Arma Reforger server.json: Every Setting Explained

Arma Reforger Server Configuration

All server settings for Arma Reforger are stored in a single file: server.json, located in the root directory of your server. This file controls everything from the server name and player limits to mission selection and game difficulty.

You can edit server.json through the RespawnHost file manager or via SFTP.

server.json Structure

Below is a complete example configuration with all commonly used fields:

{
  "name": "My Arma Reforger Server",
  "password": "",
  "adminPassword": "change-this-password",
  "maxPlayers": 32,
  "visible": true,
  "bindAddress": "0.0.0.0",
  "bindPort": 18574,
  "publicAddress": "",
  "publicPort": 18574,
  "scenarioId": "{ECC61978EDCC2B5A}Missions/23_Campaign.conf",
  "region": "EU",
  "supportedPlatforms": ["PLATFORM_PC", "PLATFORM_XBOX"],
  "mods": [],
  "gameProperties": {
    "serverMaxViewDistance": 2500,
    "serverMinGrassDistance": 50,
    "networkViewDistance": 1500,
    "disableThirdPerson": false,
    "fastValidation": true,
    "battlEye": true,
    "VONDisableUI": false,
    "VONDisableDirectSpeechUI": false,
    "missionHeader": {}
  },
  "operating": {
    "lobbyPlayerSynchronise": true,
    "playerSaveTime": 120,
    "aiLimit": -1,
    "disableCrashreport": false,
    "disableServerShutdown": false,
    "disableAI": false,
    "scriptDebug": false
  }
}

Core Settings

Setting	Description	Default
name	Server name displayed in the browser	Required
password	Player join password (empty = public)	Empty
adminPassword	Password for in-game admin commands	Required
maxPlayers	Maximum number of concurrent players	32
visible	Show server in the public browser	true
bindPort	Game port	18574
scenarioId	The mission or scenario to load	Required
region	Geographic region tag for filtering	"EU"

Network Settings

Setting	Description	Default
bindAddress	IP address the server binds to	"0.0.0.0"
publicAddress	External IP (leave empty for auto-detect)	Empty
publicPort	External port	18574

Do not change bindAddress or bindPort unless instructed by RespawnHost support. These are pre-configured for your server instance.

Game Properties

The gameProperties block controls gameplay settings:

Setting	Description	Values
serverMaxViewDistance	Maximum view distance in meters	500 - 10000
serverMinGrassDistance	Minimum grass rendering distance	0 - 150
networkViewDistance	Network synchronization distance	500 - 5000
disableThirdPerson	Force first-person perspective	true / false
fastValidation	Faster mod validation on join	true / false
battlEye	Enable BattlEye anti-cheat	true / false
VONDisableUI	Disable voice chat UI indicators	true / false
VONDisableDirectSpeechUI	Disable direct speech UI	true / false

Cross-Platform Settings

The supportedPlatforms array controls which platforms can connect:

"supportedPlatforms": ["PLATFORM_PC", "PLATFORM_XBOX"]

• PLATFORM_PC only — PC-exclusive server
• PLATFORM_PC, PLATFORM_XBOX — Cross-platform (default)
• PLATFORM_XBOX only — Xbox-exclusive (requires Xbox server token)

Operating Settings

The operating block controls server behavior:

Setting	Description	Default
lobbyPlayerSynchronise	Sync players before mission start	true
playerSaveTime	Seconds between player data saves	120
aiLimit	Maximum AI units (-1 = unlimited)	-1
disableAI	Remove all AI from the mission	false
scriptDebug	Enable script debugging output	false
disableServerShutdown	Prevent auto-shutdown on empty server	false

Admin Commands

After setting adminPassword, connect to your server and type the following in chat to authenticate:

#login your-password

Common admin commands:

Command	Description
#logout	Revoke admin privileges
#kick <player>	Kick a player from the server
#ban <player>	Ban a player from the server
#restart	Restart the current mission
#shutdown	Shut down the server
#missions	List available missions

Applying Configuration Changes

After editing server.json, you must restart the server for changes to take effect. You can restart from the RespawnHost panel or by using the #restart admin command in-game for mission-related changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I change the server name?

Edit the name field in server.json and restart the server. The new name will appear in the server browser within a few minutes.

Can I force first-person only?

Yes. Set disableThirdPerson to true in the gameProperties section. All players will be locked to first-person view.

Should I enable BattlEye?

Yes, BattlEye is recommended for public servers. It prevents cheating and is required by many competitive communities. Disable it only for private testing servers where all players are trusted.

What is the ideal view distance for performance?

For most servers, a serverMaxViewDistance of 2000-2500 meters and a networkViewDistance of 1000-1500 meters provides a good balance between visual quality and performance. See the Performance Guide for detailed recommendations.

How do I lock my server to PC players only?

Set supportedPlatforms to ["PLATFORM_PC"] in your server.json. Xbox players will no longer be able to join.

What happens if I set aiLimit too low?

Setting aiLimit to a low value can prevent missions from spawning enough AI units, breaking gameplay. Leave it at -1 (unlimited) unless you specifically need to cap AI count for performance reasons.

Can I edit server.json while the server is running?

You can edit the file, but changes will not take effect until the server is restarted. The server loads the configuration on startup only.

How do I reset my configuration to defaults?

Delete the server.json file and restart the server. A new default configuration will be generated automatically.