Embarking on a survival adventure in ARK: Survival Evolved often involves mastering essential skills, such as building shelter and starting a campfire. This guide will walk you through the process of lighting a campfire in ARK, ensuring you stay warm, cook food, and ward off creatures in the dark.
Before we dive into the steps, it's crucial to understand that campfires serve multiple purposes in ARK. They provide light, keep you warm, deter creatures, and allow you to cook meat, which is vital for maintaining your character's health and stamina. Now, let's get started with lighting your first campfire.
Gathering Materials
To light a campfire, you'll need three primary resources: thatch, wood, and a spark. Thatch and wood are easy to find, while creating a spark requires a bit more effort. Let's discuss each material in detail.
Thatch and wood can be harvested from various plants and trees scattered across the ARK map. To gather them, simply approach the plant or tree and press the interact button. You'll collect thatch from bushes and small trees, while larger trees will yield wood. Keep in mind that different types of trees produce varying amounts of wood, so it's worth exploring to find the most efficient sources.
Crafting a Spark
Creating a spark requires crafting a Sparkpowder first, which can be made using Flint and Charcoal. Flint is found by mining certain rocks, while Charcoal is produced by burning Wood in a campfire or a Forge. Once you have both materials, craft a Sparkpowder using the Crafting Menu (default key: 'C').
Next, craft a Spark using the Sparkpowder and a Tame creature's Dung. You can obtain Dung by taming or killing certain creatures, such as the Dilophosaurus or the Ovis. Once you have your Spark, you're ready to light your campfire.
Crafting a Campfire
With your materials gathered, it's time to craft a Campfire. Open the Crafting Menu and select the Campfire recipe, which requires 10 Thatch and 5 Wood. Once crafted, you'll have a Campfire that's ready to be lit.
Alternatively, you can also craft a Large Wood Burner, which provides more light and heat but requires more resources: 20 Thatch, 10 Wood, and 10 Stone. The Large Wood Burner is an excellent choice for larger bases or when you need extra protection from the cold or creatures.
Lighting the Campfire
Now that you have your Campfire or Large Wood Burner, it's time to light it. To do this, simply place the campfire or burner on the ground where you want it, then interact with it. You'll see a prompt to 'Light Fire' or 'Light Burner.'
Selecting this option will consume a Spark and, if successful, your campfire will be lit. You'll see flames and hear the crackling sound, indicating that your campfire is active. Congratulations! You've just lit your first campfire in ARK: Survival Evolved.
Maintaining and Extinguishing the Campfire
Maintaining a campfire is essential to keep its benefits active. To add fuel, simply interact with the campfire and select the 'Add Fuel' option. This will consume Wood and keep the fire burning. Be mindful of your Wood supply, as campfires can consume it quickly.
When you're ready to extinguish the campfire, interact with it and select the 'Extinguish' option. This will put out the flames, but the campfire will remain in the world, allowing you to relight it later if needed. Keep in mind that extinguished campfires do not provide light or heat, so it's best to maintain them when possible.
Mastering the art of lighting and maintaining campfires in ARK: Survival Evolved is an essential skill for any survivor. With practice, you'll find that campfires become an invaluable asset in your quest for survival. So, grab your Spark and some Wood, and start building those fires! Happy surviving!