User Manual

User Manual	Description	Unlock Condition
Car Abilities	Certain components and equipment that you will install on your car have abilities that need to be activated. You can assign controls to up to four of these using the small panel on the left side of your dashboard.	Pick up the Mechanic's Eye headset in Oppy's Auto Shop.
Anchors	Anchors are a source of enormous but extremely unpredictable energy. You can feed them to the ARC Device in the passenger seat to extract that energy. Once the Device is powered to a certain level, it will be able to open a Gateway to get you back to the Auto Shop. The amount of Anchor energy needed to open a Gateway will vary by Junction, but as long as you make it through the Gateway, you'll recapture the energy used to open it. That energy is also used to create items and equipment at the Fabrication Station. Try to bring back as much as you can.	Approach an Anchor.
Car Dashboard	Your vehicle's status can be tracked by watching the gauges on the dashboard, as well as the lights and other devices installed around the cab. The center console displays the health and status of each car component. The radiation monitor lets you know how safe it is to get out of the car, and if it's anything but a flat line, exit with caution. In the passenger seat, there's a screen with a map where you can see your location and key points of interest. As you drive, keep an eye on the car's structural integrity, its fuel and battery levels, and the various warning lights. An orange light signals a developing problem. Red calls for immediate action. Brake - Parking Brake Fuel - Low Fuel LIM - Low Battery Health - Low Structural Integrity Maintenance - Service Needed Steep - Difficult Incline Surface - Low Traction Temporary Status Effect - Anomalous Malfunction Hazard - Radiation Damage Storm - Storm Approaching	Get in the car after planning a Route.
Your Car Is Your Shield	The car can protect you from radiation, Anomalies, and the many other dangers of the Zone, but only as long as it's in good condition. Keeping your doors closed and car parts in good condition will give you a dependable barrier from the Zone. If your car's health meter drops into the red, you'll be at risk. There are many ways to make repairs on the go. Be sure to check your crafting options to see what you can replace, and you may find helpful tools as you rummage around in the Zone.	Enter Junction E5.
In-Car Controls	While in the driver's seat, you can steer, brake, reverse, shift between park or drive and, of course, turn the ignition key. You can also toggle the radio, headlights, and windshield wipers. Should all else fail, honk the horn. You can remap these controls and change camera settings in the Options Menu.	Pick up the Mechanic's Eye headset in Oppy's Auto Shop.
ARC Warp	One of the most important abilities the ARC device possesses is short range teleportation. It can move the vehicle it sits inside, contents included, a short distance. This is ideal for getting your car out of situations where it might be stuck, or has flipped. However, the matter reconstruction involved requires a great deal of energy, and if your battery can't provide that, the car is likely to be damaged.	Get your car stuck or flipped over.
Charging the Car Battery	Watch your battery meter carefully. Using headlights and special abilities from attachments will drain your reserves. However, even with an empty battery, your ARC Device will be able to jumpstart the car. There are also ways to recharge on the go. Check your crafting options.	TBD
Crafting	Craft tools and parts using the supplies scavenged during your trips into the Zone. You can craft on the go in your car's trunk, but more advanced items will require the garage workbench. Both the trunk and the workbench can be upgraded to allow you to assemble more advanced components.	Add an Impact Hammer to your checklist.
Critical Harm in the Zone	When your condition becomes critical, the car returns you to the garage. However, this isn't without a cost. You're more or less intact, but the resources you've collected have been lost. Keep your eyes peeled if you return to the last area you drove through. The Zone has an uncanny way of preserving much of what was lost.	TBD
Drive Preparation	Once you've selected your Route, make sure to prepare for the drive. Pack the tools, backup supplies, and parts you'll need, and head out from the garage. Be careful on your journey. The car has an emergency protocol that will save your life, but very little else.	Select a destination in the Route Planner.
Fatigue	All car components suffer wear and tear, but this is even more pronounced in the Zone. Eventually, almost every component is going to need replacing, and sometimes all you can do with a worn out part is dispose of it.	TBD
The Auto Shop	The Auto Shop is your base of operations. You're safe there, so you can take your time between drives to fix up the car, craft parts, and research new upgrades.	Pick up the Mechanic's Eye headset in Oppy's Auto Shop.
Highway Travel	Highways are your shortcuts across the Zone, allowing you to bypass junctions and arrive at your destination much faster. Expect them to be a smoother, easier ride.	TBD
Instability	Your route through the Zone will be stable when you set out, but it won't stay that way for long. Monitor the instruments attached to the map display in the passenger seat. They will help you track instability levels. If those levels are high, a Storm is very likely approaching. Some things you'll do in the Zone will increase instability, but you can outrun it by moving along your route. Nevertheless, the Zone's behaviour isn't always predictable, especially when you open a Gateway, and sometimes there's nothing to do but drive like hell.	Feed an Anchor to the ARC Device.
Junctions and Access Roads	You'll often stop at multiple Junctions on a drive into the Zone. The only way to reach the next Junction is via the gated access roads, which are automatically blocked when the route is too dangerous for travel. When the barricade is lowered, the way is open for you.	TBD
Pockets of Stability	The roads and Junctions of the Zone wind through pockets of stability. You’ll be reasonably safe on your drive as long as you keep away from the edges. Should you wander too far out of a stable pocket, you’ll find that the weather gets very bad very quickly, and you won't get far...	Walk near and scan the edge of stability on a map.
Zone Conditions	Whenever you make it through unusual conditions or sudden shifts in the Zone, your Logbook will be updated with information about what just happened. Study these entries carefully. They can offer essential information that will keep you both safer and better informed.	Enter Junction E5.
Planning a Drive	Use the map on the wall of the Auto Shop to plan your next drive across the Zone. Along each Route, you'll find different resources and face strange hazards, so make sure to choose your path carefully. Choose between revisiting known Junctions to gather more resources, charting new routes deeper into the Zone, or taking investigative drives to uncover the story behind why you're here.	Finish repairing, refueling, and recharging the car.
Monitoring Your Vitals	The bar at the top left shows how healthy you are right now. There are many dangers in the Zone that can harm you, from radiation to explosions to long drops, so it's important to be careful out there. You'll only recover slightly when out of harm's way, so it's up to you to heal yourself. You may find First Aid Kits while exploring, but you can also craft these yourself from resources you collect. Once you make it back to the Auto Shop, the First Aid Station there will make you as good as new. And maybe there's even a few more of those to be found...	Drop to critically low health.
Movement & Interaction Controls	While on foot, you can walk, run, crouch, and jump. You also can pick up, drop, throw, and kick items and certain objects you come across. Should you come across any buttons and keypads, feel free to press away. You can remap these controls in the Options Menu.	Pick up the Mechanic's Eye headset in Oppy's Auto Shop.
Quick Slots	You can equip tools or items in these slots for quick access. You can also change your selections at any time.	Craft an Impact Hammer.
Quirks	Over its lifetime, the car can develop Quirks, ranging from the curious to the supremely annoying. Something you're doing may be causing something else to happen. Perhaps even two things. Perhaps even a chain of things... Pay close attention to your car. You'll have to diagnose what's wrong before you can fix it at the Tinker Station.	Return to the Auto Shop while having a Quirk present for the first time.
Charting Roads in the Zone	To make your way through the Zone, you must chart the roads for yourself. The Route Planner displays the Junctions currently stable enough for a drive. Be aware, some routes will pass through multiple Junctions as they take you on your way toward opening a Gateway. During each drive, you can scan many unusual things you encounter and fill out your Logbook. If you make it back through the Gateway, these readings will be uploaded and used to identify hazards and resources along future routes. The Junction you returned from will also be saved, expanding the areas of the Zone that you have access to. If the conditions are right...	Complete the mission "The Remnant Experiment".
Refueling the Car	Watch your fuel gauge. you don't want to be caught with an empty tank. You can siphon fuel on the go from scattered fuel barrels and abandoned vehicles. Fill your tank if you can and put surplus fuel in the fuel can from the trunk.	TBD
Stabilizers	Sometimes you'll luck upon a Stabilizer while you're out on a drive. When you find one, you can activate it to open a Gateway without needing to charge your ARC Device. Remember that Gateways are accompanied by storm activity, so don't throw the switch unless you're prepared to run for your life.	Enter a Junction with Stabilizers (excluding plot-relevant ones during "Stabilizing a Way Through") for the first time.
Car Part Status	Car parts can gain certain status effects as they experience the trials and travails of travel through the Zone. They'll continue to get the job done, but these status effects can quickly add up. A thousand papercuts can still lead to death, so don't underestimate these faults. Be sure to check your crafting options for ways to find fixes.	TBD
Storms	You won't last long inside that instability front. Avoid being overtaken at all costs. Check the passenger seat map to locate the Gateway. Drive into it to escape back to the Auto Shop before the storm wall catches you.	Unlocked the first time you are overtaken by an instability front during a Gateway.
Safe Returns	You made it back safely! Before heading out again, consider repairing any damaged car parts, unloading the supplies you gathered, and crafting new items for your next run. Any new roads you've charted are automatically uploaded, and the Anchor energy you obtained is stored for later use.	Return to the Auto Shop.
Surviving the Zone	While you're driving through the Zone, exploration is essential. If you get lost, check the map in your passenger seat. And don't be afraid to go off-road, as you never know what you might find. Gathering resources is key to your survival. Look for vehicles and abandoned buildings. Cars can be a great source of fuel, common materials like scrap metal, and sometimes a decent spare part. And don't forget, much of what you find in the Zone can be scanned for more information.	Enter Junction E5.
Zone Shifts	The climate within the Zone can shift dramatically with little warning. You may find yourself beset by sudden, unpredictable changes that can turn a simple trip into the deadliest of drives.	A Squall-type anomaly enters the playable area.
Fabrication station	The fabrication station is key to survival in the Zone. You'll use it to research blueprints for car parts and construct new and improved Auto Shop installations. This machine requires Anchor energy and materials gathered from the Zone, so make sure you're hauling plenty of resources back with you through the Gateways. Those new installations reinvigorate the Auto Shop by adding everything from expanded storage space to faster gas pumps. They will make your life in the Zone so much easier.	TBD
Undiscovered	If you know what this entry is, please consider adding it.	TBD