types.xml Configuration
The primary loot economy configuration for DayZ. Control which items spawn, their quantities, locations, restock rates, and distribution across your server map.
Overview
types.xml is the most important file in the DayZ Central Economy. It defines every item that can spawn in the world, along with how many should exist, how long they persist, and where they appear. Located in your mission folder (e.g., mpmissions/dayzOffline.chernarusplus/db/types.xml), this file is the first place to look when adjusting your server's loot economy.
Each <type> entry represents a single item class. The vanilla file contains thousands of entries. Changes take effect after a server restart.
File Structure
Each item is defined within a <type> element inside the root <types> tag:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<types>
<type name="AKM">
<nominal>8</nominal>
<lifetime>14400</lifetime>
<restock>1800</restock>
<min>4</min>
<quantmin>-1</quantmin>
<quantmax>-1</quantmax>
<cost>100</cost>
<flags count_in_cargo="0" count_in_hoarder="0" count_in_map="1" count_in_player="0" crafted="0" deloot="0"/>
<category name="weapons"/>
<usage name="Military"/>
<value name="Tier3"/>
<value name="Tier4"/>
</type>
<type name="Apple">
<nominal>30</nominal>
<lifetime>3600</lifetime>
<restock>0</restock>
<min>18</min>
<quantmin>-1</quantmin>
<quantmax>-1</quantmax>
<cost>100</cost>
<flags count_in_cargo="0" count_in_hoarder="0" count_in_map="1" count_in_player="0" crafted="0" deloot="0"/>
<category name="food"/>
<usage name="Coast"/>
<usage name="Town"/>
<usage name="Village"/>
</type>
</types>
Essential Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| nominal | Integer | Target number of this item on the server. The CE spawns items up to this count. Set to 0 to disable spawning. |
| lifetime | Integer (seconds) | How long an untouched item persists before despawning. Interacting with the item resets this timer. Common: 3600 (1h), 7200 (2h), 14400 (4h). |
| restock | Integer (seconds) | Minimum delay before the CE respawns this item after the count drops below min. 0 = next CE cycle. 1800 = 30 min delay. |
| min | Integer | When the world count drops to this number, the CE begins restocking up to nominal. Should always be less than nominal. |
Quantity Parameters
| Parameter | Range | Description |
|---|---|---|
| quantmin | -1 to 100 | Minimum quantity percentage when spawned (e.g., ammo in a magazine). -1 means use default/full. 50 = spawn with at least 50% quantity. |
| quantmax | -1 to 100 | Maximum quantity percentage when spawned. -1 means use default/full. Items spawn with a random quantity between quantmin and quantmax. |
| cost | Integer | Spawn priority weight. Default is 100. Higher values give the item priority when the CE selects items to spawn at available locations. |
Flag Parameters
Flags control how the CE counts items toward the nominal value. Set to 1 to enable, 0 to disable:
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
| count_in_cargo | Count items stored inside containers (backpacks, tents, barrels) toward nominal. |
| count_in_hoarder | Count items in player-built storage (tents, barrels, underground stashes) toward nominal. Enable for rare items to prevent hoarding. |
| count_in_map | Count items spawned on the ground/in buildings toward nominal. Almost always set to 1. |
| count_in_player | Count items in player inventories toward nominal. Enable for very rare items so carrying one reduces world spawns. |
| crafted | Marks the item as craftable. Set to 1 for items that can be crafted by players (e.g., improvised weapons). |
| deloot | Dynamic event loot. Set to 1 for items that only spawn via events (helicopter crashes, airdrops) rather than static spawn points. |
Category, Usage & Value
These tags control where items spawn. They map to definitions in cfglimitsdefinition.xml.
category — Item type classification. Values: weapons, food, tools, clothes, containers, vehiclesparts, explosives
usage — Location type where the item spawns. Values: Coast, Town, Village, Hunting, Military, Police, Medic, Firefighter, Industrial, Farm, School, Office
value — Map zone tier. Values: Tier1 (coastal), Tier2 (inland), Tier3 (mid-map), Tier4 (deep military/NWAF). Multiple values allow spawning across tiers.
Best Practices
Recommended
- Keep min at 50-70% of nominal
- Set count_in_map to 1 for all items
- Use count_in_hoarder for rare items
- Match lifetime to server restart interval
- Use restock > 0 for rare items
- Validate XML syntax before uploading
Avoid
- Setting min equal to or greater than nominal
- Nominal values over 50 for weapons
- Lifetime of 0 (items despawn instantly)
- Missing category or usage tags
- Deleting type entries to remove items
- Editing types.xml while the server is running
Common Configurations
Military Weapon (Rare)
<type name="M4A1">
<nominal>4</nominal>
<lifetime>14400</lifetime>
<restock>1800</restock>
<min>1</min>
<quantmin>-1</quantmin>
<quantmax>-1</quantmax>
<cost>100</cost>
<flags count_in_cargo="0" count_in_hoarder="1" count_in_map="1" count_in_player="1" crafted="0" deloot="0"/>
<category name="weapons"/>
<usage name="Military"/>
<value name="Tier4"/>
</type>
Food Item (Common)
<type name="SardinesCan">
<nominal>30</nominal>
<lifetime>7200</lifetime>
<restock>0</restock>
<min>18</min>
<quantmin>-1</quantmin>
<quantmax>-1</quantmax>
<cost>100</cost>
<flags count_in_cargo="0" count_in_hoarder="0" count_in_map="1" count_in_player="0" crafted="0" deloot="0"/>
<category name="food"/>
<usage name="Town"/>
<usage name="Village"/>
<usage name="Coast"/>
</type>