Change the map in DayZChernarus, Livonia, Sakhal, Nasdara & custom maps such as Namalsk

Published on August 4, 2026 · last updated on November 8, 2026

Official maps: Chernarus, Livonia, Sakhal & Nasdara

The official maps are available without mods - the dedicated server already ships with their missions. You switch between them through the template entry in the Missions block of serverDZ.cfg:

template = "dayzOffline.chernarusplus";  // Chernarus (default)
// template = "dayzOffline.enoch";          // Livonia
// template = "dayzOffline.sakhal";         // Sakhal (Frostline DLC)
// template = "dayzOffline.nasdara";        // Nasdara (Badlands DLC)

After the change, restart the server. A map change means a new world - the progress made on the old map stays in its mission folder.

Sakhal is the volcanic ice island from the Frostline expansion. The server itself does not need a license of its own for it, but every player who wants to join has to own the DLC. Settle that with your group before you switch - otherwise the change locks part of your community out.

Nasdara is the map of the Badlands expansion, released on October 15, 2026 together with Update 1.30. The mission is installed with the server, and you set it through the template entry like the other maps. What else the map changes is covered in DayZ Badlands server.

Add custom maps (for example Namalsk)

Community maps such as Namalsk, Deer Isle, Banov or Chiemsee consist of two parts: the map mod (the terrain) and the matching mission (loot, spawns and Central Economy for that map). You get both from the Steam Workshop or the map author's page.

1. Upload the map mod as an @Mod folder and activate it with -mod= (see install mods).
2. Place the matching mission in mpmissions/.
3. In serverDZ.cfg, set the template to this mission.
4. Copy the .bikey of the map mod into the keys folder.

Important since Update 1.30: the navmesh file is now in a new version without backward compatibility. Community maps such as Namalsk or Deer Isle therefore have to be regenerated by their author. Check on the map's Workshop page whether it has already been updated for 1.30 before you switch your server to it.

Common pitfalls

• Mission does not match the map: every custom map needs its own mission - a Chernarus mission does not work on Namalsk.
• Missing key: without the .bikey of the map mod, players get kicked by BattlEye.
• Dependencies: some maps require additional mods (for example the Community Framework).

The error patterns can be assigned quite reliably. If the server does not start at all, the mission is usually missing or the template path is misspelled - it has to match the folder name under mpmissions/ exactly, including upper and lower case. If the server starts but players are kicked when joining, it is the missing key. And if the map loads but loot is missing everywhere, a mission was used that does not belong to this map. More error patterns are covered in server will not start.

What happens to your progress when you switch

A map change is always a world change as well. DayZ stores bases, vehicles and the state of the Central Economy per mission - the data of the old map stays in its mission folder and is not lost, just no longer active. If you switch back, you find everything the way you left it.

What does not move along are the characters. On a new map, players start as fresh survivors on the coast. That is not a bug and cannot be worked around: the character data is tied to the mission. For a community, this is the most important point in the announcement of a map change - people who expect it are less annoyed than someone who loses their fully equipped character.

So make a backup of the complete server folder before the switch. Backups are self-service with us via WebFTP or SFTP, see create backups. That way, you can always go back, even if the new map does not win you over after all.

Which map fits which server?

The choice shapes how the game feels more than any setting in the configuration:

• Chernarus is the default map and the right choice for a server that should attract new players. Everyone knows the places, everyone finds their way around, and there are tutorials for everything.
• Livonia is more densely forested and smaller. Encounters happen more often and at shorter range - good for a server with only a few active players who would otherwise never cross paths.
• Sakhal is the official answer to cold-weather survival: temperature, snow and a barren volcanic landscape turn every trip into a planning task. Because all players need the Frostline DLC, it suits a fixed group better than an open server.
• Nasdara, at 267 km², is the large desert map from Badlands: heat, drought and sandstorms force you to plan around water. It suits a fixed group that uses the DLC together.
• Namalsk is all about toughness: cold, radiation and scarce loot. It is something for an experienced group, not for an open beginner server.
• Deer Isle and similar large maps offer a lot to explore, but need enough players so the world does not feel empty.

A rule of thumb from practice: the smaller your community, the smaller the map should be. Ten players on Chernarus practically never meet in an evening - the same ten on Livonia experience a lively world. You can then fine-tune the amount of loot to match through the Central Economy.

Frequently asked questions