Same game, just updated engine.

[PhantomQ]

So why should I buy the same game when all that is different really is the engine has been upgraded which has allowed for a graphics change?
Small UI or QoL isn't $40. That $40 is literally only the graphics.
Never pay for the same game twice.

[Dark Lord Dragoon]

Its not just a graphics overhaul. It is a full remake, the change from UE4 to UE5 isnt just some minor thing, Maps in A:SE were only so SMALL because the custom upgraded UE4 engine they got made could not handle anything larger. UE5 does not have that problem, they can make maps 100s of times larger if they chose too. In addition one thing not mentioned here is most building lag is gone now. You can build as large as you want without worrying about killing your game. Added to that mods are going to be able to do MUCH more now. IMO for only $40 its a steal. Yes more work is needed and with only the Island its a Bit boring but you can't just "Port" maps to the new engine they are in fact going threw and remaking them with the old ones as a template.

[Smoka95]

Originally posted by Dark Lord Dragoon:

Its not just a graphics overhaul. It is a full remake, the change from UE4 to UE5 isnt just some minor thing, Maps in A:SE were only so SMALL because the custom upgraded UE4 engine they got made could not handle anything larger. UE5 does not have that problem, they can make maps 100s of times larger if they chose too. In addition one thing not mentioned here is most building lag is gone now. You can build as large as you want without worrying about killing your game. Added to that mods are going to be able to do MUCH more now. IMO for only $40 its a steal. Yes more work is needed and with only the Island its a Bit boring but you can't just "Port" maps to the new engine they are in fact going threw and remaking them with the old ones as a template.

Learn what remake means. This isn't a remake its a remaster.

[Uncle Hulka]

If you're really questioning the wisdom of making this or any purchase for that matter, you're better off saving your money and buying something you have absolutely no reservations about purchasing. Life is too short to waste on something so frivolous.

[Renton1664]

No one is forcing you to buy it. If you don't have the spare money to buy it, don't buy it, then move on.
Those of us that have bought it and think it is worth it are happy with it and quite frankly don't care if you are going to buy it or not.

[Couch Guy]

Originally posted by PhantomQ:

So no one is willing to answer my questions. Only just willing to yell when I am asking a simple few questions.
This feels like Skyrim all over again and so in hopes of it NOT being, I came to the community for answers; however clearly that was a mistake.
I love Ark, look forward to Ark II, but everything I was seeing was that this was basically Ark just with a new engine and better graphics...So I was looking for answers. Not going to get them here.

PS. I hadn't made my mind up yet, but your answers sure help make it lean towards a no. And also, graphics mean NOTHING...(Yes that is my mind made up). I don't care about graphics at all if the game has good mechanics, good game play, and is fun. Because you can have all the graphics in the world and it means nothing if the game doesn't have the other three things.

They did answer. And so did you by stating in YOUR question, "Small UI or QoL isn't $40. That $40 is literally only the graphics.
Never pay for the same game twice." That is an very presumptuous question and seems more likely rhetorical. Point is it seems you have made up your mind already and are just looking for an argument. While that may not be true, it definitely seems worded that way.

[Couch Guy]

Originally posted by smokleto_95:

Originally posted by Dark Lord Dragoon:

Its not just a graphics overhaul. It is a full remake, the change from UE4 to UE5 isnt just some minor thing, Maps in A:SE were only so SMALL because the custom upgraded UE4 engine they got made could not handle anything larger. UE5 does not have that problem, they can make maps 100s of times larger if they chose too. In addition one thing not mentioned here is most building lag is gone now. You can build as large as you want without worrying about killing your game. Added to that mods are going to be able to do MUCH more now. IMO for only $40 its a steal. Yes more work is needed and with only the Island its a Bit boring but you can't just "Port" maps to the new engine they are in fact going threw and remaking them with the old ones as a template.

Learn what remake means. This isn't a remake its a remaster.

ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA) is a next-generation remake of our beloved ARK: Survival Evolved, harnessing the power of Unreal Engine 5. ARK’s codebase has been rewritten, and its artwork recreated by hand to take full advantage of Unreal Engine 5, including its Lumen and Nanite systems.
Advanced graphics features such as dynamic water (Custom FluidNinja integration), complete interactive physical foliage, and more systems to create a beautiful, immersive, next-generation experience.
Cross-platform Modding: we’re working with Overwolf to provide an industry-first cross-platform modding experience, where mods created on PC are delivered directly to your consoles from a custom modding backend and in-game user mod browser. The modding capability for creators includes using the full power of Unreal Engine 5, including Blueprint, to create anything, any kind of new content or gameplay, within ARK.
Full Cross-platform Multiplayer
New content, QOL improvements, balance, and gameplay changes, including but not limited to:
Over time we’ll be releasing 11 Brand-new creatures (More than any previous DLC expansions)
New mini-map system (pan, zoom, pings, etc.)
New structures (display cases, smaller TEK Teleporters, building pieces) & major building-system overhaul
New Gameplay Items
Dynamic navigation mesh and creature pathfinding overhaul (AI pathfinding)
Total UI Revamp
Photo Mode
New camera systems for players and dinos, with the option to revert to the old systems.
New Player Character Assets with Revamped and Improved Customization
Gamepad virtual-cursor UI input system
New Dino-Manager system (view the real-time status and track-locations of all your creatures at will through one unified menu)
… and much more!
I trust devs who created Ark more than your assumed definition of a remake.

[HeavyG]

Originally posted by smokleto_95:

Learn what remake means. This isn't a remake its a remaster.

And that's just a stupid label. Who cares if someone says "remake" or "remaster"? Are the textures different? Yes. Are the models different? Yes. Are the sounds different? Is the music different? Yes. Is the engine different? Yes. Is the core functionality of the game the same? Yes

So who gives a flying crap what it is labeled? I don't care if the devs call it a remake or some asshat on the forum calls it a remaster or anything else. The label doesn't matter as it's simply a different product, and that just absolutely cannot be argued no matter how hard anyone tries.

[Znogris]

Originally posted by HeavyG:

Originally posted by smokleto_95:

Learn what remake means. This isn't a remake its a remaster.

And that's just a stupid label. Who cares if someone says "remake" or "remaster"? Are the textures different? Yes. Are the models different? Yes. Are the sounds different? Is the music different? Yes. Is the engine different? Yes. Is the core functionality of the game the same? Yes

So who gives a flying crap what it is labeled? I don't care if the devs call it a remake or some asshat on the forum calls it a remaster or anything else. The label doesn't matter as it's simply a different product, and that just absolutely cannot be argued no matter how hard anyone tries.

labels are the #1 problem with the world and #2 is FEELINGS > FACTS

but i must be honest and say only some of the models are updated.... like the Raptor, most are original

[HeavyG]

Originally posted by Znogris:

Originally posted by HeavyG:

And that's just a stupid label. Who cares if someone says "remake" or "remaster"? Are the textures different? Yes. Are the models different? Yes. Are the sounds different? Is the music different? Yes. Is the engine different? Yes. Is the core functionality of the game the same? Yes

So who gives a flying crap what it is labeled? I don't care if the devs call it a remake or some asshat on the forum calls it a remaster or anything else. The label doesn't matter as it's simply a different product, and that just absolutely cannot be argued no matter how hard anyone tries.

labels are the #1 problem with the world and #2 is FEELINGS > FACTS

but i must be honest and say only some of the models are updated.... like the Raptor, most are original

True, but trees, rocks, ruins, basically anything that can be harvested or destroyed are all new. Building materials, weapons, armor, etc... it's all new.

[Smoka95]

Originally posted by Couch Guy:

Originally posted by smokleto_95:

Learn what remake means. This isn't a remake its a remaster.

ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA) is a next-generation remake of our beloved ARK: Survival Evolved, harnessing the power of Unreal Engine 5. ARK’s codebase has been rewritten, and its artwork recreated by hand to take full advantage of Unreal Engine 5, including its Lumen and Nanite systems.
Advanced graphics features such as dynamic water (Custom FluidNinja integration), complete interactive physical foliage, and more systems to create a beautiful, immersive, next-generation experience.
Cross-platform Modding: we’re working with Overwolf to provide an industry-first cross-platform modding experience, where mods created on PC are delivered directly to your consoles from a custom modding backend and in-game user mod browser. The modding capability for creators includes using the full power of Unreal Engine 5, including Blueprint, to create anything, any kind of new content or gameplay, within ARK.
Full Cross-platform Multiplayer
New content, QOL improvements, balance, and gameplay changes, including but not limited to:
Over time we’ll be releasing 11 Brand-new creatures (More than any previous DLC expansions)
New mini-map system (pan, zoom, pings, etc.)
New structures (display cases, smaller TEK Teleporters, building pieces) & major building-system overhaul
New Gameplay Items
Dynamic navigation mesh and creature pathfinding overhaul (AI pathfinding)
Total UI Revamp
Photo Mode
New camera systems for players and dinos, with the option to revert to the old systems.
New Player Character Assets with Revamped and Improved Customization
Gamepad virtual-cursor UI input system
New Dino-Manager system (view the real-time status and track-locations of all your creatures at will through one unified menu)
… and much more!
I trust devs who created Ark more than your assumed definition of a remake.

Don't ask questions just consume product, then get excited for next product.
"The devs would never lie to me, because they care."
Remake is recreating the game.
Remaster mostly uses the original code/assets with some updates/QOL or in this case taking advantage of UE5 features.
These are not my definitions. Mislabeling it as remake is objectively false.
"ARK’s codebase has been rewritten" which is also questionable at best since they are using the same broken netcode from ASE and 8 year old bugs were ported to ASA.

Originally posted by HeavyG:

Originally posted by smokleto_95:

Learn what remake means. This isn't a remake its a remaster.

And that's just a stupid label. Who cares if someone says "remake" or "remaster"? Are the textures different? Yes. Are the models different? Yes. Are the sounds different? Is the music different? Yes. Is the engine different? Yes. Is the core functionality of the game the same? Yes

So who gives a flying crap what it is labeled? I don't care if the devs call it a remake or some asshat on the forum calls it a remaster or anything else. The label doesn't matter as it's simply a different product, and that just absolutely cannot be argued no matter how hard anyone tries.

Words have definitions for a reason. There's huge difference between remaster and remake.Which is borderline false advertising. Also for a guy who claims he doesn't care you want to make sure everyone knows how much you don't care which is kinda self contradicting.
The only valid question you asked is: "Are the textures different?"
Rest of your questions are structured incorrectly.
At best they should look like:
"Did they change some of the models?", "Did they change some of the sounds?",Is the engine different version?(Because no the engine is the same its just a newer version of the same engine, that's why you can import assets/code from ASE instead of recreating everything) etc.
They imported most of the model assets from the old game and gave them QOL to fit UE5 like the new knockdown animation, feathers having physics etc. They recreated/created few assets from scratch like some of the tree models/character models and stuff like armors related to character models, other models like smithy got very minor changes.

[M4[Blind]]

more like why are you here crying about it...youre either a die hard fan or youre not...go outside maybe..

[Noeat]

Originally posted by Dark Lord Dragoon:

Its not just a graphics overhaul. It is a full remake, the change from UE4 to UE5 isnt just some minor thing,

1) nobody touched that code.. there is no remake, it is only re-release
2) what did you say?
https://docs.unrealengine.com/5.1/en-US/updating-projects-to-newer-versions-of-unreal-engine/#:~:text=Click%20the%20image%20for%20full%20size.%20Click%20the,it%20and%20open%20it%20in%20the%20current%20version

[Caduryn]

Originally posted by Noeat:

Originally posted by Dark Lord Dragoon:

Its not just a graphics overhaul. It is a full remake, the change from UE4 to UE5 isnt just some minor thing,

1) nobody touched that code.. there is no remake, it is only re-release
2) what did you say?
https://docs.unrealengine.com/5.1/en-US/updating-projects-to-newer-versions-of-unreal-engine/#:~:text=Click%20the%20image%20for%20full%20size.%20Click%20the,it%20and%20open%20it%20in%20the%20current%20version

You keep trolling with that, but have you actually upgraded a Game once in your Life....?

[Alli]

Wow, Maybe they just need information that they weren't aware of before. Answering their question only to let people know what they already know. Why get mad about it. Maybe someone says something that they didn't think of. Maybe they really want the game but just need that extra piece of info to solidify it in their mind, that is not wrong.

[Noeat]

Originally posted by Caduryn:

Originally posted by Noeat:

1) nobody touched that code.. there is no remake, it is only re-release
2) what did you say?
https://docs.unrealengine.com/5.1/en-US/updating-projects-to-newer-versions-of-unreal-engine/#:~:text=Click%20the%20image%20for%20full%20size.%20Click%20the,it%20and%20open%20it%20in%20the%20current%20version

You keep trolling with that, but have you actually upgraded a Game once in your Life....?

thats not trolling, poor kid... thats real documentation for UE5
try learn to read and then you will be able read it
good luck, you will need it

btw: arent you millenial?
because it will explain a lot!