"supports private-session multiplayer for up to 8 players"

[DerAlleinTiger]

Treat me like an idiot, but when I was reading through the description and features of the game, I saw this line at the very end: "Supports public online multiplayer for up to 70 players, private-session multiplayer for up to 8 players, and local split-screen for 2 players."

Now, to me, that sounds like the game now allows us to just start up a private session for a handful of friends and just... go. No port-forwarding nonsense, no having to download and set up our own server and all the hassle that updating that and opening it up brought. We can just click on a button and start one. However, I've also been seeing a lot of people talk about Nitrado and having to pay for servers like before too.

I absolutely loved playing with a single friend or two, at most, in our own private sessions just taming dinos and exploring the world together and building big bases. So is this as it sounds and we can just start one now from in-game, or is the game still stuck in the early 2000's where you have to create your own server if you don't want to have annoyingly-short tethers to the host and other severe limitations? Or do you have to rent your own private server if you want any real freedom in the world for just 2 people?

This would be the real deal-maker or deal-breaker for me on the game. Haven't played in a couple years, but if I could just play a private match with no tether between my buddy and me without having to jump through hoops every single time there's a game update I'd seriously consider picking this new version up.

[His Quivzness]

Multiplayer launched from within the game itself is still limited by the tether distance. I think you can have even more than 2 player, but it is limited by the tether.
Otherwise you need to run a dedicated server and then there's no limitations.
Neither of these seem to be the answer you were hoping for I'm afraid.

[margalus]

that is the non-dedicated limit. If you run a dedicated server that limit is removed.

[margalus]

You do NOT have to rent

[DerAlleinTiger]

Originally posted by margalus:

that is the non-dedicated limit. If you run a dedicated server that limit is removed.

That's... not quite what I was concerned about. I could care less about the actual limit, since at most I'd be playing with 2 friends, maybe, and more likely just 1.

[Tobsucht]

I think you can play in co-op, but I haven't tried that yet. Otherwise, you need your own server if you want unrestricted settings and you don't like the settings on the official servers. I have my own root server and it's running very smoothly at the moment. So I don't have to bother with official or Nitrado and can fully enjoy the game.

[DerAlleinTiger]

Originally posted by His Quivzness:

Multiplayer launched from within the game itself is still limited by the tether distance. I think you can have even more than 2 player, but it is limited by the tether.
Otherwise you need to run a dedicated server and then there's no limitations.
Neither of these seem to be the answer you were hoping for I'm afraid.

That's very unfortunate that they still have the tether on private, non-dedicated servers. Have they at least made it a bit easier to set up and run dedicated servers?

Real shame that after all these years, after all the money Ark has undoubtedly made, it's still stuck with the old school system. Especially when there are indie games from the same time period of the original's launch that are open world and let you just host private servers, for free, without tethers. I'm sure it's definitely a technical matter and totally not some deal struck with server hosting services like, say, this Nitrado I'm hearing about all over the place.

Ah well, I'll save my money on this one unless they've made the process of hosting a dedicated server a little easier.

[Tobsucht]

Originally posted by DerAlleinTiger:

Originally posted by His Quivzness:

Multiplayer launched from within the game itself is still limited by the tether distance. I think you can have even more than 2 player, but it is limited by the tether.
Otherwise you need to run a dedicated server and then there's no limitations.
Neither of these seem to be the answer you were hoping for I'm afraid.

That's very unfortunate that they still have the tether on private, non-dedicated servers. Have they at least made it a bit easier to set up and run dedicated servers?

Real shame that after all these years, after all the money Ark has undoubtedly made, it's still stuck with the old school system. Especially when there are indie games from the same time period of the original's launch that are open world and let you just host private servers, for free, without tethers. I'm sure it's definitely a technical matter and totally not some deal struck with server hosting services like, say, this Nitrado I'm hearing about all over the place.

Ah well, I'll save my money on this one unless they've made the process of hosting a dedicated server a little easier.

The process of setting up a server yourself has remained the same. That wasn't a problem for me, but it's also a question of technical knowledge.

[margalus]

Originally posted by DerAlleinTiger:

Originally posted by margalus:

that is the non-dedicated limit. If you run a dedicated server that limit is removed.

That's... not quite what I was concerned about. I could care less about the actual limit, since at most I'd be playing with 2 friends, maybe, and more likely just 1.

I answered the questions you asked. All limits are removed with dedicated, including tether and you don't have to rent.

you obviously didn't want answers then

[DerAlleinTiger]

Originally posted by margalus:

Originally posted by DerAlleinTiger:

That's... not quite what I was concerned about. I could care less about the actual limit, since at most I'd be playing with 2 friends, maybe, and more likely just 1.

I answered the questions you asked. All limits are removed with dedicated, including tether and you don't have to rent.

you obviously didn't want answers then

You didn't answer very well then, because the way you worded it makes it sound like you're talking about the 8-player limit, which was not my concern. "That" is very vague wording when there are multiple things "that" could be in reference to and you did not specify.

If what you meant was the tether then I appreciate your answering that part, even if it didn't quite come through clearly. Shame, though, that I'd be buying the game all over again without any easier private games. Just some shinier graphics. Ah well, that's money saved for me.

[margalus]

I'm sorry I wasn't clear, with that. My apologies for the misunderstanding.

[Seiko]

Originally posted by DerAlleinTiger:

Originally posted by margalus:

I answered the questions you asked. All limits are removed with dedicated, including tether and you don't have to rent.

you obviously didn't want answers then

You didn't answer very well then, because the way you worded it makes it sound like you're talking about the 8-player limit, which was not my concern. "That" is very vague wording when there are multiple things "that" could be in reference to and you did not specify.

If what you meant was the tether then I appreciate your answering that part, even if it didn't quite come through clearly. Shame, though, that I'd be buying the game all over again without any easier private games. Just some shinier graphics. Ah well, that's money saved for me.

I'm skipping through this quickly as my coffee is empty but regarding the tether they have added "tether distance" as a slider option in the menu as a new thing. I've not tested it yet but that will be interesting to see how far that can be increased as the original default tether was very restricting.

[margalus]

Tether distance is broken and won't go high like it should. That will probably be fixed eventually

[DrGonzoRoyale]

U can start a online game and your PC will host.
Your game session will show in non-dedicated server list. Anyone can join or if u set a password only the ones that have the password.
U just set some basic things from the menu.
U can change more settings if u like from the ini file but no need to.
So yes u can start a multiplayer game from your PC and if u use a password it will be a private server.
Offcourse if you are not online, the server is also not online so people can only play if u play (or leave you pc with the game running on)