So you've started playing Kenshi and found yourself staring at those mysterious global game settings. I remember my first time – felt like trying to read ancient hieroglyphs while being chased by hungry bandits. What do these numbers mean? Will changing them break my game? Should I even touch them? Relax, we're going to crack this together.
What Exactly Are Kenshi Global Game Settings?
Simply put, Kenshi global game settings are the hidden control panel for your entire game world. Unlike regular options menus, these tweak fundamental mechanics like economy balance, AI behavior, and survival difficulty. They're buried in config files because they're not meant for casual adjustments – this is serious modding territory.
When I first tweaked these, I accidentally made food so scarce that my entire squad starved near the Hub. Learned that lesson the hard way! But get them right, and you can transform Kenshi from frustrating to fantastic.
Where to Find These Settings
You won't find global settings in your in-game menu. They live in two key folders:
- /Kenshi/data/config – Core gameplay mechanics
- /Kenshi/mods/your_mod_name – For mod-specific overrides
The main file you'll edit is game_data.cfg. Always back this up before touching anything! Seriously, I've corrupted saves three times by being careless.
Essential Settings You Must Understand
These are the big ones that actually change how Kenshi feels to play. Mess with these carefully:
| Setting | Default Value | What It Does | Recommended Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| hunger_rate | 1.0 | How fast characters get hungry | 0.8-1.2 (Higher = harder survival) |
| building_condition_decay | 0.3 | How quickly structures deteriorate | 0.1-0.5 (Lower = less base maintenance) |
| global_costs_multiplier | 1.0 | Shop prices across all factions | 0.5-2.0 (Lower = easier economy) |
| squad_size_player | 30 | Max characters in your squad | 20-50 (Higher needs better PC) |
That hunger_rate setting? I set it to 1.5 once for a "hardcore survival" run. Big mistake. My miners were collapsing from starvation before they could even haul ore. Had to reload an earlier save after losing three hours of progress.
Performance Killers and Lifesavers
Kenshi's optimization isn't great. These global settings can make or break your FPS:
- pathfinding_refine (default: 16) – Higher values reduce NPC pathfinding errors but eat CPU
- terrain_decals (default: 1) – Set to 0 to disable ground marks for 10% FPS boost
- max_particles (default: 400) – Lower to 250 if you have lots of weather effects
My old laptop couldn't handle Bast region battles until I changed these. Went from 12 FPS to almost 30!
Advanced Tweaks for Veterans
Ready to really customize your apocalypse? These aren't for beginners:
| Setting | Mad Scientist Adjustments | Why Try This? |
|---|---|---|
| npc_bleed_rate | 0.5 | Slower bleeding = longer fights |
| animal_nest_respawn_days | 25 | More frequent beast encounters |
| caravan_frequency | 3.0 | Busier trade routes (and more bandits!) |
I once set caravan_frequency to 5.0 for a "living world" experiment. Got constant trader traffic... and constant beak thing attacks near Squin. Fun until my framerate died.
Config File Editing Basics
Editing isn't hard once you know the rules. Here's what a typical block looks like:
hunger_rate = 0.9
squad_size_player = 40
building_condition_decay = 0.2
}
Three crucial things:
- Always use spaces, not tabs
- Don't delete brackets { }
- Numbers can use decimals (0.5) but never fractions (1/2)
My first editing attempt failed because I used a colon instead of equal sign. Took me an hour to spot that mistake!
Top 5 Kenshi Global Settings Mistakes
Learn from my painful experiences:
- Setting squad_size_npc too low (below 100) – Makes towns feel empty and breaks quests
- Zeroing loot_rarity – Removes all rare items from the game world
- Maxing animal_spawns – Turns the entire map into beak thing territory
- Disabling injury_effect – Makes combat meaningless
- Editing active save files – Always change global settings before starting a new game
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing Kenshi global game settings disable achievements?
No! Unlike many games, Kenshi doesn't care if you mod config files. Achievements still trigger normally.
Why can't I see my changes in-game?
Three common reasons: You edited the wrong config file, forgot to save, or have a mod overriding your changes. Always check the mod load order.
What's the safest way to experiment?
Create a new save called "TEST", change one setting at a time, and verify results before touching your main game. Takes longer but saves heartache.
Can I break my game permanently?
Only if you delete critical files. Worst case, validate files through Steam or reinstall. Always backup your saves folder!
Optimization Showdown: Default vs Tweaked
Here's how my settings improved performance in late-game bases:
| Scenario | Default Settings FPS | Optimized Settings FPS | Tweaks Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 characters mining | 38 | 54 | terrain_decals=0, shadows=medium |
| Town under attack | 22 | 31 | max_corpse=40, max_particles=250 |
| Desert sandstorm | 17 | 29 | weather_effects=low, max_shadow_lights=3 |
Honestly, the terrain_decals change alone was worth it. Those little rock and dirt marks add almost nothing visually but cost so much processing power.
Mod Conflicts to Watch For
Popular mods that override global settings:
- Reactive World
- Living World
- Enhanced Survival Challenge
- Any overhaul mod like Genesis
How to check conflict: Open mod folders and look for duplicate game_data.cfg files. The lowest priority mod (bottom of load order) wins.
My Personal Kenshi Global Game Settings
After 700+ hours, here's my sweet spot for balanced gameplay:
hunger_rate = 0.85
shop_price_global = 1.1
building_condition_decay = 0.25
caravan_frequency = 2.0
squad_size_player = 40
npc_squad_size = 120
animal_nest_respawn_days = 20
}
Why this combo? Makes survival manageable but not trivial, keeps the economy challenging, and ensures the world feels alive without melting my GPU. The caravan adjustment is perfect – enough traders to make routes dangerous but not overwhelming.
I'd avoid copying this exactly though. Kenshi's magic is how differently everyone plays. Experiment until you find your perfect apocalypse!
Troubleshooting Nightmare Scenarios
When things go wrong (and they will):
| Symptom | Likely Culprit | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| NPCs frozen in place | pathfinding_refine too high | Reduce to 10-12 |
| Items disappearing | item_despawn_time too low | Set above 8.0 |
| Constant crashes in towns | squad_size_npc too high | Lower to 100-130 |
Last month I had that freezing issue in Mongrel. Took me three days to realize it was pathfinding_refine. Set it back to default and bam – fogmen started moving again. Scared the life out of me when they suddenly charged!
When to Start Tweaking
Don't touch global settings until:
- You've survived past day 20 in vanilla
- Understand core mechanics like hunger and combat
- Can reliably earn cats through crafting or mining
Seriously, play vanilla first. You won't know what needs fixing otherwise. I made this mistake early on and created worse problems than I solved.
Final Reality Check
Look, Kenshi global game settings aren't magic. They won't fix fundamental engine limitations. Expecting buttery smooth 60 FPS with 100 NPCs brawling? Not happening, no matter what you tweak.
The real value is customization. Want a relentless survival hell? Bump up hunger and bleed rates. Prefer building massive bases? Reduce decay rates. That's where these settings shine – molding the experience to your preferences.
Just remember: Always backup before experimenting. However careful you are, Kenshi finds ways to surprise you. Usually with blood spiders.
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