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Multiple SP


doedoe

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Hope I'm not in the wrong here, but I have the same question but need a different answer, and instead of creating a new topic, ask here. Since my knowledge is a bit limited, I need to explain how my setup work first, so I can get a detailed answer on how to accomplish it:

I play SP by running a dedicated LAN server on my own PC. This allows me to 'bypass' some of the SP issues/bugs.

What I want to accomplish:

I want to run two servers at the same time (my PC can handle it easily) so I can jump my character from one map to another. This means that the first server will always be where my character is at the moment, and the second one will be the next map I want to go to. How do I set this up to allow the servers to see each other so I can jump between them?

As stated before, I will probably need step by step guidance on how to achieve this.

Thx in advance.

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If you are playing on console you can always have one save file per map. I dont know how it works with PC, buti think it is possible with some files moving and stuff. If you are playing on a PGM, you can make many map with the same settings, but i dont know if it works, because ARK crashes everytime i try to load one.

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On 1/17/2019 at 11:39 AM, Duk3nat0r said:

Hope I'm not in the wrong here, but I have the same question but need a different answer, and instead of creating a new topic, ask here. Since my knowledge is a bit limited, I need to explain how my setup work first, so I can get a detailed answer on how to accomplish it:

I play SP by running a dedicated LAN server on my own PC. This allows me to 'bypass' some of the SP issues/bugs.

What I want to accomplish:

I want to run two servers at the same time (my PC can handle it easily) so I can jump my character from one map to another. This means that the first server will always be where my character is at the moment, and the second one will be the next map I want to go to. How do I set this up to allow the servers to see each other so I can jump between them?

As stated before, I will probably need step by step guidance on how to achieve this.

Thx in advance.

I do exactly this, with the addition of port forwarding my router so that my friends can join me the few times they feel like playing.

First question: How do you start your server? Am I right in assuming you click HOST / LOCAL and then Run Dedicated Server? If that's the case, I can't help you all the way. What I do is that I run my server from a .bat script which gives me several neat features (more on that later).

 

Then first step: If you want to be able to "connect" two maps, you'll need to set up a cluster. What this means, is that when you start the server, you need to tell the server what cluster to belong to. Unfortunately, I don't know how to do this if you start the server from within the game. I looked around but couldn't find any settings for it, but maybe there is a way. If you start your server from a .bat file though, all you need to do is to add the command line argument -clusterid=[name of cluster]. The important thing here is that all maps that you want to be connected need to specify the same name for the cluster, so you need to add this to the .bat file for every server that you want to connect together. And that's it!

Doing this will create a new folder clusters in your ARK\ShooterGame\Saved folder and in the cluster folder another folder will be created with the name that you specified for your cluster. When you upload a dino, item or character for transfer, that information will be stored in that folder and when you go to the new map and try to download, it will look for items and dinos in that folder so that they can be transferred.

 

I hope this cleared it up for you and was of help. It is also a way for OP @doedoe to have several SP worlds (But you need to run your SP worlds as servers even if you're the only one playing on them - there is no difference when playing though).

However, if you want to run the same map several times (like several SP worlds all on The Island), there is one more thing to note: You need to add another command line argument when starting the server: ?AltSaveDirectoryName=[folder name]. This will save all the map files in ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\[folder name] instead of in ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArks (or ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArksLocal). If you enter different folder names for the different servers, you can have them all at once without the save files being overwritten and play whatever server you want by simply starting the .bat file for the server you want to play.

 

If needed, I'm happy to elaborate on starting a server with a .bat file - it's not very hard to just get started and there are many neat features you can add.

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@Duk3nat0r 

I don't think clusters work over LAN? well they work but you can't travel directly from an obelisk or drop but have to upload your character and gear then quit to main menu, join the map you want to travel to and download your naked character, think it's just something to do with how the transfer system works, you'll also need a router that can handle NAT loopback otherwise the client won't be able to see any other servers on the cluster when you try to travel from an obelisk or drop, I had this problem where transfers wouldn't work for me but were fine for my son who doesn't live with me, I had to telnet a command to my router to enable it and it works fine now but it will depend on the make/model of your router. 

I have 6 maps on my cluster and run 2 or 3 at a time depending on what I'm wanting to do, you said your knowledge is a bit limited so if you're not sure how to install the servers then I'd use Ark Server Manager as it'll make it easier for you, create a couple of profiles, set the server location and click the install button, do it for both profiles so you have 2 servers installed, make sure your PC has a static ip on your network and forward the ports you need to it for both TCP & UDP, I'd use 7777-7779 & 27011-27013 but you can more or less use any you want, go back into ASM and just do the basic settings for each server, server name, ports (use 7777 & 27011 for one and 7779 & 27013 for the 2nd) make sure you delete the server password as I think it causes issues with transfers (you can use exclusive join to stop randoms joining) set the map and enter the cluster id you want to use, make sure you put the same id for both servers, now start them both up and you should be able to see them in the in-game browser if the ports are set up right, join one of them and go to an obi or drop and see if the other server shows up, if it doesn't then there's probably an issue with NAT loopback so you'll have to do a search for your router model & loopbacks to see if it needs enabling or isn't supported.

If you can transfer then you're good to go, you can add any maps you want by making new profiles for them and installing the server, make sure you use different ports and that they're forwarded to your PC's ip address and they all have the same cluster id, in ASM there's a section called Server File Details (or something like that) with 3 boxes in it, one is for admin rights, one for white listing and one for exclusive join, click the enable exclusive join box then add your Steam 64 id (in Steam click on your profile, at the end of the url is a long number like 7***************6 which is your Steam 64 id) this will stop random players joining, you can also add it to the admin rights as well so you don't need to enter a password if you want to cheat do admin stuff.

There's not too much to it to be honest and is easy to set up as long as your router can do do loopbacks, if you need more help just ask or PM me

 

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21 hours ago, Zahlea said:

I do exactly this, with the addition of port forwarding my router so that my friends can join me the few times they feel like playing.

First question: How do you start your server? Am I right in assuming you click HOST / LOCAL and then Run Dedicated Server? If that's the case, I can't help you all the way. What I do is that I run my server from a .bat script which gives me several neat features (more on that later).

 

Then first step: If you want to be able to "connect" two maps, you'll need to set up a cluster. What this means, is that when you start the server, you need to tell the server what cluster to belong to. Unfortunately, I don't know how to do this if you start the server from within the game. I looked around but couldn't find any settings for it, but maybe there is a way. If you start your server from a .bat file though, all you need to do is to add the command line argument -clusterid=[name of cluster]. The important thing here is that all maps that you want to be connected need to specify the same name for the cluster, so you need to add this to the .bat file for every server that you want to connect together. And that's it!

Doing this will create a new folder clusters in your ARK\ShooterGame\Saved folder and in the cluster folder another folder will be created with the name that you specified for your cluster. When you upload a dino, item or character for transfer, that information will be stored in that folder and when you go to the new map and try to download, it will look for items and dinos in that folder so that they can be transferred.

 

I hope this cleared it up for you and was of help. It is also a way for OP @doedoe to have several SP worlds (But you need to run your SP worlds as servers even if you're the only one playing on them - there is no difference when playing though).

However, if you want to run the same map several times (like several SP worlds all on The Island), there is one more thing to note: You need to add another command line argument when starting the server: ?AltSaveDirectoryName=[folder name]. This will save all the map files in ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\[folder name] instead of in ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArks (or ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArksLocal). If you enter different folder names for the different servers, you can have them all at once without the save files being overwritten and play whatever server you want by simply starting the .bat file for the server you want to play.

 

If needed, I'm happy to elaborate on starting a server with a .bat file - it's not very hard to just get started and there are many neat features you can add.

is this for pc or console or for both? because i am playing on xbox?

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2 hours ago, doedoe said:

is this for pc or console or for both? because i am playing on xbox?

PC

On console I think you can use one character on all maps by uploading at obi/drop then exiting to main menu, load up the map then download your existing character instead of making a new one, if you've played the maps separately before then you'll need to clear the data for them first to get rid of any existing characters, you can't have several instances of the same map though if that was what you were after 

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