ARK is one of the most demanding survival games to host — and one of the most customisable. Here's how to run it well: RAM, mods, clusters and the settings that matter.
Step 1 — Respect the RAM
ARK is famously hungry. Plan generously:
- 6 GB — a small vanilla map with a few friends.
- 8–12 GB — a populated map with a moderate mod list.
- 16 GB+ — heavy mods or running several maps in a cluster.
Mods stack onto RAM fast — each big content mod adds load. If your server starts lagging or failing to boot, the answer is almost always more RAM or fewer mods. Our plans upgrade in place, so start where you are and scale.
Step 2 — Deploy
- Order an ARK plan (size for your mods) and pick ARK at checkout.
- Your Pterodactyl panel login arrives by email within minutes; the egg installs the dedicated server via SteamCMD.
- Choose your map (The Island, Ragnarok, etc.) in the startup variables and start it.
Step 3 — Steam Workshop mods
With full file access you add mods by listing their Workshop IDs in your server's mod setting; the server downloads and loads them on start. Order matters for some mods (stack maps/overhauls correctly), and every mod must match the server version — keep them updated together.
Step 4 — Rates & rules (GameUserSettings.ini)
This is where ARK becomes your server. Edit GameUserSettings.ini (and Game.ini for advanced tuning) to set XP, harvest and taming rates, day/night length, structure limits, PvP/PvE, and dozens of other options. The panel's file manager and config editor make this painless — change, save, restart.
Step 5 — Clusters (multiple maps)
Want players to move characters and tames between maps? Run several ARK instances and link them as a cluster by giving them a shared cluster ID and directory. Players then transfer through obelisks/terminals. It multiplies RAM needs, but it's how the big ARK communities work.
Step 6 — Admin
Set an admin password in your config, then use enablecheats in-game (or the panel console) for admin commands. Take a backup before big mod changes — our plans include daily backups and you can snapshot manually.
Our ARK hosting runs on SSD bare metal with DDoS protection, daily backups, full file access and cluster support, from €4.99/mo.
FAQ
How much RAM does an ARK server need?
About 6 GB for a small vanilla map, 8–12 GB for a populated map with a moderate mod list, and 16 GB+ for heavy mods or a multi-map cluster. ARK is memory-hungry — size up if it lags or won't boot.
How do I install mods?
List the Steam Workshop mod IDs in your server's mod setting via the panel; the server downloads them on start. Keep mods matched to the server version and mind load order.
Can I run a cluster across maps?
Yes — run multiple ARK instances with a shared cluster ID/directory so players transfer characters and tames between maps. It needs proportionally more RAM.
How do I change XP and taming rates?
Edit GameUserSettings.ini (and Game.ini for advanced options) via the panel's file/config editor, then restart. Almost every rule and rate is adjustable.
Originally published at overnight.host. We run a small, honest hosting company on dedicated bare metal — Linux & Windows VPS, game servers, web hosting. Live status at up.overnight.host.
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