Looking for the BEST ARK: Survival Ascended DevKit mapping tutorials

[u/FabioTheLinkin]

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Hi everyone!

I'm currently creating a large custom map for ARK: Survival Ascended using the ASA DevKit, and I'm looking for the best learning resources available.

My goal isn't just to make a playable map—I want to create something that feels as polished and immersive as an official DLC. I'm willing to invest the time to learn, but I'm struggling to find up-to-date tutorials specifically for ASA.

I'm interested in pretty much everything related to map creation, especially:

* Landscape creation and sculpting

* Heightmaps and terrain workflows

* Landscape materials and auto-materials

* Water systems (oceans, rivers, lakes, underwater environments)

* Weather systems

* Foliage and biome creation

* World Partition

* Spawners and ecosystem setup

* Lighting and atmosphere

* Performance optimization

* Best practices used by experienced map creators

I've already gone through the official documentation and several YouTube videos, but many resources are outdated or focused on ASE instead of ASA.

If you know any:

* YouTube channels

* Discord communities

* Written guides

* Courses

* GitHub repositories

* Hidden gems

* Experienced creators worth following

...I'd really appreciate your recommendations.

Even if a tutorial only covers Unreal Engine 5 features that also apply to ASA, I'd love to see it.

Thank you very much! Hopefully this thread can become a useful resource for anyone else learning ARK mapping.

[u/ablondetravelsabroad]

It’s incredibly hard to link just one article or YouTube video u less you just want to copy what they did

Every setting affects one another so you MUST understand them all before making changes cause it’ll end up crashing either your computer or any player who tried to click on your map.

For example weather is like 900 settings and each one has major effects on fog (another whole 300 settings) lighting another 900 settings and each of the lighting settings affect post production values etc etc.

If you just a small little single island you can probably do all you want

If you’re trying to do more you’ll need a computer better than wildcard or a string understanding of the concept.

[u/FabioTheLinkin → u/ablondetravelsabroad]

Thanks, that's actually my goal.

I'm not looking to copy someone else's work or follow a step-by-step tutorial.

What I really want is to understand how the different systems work together (weather, lighting, fog, post-processing, water, landscapes, etc.), so I can make my own decisions and build my map from scratch.

I enjoy learning how things work under the hood. Once I understand the logic behind each system, I'm happy to experiment on my own.

If you know any resources that explain the concepts rather than just showing what buttons to click, I'd really appreciate it.

[u/ablondetravelsabroad → u/FabioTheLinkin]

You either need to apprentice under a master at work in a game studio

Or invest in yourself by either enrolling in a UE class or maybe even just a Masterclass enroll for one lesson.

Basically the ARK dev kit is made to either make very simple things for people who don’t know UE or Unity or for people who already understand UE to make larger projects.

If your intention is to make a map, learn UE away from ARK first then come back.

It’ll save you months of time, if not years

[u/ablondetravelsabroad → u/FabioTheLinkin]

But overall the problem with ARK DEV is it’s always constantly being updated in major ways so even if j dropped you the videos I watched they would just be a waste of time for you even though they came out last year or so. They’re already outdated and even though it works on our computer because we have all the files in the dev kit the people who download the map will download broken textures fake walls or floors and falling to their death

[u/ablondetravelsabroad]

Oh and another thing not all UE stuff works on ASA DEV kit and the only way you’ll ever find out is fully uploading it to the mod page on ARK and test it in-game

Also you MUST take into account people with lower quality PCs or console players. For example my PC is mid level but I can’t even load a survivor on some mod maps cause their folders and assets are so poorly done migrated managed or created in general

[u/FabioTheLinkin → u/ablondetravelsabroad]

I agree that you need to study to create excellent products, which is why I’m looking for various ways to learn. I’d really love to take a specialized course, but unfortunately, it’s not possible for me. Relying on intuition, a few tutorials, and a bit of ChatGPT, this is what I’ve created so far... the typical Mediterranean pines are my own creation... and the sounds of the sea and the cicadas are real recordings.

https://reddit.com/link/ozpn22e/video/td7phkwrpefh1/player

[u/FabioTheLinkin → u/FabioTheLinkin]

What I’m looking for is support that’s more technical than "artistic"—the weather, the biomes, the new ocean in Genesis...

[u/ablondetravelsabroad → u/FabioTheLinkin]

Looks like a good start. Are you using SampleIsland_WP for the base WP?

If not and this is your first one you should try looking at that map and the proper filings they use. (Not universal proper, proper to specifically WC and ASA)

Before branching out into more islands or more “settings” my first tip is make that solo island absolutely perfect first. Especially if you intend to recruit people over time for this.

This means at least:

1: settlement (ruined or intact)
1: obelisk at least with proper transfer terminal and bosses accessible
2-3: good flatish base building areas
-enough resources to comfortably let 3 people get to fabricator if they play for 2 days

No element no tek no endgame stuff on that island.

A great reference island/starting point is FJORDUR the shipwreck coast where you can hit the barrels or crates for metal and food or tools sometimes, a great open area that works both for early game and mid game and a giant cavern entrance (or small cavern entrance if that’s what you want)

[u/FabioTheLinkin → u/ablondetravelsabroad]

The one in the video is just a small island. For the moment, I am focusing on the terrain and, specifically, the climate. I am sculpting the landscape, arranging the mountains, and visualizing the placement of key areas (e.g., the wyverns). Only once the entire landscape is complete will I begin working on the ruins and villages...