The updates released for ARC Raiders between January and April have done more than just enrich the game with new gameplay modes; they also include refinements to core mechanics to ensure they strike a balance between accessibility and logical consistency.

Unfortunately, a feature you may have previously hoped for, the ability to retain your workshop crafting station levels after an Expedition, has not yet been implemented. For now, you must still gather materials and upgrade your stations from scratch following each reset.

Of course, the workshop hasn't remained entirely static over these past few months.

Based on the adjustments made so far, we'll introduce everything you need to know about upgrading stations and other workshop-specific mechanics like Scrappy, following the release of Riven Tides update.

What is the workshop?

ARC Raiders is set in a world overrun by ARC invaders; consequently, all raids take place on the dangerous surface, while more routine interactions occur within the underground sanctuary known as Speranza.

You can think of Speranza as your in-game base of operations. The workshop serves as one of its primary functions, specifically for crafting, while other activities available in Speranza include customizing your character's appearance, trading with NPCs, and more.

As for the workshop itself, it comprises seven distinct stations. Each station requires specific materials for upgrades and offers a unique selection of items available for crafting.

As you upgrade your stations, you gain the ability to craft more advanced gear; however, crafting these high-tier items typically requires a corresponding blueprint.

Blueprints are an integral part of the workshop system: once consumed, a blueprint is added to the specific station associated with that item, allowing you to craft the item thereafter simply by supplying the other necessary materials.

Blueprints are typically acquired by scavenging during expeditions, ideally by looting high-value containers found during special in-game events.

However, if you find yourself unable to locate a specific item, getting ARC Raiders items for sale on IGGM offers a much faster alternative.

It is also worth mentioning Scrappy. This rooster is technically your pet within Speranza, but since he lives in the workshop, he is often regarded as an honorary part of the facility itself.

Whenever you head out for combat, provided your expedition lasts longer than one minute, Scrappy will generate Assorted Seeds and other random resources for you.

The longer your expedition lasts, and the higher Scrappy's level, the greater the quantity of items he will generate.

How to upgrade workshop stations?

The seven stations are: Workbench, Gunsmith, Gear Bench, Medical Lab, Explosives Station, Utility Station, and Refiner. With the exception of Workbench, each of these stations can be upgraded to a maximum level of 3.

Many of the materials required for crafting and station upgrades can be obtained through scavenging during expeditions. And specific materials tend to appear more frequently when looting certain designated zones.

Furthermore, some materials drop specifically after defeating ARC enemies, such as Pop Trigger or Rocketeer Driver. There are also some materials that can only be obtained through crafting.

If you are a dedicated player, gathering these materials shouldn't be too difficult for you at this stage. However, a more efficient farming strategy is to set aside dedicated blocks of time to complete all the upgrade requirements for a specific station in a single round.

By doing so, you can immediately utilize that station to craft some decent gear, thereby boosting your character's power and allowing you to complete upgrades for your other stations even faster.

How to utilize Scrappy?

Scrappy can be upgraded to a maximum of Level 5. At each level, it generates an increasing amount of materials based on the duration of your raids. The specific time thresholds are 1, 6, and 15 minutes.

Below are the upgrade requirements (Level 1 Fledgling is the default tier and requires no materials):

• Level 2 Forager: 1x Dog Collar
• Level 3 Scavenger: 3x Lemon, 3x Apricot
• Level 4 Treasure Hunter: 6x Prickly Pear, 6x Olives, 1x Cat Bed
• Level 5 Master Hoarder: 12x Mushroom, 12x Apricot, 3x Very Comfortable Pillow

Previously, with the exception of seeds, the types of materials generated by Scrappy were entirely random.

However, following Flashpoint update, you can now feed Scrappy specific items to increase the probability of it generating particular types of materials; furthermore, the items generated may be of higher value.

Currently, the items that can be used as feed include: olives, fruit mix, mushroom, agave, apricot, lemon, and prickly pear.

New content from Riven Tides update

This update introduced four new items to the game: Powered Descender, Crash Mat, White Flag, and Dockmaster's Detector.

Of these, the first three can be obtained through crafting; specifically, only the first two require a separate blueprint to unlock. Their respective workshop requirements are as follows:

• Powered Descender: Utility Station 3
• Crash Mat: Utility Station 1
• White Flag: Medical Lab 1

The importance of workshop

Only by consistently upgrading the various functions of your workshop can you accelerate the process of farming high-tier blueprints and crafting more powerful gear.

In turn, this allows you to advance your game progression; otherwise, you risk missing out on exciting combat encounters due to a lack of adequate gear.

Will the workshop get more changes in the future?

As a fundamental yet uncomplicated game feature, the workshop is unlikely to undergo a drastic overhaul, nor is such a change necessary. The only plausible possibility is that a certain level of progress might be retained following an expedition.

Admittedly, having to go through the workshop upgrade process after every expedition can indeed feel a bit tedious.

However, precisely because this process is not particularly difficult, allowing players to retain their station levels would strip the reset mechanic of much of its intended significance.

That covers everything you need to know about utilizing and upgrading the workshop in ARC Raiders at this stage. We hope this information proves helpful to your gaming experience!

Monopoly Go has become a global phenomenon, but behind this game lie several game mechanics that have left many players deeply dissatisfied. Common complaints include issues with game fairness, progression, and what players perceive as a pay-to-win model.

This article will analyze in detail why these mechanics are so frustrating and explore practical ways to alleviate this frustration without abandoning the game.

Reasons for Player Frustration

Dice Management and Progression Challenges

Limited dice supply means players often find the hourly dice replenishment insufficient to sustain the game, making it difficult to complete daily rewards and events without spending money. Even 10 dice per hour isn't enough to maintain daily rewards.

As player levels increase, upgrading properties becomes extremely costly, requiring an exceptionally large number of dice. If you're a high level, upgrading properties is incredibly expensive. Some players say, "I don't even have dice anymore, how am I supposed to upgrade? I hate this practice of including upgrade costs in daily rewards."

Furthermore, other activities in Monopoly Go often require a large number of dice rolls, so once you run out of rolls, your progress becomes extremely slow.

Perceived Rigging and Lack of Transparency

Many players believe that dice rolls and event outcomes are not truly random, but rather pre-programmed to induce spending. The most frustrating experience is repeatedly landing on specific tiles, such as the railroad tile, to trigger an event, only to land anywhere else.

Multiple players have tested this using flight mode and other techniques, and the evidence strongly suggests that the results of dice rolls, the final outcome of bank robberies, and even jailbreak attempts are pre-programmed the moment you press the button; the animation effects are merely gimmicks.

This is what frustrates many players the most. What should be random is actually scouted and pre-programmed to give you the results they want. Some players even suspect that Monopoly Go's leaderboards are filled with AI, artificially creating a competitive atmosphere that makes it harder for real players to win.

Sticker Endless Duplicates

Obtaining new stickers, especially gold stickers, is frustrating for many players. They complain that repeatedly getting the same stickers over long periods diminishes the enjoyment of the game. Collecting stickers should be fun, but the mechanics turn it into a gambling-like pursuit.

You open dozens of sticker packs and always get the same 1-star sticker. Gold stickers are extremely rare, yet essential for completing an album and usually untradeable at other stages.

According to reports, over 90% of gold stickers never appear in any trading activity. You might be just one gold sticker away from completing an entire album. As an album nears its end, the game doesn't automatically give you that sticker unless you get Wild Stickers.

Completing an album rewards a huge dice bonus, such as 15,000 dice. But for many players, this moment will never arrive. This means that without spending money, it's difficult to maintain interest in Monopoly Go, and the overall enjoyment gradually diminishes over time.

Practical Ways to Reduce Frustration

While you can't change the system, you can change how you interact with it. Here are some tips that, while they won't make you a top player overnight, can reduce your daily frustration.

Change Your Game Mindset

Once you realize that frustration is a product of the game's design, you'll stop blaming yourself. You're not unlucky, nor are you playing badly. You're simply interacting with a machine designed to extract money and attention. Shift your focus from winning to enjoying small moments of happiness in life, such as completing a thrilling heist, finishing daily quests, or collecting a new sticker. Don't burden yourself so much with Monopoly Go.

Join Active Trading Communities

The official in-game trading system isn't perfect. You can exchange stickers in the player community, trading duplicates for missing ones. Be proactive and generous. Don't ask for stickers of the same star rating when gifting them. In a friendly community, people will reciprocate when you need rare cards.

If you still can't find the sticker you want in the community, you can buy Monopoly Go Stickers from IGGM.com provides the fastest and safest way to access the game.

Know When to Walk Away

In any game, the most effective strategy is to take a break. If you find yourself checking the game every 30 minutes, feeling anxious about your shield or event ranking, or spending money you didn't intend to spend, take a short break and give yourself some breathing room.

Monopoly Go isn't a game in the traditional sense; there's no ultimate victory. Even if you collect all the stickers today, you might unlock a new album tomorrow with brand new stickers.

Therefore, true victory comes from playing the game the way you want, using it as a way to pass the time, not as a source of achievement. If frustration outweighs enjoyment, then this game might not be for you.

This article analyzes and offers solutions to some recent issues with Monopoly Go. Hopefully, it helps you adjust your mindset and allows the game to bring you more enjoyment than frustration.