BuildingRestrictor
BuildingRestrictor is a powerful zone management plugin designed to protect critical Points of Interest (POIs) on your ARK: Survival Ascended servers. Block building in spawn areas, terminals, resource nodes, and more — or create your own custom restricted zones anywhere on the map. One config file runs your entire cluster.
Key Features
- 12+ Built-in POI Types: Automatically protects spawn points, tribute terminals, city terminals, supply drops, element veins, orbital drops, explorer notes (x2 and x4), oil nodes, gas nodes, charge stations, plant species Z, and beaver spawns.
Custom Zones via Console: Create unlimited restricted areas in-game with cheat BR.AddPoint <Name> <Range>— no hand-editing JSON required. Remove them just as easily withcheat BR.RemovePoint <Name>.
Per-Map Overrides: Manage one config file across your entire cluster. Override any parameter for any specific map without duplicating or copying configs between servers.
Flexible Blocking Modes: Choose BlockAllfor complete protection orBlockOnlyBlackListedto block specific structures while allowing everything else.
Per-Zone Messaging: Custom notification text, chat messages, and RGBA colors for every restricted area. Players always know exactly why they can't build.
Visual Sphere Indicator: Blocked players see the exact restricted zone boundary in real-time. (Requires ArkApiUtils mod)
Live Config Reload: Update settings instantly without server restarts using BR.Reload(RCON) orcheat BRReloadConfig(console).
Configuration Example (config.json)
JSON:
{
"OverrideConfigPath": "",
"General": {
"EnablePOILogsOnStartup": true,
"ShowSphereWhenBlocked": true,
"ChatSenderName": "BuildingRestrictor"
},
"SpawnPoints": {
"Enabled": true,
"IgnoreAdmins": true,
"BlockMode": "BlockAll",
"RangeInFoundations": 10,
"IgnorePlayersWithPermissions": [ "VIP" ],
"StructuresWhiteList": [],
"StructuresBlackList": [ "PrimalItemStructure_TekFloor_C" ],
"Messages": {
"SendNotification": true,
"SendChatMessage": true,
"NotificationText": "You cannot build near spawn points!",
"ChatMessageText": "You cannot build near spawn points!",
"NotificationColor": { "R": 0.0, "G": 1.0, "B": 0.0, "A": 1.0 }
}
},
"TributeTerminals": {
"Enabled": true,
"IgnoreAdmins": true,
"BlockMode": "BlockAll",
"RangeInFoundations": 5,
"IgnorePlayersWithPermissions": [ "VIP" ],
"StructuresWhiteList": [],
"StructuresBlackList": [ "PrimalItemStructure_TekFloor_C" ],
"Messages": {
"SendNotification": true,
"SendChatMessage": true,
"NotificationText": "You cannot build near tribute terminals!",
"ChatMessageText": "You cannot build near tribute terminals!",
"NotificationColor": { "R": 0.0, "G": 1.0, "B": 0.0, "A": 1.0 }
}
},
"CityTerminals": {
"Enabled": true,
"IgnoreAdmins": true,
"BlockMode": "BlockAll",
"RangeInFoundations": 50,
"IgnorePlayersWithPermissions": [ "VIP" ],
"StructuresWhiteList": [],
"StructuresBlackList": [ "PrimalItemStructure_TekFloor_C" ],
"Messages": {
"SendNotification": true,
"SendChatMessage": true,
"NotificationText": "You cannot build near city terminals!",
"ChatMessageText": "You cannot build near city terminals!",
"NotificationColor": { "R": 0.0, "G": 1.0, "B": 0.0, "A": 1.0 }
}
},
"SupplyDrops": {
"Enabled": true,
"IgnoreAdmins": true,
"BlockMode": "BlockAll",
"RangeInFoundations": 15,
"IgnorePlayersWithPermissions": [ "VIP" ],
"StructuresWhiteList": [],
"StructuresBlackList": [ "PrimalItemStructure_TekFloor_C" ],
"Messages": {
"SendNotification": true,
"SendChatMessage": true,
"NotificationText": "You cannot build near supply drops!",
"ChatMessageText": "You cannot build near supply drops!",
"NotificationColor": { "R": 0.0, "G": 1.0, "B": 0.0, "A": 1.0 }
}
},
"ElementVeins": {
"Enabled": true,
"IgnoreAdmins": true,
"BlockMode": "BlockAll",
"RangeInFoundations": 75,
"IgnorePlayersWithPermissions": [ "VIP" ],
"StructuresWhiteList": [],
"StructuresBlackList": [],
"Messages": {
"SendNotification": true,
"SendChatMessage": true,
"NotificationText": "You cannot build near element veins!",
"ChatMessageText": "You cannot build near element veins!",
"NotificationColor": { "R": 1.0, "G": 0.0, "B": 0.0, "A": 1.0 }
}
},
"OrbitalDrops": {
"Enabled": true,
"IgnoreAdmins": true,
"BlockMode": "BlockAll",
"RangeInFoundations": 100,
"IgnorePlayersWithPermissions": [ "VIP" ],
"StructuresWhiteList": [],
"StructuresBlackList": [],
"Messages": {
"SendNotification": true,
"SendChatMessage": true,
"NotificationText": "You cannot build near orbital drops!",
"ChatMessageText": "You cannot build near orbital drops!",
"NotificationColor": { "R": 1.0, "G": 0.0, "B": 0.0, "A": 1.0 }
}
},
"ExplorerNotes_x2": {
"Enabled": true,
"IgnoreAdmins": true,
"BlockMode": "BlockAll",
"RangeInFoundations": 6,
"IgnorePlayersWithPermissions": [ "VIP" ],
"StructuresWhiteList": [],
"StructuresBlackList": [],
"Messages": {
"SendNotification": true,
"SendChatMessage": true,
"NotificationText": "You cannot build near explorer notes!",
"ChatMessageText": "You cannot build near explorer notes!",
"NotificationColor": { "R": 1.0, "G": 0.0, "B": 0.0, "A": 1.0 }
}
},
"ExplorerNotes_x4": {
"Enabled": true,
"IgnoreAdmins": true,
"BlockMode": "BlockAll",
"RangeInFoundations": 2,
"IgnorePlayersWithPermissions": [ "VIP" ],
"StructuresWhiteList": [],
"StructuresBlackList": [],
"Messages": {
"SendNotification": true,
"SendChatMessage": true,
"NotificationText": "You cannot build near explorer notes!",
"ChatMessageText": "You cannot build near explorer notes!",
"NotificationColor": { "R": 1.0, "G": 0.0, "B": 0.0, "A": 1.0 }
}
},
"OilNodes": {
"Enabled": true,
"IgnoreAdmins": true,
"BlockMode": "BlockAll",
"RangeInFoundations": 20,
"IgnorePlayersWithPermissions": [ "VIP" ],
"StructuresWhiteList": [],
"StructuresBlackList": [],
"Messages": {
"SendNotification": true,
"SendChatMessage": true,
"NotificationText": "You cannot build near oil nodes!",
"ChatMessageText": "You cannot build near oil nodes!",
"NotificationColor": { "R": 1.0, "G": 0.0, "B": 0.0, "A": 1.0 }
}
},
"GasNodes": {
"Enabled": true,
"IgnoreAdmins": true,
"BlockMode": "BlockAll",
"RangeInFoundations": 10,
"IgnorePlayersWithPermissions": [ "VIP" ],
"StructuresWhiteList": [],
"StructuresBlackList": [],
"Messages": {
"SendNotification": true,
"SendChatMessage": true,
"NotificationText": "You cannot build near gas nodes!",
"ChatMessageText": "You cannot build near gas nodes!",
"NotificationColor": { "R": 1.0, "G": 0.0, "B": 0.0, "A": 1.0 }
}
},
"ChargeStations": {
"Enabled": true,
"IgnoreAdmins": true,
"BlockMode": "BlockAll",
"RangeInFoundations": 20,
"IgnorePlayersWithPermissions": [ "VIP" ],
"StructuresWhiteList": [],
"StructuresBlackList": [],
"Messages": {
"SendNotification": true,
"SendChatMessage": true,
"NotificationText": "You cannot build near charge stations!",
"ChatMessageText": "You cannot build near charge stations!",
"NotificationColor": { "R": 1.0, "G": 0.0, "B": 0.0, "A": 1.0 }
}
},
"PlantSpeciesZ": {
"Enabled": true,
"IgnoreAdmins": true,
"BlockMode": "BlockAll",
"RangeInFoundations": 10,
"IgnorePlayersWithPermissions": [ "VIP" ],
"StructuresWhiteList": [],
"StructuresBlackList": [],
"Messages": {
"SendNotification": true,
"SendChatMessage": true,
"NotificationText": "You cannot build near Plant Species Z!",
"ChatMessageText": "You cannot build near Plant Species Z!",
"NotificationColor": { "R": 1.0, "G": 0.0, "B": 0.0, "A": 1.0 }
}
},
"BeaverSpawns": {
"Enabled": true,
"IgnoreAdmins": true,
"BlockMode": "BlockAll",
"IgnorePlayersWithPermissions": [ "VIP" ],
"StructuresWhiteList": [],
"StructuresBlackList": [ "PrimalItemStructure_TekFloor_C" ],
"Messages": {
"SendNotification": true,
"SendChatMessage": true,
"NotificationText": "You cannot build near beaver spawns!",
"ChatMessageText": "You cannot build near beaver spawns!",
"NotificationColor": { "R": 1.0, "G": 0.0, "B": 0.0, "A": 1.0 }
}
},
"CustomLocations": {
"TheIsland": [
{
"Name": "Example Point",
"Location": "0 0 0",
"IgnoreAdmins": true,
"BlockMode": "BlockAll",
"RangeInFoundations": 20,
"IgnorePlayersWithPermissions": [ "VIP" ],
"StructuresWhiteList": [],
"StructuresBlackList": [],
"Messages": {
"SendNotification": true,
"SendChatMessage": true,
"NotificationText": "You cannot build in this restricted area!",
"ChatMessageText": "You cannot build in this restricted area!",
"NotificationColor": { "R": 1.0, "G": 0.0, "B": 0.0, "A": 1.0 }
}
}
]
},
"PerMapOverrideSettings": {
"Extinction": {
"SpawnPoints": {
"RangeInFoundations": 5
}
}
}
}
Parameter Breakdown
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| OverrideConfigPath | Path to an external config file. Useful for sharing one config across multiple servers. |
| EnablePOILogsOnStartup | Logs all detected POIs to console on startup. Helps verify protection is active where expected. |
| ShowSphereWhenBlocked | Displays a visual sphere showing the exact restricted zone boundary to blocked players. Requires the ArkApiUtils mod. |
| ChatSenderName | The name displayed as sender for chat messages sent by the plugin. |
| Enabled | Enables or disables protection for this POI type. |
| IgnoreAdmins | If true, admins can build freely in this zone. |
| BlockMode | BlockAll — blocks all structures (whitelist still applies). BlockOnlyBlackListed — blocks only structures listed in StructuresBlackList, allowing everything else by default. |
| RangeInFoundations | Protection radius measured in foundations. |
| IgnorePlayersWithPermissions | Permission groups that can build here freely. Leave empty [] to require no special permissions. |
| StructuresWhiteList | Blueprint paths always allowed regardless of BlockMode. Empty [] means nothing is whitelisted. |
| StructuresBlackList | Blueprint paths blocked when BlockMode is BlockOnlyBlackListed. Ignored when BlockMode is BlockAll. |
| SendNotification | Toggle screen notification (top-left popup). |
| SendChatMessage | Toggle chat message to the player. |
| NotificationText / ChatMessageText | Custom messages shown to blocked players. |
| NotificationColor | RGBA color values (0.0 to 1.0) for screen notifications. |
Custom Locations
Create your own restricted zones anywhere on the map. Each point requires a unique Name, Location (X Y Z coordinates from the ccc command), and RangeInFoundations. All other parameters are optional and inherit defaults.
Map name resolution follows this priority:
1.
-MapNameForRio=CustomName (command line argument)2.
-serverkey=CustomName (command line argument)3. Original map name (e.g. TheIsland_WP, Extinction_WP)
Use the resolved map name as the key in both CustomLocations and PerMapOverrideSettings.
Per-Map Overrides
Override any parameter for a specific map without creating separate configs. Section names and structure must exactly match the global config. Only include parameters you want to change — everything else inherits from global settings. CustomLocations cannot be overridden here.
Commands
BR.Reload — RCON command to reload configuration
cheat BRReloadConfig — Console command to reload configuration
cheat BR.AddPoint <PointName> <RangeInFoundations> — Add a custom restricted point at your current location. Range is optional, defaults to 20.
cheat BR.RemovePoint <PointName> — Remove a custom point by name.
