The Isle Server Hosting

Branches, Maps and Test Builds

The Isle has more than one branch. Legacy is the original game, which Afterthought said in November 2020 it was maintaining rather than developing; every new species and system goes into the branch it now develops. That branch opened to the public in June 2020, and its current map, Gateway, went live on 14 November 2023, when the official servers moved over and the earlier Isla Spiro map kept its own branch for a limited time.

Afterthought publishes server builds per branch and map, and a server and its players must be on the same one. Agree with your community which branch you play, and keep the server on the latest build of it. New features usually appear first on Hordetest, the official test branch, before they reach the public build.

Game.ini: The Settings That Shape Your Server

Almost every server choice lives in Game.ini, which you edit from Configuration Files with the server stopped. Afterthought published its current template with patch 0.17.54 in October 2024. These are the settings community owners change most, with the template's values:

Admins, Whitelists, VIPs and RCON

People-related settings sit in their own section of Game.ini, with one entry per line. AdminsSteamIDs lists your admins, WhitelistIDs lists who may join when the whitelist is on, and VIPs lists players with VIP status. The whitelist arrived in July 2023 and is the simplest way to run a private community.

1. Stop the server and open Game.ini in Configuration Files.
2. Add an AdminsSteamIDs line for each admin's SteamID64.
3. For a private server, set bServerWhitelist to true and add a WhitelistIDs line per player.
4. To manage the server remotely, set bRconEnabled and an RconPassword; the template notes RCON uses port 8888.
5. Start the server and check the log to confirm it loaded cleanly.

Afterthought notes that RCON accepts Epic Online Services or Steam IDs. Keep the RCON password private; anyone with it can run server commands.

Species, Growth, Mutations and Nesting

AllowedClasses decides which dinosaurs players can choose, one class per line, which is how themed servers such as herbivore-only or apex-free islands are made. DisallowedAIClasses does the opposite job for AI, removing species from the wild.

Dinosaurs grow from hatchling through juvenile and sub-adult to adult, and since December 2025 an Elder stage. GrowthMultiplier speeds that up; Afterthought's template says to keep it no higher than 20. Nesting, added in July 2022, lets players court, build a nest and raise hatchlings, and friends can be invited to the nest. With bEnableMutations on, the EnabledMutations entries choose which mutations exist on the server and how strong each one is, so lineages can adapt across generations.

Migrations, Patrol Zones and AI

The current map is built around movement. Species migrate between zones over time, mass migrations move whole populations on a longer cycle, and patrol zones mark areas worth ranging between; Afterthought notes that a patrol zone switches itself off when it runs out of food. Sanctuaries arrived on Gateway together with migrations.

• SpeciesMigrationTime and MassMigrationTime set how often migrations move, in seconds.
• bEnablePatrolZones turns patrol zones on or off.
• AIDensity and AISpawnInterval control how much wildlife there is.
• bSpawnPlants and PlantSpawnMultiplier control food for herbivores.
• bEnableDiets switches the nutrient diet system on or off.

Player Counts, Queues and Performance

Afterthought's official servers run 100 slots with AI, and its template sets MaxPlayerCount to 100 with a note that more is not recommended. In May 2024 it began testing 150 slot servers with AI switched off, and a stress test held steady at 140 out of 150. That gives a clear rule of thumb: up to 100 players with AI, and above that only with AI spawning turned off.

When a popular server fills up, bQueueEnabled lets new arrivals wait in line instead of being turned away. Patch 0.21.772 also improved Linux server performance with high populations. More memory helps a busy server, but AI density and player count matter just as much.

What to Compare Before You Rent a The Isle Server

The Isle servers need regular care. These are the details that matter after launch week.

1. Full Game.ini accessSpecies lists, growth, mutations and migrations all live in Game.ini. Make sure you can edit it directly.
2. Fast patch updatesThe Isle patches often. Check that you can run a Steam update yourself, or schedule one.
3. Memory for your player countCompare the RAM included at the size you need, not just the starting price.
4. Location and pingCombat timing depends on latency, so test from where your community plays.
5. Backups you controlFind out whether you can back up and restore without a ticket, and how long offsite copies last.
6. DDoS protectionPopular public servers attract attacks; protection should be included, not extra.
7. Billing termsCompare monthly and longer terms, and check for setup fees or minimum contracts.

The Isle Server Glossary

Legacy

The original version of the game, maintained but no longer developed.

Gateway

The Isle's current map, on the official servers since November 2023.

Hordetest

The official test branch where updates are tried before release.

Growth stages

Hatchling, juvenile, sub-adult, adult and, since December 2025, elder.

Nesting

Courting, building a nest and raising hatchlings, added in July 2022.

Mutations

Traits that let a lineage adapt over generations; servers choose which are enabled.

Migration

Species moving between zones over time; mass migrations move whole populations.

Patrol zones

Areas of the map that draw dinosaurs to range between them, switching off when empty of food.

Sanctuary

A special area of Gateway, introduced together with migrations.

Vocal calls

Broadcast, attract and danger calls used to communicate with other players.

Game.ini

The server's main settings file.

The Isle Server Help and Next Steps

Useful pages for setting up and running your server.

• The Isle official siteAfterthought's home page for the game.
• The Isle on SteamPatch notes and dev blogs, including Game.ini changes.
• Gaming Deluxe control panelWhat the panel does and how to log in.
• Our server locations
• Contact support24/7 help with Game.ini, admins and updates.