Interesting theory.
I've seen a bit of Ark before, and it seems like the kind of game where a few people, working together for a few hours, can create an insurmountable lead. The conclusions section says that basic resources are plentiful, but Prince Adam admitted to trashing the homes of anyone who had the audacity to build with stone or thatch, which seems pretty basic, and their armour and gun turrets present a very formidable force. Unless you're willing to live in wood huts far from the resources the Protectorate has claimed, it seems that even the 'good neighbourhood' is locked in a semi-feudal state.