ARMED AND ANIMATED

T1 HANDMADE SMG

This month we're adding new weapons, firstly filling a gap in the weapon lineup, the Handmade SMG is unlockable near the end of the T1 tech tree.

While it lacks accuracy and raw damage, it compensates for this with sheer volume, letting players unleash a hail of bullets. Skilled survivors can use it to stay competitive by timing their attacks and positioning themselves carefully, allowing for surprise bursts against better-equipped foes.

SKS

Unlockable at the start of the T3 tech tree, the SKS bridges the gap between the SAR and the M39. This mid-tier powerhouse combines punchy damage with accuracy, making it a reliable pick for players who want a no-nonsense rifle with solid range and stopping power. The SKS delivers balanced performance with a kick that seasoned survivors will appreciate.

IMPROVED WOLF AI

Hello I'm Maverick! I recently joined Facepunch to work full-time on the AI and it's been a blast so far.

This month we're releasing the first step of a major AI overhaul. We're starting small by just updating the wolf, but long-term the goal is to update scientists and all other animals.

The why

The current wolf feels a bit like a landmine: if you're walking around and you didn't see it or hear its footsteps, you die. That issue is of course amplified in the pitch black night.

Since wolves runs faster than players, once spotted your only options are to try to kill it before it kills you, or jump out of reach if possible.

Since the wolf charges in a straight line, you don't really have to aim and if you have a nailgun or better it's just a matter of unloading the magazine as fast as you can.

Assuming you spotted the wolf before it spotted you, hunting it was not really engaging. When shot from a distance wolves don't charge and just flee very far away, often forcing you to engage in a long hike to get its loot.

The result of this is that the wolf was either frustratingly hard to handle, or trivial, with no in between. This motivated us to reshape the wolf into something that would pose a challenge that feels fair, and can be tackled in multiple ways.

The how

I could write an exhaustive list of all the new behaviors, but I think it'll be way more fun for you to experiment and I'm confident the community will find even the cool hidden ones.

Forget everything you know about the old wolves and just try out stuff that seems like it should work!

QUALITY OF LIFE CHANGES

IO Arrows

New arrows that show input/outputs when looking at IO deployables

Floating objects drift down rivers

Corpses, Boogie Boards, Boats now float down rivers

Hear player voices over CCTV

Listen in on the group taking Oil Rig

Disable Monument CCTV

Can now damage monument CCTV cameras to disable them for 5 minutes

Copy Paste IDs in F7 menu

Easily get a player's ID when using the Report menu

Add vendor NPC's to all Water Wells

Every Water Well variant now has killable vendor

GESTURE PACK DLC

This month we've added more ways for players to communicate and express themselves with the introduction of our first gesture pack - available now on Rust's permanent item store.

The pack includes 8 new gestures:

• Rock Paper Scissors (Mini-game)

• Loser /