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To change the global amount of resources gathered on an ARK server, edit GameUserSettings.ini and place HarvestAmountMultiplier=3 beneath [ServerSettings]. A value of 3 means three times the baseline yield; the documented default is 1.0. Save the configuration, restart the server completely, and test by harvesting a resource in-game.
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This setting changes the quantity received per harvesting action. It does not determine how many hits a tree, rock, or creature carcass takes to break. That behavior is controlled separately by HarvestHealthMultiplier.
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What the gather-rate setting actually changes
ARK uses multipliers rather than a separate rate switch for global harvesting. HarvestAmountMultiplier is a floating-point scaling factor for the quantity produced when players chop trees, pick berries, mine rocks, carve carcasses, and perform other harvesting actions. The documented baseline is 1.0.
For example, if an action normally awards one unit, a multiplier of 3 makes that action award three times the baseline amount. The same calculation applies to the server’s normal yield values across the resources affected by the global setting. It is a quantity multiplier, not a guarantee that every action will display a whole-number result; ARK’s own rounding and item rules still apply.
| Setting | Meaning | Typical effect |
|---|---|---|
HarvestAmountMultiplier |
Scales the amount obtained from harvesting. | Higher values put more wood, stone, fiber, berries, meat and similar materials into each harvest result. |
HarvestHealthMultiplier |
Scales the health or durability of a harvestable node. | Lower values generally let a node break in fewer hits; higher values make it take longer. |
Nitrado’s configuration documentation describes the distinction this way: the amount multiplier controls how much you earn, while the health multiplier controls how long harvesting takes. Changing one does not automatically change the other.
Before editing: decide what you want the server to feel like
There is no universal correct multiplier. The right value depends on the progression speed you want, how scarce resources should feel, the number of active players, whether the server is PvP or PvE, and whether every resource should change together.
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- Use the global amount multiplier when you want the same broad gathering adjustment for the whole server.
- Use resource-class multiplier mechanisms in
Game.iniwhen only selected resources should change. This is preferable when, for example, you want more building materials without also increasing every consumable or creature-derived resource. - Keep the amount and health decisions separate. You can increase the quantity per hit while leaving node durability unchanged, or adjust durability independently if the server’s pacing requires it.
Use a progression-based choice
Think in terms of how quickly a new player should reach the next milestone rather than choosing a number because another server uses it. A value of 1.0 preserves the documented baseline. A value of 2 doubles the baseline quantity, and 3 triples it. Starting with a moderate increase gives you room to observe whether storage, crafting and building progression become too fast.
Record the value you select in your server rules or welcome message. Players plan taming, construction and expeditions around expected resource availability, so an undocumented change can look like a bug or an exploit.
How to change the rate in a hosted-server control panel
Control panels differ in wording and layout, but the underlying workflow is the same for most managed ARK services. Nitrado documents both a web-interface method and direct INI editing for ARK: Survival Evolved, and a stop, edit, save and restart workflow for ARK: Survival Ascended.
- Stop the server if the provider requires it. Editing while the process is running can be overwritten when the server shuts down or reloads its configuration. Use the panel’s Stop control and wait until the status confirms that the process has stopped.
- Open the configuration area. Depending on the host, this may be called General Settings, Server Settings, Configuration Files, File Browser or an INI editor. Some panels expose a form field; others open the actual text file.
- Select
GameUserSettings.ini. Do not put the global amount multiplier only inGame.ini. The global setting belongs in the user-settings file. - Locate the
[ServerSettings]section. Add the entry inside that section, not above it and not under an unrelated header:
[ServerSettings]
HarvestAmountMultiplier=3- Check for duplicates. If the file already contains
HarvestAmountMultiplier, edit the existing line instead of adding a second one. Multiple entries make it unclear which value the active parser will use and complicate later troubleshooting. - Save the file or panel form. Wait for the host to confirm that the change was written. If the panel has separate Apply and Save buttons, use both.
- Restart the server. Start the process again and allow it to finish loading before joining. A restart is part of applying the change; changing text in a panel without restarting does not prove that the running server has adopted it.
- Test in-game. Harvest a repeatable resource, note the result, and compare it with the amount you normally receive. Test on a fresh node or creature so you are not interpreting an already damaged or depleted target.
Editing the INI file directly
Direct editing is useful when a panel’s form does not expose the setting or when you need to inspect the complete configuration. The exact directory names vary by host, game edition and control-panel implementation, so use the provider’s current File Browser path rather than assuming that an ASE path also applies to ASA.
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Safe direct-edit procedure
- Stop the server and wait for the stopped state.
- Open the provider’s file browser or download the configuration file if the service supports local editing.
- Open
GameUserSettings.iniin a plain-text editor. - Find the existing
[ServerSettings]header. If the header exists, place the setting anywhere within that section. - If the key already exists, change its value and leave one active line. If it is absent, add
HarvestAmountMultiplier=3beneath the header. - Preserve the file as plain text and avoid adding formatting characters, quotation marks or a second section header.
- Upload or save the file through the provider’s editor, then restart the server.
- Keep a copy of the previous working file or record the old value. That gives you a quick rollback if another configuration change causes a problem.
Do not place the global amount key in a launch command, a player profile, or a local single-player configuration and expect that to alter a hosted server. The server instance that clients join must load the edited file.
Choosing and interpreting multiplier values
| Value | Interpretation | When it may fit |
|---|---|---|
1.0 |
Documented baseline yield. | Use when you want the server’s standard resource quantity. |
2 |
Two times the baseline quantity. | A moderate acceleration for groups that find baseline gathering slow. |
3 |
Three times the baseline quantity. | A clearly faster progression while retaining a meaningful harvesting loop. |
The configuration definition describes the value as a float, so decimal values can be used when your host and game version accept them. For example, a decimal between the baseline and double rate can provide a smaller adjustment than an integer setting. Treat every value as a server-design decision rather than as an officially recommended preset: the available documentation defines how the multiplier works, not a universal best number.
Evaluate the result after a real play session
- Check whether players still need to make resource runs or whether storage fills immediately.
- Watch the pace of building and crafting progression, not just the first harvest.
- Consider whether a large tribe benefits disproportionately from a global increase compared with a solo player.
- In PvP, consider how quickly a group can replace structures and equipment after a fight.
- In PvE, consider whether faster gathering removes the intended exploration and logistical choices.
Change one variable at a time and document the date and value. If you alter amount, health and selective resource overrides together, you will not know which change produced an unexpected progression shift.
Harvest amount versus harvest health
These two settings are often confused because both affect the time players spend gathering.
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This is the global quantity control. Increasing it means each successful harvesting action yields more material. It does not promise that a node will require fewer swings or tool uses.
HarvestHealthMultiplier
This controls the health or durability of the harvestable target. Nitrado’s documentation states that a lower value generally makes harvesting faster because the target breaks sooner. A lower health multiplier can therefore reduce the number of hits while leaving the amount awarded by each action unchanged.
Why the distinction matters
Suppose you want a server where players spend less time striking a rock but do not carry away dramatically more stone. Reducing harvest health addresses the time-to-break part of that goal; increasing harvest amount does not. Conversely, if the problem is that a completed tree yields too little material, adjust the amount setting rather than using health as a substitute.
Changing only particular resources
A global multiplier affects the broad set of activities covered by ARK’s harvesting system. If that is too blunt, use the resource-class multiplier mechanisms in Game.ini. Those mechanisms are intended for selective adjustments, such as changing particular resource classes while leaving the rest of the economy closer to baseline.
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When selective overrides are useful
- You want more building materials but do not want every harvestable resource increased.
- One resource is unusually scarce on your map or in your server’s normal play pattern.
- You want to preserve the value of hunting, farming or exploration while easing a specific bottleneck.
- You are balancing a custom event and need a targeted change rather than a permanent global rate.
Because resource-class entries and class names vary by map, edition and configuration, use the syntax and class identifiers documented for your exact ARK version and hosting environment. Do not copy a selective override into GameUserSettings.ini or assume that a global key will target only one item.
ARK: Survival Evolved and ARK: Survival Ascended
The conceptual settings apply to both ARK: Survival Evolved and ARK: Survival Ascended: the global amount multiplier is in GameUserSettings.ini under [ServerSettings], while selective resource-class adjustments use Game.ini. The practical details are not identical everywhere.
- Control-panel labels can differ between editions and between hosting providers.
- Directory names and file-browser paths can differ.
- Some providers expose a form field in one edition but require direct file editing in another.
- Restart requirements and panel behavior are provider-specific.
For ASA, Nitrado’s documented workflow explicitly includes stopping the server, opening General Settings or File Browser, saving the configuration and restarting. For ASE, the provider documents both web-interface editing and direct INI editing. If your panel offers an “official rates” override or a similar preset, verify its current behavior in the provider’s documentation before relying on it; such controls are host-specific and may supersede or rewrite manual values.
Why a gather-rate change may appear not to work
The key is in the wrong file
The global amount multiplier belongs in GameUserSettings.ini. If you added it only to Game.ini, move it to the correct file and restart.
The key is outside the server-settings section
Check that the line appears beneath [ServerSettings]. A correctly spelled key under an unrelated header may not be read as a server setting.
There are duplicate entries
Search the entire file for HarvestAmountMultiplier. Remove conflicting copies and leave one deliberate value. This also prevents a later panel save from reintroducing an old value that you forgot was present.
The server was not fully restarted
Saving a panel field is not the same as loading it into the running process. Stop and start the server, wait for it to finish booting, then test again. If the host requires a stop before editing, make sure the file was saved while the process was stopped.
A host preset is overriding the manual value
Some control panels provide an official-rates or preset option. If enabled, it may write its own configuration. Check the provider’s current documentation and either disable the preset or set the desired value through the supported interface.
You tested the wrong behavior
Harvest amount and harvest health are different. If a node still takes the same number of hits, that does not prove the amount multiplier failed. Count the material received after a completed harvest, and inspect health settings separately if the time-to-break is the issue.
You tested an already depleted target
Use a newly spawned or fully restored node, and repeat the same action under comparable conditions. A partially harvested target, inventory limits or other gameplay effects can make a single observation misleading.
A selective override is changing the resource
If only one resource behaves unexpectedly, inspect Game.ini for a resource-class override. A targeted entry can intentionally produce a result different from the global amount setting.
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Test procedure
- Write down the old multiplier and the resource you will test.
- Stop the server, change only the intended value, save it and restart.
- Use the same tool, character conditions and type of resource for each comparison.
- Complete several harvest actions and record the resulting quantity rather than judging from one hit.
- Ask at least one other player to verify the result if the server has multiple maps, clusters or admin tools.
Rollback procedure
- Stop the server.
- Restore the previous numeric value or remove the newly added line.
- Check that only one active entry remains under
[ServerSettings]. - Save, restart and repeat the same test.
Keeping a dated copy of the last known-good configuration is especially useful when a host panel rewrites files or when several administrators share access.
Communicating the change to players
Publish the active multiplier and the date it took effect in your server rules, Discord announcement or welcome message. State whether the value is global, whether selective resource overrides also exist, and whether the change is temporary. Players need to know whether an unexpectedly large harvest is a deliberate setting or a bug.
If you operate a cluster, record the value for each server separately. A setting on one map or instance does not establish that every server in the cluster uses the same configuration.
Quick Recap
Practical checklist
- Choose the desired progression outcome before selecting a number.
- Back up or record the current configuration.
- Stop the server when the host requires it.
- Edit
GameUserSettings.ini. - Place one
HarvestAmountMultiplierentry under[ServerSettings]. - Use
Game.iniresource-class mechanisms only for targeted changes. - Save the file or panel form and confirm the save succeeded.
- Restart the server fully.
- Test a fresh resource and record the observed result.
- Check for presets, duplicate keys and health-multiplier confusion if the result is unexpected.
- Document the value so players and future administrators know the server’s current rates.
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