Get ARK: Scorched Earth on Sale Now, and Uncover Story-Driven Explorer Notes Left Behind By Ancient Warriors
Seattle, WA – October 20, 2016 – Studio Wildcard updated its popular survival-adventure game ARK: Survival Evolved today with an arsenal of highly anticipated dinos, mechanics and features — but the most significant addition wasn’t standard procedure. By introducing procedurally generated maps into ARK’s already huge geographical landscape, Studio Wildcard gives Survivors infinite choices to generate random ARKs (maps) and to tailor them to their liking.
Players can determine a myriad of landscape options from the heights of mountains, depths of valleys, and the number of lakes, rivers or oceans, to the kinds of each biomes they want, and more! Procedurally generated maps bolster ARK’s replay value and player creativity level, adding a whole new dimension to the already immense game.
This week on Steam ARK: Scorched Earth, the first giant expansion for ARK: Survival Evolved, is on sale for $14.99 (regularly priced $19.99). This entirely new desert-themed ARK is filled with new desert biomes, creatures, gameplay mechanics, and challenges that will push players’ survival skills to the limit.
Also in update v248, three new creatures join the fray with the prey-grabbing Kaprosuchus, the boulder-tossing Chalicotherium, and the oxygen-giving Diplocaulus making their debut. Also, the ARK “Explorer Note System” finds its way into both the main Island and ARK: Scorched Earth. Found within 130 treasure chests and available now, these chests contain the stories of actual inhabitants who have previously lived on the isle, as well as provide a temporary XP buff to those Survivors who collect them. These 3D Explorer and Story Notes are punctuated with powerful personalities from a Roman Centurion to an Ancient Chinese Warrior to an Egyptian Priestess, each one chronicling their experiences on ARK and unveiling kernels of the story secrets they have uncovered. What will they reveal about the mysteries that surround the ARK?
The full ARK: Survival Evolved Update v248 features a broad spectrum of additions, including:
- New Feature: Procedurally Generated ARKs! Generate your very own totally unique, customized or randomized world!
- New Dinos: Kaprosuchus Paludentium, Diplodocus Insulaprincep, and Chalicotherium Obsideoquus
- New Mechanics:
- You can now directly wield your weapons when mount-riding smaller Dinos!
- Explorer Notes
- Tree Platforms now have +70% HP and +50% resistance to explosive damage
- Neuter/Spay Option for Tamed Dinos (irreversible!)
Kaprosuchus Paludentium: A smaller relative of the Sarcosuchus, “Kapro” is a water-based carnivore primarily found among swamps and capable of high speed running on land or in water. Kapro is a solitary hunter that picks off small -to-medium creatures, especially those isolated from their packs. Survivors are generally split about the usefulness of this dino. Some love its versatile speed, while others do not like its physical frailty and and do not think its high speed and damaging attacks make up for this shortcoming.
Diplocaulus Natatorinutrix: At home mainly on the island’s swamps, Diplocaulus Natatorinutrix is a small amphibian residing at the middle-bottom of the ecosystem. The few uses for tamed Diplocaulus include the (rather disgusting) practice of employing it as an oxygen bag. Because Diplocaulus stores air in the bladders of its head, divers can suck from these bladders to take deep breaths while submerged, supporting long-term underwater exploration without the use of external gear. Diplocaulus’ unique capability to retain vast quantities of oxygen allows to effectively remain submerged for hours at a time, usually outlasting even other amphibious creatures that might otherwise prey upon it.
Chalicotherium Obsideoquus: Found in small numbers in colder regions, Chalicotherium Obsideoquus is a primitive creature with simple behaviors. While normally a peaceful herbivore that prefers to spend its days lazing about or playing with its family, it is very territorial, and the entire family, young and old, will turn against an encroaching creature at just the slightest provocation. It’s believed that Chalicotherium is best used as a trained mobile artillery, as its unique playtime habit delivers a devastating long-range assault tactic when it is given boulders to throw, rather than snowballs!
Watch the new Ark: Survival Evolved Patch 248 Video:
Feel like riding a dinosaur? Join the ARK community forums!
ARK: Survival Evolved is in development for Xbox One via the ID@Xbox program, PlayStation 4 with VR support, and Steam PC. The game is currently playable in Microsoft’s Game Preview on Xbox One and Steam’s Early Access program, which includes Oculus Rift VR support and an integration of Steam community features such as Steam Economy and Steam Workshop for custom maps and mods. Players can host private/LAN servers and have access to a custom-built version of the Unreal Engine 4 Editor for creating mods. The world of ARK is designed to be modder-friendly and ever-expanding!
Related: ARK: Survival Evolved Free Content Brings 2 New Flying Creatures and Huge Update to The Center
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