Hi there, new to ARK modding..

[Shadow_Fox2001]

Is there a general rule of thumb for modding i.e things that change or add to gameplay first and cosmetic things last essentially as had the game on EGS then just bought it on here for mods lol... any help would be much appreciated... for example I'm looking at big mods like annanuki, pugnacia, most of ecos and rrs mods, structures +.. stuff like that generally... I've modded other games like fallout new Vegas, fallout 4, b&s so yeah like I said any help would be really much appreciated 🙏

[Liralen]

Definitely gameplay first. I've always wanted to add more decorative mods, like Ecos, but my PC (i9-10850k, 128 GB RAM, RTX3070Ti, with Ark installed on a 1TB NVME SSD, running a dedicated server and client) occasionally rubberbands at my main base, where I am mutation breeding dinos, so there's a lot going on there. So no Ecos for me.

So your mileage may vary if you don't plan to do that.

Also see https://steamcommunity.com/app/346110/discussions/0/596271068722814413/

[🦊 Hermit]

Are you meaning mod load order? If so, generally a mod will say in it's description if it needs to be loaded first. If it doesn't say that, it's usually safe to load it in any order.

But as a rough guide:

Overhaul mods first.
Stacking mods next.
Building mods like S+/SS.
Mods which add new creatures.
Anything else.

Also be aware that using multiple overhauls together will almost always conflict with each other, and should be avoided unless you know for a certainty that they will work smoothly. Pick one and go with it rather than trying to use them all together.

Additionally, take careful note of a mod's comment section and/or discussion board, to see if it still works smoothly or if there are any complaints from the community about bugs. Many mods have not been updated for years, and could potentially be broken by more recent game updates. Just because a mod hasn't had an update for ages doesn't automatically mean it is now useless - there are many mods out there which still work smoothly despite being very old. But the longer it has been since the last update, the more likely it is to be broken, so check around to see if anyone is reporting issues with it before adding it to your game, as it could cause potential problems.

[XxTTHREExX]

2969916172, 2967922174, 679529026, 1999447172, 916788716, 1204667931, 1364327869, 1404697612, 821530042, 924933745, 736236773, 633831197, 757669231, 749466101, 797173854

These are the numbers for the ones I run on my current server. Just 2 of us playing so I run a stacking mod that's ridiculous... 5K stack size with 90% weight reduction.

There's a broken mechanic with the salvage station that if you get like 10 element powder it salvages it into 1 shard -> into 1 element -> 500 shards -> 500 element (something like that).

Seed crafter to make organic polymer, crystal, etc... seeds to plant in crop plots.

Super Spyglass is a must.

Backpack as well, especially if you don't run a stacking mod.

Steampunk mod, because I like steampunk.

NOTE: There are ECO's mods for all kinds of pretty stuff (just not listed here).

Upgrade station lets you upgrade all sorts of equipment from primitive to ascendant QL.

Super Structures - Better than vanilla structures and has "extra stuff" that's exclusive to the SS mod.

Bulk Crafters is a good one.

Spoiling bin is good in the beginning but not necessary.

If you're on a small server with few people or solo... I suggest Tranqs++ (listed above).

Personally, I use Nitrado to host a server for me. Far easier to control the server environment, mods to the server, etc. Super easy controls... once you get the idea of how to adjust the values.