Rust Player Model Overhaul in 'Built Different' Update

Facepunch Studios has released the 'Built Different' update for Rust, bringing a complete overhaul of the player model. According to a Steam blog post, the old player model had served the game for almost 10 years but had lagged behind the rest of the game visually and was holding back improvements to characters, animations, and future features.

The update introduces improved meshes and materials, more realistic proportions on a new rig, and expanded head and hair seeds. Players will now have more head options when starting a new character, all featuring eyelashes and better eye lighting. Additionally, all clothing options in the game have been updated to work with the new model.

Facepunch noted that prior attempts to improve the player model felt like band-aid fixes, as there was only so much they could do while working around the old model. The new model is designed to enable bigger improvements to animations, with the studio now starting to improve animation systems to make the player animator feel less robotic and more lifelike.

The 'Built Different' update also includes quality-of-life improvements, bug fixes, performance enhancements, and more. The player model refresh is a key step in Rust's ongoing development, setting the stage for future features and animation upgrades.

Rust players can now experience the new character models and updated animations by downloading the latest update on Steam.