What’s on your bookshelf?: Mouthwashing’s Johanna Kasurinen

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Image credit:oldbookillustrations.com

Hello reader who is also a reader, and welcome back to Booked For The Week - our regular Sunday chat with a selection of cool industry folks about books! While cleaning under my bed recently, I once again discovered my copy of the smallest physical book I have ever owned. It’s a tiny handheld edition of the I Ching . What a wonderful thing. I mean, I haven’t actually read it, but wisdom is owning at least one very small book, is what I assume the gist is.

This week, it’s Strange Organ’s Johanna Kasurinen, writer and artist on none other than the RPS 2024 GOTY, Mouthwashing! Cheers Johanna! Mind if we have a nose at your bookshelf?

What are you currently reading?

Hell yeah! I’m so happy to be doing this series, thank you for having me! I tend to be reading books that could be classified as research into stories I’m either currently working on or am interested in working on in the future. So it’s a lot of non-fiction on pretty specific subjects. It’s a way to justify “wasting time” on reading, let’s be real. Right now I’m going through Ninety Percent Of Everything by Rose George as well as Destroyer: An Anthology Of First-Hand Accounts Of The War At Sea 1939-1945 by Ian Hawkins. Those are for a personal project I’ve been batting around in my head for years now. A few of my previous favorite reads prompted by a research mindset were While You’re Here, Doc by Bradford B. Brown as well as Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food And Longing by Anya Von Bremzen. These ones stuck out to me beyond the project I was looking into due their wit and the specificity of the experiences detailed in the anecdotes. It never fails to strike me how real stories can often be much more bizarre and unbelievable than anything creeps like me try to cook up with fiction.

What did you last read?

A reread of The Shining, actually! I’ve long since been a big fan of the film adaptation and am overall a huge fan of Stephen King’s work but it had been a long time since I’d read the book. I happened to be in the perfect setting for it as well, isolated in the middle of nowhere Finland for a good chunk of the summer. When I first read it I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the novel specifically for the aspects of it that were distinctly different from the adaptation, having come into it as a fan of the movie first. The portrayal of addiction and all the anger and circular thinking that drags a person down into something entirely unrecognizable was particularly striking and relatable. Definitely one of my favorites, and a really interesting case study overall in how one story can be told with very distinct methods and entirely different mediums to such high standards.

I’ve been on a short story collection streak since they make for good commuting reads. A few that I’m interested in right now are Orange World by Karen Russell which seems off-kilter and outlandish with potentially disturbing subject matters. I’m always down for that. Another that stands out is Life Ceremony by Sayaka Murata, I really enjoyed her novel Convenience Store Woman especially for how crisp and lifelike that felt so I’m interested in reading something by her that’s been described as more grotesque and dark.

What quote or scene from a book sticks with you the most?

“But he knew he wouldn’t. How much it said, that line; how much it told about himself.” - Charles R. Jackson, The Lost Weekend

What book do you find yourself bothering friends to read?

Anyone who either wants to make or enjoys consuming indie horror games or “lost media” type horror content, surprise, I’m going to burst through your floorboards and proselytize about Mark Z. Danielewski’s House Of Leaves. You can’t buy a digital version of House of Leaves . When I first realized I couldn’t download it I felt annoyed, inconvenienced. But it’s for a good reason, it defies everything about regular storytelling down to the formatting of the words on the page itself. Getting your hands on a copy sort of feels like part of the process, like the story itself begins with just acquiring the physical book itself. Don’t look up anything about it, just go in blind, suffer. It’s in parts overwhelming, obtuse, rambling and entirely deranged but altogether incredible. One of one. My copy now sits on the bookshelf in the house alongside my other books, but while those spines are lined up neatly, appropriate, in their correct place, I can’t help but see House of Leaves as the singular entity that’s continuously glowering at me instead. For a quicker read I would recommend anyone to try out Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes. It is a masterclass in how to break the rules of language and writing which packs a punch through the sheer technical creativity and control of the prose. A concise, entertaining and bleakly human story that stays with you.

What book would you like to see someone adapt to a game?

Nothing springs to mind immediately, to be honest. Adding in gameplay to an existing narrative is such a difficult prospect because ideally the story and mechanics are holding hands right from the beginning. We’ve had this issue at Wrong Organ where I have a stack of unpublished short stories in my repertoire that I think are strong concepts but it always comes down to “well how would making this into a game elevate it?” It can be difficult, but there are of course many great games that come from books, like Parasite Eve or I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream. It’s really interesting to see these kinds of adaptations and look into how the mechanic implementations were approached. What was inherited from the source material and what wasn’t. I suppose instead of wanting to see direct adaptations of books, I’d want to see original titles take inspiration from a wider, more diverse selection of sources. Especially when it comes to books that cover difficult or mature topics. It shouldn’t be limited to just game narrative either. Books can definitely inspire mechanics just as much as story. There’s a sick heap of untapped potential there. Make a game that’s thematically inspired by Lord Of the Flies and mechanically by Trainspotting. Why not?

Oh, so you claim you’re “happy” to be “doing this series” and yet you didn’t “name” every single book “ever written in human history” as is this column’s “very secret goal”. Typical guest. Not sure why I keep inviting them really. They’ll be another “next week” though, no doubt. Book for now!

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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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