complexminded

In Issue #1, we discussed the definition of a modder in present day. In this issue we’ll be taking a look into the process of making a map! I can’t recall how many times I’ve had an image in my head that I would like to translate into the virtual world. It all seems so straightforward in your mind, but it’s not that simple in application. Since I’ve always been interested in the process, I talked with several members of the ARK development team about level design and the map modders in the Sponsored Mod Program. The process of creating a map seems so daunting when you're inside of the development kit. Where do you start? For a lot of artists, it starts with a high-level layout of what they’d like to accomplish. This layout could end up being a sketch done in 5 minutes or something much more complicated that takes weeks or months. For ARK, we started with some rough sketches and concepts of what the overall vision for The Island would be. Navin, a Senior Producer for ARK, says the team started with some rough designs that weren't concrete. "At the beginning of pre-production for the Island, we had a clear vision of what we wanted to do with the map visually/gameplay wise, but it wasn't very detailed. We felt that making a playable prototype and getting in the game itself would help us obtain a better conceptual understanding of what we wanted to do with ARK. So, we initially started with rough/loose sketches, prototypes, concept art, etc." In the case of the modded map Ragnarok, that team started off with a relatively detailed plan of what they hoped to accomplish. When asked if this is similar to what they ended up with, Jackson replied: “It's changed so much!” However, that isn't the case for everyone who makes maps. Exilog, the modder who made ShigoIslands, shared his before and after photos of his map. To me, the differences in the overall layout are negligible. Often your starting concept isn't at all what you end up releasing. For many modders who make maps it's just a starting point that serves as the original inspiration. There are some people, such as Tkat, who didn't start with a high-level concept at all. "I don't have any paper maps. I work from the mind. I see it in my head and paint it. That's how I do all of this. I just see it and paint it while I see it." Damien, the Environment Director at Studio Wildcard, outlined the creative process for Scorched Earth. "First, we started with reference images. We thought about all the different types of desert biomes around the world we wanted to include in our map. We then thought about how these different areas would all live together symbiotically. This will eventually serve as a loose guide for everything we create going forward." For our Sponsored modders, this is the defining point which brings character to their maps. Do you make a fantasy map or one that's more traditional? Joe, the creator of Madagascar Evolved, shared his feelings on the subject. "Several factors influence the style of the map. Madagascar is meant to be immersive as well as beautiful and challenging. The players I talk to want a unique, open, safari map with an emphasis on realism and their feedback is ultimately what shapes the look of the map. I also think it is important to me as the designer to study nature and learn to represent it well in the ARK Dev Kit so that I can meet their expectations in terms of quality." When speaking about the creation of Iso: Crystal Isles, Isolde says: "I used a photo of clouds for a height map. I let the map tell me what it was going to be based on the initial first shape. From there I hand sculpted it place by place. When designing the biomes, I would start out with a small spot and start with the simplest thing, letting the environment form itself. It sounds fruity, but it is just how I work artistically. I let the biome take me where it wants to go." What's a height map, you ask? Put simply; it's an image that stores values, such as surface elevation data. It's what can take a flat terrain into mountains and valleys. Whether you start with a height map like Iso: Crystal Isles or you sculpt it by hand, this is the first step to translating the original concept into the 3D world. Before creating the landscape, it's important to consider the biomes that might be in your level. In Damien's case, "We had to make decisions on where we want these biomes to live according to our maps story. This will serve as a guide later as the level designers begin to paint foliage in appropriate areas." This design document is what all of the artists refer to when placing assets or painting foliage. This is where the process of making a map may differ for several of our modders in the program. I asked Ben, the creator of The Center, whether he had detailed design documents when he was working on his map. "No, didn't really feel like I needed since I was just making it by myself and thought it would be a 2-month thing at most." When you're the sole person working on a project a lot of these details are in your head, and you may not need detailed design documents to ensure the map is consistent and going to plan. Biomes aren't necessary, but they are an integral part of creating a unique experience for many end users. The size of the biomes and where they are placed are given a considerable amount of thought. The biomes that ultimately make it into the map dictate what type of foliage and assets get put in that area. Jackson, a member of the Ragnarok development team, said: It's easy to skip past all the prep work we've discussed, jump into the editor, and start painting away. However, you're putting your map and your end users at risk. The challenges of developing for a live game means when you make a mistake, people can be immediately affected. We've had to make some of these changes when planning for the Redwoods biome. At this point in development, a solid design document and forethought helps. But making these earth jarring changes isn't always unavoidable. "You do have to rework the map sometimes," Joe says. "There is usually some way to upgrade an area without destroying bases, for example, you can redo the foliage or ground textures and it won't affect bases. The best way to prevent base wipes is to do planning ahead of time so that major updates don't include content that erases people's progress. In general, if players are worried about base wipes, they can always talk to the map developer and find out which areas are permanent." After this brief overview, I can begin to understand some of the challenges that modders run into when they are creating levels. Even if they aren't on the same scale, they are often of the same type of problem that our design team here at Studio Wildcard runs into frequently. Maybe this is inspiring you to make a map of your own? If so, there's tons of material out there to help you get started! Start with downloading the Epic Games Launcher and download the ARK development kit. Until next time, I'll leave you with some teasers from the maps in our sponsored mod program. Wildcard Ced Skies of Nazca Iso: Crystal Isles Ragnarok Madagascar Evolved Roraima View full article

Hey, Survivors! I'm happy to announce some exciting additions to the mod program this month! It's been hard to keep track of all the content that is released lately! The program is already off to a healthy start, and we're already looking to add more into the group. If you haven't heard about the sponsored mod program, it's an opportunity for modders to get some cash for doing what they love to do. As someone who plays ARK, you end up getting lots of new content to use in ARK. It's a win-win for everyone involved! For more information be sure to check out this initial post announcing the program. We've been keeping an eye on the budding talent in the workshop, so be sure to get your work out there! Your mod doesn't have to be near complete to be a part of the program. We are always looking for those unpolished diamonds! This month we're adding 3 more mods into the program. Each of these mods has gained a bit of attention, and we're looking forward to seeing how they develop. Iso: Crystal Isles A quick glance at this map might let you know this isn't your typical island. It is fantasy based, which I'm sure a lot of you will like. It's also a welcome addition since there aren't a ton of fantasy styled maps. I was impressed when I had the pleasure of taking a look at this map a few weeks back. While it's still a work in progress, it's enough there to see how epic this can be. Auction House How many times have you wished there was a marketplace similar to popular MMO titles in ARK? Well, there is! It's amazing to see what a little creativity and some time in the development kit will do. There's still lots of troubleshooting and testing going on, but this has the potential to be useful for a lot of ARK survivors. You can virtually trade anything! Wonder if we'll ever see seller ratings? Advanced Rafts Everyone wants bigger and better ships, right? Well, it looks like you're in luck! Not only are there different ship models, but there are also several advancements made to the existing rafts in ARK. You might want to look into Advanced Rafts if you ever wanted a bigger building radius or more structures allowed on your raft. There's plenty of structures and content to build the harbor of your dreams! Keep a look out for Workshop Wednesdays where I'll have a variety of content including a check in with the participants of the sponsored mod program. We'd also like to congratulate the following modders for maintaining their sponsorship and we're looking forward to what they have to show us in the next month! Offline Raid Protection and ARK Postal Service by Jslay and Mezzo MRRadTools.Inc Content Pack by MRRadioActiv and Mezzo Thieves Island and Skies of Nazca by Tkat5200 Madagascar Evolved by Hey my team rules! and its r2ghgaming Shigo Islands by Exilog Total Conversion: ARK Moon Survival by DavidBC and Fuzz Levingston SurvivalPlus by Tao and Hamildor Structures Plus, Platforms Anywhere, and Platforms Plus by Orionsun Ragnarok by Excited Kangaroo, JacksonL, and Enduran eco's Decorative and RP Mods by eco Advanced Command Menu by Woeful Macabre ARK Steampunk Mod by iSpeZz Wildcard Ced View full article

You know, if you would have asked me a few years ago if there were a program where modders would be paid monthly for their contributions, I would have laughed. But we live in a fascinating age now. Now, more than ever, hobbyists are finding ways to make supplemental income while doing things they love. I'm no different than any other modder in the program. My roots embed deeply in the modding culture that is becoming much more prevalent in the gaming industry. Who hasn't thought to themselves, "What would I do differently"? Who knew that a little desire or a small thought could turn into something much bigger; it has for the members of our modding program. What is a modder? Very much like the gaming industry, there are lots of misconceptions about what modding is. Sure, it could be as easy as tweaking a couple values but it can also be a much more involved process. Take, for instance, some of the new additions to Survival Plus. Tao has been working on several visual improvements to the market stalls and adding additional building tiers. More often than not, several people work on updates like these. Modeling an asset and texturing it can often be two entirely different roles on a development team. Implementing these textured models as structures that perform within the game can also be a separate position. These tasks could be managed by a one-man team when you're dealing with a couple of assets, but Tao clearly has bigger plans. When you're dealing with mods of large of scope like Survival Plus, in many cases, it warrants extra help. I remember making Primitive+ and desiring to accomplish things that were way outside of my skillset. I had two options: invest the time, or invest money and buy it from a marketplace. It's always a tough decision whether you are a modder or someone who works professionally in the game industry. It's evident that DavidBC and the Ark: Moon Survival team wants unique content - even going as far as putting the final touches on their custom character model. DavidBC made it clear in many conversations that he and his team are approaching this as you would developing a brand new game. He's even spoken of doing some custom motion captures for the animations! In many ways, these modders are completing fairly complicated game development tasks. Even when it comes to making modifications to existing structures and content, like Structures Plus, there's quite a bit of work that goes into developing that content. You would know this if you've ever taken a dive into the ARK development kit and seen the snap point system . When I chatted with David over the phone about some of the most challenging things he has to look forward to, he stressed how challenging it would be to work with the TEK Tier assets because of their complexity. Rounded walls, for example, will involve modifying an existing mesh with very specific size requirements. Accomplishing that and making it look good at the same time is no easy feat. While focusing on underwater bases for Structures Plus, David reminded me of how creative and complex these modifications can get: Mods that bring QOL (quality of life) improvements can be overlooked when determining the "best" mods. At times it's because of it's perceived they lack originality or skill to complete. It's great to see mods like Structures Plus break that perception. There are times when mods don't add additional functionality at all. Eco is proving that functionality doesn't necessarily make a great mod. Continuing the trend of providing you decorations for your homes, eco has been hard at work at RP Decore, Shoppe Decor, and Eco in Wonderland. Based on the sheer number of downloads alone, it's clear that there is a demand for this type of content. Eco runs into the same challenges many game developers and artists do. When asked how she deals with some of the challenges like getting stuck on a certain feature: At other times, functionality is a compelling reason to use a mod. iSpezz, the author of ARK Steampunk, likes to add functionality to content he adds to updates. Take for example the new tannery and blast force. Providing alterations to existing functionality can prove to be extremely challenging. I've talked with iSpezz many times on just how complex reworking existing functionality can be. What is a modder? A modder can be a character artist, a creature artist, an animator, an environment artist, a designer, a level designer, or many other things. Or a modder can be all of those people. There are lots of questions on how the workflow and tasks of a modder differ from traditional game development. In many ways, it doesn't. Modders are game developers because, after all, modding IS game development. Next time, we'll take a look at the level making process and check in with some of our favorite level designers in the mod program. How is it differ from traditional level design? I'll be asking our Environment Director, @damien_bull to find out if it does. In the meantime, be sure to give these modders a subscription on Steam and follow them on Twitter for their latest updates. Until next time! Wildcard Cedric @ComplexMinded ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Development Kit Update A recent update (256.3) is on the Epic Games Launcher. Be sure to check out any additional information in the Unreal Forums. Developing Mods So you want to try your hand at modding? To get started, download the Epic Games Launcher, and click on the modding tab at the top of the application. Be prepared for a hearty download! After you've gotten the development kit installed, be sure to check out the modding discord that's run by some of the more seasoned modders in the community or the ARK development wiki on some quick tips for getting started. Arkmodding.net is also a great resource! Modders Social Media Contact Info ARK Steampunk Mod: @iSpeZz Survival Plus: @ArkSurvivalPlus eco (Various Mods): @ecoModsGames ARK Moon Survival: @ArkMoonSurvival View full article

Hello Survivors! Today we have a bunch of announcements, news, and reminders for all of you. This is going to be a big post, so buckle your seatbelts! International Modding Contest It’s Ced here, and it’s been an exciting few months as we’ve been amazed by the sheer creativity and ingenuity of the modding community. We’ve had the pleasure of experiencing survival on the moon, building massive race tracks, having epic battles in tribe warfare, and enjoying some fantastic views on many of the breath-taking maps that were submitted to our second mod contest. We are blown away by the talent of the modding community and are forever grateful for the efforts of those who bring these custom experiences to all ARK players worldwide - and soon Xbox. It was no easy feat to pick the winning entries for this mod contest due to growth of the talent level and understanding of the development kit. We are excited for the future of modding and look forward to seeing what the community has in store for the future! Instead of the traditional workshop spotlight this week, I will be doing a video review of each of the winners in preparation for next week’s community crunch. Subscribe to our YouTube workshop channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4JMp0pkBGfxDCS34bHRmcw if you’d rather not wait to see all of the finished videos in next week’s community crunch. Without further ado, here are the winners! PRIZES Seventeen (17) prizes will be awarded. 1st thru 5th, places for each category and honorable mention for the mods and maps category: 1st Place: $10,000 in each category 2nd Place: $5,000 in each category 3rd Place: $3,000 in each category 4th Place: $2,000 in each category 5th Place: $1,000 in each category 6th Place Honorable Mention: $750 in each category $64,500 TOTAL PRIZE POOL! MAPS #1 - Valhalla (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=504122600) You wouldn’t be able to tell the map is only 80% complete if you’ve ever had the pleasure of exploring Valhalla. With land mass and water area 6 times that of the normal island, it’s enough to keep you exploring for days. The amount of work that went into creating this map is nothing to underestimate. Beautiful vistas and abundant areas of exploration makes this a community and dev favorite! #2 - Roraima (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=547828060) Although Roraima doesn’t have the following of some of the other maps in the workshop, it absolutely blew us away! The naturalistic land formations and the strategic layout of this map makes it a standout entry in the category. While it isn’t as big as some of the other maps, it is clearly a map that makes you feel like you’ve been transported to a real-life area in the world. The team were literally shocked at the natural beauty in this map. #3 - Umassoura (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=661176650) Ummassoura is another massive map that is a truly unique entry in the map category. We were taken back by the massive caves, breathtaking waterfalls, and diversity in the creatures that live in each of the uniquely placed biomes. The level of detail and care that was taken in creating this map was evident and greatly acknowledged by the team. #4 - Madagascar Evolved (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=656967911) There aren’t many maps that make you feel as if you are in a specific place in the world. We fell in love with Madagascar Evolved and its ability to accomplish this with its stylistic approach in its level design. Immediately we felt as if we were flown to a safari in the middle of Africa and left to survive with the vicious animals that call it home. We see a very bright future for Madagascar Evolved! #5 - WickWillow (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=645621998) Wick Willow gave us an unforgettable experience when exploring its unique set of biomes. Each biome is distinctly different from the next which provides for an interesting set of challenges and gameplay experiences. We walked away with an appreciation for the strategic vision that went into the creation of this stunning map. Honorable Mention - Epic Islands (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=600738253) We couldn't think of a better name to describe this map. It’s vast landmass provides the perfect opportunity for exploring and building an epic base. Although it’s still a work in progress, one can’t help but to imagine what this map will look like once it’s complete. I know we’ll be keeping our eye out! TOTAL CONVERSIONS #1 - Tribe Wars (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=547753876) Tribe wars is a thrilling game mode that offers a PVP-based experience that stays true to the core of what ARK is. The objective is simple; defend your flag while trying to destroy your enemies flag. The comprehensiveness of this total conversion and the talent that went into creating it did not go unnoticed. It is tons of fun and we had the pleasure of taking it for a spin! #2 - ARK Moon Survival (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=655080841) There isn’t enough that can be said about the creativity and talent that went into creating this Total Conversion. It’s an unbelievable entry and we were amazed by the user interface and subtle touches that were put into this experience. Although it’s an astonishing feat in its current state, we look forward to what other experiences that will be created while trying to survive on the Moon. #3 - Otherworld (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=631838798) This total conversion pits you against waves of terrifying creatures as you try to escape what is known as the Otherworld. It’s always nice to play a different game mode for ARK and Otherworld is one of the few that are available in the workshop. We loved the style of this entry with its distinct and unique level design. #4 - Cool 15 New Creatures (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=520275192) It’s always fun to see how modders use existing content and modify it to create new experiences. Cool 13 New Creatures gives an exciting new way to look at some of the ARK creatures you’ve grown to know and love! MODS #1 - Advanced Architecture Mod (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=539464369) Taking the top vote in the category, the Advanced Architecture mod is one of the most popular builder based mods in the workshop. We had a blast building castles and experiencing a royal setting while reviewing it! #2 - NPC Bush Peoples (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=570371714) This was, hands down, one of our favorite mods to review. NPC Bush Peoples allows you to spawn a collection of humans to enhance your current ARK experience. We were impressed with the level of talent that it takes to pull this off and are looking forward to the exciting future of this mod. #3 - Annunaki Genesis (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=538986229) There are enough balance changes and additions in this mod to make you think it were a Total Conversion. The support from the community is undeniable and after reviewing this mod we understand why. There aren’t really words to describe the experience this mod gives so we suggest you go check it out for yourself! #4 - Dino Racing: Evolved (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=626642159) I think all of us at one point thought of reliving our Mario Kart racing adventures. Dino Racing: Evolved, is a completely customizable way of creating a race track that’s perfect for server events. This entry definitely lets us know that someone knows there way around the development kit. #5 - MRRadTools.INC Content Pack (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=497432858) With a lot of competition in the structure/building types of mods, it’s hard to stand out in the crowd. Well, MRRadTools.INC Content Pack is clearly one of the standouts! Each asset displays his amazing artistry and level of detail he takes in his work. It blends very well with the current game and deserves a place in the winner's circle. Honorable Mention: Ark Futurism (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=612504284) ARK Futurism explores the advanced and futuristic side of survival on the island. With tons of unique and beautifully made assets, we had to make sure that the work of this modder did not go unnoticed. The Center Boss Fight Contest! For Official server The Center players, we're giving away $1000 cash, $500 to the first Xbox tribe and another $500 to the first PC tribe to beat both bosses on an Official PVP server. Screenshot proof of the pause menu in the boss arena including server name, as well as the items received from defeating the bosses must be provided! You can upload your images to our forums, and write a comment down below with the screenshots. Good luck! The Center Servers! It’s been an extremely busy couple of weeks for everyone here at Studio Wildcard as we prepared for the release of our new map, The Center. The excitement and reception for this release has been overwhelming, and we’re all very glad you’re enjoying it as an officially supported map. Today we will putting up more The Center servers for Xbox. We were unfortunately limited in the past in that the session list would not display over a certain number of servers, which is also why some servers have temporarily gone missing. Even if we put up more servers, no one would be able to see them and that would not be good! Players have asked us about Hardcore servers, Primitive servers etc, and we see those requests. Until now we have been primarily focusing on PvP and PvE with the main focus on PvP. But don't worry Hardcore, Extinction, and Primitive players, you should also be seeing some of these server on TheCenter soon! Map Biome Changes! Reminder that the expected release of the map biome changes is May the 30th! Here is some additional information about this, including an updated map, in our last digest: Digest Q&A! Here is our question and answer session with Lead Designer, Lead Programmer, and Co-Creative Director: Jeremy "Drake" Stieglitz! Survivor, OnePotatoChip asks, “How much more in-depth is Ark's combat system going to be? Between both animals and people? Are we eventually going to see animals no longer clipping into each other, forming huddles of hide and hair? Critical hits? Death animations? Weak points?” Survivor, TXbangT asks, “In the more recent patch notes under "Breeding Mechanics Phase 2," Interactive Baby Raising was mentioned, what does that include? Will you have to play with you baby or keep it with its parents or the baby will not be as good as it could have been?” Survivor, LadyDeviedraasks, “Will it be possible to choose a follow distance for a tamed dino? I.E Follow Near/Follow Far so when dinos follow each other or follow the player, they don't clip into the player and cause them to be stuck inside the dino. With Quetzals following a player on another Quetzal, this would be very handy (especially if the following Quetzal is faster than the one that the player is riding). Untangling Quetzals while hovering almost at the sky limit takes quite the amount of skill.” Survivor, Huntzillaasks, “With bolas now released, is there the possibility of a higher end bola or a huge bola you can shoot from a catapult thing that can down a quetz to maybe make solo taming a quetz easier?” Survivor, CheezLoordasks, “Will there be chum for attracting aquatic carnivores? That could go along well with a new shark, as they are some of the most represented animals in the fossil record. (Possibly Hybodus, Helicoprion, or maybe Orthacanthus) Sorry, I know it's wishful thinking.” Survivor, Kaiju_Lordasks, “What kinds of creatures will be found exclusive to the redwood forests besides the moschops?” Survivor, Wulfsige85asks, “Will we see weapons like LMG, SMG, grenade launcher, carbines, axes, maces, two handed swords/axe/mace etc. or other variant types of the current weapons e.g. different types of assault rifles that are in the game get added someday?” Survivor, Wulfsige85asks, “Can you guys make it so that instead of only allow specified engrams (Xbox One) to disable specific engrams, its kinda tedious having to type in every engram you want to have except for like 2 or 4 you don't want.” Survivor, StephaniRabbitheartasks, “A lot of people would like to know if the Wild Card team is aware of the pillar problems on official PVE servers and if there are any plans to do something about it.” Survivor, BigDally asks, “Can we please get pole/bait fishing added to the core game? This is the one thing that I really feel is missing in order to fill out the RPG aspect of this game. I really enjoy doing this in other RPGs and would totally enjoy being able to gather specific baits, craft a fishing pole, and fish up different fish species from the various water types in the game. These new fish could only be obtainable by fishing, and contain different kinds of loot/meat for specific cooking recipes or other craft-able patterns. The possibilities here are all but endless and would add depth to an already highly immersive RPG. Devs, please, please, please consider adding this feature to the core game.” Survivor, Mendoza asks, “Can we get the ability to dress instantly in armour by simply clicking the right mouse button on each piece from our inventory?” Survivor, Huntzilla asks, “With the Arthropluera getting a "Turret" UI option to shoot and not move, can the Dilo also get this option, otherwise they kinda have no use to tame later in the game?” Survivor, Cleetuss asks, “Will there be a mechanic that has to do with your bond with your creature? For example, taming effectiveness, and amount you use them, or ride them, can give a bonus to stats? Maybe if you raise it from an egg, it is already very bonded to you (similar to taming effectiveness but for newborns)? Could make for some very interesting possibilities.” Survivor, TylerTheDoctorasks, “Do you have any plans for adding a private server setting that would allow structures phasing through objects, such as the terrain itself? This would make building much easier in some instances due to there not being a lot of flat land.” and Survivor, Survivor, Will asks, “We ever be able to build on the large rock features under the ocean? Some really great base possibilities on them.” Survivor, UNST3RBLICH asks, “Just to revisit a relevant point: It seems a little odd to the main artwork hosting two mounted survivors bearing weapons, but not be able to do this in game. I know the primary focus is on using dinos to attack, but when the main artwork used for the game features two mounted survivors holding a bow and a rifle, there's the obvious (and very reasonable) expectation that use of weapons while mounted would be available. So will we ever be able to [reasonably] use general weapons while mounted? I'm not talking about rocket launchers or anything, but weapons that could reasonably be used while riding a mount (i.e. spears, bows, lances, guns, bolas, etc).” Survivor, genie45 asks, “Will you implement nvidias ansel technology at release?” Survivor, SurvivorKitai asks, “Don't know if this has been asked but, a way to sort servers by map, as well as by region would be awesome, and cut down on list loading time for people with crappy DSL. Good job with the updates, you guys rock.” Survivor, ImpureFrost asks, “Will we see some sort of tree house building mechanics? Will the redwoods biome introduce any new structures?” Next we’ll be moving on to the Community Crunch segment! The Crunch is a weekly topic that consist of content to share, made by the community, for the community! As well as any little changes we want to make survivors aware about, which happen within our community. Fan Feature! Carno Friend ! by Decayist Source: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=686685817 Quetz Crochet by BrynnaCC Source: Warpaint by Kozak Source: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=681319546 Mandalor's Artwork Archery Range Source: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=686371646 My Pack!! By Docktor Medic Mann M.D. Source: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=682264336 (Fan Made) Dossier Tapejara! Source: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=685778319 Alioramus Dossier by Shadlos Source: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=687191163 Return to Ark, The Center by rpicardi1 Ark modern house by Valoule Source: http://imgur.com/a/hVKRE ARK Survival Evolved - Good vs. Evil - An Ark Fairytale by The Lime Inc. Community Contests! ARKitect This is an award given to Survivors to celebrate the amazing structures you build. These bases are judged based upon a number of different factors such as their creativity, uniqueness, how fun of a base it is, the difficulty of building it, the functionality it provides and much more! The ARKitect for Community Crunch 48 is.. Princess Peach's Castle by Wolf Angelus! Check out more of their screenshots at the link below, definitely worth a look! ARKArt This is an award given to survivors who have created beautiful work of art for that week! As always, the artwork is not being judged on the quality of the screenshot or the graphical settings used, but instead what you have managed to draw and produce in game. The ARKArtist for Community Crunch 48 is… A Tie! Between… Velice’s Toruk (Avatar) Warpaint! And... Adalink’s Firey Spino! Thank you for all the entries this week guys! Congratulations to all our winners and if you’d like to take a look at what all the survivors submitted, you can do so here: Primitive Plus Developers Blog! Hey Primitive+’ers, I’ve been busy in the lab working on the next batch of updates that I’m sure you’ll like. Last week the gunpowder barrel went off with a blast I enjoyed hearing your experiences of controlled (and uncontrolled) demolition adventures out there on the island. This next update will focus on polishing off the custom structures that Primitive+ offers and adds a new set - Adobe. This set will be made of clay and offer protection against hyperthermia. Keep in mind that Primitive+ is still very much a work in progress. If you are using it or playing on official servers, there will be times of frustration followed by moments of delight - followed by more frustration. Anyone that follows me on Twitter (@complexminded), or pay attention to the progression of the mod knows that I am passionate and committed to making this the best primitive-based solution for the game. Soon you will start to see the amount of content die down as I look to balance some of the existing items in the game. I’ll be honest and say a lot of things need to be balanced and there are quite a few things that need to be fixed. Getting most of the content I want in the game is critical as we look to move to XBox and ensure that everything is in tip top shape for our console players. Basically, you are my test subjects My much loved test subjects. Back to the lab - I’ll keep it short for this week! Until next time!! That’s it for this week’s Crunch guys! As always if you’ve got anything to share please get in touch and be sure to follow us on Twitter at @survivetheark - Facebook at www.facebook.com/survivetheark and Reddit at www.reddit.com/r/playark Thanks everyone! Wildcard Ced & Jen and the ARK Survival Evolved Team View full article

While you may feel that way, I started this mod before the contest was announced. These were always the plans. Real life happens sometimes and priorities change. I didn't let people know what was going on which I apologize for. But it doesn't take away from the countless hours I poured into the mod and the server... and the hours I will continue to pour into it.

Big thanks to ark and alienware for making this possible!!