DEV BLOG #14 - POWER SURGE!
Welcome to Dev Blog #14! Power Surge is one short day away from being released so in this month's blog we want to talk about all the upcoming features as well as introduce you to the new systems coming with this update, and how you can take full advantage of them!
Electricity brings a vast number of new opportunities to the game and it’s important to know the basics of how electrical components work in order to explore the system to its fullest. In this first section of the Dev Blog we will deconstruct the electric system and go through the different component types so you can have a general idea on how to use them and what parameters need to be considered to expand your base designs. By the end of it, you should be recognized as a Master Electrician in the island of Rust Console Edition but you will need to explore your creativity in the base designs too in order to take full advantage of all the systems.
Let’s start with the bread and butter of the electricity system. Before you add any new electrical components to your base you will need to craft a very important item called the Wire Tool. This tool will allow you to connect the different electric items to one another so you can supply the power needed for them to run.
Once you have a Wire Tool, you will be able to use it for as long as you like! It’s important to keep in mind that the longer you run the wire, the more energy is going to be required to power up the item on the other end. Try to be as efficient as possible with your connections and power sources, so you don’t end up spending more energy than needed.
There are three different types of power sources for you to consider, with the most common one being solar energy. In game you will be able to acquire Solar Panels from random loot drops or by having the blueprint to craft them. Once you have some, simply add them on top of your base and make sure they are not covered by any shadows. From there, they will supply energy directly to your other electrical components or Batteries. Solar energy will not work during the night, so in order to keep your base from going back to the dark ages, you will need to store extra power in your Batteries during the day or use one of the other two power sources available in game.
The second power source (and probably most efficient) is the Wind Turbine. The force of the wind will make them spin, and this will generate energy to all of your components. The higher you place your Wind Turbines the more windy it will become, causing them to generate more power. The downside is that they are harder to get and the blueprint is more expensive to unlock. On top of that, having them high up on your base makes it very easy for other players to target them and destroy them before a raid. In case this happens, you should consider our third and final power source…
Generators are small but they can be extremely efficient in helping you protect your base in case your other sources of power are taken out. It’s advised to have multiple Generators in key places of your base, just as a backup plan. In case raiders take down your energy source and your Batteries are running low, you can add some Low Grade Fuel to the Generators and power them up. This can help you turn the tide of battle as your energy is restored. The fuel consumption of the Generators can be extremely high so try to use this option only as a last resort.
One last very important point to be considered about the power sources is that, the more electrical components you have in your base, the more energy you will need to run them. So once again, make sure to create a sustainable plan before you run out of energy!
Now that your power sources are all set up and that you have a Wire Tool in hand, it is time for you to give them some use! First, it’s important to make sure that you have enough energy throughout the day, even if there’s no wind or solar energy available for you to gather. Our suggestion is to get the previously mentioned, Rechargeable Batteries. You can find them from random loot drops or by crafting one if you have the right blueprint. They come in three sizes: Small, Medium and Large. The bigger they are, the more power they can store. From there you can connect them directly to an electrical component or, if you plan to add some extra functionality to it, you can run it through a Switch beforehand. For example: if you connect a Ceiling Light directly to the power source, the light will be on all the time as long as there’s energy. But if you like, you can install a Switch between the power source and the light to turn it off and on when you please. This is just one of the many examples of how electrical components can be used in your base, but there’s a lot more to it that we think it’s fun for you to discover for yourself.
In case you need some more guidance on how to connect certain electrical components and what their functionality is, the YouTuber Jfarr created an awesome guide for the Electric system on the PC Rust, but most of the points are valid for what we have in the Console version as well (Keep in mind that some minor differences can exist between both version. Regardless, the video should give you a very good understanding on how to set up the different electrical components.)
One more major difference that we want to highlight with the release of this update, is the need for electricity to power up the Auto Turrets. This is a big game meta change as players will not be able to spam Auto Turrets to protect their base unless they are generating a huge amount of power. On top of this, you will also need to supply a weapon to the Auto Turrets for them to be operational. All of these changes will make Rust Console Edition much more balanced and enjoyable for everyone.
With Power Surge we also have the addition of a new monument! The Power Plant is perfect to tackle as soon as you reach mid-game. You will need at least a Hazmat Suit and a gun, as some of the areas in the monument are full of radiation that can kill you in minutes. It’s also a very popular location so expect to see other players roaming around when you visit this monument. If you want to take full advantage of your Power Plant run, it’s recommended that you take a Green Keycard with you, as this is needed to complete the main puzzle in the monument.
With the release of Power Surge we also plan to rotate our event servers. At the moment we have the Target Practice servers running but next Thursday, March 2nd we will switch them up for the Builders Paradise event servers. For those of you who are not yet familiar with these types of servers, they allow you to create and experiment with new base designs with no fear of ever getting raided since the PVP is disabled. You also start with plenty of materials and all the blueprints unlocked. Since base building has a whole new layer with the introduction of electricity, you will be able to play in these servers in order to practise for your monthly or weekly wipes!
Next month we will dive deeper on the next content update and share some more information on what’s to come. We hope you all enjoy the Power Surge update and we can’t wait to see all the trap bases players will create with this new content update!
That’s all for this Dev Blog but keep an eye on our YouTube channel tomorrow as we will release the Power Surge trailer.
Have a great wipe everyone! See you on the island.
