Ark Coins
ARK: Survival Ascended has always been about survival, crafting, and building. But what happens when you want to introduce a robust player-driven economy to your server? That is where the Ark Coins mod steps in. This community-crafted add-on brings a tangible currency system to the island, allowing you to mint gold and silver coins from metal ingots and stash them in secure treasure chests. It is a simple concept that opens up a world of trading possibilities for you and your tribe.
This mod is designed for players who want more structure in their trading. Instead of bartering with raw resources or relying on trust, you can now exchange standardized coins. The mod has been tested and corrected for version 5.5.4, ensuring a smoother experience for those on the latest patch. While the developer notes that a future major update (maj) will fully stabilize the storage of your wealth, the current iteration is functional for creating and using the currency.
Core Features of the Currency System
Understanding the basics of Ark Coins for ARK: Survival Ascended is crucial for implementation. The mod introduces two distinct denominations, each with a specific crafting cost. This creates a natural progression and value hierarchy within your server's economy.
Gold and Silver Coin Crafting
To start your journey as a financier, you will need to gather a significant amount of metal. The conversion rates are strict, making the coins valuable and preventing inflation.
- Gold Coin: Requires 1,000 metal ingots to craft a single coin.
- Silver Coin: Requires 100 metal ingots to craft a single coin.
- Storage: A bag can hold up to 10,000 coins, with a weight of 0 per coin, making bulk storage incredibly efficient.
This weightless nature is a game-changer for logistics. You can accumulate massive wealth without being encumbered, allowing you to carry your entire treasury with you during negotiations or raids (if you are brave enough).
Treasure Chests and Item Spawning
Beyond the coins themselves, the mod adds a specific structure for safekeeping. The Treasure Chest is the intended storage solution for your minted wealth. To get started quickly, server admins or single-player users can use console commands to spawn the relevant items directly.
For example, you can use the giveitem command to spawn gold coins, silver coins, or the Treasure Chest structure itself. This is perfect for testing the mod or setting up a starter economy without grinding for the initial ingots. The commands are straightforward and follow the standard ARK admin command syntax.
Configuration and Customization via Game.ini
One of the most powerful aspects of this mod is its flexibility. You are not locked into the default settings. By editing the Game.ini file, you can tailor the economy to fit your server's specific needs. This includes adjusting crafting costs and integrating coins into loot drops.
Modifying Crafting Costs
If you feel that 1,000 ingots is too steep or too cheap for your server, you can override the requirement. The ConfigOverrideItemCraftingCosts command allows you to set a custom number of ingots required for a coin. For instance, you can change the gold coin recipe to require 5,000 ingots to make it a truly rare commodity.
Integrating Coins into Supply Drops
You can also make the world feel more alive by adding coins to standard supply crate drops. The mod includes configuration examples that allow you to place coin bundles into white beacons (SupplyCrate_Level03_C). This encourages exploration and PvE activity, as players will hunt for drops not just for gear, but for hard currency. The configuration allows you to set the quantity, weight, and quality of the coins dropped.
When you are ready to get this system running, you will need to download Ark Coins from your preferred mod repository. The installation process is standard for the game, but using a launcher can simplify the management of your mod list.
Installation and Compatibility
Getting the mod up and running is a straightforward process. For those wondering how to install, you simply subscribe to the mod on the Steam Workshop and enable it in your server's mod list. It is compatible with the current build of the game and sits alongside other mods without major conflicts, provided they do not alter the same base item classes.
To streamline the process, the foxygame.net launcher offers a one-click installation feature for Ark Coins, ensuring that the mod is placed in the correct directory without manual file moving. The launcher's add-on catalog also helps you track updates for Ark Coins, so you are always playing on the latest version.
For server owners, the foxygame.net platform provides a clean interface to manage your mod load order, which is critical for preventing crashes when running multiple large overhauls alongside Ark Coins. This auto-update feature is a lifesaver when the game patches, as it re-checks compatibility for Ark Coins automatically.
Known Limitations and Future Updates
As with many community mods, there are a few caveats to keep in mind. The developer has noted a known bug where players cannot give themselves blueprints for the items via admin commands. Additionally, while the mod is corrected for version 5.5.4, there is no absolute guarantee that your existing saved coins will survive the transition to the next major update. The developer assures that the next update (maj) will allow for normal functionality and preservation of your vault.
Despite these minor issues, Ark Coins serves as an excellent foundation for any role-playing server or a PvP server looking to add a layer of economic strategy. The ability to customize drop rates and crafting costs means you have full control over the pacing of wealth accumulation.
In conclusion, Ark Coins is a valuable addition to the ARK: Survival Ascended modding scene. It transforms the often chaotic barter system into a structured economy, giving players clear goals and a reliable medium of exchange. While you should be mindful of the current save limitations, the potential for creating a thriving in-game marketplace is immense. Download it today and start minting your fortune.