الوسم: material

  • How Material Extraction Ensures Success in Crimson Desert

    How Material Extraction Ensures Success in Crimson Desert

    A new update has been released for Crimson Desert, adding several new features to enhance gameplay. Players can now feed their mounts and purchase saddles for rarer animal species. Additionally, sword sheaths can now be displayed when not in use, providing a more realistic look. These changes are aimed at improving the overall quality of life in the game.

    The most notable addition is the Extraction feature available at blacksmiths across various cities. Here’s how it works, whether it’s worth your effort, and what you earn by extracting unused weapons and armor.

    To get started, visit any Smithy in the game world. When you interact with the blacksmith, you will see a new option called “Extraction” alongside Refinement and Crafting. Selecting this option opens a list of all your current weapons and armor pieces. You can choose any item to extract materials from, which then shows all its previous refinement levels.

    You can select any level from this list to reset that piece of gear to the designated earlier refinement level. Doing so refunds you the materials used to reach that level. The amount of materials you receive depends on the rarity of the item. For common materials like Bloodstone or Iron Ore, you recover about 70% of the original materials. Rarer items like Abyss Artifacts or Aeserion’s Scales are returned at a full 100%.

    The quantity of materials gained increases the lower you set the refinement level. For example, downgrading your Molten Ambition sword to Refinement Level 3 will give you 22 Iron Ore, 21 Copper Ore, 8 Bloodstone, and 3 Abyss Artifacts. Importantly, the actual weapon isn’t destroyed in the process—it’s just downgraded, so you won’t lose key gear you’ve invested heavily in. However, you cannot reduce a weapon or armor piece below its original discovery level.

    This feature is accessible regardless of whether the character associated with the gear (like Oongka or Damiane) is present. As long as the gear is in your inventory, you can reduce its refinement level to recoup materials. Remember, gear needs to be in your inventory to modify it—if it’s stored in a large chest, you’ll need to carry it to a Smithy first.

    Using extraction is a great way to reclaim materials you might have spent on gear you no longer use, especially Abyss Artifacts. Since these artifacts are essential for higher-level refinement and unlocking new skills, gaining more of them is very helpful for progression. Although the process might take some time, reviewing your unused weapons and armor and downgrading them at a Smithy can significantly aid in strengthening your key equipment, making your advancement in the game smoother and less frustrating.

  • Top Strategies for Completing Every New Material in Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven

    Top Strategies for Completing Every New Material in Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven

    In Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven, you’ll have plenty to do, from fighting tough bosses to rebuilding Woolhaven and surviving winter. A lot of your progress depends on several new resources introduced in this expansion.

    These resources are used not only to construct new buildings but also help keep your followers warm and serve as a new currency. You can spend them in Woolhaven to unlock decorations or legendary weapons. Here’s what you need to know about how to gather these key resources in Woolhaven.

    ### Every New Resource in Woolhaven

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    #### How to Get Rotburn
    Rotburn is the most important resource in this expansion, as it keeps your followers warm during winter. You can earn Rotburn through various methods:
    – Opening dungeon chests
    – Destroying Rotburn crystals in dungeons
    – Crafting it at the Refiner
    – Mining Rotburn from specific mines
    – Defeating enemies while the Lost Bones tarot card is active
    – Dead Rotten Followers
    – Beating a boss

    The most reliable way to get Rotburn is by collecting it from Rotburn Mines or harvesting it from specific nodes like flaming skulls during dungeon runs. Since it’s essential for survival, always pick up Rotburn whenever possible, as you’ll need plenty of it throughout the expansion.

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    #### How to Get Wool
    Wool is the main currency for this update. It’s used to craft clothing, buy items in Woolhaven, and offer to the graves of the town’s deceased. You’ll find yourself needing a lot of Wool, as Spirit inhabitants often require 100 Wool just for a reward. You can gather Wool by:
    – Shearing your livestock in the Ranch
    – Opening dungeon chests
    – Destroying frozen ancestors in dungeons
    – Using the Shearing Blade tarot card
    – Ascending prime animals

    Shearing livestock is the primary way to get Wool. Building a large Ranch allows you to raise many animals, which increases Wool production. You can also breed animals using a Hutch to save Wool spent on Baraq. Upgrading your Ranch when possible is beneficial, and assigning followers to shear the animals will boost your output.

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    #### How to Get Charged Shards
    Charged Shards are mostly used for crafting decorations, Pure Yewbark, or heaters to block snow buildup in your base. Usually, you’ll earn them during dungeon runs until you unlock Lightning Rods later in the expansion. You can obtain Charged Shards by:
    – Finding them in dungeon chests
    – Destroying generators during dungeon excursions
    – Using Lightning Rods to passively generate Shards during storms
    – Defeating bosses

    Once Lightning Rods are available, place several around your base to passively generate Charged Shards during snowstorms. Collect these from the chests at each lightning rod, ensuring you have a steady supply to prevent snow buildup and make heaters unnecessary.

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    #### How to Get Rotgrit
    Rotgrit is a less useful material, only accessible once your Furnace reaches level 3. After upgrading, a chest in front of the Furnace produces Rotgrit as it consumes fuel. Its only purpose is to be converted into Rotburn in the Refiner. Since you’ll likely have enough Rotburn from other sources, Rotgrit isn’t required for much and can usually be ignored.

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    #### How to Get Cursed and Pure Yewbark
    Cursed Yewbark and Pure Yewbark are two sides of the same material. Cursed Yewbark can be found in dungeon chests or by killing enemies inside dungeons. However, farming for this material depends heavily on luck, and it appears only during mountain runs. You’ll get it fairly often in The Rot, so playing through the campaign should yield enough for your needs.

    Pure Yewbark is crafted at your base using the Refiner, costing two Cursed Yewbark and two Charged Shards. Since it’s necessary for rebuilding Woolhaven, craft as much of it as you can to unlock all new features and quest boards quickly.

  • Galaxy S25 Edge Switches From Glass Back To Lighter Material

    Galaxy S25 Edge Switches From Glass Back To Lighter Material

    During the unveiling of the Galaxy S25, Samsung also hinted at its forthcoming sleek smartphone. Believed to be under 6mm thick, the Galaxy S25 Edge is poised to become Samsung’s slimmest candy bar-style phone, potentially diverting attention from the rumored iPhone 17 Air. As the launch approaches, new insights reveal how the Galaxy S25 Edge could be lighter, linked to Samsung revisiting a previous design choice.

    Reports indicate that the Galaxy S25 Edge will forgo a glass backing for enhanced durability. Instead, SamMobile provides exclusive insight into an alternative material. Sources suggest that Samsung plans to utilize a ceramic material in conjunction with an aluminum frame.

    It’s not yet clear if the back will be fully ceramic or partially blended with glass. However, if accurate, the Galaxy S25 Edge’s rear should be both lighter and more durable than a standard glass back, even one fortified with advanced protective technology.

    The Use of Ceramics in Smartphones

    HTC U12 Plus Review
    Julian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

    Although ceramic backs on smartphones aren’t entirely novel, they gained considerable interest among manufacturers in the late 2010s. Companies such as LG, Essential, HTC, and Xiaomi explored this material for their flagship devices. Even Samsung offered a black ceramic version of its Galaxy S10 Plus in 2019, noted for its superior durability compared to glass. Despite this, the use of ceramics did not gain widespread popularity due to the intricate manufacturing processes involved, which can drive up costs.

    Ceramics encompass a class of materials that possess a crystalline structure—exhibiting a more symmetrical orientation at the molecular level. This characteristic lends them greater rigidity while maintaining a thinner and lighter form. Generally, any product made from clay and then fired in an oven qualifies as a ceramic, including porcelain which is commonly used in tableware.

    The ceramics found in technology gadgets, like the Galaxy S10 Plus, are relatively sophisticated and demand extensive engineering. Prior implementations involved Zirconia (zirconium dioxide), a material also utilized in jewelry and dental implants, among other applications. It remains to be seen which direction Samsung will take with this new design.

    With the inclusion of this unique material, Samsung might position the Galaxy S25 Edge as a more premium option compared to both the base and Plus models, possibly pricing it on par with the S25 Ultra. Performance and camera capabilities of the S25 Edge are anticipated to rival the Ultra, though the slim profile may raise concerns for users wanting to record lengthy videos or engage in gaming.

    The phone is expected to be revealed in the second quarter of 2025, leaving just a few months until we confirm Samsung’s material choices.