A Starter's Guide to Outbound: Building Your Mobile Base

Outbound, the new cozy exploration game from Square Glade Games, invites players to build a moving home and explore a vibrant world. This guide provides the first steps for starting your journey, focusing on the core mechanics of base-building, power generation, and farming.

Building Your Home on Wheels

The central feature of Outbound is your customizable, mobile base. This vehicle is not just for transportation; it is your home, workshop, and farm all in one.

To begin, you will need to gather resources from the environment. Look for materials like wood and scrap metal, which are essential for crafting your initial vehicle components. Access the crafting menu to see the required materials for the chassis, walls, and other basic parts. As you explore, you will find blueprints and more advanced resources to expand and personalize your mobile home.

The value of this system is its freedom. Instead of being tied to a static location, your entire base travels with you, allowing you to carry your resources and crafting stations into new and undiscovered biomes.

Powering Your Journey with Renewable Energy

Your vehicle and its modules require power to function. Outbound uses a renewable energy system, which is a key component of sustainable travel.

To generate power, you must craft and install energy sources like solar panels or wind turbines onto your vehicle. Solar panels generate energy during the day, while wind turbines can function in windy conditions. You will also need to craft batteries to store this energy for use at night or in areas with no sun or wind. Prioritize crafting these items early to ensure your base remains operational.

This feature allows for continuous exploration without the constant need to hunt for finite fuel sources. It encourages strategic planning based on the time of day and the local weather.

Cultivating Your Mobile Garden

Sustaining yourself is crucial, and Outbound integrates farming directly onto your mobile base. You can grow your own food and crafting materials while on the move.

To start a garden, craft planter boxes and place them on your vehicle. You can find seeds by exploring the world or by harvesting wild plants. Place the seeds in the planters and ensure they receive water. Over time, your crops will grow and can be harvested for food or other uses.

Having a mobile garden provides a reliable source of sustenance, reducing the need to forage constantly and allowing you to focus on exploration and building.

Exploring with Friends

Outbound is designed to be played with others. The game supports co-op multiplayer, allowing you to team up with friends.

To start a co-op session, you can invite friends into your world. Together, you can gather resources, build a larger and more complex vehicle, and explore the world as a team. Tasks like driving, navigating, and crafting can be divided among players.

This mode enhances the experience by turning the solitary journey into a collaborative adventure, making large-scale building projects and exploration more manageable and social.