How to create a server on ARK

Dinosaurs . This is enough to convince a certain type of gamer to approach ARK: Survival Evolved, the popular survival title developed by Studio Wildcard . The latter is chock full of creatures to hunt and tame, in a world capable of providing constant surprises. Either way, playing solo is certainly fun, but playing it with friends is another story.

It therefore occurred to you to create a game in which to invite other users to share the gaming experience with them. However, you haven’t quite understood how to create a server on ARK , as well as what is the difference between dedicated and non-dedicated servers. Don’t worry: this guide is here to dispel any doubts about it.

In case you were wondering, yes: I will explain to you a little everything there is to know on the subject, also going into the details of the procedure relating to the actual creation of each type of server. Find all the relevant information below. There is nothing left for me to do, except wish you good reading and have fun!

Index

• Preliminary information
• How to create a server on ARK
  • How to create a server on ARK PC
  • How to create a server on ARK PS4

Preliminary information

Before going into the details of the procedure on how to create a server on ARK , I think it might interest you to know more about the difference between dedicated and non-dedicated servers.

Well, a dedicated server is nothing more than a computer / console entirely intended to support an instance of ARK: Survival Evolved. Put simply, you are using your own machine to allow other users to enter this world.

Typically, a dedicated server is always active, 24 hours a day , so that everyone can play whenever they want. However , keep in mind that the machine that acts as a dedicated server in some cases, for example for the PS4, cannot be used to play , but only to keep the instance standing.

In any case, in reality on PC you can find methods that allow you to create a dedicated server while also managing to play at the same time. In fact, in this guide I will explain just how to do this, although I warn you that that part of the tutorial will not exactly be a “walk in the park”.

As regards, however, the definition of non-dedicated server , the latter does not require a machine, precisely, “dedicated”, but in other words a player acts as a host , thus hosting the others.

The limitations of this solution are clear: once the host user goes offline, the server no longer works and others can no longer play. Furthermore, in the case of ARK: Survival Evolved a solution of this type could involve some “headaches” in terms of explorable area .

In fact, given the vastness of the game world, the host simply loads an area of ​​a certain radius around him. The latter is not that small, but it does not allow other users to really move freely, since they have to remain “close” to the host . Just to be clear, usually at the beginning of the game the player is teleported directly near the host . It is possible to act on this option to extend the area, but the limit remains.

In short, ARK: Survival Evolved offers various options to play in more people within this world populated by dinosaurs. Generally, many are “content” with a non-dedicated server, as setting up a dedicated server can be both expensive and difficult. In any case, in this tutorial I will explain everything to you in detail.

How to create a server on ARK

After briefly explaining the various options available in ARK: Survival Evolved, I would say that it is time to take action and proceed to create a server . I have made a breakdown by platforms, so that you can play from your preferred system.

How to create a server on ARK PC

ARK: Survival Evolved is a popular PC game . For this reason, you may be interested in implementing the operation from this platform.

The most popular way to play ARK with other people in a “private” game is to create a non-dedicated server , which has the limitations I explained in the preliminary chapter .

In any case, to proceed, just click, starting from the main game screen, on the HOST \ LOCALE button . Here you can set all the options of the instance , from the difficulty level to the taming speed , passing through the map .

If you want some advice, try setting the UNDEDICATED HOST TETHER DISTANCE option to maximum at this stage , as it affects how far the other players can be from the host . You can also try, instead of dragging the bar, to write 99.0 or another high value in the appropriate text box .

Once you have finished modifying the server settings, select the HOST UNDEDICATED SESSION option , choose if it is a private game , enter a password for the admin and click on the ACCEPT button .

If this is your first time hosting such a session, you will be prompted to create a character . Once you have finished all the necessary changes, you will be able to enter the game. So you just need to press the Esc button on your keyboard to be able to take a look at the information relating to your non-dedicated server .

More precisely, you will see the name , latency and all the appropriate settings related to the latter. To change the various options, just press the HOST ADMINISTRATION button and from here you can manage everything related to your server, from tricks to the message of the day , passing through connected players , banned users and those on the white list .

You can also send messages to those who have entered the server, as well as take a look at the information about the server on the left.

Perfect, now you can control everything within this instance, as you are the administrator . You simply need to delve into the tricks on the right and use the RUN button to be able to perform essentially any action. Sometimes you may need to specify who that command is for .

I don’t want to spoil you too many, but suffice it to say that ARK: Survival Evolved offers the server administrator many useful and fun possibilities. For the rest, your friends can enter the non-dedicated server simply by going to the ENTER ARK section , setting NON-DEDICATED SERVER through the SESSION FILTER option and typing the server name in the search bar at the top . Typically the number of users of these games is 4 .

If you have created a private match , you can try inviting your friends directly from within the game instead . For example, if you have the version of ARK: Survival Evolved purchased from the Epic Games Store , you usually just press the Shift + F3 key combination and select the users to invite.

In case there are problems with your friends entering the server , I suggest you try to implement a procedure that has proved to be decisive for many players: open ARK: Survival Evolved, press the ENTER ARK button , select SERVER NOT DEDICATE as regards the SESSION FILTER option and enter a random game , obviously choosing one that is not full.

Once in the game, press the Esc key on your keyboard and select the RETURN TO MAIN MENU option . At this point, you can try to create the non-dedicated server again and see if other users can find the “room” or if you can invite them.

If this method is also unsuccessful, it probably means that there is some problem related to the ports of the router . In fact, some players had to open the following UDP ports : 27.015 , 7777 and 7778 , as well as TCP port 27.020 . For all the details of the case on this procedure, I recommend that you consult my tutorial on how to open the router ports .

In fact, it is difficult for me to provide you with more detailed information on this, as there are many different router models, each with a different configuration panel. If you want a practical example of a D-Link router , I have explained in detail the procedure to access the appropriate options in my guide on how to change the NAT on PS4 .

Speaking of NAT , if the latter is “open” , you might think about setting up a dedicated server . However, the procedure can be complex and vary depending on the version of the game you have. In addition, a high- performance PC is required . In any case, if you meet these requirements, I’ll explain immediately how everything works.

To give you a concrete example, I will examine the procedure related to the Epic Games variant of the game. To proceed from the latter, you must go to the HOST \ LOCAL section and click on the START DEDICATED SERVER button .

The game will warn you that there is a need to have an open NAT , as a restricted one could cause problems for the gaming experience. Then press the ACCEPT button , type a password for the server (to make your life easier later, I recommend you leave it blank), enter a password for the admin , choose the server name and click the ACCEPT button .

The game will apparently close without doing anything , but that’s actually normal. At this point, go to the installation path of the game (for example, D:\ARKSurvivalEvolved\) and reach the path ShooterGame> Binaries> Win64 .

Therefore, create a new text file called Server.txt with Notepad in this folder and insert the following two lines into it.

start ShooterGameServer.exe “TheIsland? SessionName = NOMESERVER? QueryPort = 27015? Port = 7777? MaxPlayers = 4? listen” -epiconly

exit

You can of course change TheIsland with the name of your favorite map , as well as the maximum number of players . Remember to enter the server name you chose earlier instead . In any case, as regards the Epic Games version of ARK: Survival Evolved, it is also necessary to enter -epiconly .

Unfortunately, I cannot be more precise with my indications, as each version has its own method and there are myriads of variables involved. However, I am showing you a working procedure for what concerns the Epic Games edition , in order to make you understand how this operation is carried out.

Once the Server.txt file has been placed in the appropriate folder, it is necessary to change the extension of the latter to .bat . To do this, from File Explorer , go to the View tab and check the File name extensions box .

Therefore, right-click on the Server.txt file , select the Rename option from the menu that opens and change the file extension to .bat . You will be prompted to press the Yes button to confirm the extension change . Perfect, now you have the file to start your dedicated server.

At this point, go to ShooterGame> Saved> Config> WindowsServer in the game installation folder , and open the GameUserSettings.ini file with Notepad . Make sure, therefore, that in the latter the ServerPassword field is empty, otherwise delete the password after the = symbol . This will allow you to access your server quickly, without having to enter a password.

Going back to the Win64 folder , open the ShooterGame.exe file and wait for the game to start. Once you reach the main menu , open the Server.bat file you created earlier. A terminal will appear on the screen and you will have to wait for the server to be activated (this may take several minutes).

Once on the terminal you see the word Server has successfully started , it means that the server is active. You may be asked to provide permission to access the network . At this point, go back to the game and press the ENTER ARK button .

Select, therefore, the UNOFFICIAL option as SESSION FILTER and you should find your server in the list, searching for it by name (the one you entered in the SessionName variable) using the search bar at the top.

In case you cannot find your server, you should know that it may take several minutes for the session to appear. There seems to be a limit to the number of visible servers.

For the rest, if the server does not appear after a certain period of time, it is probably some problem related to the ports of the router or to the NAT , so it is good to take a look at that context.

To do this, just connect to the router administration page (typically reachable at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.1 in the browser) and log in . If you have any problems, you can check out my tutorials on how to access the modem and how to find the modem password .

Once logged in, go to the section dedicated to port forwarding. To give you a practical example, on ASUS routers you need to access the WAN tab and select the Port forwarding section , in order to start creating a new rule .

After that, you need to enter ARK as the name of the service and create two rules addressed to the local IP of the PC (e.g. 192.168.1.7), leaving the Source IP field blank and opening the UDP ports 7777 and 27.015 , i.e. those used for the server.

This applies to my case, but unfortunately I cannot be more precise, given the high number of variables involved.

Otherwise, you can usually find the server in another way as well. To do this, you need to start a single player game by first pressing the HOST \ LOCAL button and then the PLAY SINGLE PLAYER button .

Once in-game, press the Tab button , in order to open the console , type the command open [tuo indirizzo IP pubblico]:7777(eg. Open 1.1.1.1:7777 ) and press Enter . If you don’t know how to find your public IP address , you can quickly find it by following my guide on how to find your IP address .

This way, you should enter the server. In case this does not happen or there is some problem, you could try to enter any unofficial server (not yours, one available through the classic list) and exit immediately , and then try to start a single game and give again the aforementioned command. This solved the “inconvenience” for several users.

In short, the indications regarding the creation of the dedicated server are very specific and can be complex, as well as vary based on multiple factors. For this reason I initially explained to you how to set up a non-dedicated server, as it is much simpler and in any case allows you to have an overall satisfactory gaming experience.

For the rest, there are also users who use third-party tools on PCs to create dedicated servers . You may therefore want to deepen the topic in this sense, but I invite you to be careful , as even in that case there are multiple variables.

Furthermore, passing through external tools, the risk of going against the will of the developers is always there, which is why I will not elaborate on the matter here. In any case, it seemed fair to let you know that this world also exists.

How to create a server on ARK PS4

How do you say? Do you usually play ARK on consoles ? No problem, I’ll explain what you need to know right away!

In this part of the guide I will use PlayStation 4 as a platform to give you a concrete example, but in reality the procedure is essentially the same for the other consoles as well . For example, if you are wondering how to create a server on ARK for Xbox One , this is the part of the tutorial for you.

Let me start by telling you that starting a dedicated server on ARK for consoles is more difficult than on a computer. In fact, as already mentioned in the preliminary chapter , unfortunately the console that is used for the server cannot also be used to play .

This means that you should find a second PlayStation 4 to support yours, dedicating the latter solely and exclusively to supporting a dedicated server .

For the rest, it would be necessary to do some “spins” between the two consoles as far as the account is concerned , as it is necessary to have a copy of the game , but one is already running for the server. In short, if you do not have specific needs, it is probably not worthwhile to proceed in this way.

It is in fact a wasteful method and not everyone has a second PS4 to keep always on and available. Also, in the end it could potentially not work, as it can face limitations by Sony and the like, given the account issue.

Put simply, it’s all very cumbersome , since you have to use one console for the server and the other to play , but the ARK: Survival Evolved license is one. In short, unless you need specific solutions, it is better to leave it alone on consoles, but it is good to let you know that some users do it this way.

To create a console-side dedicated server , just go to the HOST \ LOCALE tab and press the START DEDICATED SERVER item , then select the ACCEPT option and enter the server data . By doing so, your PS4 will act as a server and others will be able to connect.

However, the screen that will appear on the display will not allow you to play , but only to manage messages , connected players and essentially act as an administrator . In short, you need another console to play too.

For the rest, if you are wondering how to create a non-dedicated server on ARK for PlayStation 4, everything happens in a similar way to what I explained in the chapter for PC . In fact, just start the game, press the HOST \ LOCAL button , set the instance options and use the X button of the pad above the HOST UNDEDICATED SESSION key .

You will then be asked to choose whether it is a private match or not (if other players can enter or not), by ticking the appropriate box, entering a password for the admin and giving a name to the session . Once finished, you just have to press the ACCEPT button .

Doing so will start your game on a non-dedicated server . At this point, all you have to do is create your character and you can start playing. Once in the server, you can invite other players by pressing the Pad Options button ( Menu on Xbox ) and selecting the INVITE FRIENDS option .

You can also think of playing in split screen locally using a second controller and pressing the button indicated above by the game (for example, Menu on Xbox ).

In conclusion, I remind you that ARK: Survival Evolved is an ever-evolving title and this means that developers could make changes at any moment.

In case of changes related to the procedures described in this guide, however, I will update the tutorial as soon as possible.