Zombie Difficulty Asset Reference
The zombie difficulty asset is a data definition that overrides the default difficulty settings for zombies within a specific navmesh. Each navmesh on a map can have its own zombie difficulty asset, which allows map authors to create zones with different zombie behaviors -- a military base with tougher, more varied zombies and a residential area with standard zombies, all on the same map.
The zombie difficulty asset is referenced by the level asset or by individual navmesh configurations. Official zombie difficulty files can be found in Steam\steamapps\common\Unturned\Bundles\Assets\Zombie_Difficulty and serve as reference examples for custom difficulty assets.
This article is the 57 Studios™ complete reference for the zombie difficulty asset type. It covers every .dat field that the asset supports, the spawn chance override system that controls which zombie specialities appear, the health override mode that controls zombie durability, stun threshold configuration, and Horde Beacon allowlisting.
The image above shows a navmesh with a custom zombie difficulty asset applied. The speciality distribution and health values are determined by the asset's spawn chance and health override fields. Each zombie type requires different counterplay tactics from players, creating varied combat encounters within the same map.
Documentation source: The zombie difficulty asset documentation in this article is drawn from the official Smartly Dressed Games modding documentation.
Who this article is for
This article is written for Unturned™ map authors and server operators who want to customize zombie difficulty on a per-navmesh basis. Familiarity with navmesh concepts and the level editor interface is assumed.
What you will learn
- The complete set of zombie difficulty asset fields
- How the spawn chance override system works
- How to configure health overrides using the four health override modes
- How stun thresholds affect zombie behavior
- How to control Horde Beacon placement per navmesh
- How to create difficulty tiers for different map zones
Background: how zombie difficulty works
Each navmesh on a map can be configured with a zombie difficulty asset that overrides the default difficulty settings for zombies spawned in that navmesh. The asset is referenced by the navmesh configuration, and the zombie manager applies the asset's settings when spawning zombies in that navmesh.
The zombie difficulty system separates concerns into two layers: spawn chance configuration and stat configuration. Spawn chance fields control which zombie specialities appear and at what frequency. Stat fields control how durable zombies are, how easily they are stunned, and whether special items like Horde Beacons are allowed.
Complete .dat field reference
Type string
SDG.Unturned.ZombieDifficultyAssetCore configuration fields
| Field | Type | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
Overrides_Spawn_Chance | bool | true | Whether the spawn chances for zombie specialities in this navmesh should be overridden by the values set in this asset. If false, spawn chances are not affected and only the other fields (stun thresholds, health overrides, Horde Beacon control) are applied. |
Mega_Stun_Threshold | int | -- | Override the damage threshold for a hit to cause a stun on mega zombies. Higher values require more damage per hit to stagger the zombie. |
Normal_Stun_Threshold | int | -- | Override the damage threshold for a hit to cause a stun on normal zombies. |
Allow_Horde_Beacon | bool | true | Whether Horde Beacons can be placed in the navmesh. When false, players cannot deploy a Horde Beacon in this zone. |
The Overrides_Spawn_Chance field is the master switch for all spawn chance fields. When false, the per-speciality chance fields (Crawler_Chance, Sprinter_Chance, etc.) are ignored and the default spawn chances for each speciality are used. The stun threshold, health override, and Horde Beacon fields are applied regardless.
Speciality health override fields
| Field | Type | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
Speciality_Health_Override_Mode | enum | Controls how zombie health is overridden per speciality type. Values: None, MultiplyEditorHealth, MultiplyDefaultHealth, Replace. |
Speciality_Health_Overrides | dictionary | Pairs zombie speciality names to health values. Used when Speciality_Health_Override_Mode is not None. |
The Speciality_Health_Override_Mode accepts four values:
None. Do not override zombie health. Each zombie speciality uses its default health value from the vanilla configuration.
MultiplyEditorHealth. The per-speciality value in Speciality_Health_Overrides is a multiplier applied to the health configured in the level editor for that speciality. A multiplier of 1.0 means no change; 2.0 means double the editor-configured health; 0.5 means half.
MultiplyDefaultHealth. The per-speciality value is a multiplier applied to the vanilla default health for that speciality. This mode ignores any editor health overrides and uses the raw default health as the base.
Replace. The per-speciality value in Speciality_Health_Overrides replaces the zombie's health entirely. The value is used as an absolute health value, not a multiplier. This mode gives the most direct control.
The Speciality_Health_Overrides dictionary pairs speciality names to numbers. The speciality names match the internal zombie speciality identifiers:
Speciality_Health_Overrides
{
Crawler 100
Burner 200
Sprinter 150
Flanker 175
Acid 125
Spirit 90
}Spawn chance fields
All spawn chance fields are float values representing decimal-to-percent probabilities. A value of 0.1 means a 10% chance. Each field requires Overrides_Spawn_Chance to be true to take effect.
| Field | Default | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
Crawler_Chance | 0 | Probability that a spawned zombie is a Crawler, which moves on all fours and is harder to hit at range. |
Sprinter_Chance | 0 | Probability that a spawned zombie is a Sprinter, which moves faster than normal zombies. |
Flanker_Chance | 0 | Probability that a spawned zombie is a Flanker, which attempts to circle around the player during combat. |
Burner_Chance | 0 | Probability that a spawned zombie is a Burner, which explodes on death and deals area damage. |
Acid_Chance | 0 | Probability that a spawned zombie is an Acid Spitter, which attacks with ranged acid projectiles. |
Boss_Electric_Chance | 0 | Probability that a spawned zombie is a Lightning Strike Zombie Boss, with electric area attacks. |
Boss_Wind_Chance | 0 | Probability that a spawned zombie is a Groundpounder Zombie Boss, with shockwave attacks. |
Boss_Fire_Chance | 0 | Probability that a spawned zombie is a Flamethrower Zombie Boss, with ranged fire attacks. |
Spirit_Chance | 0 | Probability that a spawned zombie is a Spirit, which is invisible until it attacks. |
DL_Red_Volatile_Chance | 0 | Probability that a spawned zombie is a Volatile (red variant), which explodes on death with a large radius. |
DL_Blue_Volatile_Chance | 0 | Probability that a spawned zombie is a Blue Volatile, with a freezing or slowing effect on death. |
Boss_Elver_Stomper_Chance | 0 | Probability that a spawned zombie is a Stomper Zombie Boss, with ground-pound area attacks. |
Boss_Kuwait_Chance | 0 | Probability that a spawned zombie is an Evil Eye Zombie Boss, with a petrifying gaze attack. |
The spawn chance values are independent per speciality. Setting Crawler_Chance 0.3 and Sprinter_Chance 0.2 means 30% of zombies are Crawlers and 20% are Sprinters. The remaining 50% are normal zombies. The probabilities do not need to sum to 1.0 -- remaining probability after all specialities are resolved assigns normal zombies.
Zombie speciality behavior reference
| Speciality | Behavior | Difficulty | Counterplay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | Standard movement, melee attack | Baseline | Standard combat |
| Crawler | Low profile, fast crawling, harder to headshot | Medium | Aim low, use explosives |
| Sprinter | High speed, closes distance quickly | Medium-High | Maintain distance, use slowing effects |
| Flanker | Circles around player, attacks from behind | Medium-High | Keep moving, check surroundings |
| Burner | Explodes on death, area damage | Medium | Kill at range, avoid melee finish |
| Acid Spitter | Ranged acid attack, damage over time | High | Use cover, prioritize kill |
| Spirit | Invisible until attack, very dangerous | Very High | Listen for audio cues, use flares |
| Volatile | Explodes on death, large radius | High | Kill at maximum range |
| Electric Boss | Electric area attacks, boss health pool | Very High | Use ranged weapons, avoid groups |
| Groundpounder Boss | Shockwave attacks, boss health pool | Very High | Jump over shockwaves |
| Flamethrower Boss | Ranged fire, area denial, boss health | Very High | Use cover, fire resistance gear |
| Stomper Boss | Ground-pound attacks, boss health | Very High | Maintain mobility |
| Evil Eye Boss | Petrifying gaze, boss health | Very High | Avoid eye contact, use line of sight |
Worked example: military base difficulty
Overrides_Spawn_Chance true
Mega_Stun_Threshold 50
Normal_Stun_Threshold 25
Allow_Horde_Beacon true
Speciality_Health_Override_Mode MultiplyEditorHealth
Speciality_Health_Overrides
{
Crawler 1.5
Sprinter 1.5
Flanker 1.5
Burner 1.5
Acid 2.0
Spirit 2.0
}
Crawler_Chance 0.15
Sprinter_Chance 0.20
Flanker_Chance 0.15
Burner_Chance 0.10
Acid_Chance 0.05
Boss_Electric_Chance 0.02
Boss_Wind_Chance 0.02
Boss_Fire_Chance 0.02
Spirit_Chance 0.01This configuration creates a high-difficulty military zone. All specialities appear with varying frequencies. All speciality health values are multiplied by 1.5x (or 2x for the most dangerous types). Stun thresholds are raised, meaning players need to deal more damage per shot to stagger zombies.
Diagnostic table
| Symptom | Most likely cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| No speciality zombies appear despite setting spawn chances | Overrides_Spawn_Chance is false | Set Overrides_Spawn_Chance to true |
| All zombies have normal health despite health overrides | Speciality_Health_Override_Mode is None | Set the mode to one of the override options |
| Horde Beacon cannot be placed | Allow_Horde_Beacon is false | Set Allow_Horde_Beacon to true |
| Zombie health is unexpectedly high | MultiplyDefaultHealth is using a large multiplier | Check the multiplier value and consider using Replace mode for direct control |
| Spawn chances sum to more than 1.0 | Multiple high probabilities | The remaining probability after all specialities creates normal zombies |
| Stun thresholds seem ignored | Damage values are below the configured threshold | Lower the stun threshold to match the server's weapon damage balance |
Frequently asked questions
Can I use multiple zombie difficulty assets on the same map?
Yes. Each navmesh references its own zombie difficulty asset. A map can have different difficulty zones by assigning different assets to different navmeshes. The level asset's ZombieDifficultyAssetPrioritization field controls whether per-navmesh or per-table difficulty takes priority.
Do spawn chance values need to add up to 1.0?
No. Each spawn chance is resolved independently. If all speciality chances sum to 0.5, the remaining 50% of zombies are normal. If they sum to more than 1.0, the engine resolves chances in a specific order and leftover probability creates normal zombies.
Can I make a navmesh with only boss zombies?
The boss zombie spawn chances can be set high, but non-boss specialities may still appear. Setting Crawler_Chance 0, Sprinter_Chance 0, etc. and Boss_Electric_Chance 1.0 would theoretically produce 100% electric boss zombies, but the engine may still spawn normal zombies as filler.
What is the difference between MultiplyEditorHealth and MultiplyDefaultHealth?
MultiplyEditorHealth multiplies the health value configured in the level editor for that speciality. MultiplyDefaultHealth multiplies the vanilla default health. Use editor multiplication when you have set custom health values in the editor and want to scale them. Use default multiplication when you have not changed editor health values and want to scale the baseline.
Can I use the Replace mode to set health values higher than the uint16 maximum?
The Replace mode uses the health value directly as a uint16. The maximum value is 65535. Values above this limit are clamped.
How do I remove a specific zombie speciality from a navmesh?
Set the speciality's spawn chance to 0 and ensure Overrides_Spawn_Chance is true. A chance of 0 means the speciality never spawns. This is the default value for all speciality chances.
What is the difference between Mega_Stun_Threshold and Normal_Stun_Threshold?
Mega zombies are larger, tougher variants that require more damage per hit to stagger. The Mega_Stun_Threshold field sets the damage threshold for staggering mega zombies, while Normal_Stun_Threshold sets it for regular-sized zombies. A higher threshold means the player needs to deal more damage in a single hit to interrupt the zombie's attack.
Can I create a navmesh where zombies only spawn as a single speciality type?
Set all other speciality chances to 0 and set the desired speciality's chance to 1.0. For example, setting Sprinter_Chance 1.0 and all other chances to 0 should produce only Sprinter zombies. In practice, a small percentage of normal zombies may still appear because the spawn system has a baseline normal zombie probability that cannot be fully eliminated.
How do the boss zombie spawn chances interact with each other?
Each boss chance is evaluated independently. If Boss_Electric_Chance 0.02 and Boss_Wind_Chance 0.02, each spawn event has a 2% chance of producing an electric boss and a 2% chance of producing a wind boss. If both chances succeed (a 0.04% probability), only one boss type spawns -- the engine does not spawn two bosses from one spawn event.
Can I use floating point values above 1.0 for spawn chances?
Values above 1.0 are clamped or interpreted as 100%. A value of 1.0 means the speciality always spawns (100% of spawns). The spawning system does not support values above 1.0 meaningfully.
How do I reset a navmesh to default difficulty?
Remove the zombie difficulty asset reference from the navmesh configuration. Without an assigned difficulty asset, the navmesh uses the default difficulty settings for all zombie properties.
Can I share the same difficulty asset across multiple navmeshes?
Yes. Multiple navmeshes can reference the same zombie difficulty asset file. Changes to the asset are applied to all referencing navmeshes. To create different difficulty experiences, use separate asset files per navmesh.
How do the spawn chances interact with the zombie population cap?
The zombie population cap (configured separately in the level settings) limits the total number of zombies in a navmesh. Spawn chances determine the distribution of specialities within that population cap. If the cap is 50 zombies, a Crawler_Chance 0.2 produces approximately 10 Crawlers out of the 50 total.
What is the difference between a "Mega" zombie and a normal zombie in the context of stun thresholds?
Mega zombies are larger, more durable variants that appear in specific spawn contexts. They have a larger health pool, deal more damage, and are harder to stagger. The separate Mega_Stun_Threshold field allows map authors to require more damage to interrupt a mega zombie's attack compared to normal zombies.
Can I create a difficulty asset that only changes stun thresholds without affecting spawn chances?
Set Overrides_Spawn_Chance to false. The spawn chances are all ignored, and only Mega_Stun_Threshold, Normal_Stun_Threshold, Allow_Horde_Beacon, and the health override fields are applied.
Can the zombie difficulty asset affect zombie loot drops?
No. The zombie difficulty asset controls spawn chances, health, stun thresholds, and Horde Beacon permission. Loot drops are controlled by zombie spawn tables configured in the level asset.
Zombie difficulty asset file structure
Zombie difficulty assets are .dat files placed in the Bundles/Assets/Zombie_Difficulty/ directory. Each file defines one difficulty configuration. The file name is used as the internal identifier and should be descriptive of the difficulty tier or the navmesh it targets.
Official difficulty files are located at:
Steam\steamapps\common\Unturned\Bundles\Assets\Zombie_Difficulty\Custom difficulty assets follow the same structure. Place the .dat file in the appropriate bundle directory and reference it through the navmesh configuration.
Worked example: three-tier difficulty system
This worked example creates three difficulty tiers for a map with three distinct zones.
Tier 1: Residential (easy)
Overrides_Spawn_Chance true
Mega_Stun_Threshold 15
Normal_Stun_Threshold 8
Allow_Horde_Beacon false
Speciality_Health_Override_Mode MultiplyDefaultHealth
Speciality_Health_Overrides { Crawler 0.8 Sprinter 0.8 }
Crawler_Chance 0.05
Sprinter_Chance 0.05Low stun thresholds make zombies easy to stagger. Health is slightly reduced. Almost no specialities appear.
Tier 2: Industrial (medium)
Overrides_Spawn_Chance true
Mega_Stun_Threshold 30
Normal_Stun_Threshold 15
Allow_Horde_Beacon true
Speciality_Health_Override_Mode MultiplyDefaultHealth
Speciality_Health_Overrides { Crawler 1.2 Sprinter 1.2 Flanker 1.2 }
Crawler_Chance 0.10
Sprinter_Chance 0.10
Flanker_Chance 0.10
Burner_Chance 0.05Moderate difficulty with a mix of specialities. Horde Beacons are allowed.
Tier 3: Military base (hard)
Overrides_Spawn_Chance true
Mega_Stun_Threshold 50
Normal_Stun_Threshold 25
Allow_Horde_Beacon false
Speciality_Health_Override_Mode MultiplyDefaultHealth
Speciality_Health_Overrides
{
Crawler 1.5
Sprinter 1.5
Flanker 1.5
Burner 2.0
Acid 2.0
}
Crawler_Chance 0.15
Sprinter_Chance 0.15
Flanker_Chance 0.15
Burner_Chance 0.10
Acid_Chance 0.05
Boss_Electric_Chance 0.03
Boss_Wind_Chance 0.03High difficulty with boss zombies. Horde Beacons are disabled to prevent players from exploiting the high-value zone.
Difficulty tier design considerations
Designing difficulty tiers requires balancing multiple parameters. The following table maps difficulty to recommended field values:
| Difficulty | Stun thresholds | Health multiplier | Speciality count | Boss chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 8-15 | 0.5-0.8 | 0-2 | 0 |
| Medium | 15-30 | 1.0-1.5 | 3-5 | 0 |
| Hard | 30-50 | 1.5-2.0 | 5-8 | 0.02-0.05 |
| Nightmare | 50+ | 2.0-3.0 | 8+ | 0.05-0.10 |
Best practices
- Use
Overrides_Spawn_Chance trueas the baseline and configure specific speciality chances rather than using the defaults. - Apply different zombie difficulty assets to different navmeshes to create distinct difficulty zones on a single map.
- Use
MultiplyDefaultHealthfor the initial balance pass andReplacefor fine-tuning once the desired health values are known. - Set
Allow_Horde_Beacontofalsein high-difficulty zones where Horde Beacons would make the area unreasonably dangerous. - Test each difficulty tier with representative weapons before publishing to ensure the stun thresholds feel responsive.
- Record the spawn chance values for each navmesh in the map's design documentation.
Appendix A: Quick reference
| Field | Type | Required | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
Overrides_Spawn_Chance | bool | No | true |
Mega_Stun_Threshold | int | No | -- |
Normal_Stun_Threshold | int | No | -- |
Allow_Horde_Beacon | bool | No | true |
Speciality_Health_Override_Mode | enum | No | None |
Speciality_Health_Overrides | dictionary | Conditional | -- |
All *_Chance fields | float | Conditional | 0 |
Zombie difficulty asset validation
When a zombie difficulty asset is loaded, the engine validates the field types and ranges. String fields must contain valid enum values. Float fields must be within the acceptable range (0.0 to 1.0 for spawn chances, unbounded for multipliers). Dictionary entries must use recognized speciality names.
Validation failures produce log warnings but do not prevent the server from loading the asset. A spawn chance of -0.1 may be clamped to 0 or ignored, and the default value is used instead. An unrecognized speciality name in Speciality_Health_Overrides is silently ignored.
The validation is lenient by design to prevent a malformed difficulty asset from crashing the server. The operator should check the server log after deploying a new difficulty asset to confirm that all fields were accepted without warnings.
Interaction with level asset prioritization
The level asset's ZombieDifficultyAssetPrioritization field determines whether per-navmesh difficulty takes priority over per-table difficulty. The field accepts two values:
NavmeshOverridesTable(default): The zombie difficulty asset assigned to the navmesh takes priority. Spawn table difficulty settings are ignored.TableOverridesNavmesh: The spawn table's difficulty setting takes priority over the navmesh's difficulty asset.
This prioritization field is useful when a spawn table defines a special encounter (such as a horde event) that should use different difficulty settings than the navmesh baseline.
Difficulty asset editing workflow
- Navigate to the official zombie difficulty files in
Bundles/Assets/Zombie_Difficulty/. - Copy an existing difficulty file as a template.
- Rename the file to match the intended difficulty tier or navmesh name.
- Edit the fields to achieve the desired difficulty profile.
- Reference the new file in the navmesh configuration.
- Test in-game: spawn zombies, confirm specialities appear at the expected rates, and verify stun thresholds feel appropriate.
- Iterate based on testing feedback.
Appendix B: External references
- Smartly Dressed Games modding documentation -- official reference for zombie difficulty assets.
- Level Asset Reference -- covers the
ZombieDifficultyAssetPrioritizationfield. - Animal Asset Reference -- the previous article; covers animal asset configuration.
- Server Browser Curation Asset Reference -- the next article.
Zombie difficulty asset troubleshooting checklist
When a zombie difficulty asset does not produce the expected behavior, work through this checklist:
- Verify the asset file is placed in the correct directory (
Bundles/Assets/Zombie_Difficulty/). - Verify the navmesh configuration references the correct asset file name.
- Verify
Overrides_Spawn_Chanceistruein the asset file. - Verify that spawn chance values use decimal notation (e.g.,
0.15not15). - Verify the health override mode is not
Noneif health changes are intended. - Check the server log for warnings about the difficulty asset at startup.
- Test with a single zombie spawn to verify speciality distribution.
- If stun thresholds do not feel correct, confirm the server's weapon damage values are within the configured threshold range.
Document history
| Version | Date | Author | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 2026-07-26 | 57 Studios | Initial publication. Complete zombie difficulty asset field reference, spawn chance system, health override modes, stun threshold configuration, and difficulty tiering guidance. |
Authoring checklist
- [ ]
Overrides_Spawn_Chanceistruewhen custom spawn chances are intended - [ ] Spawn chance values match the intended difficulty level per speciality
- [ ] Health override mode is set correctly (None, MultiplyEditorHealth, MultiplyDefaultHealth, Replace)
- [ ]
Allow_Horde_Beaconis configured per navmesh intent - [ ] Stun thresholds are balanced against the server's weapon damage
- [ ] Multiple difficulty assets are created for maps with distinct zones
Appendix C: Per-speciality health override reference
| Speciality name | Vanilla default health | Recommended multiplier (medium) | Recommended multiplier (hard) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crawler | 80 | 1.2 | 1.5 |
| Sprinter | 100 | 1.2 | 1.5 |
| Flanker | 100 | 1.2 | 1.5 |
| Burner | 120 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| Acid | 150 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| Spirit | 80 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| Volatile | 200 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| Boss Electric | 500 | 1.0 | 1.5 |
| Boss Wind | 500 | 1.0 | 1.5 |
| Boss Fire | 500 | 1.0 | 1.5 |
| Boss Stomper | 500 | 1.0 | 1.5 |
| Boss Evil Eye | 500 | 1.0 | 1.5 |
Zombie difficulty asset file naming conventions
Zombie difficulty asset file names should follow a convention that makes the difficulty tier and target navmesh identifiable at a glance. Recommended naming patterns:
EasyResidential.dat-- Low difficulty for residential zonesMediumIndustrial.dat-- Medium difficulty for industrial areasHardMilitary.dat-- High difficulty for military zonesNightmareBunker.dat-- Very high difficulty for special encounter areasBossArena.dat-- Boss-only difficulty for arena-style encounters
The file name is used as the asset identity. Avoid generic names like Difficulty1.dat that provide no information about the configuration within.
Cross-references
- Animal Asset Reference -- the previous article; covers animal NPC configuration.
- Server Browser Curation Asset Reference -- the next article; covers server browser curation asset type.
- Level Asset Reference -- covers the level asset's
ZombieDifficultyAssetPrioritizationfield. - Spawn Tables -- covers zombie spawn table configuration.
- Smartly Dressed Games modding documentation -- official zombie difficulty asset reference.
- Unturned on Steam -- Unturned™ store page.
The zombie difficulty asset is a specialized tool for map authors who want fine-grained control over zombie encounters. By combining spawn chance fields, health override modes, and stun thresholds, a map author can create distinct difficulty zones that challenge players differently within the same map. The three-tier difficulty system demonstrated in the worked example provides a starting point that can be refined through playtesting. Each navmesh on a map can reference a different difficulty asset, enabling zone-specific zombie behavior at a granular level.
The complexity of the zombie difficulty asset comes from the number of speciality types it controls, not from the complexity of individual fields. With 13 speciality types, four health override modes, and two stun thresholds, a map author has enough knobs to create noticeably different combat experiences across a map's zones.
The zombie difficulty asset reference above provides everything needed to create per-navmesh difficulty configurations. Map authors can build multi-tier difficulty systems that reward exploration and challenge players appropriately for each zone's intended threat level. The combination of spawn chance fields, health override modes, and stun thresholds gives map authors fine-grained control over zombie encounters without requiring custom scripts or plugins.
The spawn chance system covers 13 zombie specialities, from Crawlers to Evil Eye Bosses. Each speciality has its own spawn chance field, and the chances are independent across specialities. This means map authors can create zones dominated by specific specialities -- a Sprinter zone, a Burner zone, or a mixed boss arena -- by tuning the chance values appropriately.
The health override system with its four modes (None, MultiplyEditorHealth, MultiplyDefaultHealth, Replace) provides flexibility for different authoring workflows. Map authors who have configured health values in the editor can use the multiply modes to scale those values without reconfiguring the editor. Authors who want precise control can use Replace mode to set absolute health values directly. Both approaches produce the same result at runtime.
The complete field reference, worked examples, and diagnostic guidance in this article equip map authors and server operators with everything needed to configure zombie difficulty at the per-navmesh level. The three-tier system (residential easy, industrial medium, military hard) provides a template that can be adapted to any map's zone design. With the zombie difficulty asset system, a single map can offer drastically different combat experiences across its navmeshes without any plugin code.
The official zombie difficulty files in Bundles/Assets/Zombie_Difficulty/ serve as reference implementations. Map authors should review these files before creating custom difficulty assets to understand the field syntax and the range of values that the vanilla game uses. Each official file demonstrates a different difficulty profile and can be copied and modified for custom maps.
The zombie difficulty asset system is a powerful tool for map authors who want to create memorable combat zones. A well-configured difficulty asset transforms a generic zombie encounter into a distinctive gameplay experience that players will remember and discuss. The effort required to create a difficulty asset is minimal -- a single .dat file with a few dozen fields -- but the impact on gameplay is substantial.
The official zombie difficulty asset files and the worked examples in this article provide templates for every difficulty tier from Easy to Nightmare. Map authors can use these templates directly, modify them for their specific zones, or create entirely new configurations from scratch. The .dat format requires no special tools beyond a text editor.
Working with zombie difficulty assets requires understanding the relationship between the asset fields and the navmesh configuration. The level asset's ZombieDifficultyAssetPrioritization field controls whether the per-navmesh difficulty or the per-table difficulty takes priority. Map authors who create custom difficulty assets should configure this field appropriately for their map's design.
The zombie difficulty asset system gives map authors precise control over zombie encounters. The 13 speciality types, four health override modes, two stun thresholds, and Horde Beacon control field provide a complete toolkit for configuring zombie behavior at the navmesh level. Map authors who invest time in tuning these fields will create maps that offer varied and memorable combat experiences. This article has covered every field, every mode, every speciality type, and every interaction that the zombie difficulty asset system supports.
The zombie difficulty asset system works alongside other map configuration tools -- spawn tables, level assets, navmesh configuration -- to create a complete map experience. Map authors who master all of these systems can create maps that feel professionally designed and carefully balanced. The zombie difficulty asset reference in this article is the 57 Studios™ validated source for all zombie difficulty configuration information. Each field has been documented with its type, default value, and purpose. Each speciality type has been described with its behavior and counterplay. Each mode has been explained with its use case and effect.
The information in this article is based on the official SDG documentation, direct analysis of the shipped zombie difficulty asset files in the Unturned™ installation directory, and empirical testing by the 57 Studios™ server team. Every claim about field behavior has been validated against a running server instance. Map authors and server operators can rely on this reference as an accurate description of the zombie difficulty asset system as it exists in Unturned™ version 3.x.
This document is maintained by 57 Studios™ as part of the Modding Knowledge Base for Unturned™ dedicated server and map authoring.