How to configure Darkness Falls

Updated June 18, 2026

7 Days To Die

How to Configure Darkness Falls | GameServerKings KB

How to Configure Darkness Falls

Darkness Falls is the most popular total overhaul for 7 Days to Die, created by KhaineGB. It adds a class system, tiered progression that delays iron and steel, demonic enemies, boss fights, new points of interest, and a much larger backpack. This guide covers installing it on your GSK server, the settings you must change for it to load, and the custom maps it ships with.

Darkness Falls replaces core game files rather than just dropping into the Mods/ folder, so it needs a clean server and a few specific settings. For general mod basics first, see How to Install Modlets and Overhaul Mods.

Before You Start

Three hard requirements. Skipping any one of them stops the mod loading or stops players connecting:

EAC must be off. Darkness Falls ships modified DLLs, so Easy Anti-Cheat has to be disabled on the server, and every player must launch with EAC off too. We cover the exact setting below.
The correct game branch. As of 2026 the current Darkness Falls release (V6) targets the 7 Days to Die 1.0 line, not the 2.x branch. If your server or any client is on 2.x, the mod will not load. Open a ticket and we can pin your server to the right branch.
A fresh world. As a total overhaul it changes blocks, items, and progression, so it cannot load an existing vanilla save. Plan to start a new game.

Take a backup through the panel Backups tab before you begin, and ideally start from a freshly reset server.

Step 1: Stop the Server

From the panel Console tab, stop the server and wait for it to show offline. Never install an overhaul while the server is running.

Step 2: Install the Server Files

Download the Server Master package from KhaineGB's official source (the 7D2D Mod Launcher or his GitHub). Do not use the Client Master, that one is for players.

Extract the package locally.
Connect to your server over SFTP (credentials are in the panel Settings tab).
Upload the Darkness Falls files into the server root, overwriting when prompted. Darkness Falls includes a Mods/ folder plus loader files that sit alongside the game files, which is why it overwrites more than a normal modlet.

Step 3: Disable EAC

Open serverconfig.xml in the File Manager and set EAC off:

XML

<property name="EACEnabled" value="false"/>

Save the file. Every player must also launch the game with EAC disabled, using the non-EAC executable, or they will be unable to join. See How to Install Modlets and Overhaul Mods for the player-side note.

Step 4: Set a Darkness Falls World

Darkness Falls ships its own pre-generated maps, all named with a DFalls- prefix. You must use one of these (or let it generate a Darkness Falls RWG world); a vanilla map will not have the custom points of interest.

In serverconfig.xml, set the GameWorld and a level name:

XML

<property name="GameWorld" value="DFalls-Navezgane"/>
<property name="GameName" value="DarknessFalls01"/>

If you are new to Darkness Falls, DFalls-Navezgane is the safe choice. The full list of bundled worlds (sizes from VSmall to Large, with and without PEP prefabs) is visible in the File Manager under Data/Worlds/. Copy the exact name, including capitalization.

Step 5: Start and Watch the First Boot

Start the server. The first boot generates the Darkness Falls world, which can take 15 to 30 minutes depending on map size and your plan. This is normal. Do not restart or kill the server during generation, or you risk a corrupted world.

Watch the Console for the mod load lines and the world generation progress. Once it reports the server is ready, you are live.

Common Issues

Problem	Fix
Server will not start after install	Wrong game branch. Darkness Falls V6 needs the 1.0 branch, not 2.x. Open a ticket to switch
Players cannot connect	They are launching with EAC on, or running a different Darkness Falls version than the server. Both sides need EAC off and the exact same build
Missing buildings or broken terrain	The world generated before the mod was fully installed, or a vanilla map is set. Wipe the world and regenerate with a `DFalls-` map
First boot seems frozen	World generation is running. Give it up to 30 minutes and watch the console rather than restarting