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Getting Started with your DayZ server

Pick Chernarus, Livonia, or Sakhal maps, customize loot tables, adjust day-night cycles, and secure backups before players spawn in.

Updated July 23, 2026
DayZ

DayZ is the survival horror MMO that defined the genre. Your server runs on the Enfusion engine and supports a mature modding scene through the Steam Workshop and DayZ-SA-Launcher.

First Boot

  1. Open your DayZ server in the panel.
  2. Click Start.
  3. First boot pulls the dedicated server (about 5 GB), which takes 10 to 15 minutes.
  4. The console shows Mission read. and the server tick begins.

To connect: in DayZ, Servers > Community, search by name or filter by IP.

Maps

Default templates:

  • dayzOffline.chernarusplus (Chernarus)
  • dayzOffline.enoch (Livonia DLC)
  • dayzOffline.sakhal (Sakhal, Frostline DLC)
  • dayzOffline.sakhal (Frostline DLC)

Community maps are added through mods (see Mods section). Popular: Namalsk, Banov, Pripyat, Esseker, DeerIsle.

  • Community Framework (CF): Required by many other mods
  • CommunityOnlineTools: In-game admin GUI
  • Code Lock: Adds combination locks to doors
  • MMG Mightys Military Gear: Military gear additions
  • Dabs Framework: Server scripting framework (required by many mods)
  • Trader: Adds trader stations
  • Expansion Mod: Comprehensive QoL overhaul (vehicles, helicopters, missions)
  • Banking: ATM-based economy
  • DayZ-Editor-Loader: Lets you load custom map structures
  • Namalsk Survival: Hardcore winter survival overhaul
  • Drugs Plus: Roleplay drug system

For roleplay servers, the typical mod stack is: CF + COT + Dabs Framework + Expansion (Core, Vehicles, Markets) + Trader + Code Lock + Banking.

Vanilla Loot Tuning

Even without mods, you can heavily customize loot:

Edit mpmissions/dayzOffline.chernarusplus/db/types.xml. Each entry controls one item:

<type name="AKM">
    <nominal>15</nominal>
    <lifetime>14400</lifetime>
    <restock>1800</restock>
    <min>10</min>
    <quantmin>-1</quantmin>
    <quantmax>-1</quantmax>
    <cost>100</cost>
    <flags count_in_cargo="0" count_in_hoarder="0" count_in_map="1" count_in_player="0" crafted="0" deloot="0"/>
    <category name="weapons"/>
    <usage name="Military"/>
</type>
  • nominal: Target count on the map
  • lifetime: Seconds before it despawns from a non-persistent slot
  • min: Floor count before respawn triggers
  • restock: Seconds before restocking

For higher loot, increase nominal and min. Tools like Expansion-Types can automate this.

Day / Night Cycle

serverTimeAcceleration = 12;
serverNightTimeAcceleration = 6;
serverTimePersistent = 1;

Acceleration 12 = 1 in-game hour per 5 real-time minutes. Useful so players see day and night within a single session.

Backups

DayZ stores world state in mpmissions/<mission>/storage_<id>/. The folder grows large on active servers. Use the panel's Backups tab daily, with weekly long-term archives.

Performance Tips

  • Restart every 4-6 hours; DayZ accumulates memory over time
  • Use serverTimeAcceleration instead of long real-world day cycles to keep the world feeling lively
  • Avoid running 200+ AI mods; the Enfusion engine struggles with high entity counts
  • Consider instanceId rotation if you want to wipe just one slot of player data while keeping others

Common Issues

  • Players cannot connect with "Wrong session state": forceSameBuild mismatch. Server is on a different DayZ version than the player. Restart the server to pick up the latest update.
  • Mod loading fails: Missing dependency. Many mods require Community Framework (@CF); always install it first.
  • No loot anywhere: types.xml is broken or the mission template doesn't include vanilla loot. Restore a clean types.xml.
  • High CPU: Likely an AI mod going wild. Cap zombie counts and helicopter / boat mod spawn rates.
  • Players cannot find server: Confirm the steamQueryPort is open and set correctly. DayZ lists by query port, not game port.

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