Imagine waking up in a post-apocalyptic world where buildings are abandoned and humanity has reverted to using barbaric savagery to survive. 

Rust takes this theme to a great height but is the game worth playing?

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Find out more about Rust and how you can survive this brutal online survival game with the help of some tips below.

  • Pick a Good Server
  • Aim for the Sweet Spot When Gathering
  • Know the Fundamentals of the Game
  • Pick the Right Spot for Your Settlement
  • Make a Sleeping Bag
  • Learn the Best Time to Cook
Rust – Find Out if it Is Worth Playing
Image Source: Dexerto

Pick a Good Server

Starting from scratch is a very difficult challenge in Rust. However, it is a crucial part of the game. New players will often find themselves getting killed the moment they step inside a server and this can be a huge deterrent to the entire player base.

It is best that you try to pick a good beginner-friendly server that isn't crowded and evolves into the game. Players who pick these types of servers often do not have to deal with aggressive players early on. 

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Take this time to learn more about the game, how it functions, grow as a player, and then you can decide to move to a more mature and advanced server where most seasoned players tend to play.

Avoid Other Players for Now

In Rust, the moment you spawn inside a server, you are at your most vulnerable state. You will find yourself buck-naked without any form of weapon or gear to protect yourself. The first thing that you need to do is rush for cover and start building your shelter immediately. 

Players will do anything to survive in this game and that includes raiding and pillaging new players in their shelters. Some even want to steal your hard-earned resources and kill you just for fun. 

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The best way to prevent this from happening is to avoid other players as much as possible. Wait until you feel like you have what it takes to defend yourself before you run out into the open.

Aim for the Sweet Spot When Gathering

As you go through surviving the tough early stages of the game, you'll find yourself gathering different resources such as wood and stone. You'll also notice that every time you try to chop for wood or mine for ore that there's a red mark.

Rust – Find Out if it Is Worth Playing
Image Source: PC Gamer

Hit the red mark or the sweet spot and you'll double the number of resources you get. Always make sure to aim at the sweet spot whenever you are gathering resources so you save a lot of time. 

The same principle can also be applied to many other resources that you gather aside from wood. 

Practice hitting the sweet spot whenever you have the chance and master it quickly.

Protect Yourself

The new player experience in Rust can be very daunting. You'll be forced to defend yourself early on. The moment you spawn in the game, you are immediately vulnerable to attacks. Make sure that when you have gathered enough resources, you also need to prepare to defend yourself. 

The easiest and the quickest way to defend yourself is to craft a weapon. The earliest weapon that you can craft is a wooden spear. It is rather cheap, easy to make, and very good at defeating opponents early on. 

Once you have enough time or have fended off opponents, keep upgrading your weapons and begin fortifying your shelter.

Know the Fundamentals of the Game

Surviving in Rust is very difficult especially when you are out there foraging for food and you end up getting an arrow in your neck.

Rust – Find Out if it Is Worth Playing
Image Source: Gamer Journalist

Small mistakes like this can be very discouraging, hence knowing the basics or the fundamentals will help you survive long enough to sustain yourself. 

Basic mechanics such as looking out for other players and watching the hunger bar is vital to your success. 

This is why it is important that you set up your base and keep your resources safe.

Have a Plan Before You Leave Your Home

Whenever you leave the safety of your home, you always run the risk of getting killed and looted. Always keep in mind that going out will have its benefits and risks

This is why you should always have a plan before you leave your home. Have a list of things to do and map out where you want to go before you go out so you conserve both time and energy. 

This way, you can plan a safe route towards your destination and back to your home. And lastly, always have a spare weapon with you at all costs and avoid loitering around your settlement.

Pick the Right Spot for Your Settlement

When it comes to finding the right place to build your base, you will need to get a perfect position. Check the map or your surroundings first before you decide to build your base.

Rust – Find Out if it Is Worth Playing
Image Source: Game Informer

It is always advisable to avoid settling near an area where there is too much traffic. This will put your life in the game at risk as you will most likely encounter a lot of other players. 

Make sure to stay away from areas where you know people are hanging out. It is best to be near areas with resources that you need.

The best possible place to set your base would be an area where you can scavenge for resources, forage for food, and far away from the main road.

Stay Close to Monuments

Monuments are large structures that you can use to recycle for scraps. You can also use them to research new items in the game. 

It is always advantageous to build your base near monuments however, other players might also do the same. 

Be careful where you want to build your base especially when you want it near a monument. Weigh the risks and rewards involved in building beside a monument.

Make a Sleeping Bag

Whenever you want to find more resources for your base and your character, you tend to move out deep into the island. This means that you are moving far and far away from the respawn point at this stage of the game.

Rust – Find Out if it Is Worth Playing
Image Source: Corrosion Hour

Ultimately, you'll have to sprint your way back into the deeper parts of the island again if you get killed. 

Avoid doing so by creating a sleeping bag. A sleeping bag only costs a few cloths to make. Cloth can be harvested by farming hemp fibers. 

These plants are scattered all over the island but are quite difficult to spot so check every bush or shrub that you encounter and see if you can find them.

Go East and Hunt Animals

Animals are a good source of food and resources. They often tend to sustain you a little bit longer than other food sources. However, they are also quite difficult to find especially if you don't know where they migrate

Animals in Rust tend to migrate to the East. Make sure to bring your weapons with you when you go hunting for them. They might also be dangerous if you find yourself ambushed by wild animals. 

Some players even wait for that to happen before they attack you and steal your resources. Always be careful when hunting animals for food and resources.

Learn the Best Time to Cook

Cooking is an essential aspect of Rust. You get great sustenance from making your food. This also means that you need to build fire for you to start cooking.

Rust – Find Out if it Is Worth Playing
Image Source: MobyGames

Cooking at night will only ensure danger on your part. The bright light coming from your fire will signal other players to ambush you from the dark. This is why you need to learn when is the best time to cook. 

It is highly recommended that you cook just at dusk or before night falls to mask the color of your glowing fire and give you enough time to prepare for the night. 

If that is not possible, make sure to move your fire away from your base.

Beware of Radiation

There are a lot of abandoned sites in Rust. Most of them are just large structures that you can search for resources. However, there are also abandoned structures that are riddled with radiation. 

This will slowly kill a player if they do not have the proper protective gear. Whenever you are near an abandoned building, keep your eyes peeled and your ears open and if you hear a crackling sound, you should avoid going to that area as much as possible. 

Always be careful whenever you are within an abandoned building as it may contain radiation.

Conclusion

And that concludes our guide to surviving the harsh world of Rust. The challenging and unforgiving landscape of Rust enables players to think critically and survive to the best of their ability. Coupled with amazing graphics and great gameplay, Rust is definitely worth investing your time to play.

Download Rust now on PC through Steam.