SCP: Secret Laboratory Server Settings That Actually Matter

SCP:SL has a lot of server settings. Most guides dump the entire config reference on you and call it a day. That’s not very helpful when you just want to know which settings actually change how your server feels to play on.

This guide groups the settings that matter by server type, so you can find the ones relevant to what you’re building without reading through every option.

Where to Find Your Config Files

SCP:SL stores its configuration in two main files:

• config_gameplay.txt - all game rules (player limits, friendly fire, spawn timers, round settings)
• config_remoteadmin.txt - admin permissions, roles, and moderation settings

File location on Linux:

~/.config/SCP Secret Laboratory/config/<port>/

Replace <port> with your server’s port number (default 7777).

On managed hosting, these files are accessible through your host’s file manager or SFTP. On WinterNode, navigate to /.config/SCP Secret Laboratory/config/<port>/ in the File Manager panel.

Settings Everyone Changes First

These are the settings you’ll probably want to adjust before your first real session, regardless of what kind of server you’re running.

Your server name is what sets first impressions in the browser. Keep it readable and descriptive. Avoid excessive special characters or misleading tags - Northwood’s Verified Server Rules restrict what you can put in the name.

Settings by Server Type

Rather than listing every option alphabetically, here are the settings that matter for each common server style.

Casual/Friends Server

Playing with a small group who just want to have fun without heavy moderation.

The default settings are actually fairly close to ideal for casual play. The main thing is keeping friendly fire off - nothing kills the fun faster than teammates shooting each other by accident (or “by accident”).

Competitive/Serious Server

Focused gameplay where skill and teamwork matter. Usually attracts experienced players.

The friendly fire multiplier is key here. Setting it to 1.0 (full damage) makes the game punishing. Something in the 0.4-0.6 range means careless shooting has consequences without making every accidental hit lethal.

Roleplay/Custom Server

Servers focused on roleplay, custom rules, or unique gameplay modes. Usually heavily moderated with EXILED plugins.

Roleplay servers live and die on communication tools. Extending the intercom speech time and reducing the cooldown gives players more opportunity for in-character announcements. Most RP servers also run plugins like EXILED for custom roles and rules enforcement.

Spawn and Round Settings

These control the pacing of each round - how long rounds last, how often reinforcements arrive, and the balance between factions.

The MTF spawn timing is one of the most impactful settings for round pacing. Shorter timers mean dead players get back into the action faster, but it also means SCPs face more resistance sooner. Longer timers give SCPs more time to establish dominance before reinforcements arrive.

The CI respawn percentage affects faction balance. At 35% (default), roughly one in three respawn waves is Chaos Insurgency. Raising this shifts the balance toward D-Class escape scenarios and away from Foundation containment.

Intercom Settings

The intercom is one of SCP:SL’s most unique features - it broadcasts audio to the entire server. These settings control how it works.

The defaults are conservative. For servers where communication matters (RP, organized competitive), consider extending speech time to 30+ seconds and reducing cooldown to 60-90 seconds.

Remote Admin Setup

Remote Admin is your in-game moderation tool. Press M to open it once you have permissions configured.

Adding Yourself as Owner

In config_remoteadmin.txt, find the Members: section:

Members:
 - YourSteamId64@steam: owner
 - FriendsSteamId64@steam: admin
 - ModeratorSteamId64@steam: moderator

Get Steam64 IDs from a SteamID lookup tool or from the server console when players join.

Default Role Permissions

You can create custom roles with granular permissions in the same file. The format is documented within config_remoteadmin.txt itself.

Common Mistakes

Editing the wrong port’s config. If your server runs on port 7778 but you edited the config in the 7777 folder, nothing changes. Check your actual port number.

Forgetting to restart. Config changes require a server restart. No exceptions, no hot-reload.

Breaking config_remoteadmin.txt syntax. This file is sensitive. If something stops working after an edit, revert and try again with careful attention to the format.

Setting max_players too high for your RAM. SCP:SL uses more memory per player than most games because every player is a fully simulated entity with inventory, roles, and status effects. If you set max_players to 40 on a 3GB server, you’ll crash. See our RAM guide for recommendations.

Ignoring Verified Server Rules. If your server is verified, certain settings and behaviors are required by Northwood’s rules. Violating them can get your verification revoked, which removes you from the server browser.

What Settings Don’t Fix

Some common server issues look like config problems but aren’t:

• Player lag or desync - usually a network or hardware issue, not a settings issue. Check your server’s location relative to your players and your RAM allocation.
• “The server feels empty” - that’s a community-building problem, not a config problem. Get verified, promote your server, be consistent about uptime.
• Plugin conflicts - if something weird started happening after adding a plugin, the plugin’s config is the place to look, not the base game config. See our plugin guide.

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