ARK: Survival Evolved v278.73 just arrived on PC, and adds a few small bug fixes in advance of the planned Dino TLC update release on March 21. The tweaks aren't substantial, which makes them easier to overlook than some of the more significant updates. .
Courtesy of the official patch notes from Studio Wildcard, here's what the latest update includes.
Current Version: 278.73
- Fixed bug that prevented tribe renaming
- Separated C4 into their own structure limit category with a limit of 150 per 50m
- Plugged various holes used to undermesh in The Center, The Island and Aberration (server side only for now)
- Fixed Therizino and Moschops cloning exploit
- Plant Z healing effectiveness reduced to 0.5 percent HP per second for players and 0.33 percent HP per second for Dinos (with a cap of 80)
While there isn't too much to discuss in terms of substantial gameplay adjustments, fans of ARK: Survival Evolved know big changes are due in the second phase of the Dino TLC update. Here's a quick summary of how the game's most beloved Dinos will change when that update releases on March 21.
- Parasaur: No visual updates. A new on-command vocalization alerts players to nearby foes and scares small creatures. When riding a Parasaur, the creature gives off an echolocation blast that highlights nearby enemies. Starters will appreciate that the Parasaur has essentially become a base security system. Its carry weight has also increased.
- Sarcosuchus: It gets three attacks including a Death Roll, 180-degree spin and short lunge. It will also deter piranhas and prefers fish meat for taming.
- Spinosaur: Will be playable in a bipedal and a quadruped stance. On two legs the Spino will move slower but do more damage. On four legs it will move faster, especially after exiting the water. It will prefer prime fish meat for taming.
- Argentavis: A new saddle reduces weight capability on some materials and the ability to craft smithy items. It can also carry two additional passengers. Its talons can carry heavier creatures, and its beak will now be able to hold small Dinos. The Argent gains rapid health regen after consuming a corpse.
- Raptor: Pack leaders will now be able to do a special vocalization that increases the damage resistance, movement speed and attack speed of packs for 15 seconds. New pounce ability allows Raptors to pin down players and small creatures.
- Triceratops: Will get a new charge and ram attack. Rivalry buff increases stas of nearby allies and will double its aggro range.
The TLC changes aren't in place yet, of course, but they'll amount to some serious shifts in the meta once they're deployed next week. The full patch notes for the second phase of Dino TLC aren't available yet, but we imagine there will be dozens of additional balance tweaks across the board as well. Today's tiny update merely prepares the game for when the upcoming overhaul takes effect.
ARK: Survival Evolved is available now on PC, Xbox One, PS4, Mac and Linux. The update listed here is exclusive to PC.
Are you excited for the second phase of ARK Dino TLC? Which creature overhaul is your favorite? Tell us in the comments section!
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