Author: Krim

New Server Settings Format in Patch 171.0

(Link to the original announcement)

As it turns out, there has been a change in the way the game expects settings. The Command Line Options now have to also specify a value, ie where there was only ?ServerPvE there now must be ?ServerPvE=true.

In better news, there now is a way to actually have a configuration file for the Server. The GameUserSettings.ini contains the following section:

[ServerSettings]
ShowMapPlayerLocation=False
ServerHardcore=False
GlobalVoiceChat=False
ProximityChat=False
NoTributeDownloads=False
AllowThirdPersonPlayer=False
AlwaysNotifyPlayerLeft=False
DontAlwaysNotifyPlayerJoined=False
ServerHardcore=False
ServerPVE=False
ServerCrosshair=False
ServerForceNoHUD=False
ServerPassword=
ServerAdminPassword=
DifficultyOffset=0 to 1

How to set an ARK: Survival Evolved Server MotD

In the new patch (171.0) we can now finally set a MotD. According to this  post by the devs, this is how it’s going to work: Put the following text into your GameUserSettings.ini and change it to suit your needs.

[MessageOfTheDay]
Message=Welcome to your new home, on my ARK! :D :) 
<RichColor Color=1,0.1,0.1>Red Text</>!
Duration=20

ARK Patch 171

(This is a summary of the important changes that will come with the upcoming patch. Omitted are client-changes and client-bugfixes. To view the original patch announcement in its entirity, click here.)

Please note that this quotes the expected patch-notes for an upcoming patch, and therefore none of the changes are currently online.

Hosting Related

New Features

  • Added a “Difficulty” slider for Local/Custom Servers that scales the levels of the creatures encountered, along with the quality of loot (but not quite linearly with each other, so you can expect a tougher challenge overall as that slider goes up!).
  • Added the capability to choose respawn region upon each player respawn. Set 12 spawn regions, rather than 4.
  • You can now whitelist specific SteamID’s that will always be granted access to your server. Even if it’s full.
  • All Host Game options are now visible in the in-game launch menu (which also affects single player), as well as saved in INI for easy access
  • Console key can now be rebinded through the Options Menu
  • On your server, you can now use ‘cheat’ or ‘admincheat’ to cheat after logging in as and admin. “cheat broadcast MessageString” will now let you broadcast a server message to everyone on your server (which also force displays the chat). Note that you can also set a Message-Of-The-Day here:[MessageOfTheDay]
    Message=Hello and welcome to my ARK Server!

Bugfixes

  • Downloading ARK Data Characters into other Servers will no longer lose them

Game-Mechanics

  • Argentavis now has a very limited (60% reduced) targeting range for live creatures, but his targeting range for corpses has been boosted by 40%. So watch out if you’ve got a dead body around, you might want to get out of the way. In any case, this is more true to their real-world likely behavior and will make them grief less.

How to access the server console

Usually you can access the ingame command input for the server through double-clicking the tilde (~) key. A command line awaiting your input should appear at the bottom of your screen.

Update: As of version 171 the part below is no longer neccessary. You can now simply change the Keybinding in the Options-Menu.

Somethimes though, this doesn’t work (the command input simply doesn’t appear). In this case, the following tip might be helpful. Go to the file

YourInstallationDirectory\ARK\ShooterGame\Config\DefaultInput.ini

At the very end of this file you will find the following lines.

ConsoleKey=None
+ConsoleKeys=Tilde
;+ConsoleKeys=Tab

Replace them with this:

ConsoleKey=None
+ConsoleKeys=Tilde
+ConsoleKeys=Tab

(or, alternatively, in case the above fails you, with this:)

ConsoleKey=Tab
+ConsoleKeys=Tilde
;+ConsoleKeys=Tab

Save the file and restart the game. You should now be able to access the Server Command Input via the TAB key.

Possible Server settings

The following server settings exist for “ARK: Survival Evolved”. You can either specify them in the command line you use to start the server like this

ShooterGameServer "[your normal server parameters]?ServerPVE=true"

Or alternatively, you can use the force_install_path\ShooterGame\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\GameUserSettings.ini (from patch 171.0 onwards). That file contains the following section, in which you can set the option values.

[ServerSettings]
DifficultyOffset=0.200000
GlobalVoiceChat=False
...
ARK: Survival Evolved Setting Effect
ServerPVE Enables the PvE-Mode. Players can no longer beat each other to death, or grief other players buildings.
ServerHardcore This will enable Hardcore-Mode. Once you die, your character will be deleted.
ServerCrosshair Enables the Crosshair
ServerForceNoHUD Disables the character name displays which float around in the world.
AltSaveDirectoryName Saves the Game-Files in an alternative directory.
GlobalVoiceChat Can everyone voice-chat with every one on the server, or are they limited by proximity?
NoTributeDownloads Prevents Items and Characters from being loaded from other Servers.
AlwaysNotifyPlayerLeft Does what it says. It will display a message if players leave the server.
DontAlwaysNotifyPlayerJoined Disables the aforementioned messages.
AllowThirdPersonPlayer Allows players to go into third-person mode.
MapPlayerLocation Will display the exact coordinates and position of players on ingame maps. [Added 05 June]

ARK: Survival Evolved 1.70 Patch Notes

(This is a summary of the important changes that will come with the upcoming patch. Omitted are client-changes and client-bugfixes. To view the original patch announcement in its entirity, click here)

Hosting Related

New Features

  • Added ?MapPlayerLocation command argument for player-hosted servers, when used will display the current player location on the 3D Map. (not very hardcore/realistic ?
  • Broadcast Server messages now force the chat to appear (typically used to notify of server maintance)

Changes in the Server List

  • Player counts on the server browser are now correct and accurate
  • Increased # of server search from 50 to 100
  • Server browser now has a list of “Survivor’s Servers”, upon which you have a survivor, Favorite Servers, and Friend’s Servers
  • Filter “password protected” servers on the Steam backend, rather than locally, to return more servers

Overall this sounds like it goes a long way towards fixing the server list. Especially the last point, which will lead to more servers being displayed ingame, is good news.

Bugfixes

  • Fixed an issue where NPC’s would not attack often at lower-FPS times on servers

Game-Mechanics

  • Added missing “Spyglass” engram (like binoculars), which also enables you to craft the later glasswares. Moved the “Scope” Weapon Attachment to level 30, down from level 40.
  • Balance: Fist Damage reduced by 20%, Argentavis AI aggressiveness reduced by 25%, Tran Arrow Tranq-Power increased by 20%, Slingshot Torpidity Power Decreased by 10%
  • Reduced the rate at which food spoils in the inventory of an NPC creature, by 75%, to aid long-term creature maintenance
  • Selfie orbit cam, [K] by default, now collides with structures geometry so that you can’t use it to… spy… into other players’ houses… creeper!
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