You start off nude and terrified in Rust, just like you would in real life. You've been washed ashore on a massive island with nothing but a rock to your name, and it's up to you to gather materials and locate food and water sources in order to live. In truth, the only purpose in Rust is to survive, although it's not as simple as picking grain from a riverbank.
On this island, you'll go up against wild creatures, other gamers, and nature itself. The goal is to turn your early-game materials into weaponry and defendable structures as quickly as possible. You can then progress to create more complex weaponry and armour, which you can use to raid other players' treasure.
The sheer vastness of the game may be intimidating if this is your first foray into the realm of Rust. We've put up a few pointers in this guide that should help you find your bearings.
1. Follow The Tutorial To Get Started
When you initially create a character in Rust, you'll be given a task list with some very basic objectives to complete, such as gathering wood and stone, making a campfire, and crafting some basic gathering equipment. This list essentially acts as a Rust lesson. If you're new to the game but have experience with others, you might be tempted to skip forward. We encourage that you finish it because you'll need it.
2. Consider Where You'll Place Your Sleeping Bag
Sleeping bags function essentially as your respawn point, so if you die or exit the game, that’s where you’ll find yourself when you resume. Since it’s such a precious item, carefully consider where you plop the thing down. It’s best to move a bit inland, away from the beach where your character first wakes up. This is because, in most cases, the beach is crawling with other new players, and you don’t want to become a target. Leaving your sleeping bag out in the open isn’t a good idea regardless, so you’ll probably want to find a nice secluded nook near some cliffs or a forest to make your first camp.
3. Look For Hemp
You'll need to make your sleeping bag out of hemp to begin with. Hemp isn't difficult to get by, but it's worth repeating how crucial it is for early survival. It can not only be used to build a sleeping bag, but it can also be used to clothing oneself, shielding your squishy human body from the elements. When it comes to the elements...
4. Keep An Eye On Your Temperature
Your character will be badly harmed if you become too cold or too heated. If you become too chilly, especially below 5°C, you'll start to suffer harm over time. The colder it becomes, the faster your health deteriorates. Swimming in water and spending too much time in chilly places are two things that might cause your body temperature to decrease.
Becoming too hot (over 40°C) has the same effect as getting too cold; if your garments are excessively warm, you will suffer damage over time. As a result, avoid spending too much time near heat sources such as campfires or in hot, dry climates.
5. Be On The Lookout For Silent Nodes
In Rust, gathering resources may be a loud endeavour. After all, slamming a rock against a tree or a boulder isn't exactly stealthy, and it might draw the notice of surrounding opponents. It's thus worthwhile to look for smaller resource nodes that you can pick up without the usage of tools. These include tree stumps, which provide timber, and smaller rocks, which provide a variety of ores. This is a wonderful strategy to stay concealed if you're attempting to stay hidden.
6. Keep An Eye Out For Wildlife
In Rust, it's not simply other players to be aware of. There are a variety of deadly creatures on the island, such as bears, and you'll need to defend yourself. Ranged weapons are preferable than melee weapons while fending off animals, thus a bow should be a priority early on. A pair of claws and teeth is the last thing a novice, unprotected gamer needs!
7. Make Those Seeds Grow
While exploring, you'll frequently come across vegetable and hemp seeds, which you should consider planting in a secure location. The simplicity of having a consistent supplier is vital because food and nutrients are so important early on. Just keep track of where you planted them and keep your crops safe from thieving attackers.
8. Keep Looting
While just the most basic goods are accessible for crafting in the early game, there are certain containers strewn throughout the island that may contain more complex items. Finding radiation-resistant clothes or a metal hatchet will dramatically speed up your progress in Rust, so make sure you spend some time exploring areas where you may loot boxes and barrels. Convenience stores that have fallen into disrepair may be a lucrative source of food and water, both of which are essential.
Did you find our gaming guide on Rust useful? Please let us know in the comments!
