7.0 KiB
ARK: Survival Evolved — Mod Reference
Server mods loaded via GAME_MOD_IDS in the compose file.
Load order matters. Mods are loaded in the order their IDs appear in
GAME_MOD_IDS. Content-heavy mods like Primal Fear must go first.
Quick Reference Table
| # | Mod Name | Workshop ID | Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Super Structures | 1999447172 | Building | Building overhaul + built-in automation (collector, crafter) |
| 2 | Dino Storage v2 | 1609138312 | Creature Mgmt | Pokéball-style creature storage |
| 3 | Death Recovery Mod | 751991809 | QoL | Gravestone on death; recover lost items |
| 4 | Awesome Spyglass! | 1404697612 | QoL | Shows dino stats, player info, loot, eggs at range |
| 5 | Lethals Reusables | 1967741708 | QoL | Reusable parachutes/tools; removes durability from hazmat/scuba |
| 6 | Upgrade Station v1.8i | 821530042 | QoL | Upgrade armor, weapons, and tools beyond base tier |
| 7 | Primal Fear | 839162288 | Content | Adds tiered dino variants (Toxic → Elemental). PvE focused. |
| 8 | Improved Dinos | 479929837 | Content | Rare dino spawns with better loot and harder fights |
| 9 | Shiny! Dinos | 2016338122 | Content | Rare color-variant dinos to hunt and tame |
| 10 | Immersive Taming | 1251632107 | Content | Hand-feed and interact with creatures to tame; more natural feel |
| 11 | Higher Difficulty | 687208953 | Content | Raises dino level cap up to 9600 |
| 12 | Marniimods: Wildlife | 1984936918 | Content | Adds non-dino animals (owls, etc.) with saddles |
| 13 | The World Turtle | 936959483 | Content | Massive tameable turtle; functions as a mobile base |
| 14 | Dino Tracker | 924933745 | Utility | GPS device to locate tamed dinos on the map |
| 15 | More Turrets and Turret Tools | 771785590 | Defense | New turret types with auto-refill capability |
| 16 | Rideable Dodos | 502202937 | Fun | Makes dodos mountable. Important. |
Mod Details
Building & Automation
Super Structures 1999447172
Fork of S+ with a cleaner codebase and fewer bugs. Adds snapping, auto-doors/gates, silent structures, and fuel-free torches. Also includes a built-in automation suite — this replaces the need for a dedicated automation mod:
- SS Item Collector — periodically sweeps nearby containers and dinos for specified items (eggs, feces, resources) and deposits them
- SS Item Aggregator — combines Hatchery, Gardener, Collector, and Farmer roles; less server-intensive than the old per-role structures
- SS Auto-Crafter — automates crafting queues with materials pulled from nearby storage
- Resource pull — integrated into the inventory UI; works on any container
Dedicated "automation mods" (Automated Ark, AA3) are both effectively abandoned and broken post-Aquatica. Super Structures' built-in tools cover the same ground and are actively maintained.
Quality of Life
Dino Storage v2 1609138312
Capture tamed creatures into a glass sphere (effectively a Pokéball). No debuffs on release. Fast-capture feature makes it practical for large collections. Reduces server strain from keeping hundreds of dinos loaded in the world.
Death Recovery Mod 751991809
Places a gravestone at your death location. You can retrieve all lost items from it. Eliminates the most frustrating part of ARK for casual servers.
Awesome Spyglass! 1404697612
Replaces the vanilla spyglass. Points at dinos to see HP, torpor, level, and stats. Works on players, structures, eggs, and supply drops too. Essential for evaluating tame candidates.
Lethals Reusables 1967741708
Makes parachutes, grappling hooks, and tools reusable. Removes durability from hazmat suits and scuba gear. Significantly reduces the grind around utility items.
Upgrade Station v1.8i 821530042
Adds an upgrade workbench that lets you push armor, weapons, and tools to higher quality tiers. Gives purpose to otherwise-marginal blueprints.
Content & Creatures
Primal Fear 839162288
Massive content mod. Adds tiered dino variants: Toxic, Alpha, Apex, Fabled, Buffoon, Celestial, Demonic, Elder, and Elemental. Each tier is harder to tame but stronger. Boss dinos included. PvE only — not designed for PvP. Must be first in mod load order. Incompatible with mods that override vanilla creatures (e.g. Classic Flyers).
Improved Dinos 479929837
Spawns rare dino variants with increased difficulty and guaranteed high-quality blueprint drops on kill. Makes the world feel more alive and rewards exploration.
Shiny! Dinos 2016338122
Rare, distinctively-colored dino spawns. Inspired by Pokémon shinies. Adds a collectible hunt layer to taming without changing core mechanics.
Immersive Taming 1251632107
Replaces the traditional knockout/force-feed taming loop with a trust-based approach — feeding and interacting with creatures over time. More natural feel on PvE servers. Can coexist with standard taming methods.
Higher Difficulty 687208953
Raises the server-side dino level cap. Vanilla max is 150; this mod pushes it up to 9600. Pairs well with Primal Fear since tiered dinos need room to scale.
Marniimods: Wildlife 1984936918
Adds non-dinosaur animals to the world — owls and others, many with saddles. Fills out the ecosystem beyond the vanilla creature roster.
The World Turtle 936959483
A massive tameable turtle that functions as a mobile base platform. More a novelty than a meta choice, but a strong server centerpiece.
Utility & Defense
Dino Tracker 924933745
A GPS-style device that lets you locate any of your tamed dinos on the map. Useful once your collection grows and dinos wander or get left at outposts.
More Turrets and Turret Tools 771785590
Adds new defensive turret types beyond vanilla and a tool for auto-refilling ammo. Useful even on PvE servers for base defense against wild dinos.
Fun
Rideable Dodos 502202937
Exactly what it says.
Suggested Load Order
If using multiple mods, prioritize content mods before QoL mods:
GAME_MOD_IDS=839162288,1999447172,1609138312,751991809,1404697612,479929837,2016338122,1251632107,687208953,1984936918,936959483,1967741708,821530042,924933745,771785590,502202937
Primal Fear (839162288) first. Super Structures (1999447172) second. Adjust order if mod conflicts arise.