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Project Zomboid server guide

Day length and start date on a Project Zomboid server

Day Length sets how long a full in-game day lasts in real time, from 15 minutes to real time, 1 hour 30 minutes by default. Start Month, Start Day and Start Time set when the world begins, and Night Length makes nights longer or shorter.

The settings

  • Day Length (DayLength): 15 minutes up to 23 hours per in-game day, or Real-time.
  • Start Month and Start Day: July 9 by default. A winter start is a common challenge.
  • Start Time: 9 AM by default.
  • Night Length and Night Darkness.
  • Day Night Cycle: Normal, Endless Day or Endless Night.
  • Time Since Apo: start months after the outbreak, with more erosion and spoiled food.

Time when nobody plays

Pause Empty in Server Settings stops game time while no one is online, so the world doesn't age between sessions.

Sleeping

Sleep Allowed and Sleep Needed in Server Settings decide whether players sleep, and Fast Forward Multiplier how fast time passes while they do.

Questions

Can I change day length on an existing world?

Yes. Change it and restart; the world keeps its date.

Related guides

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