October DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsSlow PC?RecommendedPC slow today? Run a repair scan before it gets worseResolve common Windows issues and optimize system performance.Scan NowOctober DealsAmazon USDeal season is back - check today's better picksAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
Skip to content
World desk9 min

How to Set Custom Spawn Loadouts on a DayZ Server

Set custom DayZ spawn gear with weighted JSON presets, register them in cfggameplay.json, enable the gameplay file, and troubleshoot scripts, mods, and missing items.
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

The reliable way to give fresh spawns custom gear is to use weighted JSON spawn presets in the mission folder, register those files in cfggameplay.json, and enable the gameplay configuration in serverDZ.cfg. Valid presets take precedence over StartingEquipSetup(); use the script method only when the kit must be generated from runtime conditions.

Choose the loadout system that matches your server

DayZ supports two distinct ways to equip a player at spawn. JSON spawn presets are the preferred path for fixed kits or a pool of themed kits. A mission script override is better when the equipment depends on a role, a condition, stored player data, or other logic that cannot be expressed as static data.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Approach Best for Main control Important constraint
JSON spawn presets Static kits and weighted themes such as survival, medic, or faction starts Preset files, item-set arrays, and spawnWeight Files must be registered in cfggameplay.json, enableCfgGameplayFile = 1 must be set, and valid presets bypass StartingEquipSetup()
StartingEquipSetup() Conditional or programmatic equipment Enforce Script logic in the mission’s init.c It runs only when the JSON preset system is not taking precedence

Do not mix the two methods accidentally. If a valid preset is loaded, the preset system completely bypasses StartingEquipSetup(). A script can appear to be ignored even when it is correct simply because a preset file is active.

Where the files belong

Work in the active mission directory, for example mpmissions/dayzOffline.chernarusplus/. The path is relative to the mission folder used by the running server, not necessarily the folder you last edited on your computer.

#1 Best Overall
Sale
TOZO A1 Wireless Earbuds Bluetooth 5.3 Light Weight in Ear Headphones | IPX5 Waterproof,2 Mics for AI Calls,Immersive Premium Sound Bass Headset with Charging Case,32 EQ via App Black
  • [Ultra-Lightweight Ear Buds Designed for Small Ears] Each earbud weighs only 3.7g and features a compact, ergonomic in-ear design made especially for small ears. Secure, low-profile, and comfortable for workouts, all-day wear or overnight sleeping.The ultra-slim profile sits flush in your ear with no hard edges poking or rubbing, so you can even sleep on your side without discomfort.
  • [Immersive Stereo Sound with TOZO OrigX Technology] TOZO OrigX tuning delivers clear vocals, balanced mids, and natural stereo sound for music, podcasts, and videos.
  • [Long Battery Life for Daily Use] Get up to 7 hours of playtime on a single charge, with up to 32 hours total using the charging case—ideal for workdays, commuting, and extended listening sessions.
  • [Bluetooth 5.3 & Stable Connection] Bluetooth 5.3 provides fast pairing, stable wireless performance, and reduced dropouts as you move around home or office.
  • [Deep Bass with Clear Vocals] High-performance drivers produce punchy bass while keeping vocals clean and detailed for everyday listening.
  • cfggameplay.json controls gameplay settings, including which spawn-preset files are loaded.
  • Your preset files, such as survivalist.json and medic.json, sit in the mission folder unless you deliberately use a relative subfolder path.
  • serverDZ.cfg is outside the mission data itself and controls whether the gameplay configuration file is enabled.
  • cfgplayerspawnpoints.xml controls spawn locations. It does not define the equipment placed in a player’s inventory.

Before changing anything, identify the mission name shown in the server startup configuration and confirm that the server process has access to that exact directory. Editing a similarly named mission folder is a common reason for apparently ignored changes.

Set up weighted JSON spawn presets

1. Create one file for each loadout theme

Create a separate JSON file for every kit you want to select independently. For example, a survival-focused kit can live in survivalist.json and a medical kit in medic.json. Keeping themes in separate files makes it easier to test, remove, or rebalance one kit without editing a large combined document.

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Each file contains one preset object. A minimal conceptual preset looks like this:

{
  "name": "Survivalist",
  "spawnWeight": 3,
  "characterTypes": ["SurvivorM_Mirek"],
  "attachmentSlotItemSets": [],
  "discreteItemSets": [],
  "discreteUnsortedItemSets": []
}

The empty arrays are valid starting points for a conceptual file, but they do not give a player useful equipment until you populate the documented item-set structures. Add clothing, weapons, magazines, attachments, cargo contents, child items, attributes, and quickbar assignments through those structures.

Rank #2
Sale
Smart Watch for Men Women Compatible with iPhone Samsung Android Phone 1.69 inch Full Touch Screen IP68 Waterproof Bluetooh Fitness Tracker Heart Rate/Sleep Monitor (Black)
  • 【IP68 Waterproof Multifunctinal Smart Watch】Torjalph fitness activity tracker smart watch is IP68 waterproof technology ,you can wear it when swimming,handwashing,it's rain-proof which means that you perform multiple exercise modes outside without worrying about sweat or rain corroding your fitness smart watch,and this watch equipped with a 230 mAh large capacity battery magnetic charging ,and this sports activity tracker watch can be used 5-7 days If fully charged.
  • 【Larger 1.83'' Full Screen Watch & Multi-dial Selection】1.83 inch full HD color touch screen smart watch for men / women provides excellent 240*284 resolution image quality ,This Bluetooth smart watch offers a better touch experience and remarkable immersion and ,more than 200 watch faces for you to choose from App"Da Fit ", you can change the dial style according to your mood to wear keeping the world on your wrist
  • 【Accurate Activity Tracker Smart Watch 】sports watch activity tracker uses sweat and dust resistant breathable silicone strap, our Fitness Tracker Smart Watch for Android iOS Phones supports 12 sports modes,walking,running,bicycle,swimming,badminton,basketball,football,rope skipping. This bluetooth calls smart watch for men women is lightweight and stylish, bringing more convenient and relaxing sports experience while also providing more protection.
  • 【Your 24 Hour Personal Daily Health Monitor】Fitness watch for women men full touch screen IP67 waterproof bluetooth smartwatch for Android iOS Phones with heart rate blood pressure monitor multifunction Andriod smart watch with steps counter sleep monitor sports fitness watch, monitoring blood oxygen saturation allows you to understand your physical condition in real time to track fitness progress ,to know your health status in time.
  • 【More Functions Bluetooth Call Smart Watch】This fitness activity smart watch full screen for iPhone and Android phones includes a bunch of new features including:The bluetooth smart watch can hang up the phone, receive and display WhatsAPP /Text /Facebook /Twitter /Messenger reminder.Support sedentary reminder, alarm clock, stopwatch, timer,weather information,music control, remote camera control compatible with Android 5.0 and above or iOS 9.0 and above smartphones.

2. Give every preset a readable name and a weight

name is a human-readable label that helps you identify the kit in logs and configuration. spawnWeight must be at least 1. Presets are pooled, then selected according to their relative weights: a preset with weight 3 is intended to be selected more often than one with weight 1, although the value is not a guarantee that every three spawns will produce that kit.

Use characterTypes when a preset should apply only to specified survivor character types. Leave that optional field out when the kit should be available without that restriction. The character type must itself be valid for the server’s game and mod configuration.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

3. Register the files in cfggameplay.json

Open the active mission’s cfggameplay.json and add the preset filenames under PlayerData.spawnGearPresetFiles. The documented shape is:

{
  "version": 122,
  "PlayerData": {
    "spawnGearPresetFiles": [
      "survivalist.json",
      "medic.json"
    ]
  }
}

Use paths relative to the mission folder. If you place a file in a subdirectory, the entry must use the corresponding relative path; an absolute computer path will not point the server to the mission asset. Preserve the rest of your existing cfggameplay.json settings when adding this property, and keep the document valid JSON with commas and braces in the correct positions.

Rank #3
New Bee Guitar Cable 10ft Electric Instrument Bass AMP Cord
  • [Low Noise High Fidelity] New bee guitar cord with 22AWG oxygen-free-copper center conductors provides enhanced signal transfer, the PVC insulation material and the high-density stranded copper double shield provide noise rejection for quiet operation
  • [Ideal for Choice] New bee 1/4 straight and right angle metal connectors, ensures a secure connection in any instrument, pedal, or amp jack. L shape great fro on stage guitar stands
  • [Wide Compatible] Suitable for mixer, power amplifier, microphone, effector, decoder, equalizer, electoronic organ, electric guitar, electric bass and other electronic equipments. Widely used in the installation of smart home, karaoke speaker, professional stage audio, etc
  • [Easy Disassemble] Making incidental repairs quick and easy! Very nice, flexible cable
  • [Dont Hesite to Order] 24 hours customer services and professional technology team are standing by

4. Enable the gameplay configuration in serverDZ.cfg

Set the following server configuration value:

enableCfgGameplayFile = 1;

Without this flag, the server does not use the mission’s gameplay configuration file, so the registered preset list will not be activated. The preset filenames and the flag are both required; setting only one of them is insufficient.

5. Restart and verify the session

Restart the server after changing the files. The preset system is read during startup, so reconnecting without a restart does not reliably reload a changed document. Inspect the server script or RPT log after startup for JSON parse errors and unknown classnames. A syntax error can disable the preset system for that session, while an unknown item classname can prevent that item from spawning even though other parts of the preset still apply.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Build the actual kit inside a preset

The preset object is a data description rather than a single flat list. Populate the documented arrays according to where each item belongs in the player’s equipment.

Preset field Use it for Practical example of its role
attachmentSlotItemSets Items assigned to attachment slots on clothing or equipment A magazine or optic placed into an appropriate weapon or holder slot
discreteItemSets Discrete inventory entries represented by the preset schema A weapon, clothing piece, medical item, or other individually defined spawn item
discreteUnsortedItemSets Discrete items that are not tied to a sorted slot arrangement Loose starting items that can be placed in available inventory space
Child-item definitions Items nested inside a parent item Contents placed in a magazine, pouch, container, or another spawned object
Attributes Documented item state values State data that the preset format supports for the item
Quickbar slots Initial hotbar assignments Making a spawned tool or weapon available from a chosen quickbar position

Use the exact class name for every object, including capitalization and punctuation. The preset does not translate display names into class names. For a weapon kit, define the weapon itself, then define compatible magazines, attachments, or nested contents in the appropriate item-set structures. For clothing, define the garment in the relevant discrete set and put its starting contents in the child or cargo structures supported by the preset format.

Rank #4
BSIMB 15.6" Digital Family Calendar & Chore Chart, No Subscription Fees
  • Digital Family Calendar: BSIMB digital calendar wall touch screen puts an end to your chaotic life. Designed for busy families, the digital calendar keeps you organised and in step with your family. Assign different colours and tasks to each family member to make family scheduling easier and more intuitive.
  • Easy Setup and Auto-Sync: Plug in, connect to WLAN and auto-syn your electric calendar in minutes. Digital wall calendar compatible with Google calendar, iCloud calendar, Outlook calendar, Cozi calendar and Yahoo calendar. Add events directly on the device or through the ecalendar app. Electronic calendar stays current whether you're at work or traveling—no manual updates needed.
  • All-In-One Home Assistant: Smart calendar builds habits and encourage independence with personalised chores. Display daily meal plan to reduce the daily ‘What's for dinner?’ stress. To-do lists keep track of everything you want. Turning chores into valuable achievements with stars and rewards, making life easier and more enjoyable.
  • Manage Anytime Anywhere: BSIMB electronic calendar for family stay connected with the powerful ecalendar app. Access and manage your digital wall calendar anytime, anywhere with free features like stars & rewards, photo screensaver, chore charts, meals plans, to-do lists etc. Electronic planner paid features like Magic Import tailor advanced tools for users with special needs.
  • Stay in Touch with Loved Ones: Share photos or videos from your phone to electronic wall calendar with app, instantly update your life moment, and keep in touch with your family, especially those who are far away; you can also surprise your smart calendar digital wall by sending him a wish card; it's also great for keeping tech-illiterate elders in touch with the youngsters.

Keep one responsibility per preset. A survival kit can contain basic clothing, a weapon, ammunition, and tools; a medic kit can emphasize medical supplies. If you want both kits available, list both files and adjust their weights rather than copying every item into one oversized preset.

Use valid modded classnames

A JSON file can be perfectly formatted and still fail to produce an item when its classname is not available to the server. Every modded item named in a preset must come from a mod that is loaded server-side. Copy the classname used by the mod’s configuration, not the name shown in a launcher or inventory label.

  • Confirm the mod is installed and loaded by the server, not only by your client.
  • Check spelling, capitalization, and punctuation character by character.
  • Test the base preset with known-valid items before adding a large number of modded objects.
  • Read the RPT or script log for unknown-classname messages after a restart.

Unknown classnames fail to spawn, but the rest of a valid preset can still apply. This partial result can look like a random missing item, so compare the log with the exact item list rather than assuming the entire preset was rejected.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

When to use StartingEquipSetup() instead

Choose the script route when the server must calculate the kit at runtime. Examples include selecting equipment from a player’s role, checking a condition, reading database state, or applying logic that changes from one spawn to the next.

Override StartingEquipSetup(PlayerBase player, bool clothesChosen) in the mission’s init.c. The documented Enforce Script pattern uses CreateInInventory() for clothing and nested items, and CreateInHands() for a weapon. Remove or retain existing inventory according to the behavior you want, then create each clothing item, weapon, magazine, attachment, and cargo item through those calls with valid classnames.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Do not troubleshoot the script in isolation while a valid preset is registered. The presence of a working entry in PlayerData.spawnGearPresetFiles intentionally prevents StartingEquipSetup() from running. To test the script path, remove the preset registration (or otherwise disable that preset configuration), restart the server, and then inspect the startup and spawn logs.

The script method gives you more control but also gives you more failure points: syntax errors, incorrect method placement, invalid classnames, inventory-capacity conflicts, and logic branches can all affect the result. JSON is usually easier to audit for static kits; script is justified when the extra runtime control is the requirement.

Keep world-loot economy configuration separate

Giving an item to a fresh spawn does not automatically make that item appear as world loot. If an item also needs an economy entry, maintain its definitions in separate custom XML and register those files through cfgeconomycore.xml. The economy registration point belongs at the mission root.

Avoid editing the vanilla db/types.xml directly. The append and override mechanism lets you maintain custom economy definitions without modifying the original database file, which is safer to update and easier to diagnose. Treat spawn equipment and world-loot economy as two separate configuration jobs: the JSON preset (or script) controls the player’s initial inventory, while the economy XML controls items generated in the world.

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Do not use spawn-point XML to change equipment

cfgplayerspawnpoints.xml defines where a player appears. Changing coordinates or spawn groups there will not add a weapon, magazine, garment, or medical item. Keep location changes in that file and equipment changes in the JSON preset system or StartingEquipSetup().

Troubleshoot a missing or ignored loadout

Symptom Likely cause What to check
No custom kit appears at all The server is using a different mission folder, or gameplay configuration is disabled Verify the active mission path and confirm enableCfgGameplayFile = 1 in serverDZ.cfg
One theme never appears The filename or relative path is wrong Match every entry in spawnGearPresetFiles to an existing file under the mission folder
The server starts but presets are ignored Invalid JSON syntax Validate both cfggameplay.json and each preset before restarting; inspect the RPT/script log
Some objects are missing while others spawn An item classname is unknown to the server Confirm the relevant mod is loaded server-side and compare the exact classname with the log
StartingEquipSetup() appears not to run A valid JSON preset has precedence Inspect spawnGearPresetFiles; remove the registration when testing the script path
Equipment changes have no effect after editing spawn XML The wrong configuration controls the requested behavior Use JSON or StartingEquipSetup() for gear; reserve cfgplayerspawnpoints.xml for locations
A new change is not visible immediately The process has not reloaded the files Restart the server, then create a fresh spawn and review startup logs

A repeatable diagnostic order

  1. Confirm the running server’s mission name and open that exact mission folder.
  2. Check that serverDZ.cfg contains enableCfgGameplayFile = 1.
  3. Check that every path in PlayerData.spawnGearPresetFiles is relative to that mission folder and points to a real file.
  4. Validate JSON punctuation, braces, brackets, property names, and quoted values before restarting.
  5. Confirm each classname belongs to the base game or a mod loaded on the server.
  6. Restart, inspect the RPT or script log, and distinguish parse errors from unknown-classname warnings.
  7. If the script method is being tested, remove active preset registration so it is allowed to execute.

Deployment checklist

  • Mission folder identified and writable by the server account.
  • One preset object per loadout JSON file.
  • spawnWeight set to at least 1 for every selectable preset.
  • Optional characterTypes values verified.
  • Attachment, discrete, unsorted, child-item, attribute, and quickbar structures populated with the intended equipment.
  • All classnames verified against game or server-loaded mod content.
  • Preset filenames registered under PlayerData.spawnGearPresetFiles.
  • enableCfgGameplayFile = 1 present in serverDZ.cfg.
  • JSON validated and the server restarted.
  • RPT or script log checked for parse errors and unknown classnames.
  • World-loot definitions kept in custom XML registered through cfgeconomycore.xml, without editing vanilla db/types.xml.
  • Spawn locations changed only through cfgplayerspawnpoints.xml.

For a static or weighted starting experience, the JSON route is the cleanest configuration: it keeps kits in readable data files, allows relative weights between themes, and avoids mission-script logic. Reserve StartingEquipSetup() for cases where the server genuinely needs decisions that cannot be represented by a preset.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More from the Wire

  1. World desk4 min
    How to Spot an AI Voice Scam Before Sending MoneyDon’t rely on how a caller sounds. Pause, call back through a known number, and verify the emergency with another trusted person before sending money.
  2. Mountain View desk4 min
    Google’s SynthID Detector: How to Check AI-Generated Images, Video and AudioGoogle’s SynthID Detector looks for an embedded watermark in supported images, video and audio. Here is what its results do—and do not—show.
  3. Redmond desk20 min
    How to create a link to File or Folder in Windows 11Windows 11 gives you several ways to point to a file or folder without moving or duplicating it. You can create a desktop shortcut,…
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?Free driver scan
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?Free scan - under a minute

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.