Test of Time is not much more than a bundle of ideas at the moment, but if it can get support, this aims to be a “Total” conversion in every sense of the word. All crafting recipes will be reworked, several new crafting methods will be introduced, and specialization in stat raising will be more important than ever! The hope is to keep the overhaul compatible with ARK’s existing map pool, but in the long run, a custom map will also be created to better implement the new resources added by the mod. As it is being developed, it will be completely playable on its own Patreon-supported server, and the hope is to keep it in full-time development, seeing daily updates.
A list of some of the items that are planned for the earlier phase of this mod’s development are:
- Intermediary technology (Example: Blunderbuss before Sawed-Off Shotgun, and Flintlock Rifle before Longneck, as well as several middle stages even between those)
- Custom Ammunitions (Similar to the Custom Consumables system, players will be able to manufacture custom ammunition with varrying effects while also benefitting in a new way from their “Crafting Speed” stat)
- Reworked Construction (structures will be made of refined components rather than just gobtons of raw resources, Example: Stone walls would be made of 16 Cut Stone and 2 Stone Mortar, both of which would ahve to be crafted at specific stations/tools.)
- Economy Network (Players would be able to store items including custom recipes in special chests where players could perform trades safely without having to rely on an honor system to function.)
- Crafting Mastery System (As players experiment with various types of items, they will gradually gain the ability to craft superior quality items of that sort. A dedicated gunsmith would eventually learn how to make higher grade versions of their guns, and be able to upgrade existing guns using special components unlocked by their mastery level. For example, someone who has crafted several flintlock pistols would eventually learn how to manufacture a more resilient barrel, increasing the durability of the item, and so on)
- Partial Resource Overhaul (Metal rocks will no longer produce generic metal, but rather will provide a variety of metals from copper to iron, each with their own unique purpose, often in the same recipes)
- Custom Map + TOTAL Resource Overhaul (An expansion to the mod will come with a total rework of the resources available in specific regions such as different kinds of wood from different kinds of trees, different mutations of specific berries depending on climate and region, and many more subsets of existing items to reflect the different materials used)
RECRUITING!: I need several specific skills to achieve this lofty goal, many of which I have no hope of personally obtaining. If anybody has some expertise to lend to the project, please post here, and I’ll get in touch! I’m personally capable of doing anything that can be done exclusively within the ARK Dev Kit, though only with extensive study. Some things, however, are beyond me, and even just assistance in the research for this would be much appreciated!
Mainly, I need someone who is skilled with modelling/texturing/animating, but also need someone who can do true coding for some of the changes that will be made.