Community Update #6

The Rust community is an endless pool of talent. If they're not coming up with ideas for the game, or plug-ins that evoke ancient arcade goodness, they're working on art inspired by how they'd like the game to look. That's where the main image comes from: artist Alessandro Rossi's contribution to the Rust community is to imagine how the game would look with female character models. If I tried this, I'd probably still have to label the character. Luckily Alessandro is a better artist than I am. This is a theme that he's picked up more than once, and recently created a slightly more abstract image (based on the Northern biomes of Experimental) to shore up his position. Did you spot the airdrop?

Trees. You might know them as the things that scrape loudly against buses and wake you from a top-floor slumber, or as places where squirrels plot our doom (they're not burying food, they're burying victims), but it's more than likely you don't really give them that much thought. That's why Redditor, er, Mescaline_UK's contribution to the Rust community is worth commenting on. He has given them thought. A lot of thought. Too much thought? Well, he writes:

"What follows is a collection of thoughts about trees that attempts to link dots between computer generated worlds and the art of bonsai."

With that sort of opening gambit, I'd argue that it's the perfect amount. Mesc's suggestion is spread over 28 images with captions, but the crux of it is that he thinks Rust's trees would benefit from bonsai artist John Naka's rules, taking into account "Height (above sea level), incline, and sun path". There's a lot here, but it's worth taking the time to flick through. After all, it leads to the inevitable question: "Could trees be made the enemy?" My favourite response to this is: "Gary pls put ents in I will sacrifice my firstborn if you do."

I have travelled across every server, turning over every rock, and discovered there are currently zero snakes in Rust. I thought my noble and worthy cause was over, but it turns out there's at least one snake in Rust after all. Take a look. This is obviously not the Rust you know and tolerate, but an example of an Oxide plug-in for the server. Oxide's power allows server owners to do alter the DNA of Rust significantly, but I'd never expected that it would enable something quite so extreme as a giant screen essentially running another game. If there's anything else like it out there, I'd love to see it.

The real world doesn't often bleed into Rust. I've seen amazing, wondrous things on the horizon, but it's not often that I spot something that I can place. That's why I was thrilled to see Steam Community user sleo's work. He's rebuilt the most famous French monument, turning the girdered pointy thing into a solid looking base. Observe! Of course, now I'm imagining a server full of famous landmarks. The Eiffel Tower sharing a field with the Statue of Liberty. It'd either be an amazing place of wonder, or maybe look a little bit like Las Vegas.

One of my favourite things about Rust is the way it explores and exploits human nature. Dying is one thing, but dying after being lied to stings like a papercut full of vinegar. They've not just exploited your skill, but your basic humanity. Trust is eroded in the game, scratched away by the barbed claws of liars and murderers. Unless you're the one doing the swiping, in which case how do you even sleep at night? So a sub-culture of art has formed around that idea, particularly the question of "Friendly?" that's asked when two or more people meet in the fields. I'm sure I've met this pair depicted in Steam user MrB3NN's image. It's not a subtle image, but there's a truth to it. I've been naked and afraid and hiding from a voice on the other side of a door more times than I'd like to admit. And with every playthrough and death, my idea of what's on the outside matches MrB3NN's.

The more I look at Experimental's progress, the more I'm aware that it won't have a corner in these posts anymore. It will be the posts. This might even be the last time I specifically call it out. Experimental is so very nearly a game for people to exist in, with houses that are forming servers into places and not just lands. When doors and locks have finally been figured out, I'll probably finally abandon Legacy (I still keep a house on a server) and move over. One of the things that'll keep me there is the view: screenshots of experimental are increasingly taking over my hard-drive, and Youtube Channel TheInfusedNZ has attempted to capture the organic gorgeousness of the game with a time-lapse. TheInfusedNZ often records updates on the latest Experimental additions, so it's worth subscribing to keep up-to-date. Meanwhile, Vinesauce had a different take on the world of Rust. To be honest, it's not wrong. For every sunset I've admired, I've also seen fountains of blood spouting from places that blood should squirt from. That video is a few weeks old--those missing textures!--but I do agree. It is a silly place.

This is all about you, so get it touch and let me know what you've been making. We have a dedicated forum post, or you can post in the Reddit thread. I also poke around the the Steam Community, so feel free to link me to things on there. You can follow and respond to Rust on Twitter, and I'm on there as well.