2:20pm EST - It is a fresh week for Rust development and we're seeing balance shifts with raiding, along with progress on some new items. Let's get into it…

Cupboard code locks

After the significant buffs to raiding last week, Andre is providing a little more balance in favor of defenders. Most significant, tool cupboards can now have code locks added.

Along with making it easier to trust people around your base, this should increase the cupboards power as an anti-grief tool. Although this won't definitively stop griefing, it will make the prospect of doing so more expensive.

This also increases the importance of external tool cupboards. If placed properly, they will take priority if the main code locked cupboard is destroyed.

Edit: Cupboards will also now be harder to break as Andre made them the same protection properties as wooden doors.

Hammer changes

Andre has also made several changes to the hammer. First, players are now able to pick up ladders with it if building is privileged. They are also able to pick up window bars, embrasures, and shutters.

If you're an admin, you'll notice the demolish option has been removed from the hammers radial menu. Don't worry, you can still demolish things by binding a key to ‘ent kill’ (just be careful not to accidentally press that while looking at something you don't want to demolish).

Skipqueue command

Speaking of admins, they now have a new tool when it comes to the queue. The skipqueue command has been added, which allows a player currently in the queue to enter the game one time.

Workbench and mailbox art

Tom is rocking out artwork for some new items coming to the game. First, he’s finished the textures, prefabs, materials, gibs, etc for the Tier 2 workbench. He’s also done the same for the mailbox. Neither of these items are actually implemented in the game yet, as the functionality still needs to be coded. That said, this is a good step towards seeing them in game in the near future.

Dungeon progress

Vince and Damien continue their work on the dungeon art branch, adding various items and textures to the upcoming launch site dungeon. No new visuals on this yet as it’s still on a separate branch, but expect more over the coming weeks as we get closer to the next forced wipe (June 1st).

Hapis improvements

Petur continues rocking out changes to the Hapis island map. As he mentioned to me last week, he’s focusing on updating the topology - getting rid of the placeholder cliffs and adding in cliff walkways, caves, and mining tunnels around mountainsides on the map. Like the dungeon art work, no visuals will likely be available till closer to the forced wipe.

EU Edge goes live Thursday

Our first Edge server in the EU is going live Thursday at 5pm BST. It's a 3k, 150 pop, 1 week wipe vanilla server to start - we'll grow it as the population dictates.

Also, all active VIP's can now join our Edge servers! So, you have VIP on any of our servers and are looking for some fresh wipe action in an exclusive environment this week, EU Edge is for you!

Check back here for connect info on the bottom of our Thursday update post.