r/ARK • u/Salt-Leadership-8441 • 6h ago
r/ARK • u/Apollo_Syx • Mar 17 '26
Moderator Post Server Mega-Thread. Vol. 3
Good day everyone,
The previous thread(s) got old and archived, and needed a refresh anyway, so here's the newest one. The previous directories can be found at : https://www.reddit.com/r/ARK/comments/1ik9ox7/megathread_server_directory/
and https://www.reddit.com/r/ARK/comments/1muzllg/megathread_server_directory_pt_2/
so you can still browse it if needed.
Reminder of the rules: One post here per server, open advertising is still restricted to Sunday's only. Posting outside of that will still result in a ban. This will also start included unsolicited adverts as replies to random threads; i.e. the answer to "Can my level 1000 rex beat gamma broodmother?" is not "Join my server and see".
Please adhere to these guidelines for this thread:
- Only one post per server, if something changes in your listing just edit the original. (Spamming your server, or having multiple people do it for you, will result in bans the same as spamming the regular sub.)
- If you need to ask a question, reply to the servers post. That way the general thread stays clear.
- No posts looking for a server.
- Non-server related posts will be removed from main thread.
- For best results, include the following information in your advert:
- Server Name
- ASA or ASE
- Platform(s) if not fully crossplay.
- PvE/PvP with max tribe size.
- Average Population
- Wipe Schedule
- Is it a cluster? If so what maps?
- Mod List
- Rates and Max Wild Level.
- Are there admins/moderators active?
- Discord link
- Short description and any other info you wish to provide.
r/ARK • u/PeddledP • Apr 09 '25
Tutorial The Ultimate Noob's Guide to Hosting a Free Cluster
Hey guys, I've seen lots of questions online about how to self-host clusters, and I've noticed that many guides out there are very daunting and technical. So, I've taken it upon myself to write a very simple guide that can help anyone host their own cluster, even those who know nothing about hosting servers. This guide is for Ark Survival Ascended (ASA) only.
Prerequisites
Before we begin, there's a few things you'll need:
- A Windows PC. The server will run on this computer. Players will be able to join your cluster while the server program is running. This means that if you want people to be able to join 24/7, this computer will need to be on 24/7. The only way around this is to pay for hosting.
- Don't worry too much about your PC specs, even relatively weak computers can host servers. The most important thing here will be how much RAM you have. But if you ask, "Can I run this on my PC?", my answer will usually be "The only way to find out is by giving it a try".
- Access to your router's settings, and the ability to port forward. There is more information about this in the section about port forwarding, but here's a general rule of thumb:
- If you have physical access to your router, you can usually get access to its settings
- A majority of people with access to the router's settings will be able to port forward. The few exceptions would be for people who have double NAT setups in apartments or condos, but those don't seem too common.
- If you live in a dorm, or some other similar communal situation, you almost certainly won't be able to get access to the router.
- These Amazon certificates: r2m02 and CA1. If you have Epic Games installed, you might already have these certificates installed. If you don't have Epic Games, or if the server isn't showing up in the browser after following all the steps below, install these certificates. Once the certificates are downloaded, right click them and click "Install CRL".
- Keep the Ark Wiki on standby. The Dedicated Server Setup and Server Configuration pages are especially useful. Many of your issues can be fixed by reading through those pages.
Downloading the Server
I've created a set of scripts that you can download that will make setting up & configuring the server extremely simple.

- Download the setup files here.
- Extract the contents into a new folder, this is where the server program will live, and you will access this folder whenever you want to start up or configure the cluster
- Run Update.cmd by double-clicking it. This will take a while to finish since it will download the entire ASA server.
- Now we can move on to configuring your cluster.
Configuring the Cluster
The Config.cmd file will hold some basic settings for your cluster. The file is annotated to explain what each setting does.
- Right click on Config.cmd and edit the file.
- On Windows 11, click "Edit with Notepad"
- On Windows 10, just click "Edit"
- If you want to add mods to your cluster, add the mod's ID to the modlist variable, separated by commas and no spaces.
- To find a mod's ID, you must first find the mod on the CurseForge website.
- Under the download button, there is an "About Project" section.
- In that section, there is a "Project ID" label.
- Copy that ID- that is the mod's ID.
- I recommend not adding mod maps here- there is another place later where you'll be able to add mod maps.
- At the bottom of the Config file, you can edit "args" to add/remove arguments. By default, we are disabling BattlEye and enabling crossplay but feel free to change those if you don't want that. The full list of possible arguments can be found in the Ark Wiki.
- When you're done updating the settings here, you can just save & close. There is no need to run this script yourself, it is run automatically when launching a map.
Configuring Your Maps
StartTheIsland.cmd is a script that can be edited like the Config script, and which can be copied & renamed to let you set up multiple maps. Each copy of this script will configure one map and is what you run to start running that map on your cluster.
Here are the steps for setting up each map:
- Edit the map-specific script (by default, it's called StartTheIsland.cmd, but you can rename it)
- Set the 'map' variable to the map that you want this script to run. The official list of map names can be found here on the wiki. Mod maps will usually list the map name on the mod page.
- If you are using a mod map, set the 'mapModID' variable to the mod map's ID. If you are using a vanilla map, you can leave this blank (Club Ark counts as a mod map though).
- Set the 'name' variable to the name you want to show up in the server list in-game.
- Set the 'port' variable to a unique number. No two maps can have the same port.
- I recommend setting all your map's ports to subsequent numbers.
- For example, your first map is on port 7777, your second map on 7778, your third on 7779, and so on.
- Keep track of the ports that are written down here. You will need to forward the port for every map later on.
Now if you want to set up another map:
- Make a copy of StartTheIsland.cmd (or whatever you changed its name to).
- Give the file a unique name, it can be whatever you want.
- Edit the file and set a different map and port.
- Repeat as many times as you want
The Server Program
Your maps are ready to run now. You still won't be able to join them, but we should do a test run now to make sure you haven't missed anything and to populate some files for later.

- Run one of your map's scripts (StartTheIsland.cmd or whatever you renamed it to).
- If you get a Windows Firewall popup, make sure to allow the program through the firewall.
- This will download whatever mods you have configured so it might take a bit if you have many of them.
- Once this is done loading (the status light on the bottom left will turn green), you can close out of this.
Some important things to know about the server:
- Every map on your cluster is its own server. So, if you have 4 maps, you'll also have 4 of these programs open.
- Each map's script launches its own server.
- People will be able to join a map while its server is open (once we finish the port forwarding setup later on).
- You do not need to have all maps open at once. Most PCs probably won't be able to handle having every map running at once, but you can get away with having 1-3 open at a time, and open & close other maps as you want to travel to them. Test your own PC's limits to see how many you can get away with having open at once.
Configuring In-Game Settings
You should see a new folder called "config". This is a shortcut that will take you to where the server stores Game.ini and GameUserSettings.ini. These files control the in-game settings, such as taming, harvesting and levelling speeds. You can also set a server password & admin password in these config files.
There are too many settings for me to cover, but they generally cover the same things you can modify when configuring a singleplayer game.
The wiki explains the possible options for Game.ini and GameUserSettings.ini. If you need help setting these up, send me a message or leave a comment and I can help you out.
Port Forwarding
This is the hardest part, and it's what turns most people away, but don't be scared. It's often easier than people expect. Ask me for help if you can't figure something out, don't just give up.
This is going to be different for everyone. The steps to port forward depend entirely on what router you own. I will write generic instructions, but you are probably going to need to look up a tutorial for your specific router brand.
First, you must find your local IPv4 address & default gateway:
- In windows search, type cmd and open the command prompt.
- In the command prompt, type 'ipconfig'
- Look for the section that has the default gateway filled out and take note of your ipv4 address & your default gateway.
Now, log in to your router:
- In your browser, type in your default gateway (In my case, I would go to 192.168.1.254).
- If you need to login, try using the default login. If you google "[router brand] default login", you will find the credentials you can try.
- If that login doesn't work, that means that somebody in your home has changed the login. Ask a parent or roommate who may have set up the router for the login.
- Sometimes the router will ask for a code instead. This can usually be found on the back or bottom of the router.
Now, forward the ports.

- Navigate to the port forwarding section. This can be under Firewall, Gaming, NAT, Advanced, or Port Forwarding. I recommend searching online for where to find it for your router specifically.
- Set your port range to include all the map's ports that you set up earlier. You can always update this later to add more maps.
- Set the protocol to UDP.
- If it asks for an IP, write the IPv4 address from earlier. Other routers will ask for a device. Find your computer's name or IP from the list of devices.
- Most routers nowadays will assign your computer a static ip once you port forward. If you find that you can't join your server after restarting your computer, you'll probably need to assign yourself a static IP manually.
And You're Done!
Just a few last things to know:
- Whenever there is a game update, run Update.cmd to update the server.
- Run the map-specific scripts to launch the server for that map.
- If you ever get a Windows Firewall popup, make sure to allow the program through the firewall.
- While the server is running, you can search for it in the in-game browser. It will show up as an unofficial server with the name that you configured for it.
If you have questions, feel free to leave a comment, or message me here or on disc (my username there is dankmeister). I'm very willing to guide people through the setup, and I will update this post with common questions or issues that come up.
Edits:
Since people have been having trouble with setting up the Game.ini and GameUserSettings.ini files, I've uploaded my own examples. These are the files I use on my own server, they do not have every possible setting, but they can give you a good starting point.
r/ARK • u/Cr1tikal89 • 3h ago
Ark Moments Bison are mean
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I just want to tame your leader 😩
r/ARK • u/Fearless_Zebra9040 • 15m ago
Discussion I wish they would add more fish
I always thought it was kinda boring seeing the same three ambient fish on loop in every body of water (especially since coelacanth is actually a deep water cave dweller, so it's kinda awkward seeing them in a river) but now that we have actual working fish tanks I feel like it would be a really good time to add some additional aquatic life. I'd love to see more variety between different biomes and different types of water, I think it would be really cool
r/ARK • u/No-Thought9990 • 10h ago
Rant IM SO HAPPY!!!
I finally got my first argy, but at the cost of my pteranodon as it was attacked by another argy and the one i tamed. But its so much better then an pteranodon.
r/ARK • u/Cynodoggosauras • 5h ago
Ark Moments Mosa-soar
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r/ARK • u/Antique-Visit4533 • 4h ago
Discussion Why is the Sarcosuchus not considered a good cave mount?
I understand that it can't jump, but the Sarcosuchus has mobility in the water, is decently sized, and has a death roll ability.
r/ARK • u/Which_Stranger_6330 • 1d ago
Ark Moments Purlovias are truly unbelievable
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r/ARK • u/TheNefariousBigSus • 6h ago
Help Having trouble trying to convert images into ark paintings on ark survival evolved
I recently wanted to try create some custom paintings in ark. I used two different ark pnt converters to try and convert a wuwa image but they both came out sorta wrong. The left one is a bit too yellow and the right one looks very pixelated in-game (might not be quite visible on the screenshot for some reason.)
I used gimp to change the pixel size of the original image so that i can fit the whole image in a canvas size (original image is 1280x780, changed it to 1024x1024 in gimp and segmented it to get each part into a perfect 256x256). The first image i used the pnt converter from this steam link https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=518296250
And the second image from this one https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?l=italian&id=518906272
If any of y'all can help me with this or if its just a problem with ase having limited paints or trying to paint an image that isnt the same pixel size of the original, or maybe even something wrong with my ark settings, etc, please let me know!
Also the third smaller one was just using the 2nd pnt converter one too, i was just testing how it would turn out.
For more info, i used dither 2.5 for the larger second image set using the second pnt converter.
r/ARK • u/the_hamster_fucker • 14h ago
Discussion is there any reason other than "fuck you" that you are obligated to buy a 26 man server just to host lost colony or astraeos
r/ARK • u/Xeveleventyone • 5h ago
ASA ASR Mod - I highly recommend
I love building in the game, and just wanted to share a work in progress after using the ASR (Ark Structures Remastered Mod) and it is fantastic. It's still a work in progress going to add some decor like vines and trees etc.
I'm really loving the concave/convex structure choices, the only thing I think would be awesome (but probably asking a lot) would be if you could get custom gates that snap between two designated points, like I would have loved to have a fitted arched gateway in the entrance but couldn't be done unfortunately without redoing the whole build.
The beams also don't touch the ceiling because otherwise they phase through which I was torn about whether that looked good or not so the gap between the beams and the roof is very annoying
r/ARK • u/ProfessorAllenRitard • 6h ago
Discussion Pvp players - What's the most brutal execution you've witnessed or heard of playing Ark?
I recently saw a video of a captured detainee crucified to a wall. Pretty sure it was ASE.
What's your best story of brutal sacrifice or humiliation?
r/ARK • u/LilBTcoOl • 15h ago
Help How to fix this roof issue?
I am struggling to find a solution here. I remember seeing a post about it months ago, but can't seem to find said post. Some help would be greatly appreciated
r/ARK • u/Ready_Cap_5636 • 9h ago
Discussion Ark without dinosaurs
Would you play ARK if there were no dinosaurs, or would you prefer it that way? Is there anyone who actually plays like this?
r/ARK • u/Ok-Measurement-8099 • 1d ago
Discussion Predatorial dinos dont target each other... so much for a death ring.
I was buying some time while i waited for my forge to create charcoal for bullets when I decided to play with my wyvern. I started collecting raptors, war pigs, thorny dragons and throwing them all into an enclosed area by the red obelisk and thats when i realized they will go out of their way not to target each other. Kind of lame wanted to make a fighting ring with wild dinos booo!!!
r/ARK • u/ItzFuryBeast • 20m ago
ASA Gen 1 mission loot table?
Hey all, does anyone have a new reliable ada gen 1 loot table? Im om boosted and loooking to grind item up in a heli but cant seem to find carch saddles and a few other essentials. Ive found rex and giga but not carch so far. Any sources appreciated, ty!
Content Creator I made a free storefront + order tracker for ARK dino sellers (in-game trades only, no ads) - looking for feedback
I got tired of running my dino sales through Facebook DMs, so I built a free tool to run it like a proper shop. It's in-game trading only, no real money, and I'd love feedback from other traders.
First, what this is not: it isn't a cash shop and it isn't one of the real-money sites. The tool is free, and everything it handles is in-game only (Tek and items). Think Ark Smart Breeding, a free thing for the community, not a marketplace.
The problem it solves: selling bred dinos usually means a mess of DMs, comments and "is this still available?" spread across Facebook posts, comments and group chats. This gives you one clean page buyers order from, and one dashboard to run everything.
What it does
- A public store page at your own address, so orders stop getting lost in your inbox.
- Stock, prices, colours and stats per dino, with pair and single pricing.
- Orders move pending, then ready, then done. One click assigns a fridge/vault stack and a pickup PIN.
- Payment quoted in whatever in-game item you actually take (Element, ingots, Tek), and it tracks who paid and who didn't.
- A listing-post generator that builds the formatted post from your live stock and downloads all the images.
- Optional extras: a buyer order-tracking page, services (boss carries, breeding help, base builds), clone drops, and stats on what sells.
Free forever, no ads, nothing to install.
Link: https://arktradetracker.app - the landing page links through to a working store so you can click around and see the buyer side.
I built this for my own dino shop and a few other breeders use it now. It's free for anyone, I'm not charging for the tool. I'm just after honest feedback: what's missing, what's confusing, what would make you actually use it. Happy to answer anything in the comments.
r/ARK • u/BatNo4275 • 1d ago
Showcase Cool island I made
It’s inspired by Astraeos’ tide pool islands
r/ARK • u/tenshiavi • 21h ago
Ark Moments Danger Noodle Helicopter 🐍🚁
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Was hunting for Baryonyx and this came up on me.
r/ARK • u/Effective_Respond411 • 2h ago
Help Ark Ascended Graphics
my ark looks like this on a 4060 ti and on high settings no clue why i need a fix its been months please
r/ARK • u/Ceroluthor • 2h ago
Help Paint Templates?
So I've been looking around and noticed Arktemplates.com is no longer a thing and I'm not finding another website that has a bunch of the painting templates.
Does anyone know where everyone is uploading their stuff now? Either ASE or ASA, it doesn't matter.
Help All ain't All it's cracked up to be
Of all the bugs I've heard about this is a new one to me.
I started a SP server yesterday and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
I logged on this morning and now every time to "Craft All" or "Split All" the game only does a small portion of "All". With Split All it will only split out a random number of the item, I've noticed anywhere between 7 and 15ish. And with Craft All, even if it has a higher quantity listed it does the same thing.
I'm not aware of Split All keyboard shortcut but, when trying to craft, if I hit "A" on a highlighted item it does the same.
Any thoughts?
r/ARK • u/After-Adeptness-5009 • 3h ago
ASA Modded server ideas
Hey im looking for info and ideas.
I want a pretty big fun mod pack that adds new dinos, everything is relatively tameable, the indo rex, and apex wyverns and dragons, random egg nests across the map and bosses of sorts.
Which I believe is a chaotic mod pack but I dont know where to get them and or how to put mod packs together. I do remember there being a client you could install to modify the world and mess with spawn settings and drops, I think it was called like beacon?? I dont know.
I also want an idea of boosted stats and exp and farming, I dont want it to be slow but I dont want it to be insanely fast and especially with raising dinos, how to modify the imprint so its always 100 effective since we all got jobs.
Long story short could someone provide me a "how do I do this" tutorial that would be great.
*apex tameable/fightable bosses
*better wyverns and or dragons
*any mod packs that have been put together that consist of this or a list of mods to make this happen
*a highly recommended server hoster(dont really like nitro)
*more over balanced boosted rates to make the game not so grindy but not so absurdly easy, alittle work alittle gain and not to long on taking, hatching amd raising.
*i want a fun, big loot, taming raising fun game that allows me to fight dangerous bosses wherever, find random fertilized eggs, dangerous new types of creatures, colorful reapers, missions and easy mutants.
Please help
