What is Rust, and Should You Play It?

You may have heard of the game Rust. You may have seen gameplay videos with a lot of blood and angry shouting in Eastern European accents. But what is Rust? In this post, we’re going to explain in great detail what the game is, and then tell you why you should play it. Even how to run your own server. But let’s start from the beginning.

Rust is a multiplayer survival game.

What is a Multiplayer Survival Game?

Survival multiplayer games came onto the gaming scene in a big way in recent years. Though the genre has existed in some form or another for decades, we can trace the current boom of survival games back to Minecraft.

It may seem like a game for children to the uninitiated, but that “children’s” game has been around for over ten years, and many of the teenagers who were playing it in the early days are adults today. So don’t be surprised to find many survival fans have or do play Minecraft today.

After Minecraft came Arma 2, or more specifically, the DayZ mod for Arma 2, which would go on to become a standalone game after its success. DayZ dropped you into a deserted countryside full of loot and zombies and left you to fend for yourself. Arguably, this was the clearest sign of what was to come. The combination of a more realistic art style and other survival factors such as hunger and thirst was a characteristic that would remain through most of the multiplayer survival games to follow.

So what are the typical characteristics of a multiplayer survival? They differ from game to game, but you can usually expect to find the following;

• PvP (player versus player combat)
• Loot. Everywhere.
• PvE (player versus environment combat… usually zombies)
• Hunger/Thirst/Sanity/Some stat that needs carefully monitoring

Many of these games will also feature base-building. In fact, for many survival games, base-building is central to the gameplay. One such example of this is Raft, where the whole point is base-building.

What is Rust?

So, we’ve established that Rust is a multiplayer survival game, but what is it specifically? Minecraft, DayZ, 7 Days to Die, Ark… all of these games and many others are multiplayer survival games, so what makes Rust different?

Other players are the answer.

You see, all of those other games have something for the player to fight. Minecraft has mobs, DayZ and 7 Days to Die have zombies, Ark has big lizards. You can still fight each other in these games, but you don’t need to. In Rust, other players are the enemy, and fighting is almost a requirement

If you were to hop into Rust and everyone on the server was friendly, it would make for a very dull game. Sure, the graphics are beautiful, and there are some wild animals to fight, but without the player to player combat, Rust is little more than a very tame hunting simulator.

Rust is designed to encourage stealing, base-raiding, betrayal, and murder. Though not necessarily in that order.

So How Do I Get Started?

We like your style. There are a few things you should know before leaping feet first into the world of Rust. Firstly, the game multiplayer only. Some of the other games mentioned above have a single-player mode, letting you tackle the harsh world of survival games all on your lonesome. Rust is not one of those games.

The only way you can play Rust without constantly looking over your shoulder and worrying if your base is being raided while you sleep (yes, your base can be raided while you are offline) is by setting up your own server and making it private (more on that shortly) so that no one else can join.

The next thing to be aware of is that Rust encourages raiding and killing. To that end, “server wipes” are typical, even expected. So before you sink every waking hour for five days straight into your base, just know that no matter how impenetrable it is, it will probably be going away soon.

Finally, Rust can be modded, but mods are applied from the server end without requiring the client (that would be you) to do anything. Always check the details on any server you join. There is such a thing as a “friendly” server, though it’s every bit as boring as you’d expect. There are also servers with zombies modded in, as well as any number of other exciting tweaks to the core gameplay.

How Do I Run My Own Rust Server?

Don’t worry; this is a natural step that most Rust players will go through at some point in their Rust-playing lives. Your first thought might be to set up your own physical server and run it out of your home, which you could certainly do, but a step-by-step guide for setting up your own Rust server from scratch warrants a post all of its own.

It would be much easier to use a server host, at least until you get a feel for running a Rust server. Fortunately, there are many server hosting services out there to try. And with Rust being so popular, there are almost as many reviews and lists about those services. All of this makes finding the best rust server hosting not that big a deal.

Most hosts will offer the basics, so unless you plan to get a little fancy with the features on your first go, you’re really just comparing prices. Be sure to check reviews, however. What a server host says they provide and the actual performance of those servers when you have a world full of players can be two very different things.

So You’re Ready to Play Rust?

At this point, you’re primed and ready to go. You can hop in the game, look for a server that suits your playstyle (even if it is a no PvP server) and launch yourself into the wide and wonderful world of murderous naked people with guns.

Oh, did we forget to mention the naked people?

James Smythe( Editor-in-chief )

I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.

As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.

In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.