Importing save and mod file information from another server

    Hi,


    I just rented out a 10 slot server for ARK and have the full save/configuration/mod files from a previous server a friend was running for me, but is no longer able to run.


    Im wanting to get these files on to the new server, and I can't help but to think that just simply "mirroring" the file tree structure in the web interface's FTP to match that which he provided me isn't the right way to go about it. Not only that, the file tree structure in the saved server files contain A LOT of various folders and there's no "drag and drop" for the FTP so having to do all of this one by one seems like an all day affair. Is there something I am not missing? I want to have the saved survivors, structures, dinos, items of the previous server but have that up and running on this new server. Im running in to a brick wall. Appreciate any help on this.

    Its easy to do and can be done within minutes. Please visit the Wiki: https://wiki.nitrado.net/en/backup_game_saves_locally_in_ark:_survival_evolved

    Just reverse this process using FTP. *note: if you copy the ini files over like this, you will need to us expert settings in the WebUI. What I do is NOT bring over the ini's in FTP. I only bring the map file, profiles. Then just use webUI and check what I what. Once that is done, I compare the ini of the new server with the old server in case some custom config like maybe S+ modifications. Just note the server has to be OFFLINE/SHUTDOWN to do all these changes.

    Well, if you had mods on the other server, you have to add all the MOD IDs to the webUI.

    And were you running a Prim+ server?

    Moving the files over will not be the only thing you will have to do. You have to compare ini files, ie game.ini and gus.ini and make sure you arent missing anything.

    I am not familiar with Prim+ server, but I suspect its the same process as with nearly all games. If you copied the ini files straight over, you will need to check them because of your friend had say a SP server, or another host- some of that lines of code will need to be removed from the ini.

    Another way to get this going is do a basic server on Nitrado side. In your case now, I would do a reinstall. Mark the WebUI of all the settings you want set (server needs to be offline). save, restart. Connect to the server. If that works, good. Basic server done. Then add your MOD IDs to the webinterface. Save, restart. note: MOds take a bit so expect a delay during that process.

    Then connect. If you can, then basic server + mods works. Woot.


    Btw- these instructions are already on multiple threads if you wanted to search.


    During the process if you had to add a specific mod say for a custom map, now change that in the webUI to the map and restart. Connect and see if works. If yes, now you have a basic server + mods + custom mod. Awesome. You are like 80% done now.


    Server offline for this...

    Now go in ftp in the correct location and copy your last save MAPFILE name of the other server. Make sure its NOT compressed like some server hosts do it. Then copy ALL your profiles, profile, and tribe files. Since map was already using the basic mapfile go to it rename say from theisland. to ORIG theisland. Your prior host may have the name of the new file saves differently. Rename it say its theisland to theisland. Save, restart, then connect. Check your character and map.


    Only thing left and its the hardest part, comparing the ini files from old and new. if you added say spawns, lvls, modified say objects- all of that line code needs to be copied over. Find out what lines are missing. The cool part is once you have the lines from the game.ini you can copy those in the webUI over in the game.ini area at the bottom, UNLESS you have a TONS of lines of code to add. If you say made player lvl 200 you will be ok.


    You are going to spend some time on this if you have never done this. No easy copy, paste, restart. Lots of google searches. I have probable done this for 50+ servers with no issues now. But at first, oh my. lol.

    Depends what you changed in the expert mode. ;)

    multipliers should cause any issues. *I never use expert mode. I use the webUI for what I need, then I add any game.ini to the game.ini page in the webUI, then from there make any additional changes to the gus.ini in ftp. Which I prefer. Cause once you go to Expert settings you cant use WebUI anymore. You can only use one or the other. not both.

    The only things I changed in expert mode was copy and pasting the .ini contents from the previous server's files in to the .ini through expert mode. I could provide the information in those .ini files if that would help, but that's the only thing. The server WAS working when I did NOT bring over the contents of the game.ini file onto the expert mode editor. But when I DID bring over the contents, that's when the server became unreachable, it seems.

    multipliers should be fine. It had sounded like you copied the entire ini into here and that you do not want to do.

    Plus when copying over, make sure you arent adding a space. 1 space and it messes up the whole thing.