ARK: Survival Evolved Advanced Configuration

Maximum Dino Levels

To modify the maximum dinosaur level, the value for Override Official Difficulty will need to be changed. The formula for determining the dinosaur level is as follows:

Dinosaur Level = Override Official Difficulty value * 30. (with OOD of 5, max level is 150)

Difference in dinosaur levels = Override Official Difficulty value (with OOD of 5, dino levels will be 5, 10, 15, 20, etc.)

In cases with Alpha dinos or "wyverns", these creatures can have levels beyond the max level set with the OOD value. Be careful when playing on maps where these creatures are a common threat and make sure to come prepared.

Modifying Supply Drops

An easy way to modify supply drops across the various ARK maps can be done with a handy application named Beacon. Beacon offers a simple user interface to help customize drops on the various maps as well as differentiating between normal/bonus supply drops.

Beacon - How To and Example

Adding Aberration Dinos to Maps

It is possible to add Aberration dinosaurs to other maps, such as Ragnarok. In the example below, provided by Hermit in this post: https://steamcommunity.com/app/346110/discussions/0/1620599015870921875/#c1620599015891491485 .

"I have basilisks spawning in the desert and the cave under the ruined castle, ravagers in the canyons and also in the castle cave, karkinos in the swamp, rockdrakes in the redwoods and featherlights/glowtails on Monkey Island in the south." - Hermit

To do this, you will need to copy the code listed below and paste it in the bottom of your Game.ini file. If you are using a PC server, you will need FTP Access in order to access the file. For PS4 users, you can click on the Game.ini button on the control panel and paste the below code at the bottom of the text box before saving and restarting the game server.

--

ConfigAddNPCSpawnEntriesContainer=(NPCSpawnEntriesContainerClassString="SE_DinoSpawnEntriesDunes_C",NPCSpawnEntries=((AnEntryName="BasilDesert",EntryWeight=0.01,NPCsToSpawnStrings=("Basilisk_Character_BP_C"))),NPCSpawnLimits=((NPCClassString="Basilisk_Character_BP_C",MaxPercentageOfDesiredNumToAllow=0.01)))

ConfigAddNPCSpawnEntriesContainer=(NPCSpawnEntriesContainerClassString="DinoSpawnEntriesSwamp",NPCSpawnEntries=((AnEntryName="Crabby",EntryWeight=0.00001,NPCsToSpawnStrings=("Crab_Character_BP_C"))),NPCSpawnLimits=((NPCClassString="Crab_Character_BP_C",MaxPercentageOfDesiredNumToAllow=0.00001)))

ConfigAddNPCSpawnEntriesContainer=(NPCSpawnEntriesContainerClassString="DinoSpawnEntries_Ragnarok_Center_C",NPCSpawnEntries=((AnEntryName="Ravager",EntryWeight=0.02,NPCsToSpawnStrings=("CaveWolf_Character_BP_C"))),NPCSpawnLimits=((NPCClassString="CaveWolf_Character_BP_C",MaxPercentageOfDesiredNumToAllow=0.1)))

ConfigAddNPCSpawnEntriesContainer=(NPCSpawnEntriesContainerClassString="DinoSpawnEntriesRedwoods_C",NPCSpawnEntries=((AnEntryName="Drake",EntryWeight=0.0001,NPCsToSpawnStrings=("RockDrake_Character_BP_C"))),NPCSpawnLimits=((NPCClassString="RockDrake_Character_BP_C",MaxPercentageOfDesiredNumToAllow=0.001)))

ConfigAddNPCSpawnEntriesContainer=(NPCSpawnEntriesContainerClassString="DinoSpawnEntries_Ragnarok_MonkeyIsland_C",NPCSpawnEntries=((AnEntryName="GlowtailIsland",EntryWeight=0.1,NPCsToSpawnStrings=("LanternLizard_Character_BP_C")),(AnEntryName="FeatherlightIsland",EntryWeight=0.1,NPCsToSpawnStrings=("LanternBird_Character_BP_C"))),NPCSpawnLimits=((NPCClassString="LanternLizard_Character_BP_C",MaxPercentageOfDesiredNumToAllow=0.25),(NPCClassString="LanternBird_Character_BP_C",MaxPercentageOfDesiredNumToAllow=0.25)))

ConfigAddNPCSpawnEntriesContainer=(NPCSpawnEntriesContainerClassString="DinoSpawnEntriesCaveMegalo_C",NPCSpawnEntries=((AnEntryName="BasilCave",EntryWeight=0.01,NPCsToSpawnStrings=("Basilisk_Character_BP_C")),(AnEntryName="RavageCave",EntryWeight=0.1,NPCsToSpawnStrings=("CaveWolf_Character_BP_C"))),NPCSpawnLimits=((NPCClassString="Basilisk_Character_BP_C",MaxPercentageOfDesiredNumToAllow=0.01),(NPCClassString="CaveWolf_Character_BP_C",MaxPercentageOfDesiredNumToAllow=0.1)))

These configurations are similar to the ones modifying regular dino spawn configurations. Using this as an example, it is possible to add creatures to other areas, such as putting the Karakinos in the mountain tops or Basilisks in the redwoods with the rock drakes.

Replacing / Removing Dino Spawns

This can be done with one of two ways, either through the Modify Server Config tool or adding in custom replacements in the Game.ini file.

NOTE: If you wish to replace dinosaurs with their Aberration variants, you will need to add the variants to the spawn tables for the map first, found in the Adding Aberration Dinos to Maps section. You will also need to add the actual replacement code into the Game.ini directly, as this is not available through the Modify Server Config tool.

An example of adding Aberrent Trikes to the dune section of Ragnarok can be found below:

ConfigAddNPCSpawnEntriesContainer=(NPCSpawnEntriesContainerClassString="SE_DinoSpawnEntriesDunes_C",NPCSpawnEntries=((AnEntryName="AberrantTrikeSpawner",EntryWeight=0.01,NPCsToSpawnStrings=("Trike_Character_BP_Aberrant_C"))),NPCSpawnLimits=((NPCClassString="Trike_Character_BP_Aberrant_C",MaxPercentageOfDesiredNumToAllow=0.01)))

With that added into the Game.ini code, we can now add in the following line to replace all normal Trikes with the Aberrant Trike variant.

NPCReplacements=(FromClassName="Trike_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="Trike_Character_BP_Aberrant_C")

Engram Modifications

Disabling Engrams

In the Modify Server Config, there are customizations you can do to disable engrams, change the engram point cost, or if they require prerequisites before they can be learned. For a list of the names / classes of the engrams, please visit this page: https://ark.gamepedia.com/Engram_Classnames

NOTE: If you are disabling engrams, make sure the engram cost and level required match with the defaults provided in the list above or the disabling setting will not work correctly.

Engram Crafting Cost Replacements

Game.ini - FTP Access required.

In this example code, this changes the item Cementing Paste to require only one Stone.

ConfigOverrideItemCraftingCosts=(ItemClassString="PrimalItemResource_ChitinPaste_C",BaseCraftingResourceRequirements=((ResourceItemTypeString="PrimalItemResource_Stone_C",BaseResourceRequirement=1.0,bCraftingRequireExactResourceType=false)))

Both parenthesis following BaseCraftingResourceRequirements must be available, even if there is only one reagent. Here is an example of another item being replaced, specifically the Stone Hatchet.

ConfigOverrideItemCraftingCosts=(ItemClassString="PrimalItem_WeaponStoneHatchet_C",BaseCraftingResourceRequirements=((ResourceItemTypeString="PrimalItemResource_Thatch_C",BaseResourceRequirement=1.0,bCraftingRequireExactResourceType=false),(ResourceItemTypeString="PrimalItemAmmo_ArrowStone_C",BaseResourceRequirement=2.0,bCraftingRequireExactResourceType=false)))

This replacement code, besides being incredibly inefficient, changes the resource requirements for the hatchet to be one piece of Thatch and two Stone Arrows.