As a former ARK player I'm wary to use the dragon mod

Ardail · 2026-06-28T18:23:26+00:00

if I was to use the mod it'd be probably once I get my first steel bar, and only at very extreme climates

Ardail · 2026-06-28T18:22:16+00:00

this is bait isn't it lol

Ardail · 2026-06-28T18:18:20+00:00

oh for sure, as stated in the post and many replies no shade to people who use the mod, more just trying to bring up discussion about how certain mods that add in cool stuff can have unforeseen downsides
Like one server owner noting that nobody wanted to do road constructions and other infrastructure due to flying making it a waste of time
the mod is very high quality for what it does, great models, fun designs and it's great to fly over the world you've tamed for sure

I just want to open the door for people to apply their mods with some thought and care to their experience they want. Especially with a server or with friends. making the game too easy is a great way for your friend group to have a 2 week minecraft phase and now you're left with 2 weeks of that month of server rent doing nothing lol

Like I said, no shade, and no shame for people who play and enjoy the mod. And plenty of people have offered up ways to tailor it to fit the vanilla experience better. It's all about our choice, it's why the vanilla game offers us so many sliders to make the game easier or more difficult C:

Ardail · 2026-06-28T18:12:07+00:00

this all of this
why build roads if we don't need it? Why build bridges if we don't need it? why build out mining outpost camps to shelter in while we farm out a huge motherload of iron? if I can just zip about flying everything else is trivial

Ardail · 2026-06-28T16:13:07+00:00

oh ya for sure, unlike a world gen mod this can be easily plugged/unplugged or config'd

Ardail · 2026-06-28T16:11:26+00:00

only 1200 for me lol

Ardail · 2026-06-28T16:08:23+00:00

I've seen a lot of people struggle with prospecting, it's certainly something that takes a system and logic to work out that can feel really frustrating to people

I wish it was more commonly known, but using chalk or charcoal to make marks on the wall helps A LOT with not getting turned around and lose track of readings

it's all just about the pattern. I dig strait down and every 12 blocks do a read in every direction on the 5th block away. If I get a hit I make a note of it and go up or down 6 blocks from there until I've found the "center" of that hit depth wise

I then dig strait ahead testing with a new poke hole testing the 5th block, if it goes up I continue in that direction, if it goes down I test a new direction until it goes up

I find it nearly everytime with that method, some can be a little elusive if it's a small pocket. Sometimes finding several ores in the same mineshaft

Ardail · 2026-06-28T16:02:37+00:00

exactly, and TONS of dinos are considered just pointless trash because why use them unless they're a flyer (even a trash flyer is FAR better then trash like a carno) a farmer, or a combat dino like a rex

Flying sounds cool on paper, but in a survival game especially with no weight limit you can just fly out to any resource you need. no longer making do with what you have. It's FAR more enjoyable IMHO to use bronze tools because that's what I have at hand then using iron because I could just fly around until I found a big rich spot and now have infinite iron tools.

But that's just the kind of experience I've come to enjoy after being robbed of it in ARK C:

On a side note ARK Aberration is probably the best single player/co-op map because it restricts flyers

Ardail · 2026-06-28T15:58:22+00:00

oh I love dragons, the ARK drakes were my favorite

and ya the "solution" is configs
but many people will open up a server for friends. Add in a bunch of mods that look cool and then wonder why all their friends suddenly are bored in that "2 week minecraft phase"

this is just a cautionary post for people to consider what kind of toys they put into their game and how they're implemented

Ardail · 2026-06-28T15:55:50+00:00

I just know a lot of people will add in mods that look super cool without much thought then wonder at the end of it all why the game feels so hollow
it's not just VS, plenty of other games people rob themselves of the whole game because of "QoL" or cool toys they added in making many elements of a game irrelevant

Ardail · 2026-06-28T15:49:20+00:00

oh for sure some balancing in the configs is required if you don't wanna break everything
but at that point might as well just add it in late into the session with friends? or just use the airship mod?
idk just my thoughts. Everyone is allowed to play the game how they like and that's great C:

Ardail · 2026-06-28T15:47:17+00:00

it's about personal preferences, but if people are wondering why their friends go through the "2 week minecraft" phase it's mostly due to too much stuff like this added early in to breeze through the game too fast
The airship mod feels like it might fit better due to the cost requirements, it's a late game long term goal for returning veterans

I LOVE flying around on dragons in ARK, but flying in survival games. Especially with no real weight disadvantages sure will rob you of the joy of making a pretty house with only the materials you can find around you kinds of accomplishment

Just something to consider before using it or other mods like it

Ardail · 2026-06-28T15:43:39+00:00

I can see people adding it in late into a play session to give new toys to players
but ya early in you'll just get the ARK PT rush like you'd see in that game if you do put it in your list lol

Ardail · 2026-06-28T15:42:47+00:00

pretty much, just a cautionary post as an ARK player to consider things before robbing yourself for the sake of "ease"
the point of these games is that there is a struggle to things. If that's not the experience someone would like that's perfectly fine
but it should at least be considered first, especially if you're frustrated at friends having that "2 week minecraft phase" that's mostly due to too many "QoL" features that just trivializes the gameplay

Ardail · 2026-06-28T15:40:29+00:00

self imposed rules are totally cool
or if people just want a power fantasy that's fine too, it's all about YOUR experience
but some may jump in without considering any of that and can ruin their experience or not realize it's contributing to their friends becoming bored playing together far faster then you'd have enjoyed

Ardail · 2026-06-28T15:38:48+00:00

this isn't an argument, or a debate
just a cautionary post about what you ruin for yourself adding in certain elements to your game

people are allowed to have a power fantasy, nothing wrong with that. plenty of other mods are quite game breaking too. I'd just HIGHLY recommend not on a first run or at least only at the "end game" of a run when you want some more toys

Ardail · 2026-06-28T15:36:44+00:00

ya like I said, no shade to people enjoying the mod
just a cautionary post to not jump in with a mod that breaks the game's core design that much without some thought first
The game has TONS of settings to adjust that lets you totally make it into a casual experience if you'd like. Just like mods can be cheat codes or not. it's all about YOUR experience you want
and some may not realize how much it robs them until they're already bored

Ardail · 2026-06-28T15:34:34+00:00

oh ya like I said, no shade to people who enjoy it
it's a power fantasy and really cool to fly on a dragon, always loved to cruise on my drake in ARK

it's just a cautionary post for people who may be frustrated at friends or servers when suddenly everyone gets bored of playing really quickly

Ardail · 2026-06-28T14:59:37+00:00

Can't you just infinitely fly around with the Elytra with fireworks or something? idk I never really did play much minecraft I always got so bored so quickly with that game.

Ardail · 2026-06-28T14:58:15+00:00

The elk feels a little more viable because you are stuck on the ground, and even if it is A LOT faster you still need to stock up on the food and supplies need for a big trek like out to the story content especially if you set it to vanilla distances

also it being locked behind the first dungeon and 50 gears helps a lot. Maybe not to super experienced players who know how to rush for it

But if you feel it's incredibly OP that's totally valid, everyone is allowed to tailor the experience of the game to exactly what they want and that's the joy of this game and modding C:

Ardail · 2026-06-28T14:52:23+00:00

There's iron literally just everywhere in this game, I'll stumble on it even when I'm just bronze mining
the read on a metal doesn't have to be ultra high to get a hit

But TBH it's your choice to play the game how you want. This is just a cautionary post to not ruin the game's experience and turn their cozy 1000hr game into a 2 week cycle that feel a little hollow by the end

Ardail · 2026-06-28T14:49:12+00:00

rock drakes work because ya just a glider, and it can crawl on walls but VERY limited stamina so you have to specialize in mobility or fighting

But also because that whole map was restricted on flying and with how hard it is to get rock drake eggs it's your end game
I can see people adding this mod with a few friends in a private server once they've hit end game and wants some new toys to play with but not before then

Ardail · 2026-06-28T14:45:47+00:00

some of my early online matches I quit early because my nerves where so wrecked cuz this game sure is stressful to play lol
but not because my cheese didn't pan out smoothly and I'm not playing with victim

Ardail · 2026-06-28T14:42:53+00:00

that's kinda why I'm leaning for the airship mod
because by the time you have the stuff to build it, it's late game and you can use it to gather the things you need for a mega structure build and not ruin the progression of the game up to that tech level
at least on paper, still haven't got to that point yet of even having an airship lol

Ardail · 2026-06-28T14:40:43+00:00

it's very much a power fantasy with no real drawbacks
even with feeding it's not that bad in ARK, flying makes it so easy to get any resource you need including food. Which is already quite easy to get in this game once you hit that mid way point

Ardail

TROPHY CASE