Managing player access and permissions on your ARK: Survival Evolved server is essential for maintaining control, ensuring fair gameplay, and fostering a positive community. By setting up appropriate access levels and permissions, you can regulate player actions, prevent griefing, and maintain a balanced gameplay experience. Here are some guidelines for managing player access and permissions:
1. Admin Access: As the server owner or administrator, you have full control over the server and access to administrative commands. Use these commands responsibly and avoid abusing your power. Admin access allows you to enforce rules, resolve conflicts, and maintain server integrity.
2. Whitelisting and Passwords: To restrict access to your server, you can utilize whitelisting and passwords:
- Whitelisting: Enable whitelisting to allow only approved players to join the server. Add players to the whitelist by adding their Steam ID or in-game character name to the server configuration file. This ensures that only authorized players can connect.
- Passwords: Set a server password to limit access to players who know the password. Share the password only with trusted individuals or members of your community.
3. Server Rules and Guidelines: Establish clear rules and guidelines for your server and communicate them to your players. This ensures everyone understands the expected behavior and consequences for violating the rules. Display the rules in a visible location or share them through server announcements or a dedicated website/forum.
4. Player Roles and Permissions: Consider implementing player roles and permissions to differentiate access levels and abilities. This can be achieved through plugins, mods, or server management tools. Assign specific roles to players based on their contributions, seniority, or trustworthiness. Some common roles and permissions include:
- Admins/Moderators: These individuals have elevated access and the ability to enforce server rules, manage players, and resolve conflicts. Choose responsible and trusted individuals for these roles.
- Builders: Players with building permissions can construct structures and modify the environment within specified limits.
- Tribes/Clans: Create or allow players to form tribes or clans. Tribe leaders may have additional permissions to manage their members and structures.
5. Regular Monitoring and Enforcement: Regularly monitor player behavior, chat logs, and server activity to ensure compliance with the server rules. Address any reports or complaints promptly and enforce appropriate consequences for rule violations. Consistent enforcement helps maintain a positive and fair gaming environment.
6. Communication Channels: Establish communication channels for players to report issues, seek assistance, and engage with the community. This can include in-game chat, server forums, Discord, or other communication platforms. Encourage players to provide feedback and suggestions for server improvements.
7. Regular Backups: Regularly back up your server data, including configuration files and player profiles, to prevent data loss and provide a safety net in case of technical issues or server resets. Backups allow you to restore the server to a previous state if necessary.
Remember that managing player access and permissions requires active involvement, fair judgment, and effective communication. Be responsive to player concerns, address issues promptly, and foster a welcoming and inclusive community on your ARK: Survival Evolved server.
