ZoneSavior

Archive inactive-player structures and tamed animals per zone, save/load/restore zone bundles, track player activity, configure archive exclusions, and enforce per-zone WearNTear limits.

ZoneSavior is a Valheim server maintenance mod for zone-based cleanup, archive, restore, and build-count control.

It can:

• archive inactive player structures into zone bundle files
• restore saved bundles to the original place or a new zone
• optionally reset archived source zones
• enforce per-zone WearNTear limits from zones.yml
• track player activity for inactive-owner cleanup
• provide an optional client zone UI

Files

ZoneSavior uses one BepInEx config file and one data folder:

BepInEx/config/
  sighsorry.ZoneSavior.cfg
  ZoneSavior/
    activity.yml
    zones.yml
    Diagnostics/
    ZoneBundles/
      tag_name/
        manifest.yml
        bundle001_<generation>.zonebundle.yml.gz

activity.yml stores player activity, scan state, and recent scan records. ZoneSavior reloads it conservatively at runtime: broken YAML, dirty runtime state, and active scans are ignored.

zones.yml stores zone limits and archive protection rules. Every rule must declare a non-negative limit. Steam IDs are the best long-term protection key; player names are convenient but can change.

ZoneBundles/<tag>/manifest.yml records the archive shape. Each bundleNNN_<generation>.zonebundle.yml.gz stores one source zone as a compact, gzip-compressed YAML bundle. ZoneSavior reads and writes these files directly; no manual extraction is required. New bundle files are committed by replacing the manifest only after every zone is saved successfully.

Previous manifest and bundle versions, including uncompressed legacy zone bundles, are not loaded or converted. If the original world data is still available, create a new archive from the live world with the current ZoneSavior version before restoring it.

Diagnostics/ contains YAML reports written by zs_debugzone.

Config

Config sections:

• 01 - General
  • Lock Configuration: lets the server control synced settings.
• 02 - ZoneSavior
  • WearNTear Save Mode: controls whether zone bundle saves include creatorless WearNTear.
  • Zone WearNTear Limit: enables zone limits from zones.yml.
  • Zone UI Toggle Hotkey: toggles the client zone overlay.
  • Build Counter Visible Seconds: controls how long the placement counter stays visible.
  • Support Fill Contact Tolerance: terrain contact capture tolerance. Source terrain must be loaded to capture exact contacts.
  • Zone Bundle Support Fill Feather Width: blend width around restored support terrain.
• 03 - Auto Archive
  • Dry Run: report only.
  • Reset After Save: reset eligible source zones after saving.
  • Minimum Pieces Per Cluster: small clusters are skipped, or reset without save during reset runs.
  • Inactive Days: owner inactivity threshold.
  • Scan Interval Minutes: automatic scan interval. 0 disables scheduled scans.
  • Scanner Batch Size: ZDOs inspected before yielding a frame.
  • Max Zones Per Run: maximum number of zones reserved for work in one automatic scan. Failed save/reset attempts still consume this budget.

What Gets Archived

ZoneSavior saves player-build structures, not arbitrary world clutter.

Saved:

• player-build WearNTear objects with normal build recipes/resource costs
• tamed monsters with MonsterAI and Tameable
• creator metadata when present
• terrain support data for saved structures

Skipped:

• players, tombstones, loose item drops, projectiles, ragdolls, fish
• location objects and volatile world objects
• vanilla terrain comps and most raw terrain modifiers
• WearNTear prefabs without normal build recipes/resource costs

Auto archive candidate detection only starts from creator-linked WearNTear with creator != 0. WearNTear Save Mode = IncludeCreatorless can include nearby creatorless WearNTear during the save step, but creatorless structures alone do not make a zone eligible for inactive-owner cleanup.

Terrain Restore

ZoneSavior uses SupportFill terrain restore.

When saving a loaded zone, it samples the lower footprint of saved structures and records terrain contacts where terrain is close enough to the structure bottom. When loading, those contacts can raise or cut terrain so structures regain support.

If exact contacts are missing, ZoneSavior falls back to saved collider/footprint data and places terrain near the lowest reasonable support plane. The fallback is clamped to avoid extreme spikes.

Terrain Editing and Blueprints

ZoneSavior no longer provides terrain proxy prefabs or replays terrain operations. Use Infinity Hammer to edit and save the final terrain snapshot in a blueprint, and Expand World Data to place that blueprint as a location. InfinityHammerAddon is a separate client-side addon for Infinity Hammer's existing tools; it does not depend on ZoneSavior or create saved terrain proxy objects.

This is a breaking removal, without legacy aliases, replay support, or automatic world cleanup. Preserve an external backup of existing worlds and blueprints before upgrading. While the previous ZoneSavior version is still installed, capture the final terrain with Infinity Hammer and remove the old ZoneSavior proxy entries from replacement blueprints. ZoneSavior does not migrate or clean up old proxy data; the game itself may discard unknown-prefab ZDOs when those areas load.

ZoneSavior also no longer increases the game's terrain height limit. Previously saved changes beyond the game's normal limit can look different unless every relevant client uses a compatible separate height-limit mod. Saving a terrain snapshot does not remove that requirement.

Zone bundle SupportFill terrain restoration remains part of ZoneSavior and is independent of blueprint terrain snapshots.

Commands

zs_savezone

Save one source zone or a rectangular source range.

zs_savezone (x,z) tag
zs_savezone (x~x,z~z) tag

Examples:

zs_savezone (-21,-4) test_base
zs_savezone (-21~-20,-4) old_base

A manual save command accepts at most 1,024 zones. zs_savezone does not accept a target or vertical offset.

zs_loadzone

Load a saved tag.

zs_loadzone tag [to (x,z)] [offset=Y]
zs_loadzone tag restore
zs_loadzone tag source (x,z) [to (x,z)] [offset=Y]

Examples:

zs_loadzone auto_halla_c178 restore
zs_loadzone auto_halla_c178 to (-4,0)
zs_loadzone auto_halla_c178 source (-21,-4) to (10,3)
zs_loadzone test_base to (10,3) offset=2

Notes:

• Without source, ZoneSavior loads every bundle in the tag manifest and preserves the saved shape.
• source (x,z) loads only one saved source zone from the manifest.
• restore loads every saved bundle back to its original source zone.
• to (x,z) is the target anchor.
• If to (x,z) is omitted, ZoneSavior uses the local player's current zone.
• offset=Y adds a vertical offset after the support anchor is calculated.
• restore does not accept to (x,z) or an offset.

zs_scan

Run the inactive-player archive scanner manually.

zs_scan [steamID] [dry|save|reset]

Examples:

zs_scan dry
zs_scan save
zs_scan reset
zs_scan 76561198000000000 dry
zs_scan steam:76561198000000000 reset

Modes:

• dry: report candidates only.
• save: save matching archives but do not reset.
• reset: save matching archives and reset eligible source zones.

Without a Steam ID, inactive days, archive protection, minimum cluster size, and auto archive config apply. With a Steam ID, the scan is an admin override for that owner; mixed-owner zones are protected from targeted reset.

zs_status

Write a YAML report with recent auto archive runs.

zs_status

The console prints a short summary and the generated report path.

zs_debugzone

Write a YAML diagnostic report explaining one zone's auto archive eligibility.

zs_debugzone (x,z)

Example:

zs_debugzone (-7,12)

Reports are written under BepInEx/config/ZoneSavior/Diagnostics/.

Common Workflows

Test one save/load:

zs_savezone (-21,-4) test_base
zs_loadzone test_base to (10,3)

Dry-run inactive cleanup:

zs_scan dry
zs_status

Save inactive clusters without reset:

zs_scan save
zs_status

Save and reset inactive clusters:

zs_scan reset

Restore an archive elsewhere:

zs_loadzone auto_halla_c178 to (20,-3)

Restore an archive to its original zones:

zs_loadzone auto_halla_c178 restore

Github

https://github.com/sighsorry1029/ZoneSavior

Changelog

1.2.10

• New zone bundle saves record one valid bottom-contact height per piece and the deepest negative offset from the original base terrain. Relocation selects the most common 0.25m contact-height band, aligns its first contact with destination base terrain, then applies the saved negative offset. All loaded zones share one placement height; manual offsets remain additive.
• Preserved overlapping contact-height bands so stacked pieces do not hide the representative floor's first contact. Terrain support still uses the lowest contact in each cell and retains the existing +/-8m terrain limit.
• Kept existing version 3 bundles readable with their previous placement behavior when the new metadata is missing. Re-save live structures to use the new placement rule. Original-location restore keeps the saved coordinates.
• Extended the F8 zone outline with eight terrain-following, 64m corner extensions to make neighboring zone boundaries easier to estimate.
• Simplified archive merging and zone bundle command flow, reduced support-grace cleanup allocations, and avoided redundant zone HUD text updates.
• Added terrain-placement and serialization regression coverage, plus opt-in Debug deployment through DeployToGame=true with SHA-256 verification after DLL merging.

1.2.9

• Breaking: Removed all ZoneSavior terrain proxy tools and prefab registrations, with no legacy aliases, replay support, automatic conversion, or world cleanup. Back up existing worlds and replace proxy-based blueprints with final-terrain snapshots captured using Infinity Hammer before upgrading.
• Removed proxy ordering metadata, replay batches, executor assignment, terrain-commit RPCs, checkpoints, and proxy-specific Infinity Hammer, Expand World Data, TerrainMistile, and VeiledRecipes integration.
• Removed the terrain-tool config section and the global terrain height-limit extension. Existing terrain beyond the game's normal limit needs a compatible separate height-limit mod on every relevant client to retain its previous appearance.
• Terrain tool improvements are provided separately by the client-side InfinityHammerAddon, using Infinity Hammer's existing buttons instead of persistent proxy prefabs.
• Kept zone bundle SupportFill terrain restoration, archiving, and zone maintenance unchanged.

1.2.8

• Breaking: Terrain proxy data now requires the new ordered-replay format; proxies and blueprints saved by earlier ZoneSavior versions are intentionally not replayed. Re-place the proxies and re-save affected blueprints.
• Added deterministic terrain-proxy batches for direct placement, Infinity Hammer blueprint placement, and Expand World Data blueprint locations. Overlapping height, slope, and paint proxies are replayed in their original canonical application order after the complete batch is registered.
• Added a server-coordinated single-executor terrain controller for multiplayer and dedicated servers. It validates proxy and terrain manifests and revisions, commits canonical multi-zone _TerrainCompiler data with retry checkpoints, and prevents concurrent proxy resets or zone-bundle loads from racing the active batch.
• Reduced the initial visible placement delay by probing newly loaded replay terrain every frame during the first second, while retaining slower retries for terrain streaming and commit replication.
• Hardened Infinity Hammer and Expand World Data integration so failed or incomplete blueprint placement cannot partially replay ZoneSavior proxies; Expand World Data ghost locations remain deferred until a player streams their terrain.
• Terrain replay now rejects client-prepared results unless they exactly match the server-recomputed ZoneSavior proxy transition. Legacy or third-party terrain modifiers affecting the same heightmap can therefore make a batch fail closed.
• Terrain batches fail closed: if the assigned executor disconnects before completion, restart the server world session before retrying.

1.2.7

• Added an optional read-only admin RPC that resolves one creator player ID to its last known name from server activity data.
• Kept integrations soft through a versioned named RPC with no direct assembly dependency and no bulk activity-registry transfer.
• Bounded lookups to one ID per request and added server, admin, sender, world, payload, and rate-limit validation.

1.2.6

• Terrain Reset, Paint Proxy, and Paint Only Reset range outlines now follow the loaded terrain surface; Terrain Proxy retains its flat target-height outline.
• Reset preflight now detects known intersecting proxy ZDOs whose live objects are not loaded and aborts without changing terrain.
• Paint grid preview now falls back to the range outline while a required heightmap is still loading.

1.2.5

• Breaking: Removed the ZoneSaviorPaintReset prefab without a legacy alias; ZoneSaviorTerrainReset is now the single reset tool and defaults to resetting both terrain height and paint.
• Added a terrain-tool modifier-key toggle (Alt by default) for Paint Only Reset mode, including a current-mode tooltip, TopLeft notification, and exact affected-node grid preview.
• Reset mode returns to Terrain + Paint when the reset tool is deselected or the world is left.
• Reset now preflights loaded terrain coverage, known intersecting proxy footprints, and ownership before changing terrain or removing proxies, preventing partial mutation when a known requirement is unavailable.

1.2.4

• Added an exact affected-node grid preview and circular range outline for directly placed Paint Proxy tools, with an outline-only fallback for very large ranges.
• Fixed deferred placement ghosts and early location spawning so proxy ZDOs unregister safely and terrain application retries after heightmaps become ready.
• Fixed terrain-only proxy resets clearing unrelated terrain paint.

1.2.3

• Breaking: Previous manifest and bundle versions are no longer loaded or converted; every zones.yml rule now requires an explicit non-negative limit.
• Removed zones.yml version handling; the current schema is parsed directly and existing version fields are ignored.
• Added strict save/load/restore limits, complete preflight validation, and safer coroutine, RPC, and archive failure cleanup.
• Simplified auto-archive, terrain-tool, and bundle internals by removing redundant wrappers and co-locating code that changes together.

1.2.2

• Improved SupportFill contact capture with actual collider and mesh support points, preventing invalid lower overlaps from hiding valid terrain contacts.
• Moved the generic creature-removal tracker, status-effect teardown guard, and Character.OnDestroy repair to the standalone InteropFixes mod.
• Kept stale Character and HUD cleanup local to completed zone bundle loads.

1.2.1

• Added destructive-load preflight validation and generation-based atomic zone bundle commits.
• Made activity reloads fully validated and atomic.
• Reduced terrain witness payloads, repeated bundle scans, and stale recipe-index risk.

1.2.0

• Added strict zone bundle preflight validation, safe tag paths, and atomic activity/archive commits.
• Reduced terrain witness RPC payloads and hardened RPC sender/session handling.
• Simplified terrain and archive internals; older zone bundle files must be re-saved.

1.1.0

• Added runtime support grace for zones loaded with zs_loadzone, with Zone UI countdown display.
• Improved zone bundle restore stability for tamed animals and missing prefab entries.

1.0.10

• Allowed RCON and dedicated server zone loads/restores to use nearby ZoneSavior clients as terrain witnesses when the server has not loaded the target terrain.

1.0.9

• Removed admin terrain tool pieces from build tables when the player is not in the allowed admin/debug state.

1.0.8

• Added safer Expand World Data and TerrainMistile compatibility for ZoneSavior terrain proxies.
• Cleaned watcher reload handling, terrain reset placement, and zone bundle capture/load internals.

1.0.7

• Kept admin terrain proxy prefabs alive across scene/world reloads.
• Sanitized dead piece table references before recipe refreshes to prevent Jotunn/Unity null-reference errors.

1.0.6

• Added a safe text-input visibility fallback so the zone boundary overlay no longer logs repeated errors when another mod patches TextInput.IsVisible before its UI is ready.

1.0.5

• Fixed admin terrain tools on dedicated servers with ServerDevcommands.
• Reduced optional Infinity Hammer and WorldEditCommands compatibility noise.
• Registered terrain tool pieces with VeiledRecipes when available.

1.0.4

• Cleaned release packaging and synced package version from the DLL assembly version.

1.0.3

• Added terrain proxies that can be saved in blueprints.
• Refactored internals and cleaned up configuration.

1.0.2

• Fixed zs_loadarchive not working on dedicated servers.

1.0.1

• Fixed ZoneSavior commands not working for admins on dedicated servers.

1.0.0

• Initial release.