The development kit for the remastered dinosaur survival game "Ark: Survival Ascended" will get a major overhaul this month, giving modders much more to do now. Developer Studio Wildcard also announced a release date for the delayed expansion map "The Center" by the end of February and a release date for "Scorched Earth" on April 1.

This month's update to the Ark development kit is apparently very large, bringing "the power of unbridled game creation directly into your hands," and will be a custom version of the Unreal Engine 5 editor, "available not only in the ARK mod, but within the ASA It appears to be able to create "entire custom Unreal Engine games that can be used within the ASA. The developer cites examples of platformers and PvP dinosaur jousting arenas built inside Ark.

The original Ark expansion map Scorched Earth was supposed to be released with the game last year, but was delayed twice. The Center, which originated in the community, was supposed to appear later this year, but was apparently moved up to February. The Center is "a vast and diverse map that redefines the ARK experience. Lush jungles teem with hidden secrets, treacherous ice peaks pierce the sky, and crystal caves beckon with untold treasures," Wildcard said. The update also includes a large, feathered creature, the Gigantoraptor.

Scorched Earth, meanwhile, is a western-themed desert map that comes with DLC called the Frontier Adventure Pack, which features western-themed attire. It also features a new desert dinosaur, Fasolaskus, and apparently includes a train.

"You can build tracks across scorching lands, outrun sandworms, and create dinosaur raids like the Wild West," Wildcard said.

You can read the full January development update on Steam.

Ark: Survival Ascended is an Unreal Engine 5 remastered version of the dinosaur world survival game Ark: Survival Evolved. Its development was plagued by disappointment and community controversy. It was especially difficult when it was supposed to be free, but turned out not to be. After it was released to Early Access last year, technical complaints and performance issues were highlighted, leading the developers to admit that the servers "suck."

Ark: Survival Ascended costs US$45 on Steam and is available at playark.com.

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