---
title: "Necesse Server Settings and Admin Commands (v1.3.3)"
url: https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/necesse-server-settings-admin-commands/
lastmod: 2026-10-26
---

# Necesse Server Settings and Admin Commands

Every Necesse server setting and admin command in one place: launch options, server.cfg keys, world rules, permission levels and the console commands that need them.

By [Baurtock](https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/author/baurtock/)
Updated Oct 26, 2026 · 8 min read

Read in[es](https://1up-servers.com/es/blog/configuracion-servidor-necesse-y-comandos/)[en](https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/necesse-server-settings-admin-commands/)

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Necesse server settings live in three places: launch options, `server.cfg` and the world's own settings, and the admin commands change most of them while the server runs. This reference covers all three for Necesse 1.3.3, with the permission levels, and shows which ones our [Necesse server](https://1up-servers.com/en/necesse/) panel sets for you.

For setup, ports and self-hosting, start with our [Necesse dedicated server guide](https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/necesse-dedicated-server/).

- **Launch options win:** anything passed at launch overrides `server.cfg`, as the wiki states.
- **World rules** (difficulty, death penalty, raids) live in `worldSettings.cfg` inside the world save; change them with `difficulty`, `deathpenalty` and `raids`.
- **Permissions:** players join as User; `permissions set <name> Owner` promotes someone.
- **Cheat commands** such as `give`, `tp` or `time` disable achievements on that world.
- **On 1up:** MOTD, password, max players, pause when empty and seed are fields in the **Game** tab; the rest is in `necesse/cfg/server.cfg` under **Files**.

## 1. Where Necesse keeps its settings

The [Necesse wiki](https://necessewiki.com/Multiplayer) describes three layers, and knowing which one wins saves a lot of confusion:

1. **Launch parameters** such as `-slots 10` or `-password secret`. "Parameters not given will be loaded from server settings file."
2. **`server.cfg`**, in the `cfg` folder of the data directory (`%APPDATA%\Necesse\cfg` on Windows). It holds server-wide options.
3. **`worldSettings.cfg`**, inside the world's `.zip` in `saves`. It holds the rules of that world: difficulty, death penalty, raids and similar.

The wiki is firm on one point: "Before editing any configuration files, you should ALWAYS stop your server first."

The current server build is [v1.3.3, build 24926468](https://necessegame.com/server/), the patch of 25 August 2026, which "requires servers/hosts to update" according to the [Steam patch notes](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1169040/view/1841579228678076). Players must be on the same version.

## 2. Launch parameters

These are the official server parameters from the [wiki](https://necessewiki.com/Multiplayer), with what each one does:

| Parameter | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| `-nogui` | Runs the server in the terminal instead of a window |
| `-world <name>` | World to load, instead of being asked |
| `-port <port>` | Port to host at (UDP, default 14159) |
| `-slots <slots>` | Player slots, 1 to 250 |
| `-owner <name>` | Anyone who connects with this name gets owner permissions |
| `-password <password>` | Server password; blank for none |
| `-motd <message>` | Message of the day; `\n` for a new line |
| `-pausewhenempty <1/0>` | Pauses the world with no players |
| `-giveclientspower <1/0>` | When off, the server checks client actions, a kind of anti-cheat |
| `-logging <1/0>` | A log file per session, on by default |
| `-settings <file>` | Load server settings from another file |
| `-datadir <path>` / `-localdir` | Move configs, saves and logs elsewhere |

On a 1up server the panel starts Necesse with `-world`, `-port`, `-slots`, `-pausewhenempty`, `-zipsaves`, `-logging` and, when you set them, `-motd` and `-password`. You never type these: they come from the **Game** tab, below.

## 3. The settings in the 1up panel

The **Game** tab of a Necesse server has five fields, grouped in sections:

| Section | Field | Launch parameter | Default | Applies |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Match | **Pause when empty** | `-pausewhenempty` | On | Instantly |
| World | **Seed (new worlds only)** | none, used at creation | Random | New world |
| Players | **Max players** | `-slots` | 10, capped by your plan | On restart |
| Players | **Server password** | `-password` | Empty | On restart |
| Presentation | **MOTD** | `-motd` | Your server name | Instantly |

A few details from running them:

- **Instantly** means that, if the server is online, the panel also sends the matching command (`pausewhenempty 1` or `motd <text>`) so you do not need a restart.
- **Server password** takes 4 to 64 characters. Leave it empty for an open server.
- **Max players** accepts 1 to 250, as the game does, but your plan caps it: 4 on Free, 6 on Casual, 10 on Starter, 20 on Pro.
- **Seed** takes letters, digits and spaces, up to 50 characters, and only shapes a new world. To use it on an existing server, **Regenerate world** in the **Server** tab deletes the current world and builds a new one.
- The **Generated file** section shows, read only, the launch line the panel builds from these fields.

**Shortcut: on 1up it takes three clicks**

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[Create your free Necesse server](https://1up-servers.com/en/signup/?game=necesse)

## 4. server.cfg keys, one by one

When the server first starts, it writes `server.cfg`. These are the keys and defaults of a file generated by the official 1.3.3 Linux server, with the comments the game writes into it:

| Key | Default | What it does |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `port` | 14159 | Default port (0 to 65535) |
| `slots` | 10 | Default slots (1 to 250) |
| `password` | empty | "Leave blank for no password" |
| `maxClientLatencySeconds` | 30 | Seconds of lag before a client is dropped |
| `pauseWhenEmpty` | true | Pause with no players |
| `strictServerAuthority` | false | "Much more strict about what clients can do"; the game recommends it "ONLY if absolutely necessary" |
| `logging` | true | A log file for each start |
| `language` | en | Server language |
| `unloadLevelsCooldown` | 30 | Seconds a level stays loaded after the last player leaves |
| `droppedItemsLifeMinutes` | 0 | Minutes dropped items stay; 0 or less is forever |
| `unloadSettlements` | false | Unload player settlements or keep them loaded |
| `maxSettlementsPerPlayer` | -1 | Settlement limit per player; -1 is unlimited |
| `maxSettlersPerSettlement` | -1 | Settler limit per settlement; -1 is unlimited |
| `zipSaves` | true | Save worlds as `.zip` |
| `MOTD` | empty | Message of the day |

On 1up, `port`, `slots`, `password`, `pauseWhenEmpty`, `logging`, `zipSaves` and `MOTD` are overridden by the launch parameters, so change those in the **Game** tab. The other keys are yours: stop the server, open **Files**, edit `necesse/cfg/server.cfg` and start it again. The two most groups touch are `droppedItemsLifeMinutes`, which by default keeps dropped items forever, and `maxSettlementsPerPlayer`, to stop one player from claiming half the world.

## 5. World rules: difficulty, death penalty and raids

These live in `worldSettings.cfg` inside the world's `.zip`, so editing them by hand means unzipping the save. The commands are easier. Each one takes `list` to show its values in a terminal or chat; in our panel console, type the value directly:

| Command | Values | New world default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `difficulty <value>` | casual, adventure, classic, hard, brutal | classic |
| `deathpenalty <value>` | none, drop*mats, drop*main*inventory, drop*full_inventory, hardcore | drop_mats |
| `raids <value>` | often, occasionally, rarely, never | occasionally |

All three need Admin, per the [wiki's command table](https://necessewiki.com/Multiplayer). The panel console accepts every value above except `hardcore`, which you can still set from the in-game chat as an Admin. `settings <list/setting>` changes the remaining world settings, such as forced PvP or player hunger; run it in the chat, since the panel console does not take it.

## 6. Permission levels and how to become owner

The wiki says "When joining a server, you start with user permissions". The levels, lowest to highest:

| Level | What it can do |
| --- | --- |
| User | `help`, whisper, teams, `playtime`, `die` |
| Moderator | `players`, `network`, `save`, `kick`, `say` |
| Admin | world rules, time, teleports, items, buffs, `ban` and `unban`, `motd`, `pausewhenempty`, `maxlatency` |
| Owner | `stop`, `password`, `permissions`, `regen`, `allowcheats` |
| Server | `language` |

To make yourself owner, type in the server console `permissions set <yourname> Owner` (or `Admin`, `Moderator`, `User`). On a self-hosted server, `-owner <name>` gives owner permissions to anyone who connects with that name. In our panel, only the owner of the 1up server and its co-owners can send `permissions set`; others see "Only the owner and a co-owner can run that command."

Once you have a level in the game, the commands of that level also work from the in-game chat with a leading `/`.

## 7. Admin commands the panel console accepts

The 1up console sends a fixed list of commands, checks each parameter before sending, and refuses anything else with "That command is not in the list of the console." In the console, type commands without the slash.

**Moderation**

- `say <message>`: talk in chat as Server.
- `w <player> <message>`: whisper to one player.
- `kick <player> [reason]`: kick with an optional reason.
- `ban <name>` and `unban <name>`: ban or lift a ban. `bans` lists them.
- `permissions set <name> <level>`, `permissions get <name>` and `permissions list`.

**Information and saving**

- `players`: who is online, for example `Players online: 0/10`.
- `playernames`: every authentication the server has seen and its name.
- `performance`: records server performance and writes a file with the results.
- `save`: saves all data.

**World rules**: `difficulty`, `deathpenalty` and `raids`, as in section 5.

**Cheat commands.** The wiki warns that cheat commands "will give a warning before attempting to use them. Using them will disable achievements on the world". The panel asks you to confirm each one ("This command cannot be undone"):

- `tp <player> <player/home/death/spawn>`: teleport a player.
- `give <player> <item> [amount]`: give an item by its id.
- `time set <ticks>` and `time add <ticks>`: change world time with a number. Words such as `midday` work from the chat.
- `clearmobs`: clear mobs.
- `allowcheats`: enables cheats on the world. The wiki marks it "NOT REVERSIBLE", and the game asks for confirmation too, so the panel sends it twice for you.

The **quick commands** of the console are `say`, `kick`, `ban`, `players` and `save`, and the **Players** tab kicks and bans online players without typing a name.

## 8. Commands to run elsewhere

Some commands are not in the panel console on purpose:

| Command | Use instead |
| --- | --- |
| `stop`, `exit`, `quit` | The **■ Stop** or **↻ Restart** buttons, which save the world first |
| `password` | **Server password** in the Game tab |
| `motd`, `pausewhenempty` | The Game tab fields, which send them instantly |
| `regen` | **Regenerate world** in the Server tab |
| `language`, `maxlatency` | `language` and `maxClientLatencySeconds` in `server.cfg` |
| `settings`, `buff`, `hp`, `setteam` and other admin tools | The in-game chat, as Admin or Owner |

If friends cannot join at all, our [Necesse "can't connect to friend" fixes](https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/necesse-cant-connect-to-friend/) cover versions, addresses and ports.

**Shortcut: on 1up it takes three clicks**

Your free server in 60 seconds. No card.

[Create your free Necesse server](https://1up-servers.com/en/signup/?game=necesse)

Tested on Necesse v1.3.3 (build 24926468) on 2026-10-13, against the official wiki, a `server.cfg` generated by the official Linux server and the commands our panel console accepts. Our servers install the latest public build each time they start.

**Change log**

- 2026-10-13: first version, for Necesse 1.3.3.

## Frequently asked questions

In the cfg folder of the Necesse data directory: %APPDATA%\Necesse\cfg on Windows. On a 1up server it is necesse/cfg/server.cfg in Files. Stop the server before you edit it.

About the author[Baurtock](https://1up-servers.com/en/blog/author/baurtock/)Founder, developer and support

## Keep reading

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