How to Change Ark Dino Levels: A Complete Guide

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Introduction

One of the most exciting aspects of playing Ark: Survival Evolved is the ability to encounter and tame dinos at varying levels. Adjusting the dino levels on your server is a great way to customise your gameplay, whether you’re looking for an easier experience or a greater challenge. This guide will walk you through how to change Ark dino levels by configuring the Difficulty Offset setting.

What is the Difficulty Offset in Ark?

The Difficulty Offset is a server configuration setting that determines the maximum dino level you will encounter in the game. It is expressed as a value between 0 and 1, and it affects the overall difficulty level of the game. However, it's important to understand that the Difficulty Offset is not the same as the Difficulty Level—it acts as a multiplier within a defined range.

• Difficulty Offset = 0: Sets the difficulty to a default value of 1.0, meaning dinos will spawn with a maximum level of 30.
• Difficulty Offset = 0.01: Sets the game to the lowest possible difficulty value of 0.5, with dinos spawning up to a maximum level of 15.
• Difficulty Offset = 1.0: Sets the difficulty to 4.0, allowing dinos to spawn at levels over 100.
• Intermediate Values: Any value between 0.01 and 1.0 will interpolate linearly, meaning dino levels will scale proportionately between the minimum and maximum.

Note: The developers can adjust the upper cap for difficulty (e.g., from 4.0 to 5.0). If this happens, setting the Difficulty Offset to 1.0 will scale your server to the new maximum difficulty level.

How to Change Dino Levels on Your Ark Server

1. Locate Your Server Configuration Files

To adjust the Difficulty Offset, you need access to your Ark server’s configuration files. You can do this via your hosting provider’s control panel or by directly editing the GameUserSettings.ini file.

2. Modify the Difficulty Offset

Open the GameUserSettings.ini file and find (or add) the following line under [ServerSettings]:

[ServerSettings]
DifficultyOffset=1.0

Set DifficultyOffset to your desired value:

• 0.5: For a balanced experience (approx max level 60 dinos).
• 1.0: For a challenging experience (max level 120+ dinos).

3. Save Changes and Restart Your Server

After editing the configuration file, save the changes and restart your Ark server. The new difficulty settings will take effect once the server restarts.

How Dino Levels Are Calculated

The Difficulty Offset directly impacts the wild dino levels you’ll encounter. Wild dinos spawn in increments of 5 levels, so with a Difficulty Offset of 1.0, you can encounter dinos with levels like 5, 10, 15, 20... 120, and beyond.

Difficulty Offset	Approx Max Dino Level
0.01	15
0.25	60
0.50	90
1.00	120+

Advanced Difficulty Settings

Enabling Override Difficulty

For greater control over dino levels, you can use the OverrideOfficialDifficulty setting. This setting multiplies the max level by a custom value.

OverrideOfficialDifficulty=5.0

This will scale dino levels beyond the default cap, allowing you to encounter wild dinos at even higher levels.

Combined with Difficulty Offset

The OverrideOfficialDifficulty works in tandem with the Difficulty Offset to create a customised experience:

• Difficulty Offset: 1.0
• OverrideOfficialDifficulty: 5.0

With this setup, max dino levels can reach 150+.

Tips for Customising Dino Levels

• Test Your Settings: After applying changes, log in to your server and scout for wild dinos. This ensures your settings are applied correctly.
• Scale for Your Play Style: Use lower Difficulty Offsets for casual gameplay or higher values for a hardcore challenge.
• Use Mods for Further Control: Mods like "Classic Flyers" or "Dino Overhaul" can give you even more control over dino spawns and levels.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What happens if I set the Difficulty Offset above 1.0? The Difficulty Offset is capped at 1.0. Setting it above this value will have no additional effect unless overridden by mods or custom configurations.

2. Can I change dino levels without restarting my server? Unfortunately, server restarts are required for changes to the Difficulty Offset to take effect.

3. How do I adjust difficulty on single-player mode? In single-player, you can change the Difficulty Offset via the game’s settings menu. Navigate to Host/Local > General > Difficulty Level and adjust the slider.

Conclusion

Customising the dino levels on your Ark server is a great way to tailor the game’s difficulty to your liking. By adjusting the Difficulty Offset and utilising settings like OverrideOfficialDifficulty, you can create a unique gameplay experience that suits your preferences. Whether you’re a beginner looking for a more relaxed adventure or a seasoned survivor seeking the ultimate challenge, these settings give you full control over your Ark experience.

For reliable Ark server hosting with easy configuration tools, check out EUGameHost’s Ark Hosting Services. Start customising your dino levels and elevate your gameplay today!