Detective game makers tells us how they would murder Humpty Dumpty

Eggcellent work

Image credit:John Tenniel

You can’t take a step on Steam this week without stumbling over a body. Step forward and you’ll trip over a cold-to-the-touch mobster with a knife in their back. Step to the left and, oh God, it’s a wizened academic clutching a poisoned apple in their rigor mortis grip. But one step to the right and you’ll find the decapitated head of a curmudgeonly mayor who had recently made enemies of everyone in their small town. Yes, it’s Steam Detective Fest and murder is in the air.

Until January 19th, hundreds of developers are offering discounts and demos of their murder mysteries. With so many bodies piling up, it is hard to know where to start your investigations. So, to test the mettle of these murder makers, I set them a challenge.

How would they kill Humpty Dumpty and get away with it?

In an accidental throwback to the time Alec asked the game industry how they poached their eggs , I posed developers this challenge:

You are the bitter rival of Humpty Dumpty, aide and advisor to the king. To get close to the king, you must first remove Dumpty. However, despite his habit for walking the castle parapets when deep in thought, it will not be an easy task to feign an accident. Dumpty is a cautious individual of a fragile nature and he has installed safety nets along the walls. How do you kill Humpty Dumpty without attracting the suspicion of the king?

Here are their dastardly schemes…

The Ratline

• Studio: Owlskip Games
• Release date: March, 2026

The first answer comes from Tim Sheinman, designer of The Ratline .

Set in 1971, in The Ratline you play an investigator hot on the trail of a group of fugitive Nazis. Picking through documents, building a network of contacts, and connecting together the clues, you need to track down each of the fascists, wherever they may be hiding.

As the developer of a game about uncovering a network operating in the shadows, Sheinman’s approach to Humpty killing seems appropriate:

In the year 1231 of the Second Age, in the Kingdom of Breakfast-topia, a new political movement formed. The Vegan Platter Party had strong support in Beansville, Tomato Town, and the greater Mushroom metropolitan area. While they acknowledged that the powerful Bacon and Black Pudding lobbies would not be removed from plates anytime soon, they set their sights squarely on eggs. Flyers began circulating from underground printing presses, describing the latent effects of selenium and the risks of salmonella. Before long, the movement’s attention turned to the King’s key advisor, Humpty. How, they asked, could an egg occupy such a position of influence and power? Crowds formed in the streets. Protests massed outside the castle. The King felt the pressure of fomenting rebellion. He had to do something. Finally, he announced that Humpty was to be tried on charges of treason. Most people knew it was bogus – just a move to save the King’s skin – but the mobs were satisfied. Dumpty never said anything. On the third Thursday of the month, he was taken to the royal square and ritually shattered. Of course, there never was a Vegan Platter Party. Not really. It was all my work – plus that of my rich masters. And so that is how I, a humble Sausage, rose to power and, of course… got away with murder.

Obsidian Moon

• Studio: Lost Cabinet Games
• Release date: TBA

Yannis Antonakakis, game director on Obsidian Moon , may have picked up a thing or two from Sam Carter, the disgraced 1930s private investigator at the heart of his murder mystery. As Mark found when playing the demo , this is a game where you will have to solve murders using nothing but your guile and era-appropriate forensic technology. Could this be why Antonakakis’s approach leaves no fingerprints?

Ha! Humpty Dumpty is no match for my evil genius! I would play the long game: Surveil him night and day (where he goes, who he talks to) to expose vulnerabilities. Exploit these vulnerabilities (including his ‘fragile nature’) any way possible. For example, subtly spread rumors about his physical and mental ability to fulfil his role. Through court politics, targeted extortion (mental note: need more digging on the courtesans) and selective bribery, drive the court to question Humpty Dumpty’s advice while at the same time positioning myself as his natural successor. Gradually earn the King’s trust (until then, I do not confront HD openly. NEVER. On the contrary, I appear supportive), while HD is discredited and becomes mistrusted. And then the final blow: when conditions are ripe, HD has ‘earned a well deserved retirement’, ideally somewhere far away … … or he is given controlled doses of Hemlock, his health gradually deteriorates until the end comes for the old goat. Muah ha ha!

Dinocop

• Studio: Pieces Games
• Release date: Out now

Not one to be caught confessing to murder, Dinocop developer Pieces Games handed the Humpty Dumpty job over to one of their game’s characters, a revolutionary pterodactyl called Carmen Babar.

A political animal, she knows a trap when she sees one. After all in Dinocop , dinosaurs are living under the thumb of the humans who brought them back from extinction. While the situation hasn’t devolved into a Jurassic Park event, with dinosaurs running about eating scientists, they are miffed at being treated like second-class citizens. With tensions bubbling over, the humans have created you, the world’s first dinocop, as a means to keep your fellow lizards in check. But will you play ball?

Though, Babar is wise to her human creator’s game:

Getting away with murder has less to do with logistics and planning than with power, especially when it comes to political murders like the one you’re presenting. If the king needs to get rid of Humpty Dumpty, for a reason or another, it would be fairly easy for a henchman to get away with his murder. Any hired gun could murder Humpty Dumpty in plain daylight, and the king could then twist the narrative, and say Humpty Dumpty was killed in self-defense, because he was being dangerous or something. But you’re implying that the murderer needs to kill Humpty Dumpty without the king knowing. Unless there are other powerful people who have something to gain out of this murder, I don’t think anyone can get away with it. Maybe there are tensions in the king’s inner circle ? Other people close to the king have something to gain by getting rid of Humpty Dumpty, and getting someone else in his place ? Then the killer would become those people’s pawn, or their fall guy. Else, the murderer would probably get caught and the king would make a martyr out of Humpty Dumpty.

Babar’s time as a revolutionary has clearly turned her into a cynic – though, that doesn’t mean she isn’t right…

Just In Crime

• Studio: Gomet Games
• Release date: 2026

Remaining in the world of animal detectives, in Just In Crime , detective Mr Flurfels McGoodboy has partnered up apprentice sorceress Catarina to solve a case more heinous even than murder: on the sly, a birthday party guest has eaten the entire cake before it could be brought to the table.

Using Flurfel’s detecting skills and Catarina’s handy ability to travel back in time, you must discover who snaffled the cake. You will interrogate suspects in the present and investigate their alibis in the past, leaving no stone unturned.

Perhaps it’s that food centre to Just In Crime that compelled designer Raúl Ramos to craft such a delicious end to Humpty Dumpty:

Murder is a structured art. The first step would be to study every possible idea and scenario. To do that, I would get a journalism degree and then found a video game journalism website. Let’s call it ‘Tic tac toe.’ I’d work for many years until I had built up a solid reputation and contacts, and then, when no one suspects a thing, I’d start asking them really specific hypothetical questions. Like, ‘So, if you had an egg, how would you poach it?’. And if I’m not feeling inspired enough, later that year I’d go straight to: ‘Hey, so…what if you wanted to, say, murder that egg?’ That’s when a pretty cool studio full of devs with undisclosed eggslaughter experience would reach out and reveal to me his ultimate vulnerability: personal hygiene. Every time you cross paths with Humpty Dumpty, make small, subtle gestures. A grimace of disgust. Pinching your nose momentarily. Maintaining a larger interpersonal distance than expected. And if he asks you if he smells bad, DENY EVERYTHING. It must be obvious enough for him to notice, but subtle enough to make it seem like you’re being polite about it. In the end, he’ll end up bathing, weakening his shell’s natural defenses. And then, all you need to do is sit back and wait for salmonella to do all the work. He might even take a hot bath and hard-boil himself into oblivion! And as for those devs who realized your true intentions… there’s no need to thank them. It’s always good to meet someone from the guild and exchange notes on our “hobbies”. And you never know when you might need an extra pair of hands to do some digging —wink, wink— .

How about you, reader? How would you smash the egg?

Dinocop

PC

Obsidian Moon

PC

The Ratline

Video Game

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All 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints and where to get them

These areas have the highest chance of giving you Blueprints

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Looking for more Arc Raiders Blueprints? It’s a special day when you find a Blueprint, as they’re among the most valuable items in Arc Raiders. If you find a Blueprint that you haven’t already found, then you must make sure you hold onto it at all costs, because Blueprints are the key to one of the most important and powerful systems of meta-progression in the game.

This guide aims to be the very best guide on Blueprints you can find, starting with a primer on what exactly they are and how they work in Arc Raiders, before delving into exactly where to get Blueprints and the very best farming spots for you to take in your search.

We’ll also go over how to get Blueprints from other unlikely activities, such as destroying Surveyors and completing specific quests. And you’ll also find the full list of all 75 Blueprints in Arc Raiders on this page (including the newest Blueprints added with the Cold Snap update , such as the Deadline Blueprint and Firework Box Blueprint), giving you all the information you need to expand your own crafting repertoire.

In this guide:

• What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?
• Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes
• Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders Blueprints obtained from quests Blueprints obtained from Trials Best Blueprint farming locations

What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?

Blueprints in Arc Raiders are special items which, if you manage to extract with them, you can expend to permanently unlock a new crafting recipe in your Workshop. If you manage to extract from a raid with an Anvil Blueprint, for example, you can unlock the ability to craft your very own Anvil Pistol, as many times as you like (as long as you have the crafting materials).

To use a Blueprint, simply open your Inventory while in the lobby, then right-click on the Blueprint and click “Learn And Consume” . This will permanently unlock the recipe for that item in your Workshop. As of the Stella Montis update, there are allegedly 75 different Blueprints to unlock - although only 68 are confirmed to be in the game so far. You can see all the Blueprints you’ve found and unlocked by going to the Workshop menu, and hitting “R” to bring up the Blueprint screen.

It’s possible to find duplicates of past Blueprints you’ve already unlocked. If you find these, then you can either sell them, or - if you like to play with friends - you can take it into a match and gift it to your friend so they can unlock that recipe for themselves. Another option is to keep hold of them until the time comes to donate them to the Expedition.

Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes

Below is the full list of all the Blueprints that are currently available to find in Arc Raiders, and the crafting recipe required for each item:

Note: The missing Blueprints in this list likely have not actually been added to the game at the time of writing, because none of the playerbase has managed to find any of them. As they are added to the game, I will update this page with the most relevant information so you know exactly how to get all 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints.

Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders

Below is a list of all containers, modifiers, and events which maximise your chances of finding Blueprints:

• Certain quests reward you with specific Blueprints .
• Completing Trials has a high chance of offering Blueprints as rewards.
• Surveyors have a decent chance of dropping Blueprints on death.
• High loot value areas tend to have a greater chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Night Raids and Storms may increase rare Blueprint spawn chances in containers.
• Containers with higher numbers of items may have a higher tendency to spawn Blueprints. As a result, Blue Gate (which has many “large” containers containing multiple items) may give you a higher chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Raider containers (Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, Medical Bags, Grenade Tubes) have increased Blueprint drop rates. As a result, the Uncovered Caches event gives you a high chance of finding Blueprints.
• Security Lockers have a higher than average chance of containing Blueprints.
• Certain Blueprints only seem to spawn under specific circumstances: Tempest Blueprint only spawns during Night Raid events. Vulcano Blueprint only spawns during Hidden Bunker events. Jupiter and Equaliser Blueprints only spawn during Harvester events.

Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, and other raider-oriented container types have a good chance of offering Blueprints. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints have a very low chance of spawning in any container in Arc Raiders, around 1-2% on average. However, there is a higher chance of finding Blueprints in particular container types. Specifically, you can find more Blueprints in Raider containers and security lockers.

Beyond this, if you’re looking for Blueprints you should focus on regions of the map which are marked as having particularly high-value loot. Areas such as the Control Tower in Dam Battlegrounds, the Arrival and Departure Buildings in Spaceport, and Pilgrim’s Peak in Blue Gate all have a better-than-average chance of spawning Blueprints somewhere amongst all their containers. Night Raids and Electromagnetic Storm events also increase the drop chances of certain Blueprints .

In addition to these containers, you can often loot Blueprints from destroyed Surveyors - the largest of the rolling ball ARC. Surveyors are more commonly found on the later maps - Spaceport and Blue Gate - and if one spawns in your match, you’ll likely see it by the blue laser beam that it casts into the sky while “surveying”.

Surveyors are quite well-armoured and will very speedily run away from you once it notices you, but if you can take one down then make sure you loot all its parts for a chance of obtaining certain unusual Blueprints.

Blueprints obtained from quests

One way in which you can get Blueprints is by completing certain quests for the vendors in Speranza. Some quests will reward you with a specific item Blueprint upon completion, so as long as you work through all the quests in Arc Raiders, you are guaranteed those Blueprints.

Here is the full list of all Blueprints you can get from quest rewards:

• Trigger Nade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Sparks Fly”.
• Lure Grenade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Greasing Her Palms”.
• Burletta Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Industrial Espionage”.
• Hullcracker Blueprint (and Launcher Ammo Blueprint): Rewarded after completing “The Major’s Footlocker”.

Alas, that’s only 4 Blueprints out of a total of 75 to unlock, so for the vast majority you will need to find them yourself during a raid. If you’re intent on farming Blueprints, then it’s best to equip yourself with cheap gear in case you lose it, but don’t use a free loadout because then you won’t get a safe pocket to stash any new Blueprint you find. No pain in Arc Raiders is sharper than failing to extract with a new Blueprint you’ve been after for a dozen hours already.

One of the best ways to get Blueprints is by hitting three stars on all five Trials every week. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints obtained from Trials

One of the very best ways to get Blueprints is as rewards for completing Trials in Arc Raiders. Trials are unlocked from Level 15 onwards, and allow you to earn rewards by focusing on certain tasks over the course of several raids. For example, one Trial might task you with dealing damage to Hornets, while another might challenge you to loot Supply Drops.

Trials refresh on a weekly basis, with a new week bringing five new Trials. Each Trial can offer up to three rewards after passing certain score milestones, and it’s possible to receive very high level loot from these reward crates - including Blueprints. So if you want to unlock as many Blueprints as possible, you should make a point of completing as many Trials as possible each week.

Best Blueprint farming locations

The very best way to get Blueprints is to frequent specific areas of the maps which combine high-tier loot pools with the right types of containers to search. Here are my recommendations for where to find Blueprints on every map, so you can always keep the search going for new crafting recipes to unlock.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Dam Battlegrounds

The best places to farm Blueprints on Dam Battlegrounds are the Control Tower, Power Generation Complex, Ruby Residence, and Pale Apartments . The first two regions, despite only being marked on the map as mid-tier loot, contain a phenomenal number of containers to loot. The Control Tower can also contain a couple of high-tier Security Lockers - though of course, you’ll need to have unlocked the Security Breach skill at the end of the Survival tree.

There’s also a lot of reporting amongst the playerbase that the Residential areas in the top-left of the map - Pale Apartments and Ruby Residence - give you a comparatively strong chance of finding Blueprints. Considering their size, there’s a high density of containers to loot in both locations, and they also have the benefit of being fairly out of the way. So you’re more likely to have all the containers to yourself.

Buried City

The best Blueprint farming locations on Buried City are the Santa Maria Houses, Grandioso Apartments, Town Hall, and the various buildings of the New District . Grandioso Apartments has a lower number of containers than the rest, but a high chance of spawning weapon cases - which have good Blueprint drop rates. The others are high-tier loot areas, with plenty of lootable containers - including Security Lockers.

Spaceport

The best places to find Blueprints on Spaceport are the Arrival and Departure Buildings, as well as Control Tower A6 and the Launch Towers . All these areas are labelled as high-value loot regions, and many of them are also very handily connected to one another by the Spaceport wall, which you can use to quickly run from one area to the next. At the tops of most of these buildings you’ll find at least one Security Locker, so this is an excellent farming route for players looking to find Blueprints.

The downside to looting Blueprints on Spaceport is that all these areas are hotly contested, particularly in Duos and Squads. You’ll need to be very focused and fast in order to complete the full farming route.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blue Gate

Blue Gate tends to have a good chance of dropping Blueprints, potentially because it generally has a high number of containers which can hold lots of items; so there’s a higher chance of a Blueprint spawning in each container. In my experience, the best Blueprint farming spots on Blue Gate are Pilgrim’s Peak, Raider’s Refuge, the Ancient Fort, and the Underground Complex beneath the Warehouse .

All of these areas contain a wealth of containers to loot. Raider’s Refuge has less to loot, but the majority of the containers in and around the Refuge are raider containers, which have a high chance of containing Blueprints - particularly during major events.

Stella Montis

On the whole, Stella Montis seems to have a very low drop rate for Blueprints (though a high chance of dropping other high-tier loot). If you do want to try farming Blueprints on this map, the best places to find Blueprints in Stella Montis are Medical Research, Assembly Workshop, and the Business Center . These areas have the highest density of containers to loot on the map.

In addition to this, the Western Tunnel has a few different Security Lockers to loot, so while there’s very little to loot elsewhere in this area of the map, it’s worth hitting those Security Lockers if you spawn there at the start of a match.

That wraps up this primer on how to get all the Blueprints in Arc Raiders as quickly as possible. With the Expedition system constantly resetting a large number of players’ Blueprints, it’s more important than ever to have the most up-to-date information on where to find all these Blueprints.

While you’re here, be sure to check out our Arc Raiders best guns tier list , as well as our primers on the best skills to unlock and all the different Field Depot locations on every map.

ARC Raiders

PS5 , Xbox Series X/S , PC

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