International Modding Contest Winners, Crunch & Digest!

Hello Survivors!

Today we have a bunch of announcements, news, and reminders for all of you. This is going to be a big post, so buckle your seatbelts!

International Modding Contest

It’s Ced here, and it’s been an exciting few months as we’ve been amazed by the sheer creativity and ingenuity of the modding community. We’ve had the pleasure of experiencing survival on the moon, building massive race tracks, having epic battles in tribe warfare, and enjoying some fantastic views on many of the breath-taking maps that were submitted to our second mod contest.  We are blown away by the talent of the modding community and are forever grateful for the efforts of those who bring these custom experiences to all ARK players worldwide - and soon Xbox.

It was no easy feat to pick the winning entries for this mod contest due to growth of the talent level and understanding of the development kit.  We are excited for the future of modding and look forward to seeing what the community has in store for the future!

Instead of the traditional workshop spotlight this week, I will be doing a video review of each of the winners in preparation for next week’s community crunch. Subscribe to our YouTube workshop channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4JMp0pkBGfxDCS34bHRmcw if you’d rather not wait to see all of the finished videos in next week’s community crunch.  

Without further ado, here are the winners!

PRIZES
Seventeen (17) prizes will be awarded. 1st thru 5th, places for each category and honorable mention for the mods and maps category:

1st Place: $10,000 in each category
2nd Place: $5,000 in each category
3rd Place: $3,000 in each category
4th Place: $2,000 in each category
5th Place: $1,000 in each category
6th Place Honorable Mention: $750 in each category
$64,500 TOTAL PRIZE POOL!

MAPS

#1 - Valhalla (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=504122600)

You wouldn’t be able to tell the map is only 80% complete if you’ve ever had the pleasure of exploring Valhalla.  With land mass and water area 6 times that of the normal island,  it’s enough to keep you exploring for days.  The amount of work that went into creating this map is nothing to underestimate.  Beautiful vistas and abundant areas of exploration makes this a community and dev favorite!  

#2 - Roraima (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=547828060)

Although Roraima doesn’t have the following of some of the other maps in the workshop, it absolutely blew us away!  The naturalistic land formations and the strategic layout of this map makes it a standout entry in the category.  While it isn’t as big as some of the other maps, it is clearly a map that makes you feel like you’ve been transported to a real-life area in the world. The team were literally shocked at the natural beauty in this map.

#3 - Umassoura (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=661176650)

Ummassoura is another massive map that is a truly unique entry in the map category.  We were taken back by the massive caves, breathtaking waterfalls, and diversity in the creatures that live in each of the uniquely placed biomes. The level of detail and care that was taken in creating this map was evident and greatly acknowledged by the team.

#4 - Madagascar Evolved (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=656967911)

There aren’t many maps that make you feel as if you are in a specific place in the world.  We fell in love with Madagascar Evolved and its ability to accomplish this with its stylistic approach in its level design.  Immediately we felt as if we were flown to a safari in the middle of Africa and left to survive with the vicious animals that call it home. We see a very bright future for Madagascar Evolved!

#5 - WickWillow (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=645621998)

Wick Willow gave us an unforgettable experience when exploring its unique set of biomes.  Each biome is distinctly different from the next which provides for an interesting set of challenges and gameplay experiences.  We walked away with an appreciation for the strategic vision that went into the creation of this stunning map.

Honorable Mention - Epic Islands (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=600738253)

We couldn't think of a better name to describe this map.  It’s vast landmass provides the perfect opportunity for exploring and building an epic base.  Although it’s still a work in progress, one can’t help but to imagine what this map will look like once it’s complete.  I know we’ll be keeping our eye out!

TOTAL CONVERSIONS

#1 - Tribe Wars (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=547753876)

Tribe wars is a thrilling game mode that offers a PVP-based experience that stays true to the core of what ARK is.  The objective is simple; defend your flag while trying to destroy your enemies flag.  The comprehensiveness of this total conversion and the talent that went into creating it did not go unnoticed.  It is tons of fun and we had the pleasure of taking it for a spin!

#2 - ARK Moon Survival (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=655080841)

There isn’t enough that can be said about the creativity and talent that went into creating this Total Conversion.  It’s an unbelievable entry and we were amazed by the user interface and subtle touches that were put into this experience.  Although it’s an astonishing feat in its current state, we look forward to what other experiences that will be created while trying to survive on the Moon.

#3 - Otherworld (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=631838798)

This total conversion pits you against waves of terrifying creatures as you try to escape what is known as the Otherworld.  It’s always nice to play a different game mode for ARK and Otherworld is  one of the few that are available in the workshop.  We loved the style of this entry with its distinct and unique level design.

#4 - Cool 15 New Creatures (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=520275192)

It’s always fun to see how modders use existing content and modify it to create new experiences.  Cool 13 New Creatures gives an exciting new way to look at some of the ARK creatures you’ve grown to know and love!

MODS

#1 - Advanced Architecture Mod (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=539464369)

Taking the top vote in the category, the Advanced Architecture mod is one of the most popular builder based mods in the workshop.  We had a blast building castles and experiencing a royal setting while reviewing it!

#2 - NPC Bush Peoples (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=570371714)

This was, hands down, one of our favorite mods to review.  NPC Bush Peoples allows you to spawn a collection of humans to enhance your current ARK experience.  We were impressed with the level of talent that it takes to pull this off and are looking forward to the exciting future of this mod.

#3 - Annunaki Genesis (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=538986229)

There are enough balance changes and additions in this mod to make you think it were a Total Conversion.  The support from the community is undeniable and after reviewing this mod we understand why.  There aren’t really words to describe the experience this mod gives so we suggest you go check it out for yourself!

#4 - Dino Racing: Evolved (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=626642159)

I think all of us at one point thought of reliving our Mario Kart racing adventures.  Dino Racing: Evolved, is a completely customizable way of creating a race track that’s perfect for server events.  This entry definitely lets us know that someone knows there way around the development kit.

#5 - MRRadTools.INC Content Pack (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=497432858)

With a lot of competition in the structure/building types of mods, it’s hard to stand out in the crowd.  Well, MRRadTools.INC Content Pack is clearly one of the standouts!  Each asset displays his amazing artistry and level of detail he takes in his work.  It blends very well with the current game and deserves a place in the winner's circle.

Honorable Mention: Ark Futurism (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=612504284)

ARK Futurism explores the advanced and futuristic side of survival on the island.  With tons of unique and beautifully made assets, we had to make sure that the work of this modder did not go unnoticed.

The Center Boss Fight Contest!

For Official server The Center players, we're giving away $1000 cash, $500 to the first Xbox tribe and another $500 to the first PC tribe to beat both bosses on an Official PVP server. 

Screenshot proof of the pause menu in the boss arena including server name, as well as the items received from defeating the bosses must be provided! You can upload your images to our forums, and write a comment down below with the screenshots. Good luck!

The Center Servers!

It’s been an extremely busy couple of weeks for everyone here at Studio Wildcard as we prepared for the release of our new map, The Center. The excitement and reception for this release has been overwhelming, and we’re all very glad you’re enjoying it as an officially supported map. Today we will putting up more The Center servers for Xbox. We were unfortunately limited in the past in that the session list would not display over a certain number of servers, which is also why some servers have temporarily gone missing. Even if we put up more servers, no one would be able to see them and that would not be good! 

Players have asked us about Hardcore servers, Primitive servers etc, and we see those requests. Until now we have been primarily focusing on PvP and PvE with the main focus on PvP. But don't worry Hardcore, Extinction, and Primitive players, you should also be seeing some of these server on TheCenter soon!

Map Biome Changes!

Reminder that the expected release of the map biome changes is May the 30th!

Here is some additional information about this, including an updated map, in our last digest:

Digest Q&A!

Here is our question and answer session with Lead Designer, Lead Programmer, and Co-Creative Director: Jeremy "Drake" Stieglitz!

Survivor, OnePotatoChip asks, “How much more in-depth is Ark's combat system going to be? Between both animals and people? Are we eventually going to see animals no longer clipping into each other, forming huddles of hide and hair? Critical hits? Death animations? Weak points?”

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Jeremy: Weak points (i.e. increased damage zones) will be added for most creatures (all creatures where it makes sense). Critical hit percentages is something we’re considering for dino attacks specifically, though it would feel too abstract for player attacks. Shield melee-weapon stun will be added in the next Major Update, which improves melee fights As for Dino-on-Dino collision, it will be getting some TLC.

Survivor, TXbangT asks, “In the more recent patch notes under "Breeding Mechanics Phase 2," Interactive Baby Raising was mentioned, what does that include? Will you have to play with you baby or keep it with its parents or the baby will not be as good as it could have been?”

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Jeremy: Yes, specifically if the imprinter plays with the baby will help it grow faster, and the imprinter will get a permanent stat benefit when riding that creature depending on how well it was raised.

Survivor, LadyDeviedraasks, “Will it be possible to choose a follow distance for a tamed dino? I.E Follow Near/Follow Far so when dinos follow each other or follow the player, they don't clip into the player and cause them to be stuck inside the dino. With Quetzals following a player on another Quetzal, this would be very handy (especially if the following Quetzal is faster than the one that the player is riding). Untangling Quetzals while hovering almost at the sky limit takes quite the amount of skill.”

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Jeremy: Yes, I’ll add a follow distance range toggle to the next Major Update, thanks to you

Survivor, Huntzillaasks, “With bolas now released, is there the possibility of a higher end bola or a huge bola you can shoot from a catapult thing that can down a quetz to maybe make solo taming a quetz easier?”

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Jeremy: Yes, very likely a chained bola only for use on higher level dinos, to be fired from the ballista.

Survivor, CheezLoordasks, “Will there be chum for attracting aquatic carnivores? That could go along well with a new shark, as they are some of the most represented animals in the fossil record. (Possibly Hybodus, Helicoprion, or maybe Orthacanthus) Sorry, I know it's wishful thinking.”

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Jeremy: I’m considering doing a general ‘bait pass’ on the game soon enough, and perhaps it is indeed best to start with aquatic creatures since the distances involved are much greater and there aren’t so many AI pathing issues (i.e. bait is more useful).

Survivor, Kaiju_Lordasks, “What kinds of creatures will be found exclusive to the redwood forests besides the moschops?”

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Jeremy: Ewoks of course! In all seriousness, we have a oft-requested Redwoods-specific fan-favorite one coming up, and will likely move around some of the existing creatures areas as well.

Survivor, Wulfsige85asks, “Will we see weapons like LMG, SMG, grenade launcher, carbines, axes, maces, two handed swords/axe/mace etc. or other variant types of the current weapons e.g. different types of assault rifles that are in the game get added someday?”

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Jeremy: I’m considering dual-wielding. Definitely throwing knives will be added in the relatively near future.

Survivor, Wulfsige85asks, “Can you guys make it so that instead of only allow specified engrams (Xbox One) to disable specific engrams, its kinda tedious having to type in every engram you want to have except for like 2 or 4 you don't want.”

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Jeremy: Yeah will make that change. PC supports that, so Xbox should too.

Survivor, StephaniRabbitheartasks, “A lot of people would like to know if the Wild Card team is aware of the pillar problems on official PVE servers and if there are any plans to do something about it.”

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Jeremy: Yes, I’ll be doing two things in the very near future: make the decay rate of structures dependent on how many nearby & attached structures, so that actual bases get MORE decay time but lone pillars get much LESS decay time. Furthermore we will be adding straight-up no build zones to certain limited areas of the map to ensure there is always at least some spots to get resources no matter what.

Survivor, BigDally asks, “Can we please get pole/bait fishing added to the core game?  This is the one thing that I really feel is missing in order to fill out the RPG aspect of this game. I really enjoy doing this in other RPGs and would totally enjoy being able to gather specific baits, craft a fishing pole, and fish up different fish species from the various water types in the game. These new fish could only be obtainable by fishing, and contain different kinds of loot/meat for specific cooking recipes or other craft-able patterns. The possibilities here are all but endless and would add depth to an already highly immersive RPG. Devs, please, please, please consider adding this feature to the core game.”

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Jeremy: Pretty sure I’ll get around to this eventually. Admittedly surprised no one has done it as a mod yet -- in any case, catching fishes by pole would have to grant you some major benefit over just diving in and spearing them, so probably it would have to make the chance of harvesting prime meat from said fish tremendously higher.

Survivor, Mendoza asks, “Can we get the ability to dress instantly in armour by simply clicking the right mouse button on each piece from our inventory?”

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Jeremy: What I’ll do is a right-click on a folder to auto-equip everything in the folder

Survivor, Huntzilla asks, “With the Arthropluera getting a "Turret" UI option to shoot and not move, can the Dilo also get this option, otherwise they kinda have no use to tame later in the game?”

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Jeremy: Yeah that seems like a good way to go for creatures that have ranged attacks, I’ll do it.

Survivor, Cleetuss asks, “Will there be a mechanic that has to do with your bond with your creature? For example, taming effectiveness, and amount you use them, or ride them, can give a bonus to stats? Maybe if you raise it from an egg, it is already very bonded to you (similar to taming effectiveness but for newborns)? Could make for some very interesting possibilities.”

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Jeremy: Answer to the first question May extend the system into adulthood going forward as well.

Survivor, TylerTheDoctorasks, “Do you have any plans for adding a private server setting that would allow structures phasing through objects, such as the terrain itself? This would make building much easier in some instances due to there not being a lot of flat land.” and Survivor, 

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Jeremy: Sure, I’ll add an option to disable the structure encroachment checks against world geometry and also optionally against other structures.

Survivor, Will asks, “We ever be able to build on the large rock features under the ocean?  Some really great base possibilities on them.” 

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Jeremy: Yeah I’ll go ahead and get them changed to ‘Ground’ collision type.

Survivor, UNST3RBLICH asks, “Just to revisit a relevant point: It seems a little odd to the main artwork hosting two mounted survivors bearing weapons, but not be able to do this in game. I know the primary focus is on using dinos to attack, but when the main artwork used for the game features two mounted survivors holding a bow and a rifle, there's the obvious (and very reasonable) expectation that use of weapons while mounted would be available. So will we ever be able to [reasonably] use general weapons while mounted? I'm not talking about rocket launchers or anything, but weapons that could reasonably be used while riding a mount (i.e. spears, bows, lances, guns, bolas, etc).”

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Jeremy: It’s been tempting, though it poses significant control scheme issues as the creatures currently ride in whatever direction you’re looking. I’ll continue thinking on it as we proceed.

Survivor, genie45 asks, “Will you implement nvidias ansel technology at release?”

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Jeremy: Our engineering team is still very small at the moment and focused on the gameplay work primarily, but maybe NVIDIA can help with it. We’re gonna talk to them about it.

Survivor, SurvivorKitai asks, “Don't know if this has been asked but, a way to sort servers by map, as well as by region would be awesome, and cut down on list loading time for people with crappy DSL. Good job with the updates, you guys rock.”

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Jeremy: Yeah, we’ll go ahead and add more/better server filters based on posting server meta information as well (namely being able to view the extended server configuration options before you join).

Survivor, ImpureFrost asks, “Will we see some sort of tree house building mechanics? Will the redwoods biome introduce any new structures?”

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Jeremy: Yes that update will specifically a new introduce tree-house building mechanic, and a new tree-house foundation set

Next we’ll be moving on to the Community Crunch segment! The Crunch is a weekly topic that consist of content to share, made by the community, for the community! As well as any little changes we want to make survivors aware about, which happen within our community.

Fan Feature!

Carno Friend ! by Decayist

Source: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=686685817

Quetz Crochet by BrynnaCC

Source:

Warpaint by Kozak

Source: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=681319546

Mandalor's Artwork Archery Range

Source: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=686371646

My Pack!! By Docktor Medic Mann M.D.

Source: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=682264336

(Fan Made) Dossier Tapejara!

Source: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=685778319

Alioramus Dossier by Shadlos

Source: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=687191163

Return to Ark, The Center by rpicardi1

Ark modern house by Valoule

Source: http://imgur.com/a/hVKRE

ARK Survival Evolved - Good vs. Evil - An Ark Fairytale by The Lime Inc.

Community Contests!

ARKitect

This is an award given to Survivors to celebrate the amazing structures you build. These bases are judged based upon a number of different factors such as their creativity, uniqueness, how fun of a base it is, the difficulty of building it, the functionality it provides and much more!

The ARKitect for Community Crunch 48 is..

Princess Peach's Castle by Wolf Angelus!

Check out more of their screenshots at the link below, definitely worth a look!

ARKArt

This is an award given to survivors who have created beautiful work of art for that week! As always, the artwork is not being judged on the quality of the screenshot or the graphical settings used, but instead what you have managed to draw and produce in game.

The ARKArtist for Community Crunch 48 is…

A Tie! Between…

Velice’s Toruk (Avatar) Warpaint!

And...

Adalink’s Firey Spino! 

Thank you for all the entries this week guys! Congratulations to all our winners and if you’d like to take a look at what all the survivors submitted, you can do so here:

Primitive Plus Developers Blog!

Hey Primitive+’ers,

I’ve been busy in the lab working on the next batch of updates that I’m sure you’ll like.  Last week the gunpowder barrel went off with a blast  I enjoyed hearing your experiences of controlled (and uncontrolled) demolition adventures out there on the island.

This next update will focus on polishing off the custom structures that Primitive+ offers and adds a new set - Adobe.  This set will be made of clay and offer protection against hyperthermia.  Keep in mind that Primitive+ is still very much a work in progress.  If you are using it or playing on official servers, there will be times of frustration followed by moments of delight - followed by more frustration.  Anyone that follows me on Twitter (@complexminded), or pay attention to the progression of the mod knows that I am passionate and committed to making this the best primitive-based solution for the game.

Soon you will start to see the amount of content die down as I look to balance some of the existing items in the game.  I’ll be honest and say a lot of things need to be balanced and there are quite a few things that need to be fixed.  Getting most of the content I want in the game is critical as we look to move to XBox and ensure that everything is in tip top shape for our console players.  Basically, you are my test subjects  My much loved test subjects.  Back to the lab - I’ll keep it short for this week!  Until next time!!

That’s it for this week’s Crunch guys! As always if you’ve got anything to share please get in touch and be sure to follow us on Twitter at @survivetheark - Facebook at www.facebook.com/survivetheark and Reddit at www.reddit.com/r/playark

Thanks everyone!

Wildcard Ced & Jen and the ARK Survival Evolved Team