Creature Ideas

[Glarn Boudin]

OK, so we all know that there are already a ton of prehistoric creatures in Ark already, and that the dev team has shown no signs of stopping anytime soon. So I decided to write down a few of my ideas for this game and ask you guys what animals you want in the game-maybe one of the debs will see this and create one of the animals on here! So here we go:

Dinosaurs

Carnivores:
-Megaraptor: A midsize tyrannosaur from South America, Megaraptor is unusual in that it did not have the tiny arms T-rex is known for-that would require a just and loving God. No, no, no: Megaraptor had long arms with three-fingered hands, each finger of which had a 15-inch curved claw! This monster of a dinosaur would fit in living in dark forests, ambushing players and animals, killing quickly and efficiently. Essentially, it would provide a good amount of fear in players, especially ones who have never played the game, and make forests that are too tight for big theropods like T-rex to maneuver in still have an element of danger to them.

-Ornitholestes: A small meat-eating dinosaur from the Jurassic, these 'little' guys (They were still 7 feet long!) lived with creatures like Brachiosaurus, Allosaurus, and Stegosaurus. Feeding on small animals like lizards and mammals, Ornitholestes also most likely fed on eggs and baby dinosaurs. In Ark, I would love to see these guys running around and stealing eggs-frankly, Oviraptor is a bit overused for this, and these Jurassic nest-plunderers would look quite a bit more formidable. When tamed, you could train these guys to actively seek out eggs and bring them back to you, although they may come home to base with an angry momma dinosaur on their tails...

-Majungasaurus (Suggested by Hitom): A cousin to the Carnotaurus native to Madagascar, Majungasaurus' snout was covered in bony ridges and projections that were further enhanced with keratin, making the dinosaur's head look much rougher and more irregular than Carnotaurus'. Furthermore, bite marks on Majungsaurus bones match the teeth of other Majungasaurus-this dinosaur was not above cannibalization. In-game, these guys would be the perfect scavengers: they would eat any carrion they came across, no matter what species, and using their battering ram-like skulls to drive off any competitors. When tamed, a Majungsaurus could be used to sniff out carrion, allowing players to obtain meat without having to hunt themselves. However, the predator that brought down the animal might still be around, and it won't take kindly to you and your kill-stealing pet when you arrive...

-Deinonychus (Suggested by Duel Addict): If you've ever seen Jurassic Park, you're familiar with the classic 'raptors' of pop culture. However, the original novel that the film was based on never called the dinosaurs 'Velociraptors': instead, they were Deinonychus, a larger cousin to the turkey-sized Mongolian raptor that fits the description of the raptors almost perfectly. Standing a little shorter than a human and reaching 11 feet long, these prehistoric badasses were so awesome that their discovery single-handedly completely changed how we perceive dinosaurs. In Ark, these little buggers could probably be used as hunting dogs, with large groups using unique AI that allows them to use different hunting tactics on different prey species-the traditional zerg rush technique would be used for hadrosaurs and similar animals, a few raptors would distract an armored animal while the rest of the pack targeted the stomach, etc.

-Allosaurus/Saurophaganax: The trademark monster carnivore of the Jurassic, Allosaurus wasn't as big as T-rex, but it made up for it with longer arms, a bite that worked like an axe, and the intelligence to hunt in packs to take down dinosaurs that were often five times its size! Its cousin/subspecies Saurophaganax was even worse: the size of T-rex, it most likely hunted alone, but could still bring down the titanic prey that its relatives hunted. In Ark, both allosaurs would work pretty well as just one species, and would be specialized towards hunting not only Brontosaurus, but any other large herbivores that get added to the game. Faster than T-rexes, but doing less damage and possessing less health, these pack-hunting killing machines would work well for Ark. (ADDED!)

-Ceratosaurus: One of the classic Jurassic dinosaurs, Ceratosaurus was a North American theropod that could grow up to 30 feet long with a relatively shorter snout than other theropods its size and proportionally large teeth; osteoderms on its back like a crocodile's; long arms with five-fingered hands; and three horns on its head, two on the brows and one on the nose. Opportunists, Ceratosaurus probably wasn't picky in terms of diet: it fed on ornithopods, stegosaurs, and even sauropods, and its deep, flexible tail would allow it to swim with some skill, giving it access to fish and crocodiles as a food source. In Ark, these guys would be somewhat of an alternative to the Carno, sacrificing speed and stamina for raw power and ferocity, and it would probably be able to swim with some skill, making it an aquatic midway point between the Baryonyx and the Sarcosuchus.

-Australovenator: WIP

-Acrocanthosaurus: TBA

-Torvosaurus: WIP

-Afrovenator: TBA

-Tyrannotitan: WIP

-Carcharodontosaurus: TBA

-Dryptosaurus: WIP

-Neovenator: TBA

Herbivores:
-Kentrosaurus: A smaller cousin to the Stegosaurus with sharp spikes instead of plates on the back half of its body, as well as a pair of larger spikes on its hips. I could see Kentrosaurus being used as a defensive mount in dangerous areas: while unable to carry as much as its larger cousin, the dinosaur's carloads of spikes would make it invaluable. However, it probably wouldn't be rideable-sitting on one would probably impale you where the sun don't shine.

-Deinocheirus: This T-rex sized animal looked like a massively-built Gallimimus from Jurassic Park with shaggy feathers covering its body, a duck like bill, a hump/sail on its back, and 10-foot-long arms tipped with sharp, curved claws. For decades, all scientists had of the thing were its huge arms, and all we knew about it was that it was a cousin of Gallimimus and other dinosaurs like it. However, new fossils found last year have shown its true face. In Ark, this guy would most likely hang around waterways, making it a prime target for Spinosaurus and Sarcosuchus. However, it would definitely make for a good semi-aquatic mount, able to wade through moderately deep water and carry a large amount of items.

-Pygomastax: This little dinosaur was a heterodontosaurid-a group of small ornithopod dinosaurs that evolved early on and were known for having multiple types of teeth-a feature usually only seen in mammals. Only about two feet long, this little guy had a trick up its sleeve-or tail. Covering this little din's tail were hundreds of long, sharp quills that it used to beat the crap out of predators, much like modern porcupines. In fact, a few scientists believe that the quills contained venom that caused even more pain in a target! I think that the latter option would be a pretty cool feature to add in to Ark: maybe you could use these guys' quills
to mass-produce arrows, or use the venom to create all manner of poisons...

-Protoceratops: An early ancestor of the Triceratops, Protoceratops was a small sheep-sized dinosaur that had a small frill on its head, but lacked the horns of its descendants. Living in the deserts of Mongolia, these little herbivores were tougher than they looked: one of the most valuable fossils of all time is of a Protoceratops that was locked in combat with a Velociraptor-and holding its own, having almost bitten off one of the raptor's arms-when it died! In-game, Protoceratops would serve as a stable food source for smaller carnivores, while still providing a challenge for starting players.

-Hypsilophodon: A small English dinosaur about 6 feet in length, Hypsilophodon was a herd-dwelling dinosaur that looked like a tiny, lightly-built duckbilled dinosaur with a smaller, more birdlike head. These fast-running animals would be common sights in the game, scampering around in forests and plains. Not only would a Hypsilophodon provide a cute pet, it would also serve as a basic source of food for many smaller meat-eaters.

-Dryosaurus: A larger cousin of Hypsilophodon, Dryosaurus measured about 14 feet long, living in herds like its smaller cousin. And like its smaller cousin, these agile dinosaurs would provide a steady supply of food for the island's smaller carnivores.

-Lurdusaurus: A large cousin of Iguanodon native to Africa, Lurdusaurus was a large dinosaur that looked similar to Iguanodon, but it had a much larger, wider body and was most likely purely quadrupedal. Scientists think that this big guy was amphibious, essentially a dinosaur version of the hippo. In Ark, these guys would be large aquatic herbivores, food for large freshwater carnivores. But don't underestimate them: modern hippos kill more people each year than any other animal in Africa. Just imagine what a 30-foot one with knives attached to its hands could do...

-Dracorex (Suggested by Duel Addict): A relatively new dinosaur to science, Dracorex was a smallish dinosaur related to the newly-released Pachycephalosaurus, but it was different from its larger cousin in one way: instead of a thick bony dome covering its skull, Dracorex was adorned with a crapload of horns and spikes, making the animal look like a small dragon! In fact, Dracorex's full scientific name is Dracorex hogwartsia, or 'the dragon king of Hogwarts'! Needless to say, J.K. Rowling was thrilled when she heard about this guy. In Ark, Dracorex would be a bit of a downgrade from the Pachy-it wouldn't be able to carry you or a large amount of resources, but it would be able to attack at a much faster rate than its larger cousin, and its horns would result in it doing a bit more damage than its thick-headed cousin (No pun intended)

-Edmontosaurus: The classic duck-billed dinosaur, and one of the largest of its kind, Edmontosaurus was a 40-foot-long hadrosaur that lived alongside T-rex and Triceratops right before the extinction event that killed all the dinosaurs. Able to eat almost any plant matter, these guys had specialized batteries of small peg-like teeth that could number almost 3,000 per dinosaur. In-game, Edmontosaurus would act like a larger version of the Parasaur, serving as a popular prey item for large carnivores.

-Huaxiaosaurus: The largest duckbilled dinosaurs to ever live, Shantungosaurus was a gigantic Chinese hadrosaur, very similar to Edmontosaurus in appearance, that could grow to up to 60 feet long-larger than some sauropods! In-game, these guys would be rare, but useful animals, able to carry large amounts of items with ease. Although not quite large enough to carry a platform on its back like a Bronto, the Huaxiaosaurus would still prove to be an extremely good pack animal.

-Diplodocus: One of the classic Jurassic dinosaurs, the Diplodocus looked very similar to the current game's Brontosaurus, but it was much more lightly built, with its longer neck and tail being held horizontally to the ground; it was also much longer, possibly growing to over 100 feet long! If it were to be added to Ark, these immense sauropods would be a better source of meat than Brontos, but their deadly tails, theorized to be capable of breaking the sound barrier, would serve as a pretty good defense against any ill-equipped hunters. When tamed, it would serve a similar function to the Brontosaurus, but would be much more suited for an offensive role, using its tail and immense weight to bowl over structures.

-Rubeosaurus: WIP

-Diablosaurus: TBA

-Brachiosaurus: WIP

-Titanoceratops: WIP

-Sauroposeidon: WIP

-Centrosaurus: TBA

-Nasutoceratops: WIP

-Chasmosaurus: WIP

-Olorotitan: TBA

-Cohualiceratops: WIP

-Magnapaulia: TBA

-Lambeosaurus: TBA

-Giraffatitan: TBA

-Breviparopus: TBA

-Microceratus: WIP

-Dreadnoughtus: WIP

Aquatic Animals

Reptiles:
-Pliosaur: A massive superpredator that looked like an immense plesiosaur with a short neck and an enormous crocodilian head, pliosaurs were the apex predators of the Jurassic oceans, able to kill anything that swam through their watery domain. One of the largest predators to ever live, some fossils of these guys outclass even sperm whales in size! In-game, pliosaurs would be the top predator of the water, and I can picture epic battles being waged between Predator X, mosasaurs, and/or Megalodons.

-Archelon: A huge sea turtle the size of a car, Archelon cruised the prehistoric seas at the same time as when T-rex ruled the land and mosasaurs and plesiosaurs roamed the oceans. Its huge shell, like modern-day leatherback sea turtles, wasn't actually solid-it was skin stretched over a bony frame that still served as adequate protection against monsters like Tylosaurus while staying light. In-game, Archelon would act as not only a stable food source, but a decent pack animal as well. However, these giant turtles wouldn't be able to go very deep, preferring to stay near the coast in moderately deep water.

--Machimosaurus: This immense prehistoric crocodile lived in Late Jurassic England, a time when most of Europe was covered by water and inhabited by creatures like Liopleurodon and Ichthyosaurus in the water, and Compsognathus and Megalosaurus on land. Living in the ocean, Machimosaurus was one of the largest of its kind-the thing could grow to over 20 feet in length! In the game, these guys would essentially be the great white sharks of Ark in that they'd be fairly large predators that are rightfully feared due to their power, and beaches where a Machimosaurus is laying its eggs would be quietly avoided.

-Dakosaurus: This big guy was related to Machimosaurus, but it was a bit smaller-15 feet long-and had smoother skin, a shark-like fin on its tail, flippers instead of legs, and a massive head armed with enormous teeth so huge that the damn thing's been nicknamed 'Godzilla!' These badasses of the deep would be feared predators, working in packs to take down animals as big as plesiosaurs in the same manner as killer whales. When tamed, Dakosaurus would make for excellent underwater guards, using their deadly jaws to rip apart foes.

Mammals:
-Steller's Sea Cow: A huge species of sirenian(manatee) that grew to up to 30 feet long, these gentle beasts were driven to extinction just 30 years after they were found by science. In-game, sea cows would act like aquatic Phiomias, providing a source of food for the many murder-monsters of the deep.

-Pelagiarctos: A prehistoric ancestor to the walrus, Pelagiarctos didn't have the tusks of its descendant, but it was more streamlined and much more dangerous. Its bone-crushing jaws and huge size meant that few creatures messed with it, and if it was anything like modern walruses, it was very aggressive. In Ark, these guys would provide a bit of danger for settling on the coast, but the meat and blubber they would provide would offset this risk with a nice reward.

-Odobenocetops: A small, chubby species of dolphin with a manatee-like head and large tusks in the males that were longer on the left side than the right, Odobenoceratops were dopy-looking grazers that lived in the same area as and were probably eaten by Megalodon. Their asymmetrical horns were most likely used by the males to battle it out over mates, although how the hell they pulled it off is currently unknown. In the game, these guys would be calm, peaceful animals, living near shore and being preyed on by all manner of creatures, including players looking for a good amount of meat and a pair of tusks that can be used to make weapons.

-Basilosaurus: Basilosaurus was a huge prehistoric whale that had a serpentine, elongated body, stubby hind legs, and a mouth filled with monstrous teeth capable to tearing through animals the size of great white sharks. Living in what is now Egypt, it was an apex predator, eating anything from large fish to other whales. In Ark, these guys would be pretty powerful predators, able to compete with the island's other sea monsters for the title of deadliest predator.

-Livyatan melvillei: Another monstrous species of whale, Livyatan was a monstrous sperm whale with 14-inch-long teeth and an aggression that let it hunt other whales and even Megalodon. Yeah, you heard that right: this thing was the only animal of its time that was badass enough to be able to hunt Megalodon! These two super predators hunted each other for millions of years, but the Livyatan died out for currently unknown reasons. In-game, Livyatans would attack Megalodon on sight, although players would probably be divided on whether or not this is a good thing.

Fish:
-Mawsonia: A massive species of fish from Cretaceous Africa and South America, Mawsonia resembled a coelacanth the size of a small car. It was most likely eaten by spinosaurs, whose fossils have been found in both areas that this big guy lived in. In game, these giants would definitely prove useful-able to provide a large amount of meat, these giant fish would definitely prove to be worth the effort hunting them, but creatures like Spinosaurus and Sarcosuchus would be attracted to them, defending their lunch from intruders.

-Lepidotes: A large trout-like fish covered in scales, Lepidotes had a bunch of different subspecies in Europe and Africa, where it lived in freshwater environments, eating clams and whatnot. These guys were so common that in England, people used to think that their teeth were really growths in a toad's head, and that possessing one brought you good luck. The Middle Ages were really, really weird, alright? Anyway, Lepidotes would be another river-dwelling fish, a bit of atmosphere for the game and a decent source of food for players.

-Saber-toothed salmon: Yes, this was a real thing; saber-toothed salmon really did exist during the Ice Age. Otherwise acting like normal salmon, I don't actually know what they used their teeth for, but they would definitely fit in well in Ark: since salmon live in both fresh and saltwater, these guys could provide food for both ocean and freshwater animals, and provide a bit of a shock for players when they wade into the water, only to find that they're meal bites back! And speaking of shocks...

-Ostenoselache: This little guy was a small shark from the Jurassic Period that looked like a small goblin shark (AKA nightmare sharks). However, a few scientists think that this small shark may have used electricity to shock predators, like a defensive version of an electric eel! In Ark, these guys could probably be used as an aquatic version of knockout poison, shocking creatures into unconsciousness to be tamed, or they could be used as a sort of warning system, even when untamed: since animals that use electricity like eels and sharks can sense the electrical signals of animals' movements (Yeah: sharks can feel your presence just from your heartbeat), when the sharks suddenly swim away, you know that something big is coming close. However, the sharks would flee regardless of what big animal is approaching, making it up to the player to decide whether or not he/she is in danger.

Note: is it weird that I kind of want the Jaws theme to play instead of the standard combat music when you're fighting underwater?

-Onchopristis: A large freshwater species of sawfish, Onchopristis looked like a fish preparing for the zombie apocalypse, and could use specialized sensory organs in the saw to detect the heartbeats of approaching predators. Another spinosaur menu item, this guy could probably provide the means to make arrowheads with the teeth in the saw, as well as provide a good amount of meat.

-Leedsichthys: A massive animal that may have equalled the blue whale in size, Leedsichthys was a peaceful filter-feeder that was essentially a fish trying to be a whale. These enormous creatures would serve as a food source for Ark's many large aquatic predators, with Megalodons, mosasaurs, and players all preying on the massive beasts. When tamed, these huge fish would be excellent draft animals, able to carry more than almost anything else in the game. Perhaps you could even mount cannons on it to create a living battleship!

-Rhizodus: Picture a lungfish, take away those weird tendril things, give it the front fins and head of a coelacanth, put the teeth of a barracuda in its mouth, and grow the whole nightmare-fish to 20 feet long, and you've got Rhizodus, the lean, mean killing machine of the Carboniferous. These apex predators lurked in freshwater and saltwater environments, using their deadly teeth to tear apart anything from sharks to other fish to large amphibians. In-game, these guys would be a definite threat in the water, maybe even able to crawl up on land for a time, but they would be a common prey item of the larger aquatic carnivores of the island.

-Edestus: Imagine a shark the size of a great white. Scary, right? Now imagine that this shark's teeth actually stick out of its mouth and curl upwards. Sounds like a bad Syfy channel monster, right? Actually, this weird shark really existed during the Carboniferous Period-the same time when giant insects ruled the earth. This guy would be a pretty cool addition to Ark-it's not very well-known, but it's weird enough to make players do a double take when they first see it: maybe a few will think that it's some kind of glitch!

-Dunkleosteus: A massive 30-foot-long fish with an armor-plated head, Dunkleosteus didn't actually have any teeth: instead, it had sharp bony plates that sharpened against each other like scissors when the mouth opened and closed. These plates exerted a force of over 1,200 lbs. with each bite, making this fish one of the deadliest of all time. In Ark, Dunkleosteus would probably target slow-moving prey, as it probably couldn't move too quickly, hunting animals like sea cows, turtles, and humans. Tamed Dunkleosteus would be invaluable guards, able to defend against even creatures like Megalodon and Tylosaurus. (ADDED!)

-Xiphactinus: A massive 20-foot-long fish with a bulldog-like face and a mouth filled with shark-like teeth, Xiphactinus was a large predator of the Late Cretaceous oceans that could most likely leap out of the water like a dolphin! In-game, these big ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥s would be deadly, fast-moving predators of the deep-when tamed, they would make extremely fast mounts that could hold their own in a fight, but the many giant sea beasts of the oceans would be able to prey on them.

-Enchodus: A 3-foot-long Cretaceous fish known as the "saber-toothed herring," Enchodus lived in huge shoals and used its large teeth to bite down on slippery prey like squid and smaller fish. In Ark, these creatures would be a food source for many sea animals, particularly the plesiosaurs, and would provide a decent meal if caught by players.

-Knightia: A tiny prehistoric fish about 10 inches long, Knightia may have been one of the most common fish of all time: too many fossils of it have been found to count them all! Living in massive shoals, these animals would have been prey for anything in the prehistoric seas, just as they would be in Ark, although they would probably need to be reduced to an effect-I don't think that any computer would be able to run thousands upon thousands of these tiny fish very well...

-Cretoxyrhina: WIP

-Ptychodus: WIP

-Otodus: TBA

-Squalicorax: WIP

-Carcharodon chubutensis: TBA

-Carcharodon angustidens: WIP

Other:
-Ammonites: Prehistoric sea animals that looked like octopuses in snail shells, ammonites were incredibly common throughout the Mesozoic, but died out in the K-T Extinction. In the game, ammonites could fill a similar role to coelacanths: a small creature that provides a decent amount of food for one person, but needs to be caught in the boatloads for a group of people-a reliable early-game food source for players.

-Parapuzosia: TBA


Mammals and Mammal-like Reptiles

Synapsids:
-Estemmenosuchus: This thing was one of the weirdest animals to ever live. It was the size of a rhino and had a body and tail like a hippo's, legs like a crocodile's, a monstrous reptilian head equipped with sharp teeth, antler-like growths on its head, and weird bony protrusions on its cheeks. However, it was actually a herbivore that was most closely related to mammals. In game terms, Estemmenosuchus could probably act like an bear-a big, omnivorous animal that won't go out of its way to attack you, but will seriously f*ck you up if you get it mad. It would definitely make a good guard animal, and I could see the dev team putting a couple more horns on this thing and lengthening a few without making it too unrecognizable.

-Cotylorhynchus: This big herbivore looked like an immense lizard with a huge, fat body and a tiny head that seems to belong to another animal entirely. It's widely believed that these guys were extremely stupid, and scientists still have no idea how these guys managed to survive for so long. In-game, these guys would essentially be reptomammalian Phiomias-extremely large, stupid herbivores that provide large amounts of meat. If domesticated, these guys could make good draft animals, or you can just use 'em for meat.

-Moschops: A large herbivorous synapsid the size of a cow, Moschops looked like a huge, heavily-built lizard with a short, stumpy tail and a raised neck supporting a head equipped with large, blunt teeth. The top of its skull was unusually thick, and scientists have speculated that it used this thick head to headbutt rivals for mates and territory. In Ark, these animals would probably live in herds, acting like more social Carbonemys. Tough and powerful, these big herbivores could provide a decent amount of meat or make for an excellent pack animal.

-Gorgonopsids: Picture a cross between a wolf, a bear, and a crocodile with saber teeth, and you've got a gorgonopsid. These bad boys could grow to the size of a rhino, and were the undisputed apex predators of the Permian, the time period right before the dinosaurs evolved. In Ark, these guys would probably be competing with raptors, with the two attacking each other on sight in the wild. They would probably be quite a bit slower than their dinosaurian foes, but make up for it with higher amounts of health and attack damage.

-Lystrosaurus: These weird creatures looked like a pig-sized lizard with a short, stumpy tail and a shortened head equipped with a blunt, parrot-like beak and a pair of tusks. Living in large herds all over the world during the Triassic, these things were so common that they accounted for almost half of all large animals in their time period. In Ark, Lystrosaurus would act very much like smaller versions of Phiomia, but they would be quite a bit faster and would be able to swim with greater speed: scientists believe that these synapsids probably spent most of their time in the water. (ADDED!)

-Placerias: A huge synapsid the size of a cow, Placerias looked a lot like a giant Lystrosaurus, but it had longer tusks, sturdier legs, and a much bulkier body. One of the last plant-eating synapsids to ever live, these big animals most likely moved in herds to ward off predators like primitive dinosaurs and monstrous land-crocodiles. In Ark, these huge animals would probably live in much the same way that they do today: roaming open areas and feeding on ground plants. If tamed, these guys could be decent pack animals, but they would be far more efficient as a source of food instead, much like a Phiomia.

-Kannemeyeria: WIP

Ungulates:
-Entelodont: Nicknamed 'the pig from hell,' entelodonts were massive carnivorous relatives of pigs and hippos as large as rhinos that could easily crush bones with their powerful jaws. Able to chase after prey with their surprisingly long legs, these killing machines were feared by all, eating anything from fruit to dead fish to other hell-pigs. These guys would be extremely dangerous animals in-game, often bullying other predators away from their kills, but when tamed, they would be excellent battle mounts, tearing apart anything that stands in their way with their mighty jaws. Just remember to feed it often...

-Elasmotherium: Imagine a wooly rhino the size of a mammoth that weighs as much as a T-rex that has a 6-foot-long horn in the middle of its forehead like a unicorn's. That is Elasmotherium, the badass unicorn of the Ice Age. Like mammoths, Elasmotheriums would probably stick to the mountains, and would essentially act like mammalian Triceratops: huge herbivores that can prove extremely useful once domesticated.

-Pelorovis: Fun fact: African buffalo kill more people each year than lions, leopards, elephants, and rhinos do combined. Then just imagine what a 7-foot-tall buffalo with horns 6 feet across could do! These bad boys could probably be combined with the Aurochs, another big badass bovine, to make a huge, beefy cow from hell that could serve as the only animal that can plow fields, making them very useful when farming large amounts of crops.

-Quagga: These guys are one of the poster childs for extinction: a zebra with a stripeless light brown back half that was driven to extinction by European colonists. In Ark, quagga would provide decent amounts of food and a decent mount, able to cover ground pretty quickly. However, they would have a certain amount of risk when being ridden: most predators wouldn't turn down a meal of a lone quagga.

-Sivatherium: Another recently extinct animal, Sivatherium looked like a giraffe on steroids with mooselike antlers, and was the largest giraffe to ever live. In game terms, these guys would live in small groups, preferring to flee from danger rather than fight. When tamed, a Sivatherium could be used to carry midsize burdens and perhaps pull some kind of wagon or chariot.

-Toxodon: This hippo-sized beast looked very similar to a hippo, but was covered in fur and had a horselike head. Living in herds in South America, these big grazers were preyed on by terror birds and saber-toothed cats, as they would be in Ark. Players would also be able to hunt these creatures, but those terror birds and sabertooths won't take too kindly to someone stealing their dinner...

-Andrewsarchus (Suggested by Horse.): The largest predatory land mammal to ever live, the Andrewsarchus had a body that looked like a combination of that of a wolf, a bear, and a tiger, a tiger-like tail, and a massive head vaguely shaped like a crocodile's, but was actually most closely related to whales. The size of a pickup truck, Andrewsarchus would be the T-rex of the mammals, taking down mammoths, parasaurs, and even Triceratops on occasion. No doubt such a fearsome creature would make for an excellent mount...

-Mesohippus (Suggested by Alaskaa): These dog-sized mammals were the ancestors of the modern-day horse, but instead of hooves, these little guys had two toes on each foot, flanking a small hoof. In Ark, Eohippus would act as, essentially, a faster, forest-dwelling dodo: A small animal with no real means of defending itself that prefers to flee rather than fight. They would make for a decent food source, and tamed ones would be cute pets and messengers, able to carry huge amount of small items like berries and notes and deliver them to other players with incredible speed.

-Megaloceros/Irish elk (Suggested by Alaskaa): One of the largest deer to ever live, Megaloceros stood 7 feet tall at the shoulder and sported a pair of antlers whose combined length stretched over 14 feet across! In-game, these guys would be decent mounts, able to move at high speeds but unable to carry much, and they would use their huge antlers to do some damage to any carnivore that tries to take a bite out of one.

-Stag-Moose: Moose are already pretty freaking huge animals, and dangerous ones to boot: they're essentially Canadian rhinos. Imagine, then, what a moose larger than any around today could do. Stag-moose were immense moose that lived in North America, coexisting with dire wolves, short-faced bears, and the sabertooth cat. Using its incredibly badass antlers to defend itself, these guys took crap from nobody, and would be very similar to Megaloceros in terms of stats. Stag-moose, however, would sacrifice speed for power, able to go toe-to-toe against a raptor with no problem, making them good creatures to have at lower levels when going through carnivore territory.

-Aepycamelus: Aepycamelus was a graceful species of camel that stood almost 10 feet tall at the shoulder and roamed in herds across the prehistoric grasslands of North America. Yeah, you read that right-camels actually evolved in North America, migrating to Africa and Asia during the Ice Age. In Ark, Aepycamelus would function as another food source for carnivores, but they would be among the least expensive mounts to feed and serve as a decent beast of burden

-Megacamelus/Giant camel: Living alongside Aepycamelus was the largest camel to ever live: Megacamelus, a camel larger than a modern-day giraffe. Living in areas similar to African savannas, the giant camel browsed on leaves and branches, left alone by most predators due to its massive size. In Ark, giant camels would act similar to Paracers in that they're massive browsing mammals, but they would be much less costly to feed and would be able to carry slightly more materials than the giant rhino, although they would not have as much health or attack damage.

-Chalicotherium: Looking very similar to giant ground sloths, Chalicotherium differed from its distant relatives in that it had a horse-like head, thinner limbs, stood 10 feet tall at the shoulder, and it walked on its knuckles like a gorilla. Despite this odd combination of features, animals like rhinos and horses are this weird animal's closest living relatives, as they were to its entire family group, the chalicotheres. In the game, Chalicotherium would behave similarly to a Gigantopithecus, but its larger size and huge claws would mean that it would be more dangerous when provoked.

-Moropus: A slightly smaller cousin to Chalicotherium, Moropus looked very similar to its larger cousin, but its head was more elongated and it walked flat on its palms instead of on its knuckles. Living in herds in plains areas, Moropus would provide a decent food source and mount for players, and its claws would make it a decent combat beast.

-Notochoerus/Giant warthog: Even the bacon of prehistoric times was deadly! Notochoerus was a huge warthog that was over twice as large as the modern warthog. Living in the Pleistocene of Africa, giant warthogs would normally be passive towards players until they're attacked, upon which they pursue their attacker with surprising speed and gore their assailant to death. Hunting them would be challenging, but the unusually high amount of Prime Meat that they would drop would be worth it.

-Giant Ice Age bison: WIP

-Ancient bison: WIP

-Megatapirus: TBA

-Equus giganteus/Giant horse: WIP

-Steppe bison: WIP

Carnivorans:
-Giant short-faced bear: A massive bear standing over 15 feet tall when standing on its hind legs, giant short-faced bears were the largest bears to ever live. Possessing unusually long legs for an animal of its size, short-faced bears were able to chase after prey for long periods of time, making them Stephen Colbert's worst nightmare. Living up in the mountains, short-faced bears would be pretty good domesticated creatures, able to dish out a lot of damage and guard your base ferociously.

-Kolponomos: This extinct bear was perhaps the only one of its kind: a non-dangerous bear. These creatures lived along coastlines, feeding on shellfish, earning them the nickname 'Oyster bears'. In-game, Kolponomos could be used to gather shellfish, and wild specimens would also help you with this: wherever there are oyster bears, there's shellfish.

-Epicyon: The largest member of a now-extinct group of creatures called bear-dogs, Epicyon looked like a cross between a lion, a grizzly bear, and a pit bull the size of a black bear. Hunting in packs, these heavily built killing machines' jaws were strong enough to crack bone-the thing's name even means "Bone-crushing dog"! Like Thylacoleo, Epicyon would be invaluable for hunting large animals, but it would be able to take down creatures as large as mammoths if working in groups.

Marsupials:
-Diprotodon: The largest rodent to ever live, Diprotodon looked like a heavily built wombat/bear hybrid the size of a hippo, and may have inspired legends of the Australian bunyip. Herd animals, Diprotodons would stay near bodies of water, feeding on vegetation and being fed upon by spinosaurs and crocodiles. For players, these guys would provide a good amount of food, and could be used as draft animals.

-Thylacoleo: Also known as the marsupial lion, Thylacoleo was a creature the size of a German shepherd that essentially looked like a lion with hand like paws and rodent teeth instead of fangs. But don't be fooled: these animals could take down the hippo-sized Diprotodon in less than a minute by its own. By comparison, it takes a pride of lions about 20 minutes to take down a wildebeest that's about the same size as a lion. Specialized towards hunting large prey, Thylacoleo would be invaluable while hunting the giant dinosaurs of Ark, bringing down creatures like Phiomia with ease.

Misc.:
-Megatherium/Giant ground sloth: A massive sloth the size of an elephant, ground sloths lived in North and South America around the same time as when humans first arrived. Armed with huge curved claws that could rip apart trees, ground sloths were further protected by bony limbs underneath the skin called osteoderms, which were strong enough to deflect bullets! In-game, ground sloths would be slow but strong herbivores, able to knock over trees and withstand attacks from many different predators, both animal and human. While also providing craploads of meat when killed, these guys could be excellent pack animals, although they're not going to be the fastest things in the world-they are sloths, after all... (ADDED!)

-Nurulagus/Giant rabbit: A massive species of rabbit from the island of Crete, Nurulagus was a huge rabbit almost six times as large as the typical cottontail bunny, essentially the rabbit version of a dodo bird. Like the dodo, these animals had no natural predators, making them easy targets for prehistoric colonists of the island. Much like dodos, Nurulagus would be relatively small animals that would provide a good source of food for beginners, and would be hunted by many predators of the island.

-Palaeoloxodon: WIP

-Borson's mastodon: TBA

-Archaeoindris/Giant indri: WIP

-Megaladapis/Koala lemur: WIP

-Eobasileus: WIP

Birds

Flying:
-Archaeopteryx (Suggested by Sua Sponte): These little guys are world-famous, often called 'the first bird.' However, earlier bird ancestors have been discovered-Archaeopteryx was a cousin to birds, but not the first one. However, it is still important to science as the first feathered dinosaur ever found, and the first fossil to be found in the chain from dinosaurs to birds. In Ark, these small dinosaurs could act as small, chirping animals that won't provide very much meat, but serve to establish a bit of atmosphere for the game.

Flightless:
-Terror birds: Terror birds were huge flightless birds reaching 12 feet in height that looked like ostriches with and eagle's talons and an oversized eagle's beak. Able to run down prey the size of horses, these feathered fiends would take down prey by kicking with their deadly claws or with their axe-like beaks, powerful enough to crack open coconuts. These guys would be excellent speedy mounts, able to run for long durations without need for a break, although they would probably be unable to carry much. Also, given that the arrival of Smilodon is what probably drove terror birds to extinction, it would be cool if terror birds and saber-toothed cats had some sort of rivalry, attacking each other on sight. (ADDED!)


Reptiles and amphibians

Lizards:
-Megalania: A Komodo dragon that could reach 20 feet in length, Megalania was the terror of prehistoric Australia, armed with razor-sharp serrated teeth, toxic bacteria in its saliva, and deadly venom. This literal dragon would be a pretty rare animal, probably lurking near caves or rivers, but it could definitely prove useful as a guard animal or as a mount-Megalania could most likely run at about 17 mph!

Crocodilians and Rauisuchians:
-Saurosuchus: Imagine, if you will, a 23-foot-long crocodile with long legs and the head of a carnivorous dinosaur. Soil yourself yet? This actually existed. Top predator of the Triassic period, Saurosuchus was a killing machine that used its massive head to rip apart prey. Like a massive souped-up gorgonopsid, Saurosuchus would compensate for relatively low speed compared to animals like Carnotaurus and the raptors with health and attack, making it both a feared predator and a highly desired mount.

-Kaprosuchus: Also known as "Boar croc" and "Dino Slicer," presumably because "Nightmarish monster straight from the bowels of Hell" was too long, Kaprosuchus was a large prehistoric crocodile with long legs suited for land travel... and three pairs of saber teeth. Need I say more? Anyway, these killing machines would be perfect for Ark: essentially acting as Ark's equivalent of honey badgers, they would be extremely useful when tamed, able to function as a guard beast, a war animal, or an awesome battle mount.

-Simosuchus: WIP

-Deinosuchus: TBA

-Lotosaurus: WIP

Frogs:
-Beelzebufo: The name of this Madagascar from actually means 'demon toad,' and boy oh boy does that name fit! This real-life Battletoad lived in the Cretaceous period, grew to the size of a beach ball, and if modern-day horned frogs-its closest living relatives, which have been called 'Pac Man frogs' due to how huge their mouth is compared to the rest of the body-are anything to go by, this bad boy most likely ate whatever it could fit in its mouth, i.e. anything its size or smaller, including baby dinosaurs! Now, I know what you're thinking-I'm going to suggest that it eat eggs, right? Wrong. Here's my idea: you take Beelzebufo, blow it up to the size of a cow, and stick it in the island's cave systems. What will it eat, you may ask? Simple: the hell-toad would be the natural predator of Ark's enormous insects! Perhaps this gigantic Pac-Man frog could even have a long tongue like a bullfrog's, allowing it to snap up dragonflies and other flying insects that could be added in the future, or maybe even Pteranodons! Either way, Beelzebufo would be the saving grace of anyone scared of bugs while they're in the caves-at least if the frog doesn't decide that you'd make a good snack... (ADDED!)

Temnospondyls:
-Prionosuchus: One of the largest amphibians to ever exist, Prionosuchus grew to up to 30 feet long and looked like an immense newt with the head of a crocodile. Living in Ark's rivers and lakes, these bad boys would essentially act like slightly weaker versions of the Sarcosuchus, but they would be much more useful for exploring underwater areas, as they can stay underwater for almost twice as long as its crocodilian rival.

Have any ideas? Just comment below!

NOTE: I have moved this thread to the Suggestions subforum. Please comment and suggest there instead!
Link: http://steamcommunity.com/app/346110/discussions/8/520518053451098635/

[Harry]

Damn all this ideas are great

[Kimmie]

While it would be cool to have a ton of unique and interesting dinos, one thing should be kept in mind. The island is an ecosystem. Each dino should play a role in that ecosystem.

Right now we have two large theropods (Carnotaurus and T-Rex), plus the Spinosaur filing the roles of top carnivores. We have raptors and dilophosaurs filing the roles of medium and small carnivores. We don't need any more land-based carnivores (don't forget the sabertooth, sarco and pulminoscorpious fill the predator role too). There are a truckload of theropods that could be added to the game, but that is just more of the same in a different size.

We have a lot of medium-large dinos filling the herbivore roles. The bronto representing the saurapods, the ankylo and stego representing their groups respecively, and the Trike representing the ceratopsians. The parasauralohus represents the hadrosaurs. We need more medium and small herbivores, such as many of the oviraptors and ornithopods to fill the gaps. Some of the smaller ankylosaurs and stegosaurs might help fill this role, but that can get kinda redundant.

There are two other roles that need to be filled. One is the clean-up/carrion eater role. While not really necessary as dino remains disappear quickly, they would add a realistic dimension to the ecosystem. The other role is that of egg predator. If I remember correctly, some of the ornithopods or oviraptors were egg stealers. Again, not really necessary, but for realism they could add something, especially if breeding is introduced at some point.

In the waters, we have a top predator in the form of megladon. The pleisasaur will fill the mid-range predator role, and the mossasaur will also be a top predator. The shastasaurus should the least threatening of the ocean dwellers in the mix. We need more small and medium creatures that are less predatory, especially as they add larger predators. Some smaller icthyasaurs or something might be nice. We could also use a large non-predator, such as a whale. The giant crabs will fill the cleaner role on the shore and in the water.

The air is looking good to me. We have Argentavis as top predator. Quetzalcoatlus will fill the role of large passive dino. The dimorphodon will be a small predator. We could probably use a few smaller passive dinos for variety in the air. I am open to suggestions.

Not everything needs to be rideable. Taming certain dinos should be okay. Not everything needs to be a threat either. The threats should be a bit of a surprise among the non-threatening dinos.

That's my $0.02 worth.

[BiscuitBoy]

Not sure if you mentioned it since it is quite a wall of text and i admit i did not read all of it but i would like to see the archeopterix personally, it was about the size of a raven so you would not be able to ride it or have it carry anything but it might make for a cool pet.

[Alchahest]

I think it'd be great to have a whole mess of different stuff, but segregate spawn zones a little more, so it's not juevery type of animal spawning in every area.

[LunaCy]

honestly, we need more land mass, maybe multiple islands that we need to tame water creatures to be able to get to, each island having its own ecosystem of unique creatures. Eventually be able to craft a large boat to transport Dinos and what not back and forth between the islands. Thus you can take your Rex or pack of Raptor, etc with you to the next island, or return from said island with something new. I figure if we can craft guns why not vehicles.

[Glarn Boudin]

OK, so small and midsize animals, and a couple of scavengers. Got it!

[Glarn Boudin]

Updated!

[Sweatington]

Majungasaurus. The cannibal dino. This thing killed and ate it's own kind.

[Kimmie]

Not a bad list. A few items are a little redundant, but overall not bad. Keep in mind, the devs say that some of existing dinos in the game spawn as placeholders for other dinos that will be added later. As soon as pleisiasaurus and shastasaurus come online, there will be fewer megladons. This means that a lot of trikes, stegos, and others would likely be displaced by the members of your list. It would create a situation in which you were never sure what was around the next corner.

[Jab]

I haven't heard anything about boats, but I do know they stated they were working on vehicles such as a jeep. This leads me to believe a boat is also likely. Btw great list.

[Glarn Boudin]

Replaced the Monophlosaurus with Majungasaurus.

[Captain Sparx]

As a compromise to the small map/working ecosystem issue, perhaps there could eventually be a choice of different ARKs, and a certain number of each type of creature is randomly chosen when that ARK is generated. For example, one ARK would have T-Rexes and Carnos for large carnivores, another would have Baryonyxes and Giganotosaurus.
Private and local servers could generate their own list of creatures under these limits (or outside of these limits at their own risk), or have it randomly generated.
Of course, that would be an issue for catch-em-all players, but it would allow for a larger variety of creatures without needing a ridiculously large map.

[Odd]

Can I suggest Andrewsarchus? I just love them so much and it would be incredible to imagine them in-game

[Glarn Boudin]

Originally posted by Horse.:

Can I suggest Andrewsarchus? I just love them so much and it would be incredible to imagine them in-game

Done!

[PCAwesomeness]

A butt load of ideas, and they all are awesome!

Only one slight problem: Megaraptor was a carnosaur, and Odobenocetops was a dolphin!