How to Change the View Distance on Your ARK: Survival Ascended Server

The view distance setting on your ARK: Survival Ascended server controls how far players can see across the map. A higher value means more of the world is rendered at once, which can look great but puts more demand on both the server and players' computers. Lowering it can help keep things running smoothly, especially on busy servers. You can adjust this setting directly from the RiverHosting panel without editing any files by hand.

Before you start

• Make sure you have access to your server at panel.riverhosting.com.
• You will need owner or admin access to your server to change settings.
• Your server will need to restart for changes to take effect, so let your players know before you make the change.

1. Open the Server Config page

The Server Config page is where you manage the most common settings for your ARK: Survival Ascended server, including view distance. Here is how to get there:

1. Log in to the RiverHosting panel.
2. Select your ARK: Survival Ascended server from your server list.
3. In the left-hand menu, click Server Config.

This page contains all the key options for your server in one place, so you do not need to dig through configuration files manually.

2. Find and adjust the view distance setting

Once you are on the Server Config page, look for the view distance option. It may be labelled something like View Distance, Resolution Quality, or a related graphics or render distance setting depending on your server version.

1. Scroll through the Server Config page to find the view distance or render distance field.
2. Change the value to your preferred setting. A lower number reduces how far the world is rendered, which can improve server performance. A higher number increases visibility at the cost of more server and client resources.
3. Once you have set the value you want, click Save to apply your changes.

3. Restart your server to apply the changes

Settings saved in the Server Config page take effect the next time your server starts. You need to restart the server for the new view distance to become active.

1. Go back to your server's main page in the panel.
2. Click the Restart button at the top of the page.
3. Wait for the server to come back online. This usually takes a minute or two.
4. Once the server is running, your players can connect and the new view distance setting will be active.

Troubleshooting

• The view distance does not seem to have changed after restarting. Double-check that you clicked Save on the Server Config page before restarting. If you navigated away without saving, the change may not have been stored.
• The server is running slowly after increasing the view distance. Try lowering the value again. High view distances increase the load on both the server and player clients, and a lower setting often results in a better experience overall.
• You cannot find the view distance field on the Server Config page. Try scrolling through the full page, as settings are sometimes grouped by category. If you still cannot find it, you can use the File Manager to edit the relevant configuration file directly. Look for GameUserSettings.ini in the server's config folder.
• Players are still seeing the old view distance. Ask players to fully disconnect and reconnect. Some client-side rendering settings may also need to be adjusted on each player's own game settings.

Need help?

If you run into any issues adjusting the view distance on your ARK: Survival Ascended server, the RiverHosting support team is happy to help.