The Island: Best base areas guide for newcomers.

[Raptor Jesus]

Been playing ARK and trying to figure out where to build a base? Well from my experience this is what I have come up with.

Southern beaches: This is one of the worst areas to build a permanent base as it is very far from late game resources and progression is slow, only do this for short term bases. Obsidian will be far from here unless you are ready for exploring a cave.

North: Do not build if low level. Dire wolves and Daedons will rip you apart if the hypothermia doesn't kill you first. If brace stick to the western edge and build a partially submerged house as the water is warm and most creatures will flunk at swimming making them easy to kill, spiked walls are your friend.

West: Pretty decent. Close to late game material and not too dangerous unless one treks up north, inland trips are deadly however as therizinos plague the area.

East: Fairly safe but beware the swamp, quick trip to swamps for cool tames however a bit of a way from late game material.

Herbivore Island: Lots of great herb tames and loads of metal. Beware the water as Megaladons and Leeds may venture near the island and if unlucky a alpha megaladon. As with southern isles do not plan to make this permanent as obsidian is far from here.

Carno Island: Do not go until mid-late game.

Best pick for me: Red woods beach: Plenty of metal and useful tames farther up, the only major threats are of alpha carnos and raptors which most of the time can be avoided, Rexes do spawn but rarely and can easily be defeated by tricking them into attacking large herds of herbivores, Trodons roam so make sure to pack lots of stun berries and have a shield handy for dilo packs, center of the island so once a argent is tamed (saddle crafting is difficult with the level required but most of the time 2 narco bolts to the head knock them out and their attacks are not too damaging). Be sure to have a junk travel herd of Trikes and other easy tames as the Therizinos love to roam the woods. Sabers and hyenas rarely go far down and argies if needed to be killed can be felt quickly with a cross bolt.

[Darkayen]

Man there are 5 maps already. Put name of map to your topic. Another thing is that it depends on server. Is it PVP or PVE? I guess you are talking about the island. There are lots of youtube guides regarding best base spots. My favourite is big cliff on the center of map. Another good one could be lake with beavers in north. Another thing is that it depends on number of people in your tribe. If you want to play on PVP then dont even bother building a base at the start. Better build a raft. If you wont build a turret on the first day then most likely your base will be wiped quickly on any spot.

[KitsuneShiro]

I would watch some top 5 (or whatever) base locations videos on youtube for whatever map you are on. PvP isn't going to really advertise secret bases locs.

If you want to make a Guide. Try the Guide section. Example:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=682064669&searchtext=base

[Fanne]

isle - west turning into snow at north, wall off the stone needle were all that dangeroous dinos spawn and make a base next to the small lake ( there is flat gruond for a big base). Spike wall the cliff behind to avoid intruders from above. Since it is next to the beach you can have a water pen as well ( with a nice view on the waterfall)

[retsam1]

As usually coolguy49's thinking isnt necessarily the best advice, especially for new comers. You'd think after close to 2 years on here they would know a bit more overall.

1. He didnt specify the The Island Map but that is of course what he's built his suggestions on failing to understand that there are multiple maps that new players may opt to choose from.

2. South: He condemns building in the South yet recommends Herbivore island... contradicting his reasons for not recommending the south. Only 2 resources not readily available in the Southern Islets region are obsidian and polymer in significant quantities. However, since those are later needs in the game, by that time players have modes of travel and conveyance that make harvesting those then bringing them back to their southern bases a non issue.

His stating this is the worst area to build is just patently false as its one of the best areas to build if newer to the game due to areas that have little or low dangerous dino spawns, access to metal on two mountains/hillocks, crystal on one of those said mountains as well, and oil nodes in a few shallow or relatively easy to swim to locations. 2 multiple beaver dam spawning locations(which house pearls, wood, rare flowers and mushrooms as well).

Its a great place to build perm bases.

3. North: As said its not a good place to build for new folks but there are some areas that can have minimal issues(for example the bluff area north of hidden lake) for safety considerations but metal will be a dangerous trek.


4. West: unless building in or near the -north- west, the west is not a good area due to lack of metal which is a prime need for new players. Theyll have to trapse into the northern or redwoods areas or much farter to the south east in order to get metal and thus not as safe nor time efficient as one would consider.

5. East: outside of the more dangerous north east metal will be an issue requiring far south, or west traveling at a distance.

6. Red Peak= Middle of the redwoods and thus a very dangerous area, especially for new players. This as a "best pick" isnt even remotely kind advice for new players.

All in all, CG's advice isnt very good for new players what so ever on the Island map.

[Raptor Jesus]

Originally posted by Silky Rough:

South. The excuse for southern beaches being too far is just plain wrong. This is an image showing a metal deposited mountain just north of south 3. It is in easy reach of Herbivore Island by bird, raft or even land animals based mainland side.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1215188387

North: I disagree on the "partially submerged base" because the water is "warm". There are no ambient environmental benefits. Any and all creatures can and will swim into your base. In the NW there are several "shelves" which can be built on safely but you need fortitude+ or at least fur. (Yutas and allo/carno packs are your biggest threat through here, not just wolves, bears, argies etc.)

West: Provides almost identical distance to resources as the south. Ob' and crystal are just as far. There is a peninsula mid west that is very safe to build on (with minimal defenses required) but without a bird, difficult to traverse to get to resources inland.

East: Far NE perhaps, from Hidden Lake north. All mid to south eastern areas have Theris', alphas and swamp until pretty much south of the SE lava cave.

Carno Island: Agreed. Not a beginners island.

Red Peak: Utterly no way in JFC amen for a beginner. You have to build ON the mountain and as soon as you do you kill the spawns - the whole reason you are there. Not only are there rexes, allos' etc.,.sabres and argies frequent the area and there will be no peace at all. Land traversal is dangerous also due to Thylas etc. Alphas will not "leave you alone" (they wander in readily) and kiting a rex into "other animals" is only good if he doesn't kill them too. Poor, poor choice and immediately says this player did not and does not "begin" here ever. This area is mid/late game - if at all.

Sorry let me rephrase that. Where the mountain meets the forest. I rarely ever see any hyenas or sabers come down the slopes and argies are fairly easy to take down.

[Raptor Jesus]

Fixed

[crimsondrac]

I like the NE corner at the mouth of the river there. It is near many resources and close to a mountain with lots of Metal, Crystal and Obsidian. You can follow the river inland to easily get to higher level more dangerous dinos or follow the coast to the west for easier, low level herbivores and low level meat eaters. It is also fairly close to hidden lake and also about half way between the swamp and the Ice biome. The redwoods are not too far away either.

[retsam1]

Originally posted by coolguy49:

Sorry let me rephrase that. Where the mountain meets the forest. I rarely ever see any hyenas or sabers come down the slopes and argies are fairly easy to take down.

Again you've framed all this for "newcomers". Newcomers are not going to be able to typically survive the Redwoods, nor be able to remain there nor typically handle even argents. Its one of the more hostile areas of the map and hence why I believe Silky (and myself) found this to be an inane suggestion. Terrorbirds, Carnotaurs, Allosaurs, Rex, Spino(occasionally), and so many other dangers are so common in the redwoods, especially along the beach(as prey gets chased down there as well and once dead they just path around there.

I really have to wonder if you're just suggesting this place to "newcomers" to grief them.

[Raptor Jesus]

Originally posted by retsam1:

Originally posted by coolguy49:

Sorry let me rephrase that. Where the mountain meets the forest. I rarely ever see any hyenas or sabers come down the slopes and argies are fairly easy to take down.

Again you've framed all this for "newcomers". Newcomers are not going to be able to typically survive the Redwoods, nor be able to remain there nor typically handle even argents. Its one of the more hostile areas of the map and hence why I believe Silky (and myself) found this to be an inane suggestion. Terrorbirds, Carnotaurs, Allosaurs, Rex, Spino(occasionally), and so many other dangers are so common in the redwoods, especially along the beach(as prey gets chased down there as well and once dead they just path around there.

I really have to wonder if you're just suggesting this place to "newcomers" to grief them.

I have only seen 2 Rexes there ever. I have not seen a single allo and terror birds and carnos get rekt by Trikes.

[Armchair Civilian]

Unless the spawns have changed since i started playing, i'd have to lean toward the beach of the Footpaw - loads of metal, although the crystal deposits seem to have been removed, and just dangerous enough to give a newcomer practice at surviving and occasionally dying. Admittedly, the occasional alpha raptor or spino wanders by, but there's a couple of nice cliffs to fortify and a sarco spawn to facilitate naval ventures :)

[hsf_]

Pfft, I don't build a base on The Island, The Island IS my base...

[retsam1]

Originally posted by coolguy49:

Originally posted by retsam1:

Again you've framed all this for "newcomers". Newcomers are not going to be able to typically survive the Redwoods, nor be able to remain there nor typically handle even argents. Its one of the more hostile areas of the map and hence why I believe Silky (and myself) found this to be an inane suggestion. Terrorbirds, Carnotaurs, Allosaurs, Rex, Spino(occasionally), and so many other dangers are so common in the redwoods, especially along the beach(as prey gets chased down there as well and once dead they just path around there.

I really have to wonder if you're just suggesting this place to "newcomers" to grief them.

I have only seen 2 Rexes there ever. I have not seen a single allo and terror birds and carnos get rekt by Trikes.

But still missing the point: in the southern or other locations, you dont see most if not all of those. And those were just a few of the dangers in the redwoods.

Point again you're still missing: -not- wise for newcomers.

[Raptor Jesus]

Originally posted by retsam1:

Originally posted by coolguy49:

I have only seen 2 Rexes there ever. I have not seen a single allo and terror birds and carnos get rekt by Trikes.

But still missing the point: in the southern or other locations, you dont see most if not all of those. And those were just a few of the dangers in the redwoods.

Point again you're still missing: -not- wise for newcomers.

You get large amounts of crystals and metal from the redwoods and once a argent is tamed, you can fly to the volcano for obsidian. The south's resources are limited and traveling will take a long time, I would only use it for a aquatic tame pen but even then I would use the west coast in case I need to grab obsidian or metal.

[retsam1]

Good for you.

But.

You're still recommending this for "newcomers" which is completely inane.

So again it seems the evidence is compelling that you're intentionally saying this to grief said newcomers. But that's ok as I think by this point anyone who reads this thread pretty much gets said "advice" from you on this topic is rather dubious.

[Raptor Jesus]

Originally posted by retsam1:

Good for you.

But.

You're still recommending this for "newcomers" which is completely inane.

So again it seems the evidence is compelling that you're intentionally saying this to grief said newcomers. But that's ok as I think by this point anyone who reads this thread pretty much gets said "advice" from you on this topic is rather dubious.

What are you trying to tell me? It's rare that a threat will show, most newcomers only need to worry about the occasional alpha carno which can be avoided, no different then a therizinosaur.