How Long is a 24-Hour Cycle in Ark: Survival Evolved? A Comprehensive Guide
The question of how long a full day lasts in Ark: Survival Evolved is a common one for both newcomers and seasoned players. Understanding the game’s time cycle is crucial for planning your activities, knowing when to expect the dangers of night, and efficiently managing your time in the prehistoric world. The simple answer is that a full 24-hour cycle in Ark, by default, is 60 minutes of real-time. This breaks down into approximately 40 minutes of daytime and 20 minutes of nighttime. However, the beauty of Ark lies in its customizability, allowing players to alter these times to suit their individual preferences and server needs. This guide will dive deeper into the intricacies of Ark’s time system and explore related FAQs.
Understanding the Default Ark Day Cycle
The default settings of Ark: Survival Evolved are designed to create a challenging yet rewarding experience. As mentioned, a full day-night cycle takes 60 real-time minutes to complete. This is significantly faster than a real-world day, but it fits the pacing of the game, ensuring players experience the full range of gameplay within a reasonable time frame.
- Daytime: Daytime in Ark typically spans about 40 minutes in real-time. It begins at around 4:30 AM in-game time and ends around 7:00 PM in-game time. This period is generally safer, with reduced creature spawns and better visibility, allowing for easier resource gathering and exploration.
- Nighttime: Night in Ark lasts approximately 20 minutes of real-time, starting around 7:00 PM and ending at 4:30 AM in-game time. The night is known to be significantly more dangerous than daytime. Creature spawns are often increased, and the darkness makes it harder to spot threats, demanding heightened vigilance.
The Impact of Ark’s Time System
The condensed day cycle has a big impact on how you play Ark. The relatively short cycle encourages players to make the most of the daylight hours, focusing on gathering, building, and taming. When the sun sets, the game prompts a shift toward survival tactics. Players are incentivized to seek secure shelters, craft torches, and proceed with greater caution, ready to defend themselves from nocturnal predators.
Customizing the Day-Night Cycle
One of the most appealing features of Ark: Survival Evolved is the ability to customize the game settings. This includes the length of the day and night cycles. Players can adjust these parameters through the game’s server settings or single-player options. The most important settings to consider are the DayTimeSpeedScale and NightTimeSpeedScale. These sliders allow you to alter the rate at which day and night pass.
- Adjusting the Day Length: Reducing the DayTimeSpeedScale (values below 1.0) extends the length of the daytime period. For example, setting the value to 0.5 would make the daytime last twice as long, turning the standard 40 minute daylight period into an 80 minute experience.
- Adjusting the Night Length: Increasing the NightTimeSpeedScale (values above 1.0) accelerates the night, causing it to pass quicker. Setting it to the maximum of 3.0 will cause the default 20-minute nighttime to shorten significantly, speeding it up by three times. Conversely, lowering the value will make the night last longer.
By strategically modifying these settings, players can create a play experience that suits their personal preferences, whether that’s a more relaxed daytime with a quick night, or a brutal survival experience with longer periods of darkness.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some common questions related to time in Ark: Survival Evolved, providing additional useful information:
How Long is an Hour in Ark?
In the default setting, one in-game hour passes every 2.5 minutes of real-time. As the day is 24 in-game hours, this equates to the full 60 minute day-night cycle explained previously.
How Long is a Full Night in Ark?
Under default settings, a full night in Ark lasts for 20 minutes of real-time, which is equivalent to 10 in game hours. It spans from 7:00 PM to 4:30 AM in-game time.
Can I Change the Time of Day?
While you cannot directly change the time of day in-game, you can alter the speed at which time passes, effectively speeding up or slowing down day and night with the settings mentioned earlier.
Does Ark Run on Real Time?
The game does not run on a 1:1 ratio with real-time. Base time when value is 1 appears to be 1 minute real time equals approx. 28 minutes game time. The default day-night cycle is compressed into a 60-minute loop.
How Can I Shorten the Night Cycle in Ark?
To shorten the night cycle, adjust the NightTimeSpeedScale in the advanced settings. Increasing it to its maximum value of 3.0 will shorten the nighttime period considerably.
What Time Does Night Start in Ark?
Night in Ark starts approximately at 7:00 PM in-game time and ends around 4:30 AM.
Can I Sleep in Ark?
In single-player on Ark Mobile, you can sleep to regain stamina. This is not a feature on other platforms.
How Does the Bed Timer Work in Ark?
Beds and sleeping bags have a 5-minute cooldown timer between uses. This prevents players from repeatedly using beds for fast travel and respawns.
What Happens if I Stay Awake Too Long?
In Ark, being awake does not affect your character’s performance like in some other survival games. The primary concerns will revolve around having adequate lighting and defensive measures at night.
What is the Fastest Way to Level Up in Ark?
Building structures and crafting items are effective ways to level up quickly. Additionally, exploring caves and crafting narcotics also provide good experience gains.
What is the Maximum Player Level in Ark?
On Ark Mobile, the maximum player level is 100, without needing to defeat any bosses. On PC and Consoles, leveling is tied to ascending at the end of the various maps, which will bring you to new levels.
How Much Does Fortitude Help in Ark?
Fortitude increases your natural insulation against extreme temperatures, reducing the negative effects of Hypothermia and Hyperthermia. It also reduces the negative impacts of other status effects such as a tyrannosaurus roar and lessens the rate of defecating.
What Wakes You Up in Ark?
The main things that can wake a player that is unconscious are Stimulants or damage from external forces such as other players or creatures.
What Animals Give the Most Hide in Ark?
Early game, Phiomias provide the highest yields of hide and raw meat. Once you have more powerful tools and weapons, higher level creatures can be farmed for greater quantities.
What is the Best First Dino to Tame in Ark?
The Triceratops (Trike) is a great starter dino. It is an efficient harvester, can carry goods and acts as a solid defense against early game threats.
Conclusion
Understanding the time system in Ark: Survival Evolved is essential for effective gameplay. The default 60-minute day/night cycle provides a fast-paced, engaging experience that can be further customized through server settings. By understanding these mechanics, you can optimize your time in the game, plan your activities more efficiently, and improve your overall survival skills. Whether you’re a new survivor or a seasoned veteran, mastering the rhythms of Ark‘s day-night cycle will undoubtedly enhance your journey.