SCUM Easy AdminLow player count mode
Enlarges threat zones and enemy counts so an empty map feels busier. Costs a lot of performance.
scum.EnableEncounterManagerLowPlayerCountMode=False
What does this setting do?
On a server with three active players the island feels empty, because encounters only form where somebody is. This mode counteracts that: it enlarges the threat zones, raises the number of zombies per encounter and activates high threat zones instantly. It is off by default.
The developer description carries an unusually blunt warning about the performance consequences, and it deserves to be taken seriously. The mode does precisely what otherwise overloads a server – more area awake, more enemies per encounter, no ramp-up – and it does so permanently.
Its purpose lies in one particular situation: a small private server with few people and plenty of hardware. There, too little happens and performance is not a concern. That is exactly what the mode is for.
On a rented server, or one you want to fill up, it is the wrong answer. To get a busier map without doubling the load, raise individual weights and base amounts deliberately – that points the same way and can be adjusted step by step.
One operational note: the mode does not adapt itself. If the server fills up, it stays on and then meets the full player load. If you enable it, make a note to disable it again.
Which value suits my server?
Off. Targeted increases of individual values are the safer route.
Off.
Off, except on a private server with plenty of headroom.
What to watch out for
The description states the performance consequences in capitals. On rented servers that is rarely an empty warning.
If the server fills up, the mode stays active and meets the full load. Switching it off is your own job to remember.