Why are high level dinos so rare on The Island?

[Bullwinkle]

Is there anything that can be done? Most of the dinos I see are very low level. High level dinos do spawn, but very rarely on The Island. Is there a fix mod or workaround to shift the map to spawn dinos in the upper 1/2 of the spawn range more often? I saw one mod, but that just forces all spawns to be high level. Isn't there way to get all levels to spawn more or less equally?

[🦊 Hermit]

All official maps are set up like that. Why, you'd have to ask WildCard, but one would guess it'd be something like 'to make high levels more special when you do find one' or something. Which makes sense, but I do think they've gone a little overboard with just how rare they are.

There was a mod on the Workshop that was trying to fix this for the official maps at one point, but last I heard they couldn't get it working. I have heard of someone making a server plugin for it, but that is not on the WS so has to be downloaded elsewhere, and I don't know if it'd work on non-dedicated/single player.

Thankfully we have the Center and Ragnarok which can fill in the high levels for most creatures, but they don't cover Abs and Extinction fare...

[steelkucaza]

cant help there but i do know the top right corner of the island spawns more high lvls as i would camp there for them.

[chabero]

Singelplay or self hostet Server:
go to option -> Difficulty to 1 (then the can spawn on maxlevel, is it lower as 1 the level is lower

Mod: Difficulty 6 or 6+/6++, the Mods make that the can spawn Wildlevel up to 180

If you change the settings, it need time to change the Dinolevels (must be killed and spawn a new one in running Game)

and beware.. with this mod can be that a Level 250 Gigantosaurus can spawn... on my last Server this Badass destroy all of uns bases.. on the Beach.. :(
I was comming on and he bite my Base... 1k Damage on Stonewalls.. *terrible* ^^

[retsam1]

Originally posted by Bullwinkle:

Is there anything that can be done? Most of the dinos I see are very low level. High level dinos do spawn, but very rarely on The Island. Is there a fix mod or workaround to shift the map to spawn dinos in the upper 1/2 of the spawn range more often? I saw one mod, but that just forces all spawns to be high level. Isn't there way to get all levels to spawn more or less equally?

If you want a simple explanation, the reasons are statistics(and randomization), ecocide, and a lack of understanding how spawns work.


If you want the longer explanation:

1. Spawns and statistics- At different locations there are spawn spots. Some are static(meaning that spawn one specific type of dino). Others are dynamic (meaning that 1 spot may share 2 or many more different spawns of different dinos either randomly or in a set rotation.

That's the first hurdle. Next when a spawn spot spawns a dino, its level is randomized based the max level allowed in the server/single player settings. In other words, the level is a dice roll.

So as an example, you wanted a trike that was above level 100. You found a spot that you have seen trikes spawn in it. However its a spot that is a dynamic spawn for 5 different dinos randomly. It means that you've a one in 5 chance that it'll spawn as a trike and then another randomized chance that it'll spawn at the level you desire.

In other words the statistics for camping 1 specific spawn spot for 1 specific dino at a specific level or level range in this case become very challenging.

But its a good thing there are so many different places dinos spawn....

However....

2. Ecocide- That 's the destruction of the ecology by human encroachment. In game terms its the way players screw up the ecology of the game be it dinos or other resources.

It has 2 affects on dino spawns. One is that of course the more people build the more that it stops various dino spawns and therefore causes less dinos of specific dinos etc to spawn. Beavers are an easy one to see this with when people build either over or too close to the ponds and riverways where beavers spawn and thus prevent their spawning anymore.

The second way is with spawn influencing. If many players want specific dinos and levels they of course go out, search for em, and eventually find what they want in most cases and tame it.

However this means that typically in its place, due to randomizations either a lower level dino or a different dino are likely to respawn in the same spot. Statistical chances of another high level dino of the same time spawning are less likely.

So if you are flying around looking for a high level trike and everyone else is doing the same or similar, then the chance you find what you're looking for is slim.


A variation of this too also is due to the AI of the server with dinos killing each other off and being respawned too mind you but this is less so.


So how do you work around these limitations?

1. Dont play on high pop servers or urban sprawl servers. Its the core flaw of this game that the more people build/inhabit a server, the less sustainable the server becomes.

2. Know where the spawn spots are for dinos you desire, and when one doesnt spawn or spawns as a lower level than you want, kill it so that you refesh your chances. If you're on high damage dino and can travel between different spawn spots to do the culling and spawn resetting this is more optimal.


Good hunting.

[Bullwinkle]

I'm playing SP and I've killed over 100 argents. Maybe 150. I have the trophies to prove it. And with all this hunting, I've never even SEEN an argent level 100 or higher. I did find a 96 one time, and I tamed it. I've been riding it around forever, searching for a higher level one to tame. I'm level 81 now, and can't find a decent argent to call my own. Dilos, trikes, sure, they spawn at high levels, but for Rexes and Argents and other juicy species, the high levels are very rare. Very frustrating.

[retsam1]

Originally posted by Bullwinkle:

I'm playing SP and I've killed over 100 argents. Maybe 150. I have the trophies to prove it. And with all this hunting, I've never even SEEN an argent level 100 or higher. I did find a 96 one time, and I tamed it. I've been riding it around forever, searching for a higher level one to tame. I'm level 81 now, and can't find a decent argent to call my own. Dilos, trikes, sure, they spawn at high levels, but for Rexes and Argents and other juicy species, the high levels are very rare. Very frustrating.

I understand your frustration but again you're just a victim of RNG. The game does not restrict rex and argent levels while allowing other species to have higher levels.

However, since you're in single player, you've 3 alternative choices:

1. Use admin commands and spawn in the desired level dino(will take all of a few seconds) and then tame naturally as you desire or use the dotame command to instant tame.

2. Use the destroyallwilddino command and see if a reset gets you any better results. As a good rule of thumb, especially if you play alot, resetting the dino spawns like this for the entire map is good because the game can imbalance dino numbers in differnet spawn locales(especially true of the ragnarok map).

3. Adjust single player -after tame- stats for dinos so that the levels mean nothing. You could(to give you an extreme example) adjust settings to have level 5 tamed dimorphs 1 shot bosses.

[DigginTiger]

Don't choose option 1 or 3 if you ask me. You would kill your game experience.
Better choose the "destrroy wilddinos" command when you're out of patience, like i do sometimes.

Other than that i can recommend you a good spot for argies farming:

At the North west side of the map, right before the snow biome boarder you'll find a pond and a little river flowing to the sea (with pearls to harvest)
Stay on the beach at the very west where it is always a "civil war happening" :D kill everything that is not to your liking keep running east along the river with pearls in it, untill you reach the pond nearby. Turn back direction "civil war" again.
Rinse and repeat.

You'll find lots of argies (argies are kings there, they win almost all the time), saber, scorpions, kentros (be carefull with those) hyenadons, rexes, carnos, raptors and dimorph.

the respawn rate there is just insane, you will barely have the time to harvest the pearls in case you're interested...

Argies spawn in far more than rexes and spinos on the island (which are probably the dinos with the lowest spawn quantitites on the map, especially mister spino) so don't worry you'll find your high LVL argie either by farming where i've just told you, or by making 3-4 dinos wipes.

have fun !

[🦊 Hermit]

Originally posted by retsam1:

If you want a simple explanation, the reasons are statistics(and randomization), ecocide, and a lack of understanding how spawns work.

It isn't just RNG and player influence though Ret, it is true that Ark's code is weighted towards lower level spawns on the official maps. There is a bias in the programming which ensures that they are more common.

I remember seeing a graph somewhere drawn by a programmer who had looked into the code, comparing the spawn percentages of creatures on official maps compared to Ragnarok. Ragnarok had very low probabillities for most levels across the board, but had very large percengage spikes at intervals across the level range, something like 25-45, again at 75-95, and one more at 135-150. On the other hand, the official maps started off around mid range for the lowest level, went up very high around the 20s-40s in a smooth curve, then just tailed off to the point that anything above 125 was almost nonexistant.

[retsam1]

Originally posted by Hermit:

Originally posted by retsam1:

If you want a simple explanation, the reasons are statistics(and randomization), ecocide, and a lack of understanding how spawns work.

It isn't just RNG and player influence though Ret, it is true that Ark's code is weighted towards lower level spawns on the official maps. There is a bias in the programming which ensures that they are more common.

I remember seeing a graph somewhere drawn by a programmer who had looked into the code, comparing the spawn percentages of creatures on official maps compared to Ragnarok. Ragnarok had very low probabillities for most levels across the board, but had very large percengage spikes at intervals across the level range, something like 25-45, again at 75-95, and one more at 135-150. On the other hand, the official maps started off around mid range for the lowest level, went up very high around the 20s-40s in a smooth curve, then just tailed off to the point that anything above 125 was almost nonexistant.

If you can cite some official dev sources for this information with links etc that'd be great, thanks.

[retsam1]

Originally posted by roro4066:

Don't choose option 1 or 3 if you ask me. You would kill your game experience.
Better choose the "destrroy wilddinos" command when you're out of patience, like i do sometimes.

Better is simply subjective though. I simply wanted to convey the variety of options as opposed to ranking/judging them in this regard.

Afterall, there are people who would judge your using even destroyallwilddino command due to seeing any admin command use in the same light whilst you find it favorable.

[Leslie]

The DestroyWildDinos command is one of the more important and useful commands, whether in single player mode or for a server.
Major imbalance problerms aside, there are a number of subtle spawn imbalances, creeping overspawn issues (I'm looking at you fish), and issues with Alphas which can roam outside their spawn volumes without despawning resulting in additional alpha spawns, the use of the nohibernation launch command, etc. The reasons are numerous. BUT, given the other needed fixes, focusing coding resources on spawns is not going to happen, and it would take months of subtle tinkering anyway and all the necessary function checks before a spawn would just bog the game down..... more.

Best to just issue the DestroyWildDinos command about once a week just to put things back to "normal". This game is complicated enough and runs on autopilot for an extended time... sometimes the easiest fix is just for a human to step in and push the reset button once in a while.

For a fun experience, do it when your enemy is almost done with that 150 Rex tame!
"What? Oh, I'm sorry, I had no idea. Two hours you say?...."

[DigginTiger]

Originally posted by retsam1:

Originally posted by roro4066:

Don't choose option 1 or 3 if you ask me. You would kill your game experience.
Better choose the "destrroy wilddinos" command when you're out of patience, like i do sometimes.

Better is simply subjective though. I simply wanted to convey the variety of options as opposed to ranking/judging them in this regard.

Afterall, there are people who would judge your using even destroyallwilddino command due to seeing any admin command use in the same light whilst you find it favorable.

Oh yes of course! i didn't mean to criticize your suggestions..it's good you proposed the Op different alternatives, i'm all for it. This was jsut a personnal advice on not to ruin the game.

And as last comment on this, the previous post from leslie well pointed out how the command "destroywilddinos"can help your game "balance/ fix" itself regarding spawns of creatures in addition of reintroducing fresh dinos from ALL species again. Once a week is "my go to" as well.

cheers

[Elgar]

Originally posted by retsam1:

Originally posted by Hermit:

It isn't just RNG and player influence though Ret, it is true that Ark's code is weighted towards lower level spawns on the official maps. There is a bias in the programming which ensures that they are more common.

I remember seeing a graph somewhere drawn by a programmer who had looked into the code, comparing the spawn percentages of creatures on official maps compared to Ragnarok. Ragnarok had very low probabillities for most levels across the board, but had very large percengage spikes at intervals across the level range, something like 25-45, again at 75-95, and one more at 135-150. On the other hand, the official maps started off around mid range for the lowest level, went up very high around the 20s-40s in a smooth curve, then just tailed off to the point that anything above 125 was almost nonexistant.

If you can cite some official dev sources for this information with links etc that'd be great, thanks.

Not a dev source but something tested empirically :

https://imgur.com/a/tV1MG

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1f-MXGoKH0i_XRUQ0OrZ2r1KRFRFnzZdlv1Fj5jvjV6I/edit#gid=0

Original post : https://www.reddit.com/r/playark/comments/6tdw99/distribution_of_wild_dino_levels_per_map/

[Bullwinkle]

I've been doing the DestroyWildDinos command about once a week since about level 40. I hope the Northwest corner gives me better luck. I've mostly been farming the NE mountain (near carnivore island). Very frustrating to kill 150 argents and never see one over level 100. Would sure be nice to have a mod.

[Natjur]

They gave us server setting to change the level range, but not any setting to change the level weighting (to allow more high levels spawn then low levels)

Rag and Center have there weighting set to mostly high levels (you can not find a L5 or L10 dino, only L15 or L20 min)

They really need to allow us to change the level weightings.