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  • Community Crunch 255: Behind the LiveOps Curtain and More!

    Behind The LiveOps Curtain

    Hey Survivors, we thought it might be a good time for a little Live Operations Dev Blog of sorts. We’ve been very busy behind the scenes and sometimes during that hive of activity, we may forget that our players enjoy details outside of “We’re busy with X, more info soon” etc. So let’s give you more of a glimpse behind the LiveOps curtain.

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    LiveOps

    LiveOps has been er...hectic of late. Let’s get straight to it.

    Transfer Issues: We encountered some serious problems on our networking side that led to some players losing items and/or characters. We initially implemented a quick fix in order to address it as quickly as possible, then pivoted to working on a more long-term upgrade to make our system more robust.

    We don’t find what occurred acceptable in the slightest and have some of our engineers focused on working alongside our host to upgrade the system and prevent these issues from occurring in the future. These specific problems were something we hadn’t encountered with the system in the past (even though the symptoms may appear similar to some of our players).

    Anything resulting in data loss for our players is of critical importance to us and we apologise to those affected.

    Meshing: Meshing is still a focus for the team - we’re constantly working on patching out methods and holes as we learn of them. We saw an uptick in meshing incidents on Playstation recently. In general, we’ve made significant strides in reducing meshing and, overall, incidents are way down in comparison to a year ago. That said, in a sandbox game, people always find new methods.

    Some of our solutions to further counter meshing include:

    • Zipline patch. Players can no longer jump on a zipline to get through a small hole.
    • Implemented an automated system that will now try to detect projectiles, so when players are firing rockets, ziplines etc inside the mesh they will get destroyed before they’re able to make an impact. Unfortunately this system can’t hit every location but we’re happy to have made some impact in this regard.
    • World Borders: Soon, we will be updating world barriers on all maps so that anything outside of a world border will be destroyed. Boom. This is live on The Island on PC and there were some edge-case issues with it being oversensitive but that’s now been fixed and we’ll be rolling out to other platforms soon.


    We consider our continued approach to meshing to be three pronged:

    • Better detection to prevent it in the first place
    • Destroying what has slipped through the cracks
    • Identifying specific areas that can be exploited and patching them.


    We’ll share more on the world border changes when that goes live. 

     

    Enforcement

    Some of you don’t feel your reports lead to action so we want to share more info about the action taken against players who cheat or otherwise break our Code Of Conduct. We are working on some solutions for better visibility for those affected by cheaters into punishments and actions taken against players that are consistently ruining the game via third party software etc. We hope to roll those out in the near future.


    Performance and Stability

    Client and server performance was a focus through 2020.

    That said, over the years, we’ve learned to stop counting dodos before they hatch in regards to how noticeable performance improvements are. But now that we can see the combined impact of a year's changes, we can confirm some tangible improvements when comparing performance at the start of 2020 to performance today.

    Servers

    Transfer system:

    • We completely moved to an in-network solution
    • Now have more control over what can go in and out of the system on a network level
    • This system is faster, more reliable, and more cost effective

    (though it still needs some work to get it where it needs to be! ;))

    DDoS protection:

    • We added additional hardware and software solutions to our already existent DDoS solution through Nitrado
    • Incoming traffic can be more finely tuned on the packet level rather than at a higher more general level than prior



    Performance in-game

    Structure placing and demolition performance update.

    The most significant boost to performance in-game that we implemented on our Official Network last November is the structure placing/demo update.

    Eliminated server calculation in relation to placing structures:

    Previously the server had to do some massive calculations involving checking all snapped structures to the structure being replaced to verify structural integrity. That calculation has now been eliminated as it is a replacement rather than the placement of a new structure in a new area. This is most noticeable on busy servers with large save files.

    Optimised server calculation for demolishing structures:

    The demolish change was a reduction on how much is actually being calculated. It’s less complex in the way in which the server checks these things now so demolishing things will be less intensive aka “cheaper”on the server’s performance thereby reducing lag, stalls and/or server frame drops when demolishing.

    We're not taking these gains as cause to stop iterating, though. There's still room to improve, so we’ll keep pushing those out throughout 2021 too.

     

    Community feedback/connection

    In some ways, when we update the game, we’re really updating something that’s no longer ours. It’s yours; it’s a creature, mechanic or DLC that millions of players may have grown to love, and we want to make sure we do good by you all first and foremost.

    This is a reason why we released an Official Discord, so we can get more feedback from players on the direction we’re headed. Thanks to a breadth of functionality, lots of our players have embraced the ARK Discord as a semi-public community platform. We find observing our player's thoughts and chatter, along with sometimes interacting with you in a “live” medium useful and enjoyable. This along with the more traditional forums and various feedback channels helps us to stay connected to the community.


    If you’ve made it this far, thank you for sticking your head behind the curtain with us. Do let us know if you find write ups like this interesting.


    Studio Wildcard
     


    EVO Event

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    Survivors on all platforms will be receiving a special Evolution Event perk! It will be active until Thursday the 25th of February. All Official Servers across each platform will be undergoing this evolutionary change which includes:

    • 2X XP

     


    Community Corner

    🎥 Clips/Videos 🎥

    🎥Creator: sotfleague

    This week was the first monthly tournament for the player-run SoTF league with a prize pool. Icebox came through with first place in the duos.  This early game bow fight leads to a priceless reaction from the announcer.

    🎥Creator: Syntac

    Check out the latest Love Evolved update with Syntac!

    🎥Creator: Alexby11

    You have to answer when nature calls 💩 #ARKADIA

    🎥Creator: AaronLongstaff1

    Take a look at Aaron's stream of a Japanese-styled temple. He's building on Crystal isles, a perfect backdrop for this awesome build!

    🎥Creator: Feederi XD

    Throwback Clip: Fifi and tek jump pads go brrrrt

     

    🎨 Fan Art 🎨

    🎨 Sonne-Spiritwind - ARK: Coelophysis

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    🎨 SlappyShotte - Com|Aberration

    deefnle-67bfaef8-5676-4587-90eb-336b8243d204.jpg

    🎨sis_6193 - Let's go home early

    EtWkk7ZU0AE9uxS.jpg

    🎨TekARK3 - Locke Terranova

    EunKOPKXEAARbG-.jpg

    🎨 Slither06#9236 - Otter (Discord)

    otter.jpg

     

    📸 In-Game Screenshots 📸

     

    📸 @mocco1218ga 

    Euaft9WVcAAeW5w.jpg

    📸 Sandi#9998

    sandi.jpg

    📸 Tinner The Big Red Dovah#2333

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    📸 Vattghornn#9974

    Screenshot_599.jpg

     

    Enjoy your weekend!
    Studio Wildcard

    Twitter: twitter.com/survivetheark
    Discord: discord.com/invite/playark
    Reddit: reddit.com/r/playark
    Instagram: instagram.com/survivetheark
    Twitch: twitch.tv/survivetheark
    Steam: steamcommunity.com/app/346110
    Youtube: youtube.com/survivetheark
    Facebook: facebook.com/survivetheark


    • Like 2



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    So what a nice update: melee and speed stats are -100% of the true value and now I am getting random cooldown breeding values each time I uncryo a female although they did not mate in the last week.

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    Hello WC,

    I submit a ticket monday about the lost of my tribe and i alrady lost my dinosaurs but its ok but my base have 4 day to live. My ticket number is 1865736

    Thank you.

    • Sad 1

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    I think you need to look into cheat detection software specifically for aimbot and esp type programs that are still used quite a bit.  While Battle eye probably helps a bit in various circumstances there are far more advanced cheating methods out there that know how to bypass BE detection these days.

    If anything I'd recommend trying to make gradual improvements on this from now and towards Ark 2 so hopefully by then Ark 2 will have cheating under control quite a bit more.

    Edited by Chewytowel

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    WC should establish a method of auto destroy pylons after 1 day, if X thing is required but is no there.

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    Fação uma TLC descente nos dinos. Patchycephalosaurus, purlavia, megaloceros, araneo, onyc, bronto, diplodocus, plecio, mosa, carbonemis, chalico, ichthyosaurus, dunky, oviraptor, phiomia, lymantria, terror bird, scorpion.
    Varios bugs como:  aberrant raptor pounce all medium dinos (tamed gigantopithecus, tamed iguanodon, tamed raptor), pelagonir weith organic polimer (not working), pack raptor buff activated they doesn't attack, moschops not farm in water, etc

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    Hay wildcard you need to fix your game , solo player has become unplayable because of your game crashing every time we do anything .... please ...fix it with the next update 

    • Facepalm 1

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    Can we just get an official word on Ark getting the PS5 upgrade the series X received? It was mentioned to be coming back in December and since then there has been nothing but silence. Honestly at this point I don’t care if it’s not happening anymore but would like a word mentioned on it one way or another.

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    Random females cooldown at every uncryo still not fixed.

    Missing gender on cryopod ugly GUI still not fixed.

    Wrong % stats (-100% value) still not fixed.

    Wildcard using unit tests before deploying patch still not fixed!

    Edited by Alessio89

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    15 hours ago, Rocky1227 said:

    Can we just get an official word on Ark getting the PS5 upgrade the series X received? It was mentioned to be coming back in December and since then there has been nothing but silence. Honestly at this point I don’t care if it’s not happening anymore but would like a word mentioned on it one way or another.

    After the Microsoft sweet deal...everything PS related is on the backburner. I wouldn't be surprised if it comes long after the DLC. Although personally I'm not fussed since it's proven impossible to get hold of the new console anyways

    Edited by KingOfAshes

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    Just quit official now playing small tribes for last 3 days 3 servers have been ddossin i just spent all day on 90 and there bragging about dossin the server tried leaving at grn OB they built a huge tek turret tower right next to it rip all my stuffs lost love duppers and ddossers ty ark waste of time

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    2 minutes ago, Madmags said:

    Just quit official now playing small tribes for last 3 days 3 servers have been ddossin i just spent all day on 90 and there bragging about dossin the server tried leaving at grn OB they built a huge tek turret tower right next to it rip all my stuffs lost love duppers and ddossers ty ark waste of time

    Good 'ol Ark PvP.

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    On 2/20/2021 at 6:21 PM, slejo said:

    Wow, a week to March 2021 and still no GENESIS 2 info.
    I bet next crunch will be SORRY, WE HAVE TO postpone release of Gen2 to September.

    off by some months, this man was so close to becoming a fortune teller...

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    7 hours ago, thedrongoofark said:

    off by some months, this man was so close to becoming a fortune teller...

    Its not about fortunetelling.. its life experience :)

    • Like 1

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    On 2/24/2021 at 2:09 AM, Magmasaur103 said:

    ok, so just a quick question to all those who read this: which map should I get?
    1. Aberration

    2. Extinction

    3. Genesis pt.1

    4. Genesis pt.2

    just quote me and choose. I wanna go for aberration, but also wanna try the other maps. knowing my luck, I'm sticking to buying one map. which one?

    bit late Ik but I personally find extinction to be a really fun map, no night time in main areas, the city is so easy to grind in and it's actually more fun grinding there, and all the new creatures are pretty fun tames as well. Idk why you didn't put scorched earth there I assume that you already have it but if you don't you should get it, as it is quite fun. If you're kind of going for a storyline pace and you finished SE then go to aberration as that is next in line

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    14 hours ago, thedrongoofark said:

    off by some months, this man was so close to becoming a fortune teller...

    Not really, someone said this almost every crunch, this guy just got lucky.

    1 hour ago, thedrongoofark said:

    bit late Ik but I personally find extinction to be a really fun map, no night time in main areas, the city is so easy to grind in and it's actually more fun grinding there, and all the new creatures are pretty fun tames as well. Idk why you didn't put scorched earth there I assume that you already have it but if you don't you should get it, as it is quite fun. If you're kind of going for a storyline pace and you finished SE then go to aberration as that is next in line

    I agree with this, story wize get island-SE-abb-Ext-Gen1-2-A2

    i personly like EXT the most out of all, but Gen 1 is starting to grow on me.

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    1 minute ago, Dinobros2000 said:

    Not really, someone said this almost every crunch, this guy just got lucky.

    I agree with this, story wize get island-SE-abb-Ext-Gen1-2-A2

    i personly like EXT the most out of all, but Gen 1 is starting to grow on me.

    basically same here

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    I mostly play a mod map Rn tho, Glacius, made by @-darkholis very challenging and fun, 

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    19 hours ago, thedrongoofark said:

    bit late Ik but I personally find extinction to be a really fun map, no night time in main areas, the city is so easy to grind in and it's actually more fun grinding there, and all the new creatures are pretty fun tames as well. Idk why you didn't put scorched earth there I assume that you already have it but if you don't you should get it, as it is quite fun. If you're kind of going for a storyline pace and you finished SE then go to aberration as that is next in line

    I didn't add SE bc of free maps. though, I'm told to go with this, and the expansion pack thing?

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    18 minutes ago, Magmasaur103 said:

    I didn't add SE bc of free maps. though, I'm told to go with this, and the expansion pack thing?

    Other planes don’t have SEs lore or environment, it’s still a diffrent fun map. And Tek stuff unlocked there. Also, yes during a sale you can get all 3(non Genisis) ones for like 15-10

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    8 hours ago, Dinobros2000 said:

    Other planes don’t have SEs lore or environment, it’s still a diffrent fun map. And Tek stuff unlocked there. Also, yes during a sale you can get all 3(non Genisis) ones for like 15-10

    not my fault I have picky-buying parents.

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    12 hours ago, Magmasaur103 said:

    not my fault I have picky-buying parents.

    Save up ur own money

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    20 minutes ago, Dinobros2000 said:

    Save up ur own money

    the ps4 that I play on is actually my dads. only thing I'm allowed to do on there is play, or watch. no buy. like I said: picky-buying parents.

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    57 minutes ago, Magmasaur103 said:

    the ps4 that I play on is actually my dads. only thing I'm allowed to do on there is play, or watch. no buy. like I said: picky-buying parents.

    Ummm? Save up money and ask you parents and tell them you’ll give them money? Say the 15$ pack or whatever is 1 dlc(which is less then what 1 DLC norm costs)? Have them buy the Genesis DLC?

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