Adjusting Engram Points Per Level on an ARK Server

In ARK: Survival Evolved, climbing levels is what unlocks the engrams that gate every crafting recipe in the game. On a default world that pace feels fine, but server owners often want to tune it. Maybe you want bases built faster so the action can start sooner. Maybe you want a brutal grind where stone tools are a real accomplishment. Either way, the lever you reach for is engram points per level, and it lives in a config file rather than the in-game settings.

Below is the full process using the HolyHosting control panel, plus a few suggested point curves to start from.

Editing Game.ini through the panel

The change happens inside `Game.ini`. You do not need separate FTP access, the panel exposes it directly.

1. Open your HolyHosting server panel and select Config Files in the top left.

1. Find Additional Server Configuration and open it. That entry maps to `Game.ini`.

1. Scroll to the bottom and add one line per player level. The directive is:

``` OverridePlayerLevelEngramPoints=X ```

Replace `X` with the engram points you want awarded at that specific level. The first line in the list controls level 1, the second controls level 2, and so on. With every official DLC enabled, the default cap is 190 levels, so a complete override is 190 lines.

1. Save the file, return to the main panel view, and restart the server. The new values apply the next time a character levels up in-game.

Picking a curve

The vanilla curve hands out roughly one extra point every ten levels, so progression is slow and steady. You are not stuck with that shape. Each line you write is one level, so you can front-load points for early base building, flatten the curve, or back-load them to reward late-game survivors.

A few starting points worth testing:

• Fast unlocks: hand out higher values across the first 30 to 50 levels so players reach structure recipes without grinding. Useful for PvP servers where everyone needs a base before the first night ends.
• Above average: bump the vanilla numbers by 50 to 100 percent. Progression still feels earned, recipes just arrive sooner.
• Hard mode: cut values down for early levels and ramp up later. Survival stays raw at the start, with the satisfying payoff of saddles and advanced weapons unlocking later.

Whatever curve you pick, keep the totals balanced. Giving away every engram by level 20 is fun for one evening and boring forever after.

Confirming the change

Once the server is back online, level up a fresh character or use admin commands on a test character to check the new point totals. If a single level looks off, you only need to edit the matching line. No wipe required, no need to regenerate anything else.

With the file in place, players experience the pace you wanted, whether that is a faster route to a working base or a slower, more deliberate survival run.