Running the tribe log bot on a second PC, a laptop, or a $5 HDMI dummy plug

The bot needs a game client that is rendering. Here's every way to arrange that — cheapest first — and the one thing that never works (minimizing).

The tribe log only exists inside a running client, so something has to keep ARK open. That is the whole cost of running a tribe log bot on official servers. These are the ways tribes handle it.

Option 1: your own PC, game behind other windows

ASA Tribe Log Bot captures the game window, not the screen. Browser, Discord, work — all fine on top. Settings: Windowed Fullscreen, lowest graphics, 30 fps cap (Video settings), HUD scale 100%. The one rule: don't minimize. Windows stops rendering minimized windows; the app shows "game is minimized" and posts a warning if it stays that way.

Option 2: HDMI dummy plug or virtual display

A dummy plug (~$5) makes Windows believe a second monitor is attached. Drag the game there, and it's out of your way entirely while still rendering. Free software alternatives exist (virtual display drivers), with the same effect. Set the app's monitor number in Extras if you use screen capture; with window capture it doesn't matter.

Option 3: an old PC or laptop with an alt account

The most common tribe setup: any machine that runs ASA at low settings, an alt account (a second copy of the game) in the tribe, parked inside the base. Disable sleep and screen lock, tick "start automatically" and "open when Windows starts" in the app, and turn on auto-reconnect so a server restart doesn't need a human. Expect 15–30 fps at the lowest preset to be plenty.

What doesn't work

• Minimizing the game — nothing to capture.
• Remote desktop sessions that are disconnected — Windows stops rendering.
• Windows Sandbox or most VMs — BattlEye and no GPU.
• Running two clients on one PC without a second account — one character can't be in two places.

Questions