Docker image for a dedicated ARK Survival Evolved server with arkmanager.

UPDATE August 2022: I cloned this repo and split from the original, because my PR was never accepted. The original is here: thmhoag/arkserver.

This is an image for running an ARK: Survival Evolved server in a Docker container. It is heavily based off of TuRz4m's work located here: TuRz4m/Ark-docker. It uses FezVrasta's arkmanager/ark-server-tools to manage single-instances or a cluster of ARK: Survival Evolved server inside a docker containers.

This image builds on the drpsychick/steamcmd image to include the latest version of steamcmd.

For more information on arkmanager, see the repo here: arkmanager/ark-server-tools.

• Automated install (pull the image and run, no additional commands necessary)
• Configuration via Environment Variables
• Easy crontab manipulation for automated backups, updates, daily restarts, weekly dino wipes, etc
• Simple volume structure for server files, config, logs, backups, etc
• Inherently includes all features present in arkmanager

Pull the latest (or any other desired version):

docker pull drpsychick/arkserver:latest

To run a generic server with no configuration modifications:

$ docker run -d \
    -v steam:/home/steam/.steam/steamapps \  # mounted so that workshop (mod) downloads are persisted
    -v ark:/ark \  # mounted as the directory to contain the server/backup/log/config files
    -p 27015:27015 -p 27015:27015/udp \  # steam query port
    -p 7778:7778 -p 7778:7778/udp \  # gameserver port
    -p 7777:7777 -p 7777:7777/udp \ # gameserver port
    drpsychick/arkserver

If the exposed ports are modified (in the case of multiple containers/servers on the same host) the arkmanager config will need to be modified to reflect the change as well. This is required so that arkmanager can properly check the server status and so that the ARK server itself can properly publish its IP address and query port to steam.

A set of required environment variables have default values provided as part of the image:

Any configuration value that is available via arkmanager can be set using an environment variable. This works by taking any environment variable on the container that is prefixed with am_ and mapping it to the corresponding environment variable in the arkmanager.cfg file.

For a complete list of configuration values available, please see FezVrasta's great documentation here: arkmanager Configuration Files

Some examples:

am_ark_ServerPassword=s3cr3t
am_ark_GameModIds=889745138,731604991
am_arkopt_clusterid=mycluster
am_arkflag_NoTransferFromFiltering=
am_arkflag_servergamelog=
am_arkflag_ForceAllowCaveFlyers=

This image has two main volumes that should be mounted as named volumes or host directories for the persistence of the server install and all related configuration files. More information on Docker volumes here: Docker: Use Volumes The optional volumes can be used to share the server binary files or clusters files required to run an ARK cluster and be able to jump from one map to another.

Inside the /ark volume there are several directories containing server related files:

In order to run an ARK cluster, all you need are multiple servers sharing the clusters directory and using a shared, unique clusterid - and a lot of RAM. Additionally you can share the server files, so that all servers use the same version and you don't have to store identical files twice on disk.

Example: (using the .env files in /test)

IMAGE=drpsychick/arkserver
TAG=bionic
mkdir -p theisland ragnarok arkserver arkclusters theisland/saved ragnarok/saved

# start server 1 with am_arkAutoUpdateOnStart=true
serverdir=theisland
docker run --rm -it --name $serverdir \
  --env-file test/ark-$serverdir.env \
  -v $PWD/$serverdir:/ark \
  -v $PWD/$serverdir/saved:/arkserver/ShooterGame/Saved \
  -v $PWD/arkclusters:/arkserver/ShooterGame/Saved/clusters \
  -v $PWD/arkserver:/arkserver \
  -p 27015:27015/udp -p 7778:7778/udp -p 32330:32330 \
  $IMAGE:$TAG

# wait for the server to be up, it should download all mods and the game

# start server 2+ with am_arkAutoUpdateOnStart=false
# using the SAME `arkserver` and `arkclusters` directory
serverdir=ragnarok
docker run --rm -it --name $serverdir \
  --env-file test/ark-$serverdir.env \
  -v $PWD/$serverdir:/ark \
  -v $PWD/$serverdir/saved:/arkserver/ShooterGame/Saved \
  -v $PWD/arkclusters:/arkserver/ShooterGame/Saved/clusters \
  -v $PWD/arkserver:/arkserver \
  -p 27016:27016/udp -p 7780:7780/udp -p 32331:32331 \
  $IMAGE:$TAG

# now you can reach your servers on 27015 and 27016 respectively

# cleanup
rm -rf theisland ragnarok arkserver arkclusters

To test jumping from one server to another:

• join one server, enable cheats with enablecheats <adminpassword>
• cheat your character the transmitter tek engram cheat GiveTekengramsTo <survivorID> transmitter
• cheat your character a transmitter item cheat gfi TekTransmitter 1 1 0
• place the transmitter, turn it on, enter the inventory -> you should see "travel to another server" button in the middle
• click it and select the server you want to travel to

The survivorID is the number displayed when you hover over the specimen implant (diamond shaped item) you always have (https://ark.fandom.com/wiki/Specimen_Implant).