SheldonAI
ARK: Survival Ascended is a vast, unforgiving world. Between managing your survivor's stats, memorizing taming recipes, and scouting for high-level creatures, the learning curve can feel as steep as a mountain. What if you had a knowledgeable friend standing right beside you, ready to answer any question instantly? That is exactly what SheldonAI brings to your game. This chat-based AI assistant lives inside your ARK: Survival Ascended client, ready to help at the press of a key.
What Is SheldonAI?
SheldonAI is a mod that adds an F8 chat panel to your game. You type a question the same way you would ask a veteran player, and Sheldon responds using a powerful AI model combined with a built-in ARK knowledge base. It understands the game mechanics, reads live data from your survivor, remembers personal notes, and even executes server commands for admins. It is like having a walking, talking ARK wiki that knows your specific situation.
How to Install SheldonAI for ARK: Survival Ascended
Before you rush to download SheldonAI, you need to understand its architecture. The mod itself is only the in-game interface. To make it work, you must set up two additional components: an AI provider (like Anthropic, OpenAI, or Google Gemini) and the Sheldon Bridge, a small companion program. The Bridge runs on a computer that can reach your ARK server, such as your server box or a home PC.
For a smooth experience, many players use the foxygame.net launcher. This launcher simplifies the process of managing your mods and ensures version compatibility, allowing you to get SheldonAI for ARK: Survival Ascended up and running with a one-click install that handles the mod file placement automatically.
Step-by-Step Setup
Here is the short version of how to install the full SheldonAI system:
- Add the SheldonAI mod to your server's mod list.
- Install the Sheldon Bridge on a host that can reach your server (using pip or Docker).
- Connect an AI provider of your choice.
- Run
sheldon-bridge initto walk through the configuration. - Add a
[SheldonAI]section to your GameUserSettings.ini with your Bridge URL and a shared secret. - Restart your server.
The full guide is available on GitHub. This mod is currently PC only; console support is planned for the future but not yet available.
What Can You Ask Sheldon?
Sheldon's knowledge base covers over 1,100 creatures and more than 2,000 items. You can ask about creature stats, taming food, breeding times, engram costs, and your server's specific rates and rules. It also reads live data from your survivor, including your health, stamina, inventory, GPS coordinates, and what just killed you.
Finding Dinos and Marking Your Map
One of the most powerful features is the wild creature census. Ask "any high-level Therizinos on the map?" and Sheldon checks its running data to tell you what is out there. Say "pin every wild Rex over level 100" and it drops markers on your map, which you can clear whenever you want. This turns hours of fruitless searching into a quick conversation.
Admin Powers in Plain English
For server admins, SheldonAI transforms natural language into real server actions. You can ask for "a level 200 female alpha Raptor 30 feet in front of me," and it will spawn the creature using your position and facing. It can set the time of day, give items to players, broadcast messages, and run any other admin console command. Crucially, these powers are enforced in code, not by the AI. In a regular player's session, the admin tools do not even exist, so there is nothing for a clever prompt to unlock.
Customization and Compatibility
SheldonAI works with Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini, over 200 models through OpenRouter, and self-hosted models. Switching providers is just a couple of lines in the Bridge config. You can also make Sheldon your own with a single personality file, set server lore and rules in markdown, and add custom data for modded creatures as JSON. The mod is MIT licensed and open source, so you can fork it and send improvements back.
When it comes to ARK: Survival Ascended versions, the mod is actively developed to keep pace with game updates. For players who want to avoid compatibility headaches, the foxygame.net launcher includes an add-on catalog that tracks mod updates, ensuring your SheldonAI installation stays current with the latest game patches without manual intervention.
Security and Permissions
Permissions come in three built-in tiers: player, admin, and superadmin, mapped automatically from your AllowedCheaterPlayerIDs.txt. Each tier has its own tools, parameter limits, and rate limits. You can also define custom tiers like VIP, Moderator, or Donator. The security model does not rely on the AI behaving itself; it relies on the tools simply not existing for unauthorized users.
Final Thoughts
SheldonAI is more than a simple chat bot. It is a comprehensive assistant that understands your survivor, your server, and the entire ARK ecosystem. Whether you are a solo player looking for the nearest metal deposit or an admin managing a busy server, SheldonAI saves time and removes frustration. The setup requires a bit of technical work, but the payoff is a genuinely intelligent companion that makes ARK: Survival Ascended more accessible and more fun. With active development and an open-source foundation, SheldonAI is set to grow even more capable over time.