How to Make it Pass Time Without Players in a Vintage Story Server
Toggle 'Pass Time When Empty' on your Vintage Story server: pause the world when offline or keep time running for a persistent living world.
Welcome to the harsh, immersive world of Vintage Story! In this game, seasons change, crops grow, and food eventually spoils. Depending on how you want to run your server, you might want the world to pause whenever everyone logs off so no one misses out on the action. Alternatively, you might prefer a persistent, living world where time ticks on even when the server is completely empty.
By default, you can easily control whether the in-game time stops or continues when no players are online. This guide will show you exactly how to configure this setting.
Step-by-Step Guide
Adjusting how time flows when your server is empty only takes a few clicks in your server dashboard.
Log into your server panel and navigate to the Basic Settings tab for your server.
Scroll down the page until you locate the setting named Pass Time When Empty.
- Change the text box value to
trueif you want time to continue passing when the server is empty, or set it tofalseif you want the game world to pause when no one is online. Click the Update Server button to save your new configuration.
Restart your server by clicking on Actions > Restart. The game needs to reboot to apply the new time-flow rules!
Troubleshooting & Tips
If you are debating whether to leave this setting on or off, or if you run into issues, keep these things in mind:
- Beware of Food Spoilage and Seasons: If you set this to
true, remember that the game simulation continues 24/7. Your crops will continue to grow (and potentially die), food in your cellars will spoil, and entire winters could pass by before you or your friends log back in. - Settings Not Applying: If time still seems to be pausing, ensure you fully restarted the server after clicking Update Server.
- Great for Public Servers: If you are running a public community server where players drop in and out constantly, setting this to
trueprovides a more consistent, persistent experience for everyone.
Conclusion
Controlling the flow of time allows you to tailor the survival experience perfectly for your specific group of players. Whether you want a hardcore, non-stop world or a relaxed server that waits for you to return, adjusting the time rules only takes a moment.
If you encounter any issues or have further questions, feel free to contact our support team for assistance!