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Varlus Oct 13, 2020 @ 11:57pm
Dedicated Server with mods / Epic game
Is it finally possible to play on a dedicated modded server, if you have the Epic version installed? I want to play with some of my friends, but sadly they own the Xbox Game Pass version and the Epic games version. Can they join on a modded server and can they use the mods?
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Originally posted by [RDC] Archemedes:
Originally posted by Varlus:
Originally posted by retsam1:

No, its due to the fact that Steam controls the modded content via their workshop system. Epic players do not have access to this because they didnt purchase the game through steam. Epic is a direct competitor with Steam and while it was surprising to begin with that cross play was allowed between the two its not surprising that mods would not be allowed to be accessed.

Think on it like this too: PS4, Xbox/Win10UWP platforms also do not have access to modded content.
No sorry, its still BS. Mods are just files that the game loads into the world. It should be easy to implement a modding system into ark withouth the Steam Workshop. Hell, the devs could easily do their own modding launcher, like Bethesda or Paradox did. Its not like a different console like you made it out to be. Ark on the epic launcher is installed the same way and functions the same way, as the steam version does. Its simply another lazy aspect of the devs, to increase income. They just ported an half assed version to the different stores, without thinking about a good solution.

OK, here is why.

ARK has, or at least had... I don't know if they kept it up, a turn key solution to do crossplay with all of their versions (Pre-Switch and Mobile). The Console Makers would not allow it.

ARK on Steam uses the networking backend developed by Valve and that is used by many games on Steam as it saves them making their own. ARK on XBox/Windows Store uses theirs, and ARK on Playstation uses theirs.

Steam has an integration for User Content, which includes mods, which is the Workshop. The Consoles treat Mods as Updates, which devs/publishers have to pay to get certified, which costs thousands of dollars (some major updates on consoles can top $10,000 USD each) and if a part of it is not to the liking of the Console Maker they have to change it and resubmit/pay again. The only way they will allow mods is if it gets folded into the updates and almost no games are willing to go through that. Therefore no mods on console.

Then Epic Game Store comes along. Epic makes the engine and hosts the modding tools used for ARK so they want ARK on Epic. Wildcard then has to work with Epic Game Store to build a version of the backend for ARK on Epic Game Store as they don't have that yet.

Wildcard and Epic made ARK on Epic compatible with ARK on Steam but Epic Game Store doesn't have a version of Steam's Workshop YET (they say they are building one for all the games so it will take some time) so until then Epic players can only play on vanilla servers without mods, but modified settings will work. There are even features for servers to block players from the other store if they want.

So the reason why players on Xbox/Windows Store can't play is artificial and you can thank Microsoft for that and you can blame Epic for not have as developed a storefront/backend as they should.

As for Wildcard they had wanted all the owners of ARK to play with each other until they released the Mobile version. Whether big daddy Snail Games wants that now may be a different story.
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Showing 1-8 of 8 comments
Anubis Oct 14, 2020 @ 12:15am 
Mods are linked to steam version, so they cannot.
#1
Varlus Oct 14, 2020 @ 12:50am 
Originally posted by Anubis:
Mods are linked to steam version, so they cannot.
So they cannot even join the game?
#2
retsam1 Oct 14, 2020 @ 1:55am 
Originally posted by Varlus:
Originally posted by Anubis:
Mods are linked to steam version, so they cannot.
So they cannot even join the game?


Correct.
#3
Varlus Oct 14, 2020 @ 2:04am 
Originally posted by retsam1:
Originally posted by Varlus:
So they cannot even join the game?


Correct.
wow...thats some serious BS.
#4
retsam1 Oct 14, 2020 @ 2:10am 
Originally posted by Varlus:
Originally posted by retsam1:


Correct.
wow...thats some serious BS.

No, its due to the fact that Steam controls the modded content via their workshop system. Epic players do not have access to this because they didnt purchase the game through steam. Epic is a direct competitor with Steam and while it was surprising to begin with that cross play was allowed between the two its not surprising that mods would not be allowed to be accessed.

Think on it like this too: PS4, Xbox/Win10UWP platforms also do not have access to modded content.

#5
Varlus Oct 14, 2020 @ 2:53am 
Originally posted by retsam1:
Originally posted by Varlus:
wow...thats some serious BS.

No, its due to the fact that Steam controls the modded content via their workshop system. Epic players do not have access to this because they didnt purchase the game through steam. Epic is a direct competitor with Steam and while it was surprising to begin with that cross play was allowed between the two its not surprising that mods would not be allowed to be accessed.

Think on it like this too: PS4, Xbox/Win10UWP platforms also do not have access to modded content.
No sorry, its still BS. Mods are just files that the game loads into the world. It should be easy to implement a modding system into ark withouth the Steam Workshop. Hell, the devs could easily do their own modding launcher, like Bethesda or Paradox did. Its not like a different console like you made it out to be. Ark on the epic launcher is installed the same way and functions the same way, as the steam version does. Its simply another lazy aspect of the devs, to increase income. They just ported an half assed version to the different stores, without thinking about a good solution.
#6
GobboKirk Oct 14, 2020 @ 3:13am 
Originally posted by Varlus:
Originally posted by retsam1:

No, its due to the fact that Steam controls the modded content via their workshop system. Epic players do not have access to this because they didnt purchase the game through steam. Epic is a direct competitor with Steam and while it was surprising to begin with that cross play was allowed between the two its not surprising that mods would not be allowed to be accessed.

Think on it like this too: PS4, Xbox/Win10UWP platforms also do not have access to modded content.
No sorry, its still BS. Mods are just files that the game loads into the world. It should be easy to implement a modding system into ark withouth the Steam Workshop. Hell, the devs could easily do their own modding launcher, like Bethesda or Paradox did. Its not like a different console like you made it out to be. Ark on the epic launcher is installed the same way and functions the same way, as the steam version does. Its simply another lazy aspect of the devs, to increase income. They just ported an half assed version to the different stores, without thinking about a good solution.
Only thing stopping it is Epic adding their own mod hub.
They will so complain to them I guess.
#7
The author of this thread has indicated that this post answers the original topic.
[RDC] Archemedes Oct 14, 2020 @ 3:19am 
Originally posted by Varlus:
Originally posted by retsam1:

No, its due to the fact that Steam controls the modded content via their workshop system. Epic players do not have access to this because they didnt purchase the game through steam. Epic is a direct competitor with Steam and while it was surprising to begin with that cross play was allowed between the two its not surprising that mods would not be allowed to be accessed.

Think on it like this too: PS4, Xbox/Win10UWP platforms also do not have access to modded content.
No sorry, its still BS. Mods are just files that the game loads into the world. It should be easy to implement a modding system into ark withouth the Steam Workshop. Hell, the devs could easily do their own modding launcher, like Bethesda or Paradox did. Its not like a different console like you made it out to be. Ark on the epic launcher is installed the same way and functions the same way, as the steam version does. Its simply another lazy aspect of the devs, to increase income. They just ported an half assed version to the different stores, without thinking about a good solution.

OK, here is why.

ARK has, or at least had... I don't know if they kept it up, a turn key solution to do crossplay with all of their versions (Pre-Switch and Mobile). The Console Makers would not allow it.

ARK on Steam uses the networking backend developed by Valve and that is used by many games on Steam as it saves them making their own. ARK on XBox/Windows Store uses theirs, and ARK on Playstation uses theirs.

Steam has an integration for User Content, which includes mods, which is the Workshop. The Consoles treat Mods as Updates, which devs/publishers have to pay to get certified, which costs thousands of dollars (some major updates on consoles can top $10,000 USD each) and if a part of it is not to the liking of the Console Maker they have to change it and resubmit/pay again. The only way they will allow mods is if it gets folded into the updates and almost no games are willing to go through that. Therefore no mods on console.

Then Epic Game Store comes along. Epic makes the engine and hosts the modding tools used for ARK so they want ARK on Epic. Wildcard then has to work with Epic Game Store to build a version of the backend for ARK on Epic Game Store as they don't have that yet.

Wildcard and Epic made ARK on Epic compatible with ARK on Steam but Epic Game Store doesn't have a version of Steam's Workshop YET (they say they are building one for all the games so it will take some time) so until then Epic players can only play on vanilla servers without mods, but modified settings will work. There are even features for servers to block players from the other store if they want.

So the reason why players on Xbox/Windows Store can't play is artificial and you can thank Microsoft for that and you can blame Epic for not have as developed a storefront/backend as they should.

As for Wildcard they had wanted all the owners of ARK to play with each other until they released the Mobile version. Whether big daddy Snail Games wants that now may be a different story.
#8
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Date Posted: Oct 13, 2020 @ 11:57pm
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