Why use Ark Server Manager instead of hosting directly from the game?

[Luke]

I'm just wondering, what are the pros/cons to either method? I'm wanting to host a private server to play with friends; which should I choose?

[Vesuvius]

ASM can generate .ini files for you .... the in game one will just setup a basic vanilla server.

[heroicidiot]

To put it simply: What you can do in game is the basics while using something like asm is advanced mode

[Luke]

Ok; If I use ASM and default settings, is it exactly like playing vanilla? I want a vanilla experience, but using ASM

[heroicidiot]

Originally posted by Luke:

Ok; If I use ASM and default settings, is it exactly like playing vanilla? I want a vanilla experience, but using ASM

You don't need asm to make a vanilla experience. Just let the game use default settings. Enjoy your day long tames though

[Luke]

Originally posted by heroicxidiot:

Originally posted by Luke:

Ok; If I use ASM and default settings, is it exactly like playing vanilla? I want a vanilla experience, but using ASM

You don't need asm to make a vanilla experience. Just let the game use default settings. Enjoy your day long tames though

What I'm saying is, if I prefer to use ASM and want to START playing with a vanilla experience, can I assume that the default settings in ASM are "vanilla"?

[heroicidiot]

Originally posted by Luke:

Originally posted by heroicxidiot:

You don't need asm to make a vanilla experience. Just let the game use default settings. Enjoy your day long tames though

What I'm saying is, if I prefer to use ASM and want to START playing with a vanilla experience, can I assume that the default settings in ASM are "vanilla"?

It's going to read whatever ini file you open up. Otherwise yes.

[Luke]

Originally posted by heroicxidiot:

Originally posted by Luke:

What I'm saying is, if I prefer to use ASM and want to START playing with a vanilla experience, can I assume that the default settings in ASM are "vanilla"?

It's going to read whatever ini file you open up. Otherwise yes.

Well, when it's first ran it generates its own ini file which, I assume, has default settings. Meaning, I'm assuming that the default ini file it generates upon server creation is exactly in line with the settings that are generated when created a server within the game itself.

Anyways, how do I speed up the taming process in ASM? What other options might I consider tweaking?

[heroicidiot]

Originally posted by Luke:

Originally posted by heroicxidiot:

It's going to read whatever ini file you open up. Otherwise yes.

Well, when it's first ran it generates its own ini file which, I assume, has default settings. Meaning, I'm assuming that the default ini file it generates upon server creation is exactly in line with the settings that are generated when created a server within the game itself.

Anyways, how do I speed up the taming process in ASM? What other options might I consider tweaking?

The entire config options are there. I personally don't have it for myself, so you'll need to look through it

[Multigun]

Originally posted by Luke:

Anyways, how do I speed up the taming process in ASM? What other options might I consider tweaking?

Might I suggest you do what I did, and watch youtube videos to learn ASM? There are way too many options to go over in a steam post of what you may or may not be interested in. Here is the one I used and got a lot out of

[medicinehead]

Just get hold of asm,opening it up will will answer your questions for you

[Toooni]

Originally posted by Luke:

I'm just wondering, what are the pros/cons to either method? I'm wanting to host a private server to play with friends; which should I choose?

Depends on your knowledge which is the better way...

Server managers --> Easier, but can cause problems on updates and mod updates.
Batch variant --> More difficult -> Never have any problems with updates

Since your asking this question, the server manager is the right thing for you :)

[Ancient]

By "hosting directly from the game", do you mean running an SP/Co-Op game?

If so there's a huge difference and it's an important distinction.

The dedicated server, which you download and install with SteamCMD or a manager like ASM, and the built-in SP/Co-Op you run from the in-game menu are two different versions of the ARK server software. The dedicated is much better supported and stable. The SP/Co-Op server is designed for Co-Op only and as such has a tether where all players are forced to stay near the host because only a radius of the game world around the host is ever rendered, while with the dedicated server that render radius is given to each connected player independently. The SP/Co-Op server also only runs when you are running ARK, so when you close the game, the server is shutdown for everyone, whereas the dedicated server is meant to be left running 24/7 and everyone can come and go as they please whether the host is running ARK or not.

Most of the answers you've gotten so far are comparing a vanilla SteamCMD install and using ASM as front-end to install with SteamCMD and configure the server, both of which are the dedicated server and not SP/Co-Op.

[Al Bundy]

if you are looking at running a dedicated server I would recommend ASM. I have used it for almost 2 years and wouldn't want to run servers without it. It allows you to automate all the updates for the game/mods which means less downtime for your friends and less work for you. It also gives you a much more user friendly interface for making adjustmenst to the game settings. I have run many servers, some of them clustered. All in all a very good program.