V Rising Server Settings Not Applying? Fix the GameSettingsPreset Trap

V Rising Server Settings Not Applying? Fix the GameSettingsPreset Trap

Last updated: June 2026

The Symptom

You host a dedicated server for you and your friends. You open ServerGameSettings.json, change something obvious like loot rate or clan size, save, and restart the server. Nothing changes. The clan is still capped at the default, the loot multiplier is still 1x, and the in-game rules screen shows the original values. Restarting again does not help.

This is one of the most-repeated V Rising server problems, and it is not a corrupt save or a broken install. It is an order-of-precedence trap baked into how the server loads its rules.

Why It Happens: Presets Win

V Rising splits its configuration across two files:

• ServerHostSettings.json — identity and infrastructure: name, password, ports, slot count, save name, and a field called GameSettingsPreset.
• ServerGameSettings.json — the actual gameplay rules: difficulty, rates, PvP windows, clan size, castle limits, decay.

Here is the catch. If GameSettingsPreset in ServerHostSettings.json contains a preset name, the server loads that preset and ignores ServerGameSettings.json completely. A fresh install often ships with something like:

"GameSettingsPreset": "StandardPvP",

With that set, the server reads its rules from a preset file inside the GameSettingPresets folder (for example StandardPvP.json or StandardPvE_Hard.json) rather than from the file you just edited. Your changes are syntactically fine. They are simply never read.

Stunlock Studios documents this behaviour in their own dedicated-server repository, and it has its own GitHub issues from confused admins because the layout is genuinely counter-intuitive.

The Fix

You have two clean options. Pick one, do not mix them.

Option A: Use your own ServerGameSettings.json (recommended)

1. Open ServerHostSettings.json.
2. Set the preset to empty:

   "GameSettingsPreset": "",

   Some hosts and panels use the literal string "None" for the same effect; either disables the preset.
3. Save, then edit ServerGameSettings.json with your real values.
4. Restart the server.

From now on the server reads your file and your edits stick.

Option B: Keep the preset and edit the preset file

If you genuinely want to start from a preset, leave GameSettingsPreset as-is and edit the matching file inside the GameSettingPresets folder instead. If the preset is "StandardPvP", edit StandardPvP.json. Editing ServerGameSettings.json in this mode will keep doing nothing.

Edit the Right Copy of the File

There are two locations for these JSON files, and editing the wrong one is the second most common cause of "no effect":

Edit the files under save-data/Settings/. On managed hosts (including Supercraft), the panel exposes these as form fields so you edit the live copy automatically and never touch the wrong path.

Clan Size vs Castle Limit: Two Different Settings

A frequent mix-up: an admin wants a bigger clan, changes the castle limit, and is surprised the clan is still full. These are separate keys.

If your goal is "let a third friend join," raise ClanSize. If your goal is "let each player own more castles," raise CastleHeartLimit. They are unrelated, and only ClanSize removes the clan-full block.

Step-by-Step Checklist

1. Stop the server before editing, or be ready to restart after.
2. Check GameSettingsPreset in ServerHostSettings.json. If it has a name, set it to "" (or edit the matching preset file instead).
3. Edit the live file under save-data/Settings/ServerGameSettings.json, not the StreamingAssets template.
4. Change the correct key — ClanSize for clan members, not a castle setting.
5. Validate the JSON. A trailing comma or unclosed brace can stop the whole file from loading. Paste it into any JSON validator before saving.
6. Restart fully, not just reload. Watch the log for a clean load with no parse errors.

If It Still Will Not Apply

• Server will not boot after the edit? The JSON is malformed. Restore your backup, then re-apply changes one at a time. Logs will name the parse error.
• Some settings revert but others stick? You may have two layers fighting: a preset for some values and your file for others. Commit to one source (Option A or B) and clear the other.
• Panel and file both edited? On managed hosts, do not hand-edit files and use panel fields at the same time; the panel can re-write the file on restart. Use one method.

Common Questions

Does emptying the preset wipe my current rules?

No. Emptying GameSettingsPreset just tells the server to read ServerGameSettings.json. Make sure that file already holds the rules you want before you restart, since the preset will no longer fill them in.

Will I lose my world by changing these settings?

No. Rates, difficulty, PvP windows, clan size and decay apply to an existing save on restart. You do not need a fresh world for everyday tuning.

Why do hosting panels make this easier?

A good panel writes to the live save-data copy, validates JSON before saving, and manages the preset field for you, which removes all three of the traps above in one go.

Want a V Rising server where settings just work? Rent a V Rising server with Supercraft. Difficulty, clan size, loot rates, decay and PvP windows are all panel-driven form fields, validated and written to the live config, with no preset trap and no JSON editing.

Related V Rising Guides

• V Rising Server Game Settings Reference
• V Rising Server Host Settings
• Difficulty and Game Mode Presets
• V Rising Dedicated Server Setup (Linux + Wine)
• V Rising Server Troubleshooting Guide