Sooooo I got my first test map up and running, I uploaded to steam like the instructions on playark.com said to. Now I go to local/host, I see my map in the list of mods along with the original ark map and dino arena. I click on my map and press “Play Locally”, after my PrimalGameData_BP loads, it sends me back to the home screen with “Join Server/Host / local/options/etc”. Its like the second I press “Play Locally” it just sends me back to the home screen. Help me 
You beat me to the punch on this, I’ve been troubleshooting my mod to no end. And have yet to successfully forceload ‘theisland’.
But you’re making a custom map yourself you said? Everything works fine on the Ark Dev Kit? When you go about simulating it in standalone mode? Or does that bring you back to the main menu screen as well?
Did you make sure to cook your map within your mod folder?
Your GameMode settings sound like they are not setup correctly. Please reference this and double check everything; Tutorial: Creating a core-data Mod (Not a Map, just a Mod :) - ARK: Survival Evolved - Epic Developer Community Forums
Then report back here and let me know if anything wasn’t setup correctly. If you can’t find any issue I’ve got another idea to try.
Could we hear your idea? 
Got this problem aswell.
My problem is slightly different than the above but i would imagine it is more similar under the surface so i don’t really want to make a new thread for it.
When i’ve created some new items (children of current blueprints) and reference them in MasterItems/Engrams ect everything works perfectly in “TestMap”. Engrams work to the number/level i set, required resources work to what i set it just works and it’s good.
-Primal Game Data Override = “MyPrimalData”
-Force Load Map Name = “TheIsland”
-Game Mode Override = “TestGameMode_Child” <- didn’t change anything but found a tutorial that said child this.
When i upload it uploads without any errors or issues and i can view/sub on steam workshop.
-Maps = “TheIsland”
-Title = “MoreStuff”
-Visibility = “Friends Only”
However, when i attempt to play it inside the game i have 2 options, “Standard TheIsland” or “My mod MoreStuff” but both just load the bog standard TheIsland map without anything changed on it or added to it.
I’m lost as to how to fix this, i’ve tried everything i’ve found in all the tutorials/advice, i’m only wanting to make one type of mod at the moment and play about with it, but i can’t get past this little hiccup.
Yup, having this problem too now. I passed the annoying throwback on the menu, now my mod doesn’t load ingame.
It says “In that map, open the properties for that level’s WorldSettings:”. How do I do that?
Open the desired level you want to open the world settings for, and then go to your main UI bar in the top middle of your screen. Click on Settings, and then go to World Settings from there. If you are having to ask how that is done then I’m like 95% sure that you don’t have things setup correctly. If your mod is kicking you back to the main menu then plain and simply you do NOT have things setup as they should be. I know this because I had the same problem originally.
Things to check: Make sure you are using the CORRECT PrimalGameData_BP_Custom. Make sure you do not have ANY gamemode settings selected for the World Settings of your .umap. The only place you should choose the game mode would be under your PrimalGameData_BP_Custom. And the game mode for TheIsland would be ShooterGameMode (or custom one).
Above the shown map you have the option “Settings”. Click on that and there should be the possibilty to open the World Settings.
When you have your map loaded click ‘Window’ on the top left of UE and then make sure World Settings is checked. And you will see ‘World Settings’ on the right where the details panel is.