INI Question: Map Spawn Overrides

[MorkOz]

Hi All,

Can you use the overrides/adds/etc to add entries with multiple dino chances? i.e. 1-3 Trikes, 2-4 Dolphins etc?

If yes, how? If not can we maybe get that ability please

Also, does the game apply the map spawn overrides in any order, like does it do the override first, and then the subtracts and then the adds?

Reason why I ask is for example, Let's say we want to remove a dino from a spawn and then re-add them but with different weights/limits. This would be useful cause it's better to change the weights/limits specific for a zone, rather than directly to the class overall. Reducing the spawn numbers of a particular class overall results in some zones having an unintended explosion of other classes as their weight percentage goes up with the class reduction.

So does it apply it in any kind of order? Does the ordering in the INI file matter?

Thanks,

M.

[🦊 Hermit]

You can't have two separate references to the same spawn container, no. If you do, then the second one in the ini file is ignored and the first is the only one implemented.

So for example, if you wanted to remove dodos from the beach then add them back in, only the remove one would be enacted, and no dodos would spawn.

However there is the ConfigOverrideNPCSpawnEntriesContainer command, which allows you to override the spawn list for a particular container with one of your own which you can set. I believe that would have the effect you desire, as you could set up your own spawn list with your own preferred dinos for each spawn container, and set the spawn weights for them independantley.

The full command:

ConfigOverrideNPCSpawnEntriesContainer=(
[NPCSpawnEntriesContainerClassString=<spawn_class>],
[NPCSpawnEntries=((AnEntryName=<spawn_name>],
[EntryWeight=<factor>],
[NPCsToSpawnStrings=(<entity_id>)))],
[NPCSpawnLimits=((NPCClassString=<entity_id>],
[MaxPercentageOfDesiredNumToAllow=<percentage>)))]

Right at the bottom of this page here: http://ark.gamepedia.com/Server_Configuration

[MorkOz]

Originally posted by Hermit:

You can't have two separate references to the same spawn container, no. If you do, then the second one in the ini file is ignored and the first is the only one implemented.

So for example, if you wanted to remove dodos from the beach then add them back in, only the remove one would be enacted, and no dodos would spawn.

However there is the ConfigOverrideNPCSpawnEntriesContainer command, which allows you to override the spawn list for a particular container with one of your own which you can set. I believe that would have the effect you desire, as you could set up your own spawn list with your own preferred dinos for each spawn container, and set the spawn weights for them independantley.

The full command:

ConfigOverrideNPCSpawnEntriesContainer=(
[NPCSpawnEntriesContainerClassString=<spawn_class>],
[NPCSpawnEntries=((AnEntryName=<spawn_name>],
[EntryWeight=<factor>],
[NPCsToSpawnStrings=(<entity_id>)))],
[NPCSpawnLimits=((NPCClassString=<entity_id>],
[MaxPercentageOfDesiredNumToAllow=<percentage>)))]

Right at the bottom of this page here: http://ark.gamepedia.com/Server_Configuration

Yeah I understand the override, the problem is, many of the zones have a entries with a multiple chance, i.e. you might get 1 - n dinos (1-3 Trikes etc). You can't seem to specify a multi-chance spawn with the override INI.

So if you were to override one of the large DinoEntries with your own via INI you could only add single dinos, which changes the spawner drastically, when you may have just wanted to effect a single dino.

Large spawn entries like the grassland or jungle for example would be completely whacked if you tried to override like that.

That's why it would be good if we could get some extra functionality via the INI without having to use MODs.

1. Allow for multiple config changes per dinoentries. 1x remove + 1x add in order AND just a single Override.

2. Provide syntax for adding the multi-chance with weights. 1-3 Trikes, 50% for 2, 25% for 3 etc.

M.

[Hades]

You're right, Mork... it can't be done. Overrides define a single spawn only.

You sound familar with the devkit, so you'll know that within a spawner, every dino defined in an NPC spawn entry within that spawner needs to specify its individual chance to spawn and its spawn xyz offset... whcih the override ini command doesn't have the format for.

I do agree that this functionality would be very useful to be added to the ini command.

[🦊 Hermit]

I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you're saying bro, would you be able to explain a little more?

Spawning in this game works on a weight basis, with a limit to prevent some types of dino spawning too frequently. So for example the beach node can spawn dodos, trikes, parasaurs, the occasional dilo, etc...and each of those dino types has a weight to them which defines how frequently that type is chosen over the other types.

So if the node spawns a maximum of 20 dinos, and dodos are set to 2 weight while parasaurs and trikes are 1 weight, then the node will spawn roughly 10 dodos, and 5 each of the other two (with some RNG involved, so the numbers may not be exact).

Then the player can set up the configs if they wish to impose a limit on the percentage of a particular type of dino spawn, in relation to the maximum number of dinos from that node. So if the dodo limit above were set to 25%, they would only spawn 5 dodos maximum despite having a higher weight, then the game would move on to spawning trikes and parasaurs in equal numbers until it reached the maximum number of dinos from that node.

Those numbers remain until a dino leaves the area, or until they are killed off, at which point the node spawns more to fill up the numbers again.

Originally posted by Storm:

You're right, Mork... it can't be done. Overrides define a single spawn only.

With respect bro, this isn't entirely true. The configadd, configremove and configoverride spawns can have multiple dinos added to them.

Here's how to do it, a config taken from my own server:

ConfigAddNPCSpawnEntriesContainer=(NPCSpawnEntriesContainerClassString="Lava_Spawn_C",NPCSpawnEntries=((AnEntryName="MantisSpawner",EntryWeight=1.0,NPCsToSpawnStrings=("Mantis_Character_BP_C")),(AnEntryName="AlphaGlowScorp",EntryWeight=1.0,NPCsToSpawnStrings=("GlowScorpAlpha_Character_BP_C")),(AnEntryName="AlphaGlowMantis",EntryWeight=1.0,NPCsToSpawnStrings=("GlowMantis_Alpha_Character_BP_C")),(AnEntryName="GlowMantis",EntryWeight=1.0,NPCsToSpawnStrings=("GlowMantis_Character_BP_C")),(AnEntryName="GlowScorp",EntryWeight=1.0,NPCsToSpawnStrings=("GrabberScorpion_Character_BP_C"))),NPCSpawnLimits=((NPCClassString="Mantis_Character_BP_C",MaxPercentageOfDesiredNumToAllow=0.05),(NPCClassString="GlowScorpAlpha_Character_BP_C",MaxPercentageOfDesiredNumToAllow=0.001),(NPCClassString="GlowMantis_Alpha_Character_BP_C",MaxPercentageOfDesiredNumToAllow=0.001),(NPCClassString="GlowMantis_Character_BP_C",MaxPercentageOfDesiredNumToAllow=0.05),(NPCClassString="GrabberScorpion_Character_BP_C",MaxPercentageOfDesiredNumToAllow=0.15)))

You have to define the spawners, dinos and weights first, separated by commas, then define the spawn limits afterwards.

[🦊 Hermit]

Edited response into previous post, sorry for double post, my bad.

[MorkOz]

Sorry Hermit, we're getting two things mixed up.

Not saying that you can't add / remove multiple dinos, what you can't do is add multiple of the same dino, with a weighted chance for each.

So in your server settings example, you're adding the Mantis which is fine, but you can't add between 1-3 Mantis per spawn, with weights for each additional Mantis.

This is what I'm complaining about. If you used the override for large zone like the Grassland, you wouldn't be able to add back in the multiples (trikes, dodos, etc).

Here is the Grassland

Para (1-3)
Trike (1-3)
Stego (1-3)
Sauropod (1-3)
Ptero (1-4)
Raptor (1-4)
Rex (1)
Phiomia (1)
Carno (1)
Ant Spawn (1-5) 1
Ant Spawn (1-5) 2
Dragonfly Spawn (4) 1
Dragonfly Spawn (4) 2
Doed (1)
Pachy (1-2)
Diplodocus (1)
Gallimimus (2)
Terror Bird (3)
Allosaurus (3)
Pachyrhino (2-4)
Sheep (1)
Microraptor (3-5)
Equus (1-4)


Hope that makes sense. If we could add multiples, then overriding a large zone like that is more feasable ( probably not advisable though as we'd need to add additional dinos as they get released ourselves).

If we could remove and add in order though, I could say remove the Terror Bird, and then add it back in and have it spawn in groups of 2 rather than 3.

Cheers,

M.

[🦊 Hermit]

I'm sorry bro, but I don't really understand why you would want to add in multiple instances of the same dino into one spawn node? The game will already spawn multiples of the dino in question, it's just all based on weights.

You don't have to put in a separate spawn entry to make a dino spawn multiple times, just up it's spawn weight in relation to the other dinos from that node and the game will pick that dino more frequently than the others, meaning there will naturally be more of them. And dinos do not spawn in packs either, as far as I'm aware...they spawn solo but then may join into packs based on their AI when they meet another of their kind, like the terror birds you mentioned there.

I apologise if I'm getting the wrong end of the stick and not grasping what you're trying to say, not intentional man.

[MorkOz]

Originally posted by Storm:

You're right, Mork... it can't be done. Overrides define a single spawn only.

You sound familar with the devkit, so you'll know that within a spawner, every dino defined in an NPC spawn entry within that spawner needs to specify its individual chance to spawn and its spawn xyz offset... whcih the override ini command doesn't have the format for.

I do agree that this functionality would be very useful to be added to the ini command.

Yeah, I was hoping that WC would say "Hey yeah we forgot to tell you how to word the extra info in the INI" . DevKit doesn't seem to show how they're processing the INI files, so it's a guess on how much info is being read. I'm sure we could have some syntax for the chances and xyz offsets. We get that level of detail for the SpawnCratesOverride.

[MorkOz]

Originally posted by Hermit:

I'm sorry bro, but I don't really understand why you would want to add in multiple instances of the same dino into one spawn node? The game will already spawn multiples of the dino in question, it's just all based on weights.

You don't have to put in a separate spawn entry to make a dino spawn multiple times, just up it's spawn weight in relation to the other dinos from that node and the game will pick that dino more frequently than the others, meaning there will naturally be more of them. And dinos do not spawn in packs either, as far as I'm aware...they spawn solo but then may join into packs based on their AI when they meet another of their kind, like the terror birds you mentioned there.

I apologise if I'm getting the wrong end of the stick and not grasping what you're trying to say, not intentional man.

All good bro. They actually do spawn in packs, which is what kills me (literally). Terror Birds ALWAYS spawn as a group of 3 the little *******! Troodons in the Redwoods are always a pack of 3 or 4.

Raptors in the Grassland spawn above can spawn as a pack of 4! I just think Admins should be able to control that a little for their players. I'd like to minimise new players being mobbed by a pack of a$$hole troodons. :)

[🦊 Hermit]

Ah right, I think I get what you're meaning now, sorry for my being dim. I wouldn't have thought they spawned in packs myself, as in my own game I quite often come across solo or duo pack creatures rather than a full set, however I guess I may be mistaken about that, idk. And if that fact is true then yes I agree, it would be nice to have an extra config setting to tweak that element too.

[MorkOz]

Originally posted by Hermit:

Ah right, I think I get what you're meaning now, sorry for my being dim. I wouldn't have thought they spawned in packs myself, as in my own game I quite often come across solo or duo pack creatures rather than a full set, however I guess I may be mistaken about that, idk. And if that fact is true then yes I agree, it would be nice to have an extra config setting to tweak that element too.

The packs are randomized, which is why you wouldn't see a large pack all the time. The map spawn config options have excellent potential for Admins to customize balance, much better than just setting the spawn weight globally, which has issues as I mentioned above.

[Hades]

Just to clarify, if WC enhanced the override command so you could:

e.g.

add a dilo to a grassland spawner with 100% chance, with an x offset of 0.

then add add another dilo with a 50% chance to spawn, with an x offset of 100.

then add another dilo with a 20% chance at a y offset of 100.

So basically you have spawns of dinos which vary in size... and don't all spawn ok top of each other.

It's a standard devkit feature... just not possible with pure ini commands .... and would add a lot of variation and challenge.

[MorkOz]

Originally posted by Storm:

Just to clarify, if WC enhanced the override command so you could:

e.g.

add a dilo to a grassland spawner with 100% chance, with an x offset of 0.

then add add another dilo with a 50% chance to spawn, with an x offset of 100.

then add another dilo with a 20% chance at a y offset of 100.

So basically you have spawns of dinos which vary in size... and don't all spawn ok top of each other.

It's a standard devkit feature... just not possible with pure ini commands .... and would add a lot of variation and challenge.

Exactly. Similar to how we can override the supply crates with a few sets of items, rather than just a single items.


They could allow the NPCsToSpawnStrings to have multiple comma seperate values, with an offset value = (0,0,0) or (0,100,0) and an entry weight etc.

Example could be
(NPCSpawnEntriesContainerClassString="DinoSpawnEntriesGrassland",NPCSpawnEntries=(
(AnEntryName="Dilo 1-3",EntryWeight=1.0,NPCsToSpawnStrings=(
(NPCToSpawn="Dilo_Character_BP_C",SpawnChance=1.0,SpawnOffset=(0,0,0),(NPCToSpawn="Dilo_Character_BP_C",SpawnChance=0.5,SpawnOffset=(0,200,0),(NPCToSpawn="Dilo_Character_BP_C",SpawnChance=0.25,SpawnOffset=(0,-200,0)))))

If we could then have a precedence of the config options, so an override applies if it exists, and if not, then the subtract occurs first, then the additions, so that customization would be truly flexible.

Cheers,

M.

[Zengetzu]

Originally posted by MorkOz:

Originally posted by Storm:

Just to clarify, if WC enhanced the override command so you could:

e.g.

add a dilo to a grassland spawner with 100% chance, with an x offset of 0.

then add add another dilo with a 50% chance to spawn, with an x offset of 100.

then add another dilo with a 20% chance at a y offset of 100.

So basically you have spawns of dinos which vary in size... and don't all spawn ok top of each other.

It's a standard devkit feature... just not possible with pure ini commands .... and would add a lot of variation and challenge.

Exactly. Similar to how we can override the supply crates with a few sets of items, rather than just a single items.


They could allow the NPCsToSpawnStrings to have multiple comma seperate values, with an offset value = (0,0,0) or (0,100,0) and an entry weight etc.

Example could be
(NPCSpawnEntriesContainerClassString="DinoSpawnEntriesGrassland",NPCSpawnEntries=(
(AnEntryName="Dilo 1-3",EntryWeight=1.0,NPCsToSpawnStrings=(
(NPCToSpawn="Dilo_Character_BP_C",SpawnChance=1.0,SpawnOffset=(0,0,0),(NPCToSpawn="Dilo_Character_BP_C",SpawnChance=0.5,SpawnOffset=(0,200,0),(NPCToSpawn="Dilo_Character_BP_C",SpawnChance=0.25,SpawnOffset=(0,-200,0)))))

If we could then have a precedence of the config options, so an override applies if it exists, and if not, then the subtract occurs first, then the additions, so that customization would be truly flexible.

Cheers,

M.

MorkOz,

Hey im trying to add modded dinos to my cutome map. I have everything right except for the "AnEntryName" which i do not know what it is or where to find it but i know i have class and spawn names right.

[🦊 Hermit]

Originally posted by Zengetzu:

MorkOz,

Hey im trying to add modded dinos to my cutome map. I have everything right except for the "AnEntryName" which i do not know what it is or where to find it but i know i have class and spawn names right.

'AnEntryName' is just a name you give the spawner yourself, to identify what it is from the other spawners you have. It can be anything you wish. For example you could name it after the dino it spawns (ArgieSpawn or MantisSpawner), a list method (Spawner1, Spawner2) or even something completely random (Giggleswick!).