“Welcome to our Robocraft 2 Playtest guide! In this article, we will show you how to make your first build in a simple and affordable way. Guides are a fantastic feature on Steam and were a big part of what made the original Robocraft so successful. So, let’s get started and learn how to create your very own T1 starter build. Don’t forget to try making your own guides too!”
Introduction
I was a huge fan of 2014-2015 Robocraft and a huge part of that was the creative builds I could find and replicate on the guides page. At time of making, this guide is one of only two that exist, and I’d like to encourage others in the community to make their own! Granted we’re still very limited in the build pieces available, but restricting what’s available often leads to great creativity, so share what you’ve made!
Building Advice
There’s also a principle called Tetrafoil(-ing) wherein you use a combination of edge and corner pieces to connect your build together as loosely as possible. This took advantage of RC1’s code, which spread less damage between blocks depending on their shape. I have no idea if this still works in RC2.
SMG count and CPU limits.
In robocraft, your matchmaking is largely determined by the tier (T1, T2, etc…) of your bot, which is simply the total CPU of your bot. This means once you unlock higher tier components, you can combine them with low tier components to target a specific range of opponents. For example I currently have T3 SMGs unlocked. If I use T2 blocks, I will be matched with other T3 bots who have far more T3 components, and I will be weaker overall. However, by limiting the CPU of my build to stay at the top of T2, I can get matches against T2 bots while using T3 SMGs. As long as I play around the intentional weaknesses of my build (underlevelled blocks) I can get a significant advantage. This intentional self-balancing of one’s higher and lower level components plays a significant role in the natural progression of the game, and I encourage you to use it where possible.
Firerate:
Especially since it’s the only weapon available at time of writing, I think it’s worth discussing SMGs. Similar to rifles in Counterstrike, they have 3 modes:
Scout:
Personally, I prefer to hit as hard as possible at mid-long range, and retreat behind cover to heal if I take significant damage. Since I want to retreat early, I use 4 weapons of the highest tier I can afford, and spend the rest of my CPU and resources on armor and mobility components so that I can reliably escape to heal from most positions.
Tank:
Newer or generally more aggressive players who like to run straight to the center of the map will probably prefer a higher SMG count, perhaps 8 or 9 so they can remain effective for longer in fights. Combine this with over-tiered armor and under tiered mobility and you can be far more effective in a fight to the death than the scout playstyle described above.
Example build
This is by no means a perfect build, but it should work completely fine in low tiers and might be inspiring for beginner builders. It requires these materials: 54x Cube T1, 34 Wedge T1, 6 Corner T1, 2 Inner Corner T1. Blocks new to the current step are marked in blue.
1. Starting frame
2. Wedges for pilot seat (This is a tetrafoil holdover and not entirely necessary.)
3. Armour
4. Make symmetrical
5. Create front segment
6. Add wheels
7. Build up front section
8. Shape for wheel armor (This needs to be done on both sides.)
9. Close in wheels
10. Basic detailing and wing SMGs
11. Top SMG
12. Wing SMG detailing (Again should be symmetrical)
13. Paint to taste. I used a monochromatic palette because I have no art skill, it simply runs a lighter tone through the middle, and then darkens toward the edge.
14. Rear view
And that wraps up our share on Robocraft 2 Playtest: Making your first build (PS – Make your own guides!). If you have any additional insights or tips to contribute, don’t hesitate to drop a comment below. For a more in-depth read, you can refer to the original article here by Jahkra, who deserves all the credit. Happy gaming!