Change starter gear on a DayZ PC server

By Niko Catarino

Updated 3 October 2026

For vanilla DayZ PC, register a gear preset in PlayerData.spawnGearPresetFiles inside the mission’s cfggameplay.json. This gives newly created characters a defined loadout without editing StartingEquipSetup() in init.c.

A starting preset replaces the character’s spawn equipment. Adding a bandage to an otherwise empty preset does not mean the rest of the vanilla starter gear will be retained.

Prepare a test loadout

Stop a test copy of your server and save its active configuration, cfggameplay.json, init.c and existing presets. Find the mission from the configuration selected by -config; use the matching directory under mpmissions.

Download the small starter-kit example. It contains a grey T-shirt, blue canvas pants, grey athletic shoes, a dressing and a pear. Use it to test the procedure before designing your server’s loadout. These clothes are unsuitable as a winter outfit on Sakhal.

Place it in the active mission as:

custom/starter-gear.json

Rename the downloaded file to starter-gear.json. Create the custom directory if needed. Keep it inside the mission, not in the server’s Workshop directory.

The example’s empty characterTypes leaves the model choice to the character creation selection under Bohemia’s documented behavior. It uses one choice per clothing slot and one cargo set so you can check the expected result before adding random variants. Its classnames and structure come from the official spawning-gear examples.

The kit sets healthMin and healthMax to 1.0 for full condition. Its quantity values of 1.0 request the full available amount of each item, not one use. Bohemia’s gear-loader script converts the quantity fraction to an item amount or magazine ammunition count. Check those results in game when you add consumables or weapons.

Enable and register the preset

In the active server configuration, enable gameplay-file loading:

enableCfgGameplayFile = 1;

In the existing PlayerData object of cfggameplay.json, add or edit this property:

"spawnGearPresetFiles": ["custom/starter-gear.json"]

Keep the surrounding properties and commas valid. This line is a field edit, not a complete gameplay file. If the array already names other presets, record those paths before replacing them for the test. Multiple registered presets can introduce weighted random selection, making a one-preset test easier to assess.

Bohemia’s gameplay reference defines the enable flag. The spawning-gear reference defines mission-relative preset paths and explains that this method overrides StartingEquipSetup(). A custom CreateCharacter() or spawn-selection mod can affect the result; review those integrations before layering another loadout system onto them.

Enabling the gameplay file also activates its other settings. Review damage, personal-light and lighting values before the first restart. Keep the complete gameplay file for your map and server build; the older full-file examples in the gear reference are useful for structure, but should not replace your current file.

Do not put the preset into types.xml or register its JSON as a Central Economy <ce> file. Natural world loot and fresh-player gear use different mechanisms.

Parse the files before starting

From your downloaded mission folder, run:

Get-Content -LiteralPath './cfggameplay.json' -Raw | ConvertFrom-Json | Out-Null
Get-Content -LiteralPath './custom/starter-gear.json' -Raw | ConvertFrom-Json | Out-Null

Check the registered path against the uploaded filename, including spelling and case. JSON parsing catches syntax errors; it does not check clothing slots, available classes, inventory space or interactions with mods.

Upload the reviewed files while stopped. Start the test server and check logs for preset or gameplay-file loading errors.

Test a fresh character

Use a disposable test character on the test copy. Joining with an existing survivor tests saved inventory, which is a separate path.

1. Create a fresh character and inspect worn clothing and cargo.
2. Check the dressing and fruit quantities, condition and quickbar assignments.
3. Reconnect and confirm those items persist.
4. Create another fresh character after a restart and repeat the check.
5. Verify a returning survivor keeps its previous equipment.

A failed spawn needs the exact log message and active file paths. If the loadout is unchanged, check enableCfgGameplayFile, the selected mission, every path in the registered array and any custom spawn script. An unreadable preset can prevent the gear loader from initializing, so check all registered files. If only some items are absent, check their classnames, slots and cargo capacity. For a Workshop classname, the required PC mod must be loaded.

Once the small preset works, change one clothing choice or cargo set at a time. Test a weapon’s magazine, ammunition and attachments together before offering a combat loadout. Weights express relative selection chances; they are not percentage labels.

Roll back without a wipe

Restore the previous preset array and files while stopped, restart and test another fresh character. Keep unrelated gameplay changes. You do not need to wipe the world to change future spawn equipment, and the rollback does not remove gear already given to saved characters.

Use the player-spawn guide to change where a new character appears. Use the loot guide to change items found in buildings.