ARK: Survival Evolved Server Setup: Dedicated Server Guide
ARK dedicated server setup with SteamCMD, map selection, server settings (taming/XP/harvest rates), mod support, cluster configuration and performance.
Table of Contents
Introduction
ARK: Survival Evolved is an open-world survival game set in a world of dinosaurs. By setting up your own dedicated server, you can create a unique experience with custom taming rates, XP multipliers, and map selections. This guide covers ARK dedicated server setup, cluster configuration, and performance optimization on your REXE VDS.
System Requirements
| Resource | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 4 Cores | 6+ Cores |
| RAM | 12 GB | 16+ GB |
| Disk | 60 GB SSD | 100+ GB NVMe |
| OS | Ubuntu 22.04+ | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS |
| Bandwidth | 10 Mbps | 20+ Mbps |
ARK server is very resource-intensive. 16 GB RAM and NVMe SSD are strongly recommended. Each additional map requires extra RAM.
Prerequisites
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y lib32gcc-s1 lib32stdc++6 wget tar screen
sudo adduser ark --disabled-login --gecos ""
sudo su - ark
SteamCMD Setup and ARK Download
mkdir -p ~/steamcmd && cd ~/steamcmd
wget https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
tar -xzf steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
rm steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
~/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir ~/ark-server \
+login anonymous \
+app_update 376030 validate \
+quit
ARK server files are approximately 50 GB. Download may take a while depending on your internet speed.
Server Configuration
GameUserSettings.ini
mkdir -p ~/ark-server/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer
nano ~/ark-server/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini
[ServerSettings]
ServerPassword=
ServerAdminPassword=STRONG_ADMIN_PASSWORD
RCONEnabled=True
RCONPort=27020
MaxPlayers=70
MapPlayerLocation=True
AllowThirdPersonPlayer=True
ServerCrosshair=True
ServerPVE=False
[/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameMode]
TamingSpeedMultiplier=3.0
HarvestAmountMultiplier=3.0
XPMultiplier=3.0
MatingIntervalMultiplier=0.5
BabyMatureSpeedMultiplier=5.0
EggHatchSpeedMultiplier=5.0
PlayerDamageMultiplier=1.0
DinoDamageMultiplier=1.0
DinoCountMultiplier=1.0
ResourcesRespawnPeriodMultiplier=0.5
NightTimeSpeedScale=2.0
Key Server Settings
| Parameter | Description | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| TamingSpeedMultiplier | Taming speed | 3.0-5.0 |
| HarvestAmountMultiplier | Harvest amount | 3.0-5.0 |
| XPMultiplier | Experience multiplier | 3.0-5.0 |
| BabyMatureSpeedMultiplier | Baby growth speed | 5.0-10.0 |
| EggHatchSpeedMultiplier | Egg hatch speed | 5.0-10.0 |
| MatingIntervalMultiplier | Mating interval | 0.3-0.5 |
| NightTimeSpeedScale | Night speed | 2.0-3.0 |
Map Options
| Map | Map ID | Type |
|---|---|---|
| The Island | TheIsland | Default |
| Ragnarok | Ragnarok | Free |
| Valguero | Valguero_P | Free |
| Crystal Isles | CrystalIsles | Free |
| Lost Island | LostIsland | Free |
| Fjordur | Fjordur | Free |
| Scorched Earth | ScorchedEarth_P | DLC |
| Aberration | Aberration_P | DLC |
| Extinction | Extinction | DLC |
Port Configuration
| Port | Protocol | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| 7777 | UDP | Game port |
| 7778 | UDP | Raw UDP port |
| 27015 | UDP | Steam query port |
| 27020 | TCP | RCON port |
Firewall Rules
sudo ufw allow 7777/udp comment "ARK Game"
sudo ufw allow 7778/udp comment "ARK Raw UDP"
sudo ufw allow 27015/udp comment "ARK Steam Query"
sudo ufw allow 27020/tcp comment "ARK RCON"
Startup Script
nano ~/ark-server/start.sh
#!/bin/bash
cd ~/ark-server/ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux
./ShooterGameServer TheIsland?listen \
?SessionName=REXE_ARK_Server \
?ServerPassword= \
?ServerAdminPassword=STRONG_ADMIN_PASSWORD \
?Port=7777 \
?QueryPort=27015 \
?RCONEnabled=True \
?RCONPort=27020 \
?MaxPlayers=70 \
-server \
-log \
-NoBattlEye \
-crossplay \
-automanagedmods
chmod +x ~/ark-server/start.sh
Auto-Start with systemd
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/ark.service
[Unit]
Description=ARK Survival Evolved Dedicated Server
After=network.target
[Service]
Type=simple
User=ark
Group=ark
WorkingDirectory=/home/ark/ark-server/ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux
LimitNOFILE=100000
ExecStartPre=/home/ark/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/ark/ark-server +login anonymous +app_update 376030 +quit
ExecStart=/home/ark/ark-server/ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux/ShooterGameServer TheIsland?listen?SessionName=REXE_ARK?Port=7777?QueryPort=27015?RCONEnabled=True?RCONPort=27020?MaxPlayers=70 -server -log -NoBattlEye
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=30
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable ark
sudo systemctl start ark
Mod Support
Add ARK mods from Steam Workshop:
-automanagedmods \
-mods=MODID1,MODID2,MODID3
Popular mods:
| Mod | Description |
|---|---|
| Structures Plus (S+) | Advanced building system |
| Dino Storage v2 | Dino storage |
| Awesome Spyglass | Enhanced spyglass |
| HG Stacking Mod | Stack size increase |
Cluster Configuration
Connect multiple maps together with cluster setup:
mkdir -p ~/ark-cluster
The Island:
./ShooterGameServer TheIsland?listen \
?SessionName=REXE_TheIsland \
?Port=7777 ?QueryPort=27015 ?RCONPort=27020 \
-server -log -NoBattlEye \
-clusterid=REXE_CLUSTER \
-ClusterDirOverride=/home/ark/ark-cluster
Ragnarok (different ports):
./ShooterGameServer Ragnarok?listen \
?SessionName=REXE_Ragnarok \
?Port=7779 ?QueryPort=27017 ?RCONPort=27022 \
-server -log -NoBattlEye \
-clusterid=REXE_CLUSTER \
-ClusterDirOverride=/home/ark/ark-cluster
Each map in the cluster must use different ports. Allocate at least 6 GB extra RAM per additional map.
Performance Optimization
sudo sysctl -w net.core.rmem_max=26214400
sudo sysctl -w net.core.wmem_max=26214400
sudo sysctl -w fs.file-max=100000
echo 'net.core.rmem_max=26214400' | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf
echo 'fs.file-max=100000' | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf
sudo sysctl -p
Automatic Backup
nano ~/ark-server/backup.sh
#!/bin/bash
BACKUP_DIR="/home/ark/backups"
SAVE_DIR="/home/ark/ark-server/ShooterGame/Saved"
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)
mkdir -p $BACKUP_DIR
tar -czf $BACKUP_DIR/ark_$DATE.tar.gz -C $SAVE_DIR .
find $BACKUP_DIR -name "ark_*.tar.gz" -mtime +7 -delete
echo "$(date): Backup completed"
chmod +x ~/ark-server/backup.sh
crontab -e
0 */4 * * * /home/ark/ark-server/backup.sh >> /home/ark/backup.log 2>&1
RCON Management
./rcon -a localhost:27020 -p ADMIN_PASSWORD "ListPlayers"
./rcon -a localhost:27020 -p ADMIN_PASSWORD "Broadcast Server restarting in 5 minutes"
./rcon -a localhost:27020 -p ADMIN_PASSWORD "SaveWorld"
./rcon -a localhost:27020 -p ADMIN_PASSWORD "DoExit"
Conclusion
ARK: Survival Evolved dedicated server setup is done with SteamCMD. With custom taming/XP/harvest rates, mod support, and cluster configuration, you can create a unique server experience. REXE VDS high-performance infrastructure provides an ideal environment for your ARK server.
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