Rabies kills the game

[ArthurName]

Is it just me or is rabies bad for the game?

You can get rid of it in two ways: Get the antidote, or transfer to another ARK, i.e. switch server. (Personally, I have done both.)

As it seems, correct me if I'm wrong, the method people often choose is to transfer to another server (possibly also transfering back to the one where they came from). The thing is that farming the materials to craft the antidote is just too hard work, depending on your level, if you play solo or not, where you're located and if you have a tamed dino or not (and which). If you're too low level it's nearly impossible to get the materials without spending hours trying to gather them. Leaving the server is an easier way out.

This is (ab)used by players. They do not just wipe your base. They deliberately infect you; it's like saying "go away, go to another server".

As I understand though, transfering to another ARK is part of the game. It's part of the survival experience. You're moving to another part of the world -- you're not just switching server; that's just an IRL effect. So in that perspective it's not fair to say that you're forced to this meta-game or not-game method of getting rid of the in-game disease. Still though, I can't see the in-game logic behind losing rabies while transfering to another ARK. And like I said, you can transfer back. Then it just becomes stupid.

So what are the consequences?

- Griefers running around deliberately infecting other players just for the hell of it.
- Offline raiders infect you deliberately.
- But oh -- you start to commit suicide every time before logging off, since this is the only way to prevent offline raiders from infecting you. Now suddenly constant suicide is a valid tactic to stay alive!
- If infected, you 're forced with two painful options: To use the ARK-switching mechanic of transfer to another ARK and back, or just leave the current ARK;
- or, you'll be annoyed for hours by your character's constant coughing, while trying to farm the materials for the antidote. And honestly, the coughing is more annoying than the lowered stats.

All in all, this is just broken.

Any thoughts?

[Zalzany]

Thoughts are WHAT? Pick server with offline protection and sleep inside base, next none of this is news at all they use to be a diseast from swamp think from leaches you could pass around like herpies wasn't to hard to cure. And you open with get antidote as option one then leave with only option to swap arks...

[ArthurName]

I'm asking for thoughts about my statement that it's broken.

Swamp fever and rabies has the same cure: Lesser Antidote. I think it's hard to get the materials. You think it isn't hard. So, we have different opinions. I should say I play solo though, and mostly on official servers.

Thanks for the tip about offline raid protection. Maybe I'll look into it. (I have nothing against offline raiding though, and the issue is not about that.)