Rust's September update in detail: monument blockers, group upkeep and a weaker attack heli

Monument blockers

Monuments with a red keycard puzzle room now have blockers in the way. They take a lot of damage to destroy, do not come back once destroyed, and start to decay on their own if nobody has broken them within the first 24 hours. A few weaker ones can be broken with melee weapons. The idea is to slow down the very first rush for the best loot.

Upkeep grows with group size

Tool Cupboards now add an upkeep tax based on how many players belong to a base: everyone authorised on the TC or on a code lock, guest codes included, plus anyone removed in the last 24 hours. The first 4 players are free, the next 6 add 2% each, and every player after that adds 4%, up to a maximum of 300%. Six players means +4%, twelve means +20%.

High quality metal ore nodes

High quality metal ore now exists as ore nodes and as collectables on the ground. They are extremely rare; the Jungle is the best place to look for the node.

The marketplace needs power

The drone marketplace now depends on the Power Plant. Its battery charges slowly while 4 or more fuses are active, and it starts accepting orders at 50%. With at least one fuse inserted the charge does not drop; below 50% deliveries stop again. The charge level is shown on the marketplace map screen.

Medical Honey Bandage

A new healing item at workbench level 1 that sits between the bandage and the medical syringe, and gives beekeepers a use for spare honey.

Attack helicopter armour falls off

The attack helicopter was too hard to counter. Its cockpit armour now drops off in stages as the helicopter takes damage: the left panel at 80% health, the right at 70% and the front at 60%, exposing pilot and gunner. Armoured hot air balloons lose their panels the same way, at 90, 80, 70 and 60%.

A handbrake for modular cars

Steering, turning and suspension of modular cars were retuned, and they should drive better on a high ping. There is now a handbrake on the CTRL key for hairpin turns and drifting.

Radwater sprinklers and SAM sites

Radwater in sprinklers now soaks through more armour types and gives heavy radiation to players in full kits; a hazmat suit still protects. SAM sites are much better against drones: their missiles fly faster at drones and detonate in a larger area.

Balance changes

The Heavy Plate Helmet now muffles sound for its wearer and costs more to craft, while the Heavy Plate Jacket and Pants make noise when you move. Swamp trees give much more wood. The semi-automatic pistol does less damage at range and costs more. Several pies last longer.

Quality of life

• The flashlight has a new model and toggles with right click, like torches.
• Wooden arrows and the salvaged hammer have new models.
• Dropped items now show one of more than 70 proper world models instead of a burlap sack.
• A "random" option in the skin list gives each crafted item a random skin you own.
• The painting screen can project your brush onto the object you are painting.
• At Water Treatment Plant each fully turned gearbox now gives 3 hours of water, 6 hours with both.

Source: Facepunch devblog rust.facepunch.com