In the Outbound game, there are numerous Signal Towers you can visit to exchange Download Vouchers for blueprints. These blueprints let you craft a variety of tools and machines.
Some blueprints are very crucial to your progress, but the towers don’t always clearly highlight their importance. This can cause confusion when choosing which blueprint to unlock first. To help you make better decisions, here are the key blueprints you should prioritize.
Axe
Everwood is a vital resource in Outbound. It powers your van and is used to craft many items, so gathering large amounts is beneficial. With the Axe blueprint, you can break big chunks of wood to get multiple logs at once, saving time and effort. This makes collecting wood much easier as you play.
Sickle
While not as critical as wood, fiber is still an important resource early in the game. You use fiber to build a Sewing Machine and upgrade your backpack, both of which boost your survival. Small bushes can be collected by hand, but larger bushes require a Sickle. Having one makes gathering fiber faster and more efficient.
Sawmill
The Sawmill lets you convert logs into planks. This step might seem simple, but it’s crucial early on because progress is blocked by broken bridges. You need planks to repair them. Without a Sawmill, creating these essential planks isn’t possible, which halts your main progress.
Sewing Machine
Early in the game, your backpack fills up quickly, limiting how much you can carry. A Sewing Machine can be used to upgrade your backpack, giving you more storage space. You can also improve your clothes in the process, increasing your health and stamina, which helps you survive longer.
Base Building Deck
Adding a second level to your van significantly increases your building space. At the start, the van can feel quite cramped, especially once you start placing machines like the Recycler, Sawmill, and Sewing Machine. The Base Building Deck is essential to expanding your workspace and building efficient systems.
Bolt Press and Vehicle Research Station
These two blueprints are interconnected. The Bolt Press allows you to turn scrap metal into bolts. These bolts are necessary to upgrade your van with the Vehicle Research Station. Upgrading your vehicle is vital for progressing further, as certain areas on the map can’t be accessed with the basic van. Both blueprints are important as they work together—upgrading your van depends on having bolts, which come from the Bolt Press.
Almost a year after the initial demo wowed everyone, Dead as Disco has now launched in early access, bringing a lot of new content that shows what kind of game it will eventually become.
Originally, Dead as Disco only featured a few songs for battles and a capability to upload your own tracks. Now, it includes the start of a full single-player campaign and many activities to explore. Here’s what you can expect.
How Long does the Story Mode Take to Finish in Early Access?
The main addition during early access is the beginning of the campaign, which follows Charlie Disco as he faces off against his former bandmates, called the Idols. His goal is to reunite them and uncover how he died. Currently, there are four Idols in the early access version, each with their own stage and boss fight. These boss battles are quite big, but not very long, taking about 20 minutes each. If you only want to focus on these fights, you can expect around two hours of gameplay right now.
While these battles are key, they’re not the only single-player content available. Dead as Disco’s update also added challenge maps in Infinite Disco. These maps have specific conditions and tasks, with over 30 challenges available. Completing all of them can add another four to five hours of gameplay.
How Long to Fully Complete in Early Access?
Once you defeat an Idol, they return to the game’s hub, the Encore Bar. You can chat with them to learn more. This feature encourages replaying levels to collect items and progress the story with the Idols. The Encore Bar itself can be upgraded and restored using trinkets and repairs, which you buy with Fans earned from completing levels. Fans are also used to buy outfits and unlock new skills in Charlie’s skill tree.
If you aim to do everything available in early access, you’re looking at more than 15 hours of gameplay. The game is quite expansive, with many collectibles, outfits, and skills still to unlock. Plus, you can spend more time importing your own songs into Infinite Disco mode, which keeps the demo engaging even longer.
What Upcoming Features are Planned for Early Access?
The developers have shared a roadmap on the Steam page outlining upcoming plans. These include adding more Idols, a proper endgame, hard mode, multiplayer co-op, more songs, additional skills, and BPM detection for uploaded tracks. The game is expected to reach a full 1.0 release sometime next year, bringing more content and improvements.
Overall, Dead as Disco is set to grow significantly over the next year, with a lot of features lined up. The current early access content already offers substantial gameplay, and more updates will keep enhancing the experience.
In Crimson Desert, you’ll discover many weapons and armor throughout your adventure. Some gear can be obtained simply by completing main and side quests, but others are easy to miss if you don’t explore thoroughly.
One weapon you might overlook is the powerful early-game bow called the Golden-Knoted Ancestral Bow. It’s located north of the Silver Wolf Mountains, and you can get it early on if you’re willing to undertake a longer journey. Here’s how to find this bow and whether it’s worth the effort.
Golden-Knoted Ancestral Bow Location
To locate the Golden-Knoted Ancestral Bow, you need to travel far north of Hernand into Pailune. Continue heading north through Pailune, past the Silver Wolf Mountains, until you see the area marked in the image above. In this forest, you’ll find a rectangular hole with a ladder leading down into an underground crypt.
Finding this spot can be tricky because the entrance blends into the forest. Take your time when you approach and look for a small clearing where the trees part, revealing the entrance. Be warned: bears roam these woods, and they can be deadly if you’re not prepared. If a bear appears, it’s best to avoid fighting it early on to focus on grabbing the bow.
Once you find the entrance, descend the ladder and stay to the right side of the first room. The floor in the middle will collapse if you get too close, dropping you into lava below. Follow the long staircase down and wait by the doors until they open.
In the next chamber, you’ll see a row of buzzsaws in front of you. Wait until the saws pass through the middle, then sprint across to the other end of the platform. When you reach the final pillar, do not jump directly onto the pillar. A large brazier will drop from the ceiling and swing back and forth. Wait for it to pass, then make a precise jump to the next pillar.
Aim for the closest part of each pillar to avoid losing momentum and falling into the spike traps below. Keep jumping across the four pillars until you reach the end. From there, perform a double jump by jumping and using your Force Palm ability, or climb the side pillars to reach the raised area above you. When you arrive, the door opens, revealing the Golden-Knoted Ancestral Bow resting on an altar.
About the Golden-Knoted Ancestral Bow
This bow starts at Refinement Level 3 and has a base attack of 19. It features a Critical Rate of 1 and includes five Abyss Gear slots. Equipped with Attack +2, Critical Rate +1, and Health Siphon Level 1 in those slots, this weapon is highly effective. Its mix of damage bonuses and passive effects makes it a strong choice, especially if you invest in bow-related skills.
Crimson Desert is finally out, so get your sword ready, gather some food, and prepare to fight through waves of enemies. The game’s world can be tough, with some early bosses and areas acting as tests for your equipment and skills.
However, there’s a way to make things easier. You can find one of the best early-game swords at the start of the game. Here’s everything you need to know about obtaining the Hwando two-handed sword.
How to Get the Hwando
Get a Mask and a Key
The first step to get the Hwando is to acquire a key and an optional mask. The mask is only needed if you want to steal items. The key unlocks the door with the chest holding the sword. You can obtain the mask by completing a bounty quest for Jeffrey in Hernand.
You don’t need the mask just to get the sword, only the key. But if you want to rob the place of valuables, the mask is necessary.
You can start this quest by visiting the constabulary in the western part of the starting town. There, you’ll see a guard studying a wanted poster and explaining the bounty activity. Take the wanted poster and examine it to start the quest. Set the bounty hunt as your active quest to get directions to Jeffrey’s location. When you find him, confront and beat him into submission. Afterward, tie him up and bring him back to the constabulary to claim your reward, which includes a mask.
If this sounds too complicated, you can also buy a mask for 10 coins and a key for 30 coins at the Back Alley Shop, located at the base of a windmill southeast of town. For those short on cash, searching dead bandits might yield a key, and exploring for valuables can help you earn money.
Break into Lioncrest Manor
With the mask and key, head to Lioncrest Manor northwest of the starting town. Expect numerous guards blocking entry. Luckily, they don’t pay much attention, so slip past them to the smaller house on the left side of the manor.
On the western side of this house, find a window without glass. Climb in through this open window. Inside, on the second floor, you’ll see a locked door. Use the key to unlock it by running into the door.
Approach the glowing chest nearby and loot it to obtain the Hwando, a large two-handed katana. It deals 19 damage per hit without upgrades and comes with Critical Rate I, Stamina Siphon LvI, and Attack 1 Abyss Gear enhancements, making it a powerful weapon early on.
You can leave through the same way you entered or explore more of the house to steal additional items to sell at the Back Alley Shop. Remember, stealing requires wearing your mask.
If you want more loot, climb through the windows at the back of the manor to access other rooms. Guards aren’t concerned with break-ins, so feel free to explore. Inside, you might find a puzzle box, a locked door containing a good shield, a memory you can watch with the Visione, and a chest with sturdy gauntlets.
While enjoying your peaceful life on Starsand Island, you’ll find a variety of hobbies and activities to keep you busy. The classic relaxing game activities are all available—fishing, crafting, and caring for pets. There are several things to do that will help you learn new skills and expand your experience on Stardust Island. Each activity offers a different way to enjoy the game and add to your lifestyle there.
When choosing which skills to learn and which parts of the skill tree to focus on first, it’s helpful to know which options are best for beginners. Here are some of the top skills to pick early on when starting out on Starsand Island.
The Best Skills for Beginners
Initially, you can choose to focus on fishing, crafting, farming, ranching, or exploration. Although you can pursue whichever skill interests you, some are more important to prioritize at the beginning.
Since your starting resources for upgrades are limited and you’ll want to make gold from your activities, it’s best to concentrate on a few key hobbies and skills early on. Building your abilities in these areas will help you progress faster and improve your overall experience.
Note: There are other skills you can learn as well, such as cooking.
Crafting
Crafting should be your top priority at the start. This skill is essential because it’s required to unlock other skills, making it an early game must-have. Many of your initial missions will involve crafting items, so focusing on crafting makes these tasks easier.
Additionally, your inventory will fill up quickly with resources collected along the way. Crafting items from these resources helps clear space in your bag and lets you sell finished goods for more profit than selling raw materials alone. When developing your crafting skills, focus on these key upgrades:
Recuperate: You collect materials each day, but your stamina runs out quickly. Resting to recover stamina without restarting the day by sleeping allows you to stay active and get back to work faster.
Supply Boost: Restocking raw materials makes it easier to gather what you need when you’re in a hurry.
Golden Crafter: Refreshing the general store can give you access to the items you need without restarting the day. More options are always useful.
Farming
Farming is another good skill to develop, as it offers a clear return on your investment. Crops grow in specific seasons, so starting early gives you more time to harvest and prepare your next crop cycles. To maximize your farming efforts, consider these upgrades:
Seed Spreader: Makes planting seeds faster and easier, improving your efficiency.
Harvest Season: Doubling your harvest allows you to gather more crops in the same amount of time.
Golden Farmer: Helps you buy what you need from the shop more easily, saving time and effort.
Eternal Blessing: Investing in seed drops that last forever can be very valuable.
Chain Harvest: Simplifies the harvesting process, making it less time-consuming.
Exploration
Exploring is essential, especially for gathering resources and unlocking new areas. Early on, taking advantage of exploration skills can give you some small advantages:
Ammo Recycle: Running out of ammo can be frustrating, so recovering it for free helps you stay prepared and saves time.
Victory Siphon: Doubling the rewards from treasure chests reduces the need for extra work and fights.
Bounty Hunter or Beast Tracker: Your choice depends on your comfort with combat. Beast Tracker ensures you won’t faint if you’re not good at fighting, while Bounty Hunter earns more coins, making in-game purchases easier.
Shattering Blow: Allows you to defeat enemies faster, saving daylight so you can accomplish more each day.
Other hobbies are available, and you should pick what you enjoy most. Focus on the skills that help you progress efficiently but don’t hesitate to pursue other activities for fun.
While the appealing aspect of Arknights: Endfield’s gacha system is the variety of rate-up characters that frequently appear in the banner, there is an additional aspect involving each character’s weapons. Every character’s signature weapon offers the highest impact on their abilities and overall performance.
However, not everyone can obtain a signature weapon for each character. That’s why there are several other generic weapons available. Some weapons are versatile and can be used across many characters regardless of their class or role. For free-to-play players, having these adaptable weapons on your account can be highly advantageous.
—
### Best Starting Swords
Swords are among the most commonly used weapons by characters in Arknights: Endfield. Here are some of the best all-around options:
| Name | Rarity | Description |
| — | — | — |
| Sundering Steel | 5-Star | Mainly for physical characters, this weapon boosts attack power whenever they apply a physical status effect. |
| Twelve Questions | 5-Star | Useful for characters that deal arts reactions, increasing their attack when they trigger arts effects. |
| Fortmaker | 5-Star | Ideal for general stat boosts like attack, arts intensity, and ultimate gain efficiency. |
| Wave Tide | 4-Star | Helps characters get an attack boost during combo skills, valuable for consistent damage output. |
—
### Best Starting Greatswords
Though less common than swords, greatswords still have some solid choices suitable for many characters:
| Name | Rarity | Description |
| — | — | — |
| Sundered Prince | 6-Star | Increases the wielder’s attack after landing a final strike. If controlled by the operator, it grants a doubled attack bonus and some stagger. |
| Seeker of Dark Lung | 5-Star | For arts-focused characters, it boosts attack when applying arts infliction, and helps them charge their ultimate faster. |
| Quencher | 4-Star | Similar to Sundered Prince, it increases attack after a final strike, especially useful for burst damage. |
—
### Best Starting Polearms
Polearms are usable by most characters once you have them on your account:
| Name | Rarity | Description |
| — | — | — |
| JET | 6-Star | Provides a massive arts damage bonus when using battle and combo skills, making it very effective. |
| Chimeric Justice | 5-Star | Great for physical characters, increasing attack when the wielder is the first to apply vulnerability. |
| Aggeloslayer | 4-Star | Increases attack whenever the wielder hits with their battle skill, enhancing frequent damage. |
—
### Best Starting Handcannons
One of the limited characters in the launch update uses a handcannon, but here are some good generic options:
| Name | Rarity | Description |
| — | — | — |
| Clannibal | 6-Star | Great for arts-reactive characters, increasing the enemy’s arts damage taken. |
| Wedge | 6-Star | Adds critical rate and boosts arts damage dealt. Using skills or arts reactions further increases arts damage. |
| Opus: The Living | 5-Star | Provides critical rate and attack power when applying arts reactions. |
| Long Road | 4-Star | Boosts attack when using a combo skill with this weapon. |
—
### Best Starting Arts Units
Arts units are often support characters, and these options are versatile picks:
| Name | Rarity | Description |
| — | — | — |
| Oblivion | 6-Star | Offers a significant arts damage bonus when using their combo skill and ultimate. |
| Detonation Unit | 6-Star | Makes enemies take increased arts damage after applying an arts burst. |
| Freedom to Proselytize | 5-Star | Ideal for arts-healing characters, significantly boosting their healing capabilities. |
| Monaihe | 5-Star | Provides a good balance of arts gain efficiency, main attribute, and arts intensity. |
Building a successful city early on in Anno 117: Pax Romana can be tricky, especially for beginners. City-building games demand a careful balance of income, expenses, building houses, utilities, and resource management.
To give your city a strong start, it’s important to plan your layout carefully. The right setup will support your citizens and allow for growth later on. Here’s what you need to know about creating an effective early game layout in Anno 117.
When you first arrive on your island, you’ll see a wide area filled with trees, rivers, mountains, coastlines, and sometimes marshland. All this space is meant to provide resources and room for expansion. Any resources that your land can’t supply should be imported from neighboring rivals.
A good early layout begins with narrow streets forming a large square, with a central plaza in the middle. Even if you don’t have many buildings initially, leave space for future additions. This helps keep everything organized and ready for development.
Next, allocate the land near the coast for fisheries, and place farms on the outskirts. Be cautious to keep resource-producing areas—such as coal mines and pig farms—away from your city to prevent pollution and congestion.
As your residential areas grow, build homes close to buildings that provide positive effects, like taverns, markets, and service buildings such as Vigil, Custodia, or entertainment venues. These will boost the happiness and efficiency of your residents. It’s important to keep negative-impact structures like certain production facilities out of residential zones.
Once your residents have their needs met and their happiness is high, they will upgrade to more advanced types, unlocking new resource and production options. Create a central zone that connects all buildings offering benefits—like markets, entertainment, and services—ensuring accessibility for everyone in your city.
Your initial street grid should form a large square with homes lining the streets. Keep resource-generating buildings like fisheries along the shore, and place farms on the outskirts. Avoid having resource facilities like coal or pig farms directly inside the city to reduce pollution and maintain clean living conditions.
Always review the effects of each new building before placing it. Many buildings impact the nearby residents’ happiness or health, and understanding these effects prevents long-term issues.
If you need to expand or replace buildings later, you can demolish and rebuild them elsewhere to make room for new public services or villas. As you become more familiar with how different buildings influence your city, planning your layout will become easier. If a building damages nearby residents, you can offset the negative effects with structures that provide positive effects, but it’s best to avoid doing so unless absolutely necessary.
You no longer have to wait until the last turkey burp is over to start shopping for Black Friday deals—2025 is all about early bird discounts and snagging the best prices available. We’ve been busy gathering some of the top offers already live from Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart to help you start saving now.
It’s no surprise that Amazon’s Black Friday sales are already kicking off—brand new discounts on their own devices, such as the Echo Pop, Dot, Blink cameras, Kindles, and more, are already live ahead of the main event.
While prices may drop even further—like the Echo Pop being available for just $21.99, compared to $17.99 in 2024—early shopping still means significant savings if you’re ready to buy now.
Is Black Friday happening already?
Technically, no—there’s no turkey in sight just yet. But these days, retailers are starting their deals earlier and extending them longer to spread out the savings and ease the rush of one-day shopping sprees.
Back in the day, Black Friday deals were simple—start at midnight, sprint to the store, buy, and bring your treasures home. Now, since most sales happen online, staggering them helps prevent logistical chaos and ensures your purchases arrive on time.
Best early Black Friday deals so far
Although there are hundreds of deals on the table, we’ve picked out some standout discounts based on the early reductions. Our advice: set a budget, and if you see something at a good price, buy it before it sells out or the price drops further.
Prices could still fall during official Black Friday, but missing out on current deals might mean regret—these discounts are worth grabbing now if they suit your needs.
Additionally, other sales events later in the season can also offer excellent bargains, so keep an eye out even after today’s deals.
If you’re shopping for a significant holiday gift and want to get it checked off your list early, here are our top recommendations.
Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)
For those after a powerful laptop, the MacBook Air lineup has become a top contender, thanks to the impressive M4 chip inside. While the latest is now the M5, the previous generation still offers incredible speed and all-day battery life.
Sony WH-1000XM6
Sony
Dubbed “the best headphones for just about anyone” in our review, these over-ear headphones deliver outstanding sound quality, superb call clarity, and a premium feel. They are a perfect gift for audiophiles, offering a rich listening experience.
Sony WH-1000XM4
Sony
Though these models are four years old, they still provide exceptional audio quality and noise cancellation. Our review gave them top marks, and since they cost about half as much as the newer versions, they are an excellent value.
Sponsored: Roborock F25 GT
Roborock
If you’ve never tried a vacuum-mop combo, it can seem intimidating. They may leak or streak, tempting you to buy separate devices. But the F25 promises excellent cleaning power and can navigate tight spaces with ease, making it a great all-in-one choice.
Whoop One 5.0
Whoop
This fitness tracker is gaining popularity. The latest model offers advanced health metrics, comprehensive fitness insights, and deeper sleep analysis—core features that make it a valuable health companion. It takes some time to get used to, but the results are worth it.
WD 20TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive
Western Digital
Need a large storage device compatible with both Mac and Windows? This 20TB external hard drive offers quick plug-and-play setup via USB 3.2, making it easy to back up photos, videos, and files while saving money.
Amazon Basics 100-Pack AA Batteries
Amazon
Powering your gadgets with reliable batteries is essential. Grab a 100-pack now at a discount—especially if you’re constantly replacing them. Prefer a greener option? Consider rechargeable batteries, which are also discounted.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 40mm
Samsung
If you’re looking for a smartwatch, we highly recommend this Samsung model with its bright display, durability, and seamless integration with Galaxy phones. It’s a fantastic choice for Android users wanting reliable features at an affordable price.
Sponsored: Nomad eSIM
Nomad
For travelers and digital nomads, an eSIM offers convenient, cost-effective connectivity. Plans starting at just $1.10 per GB and coverage in over 200 destinations make managing your mobile data simple and budget-friendly—if your device supports eSIM technology.
Sponsored: Soundpeats Clip1
Soundpeats
If you prefer discreet, wire-free listening, the Clip 1 earbuds might be your new favorite. They fit securely, deliver Dolby Audio quality, and are now available at approximately 13% off, making them a smart audio upgrade at a budget-friendly price.
Amazon Kindle 16 GB (latest version)
Amazon
This new Kindle model boasts a six-week battery life, improved illumination, higher contrast on the 6-inch display, and faster page turns. Plus, it now comes in a stylish matcha green—perfect for upgrading your reading experience during the holiday season.
Amazon Echo Pop
Amazon
Like the Kindle, the Echo Pop offers Alexa-enabled smart home control at a very affordable price—now available for just over $30. It’s compact, efficient, and perfect for helping you manage your connected devices easily.
Sponsored: Tineco Pure One Station 5
Tineco
This cordless vacuum features a laser to reveal hidden dust, multiple cyclones for faster airflow, a self-cleaning process during charging, and a HEPA filter to help with allergies. It’s an excellent upgrade for quick, thorough cleaning.
Amazon Echo Dot
Amazon
This powerful yet affordable smart speaker, priced under $32, delivers impressive sound quality and smart home features. Perfect for a quick upgrade or for building a whole-sound system in your home.
Ring Battery Doorbell
Amazon
This versatile doorbell can operate on battery or AC power, charges via USB-C, and is now more affordable than most of the year—often at the lowest price we’ve seen, around $50. An excellent way to upgrade your home security without breaking the bank.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select
Amazon
At under $20, the Fire TV Stick 4K Select offers superb 4K streaming with support for Dolby Atmos and HDR, making it an excellent choice for high-quality entertainment without a hefty price tag.
Sponsored: Boldr Kelvin Smart Heater
Boldr
This infrared heater emits rays that directly warm objects and people, making it a cost-effective and low-maintenance way to keep your space cozy. Currently, it’s available at up to 30% off, making it a smart seasonal purchase.
Blink Mini 2
Amazon
“The Blink Mini 2 works incredibly well for a $40 camera,” says our review. It’s now on sale for more than 50% off, with an optional outdoor power adapter available. Includes a built-in spotlight for Full HD streaming that offers exceptional value.
Oura Ring 4
Oura
The latest Oura Ring offers advanced fitness and health metrics, improved sleep analysis, and comprehensive insights that rival many smartwatches. Though it takes a moment to adapt, it’s a highly recommended health tracker now available for under $250.
Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Glasses
Version 1.0.0Ray Ban
These smart glasses combine lightweight design, stylish looks, quality sound, and AI features. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars, they are a top choice for most people looking to try smart eyewear—now available at $60 off for a limited time.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is almost here, continuing the story after Black Ops 2 for over ten years, set in 2035. If you want to experience the game early, you can, with a little trick involving time zones.
In this guide, we’ll share when Black Ops 7 releases in your area and show you how to use a well-known method to enjoy multiplayer, Zombies, and the new co-op campaign before anyone else.
### Black Ops 7 Release Time
Here are the official release times based on your location:
| Timezone | Release Time | Date |
|————|—————-|—————|
| PST | 9 p.m. | November 13 |
| CST | 11 p.m. | November 13 |
| EST | 12 a.m. | November 13 |
| BRT | 2 a.m. | November 14 |
| GMT | 5 a.m. | November 14 |
| CET | 6 a.m. | November 14 |
| KST | 2 p.m. | November 14 |
| JST | 2 p.m. | November 14 |
Note: You can start pre-loading the game three days before the release, around November 10 or 11, depending on your region.
### How to Play Early Using the New Zealand Trick
If you’re not in New Zealand, there’s a way to play the game a day early. This trick only works for PlayStation, Xbox, and the Xbox PC app—not for Battle.net or Steam.
Here’s what to do:
– On PC: Change your region to New Zealand and update your Call of Duty account with a New Zealand address.
– On Xbox: Switch your console’s region to New Zealand and update your call of duty account with a New Zealand address.
– On PlayStation: Change your call of duty account’s address to a New Zealand location.
Once you’ve made these changes, you can access the game earlier. Here are the expected early access times:
| Timezone | Earliest Launch Time | Date |
|————|———————|————–|
| EST | 6 a.m. | November 13 |
| CET | 12 p.m. | November 13 |
| GMT | 11 a.m. | November 13 |
| KST | 8 p.m. | November 13 |
| JST | 8 p.m. | November 13 |
This method will give you access about a day before the official release, making it a handy trick if you want to start playing early.
Every time you begin a Topside raid in Arc Raiders, your experience will likely be different. This is because you start in new locations each time and face various Arc machines and moving players. Many events during a raid depend on luck.
However, you can influence your chances by choosing the right loadout, especially early on. While there’s no perfect setup, your choice of augment, weapons, and quick-use items should match how you prefer to play.
### Best Augments for Beginners
Augments are key items in your loadout as they determine how many slots you have in each category and what kind of shields you can carry. You start with the best augment, and here’s what each one is good for:
| Augment Name | Best For |
| — | — |
| Looting Mk. 1 | Best for looting, with the highest weight capacity (50) and most slots for normal items. It only allows light shields. |
| Combat Mk. 1 | A good all-around choice with decent inventory space and the ability to use medium shields. |
| Tactical Mk. 1 | Focused on survival with an extra quick-use slot for healing or throwable items, but limited inventory space. |
For beginners, Looting Mk. 1 usually works best since you don’t yet have medium shields that the other two augments support. After leveling up and completing some quests, you can unlock the blue versions of these augments, which add extra slots depending on the item type. For example, Looting Mk. 2 provides three slots for trinkets, but these are best saved for later, as they’re rarer in early, dangerous raids.
### Best Guns for Beginners
No matter which augment you pick, you’ll always have two gun slots. Early on, you can craft or find up to four different guns. Each has a specific use based on your style:
| Gun Name | Description |
| — | — |
| Stitcher | Good for beginners, with automatic fire, but low damage. |
| Ferro | A basic sniper, capable of high single-shot damage; requires good aim due to reloading after each shot. |
| Rattler | Versatile; fires multiple shots without automatic fire, but each shot is powerful. |
| Hairpin | Not yet available in free loadouts, but great for stealth with its silencer. However, sneaking isn’t often worth it because of game sounds and damage trade-offs. |
The Rattler feels particularly effective early on, as it quickly dispatches both Arc machines and players.
### Best Quick-Use Items for Beginners
Unlike augments and guns, your quick-use options are limited but vital. The main items to carry early are bandages and shield rechargers, as they help you heal and stay safe. Using loot like fabric to heal is an option, but it’s better to carry at least five bandages since healing during fights is usually too risky.
Other helpful items include binoculars for scouting, allowing you to assess danger without exposing yourself. Grenades and smoke bombs can also give you a tactical advantage when needed.
### Early Game Safe Pocket Guide
Regardless of your augment choice (except the free one), you’ll always have one safe pocket slot on the right side of your inventory. Anything stored here will return to your hideout even if you’re taken down during the raid. Managing this slot properly is crucial.
At the start of a raid, you should avoid placing items in the safe pocket. Focus instead on collecting keys, blueprints, or upgrade items, and store them here to bring back. Since early raids tend to knock you out often, keeping this slot free for important objects is a wise strategy.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger’s system for evolving and leveling up lets you create very powerful Digimon early on. Usually, your Agent Rank limits how far you can progress in the evolution tree, but there are some exceptions, like Lobomon, which can be obtained early in the game.
Lobomon is a rare Hybrid Digimon that you can access once you reach the Factorial Area, but preparation is key. Here’s how to get this Digimon as quickly as possible.
How To Get Lobomon
Lobomon is a Hybrid Digimon with no specific attribute weaknesses or strengths. Its evolution path is simple: it evolves from Kudamon, which comes from Nyaromon, which in turn develops from Punimon. To evolve Kudamon into Lobomon, you’ll need a special item called the Human Spirit of Light, and you must be at least Agent Rank 3.
How To Obtain The Human Spirit Of Light
You can craft the Human Spirit of Light at Vulcanusmon or Guardromon (Gold) found in the Factorial Area in the Digital World. To craft it, you’ll need:
– 3 Fruit Tarts
– 3 Saint Knuckle I skill discs
– 10,000 Yen
The Fruit Tarts are only available at the convenience store in Shinjuku, on the street near the Minoso house. If you’ve already visited the Digital World before buying this item, you’ll need to continue with the story until you return to the Human World to purchase it.
If you’re still in the Human World, it’s best to buy the Fruit Tarts before starting the quest “Truth Born from an Egg!”
The Saint Knuckle I skill disc can be purchased in the disc shops located in the In-Between Theater or Akihabara. The shop in the In-Between Theater updates its items as the story progresses, so if it’s not available there, try in Akihabara.
Once you have all the items, go to the Factorial Area and craft the Human Spirit of Light at Vulcanusmon or Guardromon (Gold), depending on your progress in the story.
In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, your primary combat tools will be swords, axes, and bows. However, having a reliable dagger is essential for those tricky situations. It’s necessary for executing stealth kills and comes in handy for other tasks as well.
That said, finding one early in the game isn’t so straightforward. You’ll unlock the stealth kill ability and know that you need a dagger, but it won’t tell you where to find one. Fortunately, whether you’re just starting out or are exploring Kuttenberg later in the game, there are a few places where you can easily get a dagger.
How to Obtain a Dagger Early
If you want to sneak into camps and use stealth kills in the Trosky region but lack a dagger, you might experience some frustration, especially when trying to complete the side quest to retrieve Mutt.
To find a dagger, take the road that goes southwest from Troskowitz. You’ll stumble upon a camp belonging to a character named Herdboy Sleepy. There’s a table featuring a bloody sheep, and conveniently, there’s a dagger right beside it. If Sleepy isn’t watching, you can quietly grab the dagger and make your escape. Since he’s the only one around, it should be easy to snatch it without being spotted.
Keep in mind that taking Sleepy’s dagger counts as stealing, so be careful not to get caught by any guards. If they catch you, they will take it back.
Where to Buy a Dagger
If you’re further along in the game and have either lost or accidentally sold your dagger, you can buy one from several different vendors.
Many bandits carry daggers, so you could try to defeat some and loot their weapons. Just remember, not every bandit will have a dagger, and their quality may vary.
You can purchase a dagger from any Swordsmith. Additionally, most Innkeepers at taverns and Blacksmiths in various towns offer them for sale as well.
Dagger prices are usually reasonable; expect to pay around 15-20 Groschen, assuming you negotiate well and maintain a decent reputation with the merchant. Always remember to haggle—there’s no reason to pay full price for anything in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
Once you have your dagger, don’t forget to equip it in your inventory when needed. It will be placed alongside your torch among your weapons, right below your swords and axes.
