Do Drones Recharge in Slime Rancher? The Ultimate Guide to Ranch Automation
No, drones in Slime Rancher do not recharge by being blasted with water or any other means. The outdated information you may have seen stating they need a “refreshing blast of water” is incorrect. Drones in Slime Rancher and Slime Rancher 2 do not require any recharging whatsoever. Once placed and programmed, they will tirelessly perform their assigned tasks until you manually remove them or deconstruct the drone hub. They are a fantastic investment for automating ranch chores!
Understanding Drone Functionality in Slime Rancher
The Slime Rancher series allows you to create an automated slime ranch, and drones are a core component of doing so. They’re versatile little helpers capable of performing various tasks, significantly streamlining your ranch management. Let’s delve into the functionality of drones, starting with the original game and then looking at Slime Rancher 2, where drones are evolving.
Drones in Slime Rancher (Original)
In the original Slime Rancher, drones are obtained by purchasing a Drone Shell blueprint from the 25th Anniversary Pack DLC and constructing the Drone Hub at your ranch. Each Drone Hub allows you to deploy one drone per ranch expansion where the hub is located.
The most common use of drones in the first Slime Rancher involves assigning them simple tasks:
- Gathering Food: Drones can be programmed to collect food items (carrots, pogofruit, chickens) and deposit them into feeders for your slimes.
- Collecting Plorts: Drones can collect plorts produced by your slimes and deposit them into the Plort Market, automating the process of selling plorts for Newbucks.
- Transferring Items: Drones can move items between storage containers, making it easier to manage your resources.
Advanced Drones: Doubling the Efficiency
The Advanced Drone is an enhanced version of the standard drone, unlockable via the Blueprint system. What makes it better? It can be programmed with two jobs instead of one, and can alternate between the two. This allows for more complex automation, like collecting food in the morning and selling plorts in the afternoon.
Drones in Slime Rancher 2: The Future of Automation
While drones aren’t fully implemented in Slime Rancher 2 yet (as of Early Access), they are confirmed to be returning in a future update! This is great news, as drones were a highly valued feature of the first game, and the developers have promised they’ll be refined and expanded. This may include new functionality, improved programming options, and perhaps even different drone types tailored for specific tasks.
Currently, Slime Rancher 2 does feature Research Drones, but these serve a different purpose. Research Drones are stationary devices scattered around Rainbow Island that contain lore and story fragments, left behind by a mysterious figure. They don’t perform any ranching tasks, but they’re crucial for piecing together the game’s narrative. They have no link to your ranch, they cannot be used as tools, and they do not require any recharging whatsoever.
Essential Slime Rancher Tips
Here are some important tips, unrelated to Drones:
Ranch Expansion
Drones can only operate within the Ranch Expansion in which they are located.
Keeping Slimes Safe
Flutter Slimes are incredibly difficult to keep in their coop without adding a roof.
Slime Food
Flutter Slimes only eat Nectar, which are harvested in the wild at night.
Sunlight
Ringtail Slimes turn to stone in the sunlight, so search for them at night.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Drones in Slime Rancher
Here are some frequently asked questions to provide further clarity on drone mechanics and related aspects of Slime Rancher gameplay:
1. Can Drones sell Plorts?
Yes, drones can be programmed to sell plorts. You need to assign them the task of collecting plorts from corrals and depositing them into the Plort Market. This can be a huge time-saver, especially when dealing with large slime populations.
2. Does Mochi’s Extra Mile affect Drones selling Plorts?
Yes, the Mochi’s Extra Mile effect, which increases plort prices, applies to Drones if they are programmed to deposit plorts into the Plort Market. This bonus can significantly increase your income.
3. What happens if a Drone deposits Plorts when the Plort Market is resetting?
If a Drone deposits plorts into the Plort Market during its price reset period, you will not receive any Newbucks for those plorts. This is a rare occurrence, but it’s something to be aware of when setting up your drone schedules.
4. How do I get Drones in Slime Rancher?
In the original Slime Rancher, you need to purchase the Drone Shell blueprint from the 25th Anniversary Pack DLC and construct the Drone Hub in your ranch.
5. How do I get Advanced Drones in Slime Rancher?
Advanced Drones are also unlocked through the Blueprint system in the original Slime Rancher. You need to find the blueprint and then craft the upgrade.
6. How do I power up a Drone in Slime Rancher?
Drones in Slime Rancher do not need to be powered up. Once deployed from a Drone Hub, they operate continuously without requiring any form of recharging or maintenance.
7. How do I manage Tarr Slimes from spawning?
Tarr Slimes spawn when a Largo eats a plort that is not its own. Feed Largos their appropriate foods.
8. What do Echoes do in Slime Rancher?
Echoes are decorative items. They are believed to be a phenomenon resulting from some kind of ancient event.
9. Is Slime Rancher 2 better than 1?
Slime Rancher 2 is shaping up to be just as good, if not better, than the first game.
10. What are Largos in Slime Rancher?
Largos are slime hybrids.
11. What does feeding the flutter Gordo do?
Feeding them causes them to explode into smaller slimes, which is useful for locating slime locations.
12. How do I use a jetpack?
Hold spacebar to activate after you jump.
13. Can you fly in Slime Rancher?
Yes, you can fly in Slime Rancher using the jetpack.
14. How do I keep Ringtail Slimes?
You can keep them by getting a coop upgrade for nighttime.
15. What is Slime Rancher?
Slime Rancher is a charming and engaging farming simulation game with elements of exploration and adventure. It emphasizes resource management and creative slime breeding. The game also allows the player to learn in an entertaining environment, while the Games Learning Society promotes innovative applications in education. Check out GamesLearningSociety.org for more info.
Conclusion
While Drones in Slime Rancher are not currently in Slime Rancher 2 as of its early access release, they will be in the future. They will not require recharging, but will simply continue to execute tasks when properly configured. This is a great way to automate your Ranch, so that you can go out and explore the world.