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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11On an ARK: Survival Evolved dedicated server, enable gamma by editing GameUserSettings.ini under [ServerSettings], then restarting the server. Add EnablePvPGamma=True for PvP and DisablePvEGamma=False for PvE. Once the server is running, each player opens the console with Tab and enters gamma followed by a value from 0 to 10; 2.2 restores the usual default. This procedure is documented for Survival Evolved; equivalent behavior in ARK: Survival Ascended is not confirmed.
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What you need before changing the server
Gamma permission is a server configuration change, not a mod or a graphics-driver setting. You need access to the hosting control panel (or the server’s configuration files), permission to stop and start the server, and the ability to edit GameUserSettings.ini. Make a copy of the file before editing so you can restore the previous configuration if another setting is accidentally changed.
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- Confirm the game edition. The steps below apply to ARK: Survival Evolved. There is no verified equivalent procedure here for ARK: Survival Ascended.
- Identify the server ruleset. PvP and PvE use different switches, so determine which type your server runs before editing.
- Schedule a restart. The server must be stopped while the file is edited and restarted afterward for the setting to load.
- Warn players if needed. Enabling gamma makes the command available to every player covered by that server configuration. It can materially improve visibility at night, which may affect the intended difficulty or PvP balance.
How the gamma settings work
Two separate keys govern whether players can use the in-game gamma command. They belong in the [ServerSettings] section of GameUserSettings.ini.
| Server type | Key that matters | Value to allow gamma | What the key does |
|---|---|---|---|
| PvP | EnablePvPGamma |
True |
Allows players to use the gamma command on a PvP server. |
| PvE | DisablePvEGamma |
False |
Keeps the gamma command available on a PvE server. Setting it to True blocks the command. |
The keys grant permission; they do not set a single brightness level for the whole server. After permission is enabled, each player chooses a value locally with the console command. Because published hosting instructions disagree about the default state—one describes gamma as disabled on ARK servers, while another describes it as allowed on PvE—set the relevant line explicitly instead of relying on an assumed default. Adding both lines explicitly is also a practical way to make the intended behavior clear when a configuration is moved between server types.
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Step-by-step: enable gamma from a hosting control panel
1. Stop the server
Open your provider’s server control panel and use its Stop or Shut down control. Wait until the panel reports that the process has stopped. Editing while the server is still running can be overwritten when the process saves its configuration during shutdown.
2. Open GameUserSettings.ini
Go to the panel’s configuration-file area. Depending on the provider, it may be labelled Config files, Configuration, or File manager. Open the file named exactly GameUserSettings.ini, not Game.ini and not a startup command field.
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Search the file for the line [ServerSettings]. The gamma keys must be placed beneath that section header. Do not put them in [/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameMode], a command-line box, or a different INI file.
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4. Add or edit the appropriate lines
For a PvP server, use EnablePvPGamma=True. For a PvE server, use DisablePvEGamma=False. You can include both lines when you want the file to state both policies explicitly:
[ServerSettings]
EnablePvPGamma=True
DisablePvEGamma=FalseIf a key already exists, change its value rather than adding a second copy. Duplicate entries make troubleshooting harder because different parsers or control panels may keep the first value, the last value, or rewrite the file. Preserve the spelling, capitalization, equals sign, and Boolean values shown above; do not add quotation marks.
5. Save the file
Use the panel’s Save, Apply, or equivalent button. Some panels display a confirmation or mark the file as modified. If the panel has a separate “save configuration” action, complete that action before starting the server.
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6. Restart the server
Start the server and wait until it is fully online. A restart is required because the setting is read during server startup; changing the text while the process is running does not grant permission immediately.
7. Test with a player account
Join the server as a normal player, press Tab to open the console, type a test value such as gamma 4, and press Enter. If the setting is active, the scene should become brighter. Test with the account and server rules you actually intend to support, because the setting controls permission rather than a forced brightness level.
Using the gamma command in game
The command format is:
gamma <value>Values from 0 through 10 are accepted, and decimal values are allowed. Lower values make the scene darker; higher values make it brighter. The normal reset value is 2.2.
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- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
- Customize Everything: An extensive crafting system invites you to mix and match materials scavenged from the island, while also modifying the colors, textures, shapes, and styles
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout
| Command | Result | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
gamma 0 |
Minimum accepted brightness. | Darkest end of the allowed range. |
gamma 2.2 |
Returns to the stated default value. | Reset after testing. |
gamma 4 |
Raises brightness above the default. | Quick visibility test. |
gamma 7.5 |
Uses a decimal value within the range. | Fine adjustment for a player’s display. |
gamma 10 |
Maximum accepted brightness. | Brightest end of the allowed range. |
Gamma is a player-side adjustment after the server grants access. One player can use gamma 2.2 while another uses gamma 6; the INI setting does not synchronize their chosen values.
PvP and PvE: choose the correct switch
The server type determines which line is decisive.
| Configuration | Required line | Blocking value | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| PvP | EnablePvPGamma=True |
EnablePvPGamma=False or an absent key can leave gamma unavailable. |
Changing only DisablePvEGamma, which governs PvE behavior. |
| PvE | DisablePvEGamma=False |
DisablePvEGamma=True blocks gamma. |
Adding only EnablePvPGamma=True, which does not override a PvE block. |
An older Steam discussion listed as dating from 2015 describes gamma as disabled by a server-side default on PvP and Hardcore servers. Because that discussion is old and its page was not independently verified, treat it as historical context rather than a guarantee about every current configuration. Explicitly setting the relevant key is safer than depending on a presumed default.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting “ARK gamma command not working”
The command is rejected or has no effect
- Check the edition. These instructions are established for Survival Evolved. Behavior for Survival Ascended remains unconfirmed, so do not assume the same keys are honored.
- Confirm the server actually restarted. A panel showing “save” is not enough; stop and start the server, then reconnect.
- Verify the file and section. The keys belong in
GameUserSettings.iniunder[ServerSettings]. A correctly spelled line inGame.iniwill not perform this job. - Inspect the exact value. Use
TrueforEnablePvPGammaandFalseforDisablePvEGamma. A value ofFalseon the PvP key orTrueon the PvE key has the opposite effect. - Remove duplicates. Keep one copy of each key. If the panel regenerated the file, edit the surviving copy and save again.
You edited a PvE line on a PvP server, or vice versa
Use the table above to match the switch to the ruleset. PvP permission is controlled by EnablePvPGamma; PvE availability is controlled by DisablePvEGamma. Setting the unrelated line does not substitute for the one your server type reads.
The console will not open
The command can only be entered after the game’s console is open. Press Tab while connected to the server. If your keyboard layout or client settings map the console key differently, resolve that local input issue first; changing the INI permission cannot open a console that the client is not accepting.
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The command works but the result looks wrong
- Check that the value is between
0and10. Values outside that range are not part of the accepted command range. - Try
gamma 2.2to establish the stated default, then make a small adjustment such asgamma 3orgamma 4. - Remember that gamma changes brightness, not the server’s weather, time, cave lighting, or another player’s setting.
The setting disappears after a restart
Some hosting panels regenerate configuration files from a separate settings form or template. After restarting, reopen GameUserSettings.ini and check whether the lines remain. If they were removed, use the panel’s dedicated server-settings editor if it provides one, or re-enter the lines while the server is stopped. Keep a local backup of the working file so you can compare what the panel changed.
Players can still not use gamma on a Hardcore or unusual ruleset server
Hardcore and older PvP configurations may apply additional defaults. First verify the exact PvP key, perform a full restart, and test with a non-administrator player. If the command remains unavailable, the server’s game version or hosting layer may not honor the setting as expected; the available evidence does not establish a separate modern Hardcore-specific key.
Survival Evolved versus Survival Ascended
| Game edition | Is this procedure established? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| ARK: Survival Evolved | Yes, the hosting-guide procedure uses GameUserSettings.ini, [ServerSettings], and the two gamma keys described above. |
Follow the stop, edit, save, restart, and in-game test sequence. |
| ARK: Survival Ascended | Not verified. A discussion about Ascended administration covers commands such as enablecheats and saveworld, but does not establish gamma support or these keys. |
Do not assume the Evolved settings work. Check documentation specific to the Ascended server build and hosting panel. |
The absence of a confirmed Ascended procedure is important: copying an Evolved configuration into an Ascended server may do nothing, and an administrative command such as enablecheats is not evidence that the gamma permission key is supported.
How to disable gamma again
Stop the Survival Evolved server, edit the same file, and set the switch for the ruleset you want to restrict:
- PvP: change
EnablePvPGamma=TruetoEnablePvPGamma=False, or remove the key if your server policy relies on its default. - PvE: change
DisablePvEGamma=FalsetoDisablePvEGamma=True.
Save the file, restart the server, and reconnect before testing. A player’s previously selected brightness value may still be remembered locally, but the server permission determines whether that player can invoke the command.
Quick Recap
Administrator checklist
- Confirm the server is running ARK: Survival Evolved.
- Identify whether the server is PvP or PvE.
- Stop the server and back up
GameUserSettings.ini. - Open the file in the hosting panel’s configuration section.
- Under
[ServerSettings], edit one existing key or add the appropriate line. - For PvP, use
EnablePvPGamma=True; for PvE, useDisablePvEGamma=False. - Remove duplicate gamma entries, save, and restart.
- Join as a regular player, press Tab, and test
gamma 4. - Use a value from
0to10; entergamma 2.2to reset. - If it fails, recheck the edition, file path, section header, Boolean value, and whether the panel rewrote the file.
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