Project Zomboid Multiplayer Settings and PvP Configuration

Project Zomboid Multiplayer Settings

These settings in servertest.ini control how players interact with each other and the world on your server.

Stop the server before making changes. Restart to apply.

PvP Settings

PVP=true                          # Enable player vs player damage
SafetySystem=true                 # Allow players to toggle PvP safety on themselves
ShowSafety=true                   # Show safety status icon above players
SafetyToggleTimer=2               # Seconds before safety status changes
SafetyCooldownTimer=3             # Cooldown minutes after toggling unsafe
PVPMeleeWhileHitReaction=false    # Prevent melee hits while in hit animation

When SafetySystem=true, players can individually opt out of PvP by toggling safety on themselves — useful for mixed PvP/PvE servers.

Safehouse Settings

SafeHouse=true                    # Allow players to claim safehouses
SafeHouseDaySurvivedTreshold=0    # Minimum days survived to claim (0 = anyone)
SafeHouseRemovalTime=144          # Hours before unclaimed safehouse is released
PlayerSafehouseAllowTrepass=false # Prevent others from entering
PlayerSafehouseAllowFire=false    # Prevent fire damage inside safehouse
PlayerSafehouseAllowLoot=false    # Prevent looting inside safehouse
PlayerSafehouseAllowRespawn=true  # Allow respawning at owned safehouse

Faction Settings

Faction=true                      # Enable faction system
FactionDaySurvivedToCreate=0      # Days survived required to create faction
FactionPlayersRequiredForTag=1    # Members needed to display faction tag

Sleep and Time Settings

SleepAllowed=false                # Require all online players to sleep simultaneously
SleepNeeded=false                 # Make sleep mandatory for time to pass
HoursForLootRespawn=0             # Hours before loot respawns (0 = off)
MaxItemsForLootRespawn=4          # Don't respawn if more than this many items in container
ConstructionPreventsLootRespawn=1 # Prevent respawn in player-built areas

XP and Progression

GlobalChat=true                   # Enable global chat channel
ChatStreams=s,r,a,w,y,sh,f,all    # Available chat channels
ServerPlayerID=90210              # Unique server ID (change to avoid cross-server character loading)
SpawnItems=                       # Items all new players spawn with (comma-separated)

XP multipliers are set in servertest_SandboxVars.lua:

XPMultiplier = 1.0,               -- 1.0 = normal, 2.0 = double XP

Respawn Settings

NoFire=false                      # Disable fire spread (useful for heavily modded servers)
AnnounceDeath=false               # Announce player deaths in chat

In servertest_SandboxVars.lua:

Respawn = 1,
-- 1 = Checkpoint   2 = Safehouse   3 = Faction   4 = None (permadeath)

RespawnHours = 0,
-- Hours before a player can respawn (0 = immediate)

Recommended PvE Server Template

PVP=false
SafeHouse=true
SafeHouseDaySurvivedTreshold=0
SleepAllowed=false
SleepNeeded=false
Faction=true

Recommended PvP Server Template

PVP=true
SafetySystem=true
SafeHouse=true
SafeHouseDaySurvivedTreshold=7
SleepAllowed=false