A plain-English guide to the Central Economy (CE) system. Learn how the core configuration files work together, what each parameter actually means, and avoid the common mistakes that trip up new server administrators.
The Central Economy (CE) is DayZ's loot management system. Think of it as the brain that decides what spawns, where it spawns, how much of it exists, and when it disappears. The CE constantly monitors the game world and makes decisions based on the rules you define in several XML configuration files.
The CE runs in cycles (typically every 5 minutes). During each cycle, it checks what exists in the world, removes expired items, and spawns new ones to meet your configured targets.
These files work together to control your server's loot economy. Understanding how they interact is the key to successful server configuration.
Defines every item that can spawn: how many should exist (nominal), the minimum count (min), how long items persist (lifetime), and where they can appear (usage/value tags).
Read full documentationControls special spawn events like helicopter crashes, police cars, and contaminated zones. These are location-based spawns that happen independently of regular loot.
Read full documentationDefines the categories, usages, and value tiers that types.xml references. This is where "Military", "Town", "Tier1", etc. are actually defined and mapped to spawn points.
Read full documentationDetermines what attachments, cargo, and modifications spawn with items. When a weapon spawns, this file decides if it has a magazine, scope, or other attachments.
Read full documentationWhen the CE decides to spawn an item, it follows a specific decision chain. Understanding this flow helps you troubleshoot why items might not be spawning where you expect.
CE checks types.xml: "Is this item below its nominal count? Does it meet the minimum threshold?"
CE reads cfglimitsdefinition.xml: "What spawn points match this item's usage and value tags?"
CE finds valid spawn point: "Is there an empty spawn point in a matching location that isn't near a player?"
CE checks cfgspawnabletypes.xml: "Should this item spawn with attachments or cargo?"
Item spawns in the world with configured attachments
These are the parameters that confuse most new admins. Here's what they actually do in plain English.
Nominal is the target count the CE tries to maintain across the entire map. Min is the emergency threshold - when the count drops below this, the CE prioritizes spawning this item.
Example: If you set nominal="20" and min="10" for an M4A1, the CE will try to keep 20 M4s on the map. If the count drops to 9, the CE will prioritize spawning M4s until it reaches at least 10 again.
How long an item persists in the world before the CE removes it. The timer resets every time a player interacts with the item (picks it up, moves it, opens its inventory).
The minimum time that must pass after an item is picked up before the CE can spawn a replacement. This prevents "loot cycling" where players repeatedly check the same spot.
Common values: 0 (immediate eligibility), 1800 (30 minutes), 3600 (1 hour). Higher values create scarcity and prevent farming.
These are the most common reasons admins see unexpected loot behavior.
Items that haven't been touched by players will despawn after their lifetime expires. If you set lifetime="3600" (1 hour) and no one interacts with the item, it vanishes. This is working as intended - it keeps the world fresh.
If your item's usage/value tags don't match any spawn points defined in cfglimitsdefinition.xml, the CE has nowhere to put it. Double-check that your usage tags (like "Military") actually exist and are mapped to buildings.
The CE won't spawn items near players (typically within 100-200 meters). If your server has players spread across the map, there may be fewer valid spawn locations available. Items also won't spawn in buildings that players are currently inside.
If the server already has the nominal count of an item (including items in player inventories if count_in_player="1"), no more will spawn. Check your flag settings to understand what counts toward the limit.
If you picked up an item and the restock timer hasn't passed, the CE won't spawn a replacement yet. With restock="1800", you need to wait 30 minutes before that specific item type becomes eligible to spawn again.
These misconceptions cause admins to make changes that don't work as expected.
Reality: Nominal is a target, not a guarantee. If there aren't enough valid spawn points for an item, raising nominal does nothing. The CE can only spawn items where there are available, matching spawn locations.
What to do instead: Check that your item has appropriate usage and value tags that match actual spawn points. Adding more usage tags can increase spawn opportunities.
Reality: A lifetime of 0 means the item despawns almost immediately. The CE interprets 0 as "no persistence" rather than "infinite persistence."
What to do instead: Use very high values like 3888000 (45 days) for items you want to persist long-term. For truly permanent items, consider using the persistence system differently.
Reality: Restock is a minimum delay, not a spawn rate. It only prevents immediate respawning after an item is taken. The actual spawn timing depends on CE cycles and available spawn points.
What to do instead: To increase spawn frequency, ensure you have enough spawn points and that nominal/min values create demand. Restock just prevents farming.
Reality: Deleting storage files removes persisted items but doesn't force a fresh spawn. The CE will gradually repopulate based on your types.xml settings during its normal cycles.
What to do instead: For a true loot reset, delete storage files AND restart the server. The CE will then spawn items fresh based on init flags in economy.xml.
Reality: Adding value tags (Tier1, Tier2, etc.) doesn't automatically improve distribution. Items only spawn in tiers where matching spawn points exist. Adding Tier4 to a common item won't make it spawn at NWAF unless NWAF has spawn points for that item's category.
What to do instead: Understand your map's tier zones and match items appropriately. Use cfglimitsdefinition.xml to see which areas correspond to which tiers.
| File | Controls | Key Parameters |
|---|---|---|
| types.xml | What items spawn and how many | nominal, min, lifetime, restock, flags |
| events.xml | Dynamic events and special spawns | nominal, min, lifetime, position |
| cfglimitsdefinition.xml | Where items can spawn (zones/buildings) | categories, usages, values |
| cfgspawnabletypes.xml | Attachments and cargo on spawned items | attachments, cargo, hoarder |
| economy.xml | Which entity types are active | init, load, respawn, save |
| cfgeconomycore.xml | Global CE behavior settings | spawn intervals, cleanup timing |
When loot isn't behaving as expected, work through this checklist:
A single typo can break the entire file. Use a validator or check server logs for XML parsing errors.
Item names are case-sensitive. "M4A1" is different from "m4a1" or "M4a1".
Every usage and value tag in types.xml must be defined in cfglimitsdefinition.xml.
If count_in_hoarder="1", items in player bases count toward nominal. This can prevent new spawns.
Ensure the entity type (dynamic, vehicles, etc.) has init="1" and respawn="1" enabled.
Changes don't take effect instantly. The CE runs in cycles (typically every 5 minutes). Give it time after a restart.
Before making changes, understand what the default values do. Make small, incremental changes and test each one.
Test CE changes on a separate server before applying to production. This prevents player frustration from broken loot.
Always backup your XML files before editing. A working configuration is worth more than an experimental one.
The server logs contain CE-related messages that can help diagnose spawn issues and configuration errors.