Easiest way for me to play with a friend on a private game?

[TheInceptionist]

Hello, I've been trying to set up a match in Ark for jsut my friend and I to build and explore just ourselves. But I'm not very advanced when it comes to creating servers. Can someone please in simple terms explain how I could create a private match with jsut my friend and I? Thank you all!

[Flannigan89]

if you have a second PC you can host your own server. If not, you can buy a server, or host a dedicated server, but your friend would have to stay somewhat close to you when you play together, which can be a pain.

[Gnome Saying]

May I ask why not just play a unofficial server?

[TheInceptionist]

He's a roomate, so basically he's always nearby. So how would that work then?

Originally posted by Flannigan89:

if you have a second PC you can host your own server. If not, you can buy a server, or host a dedicated server, but your friend would have to stay somewhat close to you when you play together, which can be a pain.

[TheInceptionist]

Originally posted by xVsPxFlaw:

May I ask why not just play a unofficial server?

Simply for the reason that we like messing with settings, we work a lot so "building decay" sucks cause we have to start from scratch then if we are away from the game too long...

[Gnome Saying]

Originally posted by TheInceptionist:

Originally posted by xVsPxFlaw:

May I ask why not just play a unofficial server?

Simply for the reason that we like messing with settings, we work a lot so "building decay" sucks cause we have to start from scratch then if we are away from the game too long...

Ah okay, I didn't know if it was because of to much people in a server.

[Hans Blitz]

I like setting up my own private server and soloing, It would be fun to co op i guess i haven't tried it. I'll get around to offical servers when i can run the main exe properly. till then its low memory solo server for me.

[Gnome Saying]

Originally posted by Blackrain:

I like setting up my own private server and soloing, It would be fun to co op i guess i haven't tried it. I'll get around to offical servers when i can run the main exe properly. till then its low memory solo server for me.

Official rates are a little to low for me, thats why I host my own dedicated now.

[Hans Blitz]

Yeah you can set your own preference and tame times food and water consumption making your own game, i like it better then having to play by someone elses rules.

You can also set your server public or private i think with passwords so you just give your friends the details they use them to log into your game, aslong as your running the game they can play on the same server. Its when you play on a friends server and they are not online and don't have a dedicated server constantly online it becomes an issue, so if you want to play that game and the friend isn't round to host that game you ain't playing on that server.

Another benifit to hosting your own private servers are mods, i don't think offical servers would allow mods due to some mods would unbalance the gameplay.

[TheInceptionist]

Originally posted by Blackrain:

Yeah you can set your own preference and tame times food and water consumption making your own game, i like it better then having to play by someone elses rules.

You can also set your server public or private i think with passwords so you just give your friends the details they use them to log into your game, aslong as your running the game they can play on the same server. Its when you play on a friends server and they are not online and don't have a dedicated server constantly online it becomes an issue, so if you want to play that game and the friend isn't round to host that game you ain't playing on that server.

Another benifit to hosting your own private servers are mods, i don't think offical servers would allow mods due to some mods would unbalance the gameplay.

So I go and hit "dedicated" or "non-dedicated" server? Then I just have my friend connect to my server correct?

[Gnome Saying]

Originally posted by TheInceptionist:

Originally posted by Blackrain:

Yeah you can set your own preference and tame times food and water consumption making your own game, i like it better then having to play by someone elses rules.

You can also set your server public or private i think with passwords so you just give your friends the details they use them to log into your game, aslong as your running the game they can play on the same server. Its when you play on a friends server and they are not online and don't have a dedicated server constantly online it becomes an issue, so if you want to play that game and the friend isn't round to host that game you ain't playing on that server.

Another benifit to hosting your own private servers are mods, i don't think offical servers would allow mods due to some mods would unbalance the gameplay.

So I go and hit "dedicated" or "non-dedicated" server? Then I just have my friend connect to my server correct?

You hit non dedicated. Only downside is there is a limit to how far you can be away from eachother in game.

[margalus]

To set up your own dedicated server use ARK Server Manager. It makes it extremely simple to set up your dedicated server.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?l=german&id=468312476

Your other option is host a non-dedicated game.

[Vandal]

I have tried to use non-dedicated server but it poses a ton of problems. dose a dedicated server cost money?

[margalus]

Originally posted by cadendelano:

I have tried to use non-dedicated server but it poses a ton of problems. dose a dedicated server cost money?

Only if you rent one. The program is free to download and run on a computer of your own.