Camarasaurus is not the most impressive member of the sauropod family in some opinions. It's quite stocky, surprisingly sure footed and small compared to the long, lumbering titans that encompass leagues of the Ark at a time, and see it normal to ignore all but the most significant threats. They have adapted to the constrained habitat of the Aberrant cave system much better than I've seen any other large creatures. Normally the space would cause issues for creatures that require so much nourishment to keep up their dietary requirements. But these have evolved to consume the rich mushroom trees and fungus that grow on the sides of the bark of the giant hardwood trees that dapple the Fertile Zone. Which is where they make their home.
Credit to these images and graphs as they are not mine.
1-2. Scott Hartman
2. Pete's Paleo Petshop
The 1st and 2nd images are a great example of some scale of how the different sauropod that we know today compare to Camarasaurus for scale. With the 2nd being a close up of the text if you couldn't see it, Camarasaurus is way at the end and quite small compared to all those other sauropods but still significant to us, probably around the size of a Paracer or Yutyrannus. The 3rd is a simpler example that focuses on the scale of just us compared to the Camarasaurus. Granted some of these may not even be exactly accurate as this was from 2013 in the case of the first 2 but it's still pretty close and a better example of comparing illustrations that I could find to show the size difference.
These gentle and smaller than usual giants usually can be found in herds throughout the Mushroom Forests, and more commonly among the huge hard wooded trees that dwarf the rest of any other living organisms in this place. Roaming and grazing the flora at their leisure. They are big enough to deter most predators, but aren't the best foghters and will often panic in the presence of a much larger threat, which thankfully are few, far between and often locked to the chaotic Riverways and cavernous depths of their home Ark. Camarasaurus is a neutral dinosaur for the most part, smart enough to distinct and curious of humans whenever they try to interact with it, but mostly ignore other species during daily life. They get nervous around threats that are capable of hunting then though, such as large carnivores and mega packs of smaller ones like Carnos and Ravagers. Thus they tend to group up in herds of up to 3 individuals who migrate between sources of food when needed and help increase their chance of survival with strength in numbers. If something ever did spook them the herd will usually attempt to cluster together and flee, hoping it spots a better meal while they make their escape.
They rarely fight but when they do they're much more effective than you'd expect them to be Considering they flee at almost every given opportunity, shockingly the one time they seem to stand their ground or fight something directly is when they are alone. I don't know if this is a last ditch survival mechanism or something that only happens to solitary individuals who develop more defensive nature's thanks to them not being around a system of companions to rely on.
That being said the Camarsaurus also has a crippling phobia of the Nameless. For some reason the creepy little things seem to send them running in a panic, but I suppose anything resembling the smell or sight of the Reapers would invoke fear in the creatures of the Ark, I just don't understand why they are so terrified of the small things of every possible threat. This will cause them to run in fear temporarily like they've just been hit by a Yuty fear Roar. Making them utterly terrible candidates for venturing into the Bio or Rad Zones. Fortunately, if you happen to bring a source of charge light with you, it will quell the creature's nerves enough to (albeit anxiously) go into the Bio Zone without immediately panicking from the proximity of buried Nameless. If it ever goes out though, good luck.
Now that the introduction is over let's go over the mechanics and uses of the Camarasaurus.
Caravan/Herding Buff
They're a rather small but stocky herbivore, at least in the Sauropod category. They're tall enough to reach the tops of most trees and are small enough to not be hindered as much by their weight and size in the more closely packed underground environment. This gives them a much more reliable center of gravity however, and plays into one of their primary uses and strengths. Strong and Steady is their prime ability. A passive that let's them bear more weight than other dinos in unique ways. One of them is that the more of one resource is on them, the less it weighs in their inventory. This can go up to 25% reduction in the weight of the material. Meaning a huge bulk of Wood, Stone, Metal, Gems or any other resource can have a quarter of its weight unused and able to be carried for free. This applies to all resources, not normal items or unstackable items like gear. But it will affect structures, up to a whopping 50%! This makes them perfect for builders on a smaller scale.
Another part of their passive is that it synergies with herds. Their natural instinct is to cluster together in groups. So having more Camarasaurus with you will benefit them as well as you. This herd bonus lets Camarasaurus and any other affected herdmates to bear 5% past the Encumbrance limit before being unable to move. This effect stacks as well! Up to 40%, with 5% more per herdmate. However, you don't need to only use Camarasaurus to utilize this buff. This buff can apply to any other herbivorous creature the size of a Parasaur or bigger. Allowing you to mix herds of various caravan and even utility dinos to go farming for resources and be able to carry much more back without needing to worry about speed or sticking to only one creature. This effect has a radius of the same relative to the pack bonuses, maybe a bit bigger depending on the range and not leaving any dinos behind with a load of resources.
Elevated Utility
The next part of their kit is the feature that expands on a part of the building system in Ark rhat hasn't got much attention. Tree Platforms and elevated bases. Ladders, Tree and Cliff Platforms and Elevators are all something that needs a lot of TLC, they don't have nearly the dynamic or flexible customize ability and versatility that other building pieces do in Ark. In fact they suck. The placement rules are bad enough for Tree Platforms, but all platforms are basically the same shape and size. Meaning you can't adapt it to the terrain or location as well as a fully custom base made of the normal pieces. I am here to propose not just a qol function that pairs with the Camarasaurus but to suggest more features for these systems in Ark.
First of all. The Camarasaurus's main utility ability, Counterweight.
Counterweight is the capability to attatch your Camarasaurus to the pulleys and system of primitive Elevator Tracks made of Wood and anything lower tier than Metal. With this you are now able to use its effective weight pool to hoist that amount up the elevator track regardless of the normal limits of it. You can only do this with one Camarasaurus at a time, and leaves it unable to move until you detach it.
Why is this useful? Hardly anybody uses elevators and when they do, its the metal ones, the wooden ones cant even be used without the crank. Heres where the Camarasaurus can not just fix but enhance this area of the building tiers.
Introducing the Mushroom Wood building tier. Utilizing the strong and sturdy giant shrooms that grow in the underground. This building tier (intended for this stuff but could be its own full tier if Wildcard thought about it) is used to craft a more advanced Wood series for the Elevator Shaft, Pulley System and Stations, Platforms, and it also is the building material for the other new pieces that we'll talk about.
The Camarasaurus can now act as a way to use the more compact and primitive elevator pieces. While also pioneering the idea of adding new pieces to flesh out their functionality without needing to use Metal tier or just Ladders or requiring climbing dinos/equipment. This new building tier includes a few modules that will enhance your ability to build on trees and cliffs and uneven terrain better than even stacking foundations can. The Camarasaurus can also serve as a living ladder itself. Well look at the basic Saddle functionality before continuing on the building things.
The Saddle is a single seater that provides you the ability to hook a Camarasaurus up to any Wood or Mushroom Wood tier Elevator Track system and be able to increase the weight bearing limit of it by its own inventory capacity. The saddle puts the character on the back of the Camarasaurus but the saddle also has a mini ladder along it's neck, which the Survivor can climb as well to get to a taller vantage point and possibly even sit on like another passenger seat to shoot, build, jump or scout from. This also helps you get to taller parts of your base.
Now the Mushroom Wood Tier would consist of these components.
- Elevator Track, Platforms S/M/L, Station. - These pieces have a slightly higher weight limit than Wood but have better platform sizes and a two station functional activation part that let's you control the elevator from more than just one place like the Wood Elevator Winch.
- Platform Foundation Small, Medium and Large - These are Foundation sized pieces that can snap to not just a Tree but to each other and other Platforms. They are sized at a 1x1, 1x2, and 2x3 respectively. They also come in triangles and can snap with all fences, foundations, pillars and ceilings. They attach to most surfaces but require at least somewhat of a slope or the edge of a Platform/Wall/Foundation/Terrain.
- Pillars and Support Beams - Beams are the new obsession for anyone who has played Valheim, and the support system in Ark needs help. Beams should now act as the Horizontal sibling to Pillars, they help extend support but do not provide it, they require a foundation, pillar, Platform or ground go anchor to or they will not place like Ceilings and such. Plus, this would be the prime time to add taller Pillars and Walls.
- Wedges and Platform Roofs - Mushroom Wood gives an organic shingle look that helps put a topper on your favorite tree house. It comes in all the tile sizes and angles of normal roof pieces In addition to Wedges, which are the angled and shorter named Platform version of segments that are geometrically compatible with Platforms but don't require quite as many individual triangles. This allows you to make partial segments that wrap around Tree Platforms.
- Stairpieces - These come in larger sizes and scales and at angles that let you use them in Platforms with multiple floors. No need for ramps or ladders if you'd just prefer a nice and less hindering Staircase without the railing hassle of Spiral Stairs.
- Planks and Catwalks - The only way to get bridges in a way that it functional and not junky in Ark is to build your own. So now there are Mushroom Wood Catwalks, wider than normal ones and Planks, which are half a ceiling Floor pieces that can be placed 2x in the same space to form an aesthetic but fully functional and fall proof wooden bridge that you can safely walk across without worrying about falling through the gaps even if the graphics show them. Let's you enjoy the view of the world below you but keep you high above the ground securely.
These are just some Ideas of how to not just improve on the idea of Platforms and elevated building but to even add a new native building tier that doesn't need a special effect, only a different material set and the science of the map it comes from. Overall Camarsaurus will allow you and your ground bound tames to access more of the map and your base with greater ease.
Taming
Here I think the Camarasaurus would be tamed passively, by gaining its attention with thrown mushrooms on the ground, you can feed it and start the taming process. Overtime it will warm up to you and start to look for the food you give it, eventually it'll come up to you to be fed, with luck it's herdmates may even try the same and end up getting a headstart on their taming progress! You need to be cautious while taming them though, any nearby Large Predators will make any Camarasaurus Nervous. This prevents it from noticing or eating any offerings of food for taming and works sort of like the proximity mechanics for the Rivalry buff on Trikes, except it just makes them anxious. This can actually be used in other ways though too, it can help you detect threats nearby as the effect is like a mild colored aura, not enough to be annoying but visibly making their unease apparent and working to let you know when something dangerous might be nearby.
I know not all of these ideas may be feasible but I really think this is a great opportunity to expand upon and enhance aspects of Ark that have been left in the dust, as well as finally introduce proper herding and caravan mechanics. I hope that this made people a little more willing to support an herbivore as well, not many get the chance to be in a vote let alone one without combat abilities as its prime role and I hope this will help flesh out not just that but the Sauropod family as well.
Aggro
Because it's a medium to large creature that is essentially a tall but small sauropod, it's Aggro table is a little different than most. Because of its relatively harmless nature, it has no Aggro from hostile herbivores including Therizino, Gigantopithecus and the Direbear. It would attract the attention of larger groups of medium or small Carnivores, but mainly it would not Aggro medium carnivores unless it was outnumbered and alone. The more allied herbivores or other Camarasaurus are with it, the less is possible. Capping at 5 herdmates to discourage Aggro. Only herbivores the size of an Anky or Parasaur are eligible for the herdmate mechanics and buffs.
The main Predators of Camarasaurus are - Allos, Yutyrannus, Reapers, Spinos, Karkinos, Basilisk, Megalosaurus if they are aggro'd.
Roar Mechanics
However there is another mechanism rhat assist the Camarasaurus in defending itself from threats. This is the Rally and Warn ability. This uses the same Roar for 2 different purposes. Both require the presence of a large carnivore and for your Camarasaurus to be Nervous. When you do this and your Camarasaurus is alone, it will Roar and alert the predator that it knows its there. How is this a good thing? Didn't you just let it know you're there and are a nice meal? Here's the kicker. The Roar also alerts other wild herbivores to this fact. They will then either take multiple courses of action, if they are small and not much of a match they'll likely flee, but if they are more formidable creatures like Trikes, Stegosaurus, Gigantipithecus or Therizinosaurus for other maps, this will let everyone know in a small area where a dangerous predator is and they will likely immediately attack if they are in range.
This Roar can do multiple things. It can alert other creatures of your presence and the presence of a threat, can scare them away. It can even scare the predator away. Each time you do this it has a chance to discourage the carnivore from attacking. As well as having a good chance to set off any stronger or ornery herbivores and get them to help defend you and themselves. They do this because they all know about this carnivore and know there's strength in numbers, creature type and behavior has a play in it as well. It's more beneficial if the herbivores take out the carnivore together than to wait for it to pick them off one by one.
This can also be used among other herbivores that are allied though. If used with herdmates, it becomes a Rally. The Rally temporarily gives a boost to speed and defense to all affected herdmates including the Camarasaurus, further pushing the mechanic of strength in numbers. The speed would be around 10% and the defense increases the more creatures are in the herd. Up to 15% with 3% per extra member.
Base Stat Example
HP - 800-1000 (Scales well due to it being a somewhat tanky and bulky creature)
Stam - 600 (Scales up enough that it doesn't need to run out constantly and isn't used very fast, only at an average rate.)
Oxygen - 200 (It's tall enough to walk through most rivers and bodies of shallower water but it's not a good swimmer)
Food - Nothing important
Weight - 800 (This is their best Stat besides HP, scaling high enough to rival most mid tier unspecialized weight dinos and compete with the Paracer while also being something that just makes them better or even a valued companion due to how their niches could synergies with platform bases and weight reduction mechanics.)
Melee - 20 or 30 / 80 (The first value is their single foot stomp and the other is their double rear and foot stomp attack. It's quicker and less devastating than a Bronto tail swipe or Titanosaur or Brachy stomp, but it is heavily damaging enough to defend it from most smaller or higher sized threats with its health pool size.
Speed - This scales okay, but is not their main purpose, they are much more maneuverable and quick than other large creatures though, with a tighter turning radius than a lot of other comparable tames.
Controls
Left Click - Stomp with front foot. Dealing around 30 damage and knocking creatures back in a small radius. Not too slow of an attack. This can be done with the back feet if looking behind you. When used while moving it will kick the foot out and deal more knockback but not stop the Camarasaurus from moving. This move harvests trees semi effectively.
Right Click - Graze - Uses its head to harvest from high up. Letting it harvest trees and tall Mushroom plants anchored to rocks, redwood trees and cliffs. This gathers all forms of Mushroom resources very efficiently and Mushroom Wood at about 2.5 stars of efficiency compared to other creatures.
Spacebar - Crush - Rears up and let's the weight of the Camarasaurus come crashing down. Dealing huge crush damage to anything the size of a Raptor or smaller and doing around 80 to larger creatures until the Spino size category, where it deals about 40. This move can break trees and rocks and deals decent damage to structures.
C - Herd Call - Roars and confirms how many creatures are effected by its herd buff.
X - Warn/Rally - If your Camarasaurus is Nervous and a predator is about to approach you can Roar and warn other creatures about it. This has the chance to discourage and scare other predators away, and to turn other herbivores aggressive towards it, helping you fight it. This also will give a slight defense and movement speed boost to all allied herdmates nearby the Camarasaurus.
Other Ideas
Lantern Coach Saddle - The Camarasaurus's nerves don't do well in the gloomy dark of the deeper caves in the Aberrant Ark, or the Nameless-infested Bio and Rad Zones. But to help combat this, you can build a Mushroom Wood Coach right atop it's back, here you and up to 4 other passengers can rest safely above the ground in a semi exposed cabin that let's you look at and shoot, thankfully the more enclosed design as opposed to an open saddle seat means your passengers are shielded from drawing Aggro or being attacked directly by wild creatures. Boasting 2 iron charge lanterns on the front that are powered by Charge Batteries in its inventory. This let's you take your Camarasaurus and allies into the more dangerous areas if necessary with more protection even if you dont have very strong creatures or only have human weapons. A party of 3-5 can easily protect the Camarasaurus.
Standard Saddle - "The Saddle is a single seater that provides you the ability to hook a Camarasaurus up to any Wood or Mushroom Wood tier Elevator Track system and be able to increase the weight bearing limit of it by its own inventory capacity. The saddle puts the character on the back of the Camarasaurus but the saddle also has a mini ladder along it's neck, which the Survivor can climb as well to get to a taller vantage point and possibly even sit on like another passenger seat to shoot, build, jump or scout from. This also helps you get to taller parts of your base." - Elevated Building section above.
This is for the general riding and use and is the most basic idea for the main and probably only saddle it might have. I don't think it would have a Platform saddle as it's so small that the structures you could build would be tiny like the Quetzal platform saddles and the structures are simply too bulky to scale well with it. Plus I think it's utility is best expressed without them, also allowing the Paracer to keep its niche of the Platform Saddle beast of burden.
It's appearance would likely include some sort of anchor or Pulley contraption parts that would reflect the ability to attatch to the Elevator systems. On the back behind the saddle seat or right in front of it. If possible it could even have the mentioned 2nd seat on its head if the scaling of its size allows for it and you can sit on the creatures head, which we can already do with other Sauropods and Megalosaurus so why not. With a little ladder strapped to the back of its neck with little foothold or bars of wood/metal.
Caravan Saddle - Another idea for its saddle that could be alternative to the Elevator one. Being equipped with a small enclosed platform that serves as a visual cue for its level of weight encumbrance and adds more boxes, bags, barrels etc of what it's carrying as you put more things in its inventory as well as a small bench plank off the back that let's 2 passengers ride on the back of it. This wouldn't have the ladder part but would be the weight focused part of its kit and could even be the source of its bulk carrying ability separate from the herding bonus. Not sure if it would work when it's back is angled as much as it is but why not to see if it would be possible. This world has giant tentacle monsters after all. It could also just have some storage strapped to its back and sides like giant saddlebags/barrels/crates but that's a little less imaginative.
Edited by Luux Misspelling and bolding for easier reading, added more images for reference and saddle ideas.
Suggestion
Luux
Camarasaurus is not the most impressive member of the sauropod family in some opinions. It's quite stocky, surprisingly sure footed and small compared to the long, lumbering titans that encompass leagues of the Ark at a time, and see it normal to ignore all but the most significant threats. They have adapted to the constrained habitat of the Aberrant cave system much better than I've seen any other large creatures. Normally the space would cause issues for creatures that require so much nourishment to keep up their dietary requirements. But these have evolved to consume the rich mushroom trees and fungus that grow on the sides of the bark of the giant hardwood trees that dapple the Fertile Zone. Which is where they make their home.
Credit to these images and graphs as they are not mine.
1-2. Scott Hartman
2. Pete's Paleo Petshop
The 1st and 2nd images are a great example of some scale of how the different sauropod that we know today compare to Camarasaurus for scale. With the 2nd being a close up of the text if you couldn't see it, Camarasaurus is way at the end and quite small compared to all those other sauropods but still significant to us, probably around the size of a Paracer or Yutyrannus. The 3rd is a simpler example that focuses on the scale of just us compared to the Camarasaurus. Granted some of these may not even be exactly accurate as this was from 2013 in the case of the first 2 but it's still pretty close and a better example of comparing illustrations that I could find to show the size difference.
These gentle and smaller than usual giants usually can be found in herds throughout the Mushroom Forests, and more commonly among the huge hard wooded trees that dwarf the rest of any other living organisms in this place. Roaming and grazing the flora at their leisure. They are big enough to deter most predators, but aren't the best foghters and will often panic in the presence of a much larger threat, which thankfully are few, far between and often locked to the chaotic Riverways and cavernous depths of their home Ark. Camarasaurus is a neutral dinosaur for the most part, smart enough to distinct and curious of humans whenever they try to interact with it, but mostly ignore other species during daily life. They get nervous around threats that are capable of hunting then though, such as large carnivores and mega packs of smaller ones like Carnos and Ravagers. Thus they tend to group up in herds of up to 3 individuals who migrate between sources of food when needed and help increase their chance of survival with strength in numbers. If something ever did spook them the herd will usually attempt to cluster together and flee, hoping it spots a better meal while they make their escape.
They rarely fight but when they do they're much more effective than you'd expect them to be Considering they flee at almost every given opportunity, shockingly the one time they seem to stand their ground or fight something directly is when they are alone. I don't know if this is a last ditch survival mechanism or something that only happens to solitary individuals who develop more defensive nature's thanks to them not being around a system of companions to rely on.
That being said the Camarsaurus also has a crippling phobia of the Nameless. For some reason the creepy little things seem to send them running in a panic, but I suppose anything resembling the smell or sight of the Reapers would invoke fear in the creatures of the Ark, I just don't understand why they are so terrified of the small things of every possible threat. This will cause them to run in fear temporarily like they've just been hit by a Yuty fear Roar. Making them utterly terrible candidates for venturing into the Bio or Rad Zones. Fortunately, if you happen to bring a source of charge light with you, it will quell the creature's nerves enough to (albeit anxiously) go into the Bio Zone without immediately panicking from the proximity of buried Nameless. If it ever goes out though, good luck.
Now that the introduction is over let's go over the mechanics and uses of the Camarasaurus.
Caravan/Herding Buff
They're a rather small but stocky herbivore, at least in the Sauropod category. They're tall enough to reach the tops of most trees and are small enough to not be hindered as much by their weight and size in the more closely packed underground environment. This gives them a much more reliable center of gravity however, and plays into one of their primary uses and strengths. Strong and Steady is their prime ability. A passive that let's them bear more weight than other dinos in unique ways. One of them is that the more of one resource is on them, the less it weighs in their inventory. This can go up to 25% reduction in the weight of the material. Meaning a huge bulk of Wood, Stone, Metal, Gems or any other resource can have a quarter of its weight unused and able to be carried for free. This applies to all resources, not normal items or unstackable items like gear. But it will affect structures, up to a whopping 50%! This makes them perfect for builders on a smaller scale.
Another part of their passive is that it synergies with herds. Their natural instinct is to cluster together in groups. So having more Camarasaurus with you will benefit them as well as you. This herd bonus lets Camarasaurus and any other affected herdmates to bear 5% past the Encumbrance limit before being unable to move. This effect stacks as well! Up to 40%, with 5% more per herdmate. However, you don't need to only use Camarasaurus to utilize this buff. This buff can apply to any other herbivorous creature the size of a Parasaur or bigger. Allowing you to mix herds of various caravan and even utility dinos to go farming for resources and be able to carry much more back without needing to worry about speed or sticking to only one creature. This effect has a radius of the same relative to the pack bonuses, maybe a bit bigger depending on the range and not leaving any dinos behind with a load of resources.
Elevated Utility
The next part of their kit is the feature that expands on a part of the building system in Ark rhat hasn't got much attention. Tree Platforms and elevated bases. Ladders, Tree and Cliff Platforms and Elevators are all something that needs a lot of TLC, they don't have nearly the dynamic or flexible customize ability and versatility that other building pieces do in Ark. In fact they suck. The placement rules are bad enough for Tree Platforms, but all platforms are basically the same shape and size. Meaning you can't adapt it to the terrain or location as well as a fully custom base made of the normal pieces. I am here to propose not just a qol function that pairs with the Camarasaurus but to suggest more features for these systems in Ark.
First of all. The Camarasaurus's main utility ability, Counterweight.
Counterweight is the capability to attatch your Camarasaurus to the pulleys and system of primitive Elevator Tracks made of Wood and anything lower tier than Metal. With this you are now able to use its effective weight pool to hoist that amount up the elevator track regardless of the normal limits of it. You can only do this with one Camarasaurus at a time, and leaves it unable to move until you detach it.
Why is this useful? Hardly anybody uses elevators and when they do, its the metal ones, the wooden ones cant even be used without the crank. Heres where the Camarasaurus can not just fix but enhance this area of the building tiers.
Introducing the Mushroom Wood building tier. Utilizing the strong and sturdy giant shrooms that grow in the underground. This building tier (intended for this stuff but could be its own full tier if Wildcard thought about it) is used to craft a more advanced Wood series for the Elevator Shaft, Pulley System and Stations, Platforms, and it also is the building material for the other new pieces that we'll talk about.
The Camarasaurus can now act as a way to use the more compact and primitive elevator pieces. While also pioneering the idea of adding new pieces to flesh out their functionality without needing to use Metal tier or just Ladders or requiring climbing dinos/equipment. This new building tier includes a few modules that will enhance your ability to build on trees and cliffs and uneven terrain better than even stacking foundations can. The Camarasaurus can also serve as a living ladder itself. Well look at the basic Saddle functionality before continuing on the building things.
The Saddle is a single seater that provides you the ability to hook a Camarasaurus up to any Wood or Mushroom Wood tier Elevator Track system and be able to increase the weight bearing limit of it by its own inventory capacity. The saddle puts the character on the back of the Camarasaurus but the saddle also has a mini ladder along it's neck, which the Survivor can climb as well to get to a taller vantage point and possibly even sit on like another passenger seat to shoot, build, jump or scout from. This also helps you get to taller parts of your base.
Now the Mushroom Wood Tier would consist of these components.
- Elevator Track, Platforms S/M/L, Station. - These pieces have a slightly higher weight limit than Wood but have better platform sizes and a two station functional activation part that let's you control the elevator from more than just one place like the Wood Elevator Winch.
- Platform Foundation Small, Medium and Large - These are Foundation sized pieces that can snap to not just a Tree but to each other and other Platforms. They are sized at a 1x1, 1x2, and 2x3 respectively. They also come in triangles and can snap with all fences, foundations, pillars and ceilings. They attach to most surfaces but require at least somewhat of a slope or the edge of a Platform/Wall/Foundation/Terrain.
- Pillars and Support Beams - Beams are the new obsession for anyone who has played Valheim, and the support system in Ark needs help. Beams should now act as the Horizontal sibling to Pillars, they help extend support but do not provide it, they require a foundation, pillar, Platform or ground go anchor to or they will not place like Ceilings and such. Plus, this would be the prime time to add taller Pillars and Walls.
- Wedges and Platform Roofs - Mushroom Wood gives an organic shingle look that helps put a topper on your favorite tree house. It comes in all the tile sizes and angles of normal roof pieces In addition to Wedges, which are the angled and shorter named Platform version of segments that are geometrically compatible with Platforms but don't require quite as many individual triangles. This allows you to make partial segments that wrap around Tree Platforms.
- Stairpieces - These come in larger sizes and scales and at angles that let you use them in Platforms with multiple floors. No need for ramps or ladders if you'd just prefer a nice and less hindering Staircase without the railing hassle of Spiral Stairs.
- Planks and Catwalks - The only way to get bridges in a way that it functional and not junky in Ark is to build your own. So now there are Mushroom Wood Catwalks, wider than normal ones and Planks, which are half a ceiling Floor pieces that can be placed 2x in the same space to form an aesthetic but fully functional and fall proof wooden bridge that you can safely walk across without worrying about falling through the gaps even if the graphics show them. Let's you enjoy the view of the world below you but keep you high above the ground securely.
These are just some Ideas of how to not just improve on the idea of Platforms and elevated building but to even add a new native building tier that doesn't need a special effect, only a different material set and the science of the map it comes from. Overall Camarsaurus will allow you and your ground bound tames to access more of the map and your base with greater ease.
Taming
Here I think the Camarasaurus would be tamed passively, by gaining its attention with thrown mushrooms on the ground, you can feed it and start the taming process. Overtime it will warm up to you and start to look for the food you give it, eventually it'll come up to you to be fed, with luck it's herdmates may even try the same and end up getting a headstart on their taming progress! You need to be cautious while taming them though, any nearby Large Predators will make any Camarasaurus Nervous. This prevents it from noticing or eating any offerings of food for taming and works sort of like the proximity mechanics for the Rivalry buff on Trikes, except it just makes them anxious. This can actually be used in other ways though too, it can help you detect threats nearby as the effect is like a mild colored aura, not enough to be annoying but visibly making their unease apparent and working to let you know when something dangerous might be nearby.
I know not all of these ideas may be feasible but I really think this is a great opportunity to expand upon and enhance aspects of Ark that have been left in the dust, as well as finally introduce proper herding and caravan mechanics. I hope that this made people a little more willing to support an herbivore as well, not many get the chance to be in a vote let alone one without combat abilities as its prime role and I hope this will help flesh out not just that but the Sauropod family as well.
Aggro
Because it's a medium to large creature that is essentially a tall but small sauropod, it's Aggro table is a little different than most. Because of its relatively harmless nature, it has no Aggro from hostile herbivores including Therizino, Gigantopithecus and the Direbear. It would attract the attention of larger groups of medium or small Carnivores, but mainly it would not Aggro medium carnivores unless it was outnumbered and alone. The more allied herbivores or other Camarasaurus are with it, the less is possible. Capping at 5 herdmates to discourage Aggro. Only herbivores the size of an Anky or Parasaur are eligible for the herdmate mechanics and buffs.
The main Predators of Camarasaurus are - Allos, Yutyrannus, Reapers, Spinos, Karkinos, Basilisk, Megalosaurus if they are aggro'd.
Roar Mechanics
However there is another mechanism rhat assist the Camarasaurus in defending itself from threats. This is the Rally and Warn ability. This uses the same Roar for 2 different purposes. Both require the presence of a large carnivore and for your Camarasaurus to be Nervous. When you do this and your Camarasaurus is alone, it will Roar and alert the predator that it knows its there. How is this a good thing? Didn't you just let it know you're there and are a nice meal? Here's the kicker. The Roar also alerts other wild herbivores to this fact. They will then either take multiple courses of action, if they are small and not much of a match they'll likely flee, but if they are more formidable creatures like Trikes, Stegosaurus, Gigantipithecus or Therizinosaurus for other maps, this will let everyone know in a small area where a dangerous predator is and they will likely immediately attack if they are in range.
This Roar can do multiple things. It can alert other creatures of your presence and the presence of a threat, can scare them away. It can even scare the predator away. Each time you do this it has a chance to discourage the carnivore from attacking. As well as having a good chance to set off any stronger or ornery herbivores and get them to help defend you and themselves. They do this because they all know about this carnivore and know there's strength in numbers, creature type and behavior has a play in it as well. It's more beneficial if the herbivores take out the carnivore together than to wait for it to pick them off one by one.
This can also be used among other herbivores that are allied though. If used with herdmates, it becomes a Rally. The Rally temporarily gives a boost to speed and defense to all affected herdmates including the Camarasaurus, further pushing the mechanic of strength in numbers. The speed would be around 10% and the defense increases the more creatures are in the herd. Up to 15% with 3% per extra member.
Base Stat Example
HP - 800-1000 (Scales well due to it being a somewhat tanky and bulky creature)
Stam - 600 (Scales up enough that it doesn't need to run out constantly and isn't used very fast, only at an average rate.)
Oxygen - 200 (It's tall enough to walk through most rivers and bodies of shallower water but it's not a good swimmer)
Food - Nothing important
Weight - 800 (This is their best Stat besides HP, scaling high enough to rival most mid tier unspecialized weight dinos and compete with the Paracer while also being something that just makes them better or even a valued companion due to how their niches could synergies with platform bases and weight reduction mechanics.)
Melee - 20 or 30 / 80 (The first value is their single foot stomp and the other is their double rear and foot stomp attack. It's quicker and less devastating than a Bronto tail swipe or Titanosaur or Brachy stomp, but it is heavily damaging enough to defend it from most smaller or higher sized threats with its health pool size.
Speed - This scales okay, but is not their main purpose, they are much more maneuverable and quick than other large creatures though, with a tighter turning radius than a lot of other comparable tames.
Controls
Left Click - Stomp with front foot. Dealing around 30 damage and knocking creatures back in a small radius. Not too slow of an attack. This can be done with the back feet if looking behind you. When used while moving it will kick the foot out and deal more knockback but not stop the Camarasaurus from moving. This move harvests trees semi effectively.
Right Click - Graze - Uses its head to harvest from high up. Letting it harvest trees and tall Mushroom plants anchored to rocks, redwood trees and cliffs. This gathers all forms of Mushroom resources very efficiently and Mushroom Wood at about 2.5 stars of efficiency compared to other creatures.
Spacebar - Crush - Rears up and let's the weight of the Camarasaurus come crashing down. Dealing huge crush damage to anything the size of a Raptor or smaller and doing around 80 to larger creatures until the Spino size category, where it deals about 40. This move can break trees and rocks and deals decent damage to structures.
C - Herd Call - Roars and confirms how many creatures are effected by its herd buff.
X - Warn/Rally - If your Camarasaurus is Nervous and a predator is about to approach you can Roar and warn other creatures about it. This has the chance to discourage and scare other predators away, and to turn other herbivores aggressive towards it, helping you fight it. This also will give a slight defense and movement speed boost to all allied herdmates nearby the Camarasaurus.
Other Ideas
Lantern Coach Saddle - The Camarasaurus's nerves don't do well in the gloomy dark of the deeper caves in the Aberrant Ark, or the Nameless-infested Bio and Rad Zones. But to help combat this, you can build a Mushroom Wood Coach right atop it's back, here you and up to 4 other passengers can rest safely above the ground in a semi exposed cabin that let's you look at and shoot, thankfully the more enclosed design as opposed to an open saddle seat means your passengers are shielded from drawing Aggro or being attacked directly by wild creatures. Boasting 2 iron charge lanterns on the front that are powered by Charge Batteries in its inventory. This let's you take your Camarasaurus and allies into the more dangerous areas if necessary with more protection even if you dont have very strong creatures or only have human weapons. A party of 3-5 can easily protect the Camarasaurus.
Standard Saddle - "The Saddle is a single seater that provides you the ability to hook a Camarasaurus up to any Wood or Mushroom Wood tier Elevator Track system and be able to increase the weight bearing limit of it by its own inventory capacity. The saddle puts the character on the back of the Camarasaurus but the saddle also has a mini ladder along it's neck, which the Survivor can climb as well to get to a taller vantage point and possibly even sit on like another passenger seat to shoot, build, jump or scout from. This also helps you get to taller parts of your base." - Elevated Building section above.
This is for the general riding and use and is the most basic idea for the main and probably only saddle it might have. I don't think it would have a Platform saddle as it's so small that the structures you could build would be tiny like the Quetzal platform saddles and the structures are simply too bulky to scale well with it. Plus I think it's utility is best expressed without them, also allowing the Paracer to keep its niche of the Platform Saddle beast of burden.
It's appearance would likely include some sort of anchor or Pulley contraption parts that would reflect the ability to attatch to the Elevator systems. On the back behind the saddle seat or right in front of it. If possible it could even have the mentioned 2nd seat on its head if the scaling of its size allows for it and you can sit on the creatures head, which we can already do with other Sauropods and Megalosaurus so why not. With a little ladder strapped to the back of its neck with little foothold or bars of wood/metal.
Caravan Saddle - Another idea for its saddle that could be alternative to the Elevator one. Being equipped with a small enclosed platform that serves as a visual cue for its level of weight encumbrance and adds more boxes, bags, barrels etc of what it's carrying as you put more things in its inventory as well as a small bench plank off the back that let's 2 passengers ride on the back of it. This wouldn't have the ladder part but would be the weight focused part of its kit and could even be the source of its bulk carrying ability separate from the herding bonus. Not sure if it would work when it's back is angled as much as it is but why not to see if it would be possible. This world has giant tentacle monsters after all. It could also just have some storage strapped to its back and sides like giant saddlebags/barrels/crates but that's a little less imaginative.
Edited by LuuxMisspelling and bolding for easier reading, added more images for reference and saddle ideas.
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