With the launch of PixARK, the already impressive ARK universe expands to include a game that’s as complex as it is colorful. The Minecraft-style graphics represent a distinctly ARK-like experience, where survival is very much not assured and figuring out how to survive into the late game requires a good amount of skill and effort. We’ve put this little guy to try and smooth out the learning curve.
I’m Here, What Now?
All characters spawn in the Grasslands biome and it’s generally a good idea to spend time there, mastering the systems and getting a decent supply of materials going. PixARK combines gathering materials ARK-style and digging them up like in Minecraft. Tools can be crafted by using engrams in inventory (engram points are gained on level-up and used to unlock new crafting schematics).
Your first goal should be to learn a spear engram and craft it, as this will turn you from prey into… well, an approximation of a predator. Spears are quite effective at killing creatures and earning you experience points. If you have the patience, you can try trapping larger creatures in pits – just dig out the dirt and the rock – and stabbing them to death.
Creatures drop blocks that can be harvested for meat, leather, and other materials useful for survival. However, you will always need something to process them with, so make sure to be on the lookout for yellow and black bricks that can be harvested for flint. This universal material goes towards making arrows and campfires.
Be sure to take your time. The Grasslands are fairly safe and you’re unlikely to have to venture out of the Valley below level 20.
But If You Do…
You will definitely want to tame a beast to ride. Walking is slow and leaves you vulnerable, so getting a mount will help a great deal. You can tame animals by feeding them, but aggressive dinosaurs will need to be knocked out first using sleepy arrows (learned at level 15).
In the early game, sleepy arrows can be difficult to come by, as they require you to have wood, flint, and narcoberries, which are randomly obtained from bushes. The chance to gain them is quite low, so you will just have to keep harvesting them. Once crafted, simply use them with a bow to knock out a dinosaur.
Taming a ptera – the flying dinosaur – is perhaps the most worthwhile, as it leaves you with a fantastic flying mount that can take you away from the Valley. High level pteras can take a number of arrows to take down and are best stalked and engaged while on the ground, to avoid wasting ammunition. Do note that the saddle required to ride it is a level 20 engram, so waiting is recommended if you want a pet, rather than a roast.
Having Fun
However, the beauty of PixARK is that it’s what you make of it. Want to explore ruins and get wands that will allow you to harvest those gems you can’t get otherwise? Challenge the argentavis, red birds that control airspaces above the Golden Realm? Or just try and dig to the center of the earth? The world is yours!
In case you need a refresher course or just wonder about how long it takes to tame a dinosaur, the Official PixARK Wiki is always available!
