Vidark - Healing Station
Few things sting more in ARK: Survival Ascended than watching your prized tames limp back to base after a brutal raid or a nasty encounter with a Giga. You wait, and wait, and wait some more, watching those red health bars crawl upward at a snail's pace. Or perhaps you just pulled a creature out of a cryopod, only to realize it has 50 to 70 levels of health missing, and the thought of waiting hours for natural regeneration makes you want to log off. The Vidark - Healing Station is the answer to that age-old frustration. This mod introduces a buildable structure that actively heals every creature and player within its radius, turning a tedious downtime into a quick pit stop.
What Is the Vidark - Healing Station?
At its core, this add-on is a dedicated medical structure designed for the late-game survivor. You will need to reach level 80 to unlock the engram, and it requires both power and a special fuel source to function. The station itself consumes a new item called Vidark - Concentrated Medical Brew, which is crafted in the Chemistry Bench. This brew is not your standard healing tonic; it is ten times more potent than the regular Medical Brew, ensuring that your creatures recover at an impressive rate.
The station is designed to heal all characters in its zone quickly. However, the mod author intentionally made it "greedy" to keep the game balanced. You can only build one station in a given area, and the structure is quite fragile. In PvP scenarios, this is often the first target an enemy tribe will aim to destroy, so place it with care and defend it well. Additionally, you cannot place it on a platform saddle, which keeps it grounded as a base defense and utility structure.
Key Features and Mechanics
- Rapid Area Healing: The station heals all tames and players within its radius, eliminating the need for passive regen or individual feeding.
- Level Requirement: Unlock the engram at level 80 to build the station.
- Fuel System: Requires power and Vidark - Concentrated Medical Brew to operate.
- Single Placement: Only one station can be built per zone to prevent stacking and balance issues.
- Fragile Structure: Low health pool, making it a priority target in PvP combat.
- No Platform Saddles: Cannot be mounted on moving platforms.
Configuration and Customization
The mod offers a solid set of INI options for server administrators who want to tweak the experience. These settings are located under the [VidarkHealingStation] header in your GameUserSettings.ini file. You can adjust the structure's health, the range multiplier, the amount of health healed per tick, and the build limit distance between two stations. For example, setting StructureHealth=3000 will increase the station's durability, while RangeMultiplier=2 doubles the healing area. The RangeLimitBuild option helps prevent players from placing stations too close together, which was a fix introduced in version 42 to resolve conflicts between structures.
How to Install the Mod
Getting this mod up and running is straightforward. First, you need to download Vidark - Healing Station from the Steam Workshop or a trusted mod repository. After downloading, you will need to add the mod ID (944799) to your server's mod list or your single-player load order. If you are using a dedicated server, ensure the mod is active before the world loads. For those unfamiliar with the process, a simple guide on how to install typically involves subscribing on Steam and then restarting your game client. For server admins, the process involves adding the mod ID to the ActiveMods line in your server configuration.
When you are ready to get started, you can easily download Vidark - Healing Station for ARK: Survival Ascended and add it to your collection. Many players find that using the foxygame.net launcher simplifies the entire process, as it provides a one-click install for mods like Vidark - Healing Station, ensuring you get the correct version without manual file management. The launcher also keeps your add-ons up to date automatically, which is crucial when the game receives a patch.
Compatibility and Performance
This mod is designed for ARK: Survival Ascended and works with the current official versions of the game. It is compatible with most other mods, though you should always check for conflicts if you run a heavily modded server. The version 42 update specifically addressed issues where stations would conflict with other structures, making it safer to use alongside building mods. As with any mod, it is wise to back up your save files before introducing new content.
Final Thoughts
The Vidark - Healing Station is a game-changer for tribes that engage in frequent PvP battles or for solo players who hate downtime. It respects the balance of the game by requiring a high level, a specific fuel, and careful placement, while still delivering the convenience that makes it a must-have utility. Whether you are healing a pack of Rexes after a boss fight or just want to top off your breeding stock, this station saves you hours of real-world time. Add it to your server, tweak the INI to your liking, and say goodbye to the long wait for your creatures to recover.