Tools / Project Zomboid Recipes / Roleplay Friendly (Build 42)

Roleplay Friendly (Build 42)

Settings tuned for RP groups. Names visible, server runs while empty, generous loot, no PvP by default.

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

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=16
PauseEmpty=false
PVP=false
SafetySystem=true
ShowSafety=true
DisplayUserName=true
ServerWelcomeMessage=Welcome. Names are visible. Please RP your character's death.
HoursForLootRespawn=168
MaxItemsForLootRespawn=8
PingLimit=500

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.
PauseEmpty=false keeps the world ticking when no one is online, which RP groups generally want (in-character time continues).
DisplayUserName=true lets players see each other's IGN - critical for RP coordination.
Loot respawns weekly (168 hours) so abandoned safehouses don't stay empty forever, but it's not so fast that scavenging feels pointless.
Larger max players (16) for community RP servers.

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:roleplay-friendly-build-42",
    "generated_by": "tools.supercraft.host",
    "generated_at": "2026-10-08T16:55:29.337776+00:00"
  },
  "install": {
    "requires_restart": true
  },
  "mods": [],
  "configs": {
    "servertest.ini": {
      "MaxPlayers": "16",
      "PauseEmpty": "false",
      "PVP": "false",
      "SafetySystem": "true",
      "ShowSafety": "true",
      "DisplayUserName": "true",
      "ServerWelcomeMessage": "Welcome. Names are visible. Please RP your character's death.",
      "HoursForLootRespawn": "168",
      "MaxItemsForLootRespawn": "8",
      "PingLimit": "500"
    }
  }
}