Gaming

You know how sometimes in Ark you do those silly things?

Well...
After seeing that raptor on the beach of the mainland I thought I'd have a go at taming it. I flew on over the water and soared around high in the air looking for it. It can't have gone far. Actually there it is over yonder way. I could see some of the friendlies running around like maniacs and there was the sole raptor clawing away at a carcass.
I flapped a little closer to get a better view, still staying at a safe height and then I noticed that it had a funny red glow. Wait a minute- Doesn't that mean... It's an alpha raptor. Does that mean there's a pack?
I circled round in the air and sure enough, there was another one. And another one. And is that two more under the trees? And another pair on top of the rocks?
Yeah, lets not bother with that idea. Back to my island like a coward. So I spent my time collecting yet more metal with Kylo.
Crafted a sword...



Made a gun too and some bullets. And still had some time left in my session.
Then I thought... You know what, let's just fly back and have a little looky-loo at those raptors.
I flapped around in the air and noted that the big pack had diminished. There were just two now on the beach and two more high in the rocks and there was actually no way for them to get down to the beach so it really was just two. This could be a good chance. I could try and tame one and if things got out of hand I've got a sword. And a gun. And bullets.
Come on!

I landed, keeping my Pteranodon at a safe distance and did some sneaky sneaking toward the raptor. There was the alpha munching on a carcass. Best time to hit them, so they say. Tranq arrow to the head. Tranq arrow to the body. Tranq arrow to the... well, just repeat those phrases until I'm all out of Tranqs. 20 I fired into the alpha while it was eating with no effect then it wanted to eat me. Faster than a fast thing it's suddenly in my face and I'm dead. And there goes all my stuff.

OK, new plan. Just bola the alpha and while it's trapped I can get my stuff back.
I respawn, make a bola, sneaky sneak to the alpha that's now eating MY carcass. Don't throw it yet, wait for it to run... And here it comes! I swing the bola and... dead! It got to me and killed me before I could even swing the damn thing!

My GFN time is now up and I've got no stuff! So I log in again for another session. Make some more armour, more bolas, an axe and a pike. Let's try again.
This time I do a bit more reconnaissance from above and wait for the best moment. Both my bodies are long gone but my loot is still there and now the raptors are wandering around a bit. They've changed positions now so the alpha has gone further away and the other one is by my stuff. Here we go..

The raptor runs at me, not as quick as the alpha, I swing and throw and trap it! Punch, punch, punch and it's unconscious. I could tame it right now... IF I HAD SOME MEAT!
But never mind that. Loot! I dash over and grab all the stuff from where my two bodies were and there's the alpha in the distance. I can't risk taming the other one with the alpha nearby. I've gotta take it out. I wait for it to see me, the music changes and it charges. I swing the bola and sort of throw it as it attacks and knocks me back. Then it attacks some more and dead!
I'd just got all my stuff back!

Respawn and here we go again. The first raptor has woken up again. Bola again. Success. Punch, punch, punch. But this time it dies!
It obviously hadn't healed from the last time. Never mind onto my loot and the alpha had moved away a bit so I grabbed it all and sprinted back to my raft to shove it all in safe storage. Phew!

But I'm not finished with that alpha. It's made me angry and it's gonna pay, either by death or enslavement.

I craft as many bolas as I can here, which was only four cos my resources are still on the little island, but I leave all my important things in the storage box, even armour. I'm not fighting this time. I'm gonna bola this damn beast.
I sneak, I creep, I hide behind a rock. And there's the alpha again. I'm just gonna pop out and throw BEFORE it sees me. I swing, I aim, I throw. And the alpha charges at me. DEAD!


Time, methinks, for a different plan. I go on the internet for tips and read the glorious news that you can't bola an alpha raptor.
You don't say.

At least I've got all my stuff back. And I've also learned that I CAN capture and tame one, and even punch it to death, providing it's not a red, glowy one.
And it was only a Level 2 (the one I punched to death was a 7) but the alpha thing is something else. Stay away!

From what I've read (AFTER my encounter) you can't tame alpha creatures at all unless you cheat and use the console, so that person must have been using the "forcetame" command.
I'd love to know what the stats were on that thing, it's by far the toughest thing I've come across. Soooo fast! And it just stood there and took all my tranqs without a care.
But I was satisfied with my efforts with the other raptors. I think bolas are the way to go to take on a pack of them so I'll definitely carry three with me whenever I see a little gang of them. It gives you that little bit of time to think and react, just a shame it doesn't work on the alphas.
Stay away. Stay WELL away.

I can respawn on the little island but I wasn't in this case. My current home setup is a shack on the little island (that still doesn't have a roof) and that has all my metal making tools for crafting along with some big storage boxes, mortar and pestle and a bed. Plus I always like a campfire just outside my bases.
Then across the water on the south coast of the mainland I have my raft (which has another bed, storage box and campfire) which is moored next to a tall rock so that I can see where it is from a distance across the water, that helps me nail the landing.
I have been thinking about building a little token structure on that beach to see if it will affect the dinos that will spawn there.
There's also a mostly blue supply drop there too which I often flap over for but there are far too many pointless blueprints. I do hate the blueprint drops!

And if you really don't like the dying then that little island is the place to be. It's 100% safe as long as you don't fall off the cliff or accidently attack one of the Brontos. Still no Dodos though.

Perhaps I should have used this gif instead...