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🌿 Outbound Beginner's Guide
Everything new players need to know: first 15 minutes walkthrough, priority task order, the 10 most common mistakes, and a full Meadows exit checklist.
8 min read
Updated: May 12, 2026
📋 Table of Contents
🎯 What is Outbound?
Outbound is a cozy open-world van-building exploration game by Square Glade Games (Netherlands, 2-person studio). Released May 11, 2026 on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch.
- Modular building — fold out rooms, workbenches, and storage from your van
- Renewable energy — solar, wind, and water wheels power everything
- 5 biomes — Meadows → Dense Forest → Coast → Desert → Mountain
- Dog companion — Border Collie that fetches resources and carries gear
- Up to 4-player co-op — share one van or each drive your own
💡 Tip: Outbound is designed to be relaxing, not punishing. There's no death or permadeath — take your time exploring.
⏱ First 15 Minutes Walkthrough
1
0–3 min: Gather within 50–80m of your van — Wood ×10, Stone ×6, Fiber ×4. Pick up any white supply crates you see.
2
3–5 min: Mine Iron Ore and load it into the Ore Smelter. While it smelts, keep gathering.
3
5–8 min: Craft a Dog Bowl at the Basic Workbench (3× Metal Component + 1× Wood) and install it in your van immediately.
4
8–10 min: Plant Carrots in your Garden Bed — they take ~8 game hours to grow, so start early.
5
10–15 min: Drive to the Meadows Trading Post. Buy Dog Food ×2 and the Cooking Station blueprint first — nothing else.
📋 Early Priority Order
-
#1
Adopt your dog — Dog Bowl installed + Dog Food ×2. Go to Paws & Whiskers Lodge (🐾 icon, ~300m range).
-
#2
Install Cooking Station — Van Breakfast gives +15% all stats for 20 min. Herb Tea gives +40% stamina recovery.
-
#3
Second Battery Bank — Reach 200 EU total capacity before leaving Meadows.
-
#4
Upgrade Engine — 12× Metal Component + 6× Gear Part. Required for Dense Forest slopes (10°+).
-
#5
Extended Chassis (12 slots) — Unlocks immediately after engine upgrade. 16× Metal Component + 8× Wood Plank.
-
#6
Water Wheel + Herb Rack blueprints — Visit the Meadows Research Outpost (north). Free passive power and buff ingredients.
🐕 Adopting Your Dog
Your Border Collie is one of the most powerful tools in the game. Don't skip this step.
Requirements
- ✅ Craft Dog Bowl at Basic Workbench (3× Metal Component + 1× Wood)
- ✅ Install Dog Bowl in your van (interior or side slot)
- ✅ Have Dog Food ×2 (buy at Meadows Trading Post)
- ✅ Drive to Paws & Whiskers Lodge — look for the 🐾 icon within 300m
💡 Happiness tip: Keep happiness ≥7 or fetch radius shrinks 20%. Feed your dog every day and pet it up to 3 times daily (+0.5 each).
The dog unlocks the Fetch command at happiness level 2 (after 5 meals). At level 6 (Roll Over trick), you unlock the Expedition Pack blueprint (+20 inventory slots).
🔋 Energy Basics
☀️
Solar T1
40 EU/hr peak, 0 at night
💨
Wind T1
25 EU/hr avg, 45 peak
🌊
Water Wheel
35 EU/hr constant (no weather)
⚠️ Don't run all stations while driving. Three stations simultaneously draw ~22 EU/hr. Park near a river, deploy the water wheel, and craft — it's free power.
❌ 10 Common Mistakes
1. Hoarding storage boxes early — Functional modules (cooking, energy) beat passive storage every time.
2. Forgetting to feed the dog — Below happiness 5, fetch radius shrinks 20% and return time increases.
3. Entering Dense Forest with the starter engine — The starter engine can't handle 10°+ slopes. Upgrade first.
4. Skipping Research Outposts — Water Wheel and Herb Rack blueprints are free and game-changing. Get them early.
5. Running all stations while driving — Park + water wheel is the correct crafting setup.
6. Selling Metal Components or Gear Parts — Every upgrade path needs these. Never sell them.
7. Skipping the Cooking Station — Van Breakfast (+15% all stats) and Herb Tea (+40% stamina) are huge quality-of-life upgrades.
8. Not marking map waypoints — Pin every important location the moment you find it.
9. Ignoring the Viewpoint POI — The Meadows northwest summit viewpoint reveals 30% of the map instantly.
10. Wrong Trading Post purchase order — Always: Dog Food → Cooking Station blueprint → Engine upgrade plan. In that order.
✅ Meadows Exit Checklist
Must Have
- ✅ Dog adopted
- ✅ Upgraded Engine installed
- ✅ Extended Chassis (12 slots)
- ✅ Cooking Station installed
- ✅ Water Wheel blueprint obtained
- ✅ Herb Rack blueprint obtained
- ✅ 2× Battery Banks (200 EU total)
- ✅ Wind Turbine T1 installed
- ✅ Meadows viewpoint visited
Strongly Recommended
- ⭐ 15+ cooked meals in storage
- ⭐ 2 Garden Beds running
- ⭐ 20+ Advanced Metal stockpiled
- ⭐ 70%+ of Meadows map explored
🚐 Recommended Van Layout (12 slots)
| Position | Module |
|---|---|
| Roof ×2 | Solar Panel T1 × 2 |
| Roof ×1 | Wind Turbine T1 |
| Left side ×1 | Basic Workbench |
| Left side ×1 | Ore Smelter |
| Left side ×1 | Water Wheel (deploy when parked by river) |
| Right side ×1 | Cooking Station |
| Right side ×2 | Battery Bank × 2 |
| Interior ×1 | Sleeping Bunk |
Ready for Dense Forest?
You've got the basics down. Check the crafting guide next to plan your Advanced Workbench unlock path.