To the devs...

[TheRifleman]

I just want to start off by saying that I really appreciate the work you have done in creating Ark.  I am amazed at how well it had all come together. I have not even come close to finishing your first map, The Island. It is more challenging and fun than any other games I have played.  However, I would like to talk about The Crystal Isles.  It seems that The Crystal Isles map has the potential to boost your DLC sales, because it seems to have different zones based on several of your DLCs.  I believe that with a little more work, The Crystal Isles could work as a sample map.  If a couple of the cooler dinos were brought into this map from other DLCs, people might get a small taste of a DLC and become hungry for more. This makes sense to me, but I am no business expert. Anyway, keep up the good work!

[TheRifleman]

As I said, I am no business expert. However I think that these maps could be useful.  It just saddens me to see hard work fall into shambles, and the Crystal Isles could have been so much better if the devs put a little more into it.  Instead, it would seem that they threw a rocket propelled, grenade launching, tapejara (which I am not complaining about) and removed a ton of cool features leaving much of the map seemingly unfinished and confusing. For example, I have tried multiple times without success in my Crystal Isles solo game to get a plant species z seed to drop. If a flash bang plant was unnecessary or spoiled Aberration, just remove the entire plant, instead of putting dysfunctional plants in for decoration. Also, there is an area in the map specifically geared for bloodstalkers to spawn. If you want bloodstalkers to be genesis only, please put something else of note there.

 

[fintze]

Yeah, this is a cool idea. Maybe not with Crystal Ilse's but if they had a single player trail version for all the DLCs it may boost sales.

[dodoperip]

Good an idea boy (or girl)!

[yekrucifixion187]

3 hours ago, TheRifleman said:

I just want to start off by saying that I really appreciate the work you have done in creating Ark.  I am amazed at how well it had all come together. I have not even come close to finishing your first map, The Island. It is more challenging and fun than any other games I have played.  However, I would like to talk about The Crystal Isles.  It seems that The Crystal Isles map has the potential to boost your DLC sales, because it seems to have different zones based on several of your DLCs.  I believe that with a little more work, The Crystal Isles could work as a sample map.  If a couple of the cooler dinos were brought into this map from other DLCs, people might get a small taste of a DLC and become hungry for more. This makes sense to me, but I am no business expert. Anyway, keep up the good work!

It would have the opposite effect more likely unless they were untameable. CI spawns higher level dino's than lore maps so you could get those map exclusive creatures at a better level and for free. Ragnarok is a prime example. Easier scar, higher level Wyv eggs, Higher level Rock Golems, Higher level Mantis and Vultures and Thorny Dragons, etc. No adverse weather effects. Scorched Earth now has just the Phoenix and Dodowyvern during Fear Evolved. It's biggest draw is lack of population. 

[Qwertymine]

On 12/4/2020 at 5:41 PM, TheRifleman said:

Also, there is an area in the map specifically geared for bloodstalkers to spawn. If you want bloodstalkers to be genesis only, please put something else of note there.

I've found nothing to support this from the original map or the Crystal Isles additions mod. Where on the map is this? 

I personally think the free maps shouldn't include DLC content to any large extent(Looking at you Ragnarok), and should contain their own bits of unique content, like the Giffin and Tropeo.

Scorched became a wasteland after Rag was released, no point in going there unless you want a Phoenix and explorer notes. Aberration has luckily survived thanks to the fact that Valguero and Crystal Isles hardly got anything from it. 

Nothing from Extinction or Genesis 1-2 should go off those maps, or atleast onto free maps. The devs seem to be learning that they kill maps when they spread their content so wide.