Rust has been one of the most popular survival games since it was released in 2013. However, over the years, the game's hype has died down, and titles like Valheim have recently been on the popularity rise.

Interest in the game has recently been renewed thanks to live streamers on Twitch playing the game, as well as the upcoming console release. Whether it is because of the recent Twitch live streams or the news of Rust for consoles, here are some tips, tricks and strategies to help you survive your first hundred or so game hours.

Related: Rust's Spike in Popularity Shows the Power of Twitch

Picking a Server

This may seem redundant, but picking a server in most survival games is overlooked. Players should do themselves a favor and find a server with less than a hundred players or even less than fifty players actively on it. Community servers are also way more favorable than official ones as certain mods and settings make it easier to learn the game. An active staff will also be monitoring these servers for anyone being toxic or hacking.

Picking the right server makes it less likely for players to be victims of "Bambi Hunting," a common practice in online survival where the older players target new players because they are easy pickings for resources. Finding the right kind of server also gives players a chance to progress quicker and learn the mechanics of the game. Essentially, they have a way better chance at the goal of the game - which is survival. Fewer players on a server means more space to build bases/hideouts, more resources to go around, and you'll be more likely to find friendly solo players.

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Base Building

Base building is an important skill to have in Rust as this is where players will be stashing their resources and extra gear and a place to log off safely. Although a base's defense is not impenetrable, it is still way better than having nothing to hide behind. A good base is also a safe place for a player to respawn in after getting killed or dying of something like hunger and thirst. This increases the likelihood of running back to where players have died to get their stuff back. Base building can be a real challenge, and more often than not, players will end up dying when building them.

Things like the base's location, how well it is hidden, its shape and size and what it is made of all need to be considered. Try to make it as hard as possible for raiders to break into the base - otherwise, the next time the player respawns, they might find that they lost everything. Try to get a starter base built down as quickly as possible so that there is a safe place to respawn and stash materials until ready to build a much stronger base. Try to have everything needed to build the base already crafted in the inventory so that once a prime spot is found, they can all be thrown down immediately to give the player a place to call home.

Related: Valheim: How to Temporarily Protect Your Game From the World-Destroyer Bug

Resources

Knowing where to get necessary resources is essential knowledge and ties into where a base should be built. It is important to be near trees to farm for wood and hills for stone, metal, and sulfur nodes. All of these are essential resources needed to build bases, armor, equipment and weapons.

Scrap and Components are also important for crafting gear and can be found in towns or near roads. These are some of the more dangerous landmarks as they tend to be contested by other players looking for PVP and loot. Do not forget to hunt a multitude of animals for food and to be near drinking water. Resources can also be used for trading.

Related: Why Valheim Is Blowing Up on Twitch

Practice Makes Perfect

One of the unique things about Rust is its intense PVP (player versus player). More often than not, players will find themselves needing to run from other players hunting them, dodge bullets or fight off a base raid. Instead of spending the hours of game time that it takes for a player to farm up resources and gear in Rust, players should try a few training servers.

On these servers, players can choose any specific weapon to practice with. It may seem like it works just like any other first-person shooter, but don't overlook how difficult it is to land a shot in Rust. Try starting with the lower-tier weapons first for practice since they are most commonly found in the game. It is much better to land shots with common weapons than to miss everything using a stronger weapon. Most specifically, the bow is a great weapon to master as it is the weapon beginners would usually start with. A great shot with a bow could lead to awesome weapons and gear early on, especially if the target doesn't see the arrow coming.

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