Major Version Update & Crystal Isles Console Launch

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Major Version Update & Crystal Isles Console Launch

The console release for Crystal isles is upon us!  Get ready to explore the unique biomes and colorful scenery that Crystal isles has to offer.  We’ve compiled some information that may be helpful for the release on August 25th.

Deployment Times

Deployments are set to begin at the estimated time below. We’ll inform you of any changes to the schedule proposed below:

PC: 1PM PDT
PS4: 3PM PDT
XBOX/Win10: 8PM PDT

Due to player congestion on console, we’ve been advised specific times to do these releases tomorrow to ensure optimal download speeds for our users, hence the staggered launch times between PS4 and Xbox. 

Player Dedicated Servers

At launch, Player Dedicated Crystal Isles servers will be available on PS4 Pro and Xbox One X. We’ll look into expanding this in the future. 

Rates

The patch will also double harvesting, XP, and taming rates in the core game by default. This means that Non-Dedicated Servers, Single Player Sessions, and Unofficial Servers will also feel the increased rates (not just our Officials). Therefore, if you’re currently using customized rates, it’s something you will want to keep in mind before this change is in place -- specifically upon the release of the next Major Version on each of your respective platforms, you may wish to reduce your server/game rates by 50% to have the same effective values as before.

For example, using 2x harvesting rates when this major version releases would be equivalent to 4x harvesting rates if compared to prior to the major version. Therefore if you wanted to keep the same harvesting as you had before, you'll want to reduce your harvesting by 50% when this update releases by changing it to 1x.

Official Rates

With the rate changes in mind, we'll also be adjusting our current server rates on the Official Network to the following:

• Standard Official Servers: 1x harvesting, taming, and XP (Equivalent to 2x when considering our old values -- we know we mentioned 4x in the previous post, but that is comparing it to the initial ARK Early Access launch in 2015, and not to the previous values after we had already doubled them!)
• Small Tribes Servers: Small Tribe servers will have their taming, harvesting, and XP changed to 2.5x (Equivalent to 5x when considering our old values)
• Apocalypse Servers: These will remain at 3x harvesting, taming, and XP (Equivalent to 6x when considering our old values)

Base Game Rates Information

The typical method of checking rates by picking up stone by hand isn't going to be accurate with this specific implementation of our higher base rates (it will be for evolution events).  When our Official networks are at the new, higher base rates, 1x stone is normal because there is no longer a multiplier. Rates have doubled multiple times since 2015, and stone remains as 1 stone at 1.0 rates.

This may be particularly confusing for small tribes, because base rates have doubled, but you also have a 2.5 multiplier.  A more reliable way to test moving forward will be to use a primitive pick/hatchet to harvest things.

Crystal Isles Transfers
Similar to new map releases in the past, there will be a period of time where item and creature downloads will be disabled

Please Note: Tropeognathus will be removed from other maps upon the release of Crystal Isles to console. You’ll now find them spawning in the wild on the Crystal Isles map only.