How to Run Overhaul Mods on Your 7 Days to Die Server (Darkness Falls, War of the Walkers)
Running Darkness Falls, War of the Walkers, Undead Legacy, or other major overhauls requires a few extra steps beyond basic mod installs. EAC must be off, versions must match exactly, and a fresh world is usually required.
What Makes an Overhaul Different
Overhaul mods (Darkness Falls, War of the Walkers, Undead Legacy, and others) don't just add items or tweak values — they replace large portions of the game's recipes, progression systems, world generation, and sometimes UI. They're essentially a different game running on the 7DTD engine.
This means:
- EAC must be disabled
- Every player must have the exact same version installed on their client
- Most overhauls require a brand new world — they can't be added to an existing save
Step 1: Disable EAC
Open serverconfig.xml and set:
<property name="EACEnabled" value="false" />
Overhaul mods use Harmony code patching that EAC blocks. With EAC on, the server may crash or players get kicked immediately on connect.
Players must also launch their game client with EAC disabled. In Steam, right-click the game > Properties > Launch Options and add -eac-noeac, or select the "Play without EAC" launch option if it appears.
Step 2: Wipe the World
Starting a Darkness Falls world on top of a vanilla save causes missing items, broken recipes, and corrupted chunks. Always start fresh:
- Stop the server
- Delete or rename the save at
UserData/Saves/<GameWorld>/<GameName>/ - Optionally change
GameNamein serverconfig.xml for a clean break
Step 3: Install the Mod
Most overhauls install into Mods/ like a standard mod. Some also include files that replace content in Data/. Follow the mod's specific installation instructions exactly — don't improvise.
Darkness Falls — extract to Mods/DarknessFalls/
War of the Walkers — extract to Mods/WotW/
Undead Legacy — check its installer/readme; some versions have a custom install process
Step 4: Communicate Version to Players
Version mismatches are the #1 cause of "I can't join" reports on modded servers. Players connecting with a different version get kicked with a cryptic error message.
In your server description and community Discord, post:
- The mod name
- The exact version number (e.g., "Darkness Falls v5.3.0")
- A direct download link
Make it easy. If they have to ask where to get it, half of them will install the wrong version.
Switching Between Overhaul Mods
Going from Darkness Falls to War of the Walkers (or vice versa) always requires a full wipe. The world format, item IDs, and chunk data are incompatible between overhauls. There is no migration path.
Keeping Up With Updates
Overhaul mods update independently of the base game. A 7DTD game update often breaks overhaul mods temporarily. Check the mod's Discord or Nexus page before updating the base game — the mod team may not have a compatible release ready yet.
When both the game and the overhaul update, coordinate with your players: update the server, push the update notice to Discord, and remind everyone to update their client mod before trying to reconnect.