Unturned server: PvP or PvE, and what follows

This is the first decision to make, before even the map, because it determines who your server is for. And it is not just a switch: a good part of the configuration follows from it.

What the mode changes directly

In PvE, players cannot hurt each other. In PvP they can. That is the switch — but the rest is what decides whether the server is any good.

The settings that follow in PvP

• Item respawn. Too low, and the first arrivals keep their lead forever. This is the setting that decides whether a new player has a chance.
• Structure decay. In PvP, indestructible bases freeze the map: after a few weeks every good spot is taken permanently.
• Death bag duration. It determines whether gear can be recovered after a fight, which entirely changes the cost of engaging.

The settings that follow in PvE

• Zombie density and damage. With no threat from players, the environment has to supply the difficulty. A PvE server with harmless zombies runs out in a few evenings.
• Survival needs. Hunger, thirst and temperature become the real constraints, and deserve stricter settings than in PvP.
• Building rules. PvE attracts builders: generous rules make sense here, where they would be a problem in PvP.

Mixed mode

Some servers allow PvP in specific zones. Appealing on paper, demanding in practice: it needs extra tooling, clear in-game signposting, and moderation to settle border disputes. Best left to established communities.

Deciding honestly

The useful question is not which is better but what you are prepared to moderate. A PvP server needs arbitration, conflict handling and tolerance for people leaving. A PvE server mostly needs a good difficulty balance.

Both can be changed, but not without consequences for settled players. Our Unturned hosting lets you test a configuration on a separate instance before switching the main server over.