Private SP/ND/Ded server Transfer limits help?

[dr.toast]

Relatively new to the whole ark business, started playing in singleplayer, which turned to non-dedicated with buddies.

Since then to fix the tethering issue I've learned how to transfer a non-dedicated save to a dedicated server form.

Now I'm trying to wrap my head around how to be able to "obelix map transfer".

We started on ragnarok and want to play the story stuff and tackle ascension etc.



I understand that in singleplayer you can transfer your character and some other unclear amounts of things between maps and travel between them at will.

Unsure if this works as a non dedicated server.


Would like to know if this is achievable on dedicated too so we can avoid cave tethers while also all being able to head to "the island" for ascension, work through abberration, and be able to eventually return to our fabulous ragnarok playthrough.

The aim of this to also be able to use a single character for the whole palaver.










I suspect it may require transfering dedicated to non dedicated, launching as single, obelisk transfer, back to dedicated and renaming and replacing their character save files after their first log in. Could anyone confirm or correct me?

[=Sarsante=]

On dedicated server you need to create a new server running the other map and set them both with the same cluster id.

Depending on your router even then you as host wont be able to transfer and might be required to copy your profile on the other server.

[Chaser the Tiny Hippo]

If you're already on a dedi server, you don't really need to change back to non-dedi or singleplayer.
To do map transfers, all you have to do is go to an obelisk/supply drop, upload your items/dinos/characters, go to the map you want to move to, find an obelisk/supply drop, and download.

[=Sarsante=]

Originally posted by Tiny Hippo:

If you're already on a dedi server, you don't really need to change back to non-dedi or singleplayer.
To do map transfers, all you have to do is go to an obelisk/supply drop, upload your items/dinos/characters, go to the map you want to move to, find an obelisk/supply drop, and download.

there is no such options do upload to nowehere, only change ark

[Chaser the Tiny Hippo]

Originally posted by =T$ECore= Sarsante:

Originally posted by Tiny Hippo:

If you're already on a dedi server, you don't really need to change back to non-dedi or singleplayer.
To do map transfers, all you have to do is go to an obelisk/supply drop, upload your items/dinos/characters, go to the map you want to move to, find an obelisk/supply drop, and download.

there is no such options do upload to nowehere, only change ark

Huh? To move arks, you upload on one map, then download on another. You don't choose where you move to when you upload. You can only upload to "nowhere" as far as I know.

[🦊 Hermit]

Originally posted by =T$ECore= Sarsante:

Originally posted by Tiny Hippo:

If you're already on a dedi server, you don't really need to change back to non-dedi or singleplayer.
To do map transfers, all you have to do is go to an obelisk/supply drop, upload your items/dinos/characters, go to the map you want to move to, find an obelisk/supply drop, and download.

there is no such options do upload to nowehere, only change ark

I think it depends on how you have the server set up. I run a private server for friends on my home machine, and we can transfer easily, as Hippo said. The only issue is that I need to shut the server down once we have transferred out, swap over the config files to load a different map, then start it up again. But all our characters/items/tames are there for us to download once the server starts.

[=Sarsante=]

None of my dedicated servers ever have this option

[Chaser the Tiny Hippo]

Does it maybe have something to do with servers being in a cluster? My games aren't.

[dr.toast]

Would you care to sketch out a rough guide for how its done Hermit please?

I don't mind relaunching servers to change arks, I'm just not sure exactly what I need to swap to achieve it :)

And what to backup so I don't screw it up :D


And are the maps retained so you can return to your old base, ala singleplayer style?

[🦊 Hermit]

Personally I use the Ark Server Tool. Since I started playing they added options to launch dedicated servers from the in-game menu, and that may be easier to use idk, but I've just stuck with what I know.

Hover over Library in your Steam browser and click on Tools. Look for 'Ark Survival Evolved Dedicated Server' and download it.

It should create a new folder in your Steam directory:

Steam\steamapps\common\ARK Survival Evolved Dedicated Server

Then set up a command line as a .bat file. Make a Windows Notepad document, and paste in the line like mentioned on the wiki here:

https://ark.gamepedia.com/Server_Configuration

Save the file, then move it to Steam\steamapps\common\ARK Survival Evolved Dedicated Server\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64 and change the file extension from .txt to .bat.

When you double click the bat file, a new window should start up and the server will load. Start up the Ark client and wait for the server to say that it's successfully started, then go to the in-game broswer and search for LAN servers. Any friends you have will have to look for unofficial servers instead of LAN.

Configs for the server are stored at Steam\steamapps\common\ARK Survival Evolved Dedicated Server\ShooterGame\Saved\Config\WindowsServer

And the world saves are at Steam\steamapps\common\ARK Survival Evolved Dedicated Server\ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArks

If you use any mods, you'll have to let the game download and install them to the client first. Then go into the client mod folder and copy the mods across into the same folder in the server directory too.

If you save 2 or 3 different versions of the .bat file and configs, one set for each map you play, then you can just swap them over each time you want to change map. For example have one file which starts up the Island map, and another that starts Ragnarok, and just copy in the correct file that you need at that time. The world save file will fill up with saves for all maps, but you won't have to remove them unless you want to start afresh on a map with no structures or tames - just back up the whole folder once in a while so you can restore if needed.

[dr.toast]

A god amongst humankind, Sir/Madam.

I salute you.


And to move a character between these? (To achieve max ascendance?)

[🦊 Hermit]

lolz I'm hardly a god, but I'm glad I could help out a little^^

To move between them, set up the command line and configs how you want, then start the server on your chosen map. When you and your friends are ready, take any equips and tames you wish to one of the obelisks (or supply drops may work too, but they have limited time).

Strip the dinos of their inventory including saddles, and your players of armor and hotbar items. Then access the obby, select the Creatures tab, and upload the creatures. Then the third tab (forget what it's called, the one that's not Tribute or Creatures...maybe Ark Data?) and put all items, saddles and armor in there. That step is a bit of a pain as you can't T them in, so you have to drag them across one at a time. Finally, have everyone upload their character, with you going last to make sure everyone has done it.

ESC and exit to main menu, close down the server, copy across the bat file and configs for the new map, start server again. Then when you log in you should have an option to download your survivor...do that, then go to an obby to retrieve your stuff.

Word of warning though, back up the server before you transfer everything. Press TAB in game to open the console, enable cheats for yourself and type AdminCheat SaveWorld and press enter. Then tab out to your world save folder and copy the file for the world you're currently on (eg. TheIsland.ark or Ragnarok.ark).

Reason I say this is that just a couple of times my friends have had dinos vanish on them when they try to download them to a new map - they disappear from the obelisk but don't spawn in the world. If you take a backup you can transfer your character back to that backup when your friends have finished playing, get the dino which vanished and transfer them again so they aren't lost forever.