Tools / Project Zomboid Recipes / Hardcore Louisville (Build 42)

Hardcore Louisville (Build 42)

High-difficulty settings for a brutal Build 42 server. Low loot respawn, fast infection, no PvE safety, short days.

warning · Project Zomboid 42 · verified 2026-05-26 · vanilla, build-42, hardcore

Settings to apply

Values to set in each file, one per line, grouped by the file they belong in. This is not the file's own format: copy the values across rather than pasting the block. Dotted names are nested, so visibility.public means a public key inside a visibility object.

[servertest.ini]
MaxPlayers=8
PauseEmpty=true
PVP=true
SafetySystem=false
ShowSafety=false
DisplayUserName=false
ServerWelcomeMessage=Welcome to Louisville. Don't die.
HoursForLootRespawn=0
MaxItemsForLootRespawn=4
PingLimit=300
AntiCheatProtectionType1=true

Download serverpack.json Host this preset

Install steps

Download the generated serverpack.json for a portable copy of this preset.
Copy the config values above into the matching dedicated-server config file.
Restart the server and test a fresh connection before inviting players.

Notes

Verified against Build 42 before it reached Stable. Build 42 went Stable on 29 July 2026 and hotfixes ran to 42.20.4 on 26 August, which removed the Lua loadstring and loadstream methods and broke any mod that used them. Re-test this recipe on 42.20.4 before relying on it, and check the modpack through the Workshop Importer, which flags items untouched since that date.
PvP on, safety off - players can shoot each other and zombies in player groups.
HoursForLootRespawn=0 disables loot regen entirely. Survivors fight over fixed resources.
ShortDays setting belongs in the sandbox file, not servertest.ini - pair this recipe with the 'short days' sandbox preset for the full effect.

serverpack.json

{
  "schema_version": "0.2",
  "game": "project-zomboid",
  "game_version": "42",
  "source": null,
  "compat": {
    "min_game_version": "42",
    "max_game_version": null
  },
  "provenance": {
    "tool": "recipe:hardcore-louisville-build-42",
    "generated_by": "tools.supercraft.host",
    "generated_at": "2026-10-08T16:56:23.248611+00:00"
  },
  "install": {
    "requires_restart": true
  },
  "mods": [],
  "configs": {
    "servertest.ini": {
      "MaxPlayers": "8",
      "PauseEmpty": "true",
      "PVP": "true",
      "SafetySystem": "false",
      "ShowSafety": "false",
      "DisplayUserName": "false",
      "ServerWelcomeMessage": "Welcome to Louisville. Don't die.",
      "HoursForLootRespawn": "0",
      "MaxItemsForLootRespawn": "4",
      "PingLimit": "300",
      "AntiCheatProtectionType1": "true"
    }
  }
}