[FAQ] Server HOSTING

[Jat]

Hey guys,

Just a place where we'll store information regarding server-hosting and any updates to the options you have available, when hosting. This will be updated frequently so be sure to check it. Soon it'll include a full guide on how to setup a server, plus any documentation to go along side of it.

ARK Dedicated Server Application!

The ARK Dedicated server application is now free for download by any aspiring host regardless of whether they own ARK on Steam or not. We hope this encourages as many awesome customized ARK Dedicated servers as possible. We plan to introduce many more management options and, tools are on the way including RCON Support! You can get the application via this Anonymously Downloadable AppID (376030) using SteamCMD (https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamCMD)

How do I see what the latest version of the game is?

You can do so by checking these two links:

http://arkdedicated.com/version

This will display the current specific version of the game.

However if you're only interested in core compatibility, you can check the major by clicking here:

http://arkdedicated.com/version/major

[UNOFFICIAL] How to create, Host and Join your own local hosted server!

http://arksurvivalevolvedforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=8

Thanks eXi!

[UNOFFICIAL] Dedicated Server Tool - to help setup your own server!

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=468312476

Thanks HellsGuard!

ServerSettings INI section

Since the update 171.0 there have been some formatting changes! Here is the new format for the INI in your GameUserSettings.ini, please update your INI's accordingly and you shouldn't have any further issues:

You can find it here:

force_install_path\ShooterGame\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\GameUserSettings.ini

[/script/engine.gamesession]
MaxPlayers=5

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

ServerPassword - This is the password required to connect, if any.
Password - This is the password that is used to access cheat commands via the console. You do this by typing "enablecheats Password" into the console. After that you're able to use the cheat commands.

DifficultyOffset is a new value that will let you scale difficulty. It is currently clamped 0 to 1 but we may remove this later on. At 1, the creatures and loot will scale by a factor of approximately 4x, at 0.01 it will be approximately 50% and 0 will use the default of 1.

Also if you want to pass values via commandline, they are now formatted like so:

?ServerHardcore=true

How do I ban a player?

Firstly you need to open up the console and type the following:

enablecheats password

[This is the password that you have specified in the INI file mentioned above]

Then you'll need to type

BanPlayer PlayerSteamName

and to unban a player you would do the following

UnbanPlayer PlayerSteamName

How do I change Message of the Day?

Open the following file:

GameUserSettings.ini

And you'll be able to set it up as such, unfortunately we can't paste it in here because of steam's restrictions!

http://imgur.com/Cgt3fi8 -- http://pastebin.com/RDgcHQZc

Extended Game Options!

We've now introduced a ton of new options for you to customize your game to your own preference! Play ARK the way you want to play it!

http://steamcommunity.com/app/346110/discussions/0/594821545178117961/

How do I broadcast in game?

You can send broadcast messages by doing the following in the console:

enablecheats AdminPassword

cheat broadcast MessageString

This will display a message to everyone on your server, and also force displays the chat.

You can also set a Message of the Day by using the following in the console

cheat SetMessageOfTheDay message goes here

So an example would be

cheat SetMessageOfTheDay welcome to my server!

How do I whitelist a player for my server?

As an admin with cheats enabled, use the following console commands:

cheat AllowPlayerToJoinNoCheck SteamID
cheat DisallowPlayerToJoinNoCheck SteamID

Where SteamID is their numeric ID. Also then you can manually edit this file that will be generated:

\ARK\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64\PlayersJoinNoCheckList.txt

How do I host a dedicated server with a mod?

You can host a dedicated server with a mod using the following syntax:

ShooterGameServer.exe /Game/Mods/459186056/DinoArena?listen?ModId=459186056

Where the # and the filename correspond, go to the directory that the model is installed onto in your disk. (You'll find this after you download it for the first time via the in-game Host menu. After that you can copy the files directly to another machine if desired)

How do you enable the GAMMA command for your private server?

You can do so with the following command line option!

?bEnablePvPGamma=true

Primitive Server Game.ini -- Updated 25/07/15

http://pastebin.com/Dxak4cyR

Just copy and paste the above settings into your Game.ini file.

It can be found in this location:

\steamapps\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\Game.ini

MEI and Master Engrams List

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1GShbBN4qE8TN9wxoVmhf4e23OfhsAnaocrvhww9CqiU/edit#gid=0

[RCON Tool] ARKon - Desktop RCON Client

https://steamcommunity.com/app/346110/discussions/0/530646715639420791/

FaceWound has created a great RCON tool for the ARK playerbase to use!

How can I claim ownership of an object in the game?

We've created a command for this purpose, to use it go up to the object, this could be a wall or a dinosaur, anything really, ensure that you're facing it so that it's tool tip or name pops up and then type in the following command in your console

cheat givetome

Custom Server INIs

Custom server INI can now globally scale the spoiling time of perishables, as well as scale the global decomposition time of items and bodies on the ground, respectively. Set these to larger than 0 values, in your server's Game.ini file:

[/script/shootergame.shootergamemode]
GlobalSpoilingTimeMultiplier=0
GlobalItemDecompositionTimeMultiplier=0
GlobalCorpseDecompositionTimeMultiplier=0

Custom servers INI can now scale on a per-resource type basis the amount of resources harvested. In your server's Game.ini, for example:

[/script/shootergame.shootergamemode]
HarvestResourceItemAmountClassMultipliers=(ClassName="PrimalItemResource_Thatch_C",Multiplier=2.0)
HarvestResourceItemAmountClassMultipliers=(ClassName="PrimalItemResource_Stone_C",Multiplier=4.0)

Custom servers INI can now override the Max XP cap of players & dino characters, respectively. Set these to larger than 0 values, in your server's Game.ini :

[/script/shootergame.shootergamemode]
OverrideMaxExperiencePointsPlayer=0
OverrideMaxExperiencePointsDino=0

How do I increase the cap of Tamed Dinos on my ARK server?

You can make this change using two methods, one option would be adjusting your commandline to include this:

?MaxTamedDinos=4000

The other option would be to add

MaxTamedDinos=4000

To your ServerSettings in your GameUserSettings.ini which you can find here:

force_install_path\ShooterGame\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\GameUserSettings.ini

Level Multiplier

This is a change that'll also go in:

\Config\WindowsServer\Game.ini

and specifically:

[/script/shootergame.shootergamemode]
PerLevelStatsMultiplier_Player[0]=1.0
PerLevelStatsMultiplier_Player[1]=1.0
PerLevelStatsMultiplier_Player[3]=1.0
PerLevelStatsMultiplier_DinoTamed[0]=1.0
PerLevelStatsMultiplier_DinoTamed[1]=1.0
PerLevelStatsMultiplier_DinoWild[0]=1.0
PerLevelStatsMultiplier_DinoWild[1]=1.0

The number in the square-bracket will go through up to 11, where 0-11 corresponds to (where applicable:

0: Health,
1: Stamina,
2: Torpidity,
3: Oxygen,
4: Food,
5: Water,
6: Temperature,
7: Weight,
8: MeleeDamageMultiplier,
9: SpeedMultiplier,
10: TemperatureFortitude,
11: CraftingSpeedMultiplier

So:

PerLevelStatsMultiplier_Player[7]=2.0

Would mean that weight-increase per level is 2x as much as default. Setting the value to 0 makes it default to 1.0, so if you're wanting to nerf the multiplier, best use 0.01.

Disabling Friendly Fire on PvE servers

You can make the change in

Config\WindowsServer\Game.ini

to include

[/script/shootergame.shootergamemode]
bPvEDisableFriendlyFire=true

[DrJill]

So if we want difficulty to be default, do we just leave that line out?

[Mr_Pig]

How to add steamID's to whitelist?

[Finnwolf88]

Originally posted by Mr.Pig:

How to add steamID's to whitelist?

+1

[tonnic]

DifficultyOffset=0.5 or DifficultyOffset=.5? does it matter?

[nidaren]

Indeed, please let us know how to use the SteamID whitelist feature you have mentioned earlier:)

[Lucky Misfit]

Originally posted by Finwolf:

Originally posted by Mr.Pig:

How to add steamID's to whitelist?

+1

+100

[Dunki]

enablecheats AdminPassword no longer seems to work in client console command

[Lonedog]

Seems like PVE servers are now forced to be PVPVE and third person isn't working, I have confirmed this on my personal server and the official PVE servers

[SpiRe]

[AdminPassword]
Password=
ServerPassword=

works

[Jat]

Originally posted by Ryven:

You can also set a Message of the Day by using cheat SetMessageOfTheDay <message>
Example = cheat SetMessageOfTheDay welcome to my server!

Thanks! I added this in!

Originally posted by Dunki:

enablecheats AdminPassword no longer seems to work in client console command

I'll pass this on.

Originally posted by Duane:

Seems like PVE servers are now forced to be PVPVE and third person isn't working, I have confirmed this on my personal server and the official PVE servers

I'll pass this on.

[zp]

If 3rd person is disabled on a server, you should also disable the 'orbit camera' (default key binding = K) ... and possibly the 'selfie cam'

Orbit Camera is basically more of an advantage than the 'regular' 3rd person view anyway, since you can scroll out way farther than default 3rd person.

[Tyroki]

Why can't we play with people from other regions? I'm in Oceania and we can't play with anyone from the US, and vice versa.

[Nick]

will this allow us to host and play on the same machine?

[Acheron]

Address for ARK Dedicated Server Application is not working.

[LT.]

Thank you very much for putting this up. I only asked for this yesterday and you have already responded. This affirms I've made a good decision in hosting servers for this game, the level of support is very good.

Last request - for now ;) - You added whitelist for steamids so Admins can get on their servers. This is great! But - where do we set this and how?

Thanks!