Soulmask's server settings live in a file called GameXishu.json, and every key is written in Chinese pinyin. No English labels, no tooltips, no documentation from the developers. I've spent more time than I'd like to admit cross-referencing these keys with actual in-game behaviour, and this guide is the result.
The defaults are fine for a test run. They're not fine for a community server. Pick a play style, commit to it, and configure accordingly. A server that tries to please everyone ends up feeling mediocre for all of them.
Casual PvE: The Most Popular Profile
This is what most groups want. Settlement building, tribesmen management, cooperative exploration. No raids, no grief, just the core loop with less tedium.
Start your server with the -pve launch flag. This requires a restart to change, so decide early.
For GameXishu.json (found at WS/Saved/GameplaySettings/), here's what I'd set:
Resources and XP -- the early game grind is the biggest reason casual players quit. Bump these up, but not so far that progression disappears:
CaiJiDiaoLuoRatio(collection drop rate): 1.5 -- gathering feels rewarding without being trivialFaMuDiaoLuoRatio(logging drop rate): 1.5 -- matches collection rate for consistencyCaiKuangDiaoLuoRatio(mining drop rate): 1.5 -- same logicExpRatio(base XP multiplier): 1.5 -- keeps levelling engaging for new playersShuLianDuExpRatio(proficiency XP): 2.0 -- mastery skills are painfully slow at default. This is the single biggest quality-of-life change I'd recommend for PvE
Tribe management -- this is where casual servers live or die. Feeding tribesmen is the #1 complaint I hear from PvE communities:
ShiWuXiaoHaoRatio(food consumption rate): 0.5 -- halving food consumption is transformative. Players can actually focus on building instead of running a logistics operationShuiXiaoHaoRatio(water consumption rate): 0.5 -- same reasoningXinQingJianShao(mood decrease multiplier): 0.7 -- tribesmen stay happier longer, less babysittingXinQingZengZhang(mood increase multiplier): 1.3 -- when you do manage mood, it sticksGeRenMaxZhaoMuCount(personal recruitment cap): 8 -- default is 6, bumping to 8 lets players build more interesting settlements
Day/night cycle:
GameWorldDayTimePortion: 0.8 -- 80% daylight instead of the default 70%. Shorter nights, more productive time. Darkness is atmospheric but gets old fast on PvE
I've run this exact profile on three different community servers. Player retention was noticeably better compared to defaults, and the feedback was consistently positive about the food consumption change specifically.
Balanced PvP: Raid Windows Are Everything
PvP servers live or die by their raid rules. Get this wrong and you'll bleed players within a week. The goal: meaningful combat during fair hours, safety for offline players.
Launch with the -pvp flag.
Combat settings:
HuXIangShangHaiKaiGuan(PvP damage toggle): 1 (enabled) -- obviouslyPVP_ShangHaiRatio_JinZhan(PvP melee damage): 1.0 -- default is fine here. Resist the temptation to crank this up; it just makes fights feel randomPVP_ShangHaiRatio_YuanCheng(PvP ranged damage): 0.8 -- slightly reduced ranged damage. Ranged builds are already strong; this keeps melee viablePlayerYouFangShangHaiKaiGuan(friendly fire): 0 (disabled) -- prevents accidental team kills and grief within tribes
Raid window -- this is the most important section on the entire page:
RuQinKaiGuan(raid/invasion toggle): 1 (enabled)RuQinBeginHour: 18 -- raids start at 6 PM server timeRuQinEndHour: 22 -- raids end at 10 PMGongJiJianZhuDamageRatio(building damage multiplier): 1.0 -- during raid hours, full damage. Outside raid hours this won't apply
A 4-hour raid window during peak evening hours is the sweet spot I've landed on after testing wider and narrower windows. Wider windows (6+ hours) lead to early-morning raids against sleeping players. Narrower windows (2 hours) don't give attackers enough time to mount a proper siege. Four hours works.
Resources and XP:
CaiJiDiaoLuoRatio(collection drop rate): 1.25 -- slightly boosted to reduce rebuild time post-raidExpRatio(base XP): 1.5 -- faster recovery after setbacks keeps players from rage-quittingShaGuaiExpRatio(monster kill XP): 1.5 -- encourages PvE activity between raids
Tribe settings:
ShiWuXiaoHaoRatio(food consumption): 0.75 -- slight reduction so PvP players aren't spending all their time on food logisticsGongHuiMaxZhaoMuCount(guild recruitment cap): 40 -- reducing from the default 50 prevents one mega-tribe from fielding an overwhelming NPC army
One honest caveat: Soulmask doesn't have a new player protection mechanic. I've seen other guides claim it does. It doesn't. If you want to protect newcomers, your best option is community rules enforced by admins, or placing starter areas in locations that are naturally inconvenient to raid.
Hardcore Survival: Scarcity as a Feature
This profile is for the groups that want genuine tension. Every expedition matters, every resource is precious. Small but dedicated communities love this.
Launch with -pvp or -pve depending on your group's preference. Hardcore works either way.
CaiJiDiaoLuoRatio(collection drop rate): 0.7FaMuDiaoLuoRatio(logging drop rate): 0.7CaiKuangDiaoLuoRatio(mining drop rate): 0.7ExpRatio(base XP): 0.75 -- slower progression extends the early and mid-game where survival tension is highestShuLianDuExpRatio(proficiency XP): 0.5 -- mastering skills takes real investmentShiWuXiaoHaoRatio(food consumption): 1.5 -- food is now a constant pressure. Feeding your tribe becomes a core gameplay loop, not a background taskShuiXiaoHaoRatio(water consumption): 1.3 -- water stress without being as punishing as foodXinQingJianShao(mood decrease): 1.5 -- tribesmen get unhappy faster. You need to actively manage themXinQingZengZhang(mood increase): 0.7 -- recovering mood takes effortGameWorldDayTimePortion: 0.6 -- 60% daylight, 40% night. Longer, more dangerous nights force planning around the day cycleGameWorldTimePower(time flow speed): 30 -- faster time passage (default is 24) means days and nights cycle quicker, adding urgency
This isn't for everyone. That's the point. Advertise it clearly, set expectations in your server description, and you'll attract exactly the right players. In my experience, hardcore servers have smaller populations but dramatically better retention -- the players who stay are genuinely invested.
Large Server Performance: 30+ Players
When you're running a busy server, settings stop being about play style and start being about keeping the server from catching fire. Tribesmen AI is the biggest CPU consumer by far, and 30 players with uncapped recruitment can easily generate 200+ active NPCs.
Tribesmen caps -- this is your most important performance lever:
GeRenMaxZhaoMuCount(personal recruitment cap): 4 -- reduced from default 6. Sounds harsh, but at 30 players that's still 120 potential NPCsGongHuiMaxZhaoMuCount(guild recruitment cap): 30 -- down from 50
Launch parameters:
-saving=900-- save every 15 minutes instead of the default 10. Reduces I/O load on mature worlds with large save files-backup=1800-- backups every 30 minutes-MaxPlayers=-- match your plan allocation. Default is 20, maximum is 70
Resource rates:
CaiJiDiaoLuoRatio: 1.5-2.0 -- higher rates counterintuitively help performance. When players gather faster, the server processes fewer resource node interactions per minuteFaMuDiaoLuoRatio: 1.5-2.0CaiKuangDiaoLuoRatio: 1.5-2.0
Scheduled restarts are non-negotiable for large servers. Soulmask's server process accumulates memory over time. Set up a daily restart during your quietest hour using the Scheduled Tasks feature in your LOW.MS panel. We've found that servers restarted daily maintain consistent tick rates, while servers left running for 3+ days develop noticeable hitching.
Common Mistakes
Editing the wrong file. GameXishu.json lives at WS/Saved/GameplaySettings/. I've seen people create it in the root directory and wonder why nothing changed.
Not restarting after changing PvP/PvE mode. The -pvp and -pve flags are launch parameters, not runtime settings. Toggling them requires a full server restart.
Setting resource rates above 3x. Sounds generous, but it kills progression within a few sessions. Players get everything they need in an hour and have nothing to work toward. Keep it under 2.5x for long-term engagement.
Ignoring save intervals on large servers. The default -saving=600 (10 minutes) is fine for small servers. On a 40-player world with large bases, those saves cause periodic lag spikes. Bump to 900 or even 1200.
Fabricated settings from other guides. I've seen guides reference settings like ResourceMultiplier, KeepInventoryOnDeath, and NewPlayerProtection. These do not exist in Soulmask. The real keys are in Chinese pinyin. If a guide uses English setting names, it was written by someone (or something) that never opened the actual config file.
The GM Menu: Easiest Way to Tweak
If editing JSON files sounds tedious, there's a faster option. In-game, press ~ to open the console, type gm key <your_admin_password>, and then click "Open coefficient settings" in the GM panel that appears. This gives you a GUI for most GameXishu.json values, and changes apply without a restart.
It's the quickest way to experiment. Adjust a value, play for a session, see how it feels. Once you've landed on settings you like, note them down and set them in GameXishu.json so they persist across updates.
For step-by-step setup instructions, see the Soulmask Getting Started Guide. For a full reference of available settings, see the Server Configuration Guide.