Server help (xbox) - looking for 'proper' ark again.

[timleahy89]

I'm not expecting this to exist, but am hoping for a response from anyone like minded who can point me towards something close - or who has this set up on unofficial. It's a long shot - but this is was a brilliant game and I'd rather not have to find something else (or wait for ark 2).

 

So basically I want to play original ark - partly inspired by voxesto on YouTube recently. I want the early game items/tames to still serve a purpose, I want dying to actually have a consequence, I want base upgrades to actually feel like an achievement (and not be useless) so I'd also like items like c4 and gigas to actually be difficult enough so that just anyone can't trash a base in no time). I also play solo so want it to be competitive without large tribes dominating a whole map (or just spamming large areas). A lot to ask I know, but ark at launch was far closer to this. 

 

I basically want to have to play through the game with balanced pvp. 

 

There are various official servers I've tried and failed with. 

 

ORP - ruined by large tribes/structure spam or low populations. 

Small tribes - boosted rates rush through the game. Also no consequence to being wasteful. 

Basic servers - transfers from other maps makes it too easy to bring resources/OP tames. 

Hardcore - liked the promise of raids/pvp actually ending with death and had read of a more mature player base - but with tribes you don't necessarily lose anything and losing everything to offline raiding makes the whole thing pointless. Also all seem scarcely populated. 

 

Don't like pve for the same reason I don't just play single player - as there doesn't feel to be a purpose for me. 

 

What I'd like if I were to create a server:

 

Hardcore - bring back the survival element and have consequences to decisions. Also like the idea of a raid ending with death rather than repeat respawn until ammo eventually runs out - which isn't an accomplishment. 

 

Limited tribes, maybe even solo to prevent bypassing the hardcore system. More like actual survival - any allegiances would be trust based.

 

Basic (or even reduced) XP - play through the game rather than skipping. Make stone/metal an achievement again. Also considered limiting To Rag to cut out explorer note runs, and even reducing craft xp to limit the pointless crafting shortcuts. 

 

Basic harvesting rates - again make upgrades an achievement and later game items less easy, to maintain the balance. Players are less likely to waste c4 on a small early game base if it actually took effort to craft it. 

 

I can see a case for boosted taming however as there isn't much to be gained from sitting and watching a tame for hours. But not excessive - but maybe only 2x.

I'd probably also disable gamma (again basically a cheat) and I'm not a fan of the tek end of the game, but if you got there based on the above, probably fair play. 

 

Having played the latest expansions, I just miss the original ark. I think this would make for a balanced and sporting server - probably too much effort for griefers, but allows everyone else to play through the game with some actual tactical considerations to make. 

 

Would appreciate if anyone can help with this!