Facepunch Studios has released its highly anticipated livestock update for the survival game Rust, transforming players' base survival experience into a burgeoning farming simulation. The October update, now live, centers on the introduction of sheep and cows, offering players new avenues for resource gathering and strategic gameplay.
Farming and Husbandry
The core of the update revolves around the ability to establish farms by building fences and gates to contain and breed sheep and cows. Beyond the standard butchering for meat, bones, and leather, these animals can now be cultivated for dung, milk, and wool. Dung is a key component in creating fertilizer, which aids plant growth and can also be exchanged for scrap. Milk can be consumed directly or processed into cream and skimmed milk, enhancing the effectiveness of food recipes like pies and teas.
Wool and the animals themselves can be traded with vendors at Stables. These vendors present randomized offers, which players can reject up to three times before the vendor becomes unavailable for trade for 15 minutes. The genetic system applied to plants has been extended to animals; their offspring will inherit traits from their parents. Proper care and management of animal needs are crucial for reproduction and for breeding animals with desirable genes, which in turn leads to more efficient production of goods and higher vendor values.
Biofuel and New Additions
Even deceased animals have found a new purpose with the addition of a biofuel generator. This device allows players to convert raw or spoiled meat into low-grade fuel. The efficiency of this conversion is directly tied to the calorific value of the bio-matter used, meaning better quality meat yields more fuel. This mechanic adds another layer of resourcefulness, allowing players to generate fuel from their livestock, a feature rarely seen in farming simulations.
The update also enhances the game's environmental diversity with new decorative wildlife. Depending on the biome, players may now encounter frogs, turtles, jellyfish, crabs, and squirrels. Complementing these gameplay additions is a new cosmetic DLC: the Plague Doctor skin for the Hazmat Suit, offering a thematic and eerie aesthetic fitting for the Halloween season. The Plague Doctor DLC is available on Steam for $9.99.
