Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how to add your own dino variants in the game. This is a no-frills approach using the GenericMod as a starting point… but it will get you up and running on both solo and dedicated server hosted games and allow spawning of your new variant.
(re-created the thread because I couldn’t remove the ‘in-progress’ from the old thread title)
1 CREATE THE DINO ENTRY
1.1. Copy PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/DinoEntries/DinoEntry_Para to your mod folder
1.2. Rename your copy to “DinoEntry_MyPara”
1.3. Edit the file and change Dino Name Tag from “Para” to “MyPara”.
1.3.1. In the same file, change Dino Descriptive Name to “Parasaur Ingame Name”
1.4. Compile and Save.
2 REFERENCE DINO ENTRY IN YOUR PRIMALGAMEDATA
2.1. Edit PrimalGameData_BP in your mod folder.
2.1.1. Locate Additional Dino Entries and click the + sign
2.1.2. Click the dropdown and select your new “DinoEntry_MyPara”
2.2. Compile and Save.
3 CREATE YOUR DINO VARIANT AND REFERENCE IT VIA TAGS
3.1. Copy PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Dinos/Para/Para_Character_BP to your mod folder
3.2. Rename your copy to “MyPara_Character_BP” and edit it
3.2.1. Locate Dino Name Tag and change it to “MyPara”. Make sure it sticks (if you tab out it can revert)
3.2.2. Locate Custom Tag and change it to “MyPara”. This is used by PrimalItemArmor_(dino name)Saddle… leave it default if you want to share saddle engram. Make sure it sticks (if you tab out it can revert).
3.2.3. Locate Descriptive Name and change it to “Parasaur Ingame Name”
15. Do whatever stats/colors/stuff you want to make it unique a bit.
3.3. Compile and Save.
4 ADD YOUR DINO VARIANT TO SPAWN GROUPS
4.1. Copy PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Spawners/DinoSpawnEntriesGrasslands to your mod folder
4.2. Rename your copy to “DinoSpawnEntriesGrasslands_MyMod” and EDIT it
4.3. Locate NPCSpawnEntries and click +
4.3.1. Click on the newly created entry (11 if this is the first time) and expose the fields
4.3.1.1. For An Entry Name put “MyPara (1)” - where 1 is just a text value to remind you it’s 1 dino spawning only
4.3.1.2. For NPCs to Spawn, click + … then in the newly create 0 field, click the dropdown and choose “MyPara_Character_BP”
4.3.1.3. For NPCs Spawn Offsets, click + … and leave everything default. Note: if you are spawning more than 1, make X value 300.
4.3.1.4. For NPCs to Spawn Percentage Chance, click +… and add 1 into the field
4.3.1.5. For Entry Weight put in a value between 0.0 and 1.0. e.g. 0.12 = 12% to spawn
4.3.1.6. Leave all other entries default.
4.4. Locate NPCSpawn Limits and click +
4.4.1. Click on the newly created entry (11 if this is the first time) and expose the fields
4.4.1.1. For NPCClass dropdown select “MyPara_Character_BP”
4.4.1.2. For Max Percentage Of Desired Num to Allow enter 0.5
4.5. Compile and Save.
5 LINK THE UPDATED SPAWNER TO YOUR MOD
5.1. Go back to your PrimalGameData_BP_MyMod and edit it
5.2 Locate Remap NPCSpawn Entries and click +
5.2.1. Under 0, change From Class dropdown to “DinoSpawnEntriesGrasslands”
5.2.2. Under 0, change To Class dropdown to “DinoSpawnEntriesGrasslands_MyMod”
5.3. Compile and Save
6 COOK AND SAVE YOUR MOD
NOTE: Existing worlds will take time to re-populate new spawners. If you want instant visibility of your new dino/spawner… and are comfortable resetting all tamed and wild dinos on your map (bad for public servers!)… you can issue the “cheat destroyallenemies” command. This will delete all dinos including tamed ones. As you move around the map you will start to see your new dinos appear as configured in your spawner definition.
maybe not your case, but when I was creating spawn volumes for dinos on my custom map, the volume needed to partially intersect the floor or landscape - otherwise no dinos
Easiest way is to use the same Custom Tag as the dino you made the variant from… that way you don’t have to fiddle with a bunch of Engram and PrimalItemarmor_(saddle) reference chain.
Assuming you’ve referenced it in your mod as above… or at least referenced it somewhere (spawners, NPC remap etc.) you just use “cheat summon MyPara_Character_BP_C”
Hm, im stucked now for a while. I started over once again and now i cant find the PrimalGameData_BP in step 2.1. Edit PrimalGameData_BP in your mod folder.
I dont even have that file in there, i made a folder “MyMods” under the folder Mod. All i have in there is the file from step.1
Thanks! I used the primalgamedata from generic mod, im doing all those steps but im taking a ptera instead of a parassaur. Stl cant summon it. Think i might need a lot more hours to be spend into this devkit.
Try starting new (it will not take long and the more times you start the better you will learn the basics :D)
Copy your Primalgamedata_bp_yourmod, testgamemode_yourmod & yourmod_Level to a new mod folder & be sure to link your testgamemode inside your primalgamedata.
Then follow the above tutorial - feeling free to substitute Para with ptera
Then load up testmap or theisland map & make sure to link your primalgamedata_bp_yourmod & testgamemode_yourmod into the world settings, then when you play in the PIE you should definitely be able to summon your own created ptera
can someone make a video on how to do this? the end is a little unclear and it doesn’t act like a mod for me it just had " cook conversion" not cook mod.
First, this has been incredibly helpful. I’m loving it.
Second you should add a note to your post that goes something like this:
"Respawns do not happen unless the map is somehow repopulated. One option for doing this (for single player) is deleting your map and allowing it to re-initialize. (Note, buildings will be lost.)
This can be done in Steam\SteamApps\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArksLocal
