Quickie Procedurally Generated ARKs How-To Guide

[Moretic]

1 minute ago, zeluz said:

 sry were all new to this and no1 has a guide up just yet *Cough* *Cough*

[Maxanto]

Been playing since june 2015 and wow you guys with this is just amazing. Keep up the fantastic ideas, its more and more fun to play your game!

[zeluz]

1 hour ago, Jeremy Stieglitz said:

Gonna be a bit of a rapid info dump on how Procedurally Generated ARK's (PGARK's) currently works -- will continue to flesh this out as I get more time over the weekend. Bear in mind the system is early and will be rapidly advancing, so if you use Procedurally Generated ARKs, there's always a possibility of losing your save data when the algorithms are further modified!

Without further ado, here we go! 

How To Configure your first PGARK

Launch the game, goto Play Local ARK, select "Create New Procedurally Generated ARK" in the upper-left of the Host UI, and then you can play around with all the different PGARK settings to construct an ARK to your liking. Give it unique ARK name in the lower-right, and click Host. After a long wait (this will be further optimized shortly), you'll be on your new ARK! The procedural ARK data is cached to disk so subsequent loads of it are much faster (in Saved\GenerateMapCache, which you can delete if you ever wish to clear up disk space or force regenerate the procedural data in case it becomes corrupted). You can delete existing saved Procedurally Generated ARK's (by name) in the Host UI. Furthermore, you can save multiple PGARK configurations in the Create New Procedural ARK UI, if you wish to retain them for later tweaking or to create multiple unique saved ARK's from the same configuration.

Here's a really rough guide to some of the PGARK settings you can edit in the UI:

VARIABLE	PURPOSE	VISIBLE ON UI AS...
ErosionIterations	Number of droplets which are used to simulate erosion	Erosion Iterations
GrassDensity	Density of foliage in the grasslands biome	Grasslands Grass Density
IslandBorderCurveExp	The exponent used in the curve to smoothly interpolate between island and water floor	Island Border Curve
JungleBiomeStart	The height value at which the jungle biome start	Jungle Biome Start
JungleGrassDensity	Foliage density in the Jungle biome	Jungle Grass Density
JungleTreeDensity	Trees & rocks density in the jungle biome	Jungle Tree Density
LandscapeRadius	The radius of the landscape, outside of this radius it is water (to avoid cutting the landscape by the terrain border)	Landscape Radius
MapSeed	The seed used in the noise & random functions	Map Seed
MaxSawnPointHeight	The maximum height of land for a spawn point to be created	Max Sawn Point Height
Mountain Height	A multiplier for mountain height	Mountain Height
MountainBiomeStart	The height value at which the mountain biome starts	Mountain Biome Start
MountainGrassDensity	Foliage density in the mountain biome	Mountain Grass Density
Mountains Frequency	The frequency of the noise used to generate mountains	Mountain Frequency
Mountains Slope	How hard the transition is from land to mountain, the higher the value the smoother the transition (from 0 to 2)	Mountain Slope
MountainsTreeDensity	Density of trees and rocks in the mountain biome	Mountain Tree Density
North/South/East/West Regions 1, 2, 3
OceanFloorLevel	The height value for the ocean floor (from -1 to WaterLevel)	Ocean Flool Level
RedWoodGrassDensity	Foliage density in the Redwood biome	Redwood Grass Density
RedWoodTreeDensity	Density of trees and rocks in the redwood biome	Redwood Tree Density
RWBiomeSize	The radius of the Redwood biome (from 0 to 1)	Redwood Biome Size
RWForestBiomeLocation	The location of the redwood biome (X,Y from 0 to 1)	Redwood Biome Location
Shore Slope	How hard the transition is from water floor to shore, the higher the value the smoother the transition (from 0 to 2)	Shore Slope
ShoreTreeDensity	Foliage density in the shore biome	Shore Tree Density
SnowBiomeLocation	The location of the snow biome (X,Y from 0 to 1)	Snow Biome Location
SnowBiomeSize	The radius of the snow biome (from 0 to 1)	Snow Biome Size
SnowGrassDensity	Foliage density in the snow biome	Snow Grass Density
SnowMountainGrassDensity	Foliage density in the snow mountain biome	Snow Mountain Grass Density
SnowMountainsTreeDensity	Density of trees and rocks in the snow mountain biome	Snow Mountains Tree Density
SnowShoreTreeDensity	Density of trees and rocks in the snow shore biome	Snow Shore Tree Density
SnowTreeDensity	Density of trees and rocks in the snow biome	Snow Tree Density
TerrainScaleMultiplier	X,Y,Z to scale the whole terrain	Terrain Scale Multiplier
TreeDensity	Density of trees and rocks in the grasslands biome	Grasslands Tree Density
Turbulence Power	The power of the turbulence function used to randomly perturb the coordinates input to the noise function, to add some realism to the noise	Tubulence Power
UnderwaterObjectsDensity	Object density in the underwater biome	Underwater Objects Density
Water Frequency	The frequency of the noise function used to generate land/water	Water Frequency
WaterLevel	The height value for the water surface, from (Ocean Floor level to 1)	Water Level
ShorelineStartOffset	The distance from the water that the shoreline begins. Raise this for a shore that goes farther up to the land.
ShorelineThickness	The overall width of the shore. Raise this along with ShorelineStartOffset to get a thicker, larger shore.

 

Hosting a Dedicated Server on PGARK

The actual PGARK configuration is stored in your \Saved\Config\Windows (or WindowsServer or LinuxServer etc)\Game.ini file, here: 

[/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameMode]
PGMapName=YourPGARK1
PGTerrainPropertiesString=MapSeed=412;LandscapeRadius=1.2;Water Frequency=11;Mountains Frequency=11;Mountains Slope=1.4;MountainsHeight=1.3;Turbulence Power=0.0125;Shore Slope=1.0;WaterLevel=-0.72;GrassDensity=1.0;JungleGrassDensity=0.02;ErosionIterations=200000;OceanFloorLevel=-1.0;SnowBiomeSize=0.3;RWBiomeSize=0.11;MountainBiomeStart=-0.55;MountainsTreeDensity=0.01;JungleBiomeStart=-0.65;IslandBorderCurveExp=4.0;MaxSawnPointHeight=0.1;SnowGrassDensity=0.25;MountainGrassDensity=0.05;SnowMountainGrassDensity=0.15;UnderwaterObjectsDensity=0.5;SnowMountainsTreeDensity=0.01;TreeDensity=0.003;JungleTreeDensity=0.66;RedWoodTreeDensity=0.35;SnowTreeDensity=1.0;RedwoodGrassDensity=0.1;ShoreTreeDensity=0.05;SnowShoreTreeDensity=0.025;DeepWaterBiomesDepth=-0.24;InlandWaterObjectsDensity=0.5;ShorelineStartOffset=0.04;ShorelineThickness=0.0045;TerrainScaleMultiplier=(X=1.0f,Y=1.0f,Z=1.0f);SnowBiomeLocation=(X=0.2f,Y=0.2f);RWForestBiomeLocation=(X=0.5f,Y=0.5f);NorthRegion1Start=(X=0.25f,Y=0.0f);NorthRegion1End=(X=0.416f,Y=0.5f);NorthRegion2Start=(X=0.416f,Y=0.0f);NorthRegion2End=(X=0.582f,Y=0.5f);NorthRegion3Start=(X=0.582f,Y=0.0f);NorthRegion3End=(X=0.75f,Y=0.0f);SouthRegion1Start=(X=0.25f,Y=0.5f);SouthRegion1End=(X=0.416f,Y=1.0f);SouthRegion2Start=(X=0.416f,Y=0.5f);SouthRegion2End=(X=0.582f,Y=1.0f);SouthRegion3Start=(X=0.582f,Y=0.5f);SouthRegion3End=(X=0.75f,Y=1.0f);EastRegion1Start=(X=0.75f,Y=0.0f);EastRegion1End=(X=1.0f,Y=0.333f);EastRegion2Start=(X=0.75f,Y=0.333f);EastRegion2End=(X=1.0f,Y=0.666f);EastRegion3Start=(X=0.75f,Y=0.666f);EastRegion3End=(X=1.0f,Y=1.0f);WestRegion1Start=(X=0.0f,Y=0.0f);WestRegion1End=(X=0.25f,Y=0.333f);WestRegion2Start=(X=0.0f,Y=0.333f);WestRegion2End=(X=0.25f,Y=0.666f);WestRegion3Start=(X=0.0f,Y=0.666f);WestRegion3End=(X=0.25f,Y=1.0f)

After you configure an ARK to your liking in singleplayer mode, copy the values to your dedicated server's Game.ini file, and then host the server on the map called "PGARK" (ala "ShooterGameServer.exe PGARK?listen". The server will automatically load whatever PGMapName you have set. So if you want to do a different Procedural ARK, change the PGMapName value to "YourPGARK2" and you'll get a different savedata for that. You can revert back to any previous PGMapName to load the data of a previously saved PGARK. Note that if you have no existing save data for the PGMapName, it will use the PGTerrainPropertiesString to create the new ARK. But after you have save data for a PGMapName, the INI's PGTerrainPropertiesString will not take effect when loading that save data -- instead, it will use whatever procedural settings are contained within the PGMapName's existing savedata. In other words, to try out a new PGTerrainPropertiesString configuration, you either would need to delete your PGMapName's savedata, or use a different PGMapName.

To get a PGARK configuration that you like, we recommend experimenting in singleplayer through the in-game UI, and then once you have settings you're happy with, copy the PGTerrainPropertiesString from your Windows\Game.ini into your dedicated server's WindowsServer\Game.ini (into the [/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameMode] section as described above). Then, as long as you're hosting a new PGMapName, those settings will take effect just as they were in your singleplayer game! You can also easily share good PGARK configurations by sharing that string with other server hosts.

New System: Overriding/Modifying Map Spawners via INI

[Currently Editing]

 

ILU <3

[Moretic]

while I love the pgm I gotta say god the maps are small... like tiny

[mleii]

Nitpick, "MaxSawnPointHeight" is not spelled correctly in the first guide post, though does look right in the ui that someone put in the thread.

Are the desert biomes not included in PGM?

A fit and finish type bug. The text in the 2nd column appears to my old eyes to not be left aligned properly starting at the Snow tree density item.

Will caves, beacons, sea drops, and other similar items be configurable?

[Guest BubbaCrawfish]

Hope you guys backed up your game.ini as it overwrote mine, just spent the last 10 minutes rebuilding it.

[Moretic]

I am getting closer and closer to a fitting map... having issues with water/Mountains and getting a good mix of them,,, size however is limited to 100 which is so small

[JamieKG]

1 hour ago, Jeremy Stieglitz said:

TheCenter (which also uses many TheIsland spawners)

any chance you can tell us what ones or were to find that info ?

 

Thanks JamieKG

[GP]

2 minutes ago, Moretic said:

I am getting closer and closer to a fitting map... having issues with water/Mountains and getting a good mix of them,,, size however is limited to 100 which is so small

Which setting is for deciding the size of the map? Are they not The Island size? I've been unable to try any since release as i'm at work right now.

[Moretic]

the scale is what decides the Island/continent size, you can input over 200 if you want but that just means the islands/continent gets clipped when it reaches 100 which seem to be the limites/border of theisland, so you cant really go beyond 100 ( I really wish I could )

[aknarts]

Am I the only one getting the segfault on the server side? I literally used the setting posted here and the server will not launch...

/home/steam/ARK/ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux/ShooterGameServer PGARK?RCONPort=32360?Port=7807?QueryPort=27018?OverrideOfficialDifficulty=5.0?listen -ForceAllowCaveFlyers -OnlyAutoDestroyCoreStructures -RaidDinoCharacterFoodDrainMultiplier -NoTransferFromFiltering -UseBattlEye 
Using binned.
4.5.1-0+UE4 7038 3077 402 6
[S_API FAIL] SteamAPI_Init() failed; SteamAPI_IsSteamRunning() failed.
Setting breakpad minidump AppID = 346110
Signal 11 caught.
EngineCrashHandler: Signal=11


Segmentation fault (core dumped)

 

[JamieKG]

1 minute ago, aknarts said:

Am I the only one getting the segfault on the server side? I literally used the setting posted here and the server will not launch...

/home/steam/ARK/ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux/ShooterGameServer PGARK?RCONPort=32360?Port=7807?QueryPort=27018?OverrideOfficialDifficulty=5.0?listen -ForceAllowCaveFlyers -OnlyAutoDestroyCoreStructures -RaidDinoCharacterFoodDrainMultiplier -NoTransferFromFiltering -UseBattlEye 
Using binned.
4.5.1-0+UE4 7038 3077 402 6
[S_API FAIL] SteamAPI_Init() failed; SteamAPI_IsSteamRunning() failed.
Setting breakpad minidump AppID = 346110
Signal 11 caught.
EngineCrashHandler: Signal=11


Segmentation fault (core dumped)

 

Quote

Note: Procedurally Generated ARKs currently do not work on Linux Servers, Linux Clients, or Mac Clients. We expect to have this fixed within a day or so, stay tuned!
 

from 

i hope that helps

[aknarts]

Yeah helps a lot :D. Did not read that line..

[3dplague]

Any chance of getting a color-coded map of which is which region for Scorched Earth and The Center?

and what is the scale for Entry weight if any?

Edited October 21, 2016 by 3dplague
Entryweight question added.

[Swamphell]

Hello

Can we have a setting for resources like metal, obsidian and crystals ? Density, how much etc.

big thx for everything

Edited October 21, 2016 by Swamphell

[3dplague]

39 minutes ago, Swamphell said:

Hello

Can we have a setting for resources like metal, obsidian and crystals ? Density, how much etc.

big thx for everything

already in game, add a line to the game.ini

 

Example:

HarvestResourceItemAmountClassMultipliers=(ClassName="PrimalItemResource_Obsidian_C",Multiplier=2)

doubles the gathering of that particular item, just change Obsidian_C to whichever material you'd like.

Edited October 21, 2016 by 3dplague
Misinterpreted the question my bad, thanks for pointing it out @BubbaCrawfish

[Guest BubbaCrawfish]

29 minutes ago, 3dplague said:

already in game, add a line to the game.ini

 

Example:

HarvestResourceItemAmountClassMultipliers=(ClassName="PrimalItemResource_Obsidian_C",Multiplier=2)

doubles the gathering of that particular item, just change Obsidian_C to whichever material you'd like.

He's talking about how much is generated, not how much is harvested.

 

 

Spewing on this Linux server not supported yet... Looks like I'll be waiting a couple more days.

[Kinnalory]

Oh my god, just added a Dodorex spawner into my SE server. Cannot wait to see the faces of the rest of the players xD.

Pre-Halloween event for all!

Edited October 21, 2016 by Kinnalory

[Toni]

1 hour ago, aknarts said:

Am I the only one getting the segfault on the server side? I literally used the setting posted here and the server will not launch...

/home/steam/ARK/ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux/ShooterGameServer PGARK?RCONPort=32360?Port=7807?QueryPort=27018?OverrideOfficialDifficulty=5.0?listen -ForceAllowCaveFlyers -OnlyAutoDestroyCoreStructures -RaidDinoCharacterFoodDrainMultiplier -NoTransferFromFiltering -UseBattlEye 
Using binned.
4.5.1-0+UE4 7038 3077 402 6
[S_API FAIL] SteamAPI_Init() failed; SteamAPI_IsSteamRunning() failed.
Setting breakpad minidump AppID = 346110
Signal 11 caught.
EngineCrashHandler: Signal=11


Segmentation fault (core dumped)

 

Add ?Sessionname

And add -server

 

[Guest BubbaCrawfish]

1 minute ago, Toni said:

Add ?Sessionname

And add -server

 

Nah, Linux server... Not supported...

 

I have the same problem...

Edited October 21, 2016 by BubbaCrawfish

[Toni]

Just now, BubbaCrawfish said:

Nah, Linux server... Not supported...

yeah...but then when it will get supported, he has to add that because this 2 things are missing

 

[Guest BubbaCrawfish]

SessionName can be in the inis.

[coldfiresun]

30 minutes ago, Kinnalory said:

Oh my god, just added a Dodorex spawner into my SE server. Cannot wait to see the faces of the rest of the players xD.

Pre-Halloween event for all!

How did you do that?

[GP]

40 minutes ago, Kinnalory said:

Oh my god, just added a Dodorex spawner into my SE server. Cannot wait to see the faces of the rest of the players xD.

Pre-Halloween event for all!

The DodoRex won't spawn. That spawn code will only work during the Halloween event or any other event that the DodoRex is in. But it won't spawn pre-event.

[Kinnalory]

12 minutes ago, coldfiresun said:

How did you do that?

 

Ooow, rly?