Rust naval update adds player-built boats, islands and AI overhaul
According to Gamesradar, Facepunch Studios unveiled a naval update for Rust that adds an ocean's worth of content, including player-made boats, city boats, floating content and more islands; the studio also notes the game is 50% off.
Players can place a "boat building station deployable" to construct vessels with steering wheels, sails, cannons, engines and planks, and there is a new first-person viewmodel for the planner to support building.
Ghost ships are protected by scientists, and those scientists have received an AI tune-up. Scientists near oil rigs, ghost ships and deep sea islands no longer see through walls, instead relying on noises and recent sightings, with lower reaction times that can be baited.
As a result, scientists will be less likely to rush into bottlenecks and be slaughtered by camping players; they will try to flank, throw smoke grenades, wait in ambush and be more cautious against snipers, changing how monuments and guarded areas are approached.