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8BiTw0LF
Consoomer
Yea, that's also the step I'm at. Think I'll just give it a little after each run, so I don't handicap myself lol
Arsic
Loves his juicy stink trail scent
Yeah I can make the 35 dura cloth but you have to play constantly I imagine to achieve all 6 stages in time.
I'm gone all of next week for work so that's a severe handicap .
Luipadre
Member
wait until you see the other tiers lol
DirtInUrEye
Member
I've played for 10 hours, solo. I feel like I have a reasonable grasp of the game. I'm enjoying it, but it is NICHE. It'll beat Battlefield on Steamdb? Bloody no chance.
This game is brutal and the arduous grind is about as acquired a taste as it gets. There simply won't be enough mainstream uptake to keep it up there, in the top ten. Watch it come down over the coming days and weeks.
This isn't an indication of failure but just the reality of the market. ARC is clearly a hit and I for one am planning to stick with it - it even kept me off BF all weekend. But BF is calling my name, the chill Conquest multiplayer is the antidote to ARC's frankly inconsistent experience. I enjoy the tension, but the loop leaves a lot to be desired and I think they'll retune a lot of aspects in the first big patch.
Good game with obvious potential, but the jury is still out as to whether players will stick with its fun:frustrating gameplay and what the devs might do to help with "onboarding" those more weak of heart. It's not exactly difficult to miss the mass demands for a PvE only mode (would be disastrous).
Oh, and the UI is absolutely shocking to navigate on a controller. It's actually the worst I've ever known in a major release. They should have just copied Destiny and I sincerely hope Embark are still working on improving the situation there.
This game is brutal and the arduous grind is about as acquired a taste as it gets. There simply won't be enough mainstream uptake to keep it up there, in the top ten. Watch it come down over the coming days and weeks.
This isn't an indication of failure but just the reality of the market. ARC is clearly a hit and I for one am planning to stick with it - it even kept me off BF all weekend. But BF is calling my name, the chill Conquest multiplayer is the antidote to ARC's frankly inconsistent experience. I enjoy the tension, but the loop leaves a lot to be desired and I think they'll retune a lot of aspects in the first big patch.
Good game with obvious potential, but the jury is still out as to whether players will stick with its fun:frustrating gameplay and what the devs might do to help with "onboarding" those more weak of heart. It's not exactly difficult to miss the mass demands for a PvE only mode (would be disastrous).
Oh, and the UI is absolutely shocking to navigate on a controller. It's actually the worst I've ever known in a major release. They should have just copied Destiny and I sincerely hope Embark are still working on improving the situation there.
Luipadre
Member
Simple fix will be a cursor. It works so well in marathon.
Is the game fucked? Took ages to return to menu and now i cant find a game
edit: yes its fucked
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Arsic
Loves his juicy stink trail scent
Yeah I had to force quit it. Was stuck on eternal matchmaking I can't cancel.
Also some trophies are bugged for sure. Like safely extract from 3 specific maps I've done dozens of times each isn't unlocking. Or haul out 50,000 in loot which I've done no issue numerous times.
Herbspiceguy
Member
I've been watching Lirik play the game over the past few days. It's been every entertaining to watch as there's a lot of clutch and suspenseful moments. He's the type of guy that can go in against all odds, ballsy, yet still come out succeeding. This goes back to the days where he played Arma (BR), Day-Z, H1Z1.
R6Rider
Gold Member
There's something so sensual and erotic about following the tick noise to find a raiders cache.
Arsic
Loves his juicy stink trail scent
dreamstation
Member
Are the servers working or still busted? Have the day off work so keen to get some more raiding done!
DirtInUrEye
Member
Back working again for me.
Arsic
Loves his juicy stink trail scent
They seem to only be down for a few minutes for me much earlier.
I have cross play off on ps5 so matches take maybe 30 seconds to a minute to find instead of instant like when cross play is on.
Rather not deal with potential cheaters though.
DirtInUrEye
Member
The crafting screens are taking their toll on me now. I absolutely hate them, how clicky and scrolly they are, having to analyse the screen so I can pick out what I'm looking for, and then I have to slot everything. It's so fiddly. Like, when I craft something - don't make it disappear into my fucking neverending inventory lists, but instead why not have it appear at the top of page so that I can immediately slot it. I crafted it for that reason.
This isn't why I play games.
This isn't why I play games.
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Arsic
Loves his juicy stink trail scent
Works fine on ps5 cross play off.
Luipadre
Member
After 2 disconnect and reconnect i was able to extract. Im done for tonight, gonna play some BF. This shit is busted as hell, wont risk gear
nemiroff
Gold Member
I finally got an in-game notification saying I completed a quest I've been trying to finish for a long time, but when I extracted, the quest still shows as not completed.
Edit: I read the posts from today... The missing quest completion seems obviously connected to the server issues... Well, I guess I won't bother playing any more tonight.
Oh, and I participated in a town hall meeting at The Testing Annex. We were six solo guys standing in a circle looking at each other. Was odd.
Edit: I read the posts from today... The missing quest completion seems obviously connected to the server issues... Well, I guess I won't bother playing any more tonight.
Oh, and I participated in a town hall meeting at The Testing Annex. We were six solo guys standing in a circle looking at each other. Was odd.
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This is my first extraction game and I'm absolutely loving it, the online multiplayer brings such an exhilarating experience to the whole game rather than bots and I'm really enjoying it.
The whole aesthetic is wonderful and I'm hoping that Embark can do enough to make me want to keep playing.
Also lucky for Bungie I'm now even more excited about Marathon.
The whole aesthetic is wonderful and I'm hoping that Embark can do enough to make me want to keep playing.
Also lucky for Bungie I'm now even more excited about Marathon.
Neolombax
Member
I'm still enjoying my time with this game, to much of my surprise. Noticed more and more people doing PVP in solo instances, which is only natural, I don't mind it. It fits the world-building and nature of the game. I just reached level 15 playing at my own pace and not really watching any guides. I also saw the roadmap from Embark, I wasn't aware that this is a live game. Good if it is, I'd be more than happy to get more content for this amazing game.
ajanke
Member
Last time I did it it had a pink, a blue print, and a gun. I was like what a nice find lol.There's something so sensual and erotic about following the tick noise to find a raiders cache.
Men_in_Boxes
Snake Oil Salesman
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Arsic
Loves his juicy stink trail scent
I think I have about 36 hours played since release already.
Level 29 I think. Almost finished phase 2/6 for expedition. Trials I'm waiting for a reset. Some are absolutely bugged. One is to damage arcs. Every map I kill 10+ when I load in easy, and I don't even have one star. Weird…
Won't get to play again until Friday/Saturday but I'm hoping I invested in enough time that I won't be too far behind come Friday again.
Got my first legendary item, and also have some purple weapons for epics in my collection.
Scared shitless to use the legendary. It's the ninja hook. Says you can scale walls? It's one thing if I could use it while in my safe pocket but swapping it onto a quick use slot and dying would be pain.
I also have an epic that lets me be totally undetectable by arcs… may risk using it for the queen area to see if it works so I can loot what she's protecting.
Level 29 I think. Almost finished phase 2/6 for expedition. Trials I'm waiting for a reset. Some are absolutely bugged. One is to damage arcs. Every map I kill 10+ when I load in easy, and I don't even have one star. Weird…
Won't get to play again until Friday/Saturday but I'm hoping I invested in enough time that I won't be too far behind come Friday again.
Got my first legendary item, and also have some purple weapons for epics in my collection.
Scared shitless to use the legendary. It's the ninja hook. Says you can scale walls? It's one thing if I could use it while in my safe pocket but swapping it onto a quick use slot and dying would be pain.
I also have an epic that lets me be totally undetectable by arcs… may risk using it for the queen area to see if it works so I can loot what she's protecting.
ShadowkillXNA
Member
I'm running solo most matches myself. Saturday afternoon, I was 20 hours or so into this game and feeling like I maybe had wasted $40 I was finding it so damn difficult, not being to kill arc bots hardly at all, not being able to extract more than once in five or so runs.
And I went into a match with a free loadout and the Stitcher as the weapon.
Suddenly, I killed two wasps and extracted successfully, and while I'm certainly no master at the game I can kill the smaller flying bots fairly consistently now especially if I have cover. I tried a bombardier earlier and lasted a while even though I didnt kill it.
So this game definitely "clicks" after a while, at least for me. This shit is brutal when you dont know wtf you are doing.
I got the gunsmith workbench to level 2 last night and I can craft the Arpeggio now, semi auto 3 round burst rifle with medium ammo, very decent gun against the bots if you can craft it!
But I'm trying to say the persistence pays off. The sense of accomplishment (and sometimes relief).
Motherfucking Dark Souls of multiplayer shooters for me personally for that reason.
clarky
Gold Member
You can upgrade it several times. But yeah it could do with being bigger.
I've found that tracking what you are working on and only saving those mats, with a bit of forward planning on what you might work on next helps a ton. Save everything and you'll run out of space in no time.
Theres too much crap imo, the materials could do with a bit of streamlining.
No, but you'll be putting yourself at a disadvantage, even when solo. Plus you'll miss out on some funny interactions with randoms.
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PicoLordens
Member
Had a very productive round with two capable fellow Raiders extracting at the last elevator. Another group went in before us and we told them we're not hostile. They let us in only to gun us down with shotguns knocking us OUT while extracting. Lost everything. 
clarky
Gold Member
I take a hatch key with me if I'm going in with a decent load out or room key. Especially solo or with randoms.Had a very productive round with two capable fellow Raiders extracting at the last elevator. Another group went in before us and we told them we're not hostile. They let us in only to gun us down with shotguns knocking us OUT while extracting. Lost everything.
Think you can buy 1 a day from the vendor.
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sainraja
Member
You keep saying "other" instead of simply naming it, so what are you not saying? What is the "other" game? I think I have an idea of which one, but is it taboo to say it?
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clarky
Gold Member
Marathon. You can't have a serious conversation about it on this board, it's honestly rather good. The last test was really surprising.
Plus I don't want to derail this thread too much. Just mentioning it alerts the horde.
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Arsic
Loves his juicy stink trail scent
Different guns do different damage to arc. Check in their description.
The cheapest and single best gun IMO is Ferro. I always use one. It one shot rips green shield on players and also can take out most arcs in 3-5 well placed shots. Certain things are one shot no matter what gun really.
Basically I run ferro and smg secondary usually. Shotguns are rare for me currently since I don't have a blueprint for one, but I'd use that secondary if I could.
Free loadouts are your best bet to do quests, learn guns and maps, amass wealth, etc.
You really don't risk a built up run unless you have a specific goal in mind or you're finally well off enough that using a free loadout isn't currently worth it since you'll hit inventory caps easily. My next level up for inventory space is like 120,000 money and I'm 200+ slots. This is with me breaking down and selling off lots of things. I really wish they'd make more things stack to 50+…
sainraja
Member
Ah, gotcha. Fair enough. That is the game I was thinking you were mentioning but wanted to confirm.
Dynasty8
Member
How do you know how much damage you do to arcs or players? Is the specific amount of XP you get for shooting enemies the damage?
clarky
Gold Member
bruh lmao
I dunno, you need to invest a decent amount of time into this game. There is serious grind to be had. I'm 30 hours deep playing sub-optimally and haven't got that far upgrades wise.
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GymWolf
Member
You should be able to use the secret pocket objects.
Knowing myself i'm never gonna bring some super rare equipment with me with the risk of losing it, i hope they change this and secret pockets become usable.
Or let me go into my inventory while i'm downed so i can switch stuff.
Knowing myself i'm never gonna bring some super rare equipment with me with the risk of losing it, i hope they change this and secret pockets become usable.
Or let me go into my inventory while i'm downed so i can switch stuff.
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Luipadre
Member
Hell no both are not good ideas. You could abuse the switching back and forth so much especially with your second suggestion
GymWolf
Member
The switching back and forth?
Would it be that bad to be able to switch objects while dying? Killing would be even more strategic because you have to actually kill the dude on the ground fast before he can switch objects, it would add another layer to the pvp.
You kill from afar like a bitch? Be ready to not get my most valuable if i can crawl behind an obstacle before you finish me with another shot.
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Sanepar
Member
bruh lmao
Tbh I don't agree with that. There is a really amount of grind that is needed.
clarky
Gold Member
Yeah what grind?
Building the Caravan
| Caravan Build | Description | Required Materials |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation (1/6) | Building the base structure and frame of the caravan |
|
| Core Systems (2/6) | Connecting wiring, ventilation, and essential power systems |
|
| Framework (3/6) | Building walls and roof, installing core systems, and defining the interior layout |
|
| (4/6) | Adding storage, workbenches, utilities, and personal touches |
|
| (5/6) | Loading the caravan with vital supplies. Combat gear, survival equipment, provisions, and repair materials are needed to fully prepare for the Expedition |
This is after upgrading everything. Thats a serious amount of time if you are looking to "prestige" before the caravan sets off in December.
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ZehDon
Member
No, there's an emote wheel for common commands - "yes", "no", "don't shoot", "team up?" - which allows you have basic communication with others when needed. Mic is definitely the way it's meant to be played, though.
Sitting at about twelve hours, got a good handle on Dam and working up my knowledge of Buried City. Haven't touched Space Port or The Blue Wall yet. I think I've got a good idea of the game now, everything's clicking. Overall, it's really solid with a lot of extremely smart design decisions. When people talk about innovation missing from AAA games, this would be the one I point to as a counter-point for a while. There's a lot going on here, and virtually all of it is amazingly polished. If you're on the fence about the solo-experience, don't be - I've played exclusively solo, and I can see myself hitting 50 hours on this pretty easily.
My next big step forward will be getting some heavier armaments to take on the Arc more consistently.
Longer rambling thoughts on what the game is in case anyone cares to read them:
The gameplay loop takes a little while to become coherent, because the game feels really overwhelming at first. Nothing's really explained, despite a polished tutorial, and you're left to really figure it all out. But it's in that "figuring out" that the game's still teaching you, and where it's almost hidden its gameplay loop. It's not a PvP third person shooter, or a PvE MMO. You need to acquire enough knowledge of the game, its systems, and its environments for the loop to finally come together, but when it does, you realise that this game is all about: The Plan®. Look at your objectives, figure out a plan to achieve them, and then execute that plan. And it's in that seemingly simple loop that Arc Raiders cements itself as something pretty special, and something I can see gaining a cult following in the same as Escape from Tarkov has.
Your objective might be: craft a particular blue level gun you want. To do that, you might need, say, three magnets you don't have. So, getting three magnets is your objective. The game tells you the magnets are found inside Industrial buildings. You look at the map before launching, figuring out where your best odds of finding magnets are. Looking at the right area, you know there's some high buildings and a lot of open spaces. To deal with these factors, you pack a Zip Line, so you can slide down from the high places, and you make some smoke grenades to create cover for the open spaces. You're not looking for PvP, so you pack an anti-Arc Ferro rifle and one stack of rounds for it, and a basic rifle with two stacks of rounds just in case. You swap on your basic looking kit, which provides a small amount of carry weight but is cheap, so if you lose it you won't cry. Then you launch in. You've created The Plan®, and now the game's mechanics are going to throw things at you to force you to adapt The Plan®. Maybe there's extra Arc robots around the building - that's ok, because you bought that rifle. However, you'll need cover, and the fire fight may draw in other players. So, you pick off what you can, hang back to see if other players come in, before heading into the buildings. Inside, you might find that others have been there - and you can hear them walking around upstairs. The Plan® doesn't include PvP, so what do you do? Do you call out and announce you're friendly, hoping they are too? Do you sneak away, hoping they didn't see you? Do you try and lay an ambush, hoping it's just one player that you can take by surprise? You try and sneak around, looting as quietly as you can, timing your steps with theirs so they don't hear you. Bingo - you found your magnets! Now what? You sneak out a back window, taking fall damage, but getting distance between you and the other players. Damn - they're firing at you from a high window! The Plan® included some smoke grenades, so you drop one, creating some cover, and sprint away before it clears. You make it to the escape point and extract with your magnets. You executed The Plan®. You used the smoke grenades, but didn't use the zip line, but The Plan® worked. This loop is extremely engaging because you're constantly thinking on your feet in a way very few games promote. You make a thousand little decisions in one raid, learning from every mistake how to create a better The Plan®.
In addition to the incredible loop, can I just say that, man, isn't it nice to have a polished AAA game again. Between this and Battlefield 6, it feels like a breath of a fresh air to have games that aren't early access and that just bloody work. The menus, the animations, the effects - there's so much love and care on display here that it's almost impossible not to stand up and clap. But it's really the polished mechanics that elevates this game. Everything - everything - is intelligently thought out, considered, and meaningful. It all comes together into an amazingly polished gameplay experience. Why does Scrappy exist? To ensure you can spend more time raiding for cool stuff and less time doing simple raids for basic components. Why are there keys for special doors? So you have to include it in The Plan® before you launch, making it a mission onto itself. Why are the Arc so dang tough? So fighting them is a decision that has consequences. I can see that the reason Arc Raiders got hyped wasn't just that the core concept is solid, it's that Embark's execution of it is damn near perfect. There isn't much I'd change here - and that's rare in 2025.
Your objective might be: craft a particular blue level gun you want. To do that, you might need, say, three magnets you don't have. So, getting three magnets is your objective. The game tells you the magnets are found inside Industrial buildings. You look at the map before launching, figuring out where your best odds of finding magnets are. Looking at the right area, you know there's some high buildings and a lot of open spaces. To deal with these factors, you pack a Zip Line, so you can slide down from the high places, and you make some smoke grenades to create cover for the open spaces. You're not looking for PvP, so you pack an anti-Arc Ferro rifle and one stack of rounds for it, and a basic rifle with two stacks of rounds just in case. You swap on your basic looking kit, which provides a small amount of carry weight but is cheap, so if you lose it you won't cry. Then you launch in. You've created The Plan®, and now the game's mechanics are going to throw things at you to force you to adapt The Plan®. Maybe there's extra Arc robots around the building - that's ok, because you bought that rifle. However, you'll need cover, and the fire fight may draw in other players. So, you pick off what you can, hang back to see if other players come in, before heading into the buildings. Inside, you might find that others have been there - and you can hear them walking around upstairs. The Plan® doesn't include PvP, so what do you do? Do you call out and announce you're friendly, hoping they are too? Do you sneak away, hoping they didn't see you? Do you try and lay an ambush, hoping it's just one player that you can take by surprise? You try and sneak around, looting as quietly as you can, timing your steps with theirs so they don't hear you. Bingo - you found your magnets! Now what? You sneak out a back window, taking fall damage, but getting distance between you and the other players. Damn - they're firing at you from a high window! The Plan® included some smoke grenades, so you drop one, creating some cover, and sprint away before it clears. You make it to the escape point and extract with your magnets. You executed The Plan®. You used the smoke grenades, but didn't use the zip line, but The Plan® worked. This loop is extremely engaging because you're constantly thinking on your feet in a way very few games promote. You make a thousand little decisions in one raid, learning from every mistake how to create a better The Plan®.
In addition to the incredible loop, can I just say that, man, isn't it nice to have a polished AAA game again. Between this and Battlefield 6, it feels like a breath of a fresh air to have games that aren't early access and that just bloody work. The menus, the animations, the effects - there's so much love and care on display here that it's almost impossible not to stand up and clap. But it's really the polished mechanics that elevates this game. Everything - everything - is intelligently thought out, considered, and meaningful. It all comes together into an amazingly polished gameplay experience. Why does Scrappy exist? To ensure you can spend more time raiding for cool stuff and less time doing simple raids for basic components. Why are there keys for special doors? So you have to include it in The Plan® before you launch, making it a mission onto itself. Why are the Arc so dang tough? So fighting them is a decision that has consequences. I can see that the reason Arc Raiders got hyped wasn't just that the core concept is solid, it's that Embark's execution of it is damn near perfect. There isn't much I'd change here - and that's rare in 2025.
Can't wait to play more!