Tips for Ark

This guide will teach you some tips incase you're struggling with the game and want to get better.

Tip #1 - Know which tools to use

Knowing which tools to gather which resources is an important skill to learn. There are so many different ways of gathering resources, but the most reliable methods available are the pickaxe and the axe. Pickaxes are specialized in gathering thatch, flint, metal, and meat, while axes are specialized in gathering wood, stone, hide, and other secondary resources such as organic polymer, chitin, and keratin.

Tip #2 - Hostility depends on diet

If you've been walking through the ark for a while now, you know that not every creature is cute and cuddly. In fact, quite a few seem to be out to get you when they have the chance. So here's a heads up for newer players: Herbivores are usually non-aggressive unless attacked. Carnivores usually attack upon sight. And Omnivores are usually either non-aggressive unless attacked, or aggressive upon sight. There are certain exceptions to this rule, but generally speaking - this is just how the creatures in Ark behave towards the player, so you might need to get used to it.

Tip #3 - Location location location

When you first create/join an Ark, you are greeted to a character creation screen. In this screen you can not only create your character, but choose where you spawn on the map. There's 12 zones, 3 of which are easy, 6 medium, and 3 hard. Easy, meaning plentiful resources early game, very few hostile dinos, but lack of late-game resources. Hard, meaning lack of resources early game, many hostile dinos, but plentiful late-game resources. Medium is, well, in-between. The choice is up to you and is all about your personal preference, and what you want to achieve. You can always change your mind and move your base in the mid-game, but early-game, where you spawn will have a big impact on your survivability, and your playstyle.

Tip #4 - To PVE or not to PVE?

Choosing between PVE(Player Vs Environment) and PVP(Player Vs Player) can be a little tricky when you're first starting out. Do you only want to focus on defending yourself against dinos and the harsh elements? Or do you want to compete against other players on the server/session? Again, this one is personal preference, and is all up to you. But what you choose can have a big impact on your playstyle, and your overall experience with the game as a whole.

Tip #5 - Check your stats

Lastly, an important thing to do is pay attention to your stats, and whether they're too high/too low. In a nutshell, you have Health, Hunger, Thirst, Energy(otherwise known as Stamina), Weight, and Torpor to consider. Too much Torpor/Weight, and you'll have a bad time. Too little Health/Hunger/Thirst/Energy, and you'll also have a bad time. Here's how to correctly manage your stats in Ark, one by one:

Health - Make sure your Health is optimal by keeping it above 0. If your health is too low, you'll get Injured and will move slower and be unable to sprint. Your Torpor also increases more rapidly while Injured. When your Health is low, eat some cooked meat/a healing item to restore it.
Hunger - Make sure your hunger doesn't go below 0, or else you'll start losing Health from Starvation. When your Hunger is low, eat some food.
Thirst - Make sure your Thirst doesn't go below 0, or else you'll start losing health from Dehydration. When your Thirst is low, drink some water from the shores of a beach, or from a Waterskin/Water Bottle/Canteen.
Energy - Make sure your Energy doesn't go below 0, or else you'll start to feel tired. If you continue using Energy while tired, your Torpor will start increasing. When your Energy is low, simply stand still/walk instead of running/using tools.
Weight - Make sure your Weight doesn't go too high, or else you'll get Encumbered. While Encumbered, you move slower, and can't jump/run. When your Weight is too high, drop some heavier items from your inventory(Wood, stone, Metal, etc.) to free up some weight, and start moving normally again.
Torpor - When your Torpor is too high, you'll go unconscious, and won't be able to move at all until your Torpor is back to 0. To prevent this, simply: 1. Don't EVER eat Narcoberries/Narcotics/Bio Toxin, 2. Avoid being tranquilized by certain creatures(Troodon, Titanoboa, Various Insects, etc.), 3. While your Torpor is rising, eat Stimberries/Stimulants to lower it(this will have the side effect of dehydrating you, however. Do it at your own risk!).

End of Guide

Hope these 5 essential tips helped you! Feel free to leave a comment/rate this guide if it did! :)

[Corruptor55]

@Quiet those images I just looked up from the internet, not from console.
Yes, it's true that new players may struggle to find the distinction between herbivores and carnivores, but I don't really play this game anymore so I don't really wanna bother updating the guide of a game I quit a long time ago.

[Drift]

Also, carnivore/herbivore thing may be a bit confusing, as there won't be a lot of distinction for that with new players. Anyone who knows how to tame reasonably well is going to know what animals to avoid, anyone who isn't won't know what the animal eats in the first place.

[Drift]

Really good! I don't even think about what tools to use for harvesting nowadays, it feels second-nature, but I distinctly remember struggling with that when I was new. Very insightful.

Those screenshots are a little outdated, though, or is that from console?