management commands.
- Tell connected players that the rules are about to change. Creative mode removes resource limitations, so players may see a very different progression experience immediately after the command succeeds.
Run the command
- Join the Nitrox server as an administrator.
- Press Y to open the Nitrox chat window.
- Enter
/changeservergamemode creativeexactly, including the leading slash and the wordcreative. - Submit the message and watch for the server’s response or a visible change in the active rules.
The documented command accepts four mode values: survival, creative, freedom, and hardcore. To switch back later, use the same command with the desired value, such as /changeservergamemode survival.
What success looks like
A successful command changes the server’s game-mode rules rather than changing only one player’s local settings. Verify the result with a simple test that makes sense for your group, such as attempting an action that would normally require resources. The command documentation does not define a universal reconnect requirement. If players do not see the expected rules, ask them to leave and rejoin, then check the setting again.
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If the command is rejected
First check the spelling and the leading slash. Then confirm that the account has administrator permissions on that specific Nitrox server. If the command still fails, use the server’s /help output to see which commands that build exposes and consult the documentation for your installed Nitrox version. Exact command syntax and permission behavior can change between versions, and there is no version-pinned official command reference established for every release.
Change the mode in a hosting control panel
Use the panel route when you have provider access but cannot run administrator commands in-game, or when you want the change recorded in the server configuration before the next launch. The documented provider procedures all follow the same sequence: stop, edit, save, start.
Generic panel procedure
- Sign in to your hosting control panel.
- Select the Nitrox server you need to edit.
- Stop the server and wait until the panel reports that it is fully offline. Editing while it is still running can leave the live process using the old value.
- Open Startup, Configuration Files, or the panel’s main server configuration editor, depending on the provider.
- Locate the game settings section and find Game Mode.
- Set Game Mode to Creative.
- Save or apply the configuration change.
- Start the server and wait for it to finish loading before players connect.
BisectHosting places the setting under Startup. Citadel Servers and AA Game Hosting describe opening Configuration Files and the main configuration editor. The names of surrounding menus may differ, but do not substitute a client-side Subnautica setting for the server’s Game Mode field.
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Why the panel method requires a restart
The panel writes a configuration value that the server reads when it starts. Stopping the process before editing and starting it afterward ensures the new value is loaded. Simply changing a saved panel field while the server continues running may not alter the current session, which is why the provider instructions explicitly include a stop and a subsequent start.
Check the panel change after startup
Wait for the server to report that it is ready, then connect with a player account and test a Creative-mode behavior. If the old rules remain, stop the server again and verify that the saved field still reads Creative. A panel can save a draft value without applying it to the running instance if the start sequence was skipped or interrupted.
What Creative mode changes
The hosting documentation describes Creative as a mode for building and exploring without resource limitations. That makes it useful for construction sessions, map tours, testing layouts, and groups that want to concentrate on design rather than gathering materials.
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| Mode value | Documented purpose or distinction | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
creative |
Building and exploration without resource limitations | Your group wants unrestricted construction and exploration |
survival |
The standard survival setting listed by the command documentation | You want the ordinary resource-based progression rules |
freedom |
A separate mode listed by the hosting guide and command documentation | Your group specifically wants the Freedom rules rather than Creative rules |
hardcore |
A separate mode listed by the command documentation | Your server is configured for the stricter Hardcore rules |
The available material distinguishes these modes by name and, for Creative, by the absence of resource limitations. It does not establish every difference in crafting, damage, progression, or player death behavior. Do not assume that a mode label guarantees a particular mechanic unless your installed Nitrox version documents it.
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Administrator access, player access, and server ownership
Being able to join a server does not automatically grant permission to change its game mode. The in-game command route requires administrator access. If you run the server for a group, confirm which account is assigned administrative rights before attempting the command. If you are a regular player, ask the server owner or operator to run the command or make the panel change.
Panel access is a different authority layer. A provider account can usually edit startup settings even when the corresponding game account is not an in-game administrator. Conversely, an in-game administrator may be able to use the command without having credentials for the hosting provider. Choose the route that matches the access you actually possess rather than repeatedly trying a command that your account cannot authorize.
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When players do not see Creative mode
The command returned an error
- Confirm that you typed
/changeservergamemode creativewith no extra punctuation. - Check that you opened the Nitrox chat window with Y, not a different game chat or console.
- Verify administrator permissions on the server you joined.
- Run
/helpand compare the available command syntax with the documentation for your Nitrox version.
The panel still shows the previous behavior
- Confirm the server was stopped completely before the edit.
- Check that Game Mode is set to Creative, not merely highlighted in an unsaved form.
- Save the configuration, then start the server from the panel.
- Connect only after startup has completed; an interrupted launch can leave the old process or old configuration active.
Only some players appear unaffected
The command guide does not specify a universal reconnect rule. Have affected players disconnect and reconnect, then test the mode again. If the discrepancy persists, compare the server’s active setting rather than relying on a player’s local expectation. A client-side setting cannot override the server’s selected game mode.
The command worked before but not after an update
Nitrox is an open-source multiplayer modification with an evolving documentation ecosystem. A later release may alter command names, permission checks, or accepted values. Treat a newly rejected command as a version-compatibility issue: check /help, read the documentation matching the installed release, and confirm that the server and clients are using compatible versions before changing additional settings.
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You can return to another documented mode by replacing creative with the required value in the same command. For example, an administrator can enter /changeservergamemode survival in chat. If you use a hosting panel, stop the server, change Game Mode to the desired value, save, and start it again. Tell players before switching back: moving from unrestricted building to a resource-limited mode changes what the group can do immediately.
Operational checklist for server operators
- Identify whether you have in-game administrator rights, panel access, or both.
- Choose the in-game command for a live change; choose the panel for a configuration change that will be loaded on restart.
- Use the exact value
creative; the documented alternatives aresurvival,freedom, andhardcore. - For panel edits, stop first, save the setting, and start afterward.
- Notify players that Creative removes resource limitations according to the hosting documentation.
- Verify the result after the command or after startup.
- If syntax or permissions fail, check
/helpand version-specific Nitrox documentation instead of assuming the command has changed universally.
Which method should you use?
Use the administrator command when the server is already running, you have the required permissions, and you want the fastest documented change. Use the hosting panel when you lack in-game administrator rights, need the setting applied at startup, or want to make the change during planned maintenance. The panel route always includes a stop and restart in the provider procedures; the command documentation does not impose a universal restart requirement.
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