DevKit

The ARK DevKit is a version of the Unreal Editor that simplifies the mod creation and sharing process for  ARK: Survival Ascended. The  ARK: Survival Evolved version is known as ARK ModKit. Many principles are shared between both games in a modding context, with exceptions primarily in some methods of modding only being possible in one or the other.

Installation

Both DevKits are available on the Epic Store for Windows:

• ARK DevKit (UE5/ARK: Survival Ascended)
• ARK ModKit (UE4/ARK: Survival Evolved)

Official resources

• While designed for ASE, the Wildcard Workshop series of tutorials is mostly relevant for ASA modding as well. The most important exception is the initial setup of the PGD and level file no longer being necessary in ASA when using a template, and using the ModDataAsset to insert PGD values rather than directly into the PGD like in ASE.
• The ARK DevKit Docs contains the ASA focused documentation on some of the systems used by the game, as well as setup for new mods and linking with CurseForge for distribution.

Information

General

• Installation and uploading
• Mod setup
• Centralized code- CCAs/Singletons
• Harvesting
• INI configuration

Structures

• Defaults
• Snap points

Items

• Defaults
• Equippables

Creatures

• Defaults

Editing existing creatures

• Buffs
• CDOs
• Remaps

Creating new creatures

• Art assets- animations, models and textures
• Animation Blueprints

Mapping

• ASA level structure
• ASE level structure
• Harvestables
• Spawners
• Environment and weather