How to Host an Ark Server: A Guide for Devs

Greetings, Devs! Are you interested in hosting your own Ark server but don’t know where to start? Look no further, as this guide will take you through the steps needed to set up and run your own Ark server. Whether you’re a seasoned server manager or new to hosting, this guide will provide all the information you need to get started.

Step 1: Hardware Requirements

The first step to hosting an Ark server is to make sure you have the necessary hardware. Depending on the number of players you plan on hosting, you will need a computer with sufficient processing power and memory. Here are the minimum hardware requirements for hosting an Ark server:

Before proceeding, make sure your computer meets these requirements. If not, consider upgrading your hardware to avoid issues with server performance.

Step 2: Download and Install SteamCMD

Once you have the necessary hardware, the next step is to download and install SteamCMD. SteamCMD is a command-line tool used to download and install Steam games and dedicated game servers.

Step 2.1: Download SteamCMD

To download SteamCMD, follow these steps:

1. Go to the official SteamCMD website: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamCMD
2. Click on the “Windows” link to download the SteamCMD installer for Windows.
3. Run the downloaded installer and follow the on-screen instructions to install SteamCMD.

Step 2.2: Install Ark Server Using SteamCMD

Once you have SteamCMD installed, follow these steps to install the Ark server:

1. Open SteamCMD by running the “steamcmd.exe” file located in the installation directory.
2. Log in with your Steam account by typing “login ” and pressing Enter. Replace “” with your Steam username.
3. Type “force_install_dir ” and press Enter. Replace “” with the directory where you want to install the Ark server.
4. Type “app_update 376030 validate” and press Enter to start downloading and installing the Ark server files.
5. Wait for SteamCMD to finish downloading and installing the Ark server files. This may take some time depending on your internet connection speed.

Step 3: Configure Your Ark Server

After installing the Ark server, the next step is to configure it to your liking. This includes setting up server settings, game modes, and mods.

Step 3.1: Server Settings

Server settings determine the overall rules and gameplay mechanics of your Ark server. To modify server settings, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the “/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer” directory.
2. Open the “GameUserSettings.ini” file in a text editor.
3. Modify settings such as server name, max players, and difficulty to your liking.
4. Save the file and exit the text editor.

Step 3.2: Game Modes

Ark offers several game modes, including PvE (player versus environment) and PvP (player versus player). To switch between game modes, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the “/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer” directory.
2. Open the “Game.ini” file in a text editor.
3. Modify the “GameMode” setting to “PvE” or “PvP” to switch between game modes.
4. Save the file and exit the text editor.

Step 3.3: Mods

Ark supports mods, which can add new content and features to the game. To install mods, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the “/ShooterGame/Binaries/Win64″ directory.
2. Create a new directory called “Mods”.
3. Download the mod files you want to install from the Steam Workshop or other sources.
4. Extract the mod files to the “Mods” directory.
5. Open the “Game.ini” file in a text editor.
6. Add the following lines under the “[ServerSettings]” section to enable mods:

Save the file and exit the text editor. The mod(s) should now be installed and activated on your Ark server.

Step 4: Port Forwarding

Port forwarding allows external players to connect to your Ark server. To set up port forwarding, follow these steps:

1. Login to your router’s admin panel.
2. Navigate to the port forwarding settings. This may be located under “Advanced” or “Firewall” settings.
3. Create a new port forwarding rule for UDP port 7777 (Ark server port) and TCP/UDP port 27015 (Steam server port).
4. Save the settings and exit the admin panel.

Step 5: Start Your Ark Server

After configuring your server, it’s time to start it up and let the players in. To start your Ark server, follow these steps:

1. Open SteamCMD by running the “steamcmd.exe” file located in the installation directory.
2. Log in with your Steam account by typing “login ” and pressing Enter. Replace “” with your Steam username.
3. Type “force_install_dir ” and press Enter. Replace “” with the directory where you installed the Ark server.
4. Type “app_update 376030 validate” and press Enter to ensure that the server files are up to date.
5. Type “cd /ShooterGame/Binaries/Win64″ and press Enter to navigate to the server executable.
6. Type “start ShooterGameServer.exe ?Port=7777?listen?SessionName=?ServerPassword=?ServerAdminPassword=” and press Enter to start the server. Replace ““, ““, ““, and “” with your desired values.
7. Wait for the server to start up. This may take some time depending on your hardware and server settings.

FAQ

Q: How many players can my Ark server support?

A: The number of players your Ark server can support depends on your hardware and server settings. As a general rule, a mid-range server should be able to handle up to 50 players at once.

Q: Can I host my Ark server on a cloud server?

A: Yes, you can host your Ark server on a cloud server such as Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure. Keep in mind that cloud servers may have different hardware requirements and pricing than traditional servers.

Q: How do I update my Ark server?

A: To update your Ark server, simply follow the same steps as when you installed it, but skip the “force_install_dir” step. Instead, navigate to the installation directory and run “app_update 376030 validate” to update the server files.

Q: How do I ban players from my Ark server?

A: To ban a player from your Ark server, follow these steps:

1. Open the server console by pressing the tilde (~) key.
2. Type “showmyadminmanager” and press Enter to open the admin manager.
3. Select the “Players” tab and find the player you want to ban.
4. Select the “Ban” option next to the player’s name.
5. Enter a reason for the ban and click “Ban” to ban the player.

That’s it, Devs! You should now have a fully functional Ark server up and running. Have fun hosting and playing with friends on your own private server.