I don't understand the workstation leveling skill

[00DeadMonkey]

So according to the Wiki I should have unlocked the Cement Mixer at Tinker (level 2) of advanced engineering. But when I go to Workstations it says I'm 29/30 and the mixer is locked. I am so confused and a little frustrated because I need concrete ASAP.

[Shurenai]

Wiki is outdated and not up to date with A21. In A21, you no longer unlock crafting recipes with skill points; Instead, it has all crafting skills behind reading magazines you loot or buy; The one you're looking for specifically is Forging Ahead iirc, which you need to read 30 of to unlock the mixer, and you only have 29... so get one more and you're done.

[00DeadMonkey]

Can't say I'm a fan of required tech being an RNG reward but okay, thank you.

[Jack Rost]

Focus more on searching workstations (tables, cement mixers) in POIs ( Construction sites, garages). It have big chance to give you "forge" magazines.

[Sundaysmiles]

Workstations are the main gate towards crafting better things, its the one thing the Fun Pimps have tried to restrict earlier access to for years now over several Alpha iterations, and generally without much success, since previous alpha's could have players with Concrete unlocked by the first 7th day Horde Night.

Now its just a grind to get there. And grinds aren't fun.

Honestly, if they wanted to gate the stations or anything else without any grind involved they should have just made it a quest to unlock it. Either visit a tough POI, or have a horde night quest where accepting it ups your Gamestage for that night by +100, +150, +200, etc. And if you accomplish the criteria (Kill X Zombies, Survive the Night, etc), cash in the quest and you unlock the blueprint.

Having something even remotely challenging to earn the path to progression would be a much more fun way of doing things than repetitive busy-work on a day to day basis.