Hi everybody, I run an ARK server and have been trying to make it more difficult yet still fun. Previously I have been modifying the INI files, but they are just not cutting it. So I want to use the dev tools. I’ve read the faq’s and tutorials, but it still is a bit confusing.
What I want to do is create sub classes for some of the big dino’s like the Rex. Juvenile / Adult / Ancient for example. Then give them either custom stats or levels and loot tables.
Now ideally there would be some visual indicator of their type (the dang letters are too small). If possible shrink juvenile to 1/2 size, leave adult alone, and ancient, double size. The “actual” size would be the same, but I just want them to be visually different.
Can this be done? Any advice would be appreciated.
Well honestly it wouldn’t be too bad, just subclass change the name/values and go from there. You can open up the models in a modeling program and scale it down. (this is not my expertise so no suggestion there, but I do know it IS possible to just shrink the model)
Or increase them in size (for ancient). There are stat modifiers in the game, so that is definitely a possibility. You will have to do ALOT of testing to get everything set up right though, things get a little weird in the DevKit.
You are definitely going to have to add in new dino types (to change their sizes) and then modify all the spawn tables so that your new dino’s are entered in. I am definitely looking forward to your progress though!!!
My plan is this using the Rex as an example. Juvenile 20-50. Adult 50-90. Ancient (or Elder) 90-150.
My server is currently on max difficulty (lvl 90 mobs) with wild dinos doing 4x damage and having twice as much resistance as normal. Tamed dino’s do 25% less damage. A young pet is tough, but once you get over the hump with a good pet, you don’t even fear a lvl 90 trex. I’m trying to make it where people will need to group up to take certain mobs, yet they can visibly see the difference.
Anybody have any recommendations for a good modeling program? I know nothing about that. Free (or cheap) is good.
I did that in my Balance Mod with Phiomia.
I subclassed Phiomia and changed the transform scale and it is bigger. You also need to change the camera offset. Then You need to rereference it in the dinospawn lists and remap them in primal.
PS: If you are changing DinoStatus component you can’t subclass and you have to duplicate/copy the CharacterBlueprint
Ok what am I missing. I was following along with the stickied tutorial, but it kind of skips stuff. I was able to browse to the changing NPC section. But I can’t figure out how to see the actual stats of the dinosaurs. I’m extremely lost.
Ok thanks man. Found that. I get “most” of it. However, I don’t see a value for actual damage. I want to be able to edit the base damage of my dinos and the new types. I didn’t see resistance or armor values either.
I was thinking of doing this myself actually, though I think it is planned for the final game (hopefully). CBA with all that work if they might just put it in anyway lol. How did you manage to reduce tamed dino damage but keep wild dinos powerful? I was thinking of trying to find a way to cap taming levels at the wild dino level cap myself
Makes wild dino’s hit harder and have better armor. Also bumping the pet damage down. I did raise player resistance and damage to compensate. Players are not broken, but pets are too strong. Honestly, I would make it harder, cause good dino’s still wreck at high levels. But then low level pets and people get creamed.
This solution is like using a bat to hit a mosquito. If I can get my mod up and running, then I can fine tune dino’s and make harder in the big areas and keep them easier in the lower levels.
Ok, took some good looks around and I think I found all the info that I want to change. Couple of obstacles to my plan that I see.
First I found base damage and multiplier values and such. However, what I don’t see is anything for specific armor or resistances for each dino. For example, one would think an Ankly would have more natural armor then say a Phomia. Yet I don’t see that. It seems like this is represented by an Ankly having better health scaling then a Phomia.
Which leads to the next roadblock. I found where you can adjust “what” a creature can level in. However, there does not seem to be a cap or weighting system. For example, I want to avoid that level 80 creature who has 1k oxygen and 14k food.
