How to Host an Ark Survival Evolved Dedicated Server

Welcome, Dev, to this journal article about hosting an Ark Survival Evolved dedicated server. Ark Survival Evolved is a popular action-adventure survival video game that allows players to explore a vast open world filled with prehistoric creatures. In this article, we will guide you through the steps to set up and host an Ark Survival Evolved dedicated server.

Getting Started

Before we start with the actual process of hosting an Ark Survival Evolved dedicated server, there are several things that you need to prepare. These are the minimum requirements:

Requirements	Description
Operating System	Windows 7/8/10 64-bit or Linux Ubuntu 14.04 or newer
CPU	Intel Core i5-2400/AMD FX-8320 or better
RAM	8GB or more
Storage	100GB or more of free disk space
Internet Connection	A stable and reliable internet connection

Once you have prepared these requirements, you can now proceed with the following steps:

Step 1: Downloading the Ark Survival Evolved Dedicated Server Software

The first step in hosting an Ark Survival Evolved dedicated server is to download the dedicated server software from the official website. Make sure that you download the appropriate version for your operating system.

After downloading the software, extract the files to a directory where you want to store your server files. You can choose any location, but make sure that there is enough disk space.

Step 2: Configuring the Server Settings

Before you can start your Ark Survival Evolved dedicated server, you need to configure the server settings. To do this, follow these steps:

Step 2.1: Setting up the Server Config File

Navigate to the directory where you extracted the server files, and look for the config file. The file is located in the following path:

ShooterGame/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/GameUserSettings.ini

Open the file using any text editor and change the following settings:

Server Settings

• ServerName – This is the name of your server. You can choose any name that you want.
• ServerPassword – This is the password that players need to enter to join your server. Leave this blank if you want to create a public server.
• ServerAdminPassword – This is the password that you will use to access the server’s admin controls.

Game Settings

• MaxPlayers – This is the maximum number of players that can join your server at the same time.
• DifficultyOffset – This setting will affect the difficulty level of the game. You can set this to a value between 0.0 and 1.0.
• TamingSpeedMultiplier – This setting will affect the speed at which players can tame animals. You can set this to a value between 0.0 and 100.0.

Save the file after making the changes.

Step 2.2: Setting up the Server Launch File

Next, you need to create a launch file that will start your server with the correct settings. To do this, follow these steps:

• Create a new text file in the same directory as the server config file.
• Open the text file and enter the following command:
• start ShooterGameServer.exe "TheIsland?SessionName=MyServer?ServerPassword=MyServerPassword?MaxPlayers=20?Port=7777?QueryPort=27015?listen"
• Replace MyServer and MyServerPassword with your preferred server name and password.
• Save the file with the .bat extension.

Step 3: Port Forwarding

If you want players to be able to join your server over the internet, you need to set up port forwarding on your router. Follow these steps:

• Open your router’s settings page.
• Find the port forwarding settings.
• Create a new port forwarding rule for port 7777 and port 27015.
• Save the settings.

Step 4: Starting the Server

Now that you have set up the server settings and port forwarding, you can start your Ark Survival Evolved dedicated server by running the launch file that you created in step 2.2.

Once your server is running, players can connect to your server by searching for your server name in the game’s server browser. Make sure to share your server password with your players if you have set up a password.

FAQs

Q: Can I run an Ark Survival Evolved dedicated server on Linux?

Yes, you can run an Ark Survival Evolved dedicated server on Linux Ubuntu 14.04 or newer.

Q: Can I change the server settings while the server is running?

Yes, you can change the server settings by editing the server config file and then restarting the server.

Q: Can I run multiple Ark Survival Evolved dedicated servers on the same machine?

Yes, you can run multiple servers on the same machine by creating separate directories for each server and then configuring each server with its own set of settings.

Q: How do I update my Ark Survival Evolved dedicated server?

To update your server, you need to download and install the latest version of the dedicated server software from the official website. After installing the latest version, copy your old server files to the new directory and run the updated launch file.

That’s it, Dev! You now know how to host an Ark Survival Evolved dedicated server. Follow these steps and enjoy playing with your friends in your own server.