Pillar Issues

[jackjones]

Pillars?

I am pretty new to this game, only started 2 weeks ago iam guessing this is a topic that been up before and ive seen posts more then 4 years old and yet it still seem to be a huge issue.

Alot of the official servers PVE where ive been playing has a ton of pillars all over the place so when i saw this new crystalislands i thought great lets go there and make a go at it, i found a place big enough for a good size base and started building yesterday then i log on to day and for some reason i couldent place a wall in my own base and was wondering DILO was going on, but apprently someone doing the night has placed pillars all around my base so close that i cant place walls on my own foundations, he also placed pillars all over the area, is this really what the game is all about placing pillars all over the place blocking other peoples progress, and by the looks of it nothing is being done about it with post going 4 years back.

An easy fix could be making pillars count as nothing so they dont block anything no matter if they got a ladder or celing on top, so real foundations is the only thing that can block an area, that would make it a bit harder to abuse the system and block other players progress, as it is now pillars are very cheap to build and easy to run around placing them all over the place, witch really ruins the PVE servers, just wondering why it never got fixed.

[RTGLoot]

18 hours ago, CaveraMata09 said:

The second thing would be a semi-cleaning of the Server, let me explain. Every player would have a certain area around them that moves with the player, and if a construction isn't touched by said area it would be destroyed, and you guys could define these semi-cleaning between the time you choose, for example, every week. (that can include constructions from the same tribe) 

This sounds identical to structure decay. Your point of it being difficult for new survivors is valid. To help new survivors start many players will give starting gear. Just offer something you gather in trade first so they know your willing to work to survive the Ark.

Edited December 16, 2021 by RTGLoot

[stephonmarry]

I want to know more about the information on refrigerators? Please share your experiences and provide me with the right data.

Edited February 4, 2022 by stephonmarry

[Xehanort]

I think one solution might be just to put a limit to placeable structures. Not a limit for player, a limit for tribe since in Official server there are huge tribes. Ark to be completed doesn't require a huge base, just a normal one and a breeding area. You don't need anything else. It's sad that Official server are blocked with pillars from tribes that don't play anymore. They just enter to full troughs, reset the decaying timer and then they leave for another 2 weeks or more.

[Aylana314159]

Pillaring is the only way to protect natural resources, since they don't block spawns. So unless you want servers with no metal, no creatures like beavers then pillaring is really the only way.

 

Each map would need an extensive overhaul to expand the 'no build high resource' areas. But still the question of what about existing bases.

 

Official PvE is mostly about patience.

[jackjones]

Dont really need any metal or resources of any kind if you cant progress in the game and build a base, the resource areas should be no build zones.

It wouldent be that extensive, they just need to add a no build zone area on resources then theres no need for pillars there. current bases would be fine if someone has build in one of those zones they just cant build anymore in those areas

[Ghost20608]

It is literally impossible for new players to find any decent land on the PVE servers. There needs to be a limit on how much /Land/ people can cover with pillars and gates, it's absolutely ridiculous that my friends and I have been hopping servers for ~6 hours trying to find somewhere with enough room to make a 6x6 just so we can respawn. Every single server we visit has pillars in literally every  nook and cranny possible.

[Ghost20608]

And yes, I know there's a structure limit. It's not enough.

[Ghost20608]

Stuck on Abberation for over 2 hr. now because people have blocked off drops and the only one we could actually get to involves climbing a cliff to get through some dino gates, crawling under more gates along a cliff, and then it disappeared before our upload timer ran out. This is such a horribly overlooked issue. 

[Michau]

Y'all know what is badfor newcomers?

Like really really bad for new players?

- the pillars.

I am calling you to make a new player (you've released Ark: Ultimate Edition for new players, so feel like one)

Then try to start somewhat of a shelter.

You cannot.

Everywhere that is kind of safe there are freaking pillars.

 

Why there can't be  restriction for pillars with ladders/ single foundations/pillars and ceilings?

 

I love what you did. I love Ark.

Please - do something.

 

 

[Auringon]

Alter the destroy timer on structures so that if the structure is a “building” structure (I.e. walls, pillars, foundations, etc) and not “individual” structures (I.e. forges, refrigerators, fire pits, etc.) and it is not connected in a group of at least 7 (1 foundation, 4 walls, 1 ceiling and a door – minimum viable base) the “protected” time until they can be demolished is divided by 10. This would enable a player to lay out pillars on a reasonably sized plot to claim it in preparation to building but would prevent them from locking off huge areas of land indefinitely. There are areas locked off with tek pillars where the players always appear to be offline. This means that they are “hopping in” once a fortnight to refresh their claim on a server they don’t even play on. Please stop it.

[CaveraMata09]

Hello everyone, hope you are doing well, 

Everybody has had this problem, you enter a public Server and it's impossible to start, because there's pillars built by players everywhere, you can't build anything and have to spent hours trying to find a little spot to build at least a bonfire. 

So, I had this idea, and probably other people had it too. The first thing would be The spawn point, the public servers could have a certain area around it where every player can build and destroy everything, even if they're not on the same tribe, there's no need for pvp, that way every player has a chance to at least start survivng. 

The second thing would be a semi-cleaning of the Server, let me explain. Every player would have a certain area around them that moves with the player, and if a construction isn't touched by said area it would be destroyed, and you guys could define these semi-cleaning between the time you choose, for example, every week. (that can include constructions from the same tribe) 

Speaking for experience I coudn't start survivng in any public Server because besides not being able to build the basics to start, it is impossible to find an area to build at least a small house because there's pillars everywhere, that way every player has the chance to play and the Server wouldn't be owned by one or two tribes. 

I really hope you guys like this idea because honestly, I'm tired of trying to find a Server to play and being more honest I tell my friends not to buy this game because you can't play it in public servers. 

Everybody have a great day, and there's no need for being rude, write what you like and dislike or other ideas in the comments. 

[Ironfist14]

make it fair 

 

ban pillars on new DLCS until the transfers open .. simple solution 

 

some of us took so long to update that the maps are covered in pillars BAN THEM NOW ,  no more can be built at least and make them decay faster

[RTGLoot]

Rules do try to prevent it.

> Structure Spamming - placing structures down such as pipes or wires for the purpose of disrupting others gameplay is against our code of conduct.

> Intentionally using wild creatures to destroy a player's base.

GM intervention may be necessary if your structure or creature is negatively impacting a server (ie. you block off a large portion of the map so that other members of that server cannot access it).

see https://survivetheark.com/index.php?/code-of-conduct/

 

Banning pillars does not handle the core problem so would have limited effect unfortunately. 😢 
From what I see the reasons for pillars are the following.

 

Server Cap:

if survivors don’t get the buildings up now then later when the server cap is reached they can’t demolish structures to build.

 

Personal Space:

Humans like room around them a personal bubble.

 

Resources:

Pillars offer limited resource spawn suppression. With average build suppression.

 

Trolling:

Pillars get a fast strong reply of attention and the troll is still hard to counter. 

5 hours ago, Ironfist14 said:

BAN THEM NOW

Cascading Failure:

Bob’s spawn into ark seeing pillars all over. So they make pillars and the cycle repeats.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandwagon_effect

 

None of these reasons are limited to pillars so other methods would just fill the void. To fix the issue these cores and those I missed must be handled.

Edited December 16, 2021 by RTGLoot

[CaveraMata09]

3 hours ago, RTGLoot said:

This sounds identical to structure decay. Your point of it being difficult for new survivors is valid. To help new survivors start many players will give starting gear. Just offer something you gather in trade first so they know your willing to work to survive the Ark.

I don't know if it's different in each platform, I play on xbox one, and it's really hard to find players that respond to messages and even harder players that are willing to help out. 

And is it the same as structure decay? Because even with that there's still pillars in the entire map. 

[RTGLoot]

18 hours ago, CaveraMata09 said:

And is it the same as structure decay? Because even with that there's still pillars in the entire map. 

You can read about it under the auto-decay section here *spoilers* https://ark.fandom.com/wiki/Building .  The pillars have sparked many topics trying to fix them around the time of your post this one popped up.

many platforms and servers are different in terms of new player treatments. In my first pve server I had to sleep in a bases turret range to not be eaten. In the second a player had a entire base devoted to offering shelter, facility’s, and gear to new players. Sorry to hear your having such a rough time. Ark tends to dish it out. You may try the sea, players may have missed putting pillars there. If you can build at all, the shelves allow bases to poke out from the water and then you can build on from there. You can try finding aid on the Xbox forums.
 

Edited December 17, 2021 by RTGLoot

[RTGLoot]

1 hour ago, Xehanort said:

I think one solution might be just to put a limit to placeable structures. Not a limit for player, a limit for tribe since in Official server there are huge tribes.

That could actually compound the problem unfortunately. 

 

1 hour ago, Xehanort said:

Ark to be completed doesn't require a huge base, just a normal one and a breeding area. You don't need anything else.

Don’t miss the forest for the trees. 

 

 

[Acetriad]

One work around is to construct a raft. A well constructed raft can serve admirably as a mobile base until you find a good spot that isn't taken. 

[AnimaSolis]

With ARK 2 on the way I seriously hope this has been addressed, because excess pillaring has ruined PVE for a long time now. On many servers massive parts of maps are covered so you can’t even place a sleeping bag. 
 

The game is complex so I understand there is now easy solution but I’d like to suggest something based on other survival games I play.

Use a base marker (for example flag - like the base computer in No Mans Sky) to set limits for decay. 
 

So within that base marker range, decay timers are longer. But the further outside the base marker an object is placed, the faster it decays.

 

Upgrades to the base marker would be a good idea to allow for larger areas as you progress. Other tribes should not be able to build within your base zone.

 

This fixes multiple issues:

 

1. Prevents large tribes from pillaring all over the map and ruining the game for others 

2. Allows the claiming of an area for base building without having the build pillars in the first place.

3. Stops base griefing with structures. 
 

open to other suggestions to improve this idea but I seriously think something like this is REQUIRED for ARK 2. And without it I probably wont buy the game. 
 

Why? Because the omission of a feature like this in ARK 2 would basically mean WC has ignored this problem and the calls from the community entirely.

[maxplanck58]

Agreed.

I have seen some responsible pillaring, like protecting resource areas and traveling choke-points from being built on, but I have witnessed just almost just as much unreasonable territory claiming: for both extortion and griefing.  

[benwarne1]

Do you know who the structural engineers in Australia are? Tell me whether or not this organisation is good.

Edited June 2, 2022 by benwarne1

[TheBananaMan]

OK so me and my friend where starting on an aberration official cross-play server and we couldn't find a spot to make a base as almost everywhere was pillard and that was really upsetting because the only other cross-play had nowhere at all that wasn't in the blue or red zones. so could somebody at wildcard add a feature for max build dimensions so people who are starting on a server can actually also this was on PvE which shouldn't have the only spot to make a base on freak spino river.

[Ariel160]

There has got to be a solutions for tribes that just slap down 100 pillars to keep a hold of SO much land that they do not even use. There should be a limit to how many pillars a tribe can build. Then comes the two foundations and a foundation fence. They do that and kill dino spawns. There has got to be some kind of solution to stop this from happening. 

[Herbapou]

For PvE, they should add a free new structure that would be your main base foundation and limit the range you can build around it. For other places, they can add a free new outpost structure with a small limited range so you can build traps or outpost. This structures should have a limited count you can used.  That would get rid of pillars or players or tribe that abuse the system. The decay timers would be set on that foundation structure decay timer which would increase with the player level and be the same as tek at max level. For tribes, it would be the highest level player in the tribe. Tribes would get an extra outpost structure per player.

Even on PvP servers, they could add the same main base foundation which would protect a very small areas around you're main base to avoid complete wipes.

So basically, an area claim system.

They also need to protect some key areas of maps and make them unbuildable. They started this on new maps, but it need to be a lot more than that.

Edited September 4, 2023 by Herbapou