Spoiler-Safe Outer Wilds FAQ

Are you stuck on just one thing and it's driving you nuts, and you want to get it over with so you can move on? Are you thinking of consulting a guide, but it feels wrong to just be handed the answer when the game is about finding them on your own? Or are you afraid to be handed all the answers when you only needed the one?

Chances are, you're just missing something, or you've forgotten something, or you're thinking on the wrong track. Fret not, I shall assist you without any pesky spoilers. I mean, they're still in there; I've just hidden them so you won't see them unless you're all out of other options.

INTRO

Hi, I'm Baron, and this is my firstest ever guide for anything! I never thought I'd do this, but I love this game so much and there's a gap that needs bridging, so here we are.

WARNING

To those of you who are here because you're stumped and looking for answers, or at least hints: I encourage you to go away. No, really. Just jet off to another part of the solar system, do some other stuff for awhile, and come back to your current puzzle with a fresh mind or a new piece of information.

That said, if you're out of other stuff to explore, or you really do want some extra help, read on. Just know that the part of you that is disappointed you had to look for answers is right: you don't need this and you are smart enough to figure it out!

If you're really, truly going to use this guide, keep in mind that it is not a full walkthrough, and it is not in chronological order! Outer Wilds is an open-world game, so I had to pick an order that would make it easy to reference, and I chose planet order. The end of the guide is not the end of the game!

SPECIAL SHOUTOUT

In all the time that has passed since my first draft of this guide, there is something I have struggled to put into words; something I knew was missing, and couldn't articulate. I made this guide to bridge a gap, but what I really want is for all of you to be making your own bridges, not using mine. And finally - finally - someone has described what the gap is.

So, here's a special shoutout to Daryl Talks Games. If he can convince even one of you to put this guide down and find your own way through the game, including his work here will have been worth it.

Even better, this video is spoiler-safe, containing only one hard spoiler for Ember Twin, between 14:56 and 15:07.

HOW TO START / GET ON TRACK

Before I cover anything else: Outer Wilds is a game about discovery, and finding your way through the dark. You will get lost, and that will feel uncomfortable, even frustrating. These feelings are normal; let yourself feel them. Work through them by finding your way again. The game is built around this catharsis, and leaning into it feels amazing.

Wha? Buh? They just gave me a spaceship and told me to leave! What do I do? Where do I go?

Wherever you want! The game is open to you - pick somewhere that looks cool and just go there and explore. No matter where you go, you'll get clues that will lead you somewhere else.

If you're really that stuck, use your signalscope to track down one of the other travellers. They can tell you more about what's cool near them.

If you forget where you're at, use your Ship Log to refresh your memory; you can sort it by planet or by rumour. That second one is like a conspiracy-theorist string corkboard! Wheee!

Look, I just want a quick overview so I can get back to gaming.

I admit, this guide isn't exactly...bite-sized, anymore. Welp! Allow me to recommend the

Quick Exploration Guide, by Feldsar (Safely Spoilered)
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2201959623

No, I've made progress now, and I'm totally stuck in [place]. Am I missing something? How can I tell if I've found everything?

This is where the Ship Log really comes in handy. When you look up a location, it will give you a big yellow asterisk and a note if there are still any clues left there for you to find.

If there are no clues left, and you still feel like you're missing something, the next clue to the mystery is probably elsewhere in the solar system. That's why Rumour Mode is so important - to help you remember the common threads between different planets.

I just don't get it. I don't know how I'm supposed to piece this all together - it's too much!

It's not. You're not "too stupid". The game isn't "too hard": unlike so many other games of this type, you can trust the devs. They haven't made any of the puzzles unreasonably cryptic or obtuse. They may be asking you to apply tools you haven't been taught to use yet, but the game does make a concerted effort to teach them to you. Actually, the school system in most countries tends to work in the exact opposite way - maybe I can help. Let me try and give you some advice.

Practically: Think beyond the surface level of what you're being told. You're investigating the Nomai, so it's literally your life's purpose to use the what to get to the why. Your bridge will be the how.

Pay attention to the Nomai's methods.

Cognitively: Don't stifle your curiosity; your sense of wonder. The devs built the intro in Timber Hearth to light a fire under these - that's why the game opens on a campfire. Stoke that flame. Let it light your way forward. Explore. Discover. Ponder. Play with information; this is a game, not a job! You can follow each thread as it comes up, and you can try another thread for awhile when this one stops being fun. That's not a failure, and you won't be punished for it. Just the opposite!

If you let yourself relax into your curiosity, I promise, the game will reward you for it. It's not a race, and you're not being graded. The only marks here are clues to be gained, not points to be lost. Take your time to get where you're going. When you get there, you will be awestruck by majesty of the universe.

And I swear to you: it will be worth the wait.

0. GENERAL QUESTIONS

Let's start with the questions that don't really pertain to a specific planet. Once we're done with these, we'll move from the inner system outward, and I'll introduce you to the whole solar family.

How do I save my progress?

In Outer Wilds, your progress is measured in knowledge, and your Ship Log will record your findings automatically. Since the entirety of the solar system will be accessible from the moment you take off, you'll never need to worry about losing your progress.

Can I increase my walk speed or my jump height?

Running is on by default. Yep, that's your run speed. Unlike Humans, Hearthians are clearly not descended from simians or persistence predators. If you want to go faster, git gud with your jetpack and fine booster control. Use your suit on Timber Hearth, too; a breathable atmosphere doesn't make a jetpack any less rad.

Thankfully, whatever the Hearthians are descended from is really sturdy. You can tolerate some surprisingly hard landings. Still, mind your ankles; not all planets have atmospheric friction to slow you down!

What's the deal with Ghost Matter?

In most places, you can find a route around it with canny use of your scout camera and jetpack.

If you want to know more, your first hint will be on the Interloper, at the tail of the comet.

How do I use Nomai doors and machines?

Most machines have a glass ball somewhere that glows blue when you point at it and sticks to your cursor. Drag the ball into an appropriate socket and see what happens. Some places have an airlock that looks like a ball - just climb inside to use it.

There are so many Nomai! Do I need to remember all their names?

No. What they say is more important than who they are. If you do have the mental bandwidth to try and keep track of who's who, though, you'll really get to know some of them. They were people with personalities and relationships. Many of the clues don't even help solve the mystery - they're just there to show you who these people were.

I found a Projection Stone. What does it do?

There are many of these stones throughout the solar system. Each stone corresponds to a location in the game world with a projector.

By placing the stone into an empty projector, you will see a 3D mental projection of that location, in real time.

By placing the stone into the projector's companion wall receptacle, you will unlock written Nomai clues.

Take care: although the projectors usually produce the same result with a given stone, this is not true of the wall receptacles! If one of them comes up blank, it's probably not the right match!

What is the weird grey planet that I see sometimes?

The Nomai wondered about that, too. Look for clues.

Your "first" hint is on Ember Twin, at the South Pole Locator: the whole place is a big, obvious machine, which was made specifically to track what the Nomai called the Quantum Moon, and you will gain a clue there that lets you track Quantum objects with your signalscope.

1. SUN STATION

Every family has that one kid who does really reckless stuff just for attention, and you know one day he's gonna hurt himself. That's Sunny. At this point, the rest of the family is just done with him.

Can I even land on this thing?

Yes, you can. But if you want to, you have to git really Eye-damned gud with your thrusters. Maybe come back after you've attempted some other hard landings; this one is for sure the hardest.

Tip 1: look at the station itself. What do you see?

Tip 2: try to establish an orbit around the sun with your shuttle. What do you feel?

Tip 3: Use the sun's gravity well to propel you and your thrusters only to manoeuvre. It's not flying; it's falling with style.

Tip 4: Try establishing your orbit down and backward or up and forward in relation to your seat, so you can easily look at what you're doing and lock onto the sun to view your relative distance and momentum.

Tip 5: If your orbit is just slightly higher and slower than the station's, it will eventually "catch up" to you, and then counteract your momentum to just drop onto it.

Tip 6: Alternately, you can try to chase the station by getting into an orbit a little lower and faster than it. If you do it this way, you can look "up" at the station, so you will be able to lock onto it and match velocity. Unfortunately, it also means that you can't land on top, so you'll have to eject, match velocity again in your suit, and try to fly yourself inside from the middle.

Do I need to land here to finish the game? It's really hard.

Nah.

First off, you can technically finish the game without the clues you find here, but you will miss what might be the game's biggest gut-punch except for the ending itself, so I don't even wanna spoil it.

More importantly, the Nomai had another way get into the station: use the warp pad on Ash Twin.

Wait, if the Nomai weren't able to make the Sun go supernova, then what's happening at the end of every loop?

Yep. Think about it. Really think about what's happening and what you've found out so far. When you find a new clue, consider it in the context of this one.

Did you get it? Did you swear like I did? Did you go talk to Chert about it?

2A. EMBER TWIN

Ember deals with her sister Ash's BS so much, she just gets hollowed out. At first glance, she has nothing to offer, but there's a really complex girl under there somewhere if you get to know her. Until then, though, it can be really hard to reconcile that both of those things could be true at the same time.

Whoa! What's this huge trellis-tube thing? Wait, are you kidding me, these Nomai nutjobs built a MF-ing GRAVITY CANNON to launch their ships with?! I gotta use this thing. How do I use this thing?

Hoo hoo hoo. They certainly did. And that is definitely the most insane thing they managed to build. Absolutely. No doubt.

But yeah, if you wanna know how to use these bad boys...well, I recommend messing around with 'em first, to get the juicy spoilers out the way. Then, if you're still not sure what some of the bits are supposed to do...

For a quick and dirty lowdown, direct and to-the-point, I recommend
How to Fly a Nomai Shuttle, by PingRexy

[EMBED REDACTED]

For a more detailed explanation, visual and tactile, I recommend
Nomai Shuttle Piloting 101, by Wintress

[EMBED REDACTED]

AN: You know, actually, the first landmark that ever caught my eye was one of these. I thought it looked a whole lot like a landing pad, so I decided to try and see if I could make a pinpoint landing, "like the Nomai used to do it". And then I swooced right up to the controls, and I bapped a button...

Anyway, it took me almost a whole year to make it back through all that salt before I could add this to the FAQ.

Chert says all the cool stuff here is underground. Where are the useful cave entrances?

Most of them aren't that hard to spot. Just look around. If you hover any of these, it's just gonna be straight answers that take all the fun out of finding them.

Below Chert's's camp, there are two different arches leading to interesting places. Start there.

Below the crashed escape pod, there is a whole cave system.

At the very bottom of the chasm around Chert's camp, there is a tiny cave entrance, but you have to go there early in the loop before the sand blocks it off.

There is a secret entrance to the Sunless City in the rock field near the Gravity Cannon.

How do I get to the Sunless City?

Have you explored all the major landmarks on the planet's surface yet?

The main way in is under the crashed Nomai escape pod.

There is also a secret entrance in the rock field near the Gravity Cannon.

How do I get into the High Energy Lab?

Your first hint is at the door on the surface: there's a path there from the Sunless City.

If you're on the way, feeling stressed and claustrophobic, it's not because you're doing it wrong. The game points you there fairly directly, so follow the glowing wire.

When you can't go directly, look for a way around.

When there is absolutely no way through, there is another trick: wait for the sand to make a path for you.

In the High Energy Lab, what do I do with the warp cores in the wall?

Your hints are all within the building: the Nomai describe the nature of their experiments here: that they noticed their method of black hole warp travel violated causality, and that, using all the of the power in the Sunless City, they successfully sent something back in time.

You can recreate their experiment by slotting a white and a black hole warp core into the wall and firing your scout a few seconds into the past. Other than that, make sure you've really explored every floor of the building so you don't miss any important clues.

How do I get to the cave with the giant anglerfish skeleton in it?

Your first hint is in Sunless City, at the lighting control panel: there's an Anglerfish Overlook District.

Your second hint is at the Anglerfish Overlook: the children found a way in before the adults did.

Your third hint is in the Stepping Stone District: there's children's writing on the floor that describes how to get to Fish Fossil Cave.

Your answer: from the Overlook or the blocked entrance below the escape pod, fire a scout into the skeleton's mouth. You'll be able to see the light from the Stepping Stone Cave.

In the Anglerfish Overlook District, how do I get into that one house with the Nomai writing wall inside?

Your hints are all environmental. Study the house and surrounding area closely.

Your first hint: there is no viable direct way in on this floor, from any angle.

Your second hint: there is an unblocked doorway on the far side of the room, and from the right angle you can see a tractor beam going up and out.

Your third hint: there are sandfalls all over the district that do not appear related to the main sandfall from Ash Twin.

Your answer: climb up above the residential district and find the right sandfall to fall down into the room, possibly using your scout to help you navigate.

I'm lost in the Lakebed Cave! How do I get out?

Your first hint: this is a quantum puzzle; it's not like the static paths in other cave systems, so don't try to solve it the same way.

Your second hint: use the quantum shuffle; don't let it use you.

Your answer: head in one direction, away from the sandfall. If you are blocked by stalagmites or cactuses, don't turn back; just turn your back and force the blockage to change until you can proceed.

What do I do now that I'm at the bottom of the Lakebed Cave?

Do exactly what the Nomai did: stand on the shard and turn out the lights.

If that isn't working, well, are you really following instructions?

Where is the Ember Twin Projection Stone?

Your first hint: It's not actually on the Ember Twin. You'll have to do you a real big 'splore.

Your second hint: It's not on the Ash Twin either. But it's got to be somewhere relevant, right? Where else could that be? What were the Nomai doing here?

Your third hint: They were building long-term housing and sophisticated scientific instrumentation, right? What do you need to accomplish that? A supply chain: industry, manufacturing. Possibly even a test site. So where would the Nomai set up that kind of thing?

Your fourth hint: Somewhere they didn't have to worry about the impact. Search on Brittle Hollow. It's not on the surface. It's not in the undercrust, either.

Your answer: Fall through the Black Hole, making sure you're not low on fuel first. The Projection Stone is on White Hole Station.

2B. ASH TWIN

Ash has serious attachment issues, and she tends to dump all her heaviest stuff on her sister. She has powerful connections, though; I wonder if that's why Ember sticks around?

What are the towers for?

If you still have to ask this question, skip the rest of this section until you answer it.

Unsurprisingly, you'll find your first hints on the Ember Twin, in the High Energy Lab.

Search on Brittle Hollow. It's not on the surface. It's not in the undercrust, either.

Fall through the Black Hole, making sure you're not low on fuel first. Your answer is on White Hole Station. Or rather, you'll get a projection stone that will give you your answer.

How do I use the towers?

Your first hint is also on White Hole Station: the warp pads have to be pointing at the corresponding planet.

Your second and third hints are on Ember Twin, in the High Energy Lab, upper level.: one warp pad was built on Ash Twin for each planetary body in the system, with a tower designed to be similar to the local environment. The Nomai even painted a mural depicting each tower.

Moreover, the pads do not actually detect their corresponding receiver; they detect the centre of the planetary body's mass.

Your answer: Just stand on the pad, dingus. The trick is to do it at the right time.

How do I get to the warp pad in the Sun Station Tower?

Well, you have to get in there somehow, and you can see it through the glass. Study your environment.

Your first hint is above the pad: you can see the top of a tractor beam pulling upward.

Your second hint is inside the tower: you can see the bottom of the same beam, behind a wall.

Your answer: either use your jetpack to navigate the cactus hallway like a boss, or get there early enough that you can walk across sand like a peon.

How do I get to the warp pad in the Hourglass Twins Tower?

There is no special workaround here - the answer is much simpler than you think. Your only hint is environmental: the warp pad points to the Hourglass Twins' "centre of mass" when the Ember Twin is overhead, so by definition the sandfall will pull you straight up through the roof. How would you prevent that?

Your answer: step into the alcove at the back, where you'll be under cover. Run out when you see the sandfall directly overhead.

How do I get into the Ash Twin Project?

Your first hint is likely one of the Ash Twin Projection Stones. There are a few of them scattered about.

When used for a projection, unlike every other stone, Ash Twin shows a closed, nearly lightless environment.

When used at the wall in Timber Hearth Mining Site 2b and the Hollow's Lantern Outpost, you will get clues that the shell they are building must be extremely durable, with no cracks or imperfections.

So, how would the Nomai get in and out of somewhere that, by design, can't have an entrance? Answer: with the warp pad in the Ash Twin tower.

I got to the Ash Twin Project, and removed the advanced warp core powering it. What do I do with this thing?

That's up to you. If you've gotten to this point, you know the truth: the time loop you're in is powered by your star going supernova, at the end of its natural life cycle. What will you do with this information? Will you replace it to continue the loop and look for a solution? Or will you keep it, and personally precipitate the end of everything you have ever known?

Depending on how quickly you got here, you may not have explored everything else in the solar system yet. Perhaps you could find something else to help you make your decision?

Your answer: [DATA EXPUNGED]  

Hell, no. All of the other spoilers are in here, but you'll have to get this one by yourself.

3. TIMBER HEARTH

The Twins' father, Tim, is a real chill guy; loves the sap wine. He's the kind of guy who feels like you've known him forever, even if you've only just met. It can be hard to tell what's going on in his head sometimes, but nobody minds; mostly he just feels like home.

What do I do in the Youngbark Crater with that big seed Tektite is looking at?

He tells you what to do: shoot a scout into it.
If you're having trouble doing that, just git gud! Actually no, it was a bit glitchy for me, too: try the hole on Tektite's left. Be careful not to get too close; the thorns on this side can hurt you.

What do I do at the Nomai Ruins?

Look around for clues about what the Nomai were doing. You don't need me here.

What do I do at the Geyser Mountains?

You don't need me here either. Look around for clues. If you don't figure it out, just think harder about where you're looking.

What do I do in the Quantum Grove Crater?

Say it with me: look around for clues. Quantum clues.

Your "zeroth" hint: if you can't derive any clues, that's fine. There are other clues elsewhere. This spot just gives you a helpfully tactile quantum playground.

Where is the Timber Hearth Projection Stone?

Your first hint: It's not actually on Timber Hearth. You'll have to do you a real big 'splore.

Your second hint: It's not on the Attlerock either. But where else in the galaxy is relevant to the Nomai, in the context of Timber Hearth specifically? What were the Nomai doing here?

Your third hint: They were mining, right? They needed ore. And what do you do with ore after you mine it?

Your answer: You smelt it. Search on Hollow's Lantern. It's at the north pole, in the volcano.

3B. THE ATTLEROCK

The family's pet rock. It's a good thing it can't think, or it'd be lonely with everyone forgetting about it all the time.

Is there anything worth doing here besides talking to Esker?

Yep!

Look around for a big crater: there's a Hearthian recording for you to find.

Oh, and I guess I should mention that one little entire Nomai complex at the South Pole.

4. BRITTLE HOLLOW

Grandma Brit isn't welcome at family reunions anymore. We've all heard of being black-hearted, but with her it's just beyond the pale.

Whoa! What's this huge trellis-tube thing? Wait, are you kidding me, these Nomai nutjobs built a MF-ing GRAVITY CANNON to launch their ships with?! I gotta use this thing. How do I use this thing?

Hoo hoo hoo. They certainly did. And that is definitely the most insane thing they managed to build. Absolutely. No doubt.

But yeah, if you wanna know how to use these bad boys...well, I recommend messing around with 'em first, to get the juicy spoilers out the way. Then, if you're still not sure what some of the bits are supposed to do...

For a quick and dirty lowdown, direct and to-the-point, I recommend
How to Fly a Nomai Shuttle, by PingRexy

[EMBED REDACTED]

For a more detailed explanation, visual and tactile, I recommend
Nomai Shuttle Piloting 101, by Wintress

[EMBED REDACTED]

AN: You know, actually, the first landmark that ever caught my eye was one of these. I thought it looked a whole lot like a landing pad, so I decided to try and see if I could make a pinpoint landing, "like the Nomai used to do it". And then I swooced right up to the controls, and I bapped a button...

Anyway, it took me almost a whole year to make it back through all that salt before I could add this to the FAQ.

Do I have to BASE jump like a crazy person just to get beneath the surface here?

No, there are other ways down, though that way is definitely the most fun.

Your first hint: If Riefelt did it, so can you. His campsite has a fire that sends a smoke trail into space, just like the others.

Your second hint is environmental: Once you land, the campsite on the surface is abandoned, and Riefelt's banjo registers straight down on the signalscope. There must be a way down here somewhere.

Your answer: Jet up to the roof of the overgrown building, and drop in from above. There are gravity crystals in the basement that will let you walk down, or you can just drop down and land safely with your boosters. Congratulations, you've found the Crossroads. From here, you can get pretty much anywhere under the surface.

But wait, there's more: There's a secret way into the Hanging City from the surface.

At the North Pole, there's a river with two ends: one that looks like a delta and the other like an archipelago. Explore the archipelago and listen for the sound of rushing water. You'll find a waterfall cave that leads down beneath the crust.

How do I get into the Southern Observatory?

Your first hint is at the door on the surface: Riefelt says he's going to look for a way there under the crust.

Your next hint is at the Crossroads: the mural on the upper level shows the answer: both the Gravity Cannon and the Tower of Quantum Knowledge have a path to the Observatory.

Having trouble on the way? Remember: Brittle Hollow is constantly being bombarded by volcanic debris. The warp paths you find don't connect properly anymore, so you'll need a few nudges from your jetpack.

How do I get into the Tower of Quantum Knowledge?

Your first hint is environmental: you can already get into the tower from the bottom. The problem isn't getting in; it's getting up against gravity. When is gravity not a problem?

Your second hint: partway through the loop, the tower gets hit by volcanic debris.

Your answer: when the tower falls through the black hole, it comes out intact near the white hole at the other end, floating in space.

How do I get into the Black Hole Forge?

Your first hint is environmental: look up at the forge site where it gets raised from the Hanging City. What else do you see around it?

More hints are all over the Brittle Hollow and the rest of the system. What were the Nomai using the forge for?

They were making stuff for the Ash Twin Project, right? And somehowthose materials would need to be shipped.

Your answer: Raise the forge on Brittle Hollow, then take the warp pad from the Brittle Hollow tower on the Ash Twin.

Additionally, you can brute-force it by literally landing upside-down and exiting your shuttle onto the gravity flooring.

I feel like I've been everywhere here, but I'm getting hints that I'm missing something. Is there a secret area here?

Brittle Hollow is full of little nooks and crannies. There's definitely at least one place that's easy to overlook.

Your hint is on Ember Twin, in the High Energy Lab: the Nomai were performing physics experiments there, which you will find...illuminating.

Your answer: The Nomai were experimenting with black holes. Specifically, using them for "instant" warp travel. Yep. Sometimes the answer really sucks.

4B. HOLLOW'S LANTERN

Holly, the Twins' mother, is a lovely woman, but the less said about her cooking, the better. In fact, the rest of the family try to keep her away from electrical appliances in general. I mean, have you seen what she does with the Festival lights?

Can I even land on this thing?

Yes. Better git gud!

Tip 1: Use your down thrusters more than usual. The gravity is nearly zero, so you'll need them to keep any semblance of a stable orbit.

Tip 2: Aim near the poles. The moon's rotation is blisteringly fast around the equator.

Tip 3: The lava cools as the loop progresses, so it gets easier to land the longer you wait.

That said, if you like a challenge, it is possible to go directly there and perform a pinpoint landing balanced between the two volcanoes at the south pole. Then you have to use your jetpack booster immediately to avoid falling into the lava as you exit your shuttle.

Is it worth landing here?

What, did you think the devs would put an inimitably hostile volcano moon there for you to land on, for no other reason than to say you did?

Actually, as a matter of fact... that's exactly what they didn't do. Try not to step in the lava.

Your first clue: On a volcano moon, where do you even start looking? Well, wherever the lava isn't.

Your answer: The volcanoes themselves are the largest solid rock formations. Specifically, look in the north pole volcano.

Additionally, you can find something fun if you look around hard enough: a cheeky Nomai volcano worshipper!

5. GIANT'S DEEP

Aunt Gina is a real gas, but she's not all hot air. She's got an electric personality, and a lot of hidden depth. She also loves theme park rides.

How do I get into the workshop beneath Statue Island?

Your first hint is on the wall: the kids know a secret entrance. Try using your scout to find which direction it's in.

Your answer: The floor of the cave is covered in water. You have to go under the island.

How do I get past that one gigantic typhoon? Is there anything in there?

First off: yes, there is.

Your first hint is environmental: look at it. Look at the other waterspouts. What do they look like? What is their shape?

Your answer: It's a hollow cylinder. Just drop in from the top, above the atmosphere.

How do I solve the puzzles in the Tower of Quantum Trials?

You really want to be handed the answers on these? Okay.

Well, first off, the objectives aren't the only quantum objects in each chamber. Spin around until you see the Nomai plinth that will give you a hint.

To solve the first one, just stare at the arch.

The second one, get your scout camera to stare at the arch so you don't have to.

The third one, take a picture of the gravity crystal to fix it in place, preferably next to the hint plinth so that doesn't move and force you to whip out your translator instead. Then take a picture of the arch and crystal together when they line up.

The fourth one, use your camera to fix one of the gravity crystals in place at ground level, then spin until the other is at the second height. Walk from one to the other, stare down, move your probe to fix it in place behind you with a picture, then repeat the spin manoeuvre. Keep the last crystal in sight as you walk backwards over the top edge.

How do I get below the current?

Your first hint is at the Construction Yard: they saw a cannon part get swept beneath the current, and are invited to the Southern Observatory on Brittle Hollow for an explanation.

Your answer: look for a cyclone spinning counterclockwise. Those ones push down instead of up.

But wait, there's more: there are two secret ways to get down there. You can brute-force it by crashing into the planet at over 10k m/s, and you can cheat it with a Nomai Shuttle and a Gravity Cannon.

And in fact, legends tell of a third workaround (link, spoiler warning)...

How do I get to the core?

Your first hint is environmental: the jellyfish can get past it, so there must be a way.

Your second clue is on Bramble Island: Feldspar got through in a way that didn't involve brute force, and he can't believe he didn't get electrocuted while doing it, plus there's a preserved jellyfish next to his campsite.

Your third clue involves following Feldspar to Dark Bramble: there's another preserved jellyfish there, and you can walk up into its tentacles from below without getting stung.

Your answer: Swim up under a jellyfish cap and let them carry you through in their insulated body.

5B. ORBITAL PROBE CANNON

Ooooh, a partially-spoilered title. Yep, there's something up there whose name alone is a spoiler. Kinda mysterious, right?

Can I even land on this thing?

Yes, look for a flat surface and git gud.

Tip 1: The Match Velocity function is gonna be useful, but be careful. Giant's Deep has a strong gravity well and you can fall bass-ackwards into the atmosphere while you're not looking.

Tip 2: Just try to maintain orbit around the dark side of the planet, then reorient yourself and try again when you can see.

Tip 3: If you're still having trouble, there's a literal tractor beam on one end. You didn't think those were just for people, did you? RAM IT.

Is it worth landing here?

Oh, yes. The clues on this thing tie most of the solar system together.

How do I get to the Launch Module?

Your hints are in the Control Room: the Launch Module Projection Stone shows that it is wrecked, and the Central Control Console confirms that it is exposed to the vacuum of space.

Your answer: it's time for an EVA, baybee! Space. Walk.

How do I get to the Tracking Module?

Your first hints are in the Control Room: the Central Control Console lists the Tracking Module as MISSING, and the Launch Module Projection Stone shows you where the Tracking Module projection stone is.

Your second hint is in the Launch Module: the Tracking Module Projection Stone here will show you that it is in a dark place, surrounded by a suspiciously identifiable, spherical electric field.

Your answer: the Tracking Module is at the core of Giant's Deep.

6. DARK BRAMBLE

Bramble is the system's emo cousin, and she's into that spooky Wicca magic. She has a wicked black sense of humour, which we like, but uh, don't get too mean. We don't talk about it, but she has a bit of an eating disorder, too.

How do I get into the seed at the planet's core?

Just fly your ship right in, bro. You'll be fine. Maybe get some flight practice in first; you'll want a deft hand at the controls once you're there.

What the quark kind of advice was that? I went in there and GOT ATE BY A HUMONGOUS CHUNGUSFISH

Yeah, and then you woke up at the start of the loop. I told you you'd be fine, and you were.

How. Do I Get. In.

Your first hints are on Brittle Hollow, in the Hanging City.

That will point you to the Ember Twin, in Fish Fossil Cave.

The clues there mention that Anglerfish are blind.

Your Answer: Don't make noise near the fish; just coast. You can either be very careful with your shuttle thrusters (gamepad recommended), or land on a planet shard and drop down into the seed your tiny, quiet self. Both ways have advantages and disadvantages, and you can solve the planet's puzzle either way.

Additionally, if you're willing to experiment, you'll find that sound does not travel through seeds, and neither do the anglerfish.

FUN TRICK
It's also technically possible to avoid your dental demise by ejecting just before you get eaten.

AN: Not my find! Credit to @anxote23 (21 Jul, 2020 @ 10:13am) and @Libertine Angel (15 Feb, 2021 @ 10:34pm) for asking and confirming, respectively.

How do I navigate in seedspace?

Your first hint comes from experimenting with your signalscope when you meet Moraine: if you're observant, you will notice that Feldspar's harmonica is coming from two different directions and at two different distances, one of which is nearby and doesn't change position in relation to you.

Your second hint is on Timber Hearth, at the seed in Youngbark Crater broadcasting Feldspar's signal: if you fire a scout into the seed, you can navigate to it directly, or navigate in relation to it. This also applies to any other scouts you fire while in seedspace. Just don't forget that scouts are loud.

Otherwise, your hints are all environmental. Study your surroundings closely, and take notes if you have trouble remembering.

If you're really struggling, remember that the rooms are all static. This isn't a quantum puzzle: rooms will stay where they are, and you can map out their light patterns.

In fact, I know of at least one person who did just that, and then shared the results. If you need more detail, and maybe a chuckle or ten while you're at it, check out:

How to Hack Dark Bramble, by Ax (SPOILER WARNING)

EMBED REDACTED

Okay, but I can't get into that one room with the three anglerfish at the entrance.

Yes you can. You have all the tools you need; there is no special solution or other way around.

That said, I suppose I could stand to mention that there's no hit detection on their escae (dangly lighty bits).

I got past them! What do I do with those weird glowy things in the middle?

Nothing, is what you do with them. That's a clutch of anglerfish eggs; you've reached their nest. This room is the heart of Dark Bramble, and the most dangerous place inside it. If you're thinking this planet would be a great place for something to get lost in, this is where - and why - it's most likely to be.

AN: I initially thought that cluster was an atomic model, and I didn't have the right grounding in science to understand it. Credit to Wintress (18 Jul, 2020 @ 11:52am) for correcting me and clarifying this.

How do I solve the puzzle? What's at the end?

To start, if you don't yet know what you're looking for here, you're missing potentially useful information. Come back when you know that you're looking for the Vessel.

More importantly, If you need me to hand you the answer because you're too wired or afraid to think straight, take a few deep breaths and try again. This really is the tensest puzzle to solve; the pucker factor is part of the fun! It's also not terribly complicated once you have all the puzzle pieces. You got this far - I believe in you. You can do this.

Your first hint is on Ember Twin, where there is a Nomai complex at the south pole, plus a downed escape pod, which will give you clues that allow you to track other escape pods with your signalscope.

Your second hint is on Brittle Hollow, where there is another escape pod leading to a temporary Nomai settlement. Here, you will find the story of the Nomai's unfortunate arrival in the system, to wit: their mothership, creatively titled The Vessel, was ensnared in Dark Bramble and had to be abandoned. Unfortunately, one of the escape pods never made it out either.

The rest of the puzzle can be solved on Dark Bramble:

• One room has a red seedglow from a distance. This is the Anglerfish Nest. Careful: it's well-guarded.
  
• Another room has tumbling ship debris in it. This is Escape Pod 3, along with the remains of its ill-fated inhabitants: the Nomai Grave.

Your answer: find the escape pod amid the debris and follow the lights to the Nomai Grave. Fire a scout through the seed there and use it to navigate through the Anglerfish Nest to the Vessel.

I found the Vessel! What do I do in the control room?

Well, there are all sorts of clues to read here, and lots of buttons and switches for you to fiddle with.

Your hint is environmental: the power core is broken. In other words, this ship is dead in the water and has been for ages, so there's nothing to do here but read.

7. THE INTERLOPER

You know how some families have that one uncle or brother that travels a lot, and it just kills you to sit there and listen to his empty stories about "broadening his horizons" and "breaking out of his shell"? Yeah, it's a good thing he spends so much of his time so far away.

How do I land on this thing?

The autopilot and Match Velocity functions will do most of the work for you, if you're having trouble.

What is there to even do here?

Your first hint is on the spaceward side of the comet: a Nomai expedition went through the cracks on the sunward side.

When you get there, the cracks are full of ice! Now, what could melt the ice?

Your answer: wait until the comet gets to the part of its orbit close to the sun, then hop down when the ice melts.

Now how do I get through the ghost matter maze?

Just like you would get around any other patch of ghost matter. Use your scout liberally. There is always another way around.

In this case, your scout will bobsled across the ice, so you might be better served by watching for the "Hazard" warning sometimes, rather than using the camera.

*B. QUANTUM MOON

Ooooh, a fully-spoilered title. There must be an entire planetary body, the existence of which is itself a spoiler. How incredibly mysterious!

Can I even land on this thing?

Yes. Finding out how is a system-spanning scavenger hunt; you're not doing something wrong.

Honestly, I can't even put any part of this in a specific order without being disingenuous. You'll literally just find stuff on your own as you explore.

How do I land here?

Your "third" hint is on Giant's Deep, at the eye of the great cyclone around the north pole: the Tower of Quantum Trials. Solving these puzzles will require you to learn your next Quantum precept: that looking at a picture of a Quantum object also fixes it in place.

This gives you your answer: by taking a picture of the Quantum Moon with the shuttle scout, you can fly to it without losing sight of it in the clouds. Just don't use the landing camera.

I've landed! What do I do now?

Now that you're here, you can start looking for environmental hints. The first thing you'll likely notice (not counting Solanum's mummified remains) is that the Moon mirrors the planet it orbits, so it's different around each planet.

The second thing you'll notice, either by luck or patience, is the Nomai's Quantum Shrine, which will point you toward other clues around the solar system that you may or may not have found yet. You'll also notice that it tends to appear in a few very specific places on the planet's surface, which you can confirm on your minimap.

Your "second" hint is also on Ember Twin, in the caves beneath the planet's surface: there's a Quantum Shard here and apparently, someone disappeared while studying it. Successfully following this clue trail will lead you to a "Quantum precept": a concrete fact about how Quantum objects work: they turn things around them Quantum - including you, if you're not looking.

This gives you your answer: you can "not look" at the Quantum Moon by closing the door of the Quantum Shrine with the light off, and it will carry you to another planet.When the planet changes, the moon's layout changes, too, and you can work your way steadily northward.

Sometimes when I open the door to the Shrine, it's a rock wall! What gives?

It's like the Shrine says: "recall the rule of the sixth location". See how there's a dial on the wall with six spots?

Your "fourth" hints are on Brittle Hollow: the Gravity Cannon was used to send Solanum's shuttle to the moon, from which you can recall and access it, plus the Tower of Quantum Knowledge there has clues from the surface to the base.

If you can access the tower proper, you will learn the final piece of the Quantum puzzle: that there is a sixth location the moon goes to, but the Quantum Shrine has to be on the North Pole for you to get there.

I did it! I'm here! And holy crap, Solanum is Schrodinger's Nomai! How do I talk to her?

She doesn't make it obvious enough for you through charades? Okay.

Your answer: Pick up any combination of two speaking stones and place them on her plinths, and she will write the associated information for you. The same two stones will produce the same answer in either order.

HOW TO FINISH / STAY ON TRACK

I've gone to great lengths to leave any answers about the end of the game all the way out of this guide. The game is made to teach the player how to find their own answers, and I feel very strongly that that by giving those answers to you, I'd be undermining the devs and ruining the payoff they worked so hard to deliver. Still, it felt wrong to leave it completely unaddressed, so:

How do I end the game?

The point of the game is to uncover the mystery of the universe itself! That's an experience you just can't be given; you have to learn it.

I will say this: you're ready to end the game if you've fully answered the following three questions:

• Where did the Nomai come from? Where did they end up?
  
• What were the Nomai doing here? What did they accomplish, and how?
  
• Why were the Nomai doing this? What did they know that we don't?

I promise, you won't regret giving yourself the time to figure it out.

No, I mean, I think I know what I have to do. Just...how do I do it?

If you're already in on the secret, and you're just having trouble closing out the last puzzle, there are some solid tips on method in the comments. Due credit to the commenters!

Tips (Safely Spoilered)
@jds0035 (14 Dec, 2020 @ 10:56am)
@catdad (13 Dec, 2020 @ 5:49pm)
@PDV (1 Oct, 2022 @ 8:28pm)

Come on, man. Just tell us.

No. If you're frustrated, it's okay to take a breather and come back fresh.

But...commenters did lay out the answer, and it's not against my morals to give them the credit they're due:

Actual Answer (Safely Spoilered)
@Morelonomicon (14 Aug, 2020 @ 7:10am)

There's not enough time to Do The Thing! (Safely Spoilered)
Yes, there is. You have all the time in the world to get it done.
@Critical Tit 🏳⚧ (9 Oct, 2020 @ 11:01am)
@anxote23 (27 Jul, 2020 @ 9:30am)

Holy ♥♥♥♥, I did it! That was amazing! Was that the "true ending"?

Hoo hoo hoo. In the way that anything ends - yes, it was.

One last hint: did you leave yourself enough time for shenanigans? The Ash Twin Project seems like it would be a terrifically bad idea to mess around with. So does the High Energy Lab (credit to @Games Deen).

Come on, do a little vandalism; nobody's watching but you, after all :Hearthian_Wink:

ACHIEVEMENTS

[DATA REDACTED]

This is one area where I just don't have the answers for you. I'm not much of a completionist, and other people beat me to it.

For comprehensive coverage of each achievement, including a YouTube demo, check out the
Archievements guide (EN), by Lexbya (SPOILER WARNING)
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2136456719
For in-depth coverage of the "Archaeologist" achievement, specifically, check out the
Updated “Archaeologist Achievement” Checklist, by LuminK (SPOILER WARNING)
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2141589003
And that should just about do it for you.

ECHOES OF THE EYE

I never did come back and make a guide like this for the DLC. Thankfully, one absolute mensch went ahead and did just that. For a hint-through similar to this one, you can visit their guide
Echoes of the Eye Hints (From start to finish), by Puffer
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2616770201

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

While I do intend to keep this guide up to date as best I can, I have to admit I may not have the time to go back and confirm everything personally. If y'all wanna help me out, I will absolutely credit your finds.

On Brittle Hollow

Publicado originalmente por Morelonomicon (12 Aug, 2020 @ 2:38pm):

(At the top of the Tower of Quantum Knowledge), there's a slot for a projection stone, a projector and a wall. (...) Is there supposed to be one (there)? If so, where?

I never did find a match for that wall. I spent a lot of time experimenting with the projection stones, hoping to find an Easter Egg from the devs, but I never got around to trying every possible combination. I stopped because it seemed to me that all walls and projectors on a given planet belong to that planet: each one will display the same thing from a given stone as all the others.

You can test this by taking the Brittle Hollow projection stone from Solanum's House near the Gravity Cannon, or the Giant's Deep stone from the Southern Observatory, and placing them in each other's sockets, or the one at the North Pole.

By the time I got up the Tower of Quantum Knowledge, I assumed that the wall inside also belonged to Brittle Hollow, so I never investigated. But... my conclusion may be flawed: that location doesn't always belong to Brittle Hollow, does it? Could that wall belong to White Hole Station? Or maybe it's a special case?

Why would the devs put that there, if there isn't supposed to be a use for it? Maybe one of you will find something I missed.


On Dark Bramble

Publicado originalmente por Baron (Yep, this one's mine):

What is the source of the dimension-twisting effect inside the planet's core?

I'm pretty sure this is just one of those "secrets of the universe". Some mysteries, we can't explain, because we just don't have the tools to find an answer. And given how the story ends...we never will.

Have any of you found something that makes you think otherwise?

OUTRO

Thanks for reading! Or, you know, not reading - whatever it was you did with this guide - thank you.

If this guide ended up being useful to you, please don't forget to give it a quick thumbs-up at the top. More important, though, is the opposite case: let me know in a comment if you have any questions I didn't answer, or if I've accidentally spoiled something for you that you weren't looking for. I'm curious to know how I did!

[YhofChaerkh]

Thanks for writing this guide - it's the only way I can progress in the game.

[Pixtro]

It's funny how every OW guide reads like an SCP document what with all the Spoiler text .

[Arpente Reves]

I'm trying to use this guide as little as possible but man you're a savior. I'm one of these unfortunate people who can (almost literally) get lost in a straight corridor, not remembering which way they entered and then not remembering why they entered and while I totally get that the devs tried very hard (and did a very good job) to give all the hints to players, your guide is making the experience enjoyable instead of triggering my anxieties

[Razzle The Red]

Thank you I just needed to make sure I wasn't missing anything for getting to the core of Giant's Deep I found the info about using the jellyfish for insulation but wasn't sure how to put it into practice. Every time I touched the jellyfish I was just getting zapped so it felt to me like I might have been missing some key information for it. But at this point in the game I've explored everything else so I didn't think that it could be the case.

[Baron]

@Mahr Yeah, that experience must have sucked :c

One of the unfortunate realities of technical writing is that no matter how you choose to deliver information, no format will work for everyone. I chose this format because I thought it had the best odds of accomplishing what I wanted for people, and I put the warning at the front, but that's the best I've got I'm afraid.

[Mahr]

@Baron, I really appreciate that you're interested in my feedback so thank you very much for that. To give some more detail, it's a lot like @cst1992 said, I had done a lot on Timber Hearth and Broken Hollow and I thought I did most of what I needed on Ember Twin but didn't know where to go next. I had accidentally messed up getting to the core of Giant's Deep and how to use Ash Twin (although I had the right idea), so I ended up scouring the whole guide for information since I didn't even know that I had messed those planets up. Because I missed some details early on without realizing, I had to read a whole lot of the guide to see where I went wrong. Honestly, I don't know how you'd fix it without a lot of reworking the format so I don't even hold it against you. I just have to accept that this game is very easy to mess up and even when you have the right idea, if you don't execute it correctly, it can still backfire.

[cst1992]

I think I can answer for Mahr.
If you have figured the entire game (or most of it) and are stuck on a specific thing, it doesn't matter much. But if the situation is the opposite and you don't know a lot of stuff yet, then it'd be easy to spoil the wrong thing for yourself.
Personally I don't mind the style, but then I'm one of the people who is in the former category.

[Baron]

@Misterieus You can jump in the cracks ! There's stuff in there!

@Mahr I'm so sorry to hear that! Can you tell me more about what you were looking for, so I can give that section of the guide some attention? Or do you mean that the style of the guide as a whole didn't work for you?

[Douchane]

ok but once the interloper melts i have like 10 seconds to do anything thats not nearly enough time what do i do

[Mahr]

This guide was really frustrating to follow. I was already getting annoyed with the game and your guide didn't really make things better. In an effort to prevent spoilers, you blacked out too much. I had to read through the whole guide to find the one thing I was looking for and had to spoil myself on even more than if you just didn't black out so many items. Now I'm just sad.