Current (170.45) and Upcoming (171.0) Patch Notes (ETA: Tonight, June 4, EST)

Upcoming Version:

171.00

* Adjusted various Quality Group graphics settings to increase performance on each tier.

* You can now whitelist SteamID's that will always be granted access to your server, even when it's full (typically used for admins to get in).

* Console key can now be rebinded through the Options Menu

* All Host Game options are now visible in the in-game launch menu (which also affects singleplayer), as well as saved in INI for easy access

* Fixed an issue where sometimes no servers would return

* Server Player counts should finally be fixed in-game

* Downloading ARK Data Characters into other Servers will no longer lose them

* You can now rebind the Arrow Keys properly (strafe, turn, whatever you want)





Current Version:

170.45

Fixed the "My Survivors" list -- it now properly remembers the servers that you've played on, where your Survivors are at!



170.44

Server & client hotfix (compatible with all 170.x sessions), fixes cheat commands for server admins. You can update your servers as you wish, and with this new client you can again cheat but now use "admincheat COMMAND", not "cheat"!



170.42

Fix for the remaining black screen issue, changed how the client send its package map to the server upon connection (could cause a fail and leave you stranded in a black map).







Previous Versions:

170.41

Fixed occasional "Fatal Error" with tooltips, by removing the loading tooltips, for now.

Note: Tab is now a rebindable key. Tilde (~) opens the console.



Low Memory Mode (4GB) is for people with only 4GB of System RAM. It will use approximately 2.4GB of RAM to get into an ARK as a client. Extreme Low Memory Mode uses the least memory, at only about 2GB of RAM to get into an ARK as a client, however it also has no sounds, and is mostly for debugging. In either Low Memory mode, you will get full world streaming to reduce memory spikes, so you will see more pop-in.





170.4

* Reverted the core game content loading method back o dynamic streaming, however we've now also made ALL sub-levels stream dynamically for clients to avoid memory/disk spikes (at the cost of seeing more pop-in). This is currently only active in "Low Memory" mode, so give it a try if you get black screens!





Previous Versions:



170.2

* Fixed another crash with 4GB Low Memory mode. Should be no more crashes in this mode!



170.1

* Changed how the game allocates all of its static media memory to be more efficiently packed at game startup (leading to a longer initial splash screen), likely eliminating the black screen bug! (we'll find out :)



* Fixed a mesh crash bug with low-memory and SM4 rendering options





v170.0:



* Added missing "Spyglass" engram (like binoculars), which also enables you to craft the later glasswares. Moved the "Scope" Weapon Attachment to level 30, down from level 40.



* Balance: Fist Damage reduced by 20%, Argentavis AI aggressiveness reduced by 25%, Tran Arrow Tranq-Power increased by 20%, Slingshot Torpidity Power Decreased by 10%



* Reduced the rate at which food spoils in the inventory of an NPC creature, by 75%, to aid long-term creature maintenance



* Implemented a "Low Memory (4 GB RAM)" and "Low Memory DX10" launch options that reduces graphics and audio effects to save about 800 MB RAM, likely enabling 4GB RAM players to get past infinite-loading screens.



* Reimplemented stylish animated-movie loading screen, fixed up some graphics on the "Play Local" menu, exposed various gameplay options to the "Play Local" menu, so that you can more easily customize your own server or local play experience.



* Added an option to hide the Server Name from your Pause Menu, so that streamers don't have to give away what server they're playing on.



* Selfie orbit cam, [K] by default, now collides with structures geometry so that you can't use it to... spy... into other players' houses... creeper!



* Added 3 "PvP-Hardcore-OfficialServers"... for the truly hardcore (you have to create a new survivor after each death :)



* Added ?MapPlayerLocation command argument for player-hosted servers, when used will display the current player location on the 3D Map. (not very hardcore/realistic ;)



* Populated small pickupable rocks across all of the ARK's beaches, not just in the southern coasts.



* Increased # of server search from 50 to 100

* Filter "password protected" servers on the Steam backend, rather than locally, to return more servers



* Fixed a Localization crash

* AZERTY French keyboards can now rebind keys properly

* Initial DirectX10 Shader Model 4 support -- ubersky won't yet render :-P. Also reduces game memory footprint by ~400 MB



* Player counts on the server browser are now correct and accurate

* Getting "Winded" in water no longer prevents you from swimming upwards completely -- you now just swim upwards more slowly, and so are less likely to absolutely drown.

* Pause Menu now lists the Server name

* Server browser now has a list of "Survivor's Servers", upon whihc you have a survivor, Favorite Servers, and Friend's Servers

* Fixed an issue where NPC's would not attack often at lower-FPS times on servers

* Broadcast Server messages now force the chat to appear (typically used to notify of server maintance)

* Bonus Item Skins (Stomped Glasses, Cowboy Hat, Noble Saddle) are permanent, locked to your character, and given again after respawn (dropping them simply removes them if you don't want them -- if you want to keep them, apply them to an item).

* Fixed some graphical artifacts with the water, waterline, and underwater particles

* Slingshot torpidity multiplier reduced slightly

* Inventory Key can now be rebound

* Arrow keys now turn rather than strafe, and can be rebound









Previous Versions:

v1.608 (Client): Fixed the singleplayer-side post-load performance problem. At least the BIG one :) ... 15-30 miliseconds per frame saved after singleplayer load on one of our test machines. Baby steps... baby steps... :)



v1.607 (Client): Fixed two client and server crash cases



v1.602: Blackscreen issue should be fixed! Added more official servers. Fixed a few potential chat crashes.

Working on ShaderModel 4 support and singleplayer performance reloading....



v1.601: Full servers will still appear in server-list now



v1.60: Listing/Refreshing of servers fixed



v1.557:

* Chatbox can no longer be opened in singleplayer games.



* Rebuilt the game content with 2K textures rather than 4K for most. This may help prevent disk and memory thrashing that could have adversely affected performance on some machines.



v1.556:

* Reverted loading screen to static image, might eliminate "black screen of death" when loading into singleplayer mode.



* Made a backend change that may have fixed the backend server issues. We have to update ALL of the servers to fully fix it, but we are gradually rolling that out over this night.