Some issues are that Linux (server) was only recently announced for support and there are still some issues being worked through. In addition the game is still pretty hefty use on CPU/Memory per grid, thus clusters are getting dedicated to it entirely just to run well. So part of the issue is that you’ll see anything from 1x1 servers up to about 4x4 being the max I’ve seen. Having only one grid limits things a lot, having multiple allows a mix of PvE/PvP if the configs are done right.
Other things of note are gems/bosses and whatnot require more work too, though it appears some have things working.
It is very much not prime time ready, but there are early adopters getting through the bugs it seems.
I’m still holding off, that’s a lot of admin headache. That being said, some may not know we have a QT3 cluster of 6 servers running ARK that are linked, have cross-chat, etc. They are also all similarly modded. For the limited number of people that play, that is a HUGE amount of gameplay available. So if ATLAS is truly based on the ARK engine, I still hold my opinion that the future looks good as long as they keep patching.
Probably. Two people can probably man a schooner fairly well, especially with a couple AI on the sails. You could run around and do some maps or the like. That said there isn’t a whole ton of PvE content atm unless you really like sailing around.
There were several advertised as just that on the link I put above. The catch is that none of US is running one yet, so your on your own hunting down a good group out there.
There also appear to be private server tweaks to help with small population difficulty as well, upping exp and gathering rates, dialing down other difficulties, etc.
That time it was a ‘technical exploit’, not compromised accounts! ;)
In regards to action taken, multiple accounts have been banned in relation to this, by ourselves and BattlEye, though the evidence and our extensive logging indicates that this group does not have any specific ties to any one company, but are instead targeting streamers and large or well-known companies. We will continue our investigation and will take action on all involved accounts and companies when we learn of their involvement immediately.
Looking around the internet, it seems that this game is still in early access and struggling to keep the population up because it’s still a poorly optimized, buggy mess full of griefers. I don’t know personally.
I say this as someone who loves playing ARK and wishes there were more hours in the day in order that I might do so: Being as it’s basically ARK, but pirates instead of dinosaurs, I don’t see how it would be any other way, at least on official servers.
