To use custom game rules on a Sons of the Forest dedicated server, stop the server, set GameMode to Custom, choose an unused save slot, and place your options in CustomGameModeSettings inside dedicatedserver.cfg. Start the server and create that new save. Custom settings are applied when a save is created; loading an existing save with SaveMode set to Continue will not retrofit the rules.
What custom mode changes
Custom mode lets you combine individual gameplay rules instead of using one of the preset difficulties. The server reads those rules from a JSON object named CustomGameModeSettings. The object is evaluated only when the game creates a save. That timing explains the most common failure: a correctly edited file appears to do nothing because the server is continuing an older save.
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There are two related configuration areas:
GameModeselects the overall mode. It must be the exact stringCustom(capital C, lower-case remainder).CustomGameModeSettingscontains the custom-mode options used while creating a save.GameSettingsis a separate object for general server toggles. For example,Gameplay.TreeRegrowthandStructure.Damagebelong there, not inside the custom-mode object.
Keep these objects separate and preserve the capitalization of every key. The game treats configuration names as exact identifiers.
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Before you edit the server
Stop the process first
Shut down the dedicated server cleanly before changing its configuration. Editing while the process is running can be overwritten when the server exits, and a partially written file can prevent startup.
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Plan a new save slot
Write down an unused slot number. If a slot already contains a world, continuing it will keep the settings from the original creation. You can preserve the old world by choosing another slot rather than deleting it.
Back up the configuration and saves
Make a copy of dedicatedserver.cfg and the existing save directory before making changes. A backup gives you a quick way to recover from a JSON typo or an unwanted rule combination.
Decide what you are testing
Change a small, deliberate group of options for the first test. For example, you might alter enemy aggression and day length, then create a temporary world. Testing a few rules makes it easier to tell whether the file was loaded, whether the value is supported, and whether a particular setting is simply subtle in play. Keep a note of the slot number and the exact values used.
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The location depends on how the server is run.
| Setup | Typical location | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Windows self-hosted | C:Users<user>AppDataLocalLowEndnightSonsOfTheForestDS |
Replace <user> with the Windows account that runs the server. Confirm the file is inside the Endnight dedicated-server data folder. |
| Managed or panel-hosted | A provider-specific path; one documented example is /home/container/serverconfig/dedicatedserver.cfg. |
Use the panel’s file manager or SFTP path shown for your instance. Do not assume the Windows location exists on a Linux container. |
If several copies exist, identify the one the running instance actually loads. Check the startup command, server-data directory, or provider documentation. Editing a template or an old backup has no effect on the live server. Some panels expose save and mode controls on a settings page and regenerate the JSON file when you click Save, so compare the file after using those controls.
Step-by-step: create a custom-mode save
- Stop the dedicated server. Wait until the process has fully exited and the panel reports it as stopped.
- Open the active configuration file. Edit
dedicatedserver.cfgwith a plain-text editor that does not add formatting or a.txtextension. - Select a new slot and creation mode. Set
SaveSlotto an unused number and setSaveModetoNew. If your control panel exposes Save Slot and Save Mode fields, set the same values there and make sure they are written to the file. - Set the top-level mode. Use
"GameMode": "Custom". A different mode causes the custom object to be ignored. - Add or edit the custom object. Place
CustomGameModeSettingsat the top level of the JSON configuration, alongsideGameMode,SaveSlot,SaveMode, andGameSettings. - Validate the JSON. Check commas, braces, quotation marks, and value types before saving. Booleans are unquoted
trueorfalse; text values are quoted strings. - Save the file and start the server. Watch the startup log or panel for a configuration error. If it starts normally, connect and create the new world in the selected slot.
- Test in the new world. Check one or two rules in-game before investing time in the save. The settings are attached to this newly created save.
Working configuration example
The following example shows the structure and documented option names. It combines general toggles with custom-mode rules; change values to suit your group.
{
"GameMode": "Custom",
"SaveSlot": 2,
"SaveMode": "New",
"GameSettings": {
"Gameplay.TreeRegrowth": true,
"Structure.Damage": true
},
"CustomGameModeSettings": {
"GameSetting.Vail.EnemySpawn": true,
"GameSetting.Vail.EnemyHealth": "Normal",
"GameSetting.Vail.EnemyDamage": "Low",
"GameSetting.Vail.EnemyAggression": "High",
"GameSetting.Vail.AnimalSpawnRate": "Normal",
"GameSetting.Environment.StartingSeason": "Summer",
"GameSetting.Environment.SeasonLength": "Default",
"GameSetting.Environment.DayLength": "Default",
"GameSetting.Environment.PrecipitationFrequency": "Default",
"GameSetting.Survival.ConsumableEffects": "Normal",
"GameSetting.Survival.PlayerStatsDamage": "Off"
}
}The final property in each object has no trailing comma. If you add another property, put a comma after the preceding property, not after the new final one.
Custom settings you can control
The Endnight/Steam configuration reference documents options across several groups. The keys shown in the table are the documented names used in the example above; copy them exactly rather than inventing alternate spellings.
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| Key | Purpose | Example value |
|---|---|---|
GameSetting.Vail.EnemySpawn |
Turns enemy spawning on or off. | true |
GameSetting.Vail.EnemyHealth |
Sets enemy health preset. | "Normal" |
GameSetting.Vail.EnemyDamage |
Sets enemy damage preset. | "Low" |
GameSetting.Vail.EnemyAggression |
Controls enemy aggression. | "High" |
GameSetting.Vail.AnimalSpawnRate |
Controls animal spawn frequency. | "Normal" |
GameSetting.Environment.StartingSeason |
Chooses the season in which the new save starts. | "Summer" |
GameSetting.Environment.SeasonLength |
Sets the length preset for seasons. | "Default" |
GameSetting.Environment.DayLength |
Sets the day-length preset. | "Default" |
GameSetting.Environment.PrecipitationFrequency |
Sets the precipitation-frequency preset. | "Default" |
GameSetting.Survival.ConsumableEffects |
Controls the effect strength of consumables. | "Normal" |
GameSetting.Survival.PlayerStatsDamage |
Controls damage to player stats. | "Off" |
The documented namespace also covers multiplayer cheats, player-versus-player damage, enemy armour and search parties, cold penalties, food-container behaviour, building resistance, creative mode, player immortality, force-place behaviour, tree-cutting effects, and one-hit tree cutting. Availability and accepted values are defined by the configuration reference for your game build. Use its exact key and value spelling; do not substitute a guessed name or a numeric value.
How to choose values safely
Use the reference’s listed presets rather than assuming that a setting accepts percentages, numbers, or familiar difficulty labels. A key that represents a preset generally expects a quoted string, while a switch such as enemy spawning expects an unquoted boolean. If the reference lists a value as Default, keep the capital D; default is not necessarily equivalent. The same applies to Normal, Low, High, Summer, and Off.
Options such as creative mode, immortality, force-place, multiplayer cheats, and PvP damage can substantially change the social rules of a shared world. Agree on them with every player before creating the permanent save. If you are preparing a public server, document whether cheats or PvP are enabled so newcomers are not surprised.
General toggles in GameSettings
General switches remain under GameSettings. The documented examples are:
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Putting these keys inside CustomGameModeSettings, or putting custom keys inside GameSettings, can leave the intended rule unapplied even though the JSON is syntactically valid.
Understand the save lifecycle
There are three separate decisions that are easy to conflate: the mode, the slot, and the save action. GameMode tells the server which ruleset to use. SaveSlot identifies the world location. SaveMode tells it whether to create a world or continue one already in that slot. Custom rules are consumed during creation, so all three must line up for a first test: GameMode is Custom, the slot is unused, and SaveMode is New.
After the world exists, you can set the server back to a continue operation for that slot during ordinary restarts. Do not expect later edits to the custom object to rewrite the world. To try a different ruleset, choose another unused slot and create another save. This approach also protects the original world and gives you a clean comparison between configurations.
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Tell players which slot is active. A server can start successfully while loading a different existing slot than the one you intended, making a correct configuration look ineffective. Verify the slot in the panel, startup information, and the world you enter before troubleshooting individual settings.
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Why a custom setting appears to do nothing
The server is continuing an old save
This is the primary cause. A custom object is ignored when SaveMode is Continue and the selected slot already contains a save. Set SaveMode to New and use an unused slot, then create that world. Changing the file later does not convert the existing world.
GameMode is not exactly Custom
The custom object is ignored for other game modes. Check capitalization and quotation marks: "GameMode": "Custom".
The wrong file was edited
Panels can maintain separate templates, instance files, and backups. Confirm the path used by the active server and restart only after saving that file.
The value has the wrong type
true and false must not be in quotation marks. Preset values such as Normal, Low, High, Summer, Default, and Off are strings and must be quoted. A type error can make the server reject the file or skip a property.
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The key is valid but belongs elsewhere
JSON can be perfectly valid while the game ignores a property in the wrong object. Keep the custom namespace at the top level, and keep general toggles under GameSettings. Do not nest CustomGameModeSettings inside GameSettings.
Troubleshoot startup and configuration errors
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Server refuses to start after editing | Malformed JSON: missing comma, quote, brace, or invalid value type. | Restore the backup, reapply one change at a time, and run the complete file through a JSON validator. Ensure every object opens and closes and every non-final property ends with a comma. |
| Server starts, but rules are unchanged | Existing save was continued, or mode is not Custom. | Set GameMode to Custom, choose an unused SaveSlot, set SaveMode to New, and create a new world. |
| Only some rules work | Key is misspelled, placed in the wrong object, or uses an unsupported value. | Compare capitalization and namespace with the Endnight/Steam reference. Keep general toggles in GameSettings and custom rules in CustomGameModeSettings. |
| Changes revert after shutdown | The panel overwrote the file, or the running process was edited instead of stopped. | Stop the server, edit the active file, save, then start it. If a control panel has separate fields, save those fields after editing so it does not regenerate the file from older values. |
| Players load the wrong world | The selected slot already contained another save. | Use a clearly unused slot, record the slot number for your players, and verify the new world name or creation time before playing. |
A November 12, 2024 hosting guide and the MetaForge configuration notes both emphasize the same limitation: custom settings are creation-time settings, not live modifiers for an existing save.
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When diagnosing, change one category at a time and keep the previous working file. If a new world still behaves unexpectedly, compare the final file with the documented spelling and inspect the startup log for parsing errors. A normal startup only proves that the JSON was readable; it does not prove that every key was accepted or that you are in the intended save.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Optional command-line overrides
The dedicated server also documents command-line parameter overrides in this form:
SonsOfTheForestDS.exe -dedicatedserver.<parameter> "<value>"Use an override only when you understand which configuration parameter it targets and how your launch script or hosting panel handles arguments. Keep the file-based configuration as the authoritative record, because a command-line value can mask what is written in dedicatedserver.cfg. After changing an argument, stop the server, update the launch command, start it, and verify the resulting save in a new slot.
Self-hosting versus a managed server
The custom-mode workflow is functionally the same, but access and operational responsibilities differ.
| Consideration | Self-hosted server | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| JSON access | Direct access to the Windows Endnight data directory and launch files. | Access is usually through a panel file manager, SFTP, or provider-specific path. |
| Mode and save controls | You edit GameMode, SaveMode, and SaveSlot directly. |
Some panels expose these fields; others require editing dedicatedserver.cfg. |
| Backups and save management | You must schedule and test your own backups. | Backup and restore tools may be available, but retention and frequency depend on the provider. |
| Latency and capacity | Bound by your upload connection, hardware, and the location of your network. | Choose a location and plan that fit your players; current capacity and regional availability vary. |
| Support | You diagnose JSON, processes, ports, and files yourself. | Support may help with the panel or service, but you still need to specify the desired game settings. |
| Price | Existing hardware and electricity determine your cost. | Current prices are provider- and region-specific and are not established by the configuration documentation. |
Regardless of hosting method, retain a known-good configuration, document the selected save slot, and test custom rules in a disposable new world before migrating a long-running community save. Managed hosts such as Shockbyte, Sparked Host, and Kinetic Hosting document this workflow, but features, support, locations, backups, prices, and availability change. Compare file access, save controls, backup policy, latency, player capacity, support, and total cost rather than assuming that documentation implies an endorsement.
For a hosted Sons of the Forest server, Godlike.Host provides its own game panel, free DDoS protection, and up to three free backups a day with restore. Its Sons of the Forest plans list 4, 12 and 20 slots; the server’s MaxPlayers setting allows 1 to 8 players (Steam Community server guide, 11 Oct 2026).
Safe change checklist
- Server is stopped and no backup job is writing the file.
- You are editing the active
dedicatedserver.cfg, not a template or stale copy. GameModeis exactlyCustom.SaveModeisNewandSaveSlotis unused for the first test.CustomGameModeSettingsis at the top level and uses documented key names.- General toggles remain under
GameSettings. - Booleans are unquoted; string presets are quoted.
- JSON passes a syntax check and has balanced braces.
- You created and entered the new save before evaluating the result.
- A backup exists so you can roll back without losing the previous world.
- Players know which slot and rules are active.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a new save for custom settings?
Yes. Set SaveMode to New and select an unused SaveSlot. Custom rules are applied when that world is created; continuing an existing save does not retrofit them.
Why did my custom settings not apply?
Check that GameMode is exactly Custom, that CustomGameModeSettings is at the top level, and that you created a new save. Also verify that you edited the active configuration file and used documented key names and value types.
Where is dedicatedserver.cfg on Windows?
The usual self-hosted location is C:Users<user>AppDataLocalLowEndnightSonsOfTheForestDS, under the Windows account that runs the server.
Where is the file on a hosted server?
The path depends on the provider. One documented panel layout uses /home/container/serverconfig/dedicatedserver.cfg. Use the provider’s file manager, SFTP details, or instance documentation to identify the active file.
How do I change enemy health, aggression, or animal spawns?
Add the corresponding documented keys under CustomGameModeSettings, such as GameSetting.Vail.EnemyHealth, GameSetting.Vail.EnemyAggression, and GameSetting.Vail.AnimalSpawnRate. Copy capitalization and accepted values exactly from the Endnight/Steam configuration reference.
Can I change day length or seasons on an existing world?
Not through custom-mode creation settings. Set the desired StartingSeason, SeasonLength, or DayLength, choose a new slot, and create a new world.
What is the difference between GameSettings and CustomGameModeSettings?
GameSettings holds general server toggles such as Gameplay.TreeRegrowth and Structure.Damage. Custom gameplay rules belong in the separate top-level CustomGameModeSettings object.
Can I use a command-line override instead of editing JSON?
The dedicated server supports the form SonsOfTheForestDS.exe -dedicatedserver.<parameter> "<value>". Use it only when you know the target parameter and how your launch script handles arguments, and keep a clear record of the effective configuration.
The Bottom Line
Stop the server, back up the files, set GameMode to Custom, put documented keys in CustomGameModeSettings, and create the world in a new save slot. If the server continues an existing save, the custom rules will not be applied.
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