Hello new survivors! Since Ark: Survival Evolved entered the PlayStation Plus lineup of March, many new Survivors will experience this vast adventure for the first time. There’s a ton of information about Ark that can be overwhelming for first-timers, so we wanted to share some helpful tips to get you off to a solid start to your upcoming adventure.
If you’re new to Ark: Survival Evolved, prepare to live off the land of a mysterious island. You will have to scavenge, craft, build, and compete with primeval creatures to survive and escape The Island.
Make a bed – Quick
New survivors don’t have much armor so a few bites from raptors, or being overwhelmed by a swarm of angry dodo birds, has the potential to bring you down quickly. Building a bed quickly, even without a fully enclosed hut, is invaluable early in your adventure, as it allows you to respawn at the same time. Otherwise, you will be randomly placed on The Island without a storage device, which is a very dangerous situation.
Don’t ignore speed
Whether by chance or by poor decision-making (possibly the latter), you may find yourself attacked by a dinosaur far beyond your skill level. In those cases, the best defense is… ..run! When upgrading your character, the increased health and attack power certainly looks appealing, but applying your character’s upgrade points to speed increases allows you to outsmart many lower level dinosaurs. This will save your skin many times over than boosting your health in the first place. The important thing to remember is the golden rule – you don’t have to outrun a dinosaur… you just have to outrun your friend.
Your first game
After you get your bearings and level up a bit, you’ll be ready to start taming the creatures around you. It will be very interesting to ride on the back of the Raptor or get a cute little Dodo as a pet. However, utility is the key early on. Triceratops (Trike) is a great choice for the first “tame”. It’s not aggressive so it doesn’t attack vision. It is a herbivore so it can be fed berries that are easy to find during domestication. It’s hearty with great carrying capacity, perfect for extended resource-harvesting trips. Get one soon and you won’t regret it.
Defend your base
You have gathered resources. You have created the material. You have worked hard to build a modest home. The last thing you want is for a rogue dinosaur or other Survivors to destroy everything you’ve built! A tamed creature that can help defend your base. Use the “taming anchor” placed at the back of your house to ensure your taming. Now your beast ally will help against the attackers. Just whistle after them when they’re done and they’ll be back on the defensive.
Know your enemy
Only one a lot of of creatures in the world of Ark. It’s important to know which ones are docile most of the time, which are aggressive if provoked, and which are aggressive on site. It’s probably safe to say that the Raptor will always be aggressive, but what about the Parasaur? Knowing the temperaments of the creatures in each new area you explore will help you quickly navigate the Island safely. If you’re not sure how aggressive a creature is, you can also run up and punch it in the face. Since you didn’t ignore the speed (blink), faster than it… or your friend.
Hope these little tips will help new players on their first trips. There is so much more to learn and discover around the world of Ark. Good luck, survivors!
*Add March’s PlayStation Plus titles to your game library before they leave on Monday, April 4 to keep accessing them while you have an active PlayStation Plus subscription.
** Online multiplayer requires a PlayStation Plus membership. PS Plus is subject to a recurring subscription fee that is automatically charged until canceled. Age restrictions apply. Full Terms: play.st/PSPlusTerms.
