Basics

Most gameplay settings are now native saved ConVars. These are stored in a large file:

config/convar/game.json

Each value appears under a convar. key. Example:

"convar.ttt_rtv_enabled": {
  "Value": "False",
  "Timeout": 1781214253,
  "DeleteAt": 0
}

Only edit Value. Do not edit Timeout or DeleteAt.

These are most easily modified directly from the console. Commands will apply live (with some variance; see the sections below). Setting the command via the console will store/update the value in game.json.

Stop the server before manually editing game.json.
Preserve valid JSON syntax.
Values are usually stored as strings, even for numbers and booleans.
Use True / False or 1 / 0 for boolean values, matching what your host panel writes.

Gameplay ConVars

The key in game.json includes the convar. prefix. The console command does not.

Example:

In game.json	In server console
`convar.ttt_rtv_enabled`	`ttt_rtv_enabled false`

Time

ConVar	Default	Applies	Description
`ttt_max_rounds`	6	Live	Number of rounds to play before the match ends and a map vote begins.
`ttt_round_time_minutes`	5	Next round	Round duration in minutes when haste mode is off.
`ttt_haste_mode`	True	Next round	Enables haste mode, where the public timer starts shorter and hidden time is added as players die.
`ttt_haste_starting_minutes`	5	Next round	Public round timer duration in minutes before haste overtime starts.
`ttt_haste_minutes_per_death`	0.5	Next round	Minutes added to the hidden round limit each time a player dies.

Gameplay Roles

ConVar	Default	Applies	Description
`ttt_traitor_pct`	0.25	Next round	Fraction of round players assigned as traitors.
`ttt_traitor_max`	32	Next round	Maximum number of traitors that can be assigned in a round.
`ttt_detective_pct`	0.13	Next round	Fraction of round players assigned as detectives when enough players are present.
`ttt_detective_max`	32	Next round	Maximum number of detectives that can be assigned in a round.
`ttt_detective_min_players`	8	Next round	Minimum round player count required before detectives can be assigned.

Karma

ConVar	Default	Applies	Description
`ttt_karma`	True	Next round	Enables karma penalties, rewards, and low-karma damage scaling.
`ttt_karma_low_autokick`	False	Round end	Kicks non-host players below the low-karma threshold at round end.
`ttt_karma_kick_threshold`	300	Round end	Karma value below which low-karma auto-kick removes non-host players. Only matters when `ttt_karma_low_autokick` is enabled.
`ttt_karma_starting`	1000	New player component	Karma assigned to newly-created player components.
`ttt_karma_damage_threshold`	800	Live damage checks	Karma value below which outgoing damage is reduced.
`ttt_karma_kill_penalty`	30	Round end	How harshly friendly damage removes karma before internal scaling.
`ttt_karma_round_increment`	15	Round end	Karma restored at round end when the player teamkilled nobody.

Voice

ConVar	Default	Applies	Description
`ttt_proximity_voice_enabled`	False	Map travel	Uses distance-limited voice chat for normal alive-player voice. Team voice and dead/alive voice filtering are separate.
`ttt_proximity_voice_range`	800	Map Travel	Voice range in world units when proximity voice is enabled.

Map Vote

ConVar	Default	Applies	Description
`ttt_rtv_enabled`	True	Live	Allows players to start Rock the Vote map-change votes. Admin-forced map votes are unaffected.
`ttt_mapvote_option_count`	10	Newly-created map votes	Maximum number of maps shown during a map vote.
`ttt_mapvote_pool`	`Official;Verified`	Newly-created map votes	Source pools used for generated map vote options. Use values such as `Official`, `Verified`, and `AllCompatible`, separated by semicolons. Leave empty to use only `MapVote.AlwaysInclude` from `server_settings.json`.
`ttt_mapvote_filter_by_players`	False	Newly-created map votes	Prefer maps whose authored size range fits the current lobby size.
`ttt_mapvote_show_tags`	True	Newly-created map votes	Shows approved map package tags on map vote cards.

MapVote.AlwaysInclude and MapVote.NeverShow are not ConVars. They live in server_settings.json because they are package-ident lists.

When AllCompatible is enabled, compatible map discovery is prewarmed once after server/lobby settings apply and cached for the server/lobby lifetime. Map votes still apply the current map, AlwaysInclude, NeverShow, player-count filtering, and random option selection when each vote starts.

Visuals

ConVar	Default	Applies	Description
`ttt_allow_player_cosmetics`	True	Next round	Allows players to use their s&box headwear.

AFK

ConVar	Default	Applies	Description
`ttt_auto_afk`	True	Live	Automatically marks idle alive players as AFK.

Map And Vote Commands

Command	Description
`rtv`	Starts a Rock the Vote map-change vote if `ttt_rtv_enabled` is true. Players can also type `/rtv` or `!rtv` in chat.
`votekick PLAYERNAME`	Starts a public votekick. Players can also type `/votekick` or `!votekick` in chat.
`ttt_forcemapvote`	Admin/host command that forces the map-vote flow. It is not blocked by `ttt_rtv_enabled`.
`changelevel MAPIDENT`	Changes to a map ident. May cause instability!
`map MAPIDENT`	Alias for `changelevel`.
`scene SCENEFILE`	Host-only scene change command for scene files. Use map idents for normal server operation.
`t.maps.official`	Dedicated-server-console-only command that prints the official map source list.
`t.maps.verified`	Dedicated-server-console-only command that prints the verified map source list.
`t.maps.compatible`	Dedicated-server-console-only command that discovers and prints compatible unverified map packages. This can take longer than the static source-list commands.
`t.server.mapvote.print`	Dedicated-server-console-only command that prints current map vote source settings from `server_settings.json`.
`t.server.mapvote.pool.set Official,Verified`	Dedicated-server-console-only command that updates `MapVote.Pool` in `server_settings.json`. Use `Official`, `Verified`, `AllCompatible`, `All`, `Any`, or an empty string.
`t.server.mapvote.alwaysinclude.add org.map`	Dedicated-server-console-only command that adds a map ident to `MapVote.AlwaysInclude`.
`t.server.mapvote.alwaysinclude.remove org.map`	Dedicated-server-console-only command that removes a map ident from `MapVote.AlwaysInclude`.
`t.server.mapvote.nevershow.add org.map`	Dedicated-server-console-only command that adds a map ident to `MapVote.NeverShow`.
`t.server.mapvote.nevershow.remove org.map`	Dedicated-server-console-only command that removes a map ident from `MapVote.NeverShow`.

The t.server.mapvote.* mutation commands write server_settings.json and reject changes while a map vote is already active.

Troubleshooting

If your settings are not applying:

Make sure server_settings.json is in the correct game ident's data folder.
Make sure ConVars are edited under config/convar/game.json or your host's ConVar panel.
Restart the dedicated server after editing files by hand.
Check that your JSON is valid.
In game.json, edit only Value.
Check the server console for [server.settings] messages.
Check the server console for [lobby.settings] applied to confirm the resolved lobby/rule settings.
Check the server console for [server.launch] messages to confirm the native boot map.

Useful successful load message:

[server.settings] loaded path=server_settings.json schema=3 lobby=True map_pool=Official;Verified always_include=0 never_show=0

Useful default/backfill messages:

[server.settings] missing path=server_settings.json; created active defaults. Edit server_settings.json and restart the dedicated server to customize settings.
[server.settings] defaults_backfilled path=server_settings.json

Useful failure message:

[server.settings] failed_to_load path=server_settings.json error=...

Useful launch message:

[server.launch] boot_context game=thieves.terrortown boot_map=thieves.rooftops launch_map=thieves.rooftops source=GameNetworkManager.OnStart dedicated=True

Useful applied settings message:

[lobby.settings] applied public, 6 rounds, 5m, prep 20s, haste 5m +0.5m/death, open catalog, official + verified pool, 10 vote maps

Useful AllCompatible prewarm message:

[MapCatalog] allcompatible_prewarm_complete game=thieves.terrortown maps=11 source=LobbyStartSettingsRuntime.ApplyToSystems

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