Elite Dinos (Discontinued)
ARK: Survival Ascended players who love the idea of towering over the island on the back of a colossal creature will find a lot to appreciate in the Elite Dinos (Discontinued) mod. This add-on took the familiar creatures of the ARK and super-sized them, turning normally small or non-rideable animals into massive, saddle-free mounts. While the mod is no longer in active development, it remains a fascinating piece of ARK modding history that many players still seek out for their single-player worlds and private servers.
What Makes Elite Dinos (Discontinued) Unique?
The core concept of this mod was refreshingly simple: every creature it touched became a larger version of itself. More importantly, these oversized variants were made rideable without requiring a saddle. That single change opened up a world of possibilities, allowing survivors to use creatures that were previously only useful for gathering or as shoulder pets. The mod was designed to be totally balanced with vanilla gameplay and PvP mode, so you wouldn't find overpowered stats or game-breaking abilities. Instead, you got the same creature, just with a massive size increase and the ability to ride it.
No Saddles, No Problem
One of the most appealing aspects of this mod was the removal of the saddle requirement. In the base game, many creatures are either too small to ride or require a specific saddle that can be difficult to craft. Elite Dinos (Discontinued) bypassed that entire mechanic. You could tame a giant Dodo and hop on its back without needing anything but the tame itself. This made early-game travel more fun and gave players a reason to tame creatures they might otherwise ignore.
KO Taming for All
Every creature added by this mod used knockout taming. There were no complicated feeding troughs, no passive tames, and no need to sneak up behind a creature with food in your hand. You simply knocked the giant beast out, fed it, and waited for it to wake up as your loyal mount. This straightforward approach made the mod accessible to players of all skill levels, from ARK veterans to newcomers just learning the ropes.
Creatures Included in the Mod
The mod covered a wide range of creatures, each sharing the same spawn points as their vanilla counterparts. This meant you didn't have to search for new locations or explore dangerous new biomes to find them. You would simply encounter the Elite version alongside the normal ones. Here is a breakdown of some of the notable creatures included:
- Elite Achatina: A giant snail that could be ridden, turning a slow resource gatherer into a quirky mount.
- Elite Titanomyrma Drone: Both ground and flying ant variants were included, offering unique insect mounts.
- Elite Archaeopteryx: This gliding creature became a much larger and more viable travel option.
- Elite Onyc: The giant bat became a formidable flying mount for cave exploration.
- Elite Titanoboa: A massive snake that could finally be tamed and ridden, a dream for many players.
- Elite Dilo: The spitting Dilophosaur became a larger, more intimidating companion.
- Elite Dimorphodon: A giant version of the aggressive flyer, perfect for scouting.
- Elite Dodo: The iconic meme creature became a hilarious, giant rideable mount.
- Elite Meganeura: A giant dragonfly that offered a unique aerial perspective.
- Elite Eurypterid: The sea scorpion became a rideable aquatic mount.
- Elite Hyaenodon: A larger version of the dog-like predator, great for hunting.
- Elite Ichthyornis: The seagull pest became a much larger, rideable bird.
- Elite Microraptor: A giant version of the annoying dismounting creature, now a mount itself.
- Elite Mesopithecus: The monkey became a large, rideable primate.
- Elite Otter: A giant otter, perfect for those who want a cute but massive companion.
- Elite Oviraptor: The egg-stealing thief became a large, rideable mount.
- Elite Pegomastax: The item-stealing pest became a larger, more controllable mount.
- Elite Piranha: A giant piranha for river travel.
- Elite Troodon: The night-stalking predator became a large, rideable terror.
How to Install and Spawn Elite Dinos
If you want to experience this mod, you will need to find a way to download Elite Dinos (Discontinued) for ARK: Survival Ascended. Since it is discontinued, it may not appear in the in-game mod browser. However, you can often find the files on community mod sites or through archived collections. The installation process typically involves placing the mod folder into your ARK: Survival Ascended mod directory. For those looking for a smoother experience, the foxygame.net launcher offers a curated add-on catalog that sometimes includes legacy mods like Elite Dinos (Discontinued), making it easier to manage version compatibility and install files with a single click rather than manually sorting through folders.
Using Spawn Commands
Once installed, you can use admin commands to spawn these creatures directly. For tamed versions, you would use the GMSummon command. For example, to spawn a tamed Elite Dodo, you would type: Cheat GMSummon "Elite_Dodo_Character_BP_C" 120. For wild versions, you would use the SpawnDino command with the full blueprint path. Each creature has its own specific code, so you will want to reference the mod's documentation for the exact strings. The mod was designed to work with the standard ARK: Survival Ascended versions available at the time of its release, and most players found it compatible with the major updates of that era.
Why Play a Discontinued Mod?
You might wonder why anyone would bother with a mod that is no longer updated. The answer lies in the unique gameplay it offers. There is no other mod quite like it that provides such a simple, balanced, and comprehensive size increase for so many creatures. For players who enjoy collecting and riding unusual mounts, Elite Dinos (Discontinued) offers a sandbox of possibilities. It is also a great way to revisit the game with a fresh perspective, especially if you have already tamed everything the vanilla game has to offer.
Balanced for PvP and PvE
The mod's commitment to balance was its strongest feature. In many creature mods, the new additions are overpowered and ruin the game's difficulty curve. This mod avoided that pitfall. The Elite creatures were simply larger versions of their base counterparts, meaning their stats scaled proportionally. This made them viable in both PvE and PvP settings without breaking the meta. You could use a giant Dilo in a raid or a massive Otter as a tanky mount without feeling like you were cheating.
For those who enjoy tweaking their game, the foxygame.net launcher also provides automatic update checks for installed mods, which can be helpful if you are mixing this discontinued add-on with other, more active mods that might receive patches. This ensures that your game remains stable even when other parts of your mod list change.
Final Thoughts on Elite Dinos (Discontinued)
Elite Dinos (Discontinued) is a testament to the creativity of the ARK modding community. It took a simple idea and executed it perfectly, providing hours of fun for players who wanted to see their favorite small creatures in a new light. While the mod is no longer supported, its legacy lives on in the memories of the players who used it and in the archives of mod databases. If you are looking for a way to spice up your ARK: Survival Ascended experience with giant, saddle-free mounts, this is definitely a mod worth tracking down. Just remember to follow the proper installation steps and enjoy the sheer absurdity of riding a giant Dodo into battle.