Shiny Dinos Ascended Config Generator

Tired of your ARK looking like a muddy sock? Meet Shiny! Dinos Ascended—the mod that injects over 40 gorgeous color palettes and wild special abilities into your dino bloodline. Whether you’re a player delighting in rainbow equuses or a server admin wielding INI files like a boss, this mod’s got your back. CurseForge Steam Community

Why use this mod?

Visual panache: Think “Gilded,” “Kraken,” “Goth”—descriptive names for stunning skins. And yes, there’s a whole thread for them. Reddit
Special abilities galore: Frozen, Burning, Spectral, Enraged… you name it, there’s something horrifyingly delightful. Steam Community+3
Cross-map compatible: Works with every ARK map and plays nicely with other mods. It doesn’t duplicate dinos, just upgrades them. CurseForge+6

How To Use

The mod comes with sensible defaults, but the real power lies in the [Shiny] section of your GameUserSettings.ini. Want a shinier spawn rate? Higher level dinos? Tekgrams on kill? It’s all there. Admin commands include ShinySpawnNow, ShinyDestroyAllWild,and even a “ShinyVariantGun” to manually bless your dinos. Steam Community+1

Your generated settings already include the required [Shiny] header — all you need to do is paste the entire section into your GameUserSettings.ini file.

For dedicated servers, you’ll find it here:
…\ArkAscended\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\GameUserSettings.ini

For single-player or non-dedicated sessions, use:
…\ArkAscended\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor\GameUserSettings.ini

Open the file, scroll to the bottom (or wherever you keep your other mod settings), and paste the full section in place. Save, close, and restart your server to apply the changes.

If you’re updating existing settings, just replace the old [Shiny] section with the new one your generator created — don’t stack multiple copies.

Tip: Always stop the server before editing configs and restart it afterward so the new values load correctly.

Shiny Dinos Ascended Config Generator

Shiny! Dinos Ascended Config Generator

🧭 Spawn Timing & Lifetimes

SpawnIntervalMin=

Sets the minimum delay between each Shiny Dino spawn cycle on your server. This is the shortest possible time between spawn attempts, with the actual time falling between SpawnIntervalMin and SpawnIntervalMax. Shorter intervals make Shinys! appear more frequently, while longer intervals slow the pace of encounters. The default is 30 minutes, the minimum allowed is 1 minute, and the maximum allowed is 6 hours. 💡 Tip: Keep this lower than SpawnIntervalMax for natural pacing, but avoid setting it too short unless you want the map overflowing with Shinys!

SpawnIntervalMax=

Sets the maximum possible delay between Shiny Dino spawn cycles. The game will randomly choose a time between SpawnIntervalMin and this value before the next spawn check. A tighter window between min and max makes spawns more predictable and frequent, while a wide gap adds unpredictability. Default is 60 minutes, minimum allowed is 1 minute, and maximum allowed is 6 hours. 💡 Tip: Keep SpawnIntervalMax no more than double your SpawnIntervalMin to avoid long dry spells.

DinoLifetimeMin=

Defines the minimum amount of time a wild Shiny Dino will remain in the world if untouched. This timer starts when the dino spawns and ensures it won’t despawn too quickly during a hunt. If you set this too short, players may miss out; too long, and your map may fill with Shinies. Default is 6 hours, minimum allowed is 30 minutes, and maximum allowed is 48 hours. 💡 Tip: Pair this with a reasonable DinoLifetimeMax so casual players still have a fair shot at finding Shinies before they vanish.

DinoLifetimeMax=

Controls the maximum lifespan for an untouched Shiny Dino. Once this time passes, the dino despawns to make room for new spawns. Increasing this gives players more time for hunts, but can delay fresh spawns if old ones linger. Default is 8 hours, minimum allowed is 30 minutes, and maximum allowed is 48 hours. 💡 Tip: Set this slightly above your DinoLifetimeMin to keep hunts fair but still cycle new Shinies onto the map regularly.

🎚 Levels, Counts & Search

DinoLevelMin=

Sets the lowest wild level that a Shiny Dino can spawn at, before any taming or post-tame leveling. This determines the bottom end of the spawn range. On most maps, matching your server’s wild dino cap ensures Shinies are competitive without underwhelming spawns. Default is 150 on standard 150-cap maps; minimum allowed is 1, and maximum is whatever your map’s cap supports. 💡 Tip: Keep this equal to your normal wild cap for consistency, unless you want ultra-low-level “trophy” Shinies for novelty hunts.

DinoLevelMax=

Controls the highest wild level a Shiny Dino can spawn at, before taming. This is where Shinies can exceed normal wild levels for a special challenge or reward. Default is 180 on a standard 150-cap server (about 20% higher); minimum allowed is DinoLevelMin, and maximum allowed is map cap × 1.2 unless you allow higher manually. 💡 Tip: Setting this higher than your normal max level makes Shinies feel rare and worth chasing—just watch your difficulty balance.

MaxNumShinies=

The hard limit on how many wild Shinies can exist at one time. Once the map hits this number, no new Shinies spawn until one is tamed or killed. Default is 10, minimum allowed is 5, and maximum allowed is 200. 💡 Tip: If players complain they never see Shinies, try raising this number—but watch for overcrowding in popular spawn areas.

NumSearchLoops=

Determines how many times Shiny will attempt to find a valid candidate dino for conversion each spawn cycle. More loops increase the odds of finding a match but can raise server CPU usage. Default is 15, minimum allowed is 5, and maximum allowed is 50. 💡 Tip: Unless you have a massive or heavily modded map, keep this in the mid-range to balance performance and spawn reliability.

RandomSelectionBias=

0.2

Adjusts the balance between completely random dino picks and evenly distributed species selection. At 0.0, it only picks from currently spawned dinos. At 1.0, every species has equal odds—even rare ones like Gigas or Wyverns. Default is 0.2, minimum allowed is 0.0, and maximum allowed is 0.8. 💡 Tip: A bias of 0.2–0.4 keeps variety without flooding the map with rare boss-tier Shinies every cycle.

🧺 Carrying, Taming & Placement

🚫 Allow / Block Lists

✈️ Species Filters

🔀 Variant Selection & Weights

VariantSwapChanceAberrant=

.05

Sets the chance (0–1) that a Shiny Dino will transform into an Aberrant variant when converted. This only applies to dinos eligible for Aberrant forms and won’t take effect until Aberration is available in ASA. Default is 0.05 (5%), minimum allowed is 0.0, maximum is 0.5. 💡 Tip: If you love the glow of Aberrants, bump this up for more variety—just be careful not to make them common enough to lose their wow factor.

VariantSwapChanceGenesis=

.05

Controls the chance (0–1) that a Shiny Dino will become a Genesis X or R variant when converted. Applies to both Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 styles once available in ASA. Default is 0.05 (5%), minimum allowed is 0.0, maximum is 0.5. 💡 Tip: Raising this on ocean-heavy maps makes for some seriously flashy underwater hunts.

SimpleVariantWeightSpecial=

.15

Sets the global spawn weight for the “Special” category of Shiny variants (non-standard but not Enraged). This is a simpler tuning option than VariantWeightOverrides for broad adjustments. Default is 0.15 (15%), minimum allowed is 0.0, maximum is 1.0.

SimpleVariantWeightEnraged=

.10

Sets the global spawn weight for the “Enraged” category, the most dangerous Shiny tier. This option is ignored if VariantWeightOverrides is set for Enraged. Default is 0.10 (10%), minimum allowed is 0.0, maximum is 1.0. 💡 Tip: Treat Enraged like world bosses—keep their rate low unless your server’s geared for high-intensity fights.

SubVariantChance=

.10

Determines the chance (0–1) that a Shiny Dino will receive a secondary trait in addition to its primary variant. Secondary traits stack effects and can make for extremely rare, high-value finds. Default is 0.1 (10%), minimum allowed is 0.0, maximum is 0.5. 💡 Tip: A value around 0.05–0.1 keeps sub-variants feeling like jackpot finds without overcomplicating hunts.

SubVariantWeightOverrides=

Lets you set custom spawn weight values for each Shiny! Dinos Ascended sub-variant, controlling how often each special type appears. The format is VariantName:Weight — for example: Dazzling:100,Taser:50,Frozen:200 Higher weights = more common spawns, lower weights = rarer spawns. 0 keeps the variant in the list but makes it nearly impossible to spawn (use a blacklist if you want it completely removed). You can list multiple variants separated by commas. Suggested weight scale: 0 → Practically extinct unless the only option. 50 → Rare, but will show up eventually. 100 → Balanced, neutral spawn odds. 500 → Common without completely dominating. 1000 → Extremely common, will flood spawns if paired with other low-weight entries. 💡 Tip: Keep the total combined weight of all sub-variants in a similar range to your main variant weights. If one sub-variant is way higher, it will crowd out the rest.

VariantWeightOverrides=

A comma-separated list of Variant:Weight pairs that override default spawn odds for Shiny variants. Weight is relative to other variants; higher numbers mean more common spawns. Any variant not listed keeps its default weight. You cannot fully disable a variant here—use VariantBlacklist for that. Default is empty (uses mod defaults), no hard min/max entries. 💡 Tip: If you want more “showpiece” Shinies like Burning or Spectral, boost their weight here instead of touching global spawn rates.

🧬 Stats, Traits & Breeding

StatBoostChance=

Sets the probability (0–1) that a Shiny Dino will spawn with a stat-focused template (like Hardy, Stalwart, or similar) before taming. This means one stat—such as health, stamina, or melee—gets a stronger bias than others. Default is 0.1 (10%), minimum allowed is 0.0, maximum is 1.0. 💡 Tip: Keep this low if you want stat-boosted Shinies to be rare trophy finds, or raise it for a more RPG-like server where every Shiny has a unique build.

StatBoostStrength=

1.6

Controls how strong the favored-stat bias is when a Shiny Dino rolls a stat-focused template. Higher values make the boosted stat stand out more compared to the rest. Default is 1.6, minimum allowed is 1.0, maximum is 3.0. 💡 Tip: Increasing this can make for seriously specialized creatures, but be careful—extreme values can create glass cannons or nearly unkillable tanks.

RadioactiveMutationBoost=

Sets the multiplier for breeding mutation chances from Radioactive Shiny Dinos. The higher the number, the more likely offspring will gain mutations when bred. Default is 3.0, minimum allowed is 0.0 (disables the boost), maximum is 10.0. 💡 Tip: High values here can flood your server with high-stat mutated creatures fast—great for a breeding-focused PvE server, dangerous for PvP balance.

TraitUpgradeChance=

.33

The probability (0–1) that a Shiny Dino’s first trait will automatically upgrade to Tier 3 over time or when rolled. Default is 0.33 (33%), minimum allowed is 0.0, maximum is 0.75. 💡 Tip: Keep this moderate so trait upgrades feel like special moments rather than a guaranteed part of Shiny spawns.

TraitGainChance=

.33

The probability (0–1) that a Shiny Dino will gain a second trait in addition to its first. This can lead to powerful combinations and rare hybrid abilities. Default is 0.33 (33%), minimum allowed is 0.0, maximum is 0.75. 💡 Tip: If you want crazy, unpredictable Shiny builds, crank this up—but understand it can produce some

🧪 Essence & Enraged Tuning

🏆 Tek Unlocks & Cosmetics

🌍 Startup, Safety & Events

PopulateOnLoad=

False True

When enabled, Shiny Dinos will spawn immediately when the server starts or the game loads, instead of waiting for the first scheduled spawn cycle. This ensures the map always has Shinies right from the start. 💡 Tip: Keep this on for active servers so players logging in after restarts don’t face an empty map.

EnableUndermeshChecks=

False True

Turns on real-time checks to prevent Shinies from spawning under the map mesh where players can’t reach them. Helps avoid unreachable spawns and wasted Shiny slots. 💡 Tip: This is a good stability setting—there’s no real downside to leaving it disabled.

RunUndermeshStartupCheck=

False True

Performs an undermesh sweep during server startup, removing any existing Shinies that are trapped beneath the terrain. Can increase startup time slightly. Default is False. 💡 Tip: Enable this if you run into cases of persistent stuck Shinies after restarts.

UseEventColors=

False True

Allows event-specific color palettes for Shiny Dinos during an active event. Default is True. 💡 Tip: Combine with UseEventVariants for a fully themed map—great for holiday screenshots.

UseEventVariants=

False True

Allows event-only variants to spawn during active events. Default is True. 💡 Tip: Keep this on to make events feel unique—players notice when rare seasonal types appear.

TrickOrTreatIgnoreWhitelist=

False True

Lets seasonal Trick-or-Treat spawns bypass your variant whitelist, meaning they can include any variant not on the blacklist. Good for chaotic holiday events. Default is False. 💡 Tip: Great for October events—keeps hunts unpredictable without permanently altering your spawn pool.

DebugLogging=

False True

Enables detailed Shiny Dino debug logs for troubleshooting and monitoring. Useful for dev work or diagnosing spawn issues but can clutter logs in production. Default is False. 💡 Tip: Turn this on temporarily when testing new settings—then disable to keep logs clean.

ActiveEvent=

Forces a specific Shiny holiday or seasonal event to run, or lets the system auto-detect based on the current date. Supports events like FearEvolved and WinterWonderland. Default is Auto. 💡 Tip: Manually set this for off-season events to spice up gameplay—nothing wrong with spooky dinos in summer.

If you are human, leave this field blank.

Shiny Dinos Variant Reference
A quick overview of Shiny types and what makes them special — effects, bonuses, and community notes for each variant.)

Variant	Ability	Practical Use (or Awkward Pitfall)
Enraged	Unholy Alpha boosts, no taming	Want mega XP and loot? Feast on these—if you survive. Steam Community Nitrado Gameserver
Shinobi	Ninja-stealth, reduced aggro	Sneak past predators or get eaten because you forgot “not none at all.” Steam Community
Filthy	Dirty, stinky, but lvl-boosted when tamed	Bath time gives you a high-level, protective pet—soap optional. Steam Community
Fathomless	Blue & absurd strength; lighter inventory	My gallimimus replaced an entire caravan—no, I’m not kidding. Steam Community
Frozen	Fridge-chill body, cold-proof, fire vulnerable	No spoilage, but don’t light it on fire if you like your loot. Steam Community
Spectral	Ghost-dino; falls safe, zero sound, spectral poop	Silent. Spooky. Droppable loot from the spirit plane. Steam Community
Skeletal	Undead, no eating or pooping, avoids missiles	Pet cemetery chic. Also highly impractical—don’t feed it. Steam Community
Taser	Electric defense	Shocks attackers with chain lightning. Zap ‘em real good. Steam Community
Stat-boost (Hardy, Fierce, etc.)	One-stat focus enhances breeding	Good for setting up dinos that shred or tank. Reddit

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Shiny Dinos Ascended Config Generator

How To Use

Shiny! Dinos Ascended Config Generator

🧭 Spawn Timing & Lifetimes

🎚 Levels, Counts & Search

🧺 Carrying, Taming & Placement

🚫 Allow / Block Lists

✈️ Species Filters

📍 Tracker, Redaction & Discovery

🔀 Variant Selection & Weights

🧬 Stats, Traits & Breeding

🧪 Essence & Enraged Tuning

🏆 Tek Unlocks & Cosmetics

🌍 Startup, Safety & Events

💥 Variant Ability Toggles & Tunables

ARKSA Game INI Generator

Back To The Generators

Support The Site

Shiny Dinos Variant Reference

Shiny Dinos Ascended Config Generator

How To Use

Shiny! Dinos Ascended Config Generator

🧭 Spawn Timing & Lifetimes

🎚 Levels, Counts & Search arrowup6

🧺 Carrying, Taming & Placement arrowup6

🚫 Allow / Block Lists arrowup6

✈️ Species Filters arrowup6

📍 Tracker, Redaction & Discovery arrowup6

🔀 Variant Selection & Weights arrowup6

🧬 Stats, Traits & Breeding arrowup6

🧪 Essence & Enraged Tuning arrowup6

🏆 Tek Unlocks & Cosmetics arrowup6

🌍 Startup, Safety & Events arrowup6

💥 Variant Ability Toggles & Tunables arrowup6

ARKSA Game INI Generator

Back To The Generators

Support The Site

Shiny Dinos Variant Reference

🎚 Levels, Counts & Search

🧺 Carrying, Taming & Placement

🚫 Allow / Block Lists

✈️ Species Filters

📍 Tracker, Redaction & Discovery

🔀 Variant Selection & Weights

🧬 Stats, Traits & Breeding

🧪 Essence & Enraged Tuning

🏆 Tek Unlocks & Cosmetics

🌍 Startup, Safety & Events

💥 Variant Ability Toggles & Tunables