Automated Ark is a third-party, vanilla-themed automation mod for ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA). It adds conveniences such as base sorting, egg collection, meat-spoilage handling and automatic pulling. On a client or single-player save, install and activate it from ASA’s in-game Mods browser. On a dedicated server, add the mod’s CurseForge ID to the server’s active-mod list, restart once it has been saved, and let connected clients download the advertised mod.
Godlike.Host offers hosted ARK: Survival Ascended servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
What Automated Ark is—and what it is not
Automated Ark is listed on CurseForge as an ASA mod with project ID 928597, and the author is listed as blitzfire911. It is a community-made add-on, not a Studio Wildcard feature or an official Studio Wildcard mod. The project is described as lightweight and vanilla-themed, with few custom models or textures. That design aims to reduce the feeling that automation has replaced the survival game’s normal loop.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The feature descriptions associated with the project include:
- Base sorting: organizing items and resources around your base instead of moving every stack by hand.
- Egg collection: gathering eggs automatically when the required structures and settings are in place.
- Meat-spoilage automation: helping manage meat as it moves through the normal spoilage process.
- Automatic pulling: retrieving items from connected storage or inventories when a crafting or building action needs them.
Those descriptions explain the purpose of the mod; they do not guarantee that every feature works on every map, server configuration or game patch. Read the current CurseForge listing and its version notes before deploying it to a long-running world.
#1 Best Overall
- ARK: Survival Ascended has completely recreated and redesigned the artwork and worlds of ARK to take advantage of the latest in videogame technology, Unreal Engine 5, using high-end graphics features such as fully dynamic Global Illumination (“Lumen”), so that light bounces realistically of off surfaces and provides realistic reflections, and advanced mesh streaming (“Nanite”) of hundreds of millions of triangles for extreme detail.
- Advanced new physics systems such as dynamic water so that every creature creates waves, ripples, splashes, and bubbles as they move through fluids, and fully interactive physical foliage where every blade of grass, bush, and tree reacts to characters, explosions, projectiles, and physics objects.
- ARK: Survival Ascended includes access to all of ARK’s worlds, including Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, ARK Genesis Part 1, ARK Genesis Part 2, and more. The Island is released now, with the subsequent expansion worlds to be added at no additional cost on a regular basis.
- Thorough Quality of Life revamps in every area: redesigned User Interfaces, dynamic navigation for intelligent creature pathfinding, Wild Babies, Photo Mode, new Camera systems, new Map system, Tracking System, new Structures and Items, new Creatures, and much more.
- Cross-Platform Modding: Download & play new custom content created by players, including new maps, creatures, items, and game modes, through a dedicated new Mod-bowser directly within the game! Enjoy an endless stream of new ARK content as the creativity and talent of the community is fully unleashed for the first time ever across gaming platforms!
Why ASA installation uses CurseForge instead of Steam Workshop
ARK: Survival Ascended uses the CurseForge mod-delivery system. It does not use the Steam Workshop workflow associated with ARK: Survival Evolved (ASE). A Workshop guide that tells you to subscribe to an item, copy an ASE Workshop ID or use application ID 346110 is describing a different game and should not be followed for ASA.
For ASA, the number used by a server is a CurseForge mod ID. For Automated Ark, community listings report 928597. Treat that number as a starting point, not a permanent identifier: a re-upload can produce a different ID. Confirm the number on the live Automated Ark page immediately before editing a server configuration.
Recommended Free Tools
Choose the installation route that matches your setup
| Route | Who uses it | What you change | Strength | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-game Mods browser | Client, local single player | Select Automated Ark, choose Install, then activate it | Fastest and no file editing | Local activation does not install the mod on a separate dedicated server |
| Server configuration | Self-hosted dedicated server administrators | Add the CurseForge ID to ActiveMods= and/or a -mods= launch parameter |
Explicit control over the server’s mod order and set | A typo, wrong file or incorrect launch syntax can prevent loading |
| Managed-host control panel | Administrators renting a managed ASA server | Enter comma-separated IDs in the panel’s Mod IDs or Startup field | No direct operating-system access required | Field names and restart behavior vary by provider |
Players joining a server normally do not need to install each server mod manually. ASA advertises the server’s mod set and the connecting client downloads and activates the required items. A player may still need to restart the game or wait for a download to finish, but the administrator’s server configuration is the authoritative list.
Prepare before you install
Do these checks before changing a live world:
- Back up the single-player save or the dedicated server’s save and configuration files.
- Confirm that you are working with ARK: Survival Ascended, not ASE. ASA’s mod IDs and delivery system are different.
- Open the current Automated Ark listing on CurseForge and verify the displayed project ID, supported ASA version and any dependency or compatibility notes.
- Record your existing mod order. If you already use mods, keep a copy of the current active list so you can restore it if the new load fails.
- For a dedicated server, plan a maintenance window. The first boot after adding a mod can be slow while files download and install.
- For a crossplay server, verify platform compatibility before enabling the mod. A PC-only mod will not load for console clients and can destabilize a mixed cluster.
Do not repeatedly restart a server while the first download is in progress. Interrupting that process can leave an incomplete installation and make later troubleshooting harder.
Install Automated Ark in ASA’s client or single-player game
This is the simplest route when you play locally or want the mod available on your own client.
Rank #2
- Brand new UK Import PAL version. Game in English. UK PSN store account required to use any online features
- Launch ARK: Survival Ascended and reach the main menu.
- Open the in-game Mods list or mod browser.
- Search for Automated Ark. Check the author name, blitzfire911, and the current project details so you do not select a similarly named entry.
- Choose Install and wait for the download to finish. Avoid closing the game while the installation is still shown as active.
- Activate the mod from the installed-mods or active-mods controls. Installation alone does not necessarily enable it in a save.
- Start a new single-player game or load an existing save and test one feature in a safe area before reorganizing your entire base.
If the mod does not appear in the browser, search by the exact name and check the live CurseForge listing from a web browser. The CurseForge desktop application’s ASA support is described inconsistently by community sources, so do not assume that installing the desktop app will solve an in-game listing problem.
Install Automated Ark on a self-hosted dedicated server
A dedicated server needs the mod in its active list. The exact file location and launch script differ by operating system and server manager, but the configuration principle is the same: use the current CurseForge numeric ID, save the change, then restart.
1. Verify the current mod ID
Open the live Automated Ark page on CurseForge and copy the numeric project ID shown there. Community references report 928597. Because a re-upload can change an ID, use the live value rather than relying on an old forum post or a copied command.
2. Add the ID to the active-mod list
Open the server’s GameUserSettings.ini and locate the ActiveMods= entry. Add the Automated Ark ID to the existing comma-separated list. If no mods are configured, the line can be created in the appropriate configuration section.
ActiveMods=928597With several mods, keep the IDs comma-separated. Follow the order required by your existing setup and do not insert spaces unless your server manager explicitly documents that syntax.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsRank #3
- Ark graphics and worlds are completely recreated and designed to use the latest video game technology, Unreal Engine 5
- Advanced new physical systems such as dynamic water and fully interactive physical leaves
- Design your survivor, shape the trunk and tame, train, multiply and ride dinosaurs in a vivid ecosystem
- Public online mode for up to 70 players, private multiplayer mode for up to 8 players + local split screen for 2 players
3. Check the launch parameter if your server uses one
Some server launchers use a command-line parameter instead of, or in addition to, the configuration file:
-mods=928597If your startup script already contains a -mods= list, append the ID using the separator expected by that launcher. Avoid maintaining two conflicting lists; if both the configuration file and launch command are read, make sure they describe the same intended mod set.
4. Save, start once and wait
- Save
GameUserSettings.iniand any edited startup file. - Start the dedicated server.
- Watch the startup log for the mod download and installation. The first start can take substantially longer than a normal restart.
- Do not stop and restart the process while the download is still running.
- After the server reaches its normal ready state, connect with an administrator account and test the mod in-game.
5. Tell players what to expect
When players connect, ASA normally downloads and activates the server’s advertised mods on their clients. They should allow the download to complete before joining. If a player is repeatedly returned to the menu, have that player close the game, relaunch ASA, and try the connection again after confirming that the server has finished its own installation.
Install through a managed server control panel
Managed hosts commonly expose a field named Mod IDs, Mods or Startup parameters. The label and exact location vary, so use the provider’s current ASA instructions for the panel you operate.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
- Stop the server from the control panel if the panel requires a stopped state for configuration changes.
- Open the ASA mod or startup settings.
- Enter the verified Automated Ark ID. For the community-reported listing this is
928597. - If other mods are already present, enter the IDs as a comma-separated list with no spaces unless the panel says otherwise.
- Save the setting and restart the server.
- Leave the server running while the first boot downloads the files; a slow startup is expected.
If the panel reports a successful restart but the mod is absent in-game, inspect the startup log and confirm that the panel wrote the value to the actual ASA instance rather than to another map or cluster member.
How to verify that Automated Ark loaded
Use more than one check; a server can accept a configuration value without successfully downloading the mod.
- Review the startup log for a successful download or load message associated with the Automated Ark ID.
- Connect as a player and check the active-mod or session information shown by ASA.
- Place or access the mod’s relevant structures and test a small sorting, pulling, egg-collection or meat-handling operation.
- Confirm that an unmodded client is prompted to download the server’s mod list when it connects.
- For a cluster, test every map or instance that should share the mod list. A mod enabled on one server does not automatically mean it is enabled on every server in the cluster.
Test with disposable resources first. Do not move an entire storage network or redesign a production base until you know the mod is operating correctly on your map and patch level.
Crossplay and console limitations
Crossplay is the most important compatibility check. Community installation guidance warns that PC-only mods will not load for console clients and can break a mixed or crossplay cluster. If your server allows console players, verify that Automated Ark is supported on every platform you intend to admit before adding it to the shared mod list.
If the server must remain available to console users and the mod is not cross-platform compatible, the safe choices are to leave it disabled or run a separate PC-only server. Do not assume that a player’s ability to see the server proves that every mod is supported on that player’s platform.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Updates, version pinning and save safety
ASA patches and mod updates can interact. A major game update may change APIs or loading behavior and cause a previously working mod to fail. Community guidance therefore recommends pinning the mod version where your hosting tools support version pinning, and testing updates on a copy of the world before applying them to the production server.
- Keep a dated backup of the world save,
GameUserSettings.ini, startup parameters and active-mod order. - Write down the Automated Ark version that was working, not only its numeric ID.
- After an ASA patch, start a test instance first and watch for load errors, missing structures or inventory problems.
- Update one variable at a time when possible: game patch, server software and mod version should not all change simultaneously.
- If the mod is re-uploaded, re-check the live CurseForge page because the numeric ID may change.
Never remove a mod from a valuable save without a backup. Automated storage or pulling systems may leave items in mod-specific inventories, and removing the mod can make those inventories inaccessible until the original version is restored.
Troubleshoot the most common installation failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Automated Ark is missing from the in-game search | Temporary browser issue, wrong game or listing change | Confirm you launched ASA, search the exact title, and verify the current listing on CurseForge. |
| Server starts but the mod is not active | ID typo, edited the wrong configuration, or startup parameter was not applied | Stop the server, recheck ActiveMods= and the launch command, then start once while monitoring the log. |
| First startup appears frozen | Mod files are still downloading or installing | Wait for the process to finish; repeated restarts can interrupt the download. |
| Players are prompted repeatedly or cannot join | Client download did not complete, server and client mod sets differ, or the server is still installing | Let the server reach a ready state, have the player restart ASA, and compare the advertised active-mod list with the server configuration. |
| Console players cannot connect after the change | The mod is PC-only or otherwise incompatible with the crossplay configuration | Remove it from the shared crossplay server or operate a separate PC-only instance after confirming platform support. |
| Features stopped working after an ASA patch | Game/mod version incompatibility | Restore the backup, test the previous known-good versions, and wait for a compatible mod update before upgrading the live world. |
| Items or structures seem missing after removal | Mod-owned inventories or structures still contain data | Restore the backup and reinstall the same mod version before attempting an orderly migration. |
Removing or disabling Automated Ark safely
For a local game, deactivate the mod in the in-game Mods menu only after backing up the save. For a dedicated server, stop the server, remove the ID from ActiveMods= and any -mods= launch parameter, save the files and start the server once for testing.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Before disabling it, empty mod-related storage and record where automated systems were placed. If the world contains items inside mod-specific containers, keep the backup and be prepared to restore the previous configuration. A clean removal is safer than deleting the files while the server is running.
Which installation method should you use?
- Choose the in-game browser if you are playing single player or only need the mod on your own client. It avoids configuration editing and is the least error-prone route.
- Choose manual server configuration if you administer your own dedicated machine and need precise control over mod order, launch parameters and backups.
- Choose the host-panel field if a managed provider runs the server for you. Confirm the panel’s exact syntax and verify the resulting startup log.
Regardless of route, the reliable sequence is the same: verify the live CurseForge listing, use the current numeric ID, activate the mod in the correct place, allow the first download to finish, and test platform compatibility before inviting players.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
