2/1 @ 10:00am EST - Our US Main server had to wipe today due to a corrupt map save. Sorry for the inconvenience, we tried everything we could to not wipe, however, there was no way to recover the files. We've been in touch with the developers and they are aware of the issue - which is a deep, game wide issue, not just related to our servers - and are working on a fix.

1/31 - A great start to the week as we head towards the monthly forced wipe! Faster load times, more info in combat log, additions to farming, skinnable eoka, and various other fixes and improvements. Pardon the lack of post today, I’ve been out of town - expect a full write up early Thursday.

3:35pm EST - The update and devblog are live!

2:00pm EST - Our update stream is live! twitch.tv/rustafied

2:30am EST - Our favorite time of the week is here - update day is upon us, and we’re in for lower crafting times, cheaper items, attachment improvements, bug fixes, and some exciting new additions to planting.

Our update stream will go live at 2pm EST. Follow @Rustafied for news throughout the day. Let’s get into it...

Low grade fuel: now in barrels

Early game just got a bit easier as low grade fuel now occasionally drops from oil barrels. You’ll find between 5 and 8 low grade, along with a bit more crude than before (15-19). This should make getting that initial furnace (and subsequent code lock) a bit quicker in certain scenarios.

Plant hydration

Helk has added some new dynamics to planting this week. Hydration is the key - watered plants now produce more resources, and turn a healthy green. Likewise, unwatered plants will turn darker, and yield less. Keeping your crops watered is relatively simple, just pour some water on the planter (the soil will get darker) and your bounty will flourish.

Hemp

Baseline
10 cloth

Watered
40 cloth

Pumpkin

Baseline
1 pumpkin

Watered
2-3 pumpkins

Corn *

Baseline
1-2 corn

Watered
4-6 corn

* Corn requires least amount of water

Food changes

With these changes to planting, not only is yield potentially higher, corn and pumpkins are now much more nutritious - delivering around 100 calories each.

Meat has seen some shifts as well: bear meat has been buffed while chicken and wolf meat have been slightly nerfed.

Holo sight improvements

Helk has tweaked the look of the holosight attachment, making the red reticule much more visible. This improvement makes it much easier to see, especially during the day. Here is a before and after shot:

Crafting times lowered

The crafting time of multiple items has been significantly shortened.

Crafting time halved for these guns:

Crafting Time
Quartered
5 seconds, 2 arrows

Crafting Time
Lowered
30 seconds

Crafting Time
Lowered
60 seconds

Cost reductions

Helk has lowered the costs for several items. Here’s a rundown:

Double Barrel

Change
Less frags and pipes

New Cost
150 metal fragments
1 metal pipe

Landmine

Change
No gear needed

New Cost
50 metal fragments
100 gunpowder

Metal Barricade

Change
One less blade

New Cost
200 metal fragments
2 metal blades

Bone Knife

Change
No cloth, less bone

New Cost
30 bone fragments

F1 grenade no longer for raiding

The F1 grenade is now mainly for PvP, as it does barely any construction damage anymore. It is, however, cheaper than before, as it no longer requires a spring to craft. It also has a quicker throw time, giving it a snappier feeling.

Skins fixed

After a couple commits from Garry, each one apparently fixing the non-working custom skins, it appears we may have reached the final solution! 

Easier pick up 

Grabbing dropped items should be a easier this week too as Andre fixed some issues with the item pick up dynamics.

Recycler is quieter; sound carries further

You know that awful grinding noise the recycler makes while being run? It is thankfully going to be a bit quieter this week. That in mind, the distance the noise travels has been increased - so keep on extra alert while churning up those goods.

Edit: The recycler sound has also been changed

Bow fire bug fixed

Ever freak out because you heard a phantom bow shot noise after firing an arrow? You’re not alone. Thankfully, this little glitch has been fixed, so any bow shots you hear will be your own - or some sly motherfucker sneaking up on your ass!

Sound improvements

Alex has tweaked and polished some sounds. Here's a summary:

• Recycler now has new sounds
• Distant gunshots have been polished
• Distant explosions have been polished
• Several other misc sound tweaks

US Main going up to 400

Given the high queues on wipe nights and recent optimizations to the game, we’re going to try upping our US Main server to 400 today. This is purely a test to see how performance holds up over the week, so don’t be surprised if it drops back to 350 again. If, however, it does perform well, you can expect EU Main’s slots to start increasing as well.