What is an Ark Taming Calculator?
An Ark Taming Calculator is a planning tool that predicts how long a tame will take, how many food items you’ll need, how much torpor support is required, and the taming effectiveness (bonus levels) you can expect. By entering the creature, level, and chosen food (kibble, mutton, prime, berries, etc.), the calculator models Ark’s taming mechanics and shows clear, math-backed results. The goal is simple: minimize wasted resources and prevent failed tames by knowing beforehand the time, items, and narcotics you’ll need. Formulas below are written in LaTeX so they can be rendered responsively with MathJax/math.js on your page.
About the Ark Taming Calculator
The calculator uses a required taming affinity target for each creature and level, then compares that to the affinity granted per food item. It also uses the creature’s food drain rate to estimate the delay between bites and the total duration. Torpor drain rate is factored in to estimate narcotic (or berry) requirements so your tame stays safely unconscious throughout. For effectiveness, higher-quality foods typically require fewer bites, preserving more taming effectiveness and yielding more bonus levels on completion.
How to Use this Ark Taming Calculator
- Select the creature and its wild level.
- Choose the food type(s) you plan to use (kibble, mutton, prime, berries, etc.).
- (Optional) Enter torpor stats if you know them (starting torpor, torpor drain rate).
- Review outputs: total taming time, food counts by type, expected taming effectiveness, and narcotics required.
- Adjust foods or level to see how the plan changes.
Core Formulas (LaTeX for MathJax)
Required Affinity by Level: \[ A_{\text{req}} = A_0 + \alpha \cdot (L - 1) \]
Items Needed (single food type \(i\)): \[ n_i = \left\lceil \frac{A_{\text{req}}}{a_i} \right\rceil \]
Items Needed (mixed foods): Find the smallest set \(\{n_i\}\) such that \(\sum_i n_i a_i \ge A_{\text{req}}\).
Time Between Bites: \[ t_{\text{bite}} = \frac{F_{\text{perBite}}}{F_{\text{rate}}} \]
Total Taming Time (constant bite size): \[ T \approx n \cdot t_{\text{bite}} \]
Taming Effectiveness (simplified): \[ TE = \max\!\big(0,\; 1 - n \beta_i - \gamma\big) \] where \(\beta_i\) is per-bite loss (food quality) and \(\gamma\) covers damage/overfeed effects.
Bonus Levels: \[ L_{\text{bonus}} = \left\lfloor TE \cdot B_{\max} \right\rfloor \]
Torpor Loss Over Time: \[ D_{\text{torpor}} = r_{\text{torpor}} \cdot T \]
Narcotics Needed (assume +40 torpor each): \[ N_{\text{narc}} = \left\lceil \frac{\max\!\big(0, D_{\text{torpor}} - \tau_{\text{start}}\big)}{40} \right\rceil \]
Examples (Illustrative)
Example 1: Herbivore (Lv 30) with Kibble
Suppose \(A_0=400\), \(\alpha=20\) → \(A_{\text{req}}=400+20\cdot29=980\). If kibble gives \(a_{\text{kib}}=80\), then \(n=\lceil 980/80 \rceil=13\) bites.
If \(F_{\text{perBite}}=30\) and \(F_{\text{rate}}=0.1\,\text{s}^{-1}\), then \(t_{\text{bite}}=30/0.1=300\) s (5 min). Total \(T\approx13\cdot5=65\) minutes.
With \(r_{\text{torpor}}=0.3\,\text{s}^{-1}\) and \(\tau_{\text{start}}=800\): \(D_{\text{torpor}}=0.3\cdot3900=1170\). Extra = \(1170-800=370\) → \(N_{\text{narc}}=\lceil 370/40 \rceil=10\).
Example 2: Carnivore (Lv 150) with Raw Mutton
\(A_0=800\), \(\alpha=50\) → \(A_{\text{req}}=800+50\cdot149=8250\). If raw mutton grants \(a=120\): \(n=\lceil 8250/120 \rceil=69\).
With \(F_{\text{perBite}}=50\), \(F_{\text{rate}}=0.2\,\text{s}^{-1}\): \(t_{\text{bite}}=250\) s (~4.17 min), so \(T\approx69\cdot4.17\approx288\) minutes.
If \(r_{\text{torpor}}=0.6\,\text{s}^{-1}\), \(\tau_{\text{start}}=4000\): \(D_{\text{torpor}}=0.6\cdot(288\cdot60)=10368\). Extra \(=6368\) → \(N_{\text{narc}}=\lceil 6368/40 \rceil=159\).
Note: Replace these placeholders with the creature’s actual stats for precise results.
FAQs
Which inputs affect total taming time the most?
Food quality (kibble vs. raw), level (affinity needed), and the creature’s food drain rate drive total time.
How does taming effectiveness work?
Fewer, higher-quality bites preserve effectiveness; damage taken during taming also lowers it.
Do starve-taming strategies change total time?
No, total time is similar; starve-taming mainly reduces risk of losing food on accidental wake-ups.
Why do narcotic estimates vary?
Different creatures drain torpor at different rates and start with different torpor values.
Can I mix food types?
Yes. The calculator sums affinities from all foods until total required affinity is reached.
Do higher levels always take longer?
Generally yes, because required affinity rises with level.
Will better food increase effectiveness?
Typically yes; better food reduces bite count, preserving taming effectiveness.
Are the formulas device-responsive?
Yes. The LaTeX displays responsively when rendered with MathJax/math.js included on your page.
Do I need exact stats?
For the most accurate outputs, use the creature’s specific food drain and torpor drain values.
