Ported Fjordhawk
Losing your hard-earned gear to a sudden Rex ambush or a fatal fall is a rite of passage in the world of dinosaurs, but it does not have to be permanent. The Ported Fjordhawk brings back one of the most beloved utility creatures from the previous generation, now fully adapted for ARK: Survival Ascended. This magnificent bird acts as a personal insurance policy, swooping in to retrieve your inventory and equipped armor when you meet an untimely end. Whether you are exploring the dense forests of The Island or scaling the peaks of Ragnarok, having this companion on your shoulder ensures that your adventures do not end with a naked respawn.
Why You Need This Aerial Companion
The primary function of the Fjordhawk is its unique ability to secure player items upon death. Unlike other tames that simply fight alongside you, this creature actively manages your loot. When a player dies, the Fjordhawk grabs all equipped armor and inventory items, holding them safely for up to three in-game days. Once you respawn, the bird will fly to your location and return your belongings, saving you the treacherous journey back to your corpse. This feature is particularly invaluable in hardcore servers or during deep cave runs where retrieving a death bag manually might be impossible.
Beyond its resurrection mechanics, the Fjordhawk serves as an excellent scout. Similar to the Direwolf, it can highlight wild dinosaurs with low health, allowing hunters to prioritize easy targets. Additionally, it possesses the dexterity to pick up dropped item bags by throwing them from your shoulder, adding a layer of convenience to resource gathering and base management. It is important to note that while the bird is powerful, taming progress is only dealt by player damage; attacks from your other tames will not contribute to knocking it out, preserving the challenge of the original gameplay loop.
Installation and Version Compatibility
Getting this essential mod running on your local game or private server is straightforward. Players looking to download Ported Fjordhawk can find it through the standard in-game mod browser or various community repositories. The add-on is designed to be compatible with the latest versions of ARK: Survival Ascended, ensuring stability across updates. For those managing dedicated servers, understanding how to install the configuration correctly is vital to customize the experience to your tribe's needs.
For users who prefer a streamlined setup process, the foxygame.net launcher offers a distinct advantage by integrating a comprehensive add-on catalog that allows for one-click installation of the Ported Fjordhawk while automatically handling version compatibility checks. This eliminates the common headache of mismatched mod versions that often crash servers or prevent joining multiplayer sessions. By utilizing such tools, administrators can ensure that the rescue mechanics function exactly as intended without manual file manipulation.
Spawn Locations and Map Support
The Ported Fjordhawk for ARK: Survival Ascended is programmed to spawn naturally on any map that utilizes the "DinoSpawnEntriesMountain_C" spawn entry. Currently, this includes popular maps such as:
- The Island
- The Center
- Ragnarok
- Valguero
- Crystal Isles
As future maps are released for ASA, the mod is expected to remain compatible provided the spawning logic remains consistent. If you prefer to bypass the wild spawn hunt, you can utilize admin cheat commands to summon the creature directly. The spawn code for the character is gmsummon "Fjordhawk_Port_Character_BP_C" 150 0 0, and there is also a chibi skin available for collectors via the command gfi PrimalItemSkin_ChibiDino_Fjordhawk_Port 1 0 0.
Server Configuration and Known Issues
Server administrators have full control over the recovery mechanics through the configuration file. The key setting is DeadPlayerLootCooldown, which defines the waiting period in seconds before the Fjordhawk can retrieve items after a death. The default is set to 900 seconds (15 minutes), but this can be adjusted to fit the pacing of your server. Editing the [PortedFjordhawk] section in your GameUserSettings.ini allows for this customization.
Players should be aware of a few minor quirks currently present in this port. The creature lacks a proper death animation, which has led to the disabling of corpse dragging, though it can still be harvested for resources. Occasionally, the Fjordhawk may consume wild dinosaur corpses from slightly further away than expected, a tweak implemented to fix earlier feeding bugs. Furthermore, visual glitches may occur where the bird does not sit perfectly on the shoulder if the player character has heavily customized appearance settings, though default models display correctly.
Conclusion
The addition of the Fjordhawk significantly enhances the quality of life in ARK: Survival Ascended without removing the inherent danger of the world. It strikes a perfect balance between utility and challenge, offering a safety net that requires effort to obtain and maintain. Whether you are a solo survivor tired of losing blueprints or a tribe leader wanting to protect your members' gear, this mod is an essential download. Embrace the skies and let the Fjordhawk ensure that death is merely a temporary setback rather than a game-ending disaster.