Create an easy checklist of Engrams for Dedicated servers

[Melcreif]

Create an easy checklist of Engrams for Dedicated servers

The last time I hosted a dedicated server the ability to select which Engrams you wanted to allow and not allow was a huge pain.  We wanted to create a server where you'd start in Thatch age, move to wooden age, then stone, metal, tek.  During each state we'd determine which engrams would make sense to unlock.  Wow, it's a ton of work and would be very nice to make this easier to configure.

[SapphireSam7]

Engram Menu Upgrade for Server Settings

Hello everyone, 

I have posted this suggestion as comment on other suggestions and decide it was time to simply lay it out here as its own suggestion. 

The idea behind it, is to somehow be able to incorporate different mod engram sets without breaking the official-core gameplay. Essentially, opening up customization for unofficial, dedicated, and single player games/servers while allowing Official gamers to continue playing as they wish. 

First Part; Adding/Expanding the Engram Menu to all server setup varieties. 

Second Part: Adding Engram Selection Checkboxes. The idea is to make it so that when you open the engram menu or tab, you are give a few options as to which engrams you are going to allow access to your server/game. Those which are not selected would remain hidden. 

Examples: 

(1) Select the starting engram set(s): The first set would be to choose which engram set you wish to build on, either official or primitive engrams. Both could be selected if the host wished, but the minimum would be one or the other. I arranged it this way so that those that wished to play as either one or the other could do so. This way both parties can remain "pure" to their style of gameplay if they wish. 

• ? Official Gameplay Engrams
• ? Primitive Plus Gameplay Engrams

(2) Select the add on engram set(s): Of those below, we have parts of one, but the rest is currently only available through PC mods. In the case of this suggestion, they are simply being used as an example as to how it would read. If used, those in this portion of the page would be optional. They could select all, a few, or none at all. Also, the engram sets listed could be added to or removed from as new mods approved for console use are added to the game. If this list were to grow, a limiter may be applied as to how many engrams can be used in game or how many sets could be selected. 

• ? S+ Mod Engrams
• ? Automated Ark Mod Engrams
• ? Advanced Architecture Mod Engrams
• ? Armored Storage Stands
• ? Castle, Keeps, and Forts Medieval Architecture

(3) Remove the following engram set(s): This is yet another example set. None are in game as of yet. It would simply add an additional function to help clean up the engrams previously listed. For example, for those that have their games set up where creatures cannot be ridden, hiding all the saddle engrams would clean up their engram screens.

• ? Hide all Saddle Engrams
• ? Hide all Tek Engrams
• ? Hide all Metal Structure Engrams 

(4) Removed Selected Engrams:

• ? Each individual engram from the sets selected for (1) and (2) above would show and could be checked on or off as prefered by the host. This would allow the host to remove engrams individually from the engram sets selected. For example, if they wanted S+ engrams, but didn't want the nanny to be able to be used ingame, they could then hide it at this point so it would not show as a learnable engram. 

Reworking the menu to resemble this setup would be easy to navigate, easy to add new mod engrams sets - without breaking official gameplay as they are all optional - and give the unofficial, dedicated, and single player gamers a way to experience the mods without a full course mod menu. 

One catch, would be some of the resources that are a part of some of the mods. For those I would simply add an alternate way to craft the items using current resources or add additional coding to make the resources show in world when the mod is checked off. To make things easier, it would seem the first option may be best unless it is determined the resources is necessary for the crafting of the item. 

Now, with what we have available to date, none of this is necessary.

However, as a console player who codes, admins, and plays on an unofficial server, I believe that adding something like this would give those in my situation more opportunity to customize our servers without killing the game for others that do not wish to have access to them. One of the biggest arguments I see against adding items, mods, and whatnot to the game is that it will break or ruin the gameplay. By setting it up as described above, that would go away as it would all be optional for unofficial and individual hosts. And as such, they would then get to make the determination as to whether it would break or ruin their own game and/or server.

All in all, my hope is that working it as described, all parties will be able to continue to play as they wish and those that wish for more, could have it without breaking the game for someone else. 

And this is all said knowing it wouldn't be something that take place tomorrow and that working something like this in could take several months, if not well over a year to install. In my opinion though, it would be well worth the wait simply because of what it could bring to the console, dedicated, and single player base. 

In conclusion, this many never happen, and may not be something that everyone likes or agrees with, and that is okay. It is simply a suggestion that I wished to put forward for a new engram menu set up that would hopefully keep all parties satisfied and allow for growth for others.

For those of you who take the time to read it through, thank you. 

[SapphireSam7]

If I am reading this correctly, you are suggesting that there be an easier way you can reorganize the levels engrams can be learned at, and/or eliminate the use of some engrams in the server settings menu?

How would you imagine that lay out? I can think of a few methods that may be a bit user friendly, but I am curious as to how you are visualizing this set of settings. 

[Melcreif]

Just now, SapphireSam7 said:

If I am reading this correctly, you are suggesting that there be an easier way you can reorganize the levels engrams can be learned at, and/or eliminate the use of some engrams in the server settings menu?

How would you imagine that lay out? I can think of a few methods that may be a bit user friendly, but I am curious as to how you are visualizing this set of settings. 

Well the simplest would be just listing all the engrams in one place and having a check / uncheck section so you could pick and choose which engrams are allowed and not allowed in your server.  I'd make a button for select all and unselect all.  You could also divide it between maps and have a seperate section just for Tek.  That would be amazing and simple.  Plus it works with the current settings that Ark uses right now.