Ark: Survival Ascended Gets a Tidy-Up: Ragnarok Sandstorms Feeling Less Apocalyptic Now
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
A new update for Ark: Survival Ascended focuses on bug fixes and performance improvements, particularly for the Ragnarok Ascended DLC, aiming to smooth out gameplay and address player frustrations – fewer laggy sandstorms, more Basilosaurus, and working labyrinth puzzles? Sounds good!
Right, so the dinosaurs are still trying to eat your face off in Ark: Survival Ascended, but at least things are running a bit smoother now, eh? Studio Wildcard dropped update v68.34 on July 18th, and fair dinkum, it's mostly about bug fixes and performance tweaks, particularly for the Ragnarok Ascended DLC. (Big shoutout to Game Rant for spotting this first!)
Now, Ragnarok Ascended is a massive Norse-inspired map – we're talking 144 square kilometers of icy fjords and fiery volcanoes. Sounds epic, right? Well, it was giving some players a proper headache with low frame rates, especially during those pesky sandstorms. Picture this: you're trying to outrun a T-Rex, and suddenly the game decides to imitate a slideshow. Not ideal, mate. So, the good news is, this update tackles that head-on. Hopefully, those sandstorms will be a bit less…apocalyptic…for your framerate.
But that's not all, folks. Remember that labyrinth puzzle in Ragnarok? The one that was supposed to test your wits, not your patience? Apparently, it wasn't always registering input codes correctly after a wrong guess. Imagine finally cracking the code after hours of head-scratching, only for the game to tell you to bugger off. Talk about frustrating! Thankfully, this update should sort that out.
And for those of you who reckon there weren't enough Basilosaurus swimming about in Ragnarok, well, you're in luck! The spawns have been increased. Now, I'm not entirely sure why you'd *want* more of those things lurking in the deep (they're a bit bitey, if you ask me), but hey, each to their own, right?
It's not just Ragnarok getting some love, either. The update also includes fixes for the base game and mod maps. The save icon should now appear correctly for mod maps, and you should be able to delete saves when needed. (Always a relief – nobody wants to be stuck with a corrupted save file, do they?) They've also fixed those backup saves for mod maps, which is crucial for anyone diving deep into the modding scene. These fixes will be helpful for players looking to load up mod maps in Ark: Survival Ascended and make sure their saves and progress are maintained.
There's also a couple of minor, but welcome, fixes. Thylacoleo's swim animation (when holding jump) has been fixed, and items should no longer sink into the landscape when you drop them. Small things, but they add up, don't they?
Look, let's be honest, Ark: Survival Ascended has had a bit of a rocky start. Mixed reviews on Steam, grumbles about performance, and the age-old debate about DLCs (are they worth it? Are they not?). But Studio Wildcard seems committed to ironing out the creases, and this update is a step in the right direction. Plus, they're promising another content drop in August, so there's more to look forward to. We will continue to monitor the situation, but it seems that the development team is committed to addressing the various community concerns.
So, keep your spears sharp, your dinosaurs tamed, and your fingers crossed that the next update brings even more improvements. After all, what’s the point of surviving if you can't do it in style (and with a decent framerate)?
Tags: Ark: Survival Ascended, Ragnarok Ascended, Update, Patch Notes, Survival Game
Original article: Game Rant