These are the changes of ARK: Survival Evolved’s Patch 196.0, grouped into categories for clarity. If not otherwise indicated, they’re quoted from the relevant Steam Thread.

Dino Changes

• Alpha predators damage vs Stone structures reduced by 80%
• Alpha predators now tend to only appear inland / in mountainous regions
• Alpha predators natural targeting range reduced, easier to deliberately avoid
• Alpha predators now ALWAYS Survivor drop inventories when killed. (i.e. Carno and Rex)

Item Changes

• Added “Re-Fertilizer” item craftable at the Compost Bin which can be used over ground to re-grow depleted foliage over time even if it’s close to structures (avoids the structure distance check, though wont’ regrow if it’s stuck ‘within’ a structure).

Server Changes

• Added option to disable specific Alpha predators (“NPC Replacements”) on custom servers
• Custom servers can now specify “ResourceNoReplenishRadiusStructures” & “ResourceNoReplenishRadiusPlayers” multipliers, if they wish to allow resources to regrow closer or farther away from players & structures.
• Added adjustable “Tethering” distance for non-dedicated multiplayer sessions (maximum distance from Host player)
• PvP servers have an optional +1 minute additonal respawn that doubles each time if you are killed by a team within 5 minutes of your previous death to that team (timer indicated on Spawn UI). Is enabled in pvp by default, and on all the official pvp servers. Helps prevent PvO ammo-wasting of auto turrets by repeatedly throwing sacrificial players at them.
• Improved server perf, and fixed some server crash cases
• Admin-Only-Access doors (and their doorframes) can no longer be demolished or Replaced by non-Admin tribe members regardless of Governance settings
• Server INI’s option to switch from PvE to PvP mode at pre-specified in-game times OR a pre-specified real-world (server-side) times!

Fixes

• Auto Turrets now target & shoot down enemy grenades AND rockets
  (and any bullet weapon can shoot grenades & rockets to explode them now)
• Replacing Structures doesn’t do obstruction checks anymore (no more failures to replace)

Updated 13. Aug. 15

(Original Announcement on Steam)

Here are the patchnotes of the previous patch (195.2)

These are the changes of ARK: Survival Evolved’s Patch 195.2, grouped into categories for clarity. If not otherwise indicated, they’re quoted from the relevant Steam Thread.

Server Hotfix

• You can no longer upload or download Forcetamed creatures via ARK Tribute (Obelisks) that are not actually Tame-able. (i.e. Alpha predators)
• Admin Forcetamed creatures that are not actually Tame-able are automatically destroyed upon map reloading. (i.e. Alpha predators)

(Original Announcement on Steam)

Here are the patchnotes of the previous patch (195.1)

These are the changes of ARK: Survival Evolved’s Patch 195.1, grouped into categories for clarity. If not otherwise indicated, they’re quoted from the relevant Steam Thread.

Dino Changes

• Alpha predators no longer damage metal structures, only stone structures as intended.
• Can no longer pick up Alpha Raptors using flyers.
• Alpha predators now consume corpses properly.
• Alpha predators attacks no longer damage riders directly. (now is consistent with regular dino attacks)

(Original Announcement on Steam)

Here are the patchnotes of the previous patch (195.0)

These are the changes of ARK: Survival Evolved’s Patch 195.0, grouped into categories for clarity. If not otherwise indicated, they’re quoted from the relevant Steam Thread.

Bugfixes

• Fixed the networking of new-character configuration to the server. Sadly, this required a new Major version update as it is a networking signature change 😛

(Original Announcement on Steam)

Here are the patchnotes of the previous patch (194.0)

These are the changes of ARK: Survival Evolved’s Patch 194.0, grouped into categories for clarity. If not otherwise indicated, they’re quoted from the relevant Steam Thread.

Official Servers

• Moving most servers to new faster host! Better official server framerates, woot!

Dino Changes

• Only Female Dinos lay eggs now 😉
• You can no longer mount a dino if you’re snared in a Bear Trap
• Alpha predators now give 4x the regular amount of resources and nothing but prime meat!
• Added Alpha versions of Carnotaurus and Utahraptor — they buff less than the Alpha Rex, however.
• Picking up your own Tamed Dinos’ eggs no longer aggros Wild Dinos of that species 😉
• Titanboa now has damage overlay
• Sarco tail has proper IK [Inverse Kinematics -Ed] again

Game Changes

• Activating the Flare Gun when riding a Dino will now automatically shoot the Flare upwards
• Your selected Survivor Spawn Region is now remembered when reconnecting your client
• Barricades (Metal and Wooden) can now be painted
• You can now eat/drink when caught in a Bear Trap
• Can no longer ride a dino that is snared in a Bear Trap… gotta free it first.
• You can no longer mount a dino if you’re snared in a Bear Trap

Server Features

• Server Admins can now disable Taming on a per-Dino basis via their config
• PvE server admins can now enable building in Caves via their config
• New Server’s “GameUserSettings.ini” values:

  [ServerSettings]
  AllowCaveBuildingPvE=true

  or
  ?AllowCaveBuildingPvE=true

• And in Server’s “Game.ini”, to prevent Taming of specific Dino’s:

  [/script/shootergame.shootergamemode]
  PreventDinoTameClassNames="Argent_Character_BP_C"
  PreventDinoTameClassNames="Ptero_Character_BP_C"

  . [You can find those ID’s on our List of Dinosaurs, -Ed]

Bugfixes

• Fix for bodies sinking into floors upon reconnecting/reloading
• Fix for one last case of possibly erroneously entering Spectator mode
• Harvested resources now properly respawn in singleplayer/non-dedicated host!

(Original Announcement on Steam)

Here are the patchnotes of the previous patch (193.1)