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Freedom251 › Blog › Dedicated Server

How to Configure Mod Settings on a Vintage Story Server

By Freedom251 Team · · 10 min read

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Configure a Vintage Story mod by editing the mod’s own configuration file—usually in the server data directory’s ModConfig folder—not by changing serverconfig.json. Install the mod in the server’s Mods directory (or with /moddb install), start the server once so the mod can create its files, stop the server, edit and back up the file, then restart and check the console. The exact filename, keys, value types, and whether a restart is required are defined by each mod.

What controls a mod setting?

Vintage Story has three different configuration layers that are easy to confuse:

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Layer What it controls Where or how you change it
Global server configuration Server-wide behavior such as the server name, port, client limits, paths, startup commands, and other host settings. serverconfig.json, or supported values through the /serverconfig [config] command.
Mod configuration Options implemented by one particular mod, such as its features, limits, messages, or gameplay rules. The file supplied or generated by that mod, commonly under ModConfig in the server data directory.
World-generation configuration Values used when a world is created. Some are not ordinary live server settings and may not change an existing world. The world-configuration mechanism documented for the specific option or mod.

Changing the wrong layer can produce a valid-looking file that has no effect. A mod will not normally read an arbitrary key added to serverconfig.json, and a global setting will not become available merely because a similarly named key appears in a mod file.

Check the server version and make a safe copy

Match every instruction to the Vintage Story release running on your server. The server-configuration documentation was verified for Vintage Story 1.22.0; command names, JSON fields, and mod compatibility can differ in other releases. Check the version shown by the server and the version range listed by the mod before editing anything.

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  • Make sure you can access the dedicated server’s data directory and its console or administrator interface.
  • Record the current mod ZIP and configuration files before changing them.
  • Copy the relevant file, or the complete server data directory, to a backup location that is not being edited.
  • Know how to restore the backup if the server cannot parse the changed file.

Do not edit a live configuration file while the server is writing to it. Stop the server first, and ask players to disconnect before you make changes.

Find the dedicated server data directory

The official dedicated-server guide describes a separate data directory for server files. Its exact location depends on the operating system and on how the server was launched. If the server was started with the --dataPath option, that option identifies the location to use. A service wrapper or hosting panel may set the path for you.

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Keep client and server data separate

Vintage Story can have a client data directory and one or more server data directories. Do not put a server mod in the client’s Mods folder and assume the dedicated server will load it. When operating multiple server instances, give each instance a clearly identified data path so that its Mods, ModConfig, worlds, logs, and backups cannot be mixed accidentally.

Confirm the path before installing

  1. Look at the command, service definition, or launch script used to start the dedicated server.
  2. Identify the configured --dataPath, if present.
  3. Open that directory and confirm that it contains the server’s existing files, logs, worlds, or configuration rather than only client files.
  4. Use this same directory as the base for Mods and ModConfig.

If you cannot locate the directory on managed hosting, use the panel’s file manager or ask the host where its server data path is mounted. You need file access, not just a game account, to edit mod configuration manually.

Install the mod on the server

A server-side mod can be installed by placing its ZIP in the server data directory’s Mods folder. The official command reference also documents installation through the server’s mod database command.

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Option 1: Place the ZIP in Mods

  1. Download the mod release that matches the Vintage Story version and the server environment.
  2. Leave the release as the ZIP supplied by the mod unless its documentation explicitly says otherwise.
  3. With the server stopped, put the ZIP in the server’s Mods directory.
  4. Remove or archive older copies of the same mod so that two versions cannot load together.
  5. Start the server and read the startup log for the mod’s load message or an error.

Option 2: Use /moddb install

From the server console, or from administrator chat when the server permits administrative commands, use:

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/moddb install <modid> [gameVersion]

The optional [gameVersion] argument lets you target a game version when the command supports it. Use the mod ID supplied by the mod’s release information, not its display name. After installation, verify that the ZIP appears in the server’s Mods directory and that the server reports the expected version.

Replacing a mod ZIP is also a file operation: stop the server, replace the old ZIP, and start it again. Keep the previous ZIP until the new release has loaded successfully and the world has been backed up.

Start once so the mod can create its configuration

Many mods create or consume configuration files only after they have loaded. If you installed a mod and cannot find a file immediately, start the server once with the mod present, allow startup to finish, and then stop the server cleanly. Inspect the server data directory again for ModConfig and for a file named in the mod’s documentation or startup message.

Read the generated file instead of guessing keys

The filename, capitalization, section names, value types, defaults, and comments are mod-specific. A generated file may contain comments explaining whether a value is a number, Boolean, text string, list, or object. Preserve that structure. Do not invent a key based on a similarly named setting from another mod.

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If the mod’s release page supplies a sample configuration, compare it with the file generated by your installed version. A configuration from an older release can contain removed or renamed keys and may cause a parse error or simply be ignored.

Choose the correct file

serverconfig.json

Use this file for global server settings documented by Vintage Story, including the server name, port, client limits, paths, startup commands, and other server-wide behavior. It is not a universal container for every mod option. A mod-specific value belongs here only if that mod explicitly says it reads the server configuration.

/serverconfig

The in-console or administrator command is for displaying or changing supported global settings while the server is running. The command reference describes the syntax as /serverconfig [config], meaning that the argument identifies the server configuration value or operation supported by that release. It does not provide a generic command for editing arbitrary files in ModConfig.

“Modify or display the server config [config].” — Vintage Story Wiki, List of server commands

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Files in ModConfig

These files belong to individual mods. The mod determines the filename and format, and it may require a restart, a world reload, or a command before a change takes effect. Some mods create one file; others create several. Follow the comments in the generated file and the instructions for the exact release you installed.

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World-generation values

World-generation settings are a separate case. A value used while generating a world may be stored with that world or applied only during creation. Changing a similarly named setting after players have built in the world may not regenerate terrain or alter existing blocks. Check the specific mod and world-configuration documentation before changing such a value.

Edit a mod configuration safely

  1. Announce maintenance. Tell players that the server will be offline and stop it through the normal console, service, or hosting-panel control.
  2. Back up first. Copy the target configuration file and, for important changes, the whole server data directory. Include the world data if the setting can affect gameplay or generation.
  3. Open the exact mod file. Use the file created by the installed mod version under the server’s data path. Do not edit a similarly named client file.
  4. Change one setting at a time. Keep the key exactly as written and change only the value. If the file uses JSON, preserve double quotes, commas, braces, brackets, and the distinction between true/false, numbers, and quoted text.
  5. Preserve comments and formatting where possible. Comments often document ranges, units, or restart requirements. If your editor removes comments, keep a separate copy of the original generated file.
  6. Save and validate. Ensure the file is saved with the expected name and extension and is not accidentally renamed with an extra extension by the editor.
  7. Start the server and watch the log. Look for a JSON parse error, a configuration warning, a disabled mod, or a normal “loaded” message.
  8. Test in game. Use a controlled area or administrator account to verify the behavior. If the setting affects players, test with the permissions and conditions under which it is supposed to operate.

Unless the mod explicitly documents live reload, assume a restart is required. Editing a file while the process is running may be overwritten when the server saves its current state, and many mods read their configuration only during startup.

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What to do when a change has no effect

The server will not start or reports a parse error

Stop the server and restore the backup. Then compare the changed file with the original and correct the syntax. Common causes include a missing comma, an unmatched brace, an unquoted text value, or a Boolean written as a quoted word. Make one small change, restart, and read the first configuration error in the log; later errors can be consequences of the first one.

The mod loads but ignores the value

  • Confirm that you edited the server data path, not the client data path.
  • Confirm that the file belongs to the installed mod version and has the exact filename expected by that mod.
  • Check spelling, capitalization, nesting, and value type against the generated comments or release documentation.
  • Restart the server unless the mod documents a live-reload command.
  • Check whether the value is read only during world creation or only for newly generated areas.

The mod is disabled

Read the startup log for the reason, then verify the mod’s Vintage Story version and whether it supports a dedicated-server environment. A mod built for a different game release, a client-only mod placed on a dedicated server, or a missing dependency can prevent loading. Installing the ZIP again without resolving compatibility will not fix that condition.

Players see different behavior than the administrator

Check whether the setting is permission-dependent, client-side, or limited to a particular world. Confirm that every player is connecting to the server instance whose data path you edited. If multiple instances share a machine, a wrong --dataPath is a common source of apparent inconsistencies.

Can you change settings without reinstalling the mod?

Usually, yes. Installing the mod and editing its configuration are separate operations. Once the mod ZIP is present and the mod has generated its configuration, you can stop the server, change the appropriate value, and restart without reinstalling the ZIP. Reinstallation is relevant when the ZIP is missing, corrupted, or being upgraded or downgraded—not for every setting change.

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There are two qualifications:

  • A mod may regenerate a missing file with defaults. Keep the file in place and retain a backup before deleting anything.
  • A new mod release may change the configuration schema. Follow that release’s migration notes rather than copying an old file unchanged.

Self-hosting and managed hosting: what access matters?

You do not need managed hosting to configure mod settings. A self-hosted server gives you direct control of the data directory, files, process, and backups, while managed hosting can provide a panel and maintenance tools. The important question is whether the service exposes the controls your mod requires.

Capability Self-hosted server Managed service to verify
Mods and ModConfig access Normally available through the operating system’s file access. Confirm that custom ZIP files and configuration files can be uploaded, edited, and retained after a restart.
Console or administration You control the process console and administrator permissions. Confirm console, RCON, or in-game administrator access, including whether /moddb install is permitted.
Backups and rollback You must schedule and store backups yourself. Check backup frequency, retention, download access, and whether a backup includes worlds and mod configuration.
Version and mod policy You choose the Vintage Story release and mod set. Verify support for the target game version, server-side mods, custom commands, and dependencies.
File and command restrictions Limited mainly by your own operating system permissions. Read the provider’s policy for custom files, startup arguments, automated updates, and restart controls.

Provider policies change, so verify these capabilities for the exact plan and Vintage Story version before moving an existing world.

Complete configuration checklist

  • Identify the dedicated server data directory and its --dataPath, if used.
  • Confirm the installed Vintage Story version and the mod’s compatible release.
  • Install the ZIP in the server’s Mods directory or run /moddb install <modid> [gameVersion].
  • Start once so the mod can create or register its configuration.
  • Locate the mod-specific file, commonly under ModConfig.
  • Use serverconfig.json or /serverconfig only for documented global server settings.
  • Stop the server before editing and make a backup.
  • Preserve the file’s syntax, key names, value types, and comments.
  • Restart, inspect the console or log, and verify the behavior in game.
  • If the mod is disabled or the value is ignored, check version support, dedicated-server compatibility, path selection, dependencies, and whether the setting applies only at world generation.

The reliable pattern is therefore: install once, let the mod create its configuration, edit the mod’s own file offline, and restart. Keep global server options in the global configuration layer and treat world-generation values as a separate category.

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