Ark: Survival Evolved is an open-world survival game developed by Studio Wildcard that was released in 2017. In the game, players find themselves stranded on a mysterious island filled with dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures. They must hunt, gather resources, craft items and build shelters to survive. Central to the gameplay and user experience are the various icons, banners and UI elements that provide key information to players.
HUD and Core Icons
The heads-up display (HUD) features critical icons like: Health/Food/Water meters: Gauge vital stats and depletion rates Weapon/Tool icon: Shows currently equipped items Level up icon: Notifies when a level is gained Encumbrance icon: Warns when carrying too much weight Map icon: Brings up the in-game map for navigation Inventory icon: Accesses storage boxes and equipment wheel These core icons are always visible to keep an eye on status.
menu Interface and Icons
The main menu screen and sub-menus contain useful icons like: Player icon: Accesses player profile, stats and customization Crafting icon: Reveals recipes and construction of items Engram icon: Lists technologies and blueprints learned Tribe icon: Manages tribe, membership, permissions and alliances Difficulty slider: Changes survival settings like damage amounts Options icon: Customizes keybinds, video settings and controls These menu icons provide access to important game options and features.
UI Icons During Gameplay
Additional contextual icons appear during specific actions: Taming icon: Appears when feeding a creature to be tamed Character IDs: Numbers identifying other players and creatures Waypoint icon: Places markers on the map for destinations Structures icons: Blueprints for building bases, walls, cages etc. Mount icon: Summons currently ridden land or flying mount Quest tracker: Objectives and progress of pursuable missions These situational icons enhance core gameplay mechanics.
Server Browser Screen Icons
The server browser menu contains icons that: Filter unofficial/official servers for browsing Sort based on ping, player count and other parameters Mark favorite community servers View server info like name, location, mods and rules Join indicated servers directly from the list Refresh for latest servers added to the database These help navigate available multiplayer options smoothly.
Loading Screen Banners
During game/server launches: ARK title banner appears, along with version number. Dossiers of randomly displaying creatures are shown. Concept artwork, memes and tips banners load sequentially. Studio Wildcard logo banner is present. Finally the selected map banner loads before spawning. These entertaining banners add flair during loading lulls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can I modify or add custom UI icons?
Some icons can be modified via Steam workshop mods. However, altering core HUD elements may cause glitches.
Q. What do the numbered character tags represent?
The tags are unique identification numbers assigned to survivors and dinos. Useful for locating tribemates.
Q. How do I change which server browser tabs are active?
You can rearrange or hide different tabs like unofficial, favorites etc from the side menu in browser settings.
Benefits of Ark’s Iconography
Intuitive communication of vital information Contextual icons for situational awareness Memorable association helps fast recognition Minimized clutter with grouped logically Customizable for accessibility needs Consistent visual language enhances UX Well-designed icons are key to usability.
Design Principles of Ark’s Iconography
Some principles that make Ark’s icons effective are: Recognition over recall: Icons are easily identifiable Semiotic clarity: Visuals are directly associated with meaning Simplicity: Minimalist yet descriptive of intended purpose Consistency: Uniform style and placement reduces confusion Affordance: Implied interactivity cues users to click/tap Accessibility: High color contrast benefits all players Variation: Diverse yet cohesive across contexts
FAQs about Ark UI Icons
Q. How do I resize or move the HUD elements?
The HUD can be customized via UI settings. Adjusting safe zone scales elements uniformly.
Q. Which key opens the full crafting menu?
Pressing the ‘C’ key opens the extensive crafting menu on PC and controller.
Q. Can I change the color of the crosshair?
Yes, you can alter crosshair color and thickness from Options > Controls menu for better visibility.
Customizing Icons through Mods
The Steam workshop hosts many icon mods: UI mods add extra information panels and menus. HUD mods change element skins/sizes for new aesthetics. Map mods introduce varied compasses, minimaps. Creature mods overhaul taming bars, dossiers and more. Quality of life mods tweaks like visibility adjustments. Mods breathed fresh life into Ark’s visual language over the years.
Conclusion
Ark’s intuitive use of consistent and varied icons, banners and UI elements have been a core reason for its popularity and success. By effectively communicating key information visually, it has enhanced the overall user experience for players. Its icon design principles set an example for immersive open world survival games.