ARK: Survival Evolved (2017) – The Role of Game Icons and Banners

In 2017, ARK: Survival Evolved made a mark in the gaming world by combining survival, strategy, and exploration in a prehistoric setting. The game immerses players in a world filled with dinosaurs and other ancient creatures.

As you navigate this challenging environment—building bases, taming animals, and engaging in tribal conflicts—visual elements like game icons and banners significantly enhance your experience.

These elements are not just decorative; they serve essential functions that aid in navigation, communication, and identification. This article explores the role of game icons and banners in ARK: Survival Evolved, emphasizing their design principles, importance, and impact on gameplay.

Understanding Game Icons and Banners

Game icons and banners in ARK: Survival Evolved are more than just visual features. Icons typically represent items, characters, or structures, allowing you to quickly identify and interact with various elements in the game.

For example, when managing your inventory or engaging in combat, these icons provide clarity and efficiency.

On the other hand, banners often represent tribal identities or mark specific events, adding a personalized and communal feel to the game.

These visual elements are crucial to your overall experience. Game icons simplify complex interactions, helping you understand and react to the environment quickly. Meanwhile, banners, especially in tribal contexts, symbolize pride and belonging, enhancing the social aspect of the game.

Key Elements in Design

The design of ARK: Survival Evolved’s icons and banners reflects the game’s prehistoric theme. You’ll notice common motifs like dinosaurs, primitive tools, and rugged landscapes, all designed to match the game’s aesthetic.

The color schemes usually feature earthy tones like greens, browns, and greys, which reinforce the natural setting. However, event banners often incorporate vibrant colors to attract attention and celebrate special occasions.

Types of Game Icons

1. Character Icons:

These icons represent the various avatars you can choose or encounter in the game. Character icons are essential in multiplayer settings, helping you identify different players during PvP (Player vs. Player) interactions or cooperative gameplay.

The design often reflects a character’s attributes or role within a tribe, such as a warrior or builder, making it easier for you to make quick decisions based on this information.

2. Item Icons:

As one of the most frequently encountered visual elements, item icons represent the various resources you collect, craft, and use.

The design of these icons focuses on clarity, ensuring that you can easily distinguish between similar-looking items, such as different types of berries, during gameplay.

3. Structure Icons:

These icons represent the buildings and structures you can create. They are crucial in base-building, where you manage and organize everything from simple huts to complex fortresses.

The icons’ designs often reflect the materials used (e.g., wood, stone, metal) and the building’s purpose, helping you quickly locate and manage your resources.

Banners in ARK: Survival Evolved

1. Tribal Banners:

In multiplayer servers, tribal banners play a significant role. They serve as the emblem or flag of a tribe, representing its identity, values, and achievements.

For instance, a tribe might incorporate symbols of dinosaurs they’ve tamed or a color scheme that marks their territory. These banners are usually displayed prominently at the tribe’s base, acting as a rallying point for members and a warning to potential enemies.

2. Event Banners:

Event banners mark in-game events, such as seasonal updates or community challenges. Designed to be eye-catching, these banners often feature bright colors, dynamic patterns, and thematic imagery.

For example, during Halloween, you might see banners with spooky elements like skulls or pumpkins, rendered in a prehistoric style. These banners help build excitement and encourage participation in events.

3. Custom Banners:

ARK: Survival Evolved allows you to create and display your custom banners. Whether marking your territory or commemorating an achievement, these banners add a personal touch to the game.

Designing a custom banner requires understanding the game’s visual style and some technical skills to create a visually appealing design.

Designing Your Icons and Banners

If you’re interested in creating your game icons and banners, several tools are available. Programs like Adobe Photoshop or GIMP offer powerful editing capabilities for detailed designs.

For beginners, simpler tools like Canva or Paint.NET provide user-friendly interfaces and templates to help you get started. Online tutorials and forums dedicated to ARK: Survival Evolved modding can also offer valuable tips and inspiration.

When designing, consistency with the game’s visual style is essential. Use appropriate color schemes, imagery, and proportions that match the prehistoric and survivalist themes.

While it’s tempting to add many intricate details, simplicity and clarity should be your priorities. Focus on creating distinct designs that are easy to recognize at a glance.

Inspiration Sources

Inspiration for your designs can come from various sources. The game’s natural environments and creatures offer rich visual material, from the textures of dinosaur skin to ancient plants’ shapes.

You can also draw ideas from real-world prehistoric art, such as cave paintings. Additionally, the ARK community is a treasure trove of creativity.

Exploring forums, social media groups, and fan sites can spark your creativity and help you develop unique icons and banners.

Showcasing the Best Designs

The ARK: Survival Evolved  community has produced impressive game icons and banners. Some designs stand out due to their artistic elements and personal touches.

For example, intricate tribal banners with custom logos and symbols that represent a tribe’s achievements are popular. These designs enhance the player experience and contribute to the game’s rich visual storytelling.

Official banners in the game also hold significance. They are often associated with major updates or events, featuring high-quality designs with attention to detail.

For example, banners for game expansions usually feature imagery related to the new creatures or challenges introduced.

Over the years, some game icons and banners have become fan favorites, celebrated for their creativity and uniqueness. These designs are shared on forums, social media, and in-game, becoming part of ARK’s cultural fabric.

Conclusion

In ARK: Survival game icons banners play an integral role in the gameplay experience. They go beyond mere decoration, enhancing everything from inventory management to tribal identity.

Whether you appreciate official designs or create your own, these visual elements add depth, personalization, and a sense of community to the game.

As you continue to explore and survive in this prehistoric world, remember that your icons and banners can significantly impact your experience, contributing to the ever-evolving visual landscape of ARK: Survival Evolved.