How to Add a Custom Map to a 7 Days to Die Server

To add a custom map to a 7 Days to Die server, copy the whole world folder (the one holding map_info.xml, dtm.raw and prefabs.xml) from %APPDATA%\7DaysToDie\GeneratedWorlds\<World Name> on your PC into the server's GeneratedWorlds folder (in its UserDataFolder), or into Data/Worlds/ in the server install. Then set GameWorld in serverconfig.xml to the folder's exact name, spaces and capitals included, pick a new GameName, and restart. Map and server must be on the same game version.

What you can and cannot add

What goes where

The server's user data folder is set by UserDataFolder in serverconfig.xml. If it is not set, a Linux server uses ~/.local/share/7DaysToDie/, a hidden folder in the server user's home. The easy check: find where the server's current world lives, and put the new one next to it.

GameWorld is the map. GameName is the save on that map. Navezgane is the handmade map, RWG tells the server to generate one from WorldGenSeed and WorldGenSize, and any other value is the name of a world folder.

Before you start

• Stop the server and back up both Saves and GeneratedWorlds.
• Match the version. Generate the map on the same game version the server runs. If the server is on an older branch for mods, use that branch on your PC too.
• Match the mods. If the map was made with a modlet that adds prefabs, that modlet goes on the server too.

Step 1: Make or get the map

To generate a random world on your PC, start a new game, choose the world generator, and pick a seed, size and the town and wilderness settings. Generating and previewing it on a fast desktop is quicker than letting the server do it on first start, and you see what you get. The result appears in GeneratedWorlds under the name the game gave it, something like East Nikazohi Territory.

For a downloaded map, unzip it and check that map_info.xml sits directly inside the folder, not one level deeper.

Step 2: Upload the world folder

Upload the whole folder, not only some files. A world is a set of files that only work together: map_info.xml, dtm.raw (the terrain), prefabs.xml (where every building goes), biomes.png, splat3.png, spawnpoints.xml and more. Big worlds are hundreds of megabytes, so zip the folder first or use SFTP.

Step 3: Set GameWorld to the exact folder name

This is where most uploads fail. In serverconfig.xml:

<property name="GameWorld" value="East Nikazohi Territory" />
<property name="GameName"  value="MyGame" />

The GameWorld value must match the folder name character for character: spaces, capitals, everything. East Nikazohi territory is a different world, and the server will not find it. Random gen names nearly always have spaces, so copy the name from the folder rather than typing it.

If you rename the folder to something simpler, also change the Name value inside its map_info.xml to match, and never keep two worlds with the same name in GeneratedWorlds and Data/Worlds at once.

Step 4: Choose the save

• Fresh start on the new map: use a new GameName. The old save stays on disk under its own world.
• Keep playing a save you started on your PC: upload Saves/<World Name>/<Game Name>/ too, and set GameName to that name. See how to move a 7 Days to Die save to a dedicated server.

Step 5: Start and join

Start the server and watch the log until it finishes loading the world. Players who do not have the map get it from the server when they connect, so their first join on a big custom world takes longer.

Common problems

• Server generates a new random world or loads Navezgane: GameWorld does not match the folder name, or GameWorld is still RWG.
• Server errors that the world cannot be found: the folder is nested one level too deep, or it went into a folder the server does not read. Put it next to the existing worlds.
• Missing buildings, floating or broken prefabs: the map was made on another game version or needs a prefab mod.
• Map works, progress gone: a new GameName starts a new save. Use the old name to continue.
• Long first join or timeouts: the world is large and players are downloading it. Wait, or use a smaller size. A 10K world also needs much more RAM, see the 7 Days to Die lag fix.

Custom maps on GamezServers

On a 7 Days to Die server from GamezServers, upload the world folder over SFTP (login in Settings) or as a zip in the file manager and extract it on the server. Then type the folder's exact name into World and choose a Save name in Settings. Those settings are passed to the server on every start, so set them there rather than in serverconfig.xml. Click Backup before switching maps, because the old world is worth keeping. For starting over on a new seed instead, see how to reset a 7 Days to Die server.

FAQ

Where are 7 Days to Die generated worlds stored?

On Windows in %APPDATA%\7DaysToDie\GeneratedWorlds, on Linux in ~/.local/share/7DaysToDie/GeneratedWorlds, one folder per world.

What do I put in GameWorld for a custom map?

The exact name of the world's folder, including spaces and capitals. Use RWG only when you want the server to generate a new world.

Do players need to download the custom map?

No separate download is needed. The server sends the world to players when they first join.

Can I use a map from an older version of 7 Days to Die?

Often not, since prefabs change between major versions. Generate a new world on the server's version or get an updated map.