ARK II needs to have .ini files removed!

[IcedOutBuffalo]

Please give this a read if you've EVER played PvP on PC servers...

This is being typed by someone who has been a loyal and passionate player of the ARK games for years and years like most. Have been a part of multiple communities within the sphere of ARK including PS4, PS5, Xbox, and PC including all Official, Unofficial, Offline, Single Player, Small Tribes, and even NoTame servers. For an overwhelming majority of the part, my friends and I have enjoyed ARK more than any other video game we have ever played. It's an incredibile game that has been sustainably upgraded throughout the years. Even the issue of duplicating items on Legacy servers was fixed mostly with the new servers rolling out a few years ago. My main point with this first section is to explain that we have been playing the game for a while.

Where I see a major issue is with the PC gameplay on PvP servers. The issue of using .ini files to modify gameplay has completely ruined the game for a large majority of players and some don't even realize it. The .ini files people use to put into the game data remove rocks, bushes, trees, etc. sometimes entirely and some even go as far as removing the opacity of water entirely. Let me tell you about my experiences.

When I played on PS4, which was most of my time initially, I had a blast. The game was fun, balanced, and was genuinely a fun activity to plan on having available after work. I could get on with my buddy (this was right when wingsuits were released) and we could fly around The Island and stand a chance against larger tribes because we could hide in the forest. Being able to see someone hiding within a bunch of shrubbery, bushes, etc. is a feature that should entirely be available to users in the late-game process. Tek, Bloodstalkers and other methods should 100% be available to do so. Here is where I see a major issue.

When I made the joyous swap to PC, I was super excited to experience ARK on a better scale. Better inventory management with mouse/keyboard, better graphics, and better FPS. But when my friends and I swapped over to PvP servers, the issue of these .ini files have arisen. We would have players with Wyverns, etc. able to see us immediately because the only thing they would see on their end is a tree trunk. They would not see bushes, tree branches and leaves, or rocks. The use of these files is widespread and gives serious advantages to players. They ruin the experience for players who want to have a balanced, PvP-oriented experience because it becomes an issue of either use the files and experience a lifeless, almost MS paint-like version of ARK just to win fights, or keep the settings the same to maintain the graphical beauty of the game. 

MAIN POINT:

I would like to place a formal suggestion to completely remove the use of .ini files in ARK II. As stated above, they ruin the PvP gameplay experience for a lot of players. I would be happy to discuss this with whoever but I would ultimately like to be heard by Wildcard because this is an issue that affects every single person playing the PvP servers. PvE servers and the experience they provide is still top-notch in my opinion and a fantastic time both by yourself and with friends. The graphical beauty should be maintained and removing the .ini files would restore balance to the game in PvP environments and ensure that every player is on the same playing field. I hope this finds everyone well.

Edit: After talking to someone on Discord, apparently this is an issue on Xbox servers as well. Even more the reason to have this talked about.

Edited June 15, 2022 by IcedOutBuffalo
Content addition

[VidarFeral]

This right here might be the single most important change I want in Ark 2 as well.

[BetaWolf]

+1

[IcedOutBuffalo]

After speaking with some people... I would like to clarify some things. The .ini files do set a large amount of game settings into place. Possibly what I mean in my post is (the idea of) limiting peoples' modication abilities with certain lines within the code. I am posting below  YouTube video links for examples of how the .ini file issue happens on ARK:
 

No harm or criticism is directed at either of these creators personally. Purely using their content as examples of my claim.

[ErolEfe9567]

Dostum konu ile alakalı değil fakat yardımcı olursan sevinirim ben bir süre çnce 1 yıllık primal pass satın aldım fakat kullana mıyorum ve oyun içi sarın alım mağazasın da bulunan geri alımları yükle seçeneği bende bug da

[DeliaHaze20]

i a pvper for 3 years 100% agree! +1

Edited June 18, 2022 by DeliaHaze20

[UltimatePowa]

In the first couple months of Arks launch my Tribe and I managed to hide in a random section of the forest on the west center side of the island, for about 3 weeks, by not chopping down the trees.
And we had a decent sized base.

It wasn't until we tamed a Spinosaurus and they followed us back to our base did we get wiped, then imprisoned and used for blood packs.
Hiding for so long in a random spot in the "open" covered by harvestable resources nowadays is impossible.

Not to mention the Parasaur detection trick with a Wyvern is absolutely ridiculous. 
You are forced to cryo ALL of your dinos every single night, then uncryo them just to stay hidden.

Edited July 10, 2022 by UltimatePowa

[panci]

very important change i agree

[DeliaHaze20]

as a long time pvper myself I to wish to see this issue resolved stealth is not even an option. and I should not have to make my game look like trash for an advantage.

[Bonz]

+1 i second this idea. i played on pc for a short time but .ini and hackers made me go back to console. i understand hackers will be in any game but this game has a surpluss

[Tylanater]

INI editing should have never been allowed on official servers. Completely ruins the whole stealth aspect of the game (hiding in bushes, stashing loot, trying to blend in, etc.)

[APerson1]

why not just.. have minimum settings that actually reset to their intended boundaries? ini editing can be used for a lot more than cheating on official servers, and is an important part of unofficial customization.