Anti Mesh Raid
If you run a server in ARK: Survival Ascended, you know the pain of mesh raiders. These players exploit the geometry of the map to slip under the world, into your carefully built cave bases, or through unguarded rock faces. It is one of the most frustrating ways to lose everything. The Anti Mesh Raid mod offers a practical, admin-controlled solution to seal those gaps and protect your community's hard work.
Originally crafted for ArkFast Servers, this tool is openly available for any server administrator. It is a work in progress, meaning the developer is actively adding more placeable kill volumes and customization options. Even in its current state, it provides a robust defense layer that is easy to set up and highly effective.
Why You Need Anti Mesh Raid for ARK: Survival Ascended
Standard building pieces often fail to block mesh raiders because players can clip through terrain or use specific exploits to bypass foundations. Anti Mesh Raid for ARK: Survival Ascended works differently. Instead of relying on physical barriers, it uses invisible, admin-placed structures that create two distinct zones: a safe zone and a kill zone. This allows you to protect a cave or base without ugly wall spam, while still giving legitimate players a clear path inside.
The mod is fully compatible with the current versions of ARK: Survival Ascended, including the latest updates to the Extinction and Aberration maps. It works alongside other popular mods like structure picking tools and stack mods, as it does not alter core game files. It simply adds new items to the admin spawn menu.
Core Features and Mechanics
The mod centers on a few key structures that you place using admin commands. Here is a breakdown of what each piece does:
- Mesh Protector: This is the heart of the system. Place it in the center of your cave. It projects a green safe zone that prevents building and protects players inside. You can adjust its radius to cover your entire base area.
- Tunnel Entrance (Type 1 & 2): These structures are placed where you want players to enter. They overlap the red kill zone and the green safe zone, creating a "gateway" that neutralizes the deadly effect for anyone passing through.
- Death Zone: This is a customizable block that you can scale and rotate. You can place multiple Death Zones to create a "shell" around your cave, especially in the mesh areas beneath the map. Any player or tame that touches the red radius will be killed instantly.
This system allows you to leave specific areas, like tunnels, free from the kill effect. This ensures that raiders who use the intended path can still raid you, but those who try to exploit the mesh will lose their characters and tames.
How to Install and Configure
Learning how to install this mod is straightforward. You do not need to be a coding expert. Simply add the mod to your server's mod list, restart, and then use the provided admin commands to spawn the structures.
For a seamless experience, many server owners use the foxygame.net launcher to manage their ARK: Survival Ascended servers. The launcher's add-on catalog allows you to locate and queue the mod for download, and it handles version compatibility checks automatically, ensuring that Anti Mesh Raid runs without conflicts on your server.
Once the mod is active, you will need to adjust the INI settings. The current configuration options are minimal but powerful:
- KillSleep: Set to
falseto have the red zone kill players and tames instantly. Set totrueto put them into an endless sleep instead. - DeathZoneDestroyInventory: Set to
trueto destroy the inventory of any player or dino killed by the Death Zone. This prevents raiders from recovering their gear.
These settings are placed in the GameUserSettings.ini file under the [AntiMesh] section. This level of control lets you decide whether to be merciful or ruthless.
Step-by-Step Setup Guide
To get started, follow this practical guide. First, cryo all your dinos if you are placing the protector in an area that already has a base. Then, place the Mesh Protector in the center of your cave. Increase its radius until the red kill zone is completely outside your build area, leaving only the green safe zone inside.
Next, place the Mesh Entrance structures where your tunnels or legitimate entry points are. They must overlap both the red and green radii to create a safe corridor. Finally, hide all the radius indicators using the mod's radial menu to keep the visual clutter down. For extra security, place Death Zones in the mesh under your base to catch anyone swimming or clipping below.
If you are running a cluster, remember that the mod is server-side. You must install it on every server in the cluster where you want protection. The mod's Discord is the best place to report bugs and get updates, as the developer is very responsive to community feedback.
Final Thoughts on Server Defense
The Anti Mesh Raid mod is a game-changer for server admins tired of losing players to exploits. It offers a clear, configurable way to define safe zones and lethal areas, ensuring that raiders must use skill and strategy rather than glitches. While it is still a work in progress, the current version is stable and highly effective. Whether you run a small private server or a large public community, this tool is a valuable addition to your arsenal. Download it, test the settings, and watch the mesh raiders cry as their exploits become useless.