WithArk 2set to introduce numerous new innovations to the franchise, the survival game should take one popular aspect fromPalworld. The indie creature catcher was a massive surprise and brought in record-setting levels of player count and profit. The game has slowed down since the first month of this success but still stands to show what small studios are capable of. Recently, the developers have announced the next update will be the biggest one yet.
Meanwhile,Ark 2may be in a state of development crisis. The highly anticipated sequel has faced numerous delays that have likely pushed the title into 2025 unless a surprise release happens in the next month. However, the refreshed take on the prehistoric survival game is said to have numerous new changes. These include changes to core systems and anew combat system inspired by soulslike games.
Ark 2 Needs More Dinosaur Involvement
Evolution Is The Name Of The Game
Dinosaurs inArkshould begin to move past their current usesof gathering, transportation, and combat. These should not be removed from the game, but there are plenty of other uses for dinosaurs that don’t get explored often enough. A prime example of this isArk: Survival Ascended’s Pyromane, which, though locked behind a creature pack, has handy uses even after it was nerfed. These include the ability to cook meat and smelt metal in its inventory.
How Ark’s Dinosaurs Can Learn From Palworld
Reducing The Survival Burden
Palworldis incredibly innovative in how it lets its creatures affect the survival aspect of the game.These features speed up crafting, cooking, and supplying powerto bases. Each Pal has different levels of effectiveness in tasks, which makes it important to know whichPals are best for every job.
Ark 2does not need to go this far, but having a variety of dinosaurs that can do regular tasks of the survival genre would be a huge boon. This could range to various levels, likehaving certain dinosaurs near a station could speed up cooking or crafting times. On a larger scale, there could be some dinosaurs capable of generating electricity to help circumvent the usual ways of fueling a generator.
Changes like this can go a long way to improving the quality ofArk 2, making it feel substantially different from its predecessors, and encouraging players to explore the world. It is fair to say thatsurvival aspects are necessary in the genre, but games likePalworldandValheimhave shown that these features do not need to be as dominant. TheArkfranchise is already difficult, and reducing the need for measures like this could allow the studio to dedicate more time to other parts of the game.
How To Balance Dinosaurs With New Functions
Useful But Not Game Breaking
Depending on the use of the dinosaur, there would have to be some balance. For dinosaurs that simply speed up crafting/cooking time, there is no need to go too far.The best solution would be to have a cap, so one person cannot tame numerous of the same and complete objectives instantly. This in itself is not a huge issue, but something to have just for the sake of preventing any major issues.
However, it is the dinosaurs that would have major implications, like electricity generation, then this becomes a more pressing issue. The simplest route would be making them extremely hard orrare tames like the Quetzal or Giganotosaurus. This gives them a reason to have a large amount of impact on the game.The alternative option if these creatures aren’t rare is to limit the amount of uses they can have. For example, a dinosaur that generates electricity can only provide a set amount over a specific period.
Overall, a feature like this could go a long way in multiple aspects. Not only does it provide the refresh the sequel seems to want to bring, but it also reduces the tedious aspects of the genre. Balance and extent would need to be properly managed, especially regarding PvP, but this is somethingArkhas largely done well with for aspects of dinosaurs outside combat. Thus, one of the many innovationsArk 2should add can be easily learned from looking at the recent success ofPalworld.
Ark: Survival Ascended
ARK: Survival Ascended is a reimagined version of the 2017 action-adventure survival MMORPG by the developers at Studio Wildcard and Grove Street Games. Built in Unreal Engine 5, players will return to ARK to build tribes, fight and tame dinosaurs, and brave the elements as they battle to survive in a unique sandbox where crafting and resource management is essential.
