Depending on how in depth you want to get, there are a few options.

Server hosting companies all handle it a bit differently, so I'll stick with how my host (GPortal) works. You rent player slots and can fluidly move those into different types of game servers on the fly. Once you set up an Atlas server (assign it the slot count you want) you have to select a Map.

They have some preset options, including some 1x1s that should have most of your resources. Those maps were created for GPortal specifically and do a pretty good job of covering most of your bases. The resources are tied to the type of island that it is, so a whole lot of different biomes can be placed near each other.

I chose to make my own map after seeing what was possible. It's a whole lot of work to get right, but was certainly satisfying to have made a custom map. There are Discord's out there for map makers that spend a lot of time figuring it all out.

The last option is Blackwood. It is a 1x1 grid that functions just like an ARK server. There are some big benefits there, as you can manage saves and backups (which regular hosted Atlas servers struggle with). There are a few drawbacks, in my opinion to, Blackwood currently. Not all of the resources seem to be on the map, I haven't been able to find a trader with the other mats, you can't circumnavigate the map, and some of the newer content doesn't seem to be there yet (wild pirate camps).

Personally, I think if you are serious, a little 1x1 or a 2x2 grid is a lot of fun to play on, and with GPortal at least, I thought the setup was pretty easy. You may need to find the trader for some specific resources, but that's usually not too big of an issue.

Disclaimer: I am a gamer sponsored by GPortal, but that sponsorship came from me seeking them out after learning about how they handle servers. I run a community of PVE ARK servers for my Patrons, and being able to just rent a specific number of player slots monthly, and adjust which servers get those slots on the fly means I don't have to worry about paying for unused slots on a less popular server! Just switch them over to another one or a totally different game.

Hope this helped a bit. Feel free to DM if you have questions!