Survival Mode

Beginning a new game puts the player in Sandbox Mode

Sandbox Mode is the game mode in which players begin their world. Prior to starting a new game, the player has the option to customize their world and may set things such as the frequency of Hound attacks or the occurrence of seasons. When a new world is started, the player is set in a randomly-generated world and is told by Maxwell to find some food before night comes.

In order to enter Adventure Mode, the player must find Maxwell's Door, which is located somewhere in the world, though usually quite far from where the player first spawned.

Sandbox (Custom)

There are a total of 47 customization options available when creating a new world. These customization options serve to allow the player to tweak a world to their liking. If a player goes through the Teleportato to create a new world, any changes to the customization are kept. Note that setting many of the options that concern spawn rates to anything above the "default" value will cause those resources to spawn outside of their native biomes. Examples include Reeds and Beefalo. The options are shown below (in the order they appear in the World Settings screen):

Type	Icon	Content
World Size	File:WorldSize.png	Determines the size of the world. This does not appear to increase the number of biomes. It just makes the individual biomes larger. Available options are default, medium, large, and huge.
Land Branching	File:LandBranch.png	Determines the degree to which the land will branch off and be connected by bridging pieces. Available options are least, default and most.
Land Looping	File:LandLoop.png	Determines the degree to which the Roads will tend to lead you in circles, in addition to determining the degree to which the land will curve. Available options are none, default and always.
Length of Seasons	File:Seasons.png	Determines the length of Summer and Winter. Available options are only Summer, only Winter, default, long Summer, long Winter, long both and short both.
Starting Season	File:SeasonStart.png	Determines the starting season. Available options are Summer and Winter. In Don't Starve Reign of Giants (RoG) it is also possible to choose between Spring and Autumn, in which Spring is the season that leads to Summer, and Autumn is the season in which leads to Winter.
Length of Day	File:DayNightCycle.png	Determines the length and/or presence/absence of Day, Dusk, and Night. Available options are only Day, only Dusk, only Night, default, long Day, long Dusk and long Night.
Weather	File:Weather.png	Determines the frequency of weather events. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Lightning	File:Lightning.png	Determines the frequency of lightning strikes. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Sinkholes	File:SinkholesIcon.png	Determines whether Sinkholes are generated. Available options are yes or no.
Touch Stones	File:PigHead.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Touchstones. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Boons	File:Skeletons.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Set Pieces. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Flowers	File:Flowers.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Flowers. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Grass	File:Grass.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Grass Tufts. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Saplings	File:SaplingIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Saplings. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Spiky Bushes	File:SpikyBushes.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Spiky Bushes. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Reeds	File:ReedsIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Reeds. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Trees	File:Tree.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Trees. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Flint	File:FlintIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Flint found on the ground. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Rocks	File:RocksIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Rocks. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Boulders	File:Boulders.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Boulders. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Berry Bushes	File:BerryBush.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Berry Bushes. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Carrots	File:CarrotIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Carrots. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Mushrooms	File:MushroomsIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Mushrooms. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Mandrakes	File:MandrakeIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Mandrakes. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Rabbits	File:RabbitIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Rabbit Holes. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Butterflies	File:Butterflies.png	Determines the population of Butterflies that naturally spawn from Flowers. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Birds	File:Birds.png	Determines the population of Birds that naturally spawn and the frequency with which they appear on screen. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Gobblers	File:GobblerIcon.png	Determines the frequency of spawning Gobblers. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Pigs	File:PigIcon.png	Determines the population of Pig Houses. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Beefalo	File:BeefaloIcon.png	Determines the population of Beefalo. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Beefalo in Heat	File:BeefaloHeat.png	Determines the frequency at which Beefalo will go into heat. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Suspicious Dirt Pile	File:KoalefantTracks.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning animal tracks. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Pengulls	File:Pengulls.png	Determines the population of Pengulls that naturally spawn. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Ponds	File:PondIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Ponds. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Beehives	File:BeehiveIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Beehives. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Killer Beehives	File:KillerBeehives.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Killer Beehives. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Tallbirds	File:TallbirdIcon.png	Determines the population of Tallbird Nests. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Spiders	File:Spiders.png	Determines the number of naturally spawning Spider Dens and free roaming Spiders. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Hounds	File:HoundIcon.png	Determines the frequency of Hound attacks. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Merms	File:Merms.png	Determines the number of naturally spawning Rundown Houses and Merms. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Tentacles	File:TentacleIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Tentacles. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Clockwork Mobs	File:ClockworkMobs.png	Determines the number of naturally spawning Clockwork Mobs. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Lure Plants/ Meatbulbs	File:LurePlants.png	Determines the number and frequency of naturally spawning Lureplants. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
MacTusks	File:MacTusks.png	Determines the number of naturally spawning Walrus Camps. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Treeguards	File:TreeguardIcon.png	Determines the spawn rate of Treeguards. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Krampus	File:KrampusIcon.png	Determines the spawn rate of Krampus. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Deerclops	File:DeerclopsIcon.png	Determines the spawn rate of Deerclops. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.

Additional information concerning specific consequences of the customization options:

• A long season lasts ~50 days.
• A short season lasts ~10 days.
• A long day is 14 daylight hours, 1 dusk hour and 1 night hour of the clock.
• A long dusk is 7 daylight hours, 6 dusk hours and 3 night hours of the clock.
• A long night is 5 daylight hours, 2 dusk hours and 9 night hours of the clock.
• Resources, animals, and foods set to lots will spawn in every biome, with the exception of plants in Rockyland.
• Rain set to lots is infinite.
• When Lightning is set to lots, lightning will strike every 12–30 seconds.
• More information on the frequency of Hound attacks can be found here.

Land structure with the Loop option set to "always"

Land structure with the Branching option set to "lots"

Presets

Type	Content
Default	Default settings of the game.
Default Plus	At the start of the game, it spawns you with food and many useful items to quickly establish a base. However, resources around the map are scarcer and monsters are more numerous. Boons are also more common than in Default.
Lights Out	Default settings of the game with a twist. Night is infinite, thus making survival much more difficult, spawns you with minimal supplies beside a Campfire.

Default Plus will spawn three Chests around the player, containing the following items:

1. Food Chest
   • 8 Meat
   • 8 Berries
   • 10 Seeds
   • 2 Carrots
   • 2 Pumpkins
   • 2 Dragon Fruit
   • 2 Eggplant
   • 1 Tallbird Egg
2. Item Chest
   • 30 Cut Grass
   • 20 Logs
   • 10 Flint
   • 30 Twigs
   • 20 Rocks
   • 10 Gold Nuggets
   • 2 Gunpowder
   • 6 Silk
3. Tool Chest
   • 1 Axe (100% durability)
   • 1 Spear (100% durability)
   • 1 Shovel (100% durability)
   • 1 Hammer (100% durability)
   • 1 Pickaxe (100% durability)
   • 1 Backpack Blueprint
   • 1 Straw Roll Blueprint
   • 1 Divining Rod Blueprint
   • 1 Gunpowder Blueprint

Lights Out will spawn a Campfire next to the player and a single Chest containing:

• 6 Cut Grass
• 3 Flint
• 6 Twigs
• 3 Logs
• 1 Gold Nugget
• 1 Axe (100% durability)

Reign of Giants

In the Reign of Giants DLC, in addition to some options in the vanilla game there are 17 more for a total of 64 customization options. The additional options are listed below in the order they appear in the World Settings screen.

Type	Icon	Content
Length of Autumn	File:Autumn.png	Determines the length of the Autumn season. Available options are none, very short, short, default, long, very long and random.
Length of Winter	File:Winter.png	Determines the length of the Winter season. Available options are none, very short, short, default, long, very long and random.
Length of Spring	File:Spring.png	Determines the length of the Spring season. Available options are none, very short, short, default, long, very long and random.
Length of Summer	File:Summer.png	Determines the length of the Summer season. Available options are none, very short, short, default, long, very long and random.
Frog Rain	File:FrogRain.png	Determines the frequency of Frog Rain. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Smoldering/ Wilting	File:Smoldering.png	Determines the rate at which objects start smoldering and/or the rate at which crops wilt. Available options are none, less, default. more and lots.
Tumbleweeds	File:Tumbleweeds.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Tumbleweeds. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Mini Glacier	File:MiniGlaciers.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Mini Glaciers. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Cacti	File:Cacti.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Cacti. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Moleworm	File:MolewormsIcon.png	Determines the population of Burrows and/or the amount of Moleworms spawning. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Buzzards	File:Buzzards.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Buzzards. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Catcoon	File:Catcoons.png	Determines the population of Hollow Stumps and the amount of lives Catcoons have. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Volt Goat	File:VoltGoats.png	Determines the population of Volt Goats, possibly affecting their breeding. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Vargs	File:Vargs.png	Determines the likelihood of a Varg being tracked down instead of a Koalefant when following animal tracks. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Hound Mound	File:HoundMounds.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Hound Mounds. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Poison Birchnut Tree	File:PoisonBirchnutTrees.png	Determines the rate at which Birchnut Trees become angered. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Bearger	File:BeargerIcon.png	Determines the spawn rate of Bearger. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Moose/Goose	File:MooseGoose.png	Determines the spawn rate of Geese. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Dragonfly	File:DragonflyIcon.png	Determines the spawn rate of Dragonfly. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.

• Autumn and Spring last 20 days in default, 12 in short, 5 in very short, 30 in long and 50 in very long.
• Winter and Summer last 15 days in default, 10 in short, 5 in very short, 22 in long and 40 in very long.
• Giants set to less will have a 33% chance to spawn, while the default is 67%, more is 100%, and lots allows them to spawn in any season.

Shipwrecked

The Shipwrecked DLC replaces most of the original options, as the Shipwrecked world is separated from the base game world. The 70 available options for Shipwrecked worlds are listed below (in the order they appear in the World Settings screen):

Type	Icon	Content
World Size	File:WorldSize.png	Determines the size of the world. This does not appear to increase the number of biomes. It just makes the individual biomes larger. Available options are default, medium, large, and huge.
Length of Mild Season	File:MildIcon.png	Determines the length of the Mild Season. Available options are none, very short, short, default, long, very long and random.
Length of Hurricane Season	File:HurricaneIcon.png	Determines the length of the Hurricane Season. Available options are none, very short, short, default, long, very long and random.
Length of Monsoon	File:MonsoonIcon.png	Determines the length of the Monsoon Season. Available options are none, very short, short, default, long, very long and random.
Length of Dry Season	File:DryIcon.png	Determines the length of the Dry Season. Available options are none, very short, short, default, long, very long and random.
Starting Season	File:SeasonStart.png	Determines the starting season. Available options are mild, hurricane, monsoon, dry and random.
Length of Day	File:DayNightCycle.png	Determines the length and/or presence/absence of Day, Dusk, and Night. Available options are default, long Day, long Dusk, long Night, no Day, no Dusk, no Night, only Day, only Dusk and only Night.
Weather	File:Weather.png	Determines the frequency of weather events. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Lightning	File:Lightning.png	Determines the frequency of lightning strikes. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Touch Stones	File:WildboreHeadIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Touchstones. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Boons	File:Skeletons.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Set Pieces. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Volcano	File:VolcanoIcon.png	Determines the presence/absence of the Volcano. Available options are yes and no.
Dragoon Egg	File:DragoonEggIcon.png	Determines the frequency of volcanic eruptions. Available options are none, less, default. more and lots.
Tides	File:TidesIcon.png	Determines the presence/absence of tides influenced by the Moon Cycle. Available options are yes and no.
Floods	File:FloodsIcon.png	Determines the frequency of floods. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Waves	File:WavesIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Waves. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Poison	File:PoisonIcon.png	Determines the presence/absence of Poison. Available options are yes and no.
Flowers	File:Flowers.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Flowers. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Grass	File:Grass.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Grass Tufts. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Saplings	File:SaplingIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Saplings. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Reeds	File:ReedsIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Reeds. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Trees	File:PalmTreeIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Trees. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Flint	File:FlintIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Flint found on the ground. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Boulders	File:Boulders.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Boulders. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Shoals	File:ShoalIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Shoals. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Seashells	File:SeashellIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Seashells. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Viney Bushes	File:VineyBushIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Viney Bushes. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Seaweed	File:SeaweedIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Seaweed. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Sandy Piles	File:SandyPileIcon.png	Determines the amount of natuarlly spawning Sandy Piles. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Crates	File:CrateIcon.png	Determines the amount of natuarlly spawning Crates. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Bioluminescence	File:BioluminescenceIcon.png	Determines the amount of natuarlly spawning Bioluminescence. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Coral Reefs	File:CoralReefIcon.png	Determines the amount of natuarlly spawning Coral Reefs. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Brainy Sprouts	File:BrainySproutIcon.png	Determines the amount of natuarlly spawning Brainy Sprouts. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Bamboo Patches	File:BambooPatchIcon.png	Determines the amount of natuarlly spawning Bamboo Patches. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Tidal Pools	File:TidalPoolIcon.png	Determines the amount of natuarlly spawning Tidal Pools. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Poisonous Holes	File:PoisonousHoleIcon.png	Determines the amount of natuarlly spawning Poisonous Holes. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Berry Bushes	File:LeafyBerryBushIcon.png	Determines the amount of natuarlly spawning Berry Bushes. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Sweet Potatoes	File:SweetPotatoIcon.png	Determines the amount of natuarlly spawning Sweet Potatoes. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Mushrooms	File:MushroomsIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Mushrooms. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Limpets	File:LimpetRockIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Limpet Rocks. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Mussels	File:MusselIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Mussel Beds. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Butterflies	File:TropicalButterfliesIcon.png	Determines the population of Butterflies that naturally spawn from Flowers. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Birds	File:TropicalBirdsIcon.png	Determines the population of Birds that naturally spawn and the frequency with which they appear on screen. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Wildbores	File:WildboreIcon.png	Determines the population of Wildbore Houses. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Beehives	File:BeehiveIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Beehives. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Killer Beehives	File:KillerBeehives.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Killer Beehives. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Tallbirds	File:TallbirdIcon.png	Determines the population of Tallbird Nests. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Whaling	File:WhalingIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Suspicious Bubbles. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Crabbits	File:CrabbitIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Crabbit Dens. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Water Beefalos	File:WaterBeefaloIcon.png	Determines the population of Water Beefalos. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Dogfishes	File:DogfishIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Dogfishes. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Doydoys	File:DoydoyIcon.png	Determines the presence/absence of Doydoys. Available options are yes and no.
Jellyfishes	File:JellyfishIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Jellyfishes. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Wobsters	File:WobsterIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Wobster Dens. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Seagulls	File:SeagullIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Seagulls. This option only affects seagulls that are present in the ocean during all seasons. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Bottlenose Ballphins	File:BottlenoseBallphinIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Bottlenose Ballphins. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Prime Apes	File:PrimeApeIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Prime Ape Huts. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Spiders	File:Spiders.png	Determines the number of naturally spawning Spider Dens and free roaming Spiders. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Hounds	File:SeaHoundIcon.png	Determines the frequency of Hound and Sea Hound attacks. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Merms	File:TropicalMermIcon.png	Determines the number of naturally spawning Merm Huts and Merms. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Meat Bulbs	File:LurePlants.png	Determines the number and frequency of naturally spawning Lureplants. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Palm Treeguards	File:PalmTreeguardIcon.png	Determines the spawn rate of Palm Treeguards. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Krampus	File:KrampusIcon.png	Determines the spawn rate of Krampus. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Sealnado	File:SealnadoIcon.png	Determines the spawn rate of Sealnado. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Tiger Shark	File:TigerSharkIcon.png	Determines the spawn rate of Tiger Shark. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Quacken	File:QuackenIcon.png	Determines the spawn rate of Quacken. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Flups	File:FlupIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Flups. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Poison Mosquitoes	File:PoisonMosquitoIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Poison Mosquitoes. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Swordfishes	File:SwordfishIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Swordfishes. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.
Stink Rays	File:StinkRayIcon.png	Determines the amount of naturally spawning Stink Rays. Available options are none, less, default, more and lots.

• Although they also appear in Shipwrecked worlds, there are no customization options for Rocks and Mandrakes.
• The game files also include icons for customization options for Electric Isosceles, Floaty Boaty Knights, Dragoons and Obsidian.

Gallery

Appearance of the Map with the Grass and Rocks settings set to "Lots".

Appearance of the world with the Berry Bushes and Carrots settings set to "Lots".

The customization interface. It is at the default setting.

Starting a world in the "Lights Out" (permanent night) preset.

Woodie in a world with all settings set to "Lots".

Trivia

• Although they are valid monsters in-game, the customization interface does not allow the player to tweak the appearance of Mosquitoes.  
• Setting objects to "None", will not prevent them from spawning in Set Pieces, such as trees around Maxwell's Door.

Bugs

• If your character spawns near monsters after world generation, they can attack you before Maxwell finishes his intro speech. (Verified with Tallbirds.) Clicking will allow you to skip Maxwell's speech and react accordingly.