what is the purpose of the island? (Story/lore/theories)

[arky277]

many of us saw this lovely game and thought "ooo a survival game with a twist!", "dinosaurs in a survival game, why hasnt anyone done this before!"

but have we actually considered what Ark is or what the island is used/intended for? why do we have alien like technology surrounding us yet we see prehistoric animals roam this mysterious island? why we are isolated on this confined island (im not saying ark is small for a game, just small for real life and the world we live in). here i explain my theories on what Ark survival evolved actually is. i will explain the purpose, time period and reason of each theory.

theory 1# aliens: this is what people probably assume first when they see giant floating obelisks. the aliens theory would explain the advanced almost magical technology we see in the game. i would theorize that a group of life forms wanted to test there latest genetic masterpiece.. humans. to test our capabilities they would send them to the most dangerous yet inhabitable planets, earth 66 million years from today was one of these planets. to help kick start these clusters of human life the aliens supplied them regularly with loot crates, the problem with these loot crates is that they needed power, to solve this power shortage, they installed great obelisks which would dig under ground and use thermal heat to power them. these obelisks would sap into the lava of nearby volcanic activity in caves. as human kind started to wipe out the dinosaurs the aliens left because they saw humans as a failure because they couldn't sustain the planet they were planted on, the aliens destroyed all their own technology so man kind couldn't use it to progress even further. (this theory doesn't explain the brood mother or the boss battles)

theory 2# rekindling of mankind: we are 66 million years in the future, we have destroyed 95% of all Earth's life with war, greed, mining, pollution. although we have technology far beyond anything we have today there is little hope. in a last ditch effort to save mankind, the last government came up with a plan to rekindle mankind. they devised the Ark project. the Ark project was simple enough, create a living environment that constantly evolved and changed, with humans at the center stage, to start mankind from scratch although this time, so that man wouldn't destroy the world again they were pitted against dominant species, animals that would be natural "control" over the human race. most of these animals were dinosaurs or prehistoric creatures, although these were not enough, in a last case scenario where humans are on the brink of becoming the alpha species, a genetically evolved creature would arise, this creature would be created by a grand computer using the earth thermal energy to keep it going, the computer has a program that would "build" these alpha animals to be almost perfect human killing machines, gods if there were such a thing. although on the opposite end of the spectrum, if humans were to become endangered, the computers would create humans with the DNA of the best athletes and scientists of there time, of course human DNA is a tricky thing, and after a few hundred years of copying and pasting humans, some became deformed, although still capable of completing normal tasks.
(this theory doesn't explain loot crates)

i think that theory number two is more appropriate because the name Ark i think refers to Noah's Ark, i vessel used to save every living organism from death/apocalypse after the world went to ♥♥♥♥. (i dont know the exact story but thats the basics)

tell me what you think of the theories and make your own crazy plausible theories.

EDIT: note that the beetle dossier http://hydra-media.cursecdn.com/ark.gamepedia.com/6/69/Dung_Beetle_Dossier.jpg suggests that humans have been on the island for a very, VERY long time and is the cause of the beetles extraordinary attributes. this is a direct quote from the dossier "Scarabidae makes me think humans have been on the island for a long time. Why else would a creature evolve to be such a perfect pet?", this would suggest that humans have been on the island for easily over 50,000 years considering how long it takes for organisms to grow, this would make theory number 2 less likely because the ARK project would be able to sustain human life that long unless it were a success which it obviously isnt because we are still surviving with basic generators and larger population. although considering the theory, if humans have the technology to create dinosaurs and giant floating obelisks than it isnt out of the question that they have technology that speeds up the evolutionary cycle.

[elijahwan]

already solved this in another forum...

you ready?

Ark is a experiment for the Daedra from the Elder Scrolls universe. Since they are already extra dimensional beings (read: Aliens) They realized they needed to take more of a back seat as the Elder Scrolls universe advanced to modern times, thus the Arks.

don't belive me? Then why is the Broodmother dossier written in Deadric? ah HAAA!!!!

[war4peace]

Nice necro but while we're at it, I recommend reading Riverworld by Philip José Farmer. Read the books, the movie was horrible.

[Bird_Dog]

My guess it's a bunch of very rich, and VERY bored alien buisnesmen setting this up as a way to kill time.
You know, droping a few primitive but arguably sentient liveforms into a deady environment and bet on which of the "players" survives the longest.

With a few sidebets going on about who dies in the most hilarious way...

[Antonius]

The Ark is basically like Noah's Ark - it's meant to house 'extinct' species, preserving them from the actual extinction. Built by aliens, it probably existed way before humans. Dinosaurs were added when they went exinct, they're not some genetic reconstruction.

And now, the humans went extinct. Ever looked up the sky? The moon has blown up and its pieces keep bombarding the earth. The island is probably protected from all from it due to the alien technology. During the extinction event, aliens quickly picked up a few potential humans and dropped them on the island. Why do the aliens protect these species? Probably the same reason why humans try to keep endangered species alive.

The time period for human extinction is probably near future. Like a decade or two. That's because the best tech humans can build in Ark is modern technology, like modern guns. That's because many of them have knowledge about modern tech. If it was in far future, they'd have to reinvent all of that ♥♥♥♥.

[AmBeeje]

One of the definitions of "ark":

"a vessel or sanctuary that serves as protection against extinction". Think 'The Hunger Games' further into the future with dinosaurs. 'Alien-like technology' doesn't necessarily mean 'built by aliens', it's probably just that far into the future.

[Aclamendo]

In Helena Note #2 it states the planet she is on has no axial tilt, hence no seasons. The island, (likely the center and scorched earth as well) are on a different planet. In a Yin note it states the specimen implant Translates language, the invenory menu you see ingame also shows for the survivors with notes, this is expressed in a Yin note when she is suprised that she has something called a rifle. it shows she does not understand what it is but still knows its name, it does not have a label on the side, the inventory shows it.

[⠀]

stop necroing please...

[GabrielOlsen13]

Everyone assumes either aliens or humans did it. I submit to you it is neither. I know it does not sound like it makes sense but it does. Humanity goes extinct (obviously as every other species here is an extinct one) millions of years have passed and a new species has gained sentience on the earth. This species has essentially built its own Jurassic park building the massive Ark. They place various extinct species on this ark and watch as it unfolds. As you play you respawn. So do other critters running around. Why? Simple. These same people do not want the species on the planet slaughtering one another to the last (lots of hostile creatures brought together in a small area...) so they use advanced technology to restructure (with all memories) anyone who dies. They also have clearly removed any desire to reproduce and all parental instinct from all of the species (to avoid overpopulation perhaps?) Hence why you have to practically force the damn dinos to reproduce together. This also explains various critters who never existed on the earth. We can assume they existed after the extinction of man (hence our not knowing of them) and have since gone extinct. The reasons for a sentient species from earth desiring to recreate and obviously study species that are a part of their own evolution cycle is pretty clear so this makes a lot more sence than the standard alien theory.

[Noeat]

btw: what about Battlestar Galactica sequel in other line? Cylon wins small group human flotile (with cryogenics capsules) stay covered middle of ruins of flotile. Software find planet where humans can live and then port humans to it + drop them mats, weapons and blueprints what replicate. pillars r just trash from crashed spaceships. area is covered by force field - protection from Cylons attack..

and second theory - its a prison mindwiped prisoners r ported in this prison and noone take care, just some sonds support them
do u know Robinsons Requiem / Deus?

[Fugusama]

You are all inconceivably wrong on so many levels. Can anyone here actually say they read all the island explorer notes? I can and I can tell you there is no way any of these is right at all. Let's settle some things right off the bat here are all the characters and their origins

Helena, Modern day Australia, Occupation Biologist

Nerva, Ancient Roman Emperor his real name is actually Gauis but his nickname is Nerva which is a reference to the 12th Emperor of Rome he makes many references to people of the time.

Sir Edmund Rockwell, a British scientist from 1900's London the wiki actually says this as well as the time Helena is from.

Mei - Yin, Shag - Zhou Dynasty China, since this character was from China it seems she was born from a general or soldier father as she is probably the most talented lone survivor in terms of combat ability only.


The three obelisks are obviously referring to Noah's three sons Sham, Japeth, & Ham. Sham was the oldest and most blessed so he may be represented by the blue tower which appears on top of the Ark icon. Ham is the youngest his name means hot so he is most likely the red pillar. Japeth's personality is more support and solves rather than the head on approach of Sham or Ham's avoidance of the problem at hand. The brood-mother could be a way of showing support rather than just attack this the megapithocus would be Sham as he goes straight to solve the problem then Ham would be avoiding the problem by flying and spitting fire at the enemies. More evidence points to this with the wiki saying the dragon is a reference from Spyro the smallest of dragons. There's a lot more regarding that segment of the theory but, if you really want to dive in you have to dig for yourself.

I also figured out "Engram" is actually a word. Its definition is "a hypothetical permanent change in the brain accounting for the existence of memory; a memory trace" as far as the point of engrams goes I think this is another reference to Noah's ark as a message from God to build an ark. There are a couple of loop holes I haven't been able to explain in the explorer notes one is everyone seems to know the island is an ark yet no one seems to tell them that.

The biggest link I found between Noah's ark and Ark SE is the great flood God made to wipe out evil. Scorched earth is referencing after the great flood and you can actually find Noah's ark on the map! What I think is that everyone is looking at the topic super literal. There are a lot of metaphors and reference packed almost everywhere the dossiers have repeating people painted into the pages. If you actually sit down and take the time to go through the explorer notes you start to see things much clearer. For example, why would anyone need to know the dragon boss is a reference to Spyro? Maybe because there's a place on the map called "Drayo's Cove" sound familiar? Probably because that's the dragon's name. No one here can honestly tell me they spent more than 5 hours at once just reading and compiling all the clues already given to us. Hell! In the youtube video with an interview of the developers, they even showed the scorched earth DLC on the white board!!! None of your theories have any sort of actual logic to them no one referenced any of the characters besides the obvious ones no one bothered to dig deeper than the surface. The actual reason you're on the ark isn't completely clear but I completely understand the meaning behind the ending now. The ideology of the ending or "ascension" is another big reference from Noah's ark. In the end, Noah followed as God said and as soon as he got off the ark and did God's bidding he gave sacrifices of the animals to him God said: "I promise to never bring a great flood to earth again". God would take much more lives in the future as he only promised to not give extinction by means of water. But Noah did not complain rather he continued to do the bidding of God why? It's the same story in Ark SE you tamed the beasts killed the greatest of terrible lizards you even brought your enemies to your own side. But why would you do all that work? To get rich? No to get fame? No then why? Why do something for nothing? BECAUSE YOU WANTED TOO! YOU WANTED TO SURVIVE AS NOAH WANTED TO SERVE GOD! That is ark's true nature "Ascension" is not an item or perk in reality it is you rose above everything for nothing in return that is the lesson this game is. Your playing the game on your own terms you can theorize all you want but in the end, it's simple. Ark is YOUR OWN UTOPIA you are in a sense "God" You can make your own worlds you can create man and women to your own appeal. While there may be more story line I'm sure the nature of ark is to give everything you have for nothing but your own satisfaction not for money or fame or valor for you. For "God".

This is highlighted by the Dodo bird out of all the creatures on the island in the dossiers it is described as "incredibly dumb" and "weak and feeble" yet when it's in the form of a Dodo - Rex it's almost as if all the pain they endured and all the remarks dirtying their lineage came out in one final fit of rage as if.... Did God saw the evil in man? In a way the dodo rex is our own creation in real life humans killed the dodo bird and led it to extinction. We know this yet we laugh at its sight as the world did at Noah tyrannosaurus the most revered dinosaur of all time joined forces with the dodo to make the Dodo - rex (not literally) I think this is a metaphor for you reap what you sow all the people you've slain will come back to haunt you.

Anyways this isn't really a theory I was just trying to say you really should read before you say stuff I couldn't even cover half of my one day research in this so from now on LETS ACTUALLY READ THE NOTES SPECIFICALLY ON THE STORY LINE! I already know all of ark's history up to scorched earth which the notes tell you exactly when and how characters get there. Reading is fundamental.

[Quodvir]

⠀ původně napsal:

stop necroing please...

No.

[Katie]

This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion.