How To Change Your Appearance in Ark: Survival Evolved
Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.
- Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
- Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
- Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.
- Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
- Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
- Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.
The ability to personalize your survivor is a key element of the Ark: Survival Evolved experience. While the character creation screen at the beginning of the game allows for significant customization, players often wonder if they can make changes to their appearance later on. This article will dive into the various methods you can use to alter your survivor’s look during your journey on the ARK, explaining both the limitations and the possibilities.
Can You Change Your Appearance in Ark?
The short answer is: Yes, but with limitations. While you cannot fully revisit the initial character creation screen to make broad changes to your body shape, size, or facial features without losing your progress, there are several ways you can modify your appearance after the game begins. These methods primarily involve using admin commands, special tickets, and in-game items. Understanding these tools is crucial for players seeking to refine their survivor’s look as they progress.
Methods for Changing Your Appearance
1. Admin Commands
For players using the game in single-player mode or on servers where they have admin privileges, there are powerful admin commands that can be used to adjust certain aspects of a character’s appearance. The most notable is the admincheat SetTargetPlayerColorVal [Region #] [Color #] (0,1) command.
- Skin Color: This command lets you alter your survivor’s skin color. The
[Region #]refers to a specific body part region (e.g., face, torso, arms), and[Color #]designates the desired color. The(0,1)parameter typically affects color intensity and is sometimes used to toggle the color effect. It is crucial to note that this command affects only the color palette and not the actual model of the character. - Limitations: Admin commands offer quick fixes for color alterations but do not allow changes to body structure, hairstyle, or facial features. These changes only persist while playing on the server or single-player map.
2. Appearance Change Tickets
Certain special items, like the Appearance Change Ticket, can allow for some alterations. Primal Pass holders often receive these, and they usually permit adjustments to facial hair. The ability to use these tickets may vary depending on server settings and which updates are installed.
- Facial Hair Adjustments: With these tickets, you can generally adjust the facial hair of your survivor, such as beard styles or mustache appearances. This is often a desired feature for those who want to modify their character in minor ways without losing all progress.
- Availability: These tickets are not always readily available and often tied to specific paid content or events. Their functionality may be dependent on server configurations.
3. Hair Dyes and Scissors
For smaller, yet impactful changes, players can dye their hair. This is a straightforward process that requires crafting Scissors and having dye in your inventory.
- Hair Dyeing Process: By interacting with the scissors and dye, players can access a haircutting screen, where they can select a different color for their hair. This is a simple and accessible method of personalizing the appearance of a character.
- Hair Acquisition: Human Hair is needed for other crafts, such as the lance. You can obtain it by using the scissors on yourself or others. This doesn’t directly alter your appearance but makes it a resource tied to character modification in the game.
4. Using Mods
Mods provide an extended range of possibilities for changing your appearance, depending on the specific mods installed on the server or played in single-player mode. Some popular appearance mods can allow you to completely revisit the character creation screen or make far more significant modifications.
- Enhanced Customization: Mods might allow you to change hairstyles, body shapes, facial features, and even add unique cosmetic options. The specific changes are reliant on the individual mod’s features and capabilities.
- Server Dependency: If playing on a server, the capability to use these mods depends entirely on the server administrators.
The Alternative: Starting Over
It’s important to acknowledge that a major aesthetic overhaul of your survivor’s physical build, as initially customizable during character creation, can only be performed by creating a new survivor. This comes at the cost of losing your current progress. Players must therefore weigh the loss of existing resources, levels, and tames against their desire to change appearance radically.
- Progress Loss: Starting a new character implies losing all current progress and established relationships with tames and structures, which can be an expensive endeavor in the game.
- Strategy Consideration: Most players only choose to start anew if they’re making a more profound character design decision, or for the sake of game role-playing with a completely different design.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you fully edit your character in Ark like in character creation after starting the game?
No, you cannot fully revisit the initial character creation screen and change major aspects like body size and facial features without creating a new survivor. The ability to completely alter these characteristics is generally only provided through mods, if available on the server you play.
2. What is the command to change skin color in Ark?
The admin command is: admincheat SetTargetPlayerColorVal [Region #] [Color #] (0,1). Replace [Region #] with a specific body part region (e.g., face, arms), and [Color #] with the color you want to apply.
3. Can you change your hair color in Ark?
Yes, you can change your hair color using scissors and dye. Craft the scissors, equip them, have dyes available, and use the haircutting screen for color options.
4. Can you change your survivor’s facial features or body type?
Without the use of mods, the only in-game methods to adjust character appearance after creation are limited to changing hair color, skin color through admin commands, and facial hair through special tickets. Changing facial features or body type generally requires creating a new survivor or using a mod, if available.
5. What are appearance change tickets, and how do they work?
Appearance change tickets, often granted to Primal Pass holders, let you modify your survivor’s facial hair. Their functionality might vary depending on server updates.
6. How do you use admin commands in Ark?
To use admin commands in Ark, open the console by pressing Tab (PC), LB, RB, X, and Y together (Xbox), or L1, R1, Square, and Triangle (PlayStation). Then, type your command and press Enter.
7. What are the limitations of admin commands when it comes to character appearance?
Admin commands only allow for color changes via the SetTargetPlayerColorVal command. They do not provide the ability to alter facial features, body size, hairstyle, or any other major aspects of the character model.
8. How can I get hair in Ark?
Human Hair is obtained by cutting your hair or another player’s hair with Scissors.
9. Can you have multiple characters on one Ark server?
Yes, you can have multiple survivors within single-player modes. This allows you to have one character dedicated to crafting and another for combat, for example. However, most servers have a policy of one survivor per player.
10. How can I get the scissors for changing hair in Ark?
Scissors must be crafted in the Smithy using metal ingots and stone, allowing you to dye your hair or collect human hair.
11. Do mods allow for more drastic appearance changes in Ark?
Yes, mods often provide the ability to make substantial modifications to your survivor’s appearance, such as changing hairstyles, body shapes, and adding unique cosmetics. However, they depend on the server admin to enable them.
12. Will changing your appearance using these methods reset your character’s progress?
No, most of the in-game methods like admin commands, dye, or tickets will not reset your character. However, creating a new survivor will result in the loss of all existing progress.
13. What is the admin command for god mode?
The admin command for god mode is admincheat god. Once enabled, you are practically invincible.
14. What is the command to forcefully tame a dino?
The command to forcefully tame a dino is forcetame. Aim at the desired creature and use the command.
15. Can you change character appearance in other similar games like Path of Exile or Lost Ark?
In Path of Exile, you cannot change your character’s appearance because they have a fixed background story. In Lost Ark, you can’t delete your main character, but you can make another character using a different class and design.
By utilizing these methods and understanding the limitations, players can customize their survivor’s appearance to some extent, ensuring that their character on the ARK is visually appealing and fits their style of play.