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Ark: Survival Evolved patch 248 adds procedurally generated maps and more

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Ark might still be in Early Access but it just keeps on evolving. Update 248 adds an extra layer of unpredictability to the open-world survival sim, asking players to stay alive in the procedurally generated wilderness.

Love how Ark lets you take a poop in a stranger’s house? Our list of the best sandbox games should let you live out more destructive fantasies. 

These infinite procedurally generated maps allow players to determine a wide selection of landscape options, from the heights of mountains to the depths of valleys, the number of lakes and rivers, and even specific biomes. Perhaps you’ll want to recreate Skyrim’s snowy peaks – bump up the mountain sizes and opt for a snow biome.

There are also a bunch of new creatures. There’s the Kaprosuchus, a speedy, water-based carnivore who likes to hunt alone; the Chalicotherium, a primitive, cold-dwelling creature that can be used as a trained mobile, boulder-throwing artillery; and the Diplocaulus, a swamp-dwelling amphibian that lets you swim underwater, breathing through its bladder instead of coming up for air. Lovely.

On top of this, there’s also the new notes system, plonking down 130 chests throughout the island – these contain lore from the archipelago’s former inhabitants, along with an XP boost.

“These 3D Explorer and Story Notes are punctuated with powerful personalities from a Roman Centurion to an Ancient Chinese Warrior to an Egyptian Priestess, each one chronicling their experiences on Ark and unveiling kernels of the story secrets they have uncovered,” says the YouTube description.

The update also includes the ability to wield weapons when mount-riding smaller dinos, and the ability for breeders to neuter shag-happy lizards. There’s a video of the patch embedded above.