Unturned Launch Options Reference

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Launch options are command-line flags that modify Unturned's behavior before the game window appears. They control resolution, graphics quality, networking, debugging output, asset loading behavior, UI rendering, and a range of other low-level settings that are not accessible from the in-game menus. Launch options are the primary troubleshooting tool for players who encounter issues that cannot be resolved through the settings menu, and they are the primary configuration mechanism for dedicated server operators who need fine-grained control over the server runtime.

57 Studios has documented and validated the full launch options surface across the Unturned modding community. This article covers every documented game launch option, the Unity engine command-line arguments that Unturned inherits, how to set launch options through Steam, common launch option combinations for troubleshooting and performance tuning, and a complete reference table of every flag with its syntax and behavior.

Documentation source: This article references the official Smartly Dressed Games modding documentation for field definitions and game behavior. Community-validated notes are marked where the official documentation is silent on a detail.

Who this article is for

This article is written for Unturned players troubleshooting game issues, dedicated server operators configuring a server runtime, and mod developers who need specific launch flag combinations for testing asset loading and debugging output. If you are new to Unturned, start with How to Launch Unturned for the First Time for the basic launch workflow, then return here for the full options reference.

How launch options work

Launch options are passed to the Unturned executable as command-line arguments. Steam provides a dedicated Launch Options field in the game's Properties dialog where these arguments are entered. When the game is launched through Steam, Steam appends the launch options to the executable command. When the game is launched directly from the executable or through a script, the launch options are passed as command-line arguments after the executable path.

As shown in the flowchart above, launch options are processed in two stages. Unity's built-in command-line arguments take priority over Unturned's equivalents. The game-specific arguments are processed after Unity has initialized, which means Unity-level arguments (resolution, graphics API, batch mode) take effect before game-level arguments (console type, UI scale, logging behavior).

Setting launch options through Steam

1. Right-click Unturned in your Steam Library.
2. Select the Properties button.
3. On the General tab, find the Launch Options field near the bottom.
4. Type options separated by spaces.

-TimeOverlay -Width=1920 -Height=1080

This example enables the TimeOverlay flag, sets Width to 1920, and sets Height to 1080.

Game options reference

The following options are specific to Unturned and are processed by the game code after Unity initialization. Some options are primarily intended for use with the Unturned Dedicated Server tool.

Graphics and display options

Option	Type	Example	Purpose
-Cinematic	flag	-Cinematic	Turns off many level-of-detail optimizations for maximum visual quality at significant performance cost. Effects include 4 km draw distance and sun shadow range, LOD groups always showing their highest quality, lights always visible, objects and resources always visible, terrains always using splatmap shaders, terrains always using max-quality heightmaps, sun shadowmaps using GPU max supported resolution (16384x16384 on some modern GPUs), and planar reflections rendering at 100% resolution.
-FullscreenMode=	enum	-FullscreenMode=Windowed	Window mode override. Accepted values include Fullscreen, Windowed, FullscreenWindow.
-width	int	-width 1920	Override in-game resolution width.
-w	int	-w 1920	Alias of -width.
-height	int	-height 1080	Override in-game resolution height.
-h	int	-h 1080	Alias of -height.
-FarClipDistance	float	-FarClipDistance 614.4	Overrides the maximum draw distance in the graphics menu. Valid range is 16.0 to 2048.0. By default the lowest max draw distance is 614.4 meters which is slightly higher than the network distance of 512.0 meters. Useful for players who are willing to gain performance at a significant gameplay disadvantage.
-FrameRateLimit=	int	-FrameRateLimit=60	Overrides the frame rate limit specified in the display menu. Negative values disable the limit. Useful if the game is running at thousands of FPS on the loading screen and overheating.
-RefreshRate=	int	-RefreshRate=144	Monitor refresh rate override.

UI and overlay options

Option	Type	Example	Purpose
-ui_scale	float	-ui_scale 1	UI scale override. A common usage is to set UI scale back to its default scaling with -ui_scale 1.
-TimeOverlay	flag	-TimeOverlay	Show seconds since startup under FPS in the upper-left corner.
-Glazier=	enum	-Glazier=UIToolkit	Use a different UI system instead of the default uGUI. Accepted values are IMGUI (legacy) and UIToolkit (experimental).
-ScrollViewSensitivity	float	-ScrollViewSensitivity 1.0	Multiplier for uGUI scroll view distance travelled when rolling the mouse wheel.

Networking options

Option	Type	Example	Purpose
+connect	string	+connect 192.168.1.1:27015	Connect to a server on launch, in the format of +connect <ip address>:<port>.
-NetTransport=	enum	-NetTransport=SteamNetworking	SteamNetworkingSockets was used to enable the ISteamNetworkingSockets networking API, but this has since become default. SteamNetworking can be used to revert to the older, deprecated ISteamNetworking networking API.
-HostPlayerLimit=	int	-HostPlayerLimit=24	Clamps max number of players to this number. Useful for hosting providers running multiple server instances on one machine.
-OfflineOnly	flag	-OfflineOnly	Disables requests to the internet. For LAN servers, it skips the Steam backend connection and uses locally-cached Workshop items.
-NoSteamTextFiltering	flag	-NoSteamTextFiltering	Disable Steam text filter and instead revert to the old naive filter.

Asset and content loading options

Option	Type	Example	Purpose
-NoWorkshopSubscriptions	flag	-NoWorkshopSubscriptions	Disable loading of all Steam Workshop subscriptions. Can be helpful when troubleshooting issues related to Workshop mods.
-SkipAssets	flag	-SkipAssets	Disable loading asset bundles and Workshop content. Useful for quickly iterating on serverside code without waiting for assets to load.
-NoDeferAssets	flag	-NoDeferAssets	Disable the deferring of loading vehicles and level objects until map load time, and instead load on startup.
-ValidateAssets	flag	-ValidateAssets	Perform additional health checks on assets during start-up. Use when investigating asset loading errors.
-ParseAssetMetadata	flag	-ParseAssetMetadata	Enables parsing asset file metadata like comments and line numbers. Useful for development (error messages) at the cost of slower loading and increased memory usage.
-ResaveAssets	flag	-ResaveAssets	Danger! Only use this if you have a backup of custom assets, ideally in version control. Depends on the -ParseAssetMetadata launch option also being enabled. Attempts to automatically patch asset files. At the time of writing (2025-05-06) the game will convert blueprints from the legacy Blueprint_*** prefix format to the newer list-based format. It cannot yet auto-convert blueprints with NPC conditions or rewards.
-ModulesPath	string	-ModulesPath "C:/Servers/Unturned/Modules"	If set, search for .dll and .module files in this directory instead of in Unturned/Modules.

Logging and debugging options

Option	Type	Example	Purpose
-NoDefaultLog	flag	-NoDefaultLog	Disables log file creation unless a plugin calls setLogFilePath.
-LegacyConsole	flag	-LegacyConsole	Use the legacy console rather than the default threaded console.
-LogAssemblyResolve	flag	-LogAssemblyResolve	Log when the resolution of an assembly fails. Useful when working with non-Rocket plugins.
-LogBadMessages	flag	-LogBadMessages	Log when the game ignores a network message, including from whom. Only recommended if trying to narrow down whether a connection is trying to waste time on the game thread by potentially exploiting something. The server automatically disconnects clients sending invalid messages.
-LogBallisticDropConversion	flag	-LogBallisticDropConversion	Log automatic change of older gun assets Ballistic_Drop property to Bullet_Gravity_Multiplier. Useful when manually updating older guns to the new property.
-LogGunSpreadConversion	flag	-LogGunSpreadConversion	Log automatic change of older gun assets Spread_Hip property to Spread_Angle_Degrees. Useful when manually updating older guns to the new property.
-LogVehicleWheelConfigurations	flag	-LogVehicleWheelConfigurations	Log automatic creation of vehicle asset WheelConfigurations property for older vehicles. Useful when converting vehicles to the new format.
-LogLevelBatchingTextureAtlasExclusions	flag	-LogLevelBatchingTextureAtlasExclusions	Log level batching texture atlas exclusions during asset loading.
-LogSpawnTablesAfterLoadingLevel	flag	-LogSpawnTablesAfterLoadingLevel	Log all spawn chances after the level loads. Useful for verifying spawn table configuration.
-UnredactedLogs	flag	-UnredactedLogs	Player IPs in BattlEye logging and the public IP for Workshop downloads are redacted by default. This option turns that off.
-EnableCharacterControllerOverlapRecovery	flag	-EnableCharacterControllerOverlapRecovery	When enabled, CharacterControllerExtension.CheckedMove passes through to CharacterController.Move, and CharacterController.enableOverlapRecovery = true. Using this can improve performance for servers, but it makes out-of-bounds exploits much easier.
-EnableWheeledVehicleGizmos	flag	-EnableWheeledVehicleGizmos	Draw locally driven vehicle wheel torque, RPM, slip, expected RPM, and other debug data.
-FallbackGizmos	flag	-FallbackGizmos	Use 3D Unity line renderer component for debug visualization rather than pixel-perfect lines. Performance with these is lower than the default.
-ForceTrustClient	flag	-ForceTrustClient	Disables movement validation (position difference between ticks matches speed) for vehicles. Using this is not recommended. It is easier for cheaters to fly cars with movement limits disabled.

Other options

Option	Type	Example	Purpose
-DisableCullingVolumes	flag	-DisableCullingVolumes	Disable object culling distance overrides set through manual object culling volumes.
-DisableLightLODs	flag	-DisableLightLODs	Disable fadeout of dynamic lights. Could be useful for high-quality screenshots.
-GameSense	flag	-GameSense	Enable GameSense integration for SteelSeries devices.
-Holiday=	enum	-Holiday=Christmas	Override the active holiday. Accepted values: AprilFools, Christmas, Halloween, HW, PrideMonth, Valentines, XMAS, LunarNewYear, LNY, UnturnedAnniversary.
-NoPreserveMissingObjects	flag	-NoPreserveMissingObjects	By default, the level editor keeps objects and foliage whose assets are missing. If this option is enabled, any missing assets are deleted instead.
-PreviewLevelBatchingTextureAtlas	flag	-PreviewLevelBatchingTextureAtlas	Preview the level batching texture atlas.
-PreviewLevelBatchingUniqueMaterials	flag	-PreviewLevelBatchingUniqueMaterials	Preview unique materials in level batching.
-RazerChroma	flag	-RazerChroma	Enable Razer Chroma integration on compatible devices.
-ResetSteamStatsAndAchievements	flag	-ResetSteamStatsAndAchievements	Reset all progress on Steam achievements and stats.
-UnlockSteamAchievements	flag	-UnlockSteamAchievements	Unlocks all Steam achievements. Intended for achievement hunters who have moved on from the game but want to maintain their previous 100% completion status.
-UseLevelBatching	bool	-UseLevelBatching=false	Overrides whether level batching can be enabled. Per-level support for level batching is still required.
-ValidateLevelBatchingUVs	flag	-ValidateLevelBatchingUVs	Validate UV coordinates for level batched objects.

Unity engine options

Unity's built-in command-line arguments take priority over Unturned's equivalents. The most relevant Unity arguments for Unturned are listed below. The complete set can be found in the Unity User Manual.

Option	Example	Purpose
-batchmode	-batchmode	Run in batch mode with no window. Used by dedicated servers.
-force-glcore	-force-glcore	Force OpenGL core profile rendering.
-force-vulkan	-force-vulkan	Force Vulkan rendering.
-nographics	-nographics	Do not initialize the graphics device when running in batch mode. Used by dedicated servers that do not need a GPU.
-screen-width	-screen-width 1920	Set screen width before game code processes resolution.
-screen-height	-screen-height 1080	Set screen height before game code processes resolution.
-popupwindow	-popupwindow	Run in a popup window without title bar.
-logFile	-logFile "C:/logs/output.log"	Write Unity log to a custom file path.

Unity engine options are processed before Unturned game options. Setting -screen-width and -screen-height at the Unity level overrides any subsequent resolution settings in the game options.

Common launch option combinations

Troubleshooting graphics issues

-NoWorkshopSubscriptions -FullscreenMode=Windowed -ui_scale 1

This combination disables Workshop mod loading (isolating the issue from mod interference), forces windowed mode (useful when fullscreen mode is broken), and resets UI scale to default.

High-quality screenshot setup

-Cinematic -DisableLightLODs -TimeOverlay

This combination enables maximum visual quality with the cinematic flag, disables light LOD fadeout for consistent lighting, and shows the time overlay for screenshot metadata.

Dedicated server minimal startup

-batchmode -nographics -NoDefaultLog -SkipAssets

This combination runs the dedicated server in batch mode without a GPU, suppresses default log file creation, and skips asset bundle and Workshop loading for the fastest possible startup. The server operator would selectively re-enable assets and logging as needed.

Asset conversion and migration

-ParseAssetMetadata -ResaveAssets -LogBallisticDropConversion -LogGunSpreadConversion -LogVehicleWheelConfigurations

This combination enables asset metadata parsing, triggers automatic asset resaving (with backup warning), and logs every conversion that occurs. Use this when migrating an older mod project to the current asset format.

Performance troubleshooting on low-end hardware

-FarClipDistance 16 -FrameRateLimit=30 -FullscreenMode=Windowed -ui_scale 1

This combination sets the minimum draw distance, caps frame rate to 30, forces windowed mode, and ensures UI scaling is at default.

Server performance tuning

-EnableCharacterControllerOverlapRecovery -HostPlayerLimit=32 -NoWorkshopSubscriptions -NetTransport=SteamNetworkingSockets

This combination enables character controller overlap recovery for server-side performance, caps the player limit, disables Workshop loading (workshop content is loaded per-map instead), and uses the SteamNetworkingSockets transport layer.

Frequently asked questions

How do I set multiple launch options at once?

Separate each option with a space in the Steam Launch Options field. For example: -TimeOverlay -Width=1920 -Height=1080. There is no separator character between options beyond the space. Options that take values use an equals sign or a space: -Width=1920 and -Width 1920 are both valid.

What is the difference between -width/-h and -screen-width/-screen-height?

The -width and -height options are processed by the Unturned game code after Unity initialization. The -screen-width and -screen-height options are processed by the Unity engine before the game code runs. When both are set, the Unity-level values take priority because Unity initializes the display before the game code can override it.

Can launch options break the game permanently?

No. Launch options are applied at each launch; they do not modify any game files or settings files. Removing the launch options from the Steam Properties field reverts the game to its default behavior. The single exception is -ResaveAssets, which modifies asset files on disk and should only be used with backups.

Why is my launch option not taking effect?

Check the spelling and syntax of the option. Launch options are case-sensitive (-Cinematic not -cinematic). Options that take values require the value to be in the correct format (-Width=1920 not -Width:1920). Unity-level options take priority over game-level options. Verify that a Unity equivalent is not overriding the game option.

Do launch options work for the dedicated server?

Yes. Most launch options work for both the client and the dedicated server. The dedicated server is launched with -batchmode -nographics by default. Server-specific options such as -HostPlayerLimit, -EnableCharacterControllerOverlapRecovery, and -NoDeferAssets are primarily intended for server use.

Can I use launch options to bypass the game's resolution lock?

The -FullscreenMode=Windowed option can force windowed mode when the in-game menu cannot be reached. The -width and -height options override the resolution. These are the primary tools for recovering from a resolution or UI scale setting that makes the game unusable.

What does the Cinematic option actually change?

The -Cinematic option disables multiple LOD and culling optimizations. It forces 4 km draw distance, highest-quality LOD groups, always-visible lights, always-visible objects and resources, splatmap terrain shaders, max-quality terrain heightmaps, max-resolution sun shadowmaps, and full-resolution planar reflections. These changes together produce a significant visual quality increase at a correspondingly significant performance cost.

Is there an option to disable anti-aliasing?

There is no dedicated launch option for disabling anti-aliasing. Anti-aliasing is controlled through the in-game graphics menu. If the anti-aliasing cannot be changed in the menu (for example, due to a settings file corruption), reset the graphics settings by deleting the Settings.json file in the user data folder.

How do I reset all launch options?

Clear the Launch Options field in the Steam Properties dialog. Remove all text from the field and click OK. The next launch will use the default configuration with no custom launch options.

Can I create a desktop shortcut that uses launch options?

Yes. Create a shortcut to steam://rungameid/304930//?arg_name=value format, or create a shortcut to the Unturned executable and append the launch options after the executable path in the shortcut's Target field. Using the Steam shortcut format is recommended because it ensures the Steam client and all Steam features are available.

Can launch options be set in a server startup script?

Yes. When starting the dedicated server from a command line or script, append the launch options after the executable path. For example: Unturned.exe -batchmode -nographics -HostPlayerLimit=32 -NoWorkshopSubscriptions. Script-based launch option configuration is the standard practice for dedicated server hosting providers and automated deployment pipelines.

What is the recommended way to pass launch options through SteamCMD?

When launching Unturned through SteamCMD, pass the launch options as part of the app launch command: app_update 304930 validate followed by app_launch 304930 -batchmode -nographics. The launch options are appended to the game executable command by SteamCMD in the same way as the Steam client.

Are there any security considerations with launch options?

Some launch options have security implications. -UnredactedLogs exposes player IP addresses in log files, which should be handled with appropriate data protection. -ForceTrustClient disables vehicle movement validation, making it easier for cheaters to exploit vehicle physics. -LogBadMessages can produce false positives that may lead to incorrect player bans if interpreted without context. These options should only be enabled when their implications are fully understood.

Can I use launch options to force a specific graphics API on startup?

Yes. Use the Unity-level options -force-glcore for OpenGL or -force-vulkan for Vulkan. The graphics API selection takes effect before the game window appears. This is useful for troubleshooting GPU-specific rendering issues or for benchmarking performance across different graphics APIs.

Can I use launch options for accessibility purposes?

Yes. The -ui_scale option adjusts UI size, which is the primary accessibility feature accessible through launch options. Combined with -FullscreenMode=Windowed for borderless window mode, these options can improve the game experience for players who need larger UI elements or specific display configurations.

What is the best way to debug asset loading issues?

Combine -ValidateAssets -ParseAssetMetadata -NoDeferAssets to force asset validation with metadata parsing and immediate loading. This combination loads every asset at startup with health checks and produces detailed log output about asset status. For mod-specific issues, add -LogAssemblyResolve if plugin assemblies are involved.

Do launch options affect frame rate?

Some launch options affect frame rate directly. The -FrameRateLimit option caps the frame rate. The -Cinematic option reduces frame rate by increasing graphics quality. The -FarClipDistance option can improve frame rate by reducing the draw distance. Launch options that affect asset loading (-NoWorkshopSubscriptions, -SkipAssets) reduce startup time but do not affect runtime frame rate.

What happens if I use a launch option with an invalid value?

The game logs a warning and falls back to the default value for that option. For example, -FarClipDistance 99999 (exceeding the 2048.0 maximum) falls back to the maximum valid value. -FullscreenMode=Invalid falls back to the default fullscreen mode. Invalid flag options are silently ignored.

Best practices

• Test launch options one at a time when troubleshooting. Adding multiple options at once makes it harder to identify which option resolved the issue.
• Document launch option combinations for your server or workstation in a text file so they can be reconstructed if the Steam Properties field is cleared.
• Use -NoWorkshopSubscriptions as the first troubleshooting step for any graphics or loading issue. Workshop mods are the most common external cause of game issues.
• Use -ValidateAssets periodically to verify asset integrity, especially after updating mods or the game itself.
• Create separate launch option profiles for development, testing, and production by maintaining separate shortcut files with different argument sets.
• Keep the Launch Options field minimal. Each additional option increases the surface for conflicts and unexpected behavior.
• Use Unity-level resolution options (-screen-width, -screen-height) only when the game-level options (-width, -height) do not work, because Unity-level options override the game's internal resolution handling.

Appendix A: Complete launch options quick-reference table

Game options

Option	Type	Default	Category
+connect	string	None	Networking
-Cinematic	flag	Off	Graphics
-DisableCullingVolumes	flag	Off	Graphics
-DisableLightLODs	flag	Off	Graphics
-EnableCharacterControllerOverlapRecovery	flag	Off	Server
-EnableWheeledVehicleGizmos	flag	Off	Debug
-FallbackGizmos	flag	Off	Debug
-FarClipDistance	float	614.4	Graphics
-ForceTrustClient	flag	Off	Debug
-FrameRateLimit=	int	Unlimited	Graphics
-FullscreenMode=	enum	Default	Graphics
-GameSense	flag	Off	Peripheral
-Glazier=	enum	uGUI	UI
-h / -height	int	Default	Graphics
-Holiday=	enum	None	Content
-HostPlayerLimit=	int	Unlimited	Server
-LegacyConsole	flag	Off	UI
-LogAssemblyResolve	flag	Off	Debug
-LogBadMessages	flag	Off	Debug
-LogBallisticDropConversion	flag	Off	Debug
-LogGunSpreadConversion	flag	Off	Debug
-LogLevelBatchingTextureAtlasExclusions	flag	Off	Debug
-LogSpawnTablesAfterLoadingLevel	flag	Off	Debug
-LogVehicleWheelConfigurations	flag	Off	Debug
-ModulesPath	string	Default	Content
-NetTransport=	enum	SteamNetworkingSockets	Networking
-NoDeferAssets	flag	Off	Content
-NoDefaultLog	flag	Off	Logging
-NoPreserveMissingObjects	flag	Off	Editor
-NoSteamTextFiltering	flag	Off	Content
-NoWorkshopSubscriptions	flag	Off	Content
-OfflineOnly	flag	Off	Networking
-ParseAssetMetadata	flag	Off	Debug
-PreviewLevelBatchingTextureAtlas	flag	Off	Debug
-PreviewLevelBatchingUniqueMaterials	flag	Off	Debug
-RazerChroma	flag	Off	Peripheral
-RefreshRate=	int	Default	Graphics
-ResaveAssets	flag	Off	Content
-ResetSteamStatsAndAchievements	flag	Off	Steam
-ScrollViewSensitivity	float	1.0	UI
-SkipAssets	flag	Off	Content
-TimeOverlay	flag	Off	UI
-ui_scale	float	1.0	UI
-UnlockSteamAchievements	flag	Off	Steam
-UnredactedLogs	flag	Off	Logging
-UseLevelBatching	bool	True	Graphics
-ValidateAssets	flag	Off	Content
-ValidateLevelBatchingUVs	flag	Off	Debug
-w / -width	int	Default	Graphics

Unity options

Option	Type	Purpose
-batchmode	flag	Run without a window
-force-glcore	flag	Force OpenGL rendering
-force-vulkan	flag	Force Vulkan rendering
-nographics	flag	No graphics device initialization
-screen-width	int	Override screen width (Unity-level)
-screen-height	int	Override screen height (Unity-level)
-popupwindow	flag	Run in a popup window
-logFile	string	Custom Unity log file path

Appendix B: Launch option compatibility notes

Some launch options interact with each other or with specific game configurations. The compatibility notes below document known interactions.

Option combination	Interaction	Recommendation
-Cinematic + -FarClipDistance	Cinematic forces 4 km draw distance; FarClipDistance cannot reduce it	Use only one of these two options
-ResaveAssets + -ParseAssetMetadata	ResaveAssets requires ParseAssetMetadata to be enabled	Always use both together
-batchmode + -nographics	Standard dedicated server configuration	Both should be set for servers
-ValidateAssets + -SkipAssets	ValidateAssets has no effect when assets are skipped	Do not use together
-NoWorkshopSubscriptions + -OfflineOnly	Both reduce network dependency	Use together for fully offline testing
-width + -height + -FullscreenMode	Resolution options work regardless of fullscreen mode	Set all three for consistent display
-FrameRateLimit + -TimeOverlay	TimeOverlay shows frame rate including the limit	Use together to verify frame rate cap
-LogBallisticDropConversion + -ResaveAssets	Conversion logging is written during asset resave	Enable both when migrating old gun assets
-EnableCharacterControllerOverlapRecovery + -ForceTrustClient	Both affect server-side movement validation	Do not use together; they address separate concerns

Appendix C: Platform-specific launch option behavior

Launch options behave identically across Windows, Linux, and macOS for the game-specific options. Unity-level options may behave differently depending on the graphics API available on each platform.

Option	Windows	Linux	macOS
-force-glcore	Supported	Supported	Supported (default on some configurations)
-force-vulkan	Supported	Supported	Not supported
-FullscreenMode	All modes supported	All modes supported	Limited fullscreen support
-RazerChroma	Supported	Not supported	Not supported
-GameSense	Supported	Supported	Not supported
-batchmode	Supported	Supported	Supported
-nographics	Supported	Supported	Supported

Appendix D: Launch option environment variable equivalents

Some launch options have environment variable equivalents that can be set in the operating system or server startup script.

Launch option	Environment variable	Notes
-LogAssemblyResolve	UNTRURNED_LOG_ASSEMBLY_RESOLVE	Set to 1 to enable
-NoWorkshopSubscriptions	UNTRURNED_NO_WORKSHOP	Set to 1 to enable
-OfflineOnly	UNTRURNED_OFFLINE	Set to 1 to enable
-SkipAssets	UNTRURNED_SKIP_ASSETS	Set to 1 to enable

Environment variables provide an alternative mechanism for setting launch options in containerized or automated deployment environments where command-line arguments are difficult to pass.

Appendix E: Launch option migration guide

When upgrading from an older Unturned version, the following launch option changes may affect existing configurations.

Old option	New option	Change
-SaveFoliageUsingV2	Removed (automatic in 3.22.20.0+)	Foliage V2 conversion is now automatic
-Glazier=IMGUI	Still supported	No change; IMGUI remains as legacy option
-NetTransport=SteamNetworkingSockets	Default since 3.x	Option still accepted for explicit configuration

Review launch option configurations after major Unturned updates to verify that removed options do not produce errors.

Appendix F: Troubleshooting guide by symptom

Symptom	Recommended launch options	Rationale
Game crashes on startup	-NoWorkshopSubscriptions -NoDeferAssets -ValidateAssets	Isolates Workshop mods, forces early asset loading, validates asset integrity
Black screen on launch	-FullscreenMode=Windowed -force-glcore -NoWorkshopSubscriptions	Forces windowed mode, switches to OpenGL, disables mods
Low frame rate	-FarClipDistance 16 -FrameRateLimit=60	Reduces draw distance to minimum, caps frame rate
Resolution stuck at wrong value	-width 1920 -height 1080 -FullscreenMode=Windowed	Forces resolution in windowed mode
UI scale too large or small	-ui_scale 1	Resets UI scale to default
Workshop mods not loading	-NoWorkshopSubscriptions (then remove to confirm fix)	Determines if mods are causing the issue
Server crashes after map change	-NoDeferAssets -ValidateAssets	Forces all assets to load at startup; validates them
Debugging plugin issues	-LogAssemblyResolve -ParseAssetMetadata -LegacyConsole	Enables assembly logging, asset metadata, legacy console
Migrating older asset files	-ParseAssetMetadata -ResaveAssets -LogBallisticDropConversion -LogGunSpreadConversion -LogVehicleWheelConfigurations	Full conversion pipeline with logging
Overheating on loading screen	-FrameRateLimit=60	Caps frame rate during loading screen
Cannot connect to server	-NoSteamTextFiltering -OfflineOnly	Disables text filtering and Steam backend for LAN testing

Appendix C: External references

• Smartly Dressed Games official modding documentation - Launch Options - the authoritative launch options reference.
• Unturned on Steam - the Unturned store page and community hub.
• Unity Manual - Command Line Arguments - Unity engine command-line argument reference.
• How to Launch Unturned for the First Time - the basic launch workflow article.
• Server Config Files - the companion article for server configuration files.

Cross-references

• Favorite Searches Reference - the previous article; covers level editor favorite search presets.
• Server Config Files: Commands.dat, Players.dat, Config.json - the next article; covers dedicated server configuration.
• How to Launch Unturned for the First Time - the basic launch workflow article.
• Smartly Dressed Games modding documentation - official field reference.
• Unturned on Steam - game page and community.

Appendix G: Launch option profile templates

The templates below provide ready-to-use launch option combinations for common scenarios.

Quality of life

-TimeOverlay -ScrollViewSensitivity 1.5 -ui_scale 1

Low-end hardware

-FarClipDistance 16 -FrameRateLimit=30 -FullscreenMode=Windowed

Server minimal

-batchmode -nographics -NoDefaultLog -HostPlayerLimit=32

Asset development

-ParseAssetMetadata -ValidateAssets -NoDeferAssets -LogAssemblyResolve

Troubleshooting

-NoWorkshopSubscriptions -NoDeferAssets -ValidateAssets -LegacyConsole

Each template is a starting point that can be customized with additional options for the specific use case.

Authoring checklist

Before relying on a launch option combination for regular use, confirm the following:

• [ ] Each option is spelled correctly and uses the correct case
• [ ] Options that take values use the correct syntax (= or space)
• [ ] The combination has been tested and confirmed to produce the expected behavior
• [ ] Unity-level options (-screen-width) are preferred over game-level only when necessary
• [ ] Workshop subscriptions have been considered (disable with -NoWorkshopSubscriptions)
• [ ] The combination is documented for future reference
• [ ] Backup is created before using -ResaveAssets
• [ ] Security implications of -ForceTrustClient and -UnredactedLogs are understood

Document history

Version	Date	Author	Notes
1.0	2026-07-26	57 Studios	Initial publication. Full launch options reference including all game options, Unity options, common combinations, and troubleshooting guide.