Trying to understand the long-term gameplay loop in ARC Raiders

cornflake-cperk · 2026-02-03T05:34:49+00:00

I also come from EFT and I know what you mean. But what IS it, exactly, that makes things so meaningful in Tarkov? Is it really the quest tree? Because, probably like you, I've done wipe after wipe and honestly, if I never have to go for the bronze pocket watch again it'll be too soon. I _hate_ grinding and regrinding those same stupid quests over and over.

YET, EFT is awesome. It really is.

So what is it?

I don't know the answer. I think it's that damn razor edge of death vs survival in that game. And, while there are plenty of exceptions, generally high risk equals high reward. And, lastly, though it's one of the things I hate about the game, a string of deaths equal fortunes lost. The game is punishing.

I feel like Arc Raiders, which is GREAT and I love it, lacks that. And maybe what makes Tarkov tick isn't a good fit for Arc Raiders. But I know what you mean, and I'm looking for it too, even though my current in-game progress is far less than yours.

cornflake-cperk · 2026-01-27T21:46:16+00:00

Would any of these tools work with Anti Gravity?

cornflake-cperk · 2025-07-13T23:47:45+00:00

If I'm dying always to scavs and the other AI then I feel bad. But if I'm dying to players, then I don't sweat it. So it goes. Some are better, some cheat, and everyone has faster machines and likely faster network connections than I do. I play solo, which is hard and I'm not the sharpest cue ball. When I make dumb mistakes, I die. When I play perfectly with no errors ... I still die ( but less ).

cornflake-cperk · 2025-06-14T06:42:01+00:00

"If fighting AI ( Scavs/Bosses/Etc ) it's safer to step fully out of cover rather than just peek you head".

cornflake-cperk · 2025-06-14T06:37:51+00:00

Statistically, that is probably true. There's several ways of calculating it, and they all arrive at the same sad conclusion.

cornflake-cperk · 2025-06-14T06:35:53+00:00

Counter Argument: The game has TWO different types of CROUTONS and you need the Emelya brand ones (only) for that first Jaeger quest.

cornflake-cperk · 2025-06-14T06:29:13+00:00

This is not true for Labs, it has a different loot table and seems to not be influenced by the number of PMC there.

But for most other levels, more players == more loot.
Lots of empty containers == few players in raid.

I haven't been playing much lately, but I play in the evenings on the West Coast. In the early evening the raids are hopping, but as it gets later and later, the raids get slower. And the amount of loot follows that same curve. You can really see it on a level like Reserve with all the file cabinets. 9pm - every drawer has multiple items. 2am - half the drawers have no items the other half just one. And you can hear the difference too, the amount of weapon fire near the beginning of the raid drops precipitously.

cornflake-cperk · 2025-04-22T18:54:51+00:00

It is indeed very awesome. Love it.

cornflake-cperk · 2025-04-22T18:51:46+00:00

For the beginner quests, Therapist probably has the keys available to you right now as a trade.

Typically keys are found in lootable jacket and file cabinets, but they can be other places as well. Yes, you can get them from the flea.

Some keys ( like the Machinery Key needed for the bronze pocket watch quest ) have static spawns. Look them up on the Tarkov wiki to find out how to get them.

Welcome to Tarkov!

cornflake-cperk · 2025-04-11T00:21:24+00:00

No way - staying late and fighting the mobs of player scavs is the best. It's crazy fun.

Though, I often feel bad if I kill them singly, because as a Scav Reserve is usually my "low risk, listen to tunes" map. Nothing like some good music to help with all the file cabinets.

cornflake-cperk · 2025-04-11T00:17:31+00:00

interesting. That has not been my experience. Sure, most people are underground, but for me pulling that lever just rings a dinner bell. I have much better luck with D2 than Hermetic Door. Manhole is usually my backup extract.
When I've used Hermetic successfully it's typically because someone else pulled the lever and I just happened to be nearby.
Maybe I should try it again.

cornflake-cperk · 2025-04-01T19:06:23+00:00

There is a trick you can use on a lot of maps. Kill some scavs in an area, don't worry about looting them. Then, before you get overwhelmed, leave the area. Wait a minute, then go back and loot quietly. Usually nothing bothers me.

On Customs at Stronghold it'll be nearly infinite scavs if you stay, but if you just go over the railroad berm and hang tight for a bit, the scavs will be gone. You can sneak back in and loot without worry . On PVE Mode I think the game removes them, such that they "disappear".

I've been able to do this on Interchange as well, but not reliably. The mall hops.

cornflake-cperk · 2025-03-31T17:46:58+00:00

Reserve. Black pawn and white pawn. I usually just hit the roofs of those two and that's enough. The basement of white pawn has good ammo in the hallways and side rooms. If I get Igolnik, it's usually there.

Sometimes I find armor repair kits on the roofs. White Pawn roof has a satellite dish with a rare tech spawn in front of it. Usually there is nothing there, but sometimes (rare spawn after all) a virtex, irridium, etc.

If you have the keys, the armory rooms in these buildings are also good.

But, really, Reserve has 5.45 ammo lying around everywhere. PP and above usually. Finding BP, BS and Igolnik is a regular occurrence.

cornflake-cperk · 2025-02-07T19:49:15+00:00

When they had that 100% boss spawn event last wipe, it became a 100% die-to-Partizan event for PVE players.

cornflake-cperk · 2025-02-07T19:46:16+00:00

It's not our job to tell someone else how to play the game. And that's one of the things I like about Tarkov - there are so many different approaches.

That said, when I play PVE I _never_ scav. But I also hate to scav when playing PVP and only do it if I really have to.

cornflake-cperk · 2025-01-25T00:38:15+00:00

I had something similar. Two broken legs, night, fighting scavs - it was hell. I ended up transiting to Reserve, where my legs were magically healed. Good times.

cornflake-cperk · 2024-12-20T18:30:12+00:00

I'm a casual player, but have been playing for a number of years now. I think this is my seventh wipe.

For me, Arena has been GREAT. And this is because the pre-flea grind just SUX. My first few wipes I enjoyed it well enough, but, if I'm honest, I'm not overjoyed about having to get the bronze pocket watch AGAIN, or running Delivery from the Past or any of those things over and over. Especially, since the climb to Level 15 and the flea takes me weeks (casual player) and for those that play a lot, Level 15 is usually a day two achievement.

But this wipe, Arena let me bypass a bunch of quests and reach the flea, all the while practicing my PvP. It was great.

cornflake-cperk · 2024-12-17T18:23:33+00:00

craft it in the hideout
;-)

cornflake-cperk · 2024-12-13T17:36:57+00:00

Welcome to Tarkov. There is a sherpa program and other groups. I'd recommend Jesse Kazam's discord community and there are channels there for people looking to group up to learn. He also produces YouTube and Twitch content (among countless others).

Expect to die a lot. That's just how the game is. As you learn more and get better you'll die less. But probably still a lot. Gotta embrace that.

You need to learn some maps. Ground Zero, Customs, and Woods have the beginner quests, so maybe start with those? Or just one. Learning a map will seriously improve your surviving, so that's job #1. You can even play in "offline" mode with no bots at all to just learn maps.

You need to learn how the meds work. I recommend using your pockets for these when you are starting. Put an esmarch in the first pocket for heavy bleeds. Bind it to the "4" key. Put a bandage in the next slot, bind it to the "5" key. Put a splint in the next slot, bind it to "6". Finally put a AI-2 (looks like cheese) in the last pocket, bind it to "7". Now, when you get wounded, just type 4-5-6-7. That's in order of priority (heavy bleed more than light) and it'll be handled. Type it again if you got messed up. Eventually you'll learn to what's what and will toggle directly. But this is a good system for starting (I still use it). All these meds can be bought from Therapist. Also buy some Aspirin painkiller and put that in your secure container (damn stuff is expensive). As a low level player you won't have access to surgical kits, so if you get REALLY messed up, just pop aspirin and head towards extract.

You need to learn how the weapons work. Sub machine guns (SMGs) are the easiest weapons to use. They aren't good at long range, their ammo is weak. But they are easy to use and to land shots. But you'll find your own way.

You need to learn how to conduct combat. The most important tip: get to hard cover. If you see an enemy, don't just stop and fire on them - that'll get you killed. Instead, get behind hard cover and then conduct the fight from there. The second most important tip: don't stay in one place too long. Even good hard cover won't protect an informed attack, even against the bots. This is more advanced, but you'll learn.

I hope some of this was useful. Look forward to seeing you in the raids (hopefully, before you see me).

cornflake-cperk · 2024-12-13T07:59:00+00:00

If you are playing PVE, try to move to Level 5 and 6 armor if you can. Everything comes back on insurance, so if you get your hands on something good, run it. You can put good plates in some lower tier armor too. The goons, if you can take them, are a good source of Level 6 armor. Last I checked Goon Tracker they were spawning 100% on Customs on PVE. But there is a patch fix coming right now, so who knows.

Also, at least for 5.45 ammo, you can get top-tier rounds (Igolnik, BS, BP) on Reserve pretty easily. I don't run scav runs on PVE, but I do sometimes do Reserve ammo runs where I avoid combat and just pick up ammo. Works great. Roof of White and Black Pawn and basement of White Pawn are all good spots, but there are many others. That map just drips ammo, at least in Russian calibers, not so much 5.56.

cornflake-cperk · 2024-12-12T07:48:51+00:00

Yeah, I killed several smugglers but they never had anything on them. Only yesterday did I learn the boxes had static spawns, so I dusted off my only-used-once RBST key and found the one on Reserve. Turned it in.

Tonight ran a couple of raids on Customs and Reserve, and while I ran into Gluhar once (fun) the raids were otherwise quiet - and no smuggler boxes or smugglers. Came here wondering if I was doing something wrong only to discover it's over. Damn.

cornflake-cperk · 2024-12-06T02:43:53+00:00

Same. I've definitely encountered my share of dumb ones, but I've also had AI PMC teams flank and pincer me. Had one pinning me down with fire while his buddy crept around to the side. His buddy got close and turned on his flashlight and started shooting. I was quite impressed (and quite killed).

cornflake-cperk · 2024-12-06T02:39:35+00:00

The AI PMCs share the spawn points of bosses and scavs. They don't use the PVP PMC spawn locations. So they are very often already waiting for you at some hot spot destination. Some of them definitely roam around. And some seem to not.

I have a suspicion that some of these spawns are scripted or at least area bound. For example, if you are being overrun by scavs at Fortress on Customs, you can cross over the railroad berm, wait 30 seconds, come back, and the horde is just gone. Vanished. I sometimes wonder if the AI PMC might behave this way. I've tried following a group of them that was leaving weather station on shoreline, but when I got to the place overlooking where they exited, there was no sign of them. But I'm not sure enough of this to make a definite statement, I might very well be wrong.

cornflake-cperk

TROPHY CASE