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New Player: Mods or No?


GilmooDaddy

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Hey all, I just purchased and began playing ARK 3 days ago and was made aware of the massive Steam Workshop modding scene for it. Are these ever used for official servers or is this only for custom servers and single player? Just curious to know if there are some "must have" mods that other players might be using. Thanks in advance!

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I’m a single player, and I have a small set of “quality of life” mods I never play without (and sorely miss when I’m on my console games!!), that I would highly recommend.

#1.) Death Recovery - It’s a convenient gravestone you can place in your house, so when you inevitably meet an untimely end, you can click it and recover all your gear without needing to find your body / bag.

#2.) Pet Res - a convenient gravestone that appears in the world when a pet dies. You can go back to the location, click the grave and get your pet back. It’s my favorite thing in the Workshop as someone who gets overattached to their pets.

#3.) Resource Stacks - increases the stack size to what base Ark should be, frankly. Meat stacks to 2,000 instead of 20. Stone 5,000 instead of 100. Prime meat stacks to 600 instead of 1...etc. It makes inventory management and storage so much nicer.

#4.) Structures Plus - so good it’s getting incorporated into base Ark eventually. Or at least, most of it. Featuring conveniences like being able to pick up structures after placement, additional building options (I’m particularly fond of the double doors), automatic doors and so much more. I’m having a blast with the S+ mutator right now, which is letting me breed my normally un-breedable wyverns.

#5.) Super Spyglass - better than the normal spyglass in every way. Doesn’t require scoping in to work, displays the stats of the animal you’re looking at (how much health and how much torpor are most useful), and what that animal’s wild level distribution is (30 into health, 28 into stamina...etc), so when you get to the point you’re looking for animals with particular attributes, this will tell you.

— —

#6.) Dragons and Enhanced Creatures - this isn’t a must, but I thought I’d include my favorite creature mod. It has five or six elements of dragons and wyverns in four or five sizes, from the absolutely adorable shoulder-sized dragons (whelps...they’re the cutest thing in the world) up to so massive you don’t know where to put them. My dragons *barely* fit on six-story levels...and I haven’t ever tamed an elder dragon because I literally wouldn’t have housing for it.

It’s clean, stackable and balanced for base Ark, so nothing is crazy powerful. It just adds a little something extra.

That’s my personal “must have” list. I hope it helps.

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Before going too crazy with mods, keep in mind using a lot of them can slow your load times down significantly, especially if multiple need to update. More than once I've been timed out by the game while loading into an unofficial because it took too long for the mods to update.

Structures Plus is definitely worth it. While it doesn't solve every building issue ever (and has some frustrations of its own), this mod does address a lot of issues with vanilla Ark building. It also has a lot of built in automation, which as a player with way too many hours of playtime and a job I can really appreciate the convenience. But you can also disable anything you don't want, which is nice if you don't want it to be full easy mode.

Upgrade Station is also quickly becoming a favorite of mine as a PVE player. Being able to upgrade tools, armor and saddles at will (as long as one has the mats of course) is just fantastic. It does basically require a stacking mod to function though, as some of scaling on mats for higher level gear is ridiculous.

Seven's Forge Kit is also incredibly useful when you start needing huge amounts of metal, plus being able to produce huge amounts of gas and charcoal (for gunpowder) is great for solo players or small tribes.

Death Recovery is also worth it. While yes it is a survival game blah blah blah, the truth is many deaths are incredibly frustrating in this game, and being able to at least recover your gear is a godsend. Especially when it's not uncommon for your loot bag to fall under the map, or it's just impossible to find if you forget exactly where you were or are just plain too far away to get back before it decays.

Mods I stay away from:

Although it's on the server I play on I actually don't like the Classic Flyers mod that much. Birds were way too OP that's why they were nerfed to begin with, and it's just too easy mode for my taste. Yes, I use it because it's there, but I adapted to servers that didn't have it and somehow it doesn't take the 20+ minutes people claim it does to get across the map. Maybe on Ragnarok because the map is huge, but rarely does one need to travel that far just for resources. I would say learn the game first before messing too much with game balance by adding this, or the mods that change or add other animals.

I don't generally add any building mods besides S+ and the few specific purpose mods I've already listed. The reason is because I was on a server where a building mod basically broke and everyone who had built with those mod pieces lost everything. No thanks. Besides, I find I often don't like the design of the other mods or they add too many decor pieces I just don't like because they don't fit with the game's style. Honestly even when servers do have these extra mods, I almost never see anyone else using them either.

Not a fan of the animal res mod either, but that's because I'm only easy mode to a point. :P I do get attached to my tames, which is kind of why I feel like animal death should be permanent. It's a "real" loss that way, and teaches you not to take too many risks you would otherwise. But I'm also a breeder and general anti-hoarder so I'm constantly culling animals that no longer serve a purpose, so mileage varies a lot with this one.

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Mods are only for unofficial and singleplayer. However sometimes a mod becomes official if the devs like it and becomes available on official, like Center and Ragnarok maps or Primitive+ game mode.

If you first start playing, you should play without mods. If you are familiar with the game you can try out some mods. A must for most experienced players is Structures Plus (S+).

 

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11 hours ago, GilmooDaddy said:

Hey all, I just purchased and began playing ARK 3 days ago and was made aware of the massive Steam Workshop modding scene for it. Are these ever used for official servers or is this only for custom servers and single player? Just curious to know if there are some "must have" mods that other players might be using. Thanks in advance!

Mods are only for private/custom servers and single player.

It is to note that some mods have been converted for official use, two maps (Ragnarok and The Center) and in the future the building mod Structures +. 

Depending on what you like about the game, you could live with zero or 100 mods. 

I personally love building and the in-game build system is awful. So if like me you love building, Structures + is a must. Other building popular mods are everything made by Eco and the Steampunk stuff. 

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We're running 35 mods (I know, a little overkill but we like it) and loading time can be a little bit of a wait.  But, I've found that the more memory you have the less problem it is.  I'm running 64 gigs and the 1st time loading is a bit of a wait but after the mods are in memory, they seem to speed up quite a bit.

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8 hours ago, GilmooDaddy said:

Hey all, I just purchased and began playing ARK 3 days ago and was made aware of the massive Steam Workshop modding scene for it. Are these ever used for official servers or is this only for custom servers and single player? Just curious to know if there are some "must have" mods that other players might be using. Thanks in advance!

Currently, no mods are being used on official servers.  The closest thing is that two maps, The Center and Ragnarok, were adopted by Wildcard and made official DLC maps.  Also there is Primitive plus, which I believe is a Total Conversion, which was also adpoted by Wildcard.

There is a program where Wildcard is providing incentive/support to some modders for mods that may be incorperated into the core game.  I believe S+ is one that is being worked on now; but that may mean they become less of a mod if they become core, unless they become some type of optional core piece.  

My advice, whether playing single player, official, or unofficial, is to play the game for a while in vanilla mode.  You don't have too in order to enjoy the game, but it can give you some idea of what you like and don't like, before moving to mods.

Mods can add new dynamics to the game, make it easier, or harder, or just different.  Sometimes, we run mods and settings that make a map difficult to survive, but add other mods that can help with the survival or reduce the pain; there is a difference between being killed or dieing to the enviornment, and just being constantly slaughtered (challenge vs frustration).

With mods, Cymas is correct, in that the more you add, the longer it can take to load a server.  Sometimes, it is easier to get a list of the mods a server is running, subscribe to them first, let the download, and then join the server.

Also, when you pick mods, just don't pick them because they sound cool, but decide on the type of server you want, and then find the mods you need.  Also, you may want to adjust when certain mod engrams can be used and/or how much it costs to make certain items; some mods have very powerful items at low levels with very little cost.  Additionally, you will probably need to update the engram points gained with each level up, to account for the addition of new items in some mods.

Lastly, mods are a vision of their creator(s).  As such, they can, and sometimes will, make changes to that vision for what they believe is balance.  Many authors are open to suggestion and bug reports; though some people seem to think that the mod authors work for them.  And sometimes, because of real life, loss of interest, and/or being badgered by a part of the community, they may move on from the mod.   This is a risk you always have to be willing to assume.

As such, never be afraid of starting over.   I know people get attached to those pixels, but, sometimes, starting over with a new map, mod, settings, etc., is some of the best fun.

So, there are many categories of mods, of which I will cover a few.  These are just some examples, with a high level overview.

Building Mods:
============

There are various building mods that change/enchance the building mechanic and/or add new items to the game.

Builders Helmet: A fairly simple mod that adds a hat you can make, that when worn, increases your carry weight and allows you to pick up items you normally cannot pick up.  Very useful if you do not have any other building mods, and still useful if you do.  Very small in size, so you hardly notice it on loading.

S+:  Lots of new pieces(including taller walls and pillars, extra wide doors, dynamic gate building, automations, etc.).  Originally, it was also using No-Collision, but now that that is a server option, it is removed as a mod default.  Some pieces have been remodeled so that they fit better.  And there are INI options that can change how the mod works, including extended foundation support, crafting speeds, and storage space.   I personally bump up the storge slots, so that I don't need as many storage cabinets or fridges in my base.  There is even an S+ version of Plant X, which you can tell to which animals to attack or ignore; kill the raptors, leave the parasaurs.

Platform +:  This is the platform version of S+.  It gives you Tek platforms, larger platforms, and platforms pieces (you can build just part of a platform).  Using pillars, you can even build a platform where you normally could not build one; I built a glass platform over the water, for an ocean base.

Castles, Keeps, and Forts:  AKA CKF.  CKF is a building mod that adds lots of new building items, some weapons, and some decor items.   It is large, but if you like to build different types of structures, then this is a fun one.  It has more of a medieval feel to it.  And, there are many textures you can choose for each building pieces, so you can do some unique designs.

Steampunk:  Steampunk is a bit more than a building mod, as it includes somethings such as new armor and a couple of airships.  It does ad a bit of uniqueness to the game, along with a new crafting tree.


Stacking Mods:
=============

In short, stacking mods usually do one or both of the following;  Increase stacks sizes and/or reduce the weight of items; and some let you stack items that you normally cannot stack, like prime meat or venom.   So, for example, instead of having berries in stacks of 100, you can have berries in stacks of 1,000 or even 10,000, which helps with storage and also how long stuff last; 10,000 berries in a single stack will last signifcantly longer than a 100 stacks of 100 berries.  And, usually, this comes with weight reduction.

Stacking mods are good when you want to play alone but cut down on trips moving stuff around and/or not having so much storage.

One of the risks with using a stacking mod is that the mod author might stop supporting it, so when new stuff is introduced to the game, that mod will not give you the stacking option.  I have had this happen before, though I was able to successfully swap stacking mods and not lose any inventory.


Convienience Mods:
=================

This is a bit of a broad category, but will throw a few examples here:

Super Scope:  This can be fun and very useful, including for hunting for the best tames(though never guaranteed as the RNG is cruel) and also for breeding, as you can, at a glance, see the natural points in each stat of a tame.  And, as an example of where a mod can get a little wonky on you, it does not work very well when your drake is in climbing mode.

Backpack:  This simple mod lets you build 3 types of backpacks, which, when put in your off hand slot, increase your carry weight.  These are very useful, but, also come with a few risks.  First, you cannot use a shield while carrying a backpack; it is one or the other.  Two, if your backpack breaks(it will take damage during a fight), you lose the weight bonus, which could cause you to become encumbered and be rooted in place during a fight; have had it happen.  I find both of these things good, as they give some balance and risk to using the backpack.

Upgrade Station:  Very useful on some types of servers, especially those running mods and settings that make it difficult to survive.  In some implementation, I limit how far you can upgrade an item, such as only to Journeyman level, and then leave the harder to get to drops(caves, dungeons, deep sea, Aberration surface) to supply Mastercraft and Ascendant items.   There is also two other pieces to this mod.  One lets you breakdown an item and covert it to a blueprint.  The other allows you to increase durability, damage, or protection on most weapons/armor, and is a bit OP for some servers, as you can basically make all Asc armor have the exact same stats; so on some servers, I disable this engram.

Water Well:  This is a simple mod (and one where I push the engram to a higher level and increase the cost) what lets you put a water source anywhere you like.   It is great for building clean structures, you won't need to run pipes all over the place(even though you can hide the S+ pipes, they are still there).  And, with this, you can build your pipes first, make sure everthing is where you want it, and then you can attack the well right to the system.

Pet Finder:   Let you build a stone that can be use to locate your tames, so long as they are not to close to a bed.  Very useful to find stragglers and wanderers (such was when you DC and your Quetzal decides to fly to the other side of the river, over the hill, and land somewhere in the woods).

Death Recovery:  A simple mod that lets you build a grave and when you die, you go to your grave, activate, and get your stuff back; does not work if you did something that got you despawned.  Depending on how this is implement by the server admin, it can open some loop holes and/or cause players to be sloppy in their play; on the other side, cuts down on people wanting stuff replaced because of a glitch(?).

Spoilers (generic):  Due to some servers having extended spoil and decay times, along with stacking, it can make it a challenge to make spoiled meat.  So, there are items in mods, along with standalone mods, that make it quicker/easier to spoil the meat you collect.


Easy Travelling:
=============

These are mods that let either the admin and/or players to move around the map easily.  Usually, you will have to explore first, before you can make use of these.

Versatile Rafts(and similar mods):  This mod lets you build faster and/or bigger rafts, and also be able to move backwards(yeah!).  If you have a map with a lot of water and useful rivers, this one can be fun.  Actually build a taming raft that could handle things like a rex

Teleporter Mods:   These mods basically let you make pieces that you can place so that you can teleport from one pad to another.  One mod (Awesome Teleporters) also lets you build a remote so that you can teleport from anywhere to any open pad(yours or public), and also has a device you can put on your tames, which lets you teleport them to your current location.Stargate:  This mod has changed a few times.  It can be implemented so that anyone can make a Stargate, or, the admin can make it so that only they can make and place the gates, and the players have to discover them and learn the addresses before they can be used.  Unlike most of the teleport mods, where teleporting is just a few clicks, with the Stargate mod, you have to dial the address; have to admit, I also get a little bit of grin listening to the dialing sequence and the opening of the gate.


Animal Overhauls/Expansions/Near Conversions:
========================================

There a quite a few mods that can totally change the gaming experience, and you should definitely wait before using one of these; in my opinion.

A few mods can either change how certain animals work(Classic Flyers) or add animals to map where they may not currently be found, like adding a few animals to Aberration, or adding SE animals to the Island or The Center.   You can also adjust some of these by blocking the spawning of certain animals. 

Then there are the overhauls, which come just short of a total conversion, that can make vanilla animals more difficult and/or add additional types/tiers of the vanilla animals, like Alpha, Apex, Poison, Celestial, Mega, Origin, Primal, Prime, etc.   Some will add in tamable versions of the bosses(Dragon, Broodmother, Megapithcus, etc.), and sometimes even other versions of them(some tamable, and some not so much).

Many of these will come with additional mechanics including different ways of taming, different taming items(treats, special kibble, blood, etc.), new weapons, and even new types of narcotics/stims/taming potions.

Some examples of these are Primal Fear, Extinction Core, and Ark Eternal; and there otheres.

Some  of the main risks with these are that they are constantly evolving, and also have to wait on updates to the Dev Kit, before new animals added to the core game can be added to those mods.  Also, sometimes, the authors change their vision; and, to be clear, that is their right, as they are usually designing the mods for themselves and letting the rest of us ride along.


Maps:
=====

There are a few maps out there that have been developed to various degrees of completeness.  Obviously, one of the risk with using any map is that the developer may stop or they may change their vision; again, perfectly within their rights.  Sometimes, these maps get picked up by Wildcard.

Beside The Center and Ragnarok, a few maps I have tried and enjoyed include Iso-Crystal(played it will it was still under development), Madagascar, and Shigo Islands.  If found each very enjoyable, and a nice change of pace; and plan to go back to some of them in the future.


Admin Mods:
===========

There are a few mods that admins can use to help them with various activities on a server.  Some help with tracking, server status, spawn counts, etc.  Some make it easier for an admin to build arenas, towns(RP towns, safe havens, etc.), raidable buildings, and, sometimes, non-raidable buildings.


Other Mods:
==========

Dino Pickup:  You can literally pick up almost any animal and carry it on your shoulder, though a few can be buggy, like the Titano.   So, with some animal mods(see below), you can tame things like dragons, dodowyverns, etc.   With this mod, you can carry those animals on your shoulder and take them in the boss arena, or carry a rex or thyla into a cave you are exploring.

Potion mods(Generic):  There are mods that allow you to make potions that make it easier to heal yourself, or ride, or make it easier to tame most animals, by insta starving them.  So, will also give them temp OP combat or give them full XP.   Some of these items can be useful for solo players, and for hard servers; another example of where increasing the level, engram points, or cost, or just hidding certain engrams, may be needed for certain servers.

 

This is by far not a comprehensive list, but are some of the mods I have had a chance to use or even currently use on one or more servers.  These can be a lot of fun, and, somtimes, frustrating, as, for some, the parts are always in motion.   A good server admin should know how to do rollbacks, when to backup, what to back, and how to do a rebuild.

Sometimes, you can also use the mods, with high rates, to build servers that are designed to have a short lifespan; burn bright, live fast, and leave a burnt out corpse.

 


 

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