Controls & User Interface — Outer Wilds Guide

Get a grip on Outer Wilds! Learn about your ship's controls, the Signalscope, Scout Launcher, and essential UI elements to navigate the solar system and survive.

Alright, so you're about to blast off into the solar system, and before you do, it's a good idea to get a handle on how everything works. Think of this as your pre-flight checklist for the controls and user interface in Outer Wilds. It's not super complicated, but knowing these basics will make your journey much smoother and less confusing.

First up, you'll want to get familiar with your ship. It's small, but it's your lifeline! Inside, you'll find a space suit that gives you turbo boosters – super handy for zipping around. Just remember, those boosters eat fuel fast, so keep an eye on your fuel tank. You've also got an oxygen tank, which is crucial for exploring places where you can't breathe. Luckily, you can refill both your oxygen and fuel back on the ship, or by finding living trees and fuel tanks at traveler camps.

If you get hurt, don't sweat it. You can recover health using the medical kit on your ship, or by doing something quintessentially Outer Wilds: roasting and eating marshmallows over a campfire. It's the little things, right?

Getting Started: Your First Steps

Before you even think about leaving your home planet, Hearth, take some time to explore. It's basically your tutorial area. You'll chat with some locals who will introduce you to some key tools.

Chatting with the Locals

• Gneiss will show you how to use your Signalscope. This thing is awesome for picking up all sorts of sounds across the solar system. You'll be using it a lot to find things and people.
• Galena and Tephra will have you play a game of Hide-and-Seek using the Signalscope. It's a fun way to practice tracking them down.
• Arkose will teach you about the super dangerous ghost matter. It's invisible, but you can spot it using your Scout Launcher. Send out a scout, and it'll show you where the ghost matter is.
• Mica has a cool miniature spaceship model you can pilot. It's perfect practice for flying your real ship, letting you land on a few small pads.
• Gossan hangs out by the entrance to the