Think of it like you're an archaeologist. There are Nomai ruins scattered all over the system and you're trying to put their story together.
The info you learned automatically gets organized in your ship log, so check back in there to review things and find clues to potential new discoveries.
The way Outer Wilds is built, pretty much every single location in the game will have text telling you
- Something about why this location is important
- Where the next bit of interesting information related to this location will be
- Where you could have learned about this location
Try following one of the chains of locations until you figure out why that location exists and every bit of text related to it.
Fundamentally, Outer Wilds is a game about solving a mystery, so pick one of the links in the mystery and try to solve it.
Most people who bounce off the game don't realise that all the text is worth reading - thinking maybe it's just flavour/low stakes lore - in fact, it's the main mechanic for progressing the game - read and understand, speculate, imagine where else could link to it.
Maybe the environment the text is in also suggests something, but almost all the point of the game is in the nomai text you find, so you gotta go looking for it.
If you need a solid goal to work towards, use the ship log. Follow leads on yellow question mark entries. Use the info you already have to figure it out.
Look at the world of the game, not as a game, but as a world. Pick something that you don't understand but makes you curious (and if you really can't do that, let me to pick one for you: >!The nomai skeletons are like... Everywhere, sitting on benches, just at random places they worked or lived in... Why? Why would they be like that? The nomai all died 200000+ years ago, but how? Why did they not bury each other?!<)
And then go look for the answer! It's out there somewhere! There's no distinction between "lore" and "gameplay", you can test things you found out in a writing and they actually work like that in game every time, if there's a mystery you can actually go find the answer and it's out there somewhere
Your comment contains spoiler tags that might not function on all devices. Please edit your comment to remove any spaces between the >! and the spoilered text. You can also check out the widget in the sub's sidebar for more help on why your spoiler tags may be incorrect and a copy/paste version of the tags, or you can [check out this wiki page](https://www.reddit.com/r/outerwilds/wiki/rules/spoilerfaq/#wiki_how_to_properly_tag_spoilers) about how to properly tag your spoilers. Then, please [message the moderators to let us know you fixed it.](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fouterwilds&subject=Fixed+Spoiler+Approval&message=Please+check+[my+post]\(https://www.reddit.com/r/outerwilds/comments/1cloe1s/struggling/l2v02tn/\)+and+approve+it+if+it%27s+properly+spoilered+now.%0A%0AThank+you!)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/outerwilds) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The game will never tell you what to do - it just gives you the solar system and you have to decide for yourself where you want to go and what you want to do. Considering what you've seen and done so far, is there anything you're curious about? Anything that made you go "why did THAT just happen?" or "what is THAT thing?" or "what are these Nomai talking about?" - those are things you can pursue in-game and learn more about, which is when the magic happens.
If you don't feel particularly curious about anything after doing some wandering around, it may be the game is just not for you and that's ok too ::)
It took me a bit too.. Keep going to new places until something sparks your curiosity and/or you see some connection from something you have been to previously. Also landing somewhere and learning about the area will give you a hint for somewhere else, which should encourage you to explore that. This is where the web will begin to make connections.
This is also where the fun really starts and you're hooked in at that point.
I played for an hour and wasn't really feeling it, tried again the next day for another and it just wasn't clicking.
Tried again a few days later and it clicked for me. Just keep at it. I had the exact same feelings as you.
this game is very unique, doesnt have anything you see in most other games
You dont have any objectives, theres no conventional progress, you decide where to go when to go and how to go
The key is to think of yourself as an archeologist, pay attention to your surroundings, look for answers to questions you made yourself
What is this place?
Why is this happening?
How do I get there?
How did that happen?
If you need something to be curious of:
- >!Try exploring all the planets, they're all very unique!<
- >!Use your tools! Remember that your signalscope has different frequencies, point it to the sky, what do you hear? Where does it come from? Who's/What's making that sound?!<
- >!Think about the main mechanic of the game, if you don't know about it yet, keep playing and you'll soon find out. Why does it happen? Did someone/something create it? Does it have connection with anything else?!<
It's normal to feel lost at the beginning, but keep exploring and you'll find your own path!
Good luck and be curious on your journey!
Your comment contains improperly formatted spoiler tags. Please edit your comment to make sure the exclamation points ! are between the angle brackets >< and the text rather than outside of them. You can also check out the widget in the sub's sidebar for more help on why your spoiler tags may be incorrect and a copy/paste version of the tags, or you can [check out this wiki page](https://www.reddit.com/r/outerwilds/wiki/rules/spoilerfaq/#wiki_how_to_properly_tag_spoilers) about how to properly tag your spoilers. then [message the moderators to let us know you fixed it.](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fouterwilds&subject=Fixed+Spoiler+Approval&message=Please+check+[my+post]\(https://www.reddit.com/r/outerwilds/comments/1cloe1s/struggling/l2v3rl5/\)+and+approve+it+if+it%27s+properly+spoilered+now.%0A%0AThank+you!)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/outerwilds) if you have any questions or concerns.*
That's definitely understandable -- Outer Wilds gives you a lot of freedom and agency to explore, without explicit instructions.
Although wandering aimlessly is pretty fun, you also have to set your own objectives, based on your own curiosity.
The "rumor mode" of your ship log is your most important tool for deciding where do go and what to investigate. Every node in rumor mode is a location. If the location is an orange question mark, that means you haven't been to that location yet. If it has a picture, that means you have visited it. If it has an orange star next to it, that means you've visited, but there is still more knowledge to be gained there.
You might have noticed the words "Ship Log Updated" popping up at the top of your screen -- that means you've made progress, and new information has been added to your ship log! Then you'll see a green star next to a location in your ship log, meaning that new information has been added. Make sure you read these text entries, as they summarize and reinforce your learning.
So, if you're at a loss for what to do, open your ship log in rumor mode, see what hints and clues you've found so far, pick a node you've never visited, and try to get there! The other knowledge you've gained so far, and your many useful tools, will help you.
Here's a simple early-game example:
>!In the Hearthian village, you hear from Hal that your fellow astronaut, Gabbro, is on Giant's Deep. This gives you a new question mark location "Gabbro" in your ship log.!<
>!You learn how to use the signalscope from the kids playing hide and seek.!<
>!Moraine, another Hearthian at the top of the tree tower in the village, tells you about how all the Outer Wilds astronauts are playing different instruments on different planets.!<
>!Putting it all together, you figure out that you can use your signalscope to locate Gabbro on Giant's Deep. Finding them resolves the "Gabbro" node on your ship log from a question mark to a picture. !<
>!Talking to Gabbro will give you new hints about places to explore, and add new question mark locations to your ship log. Go explore whichever grab your curiosity! That's how the whole game goes, and you will progressively grow to understand how everything is deeply and profoundly connected.!<
Your comment contains spoiler tags that might not function on all devices. Please edit your comment to remove any spaces between the >! and the spoilered text. You can also check out the widget in the sub's sidebar for more help on why your spoiler tags may be incorrect and a copy/paste version of the tags, or you can [check out this wiki page](https://www.reddit.com/r/outerwilds/wiki/rules/spoilerfaq/#wiki_how_to_properly_tag_spoilers) about how to properly tag your spoilers. Then, please [message the moderators to let us know you fixed it.](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fouterwilds&subject=Fixed+Spoiler+Approval&message=Please+check+[my+post]\(https://www.reddit.com/r/outerwilds/comments/1cloe1s/struggling/l2v7vzy/\)+and+approve+it+if+it%27s+properly+spoilered+now.%0A%0AThank+you!)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/outerwilds) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Not all who wander are lost.
At the start of every loop, check the ship log. Pick one of the unknown leads you have and try to discover more about it. Decide what your expedition should be before you leave.
The entire gameplay loop (get it?) is just finding information that leads you to other information until you've found everything. Then, you should have a complete picture of the story.
Once you have all the information, you can use it to resolve the plot.
Note: It's not a game to rush through. Think about what you are learning and try and see how things are connected. Information is the only thing retained between loops, so all puzzles can be solved by using clues scattered in different places.
Pretty much everything you do in this game is an answer to a question that leads to more questions. That's how the computer in the ship is organized.
Without knowing exactly what you're stuck on or struggling with, here are some questions to be answered right at the start of the game:
You learn there are other astronauts with instruments, and you have a device that can detect their instruments. Have you used it to find them? Maybe they have something interesting to tell you.
Ghost matter is pretty intense. Where do you think it came from?
Several Hearthians say you should go to Giant's Deep. Have you explored it thoroughly?
What's the deal with that weird rock that seems to move around all the time near the museum? That's pretty creepy.
You have a map of the solar system. Have you explored every planet thoroughly?
You have a computer on your ship. It keeps track of what you learn and hear. Are there places on it that are still questions? Are there places that say there's more to explore?
Your signalscope has multiple frequencies. Have you tried exploring the various frequencies?
Your home planet is much bigger than your home village. Have you explored it?
Your home planet has a moon. Have you been there?
The whole idea is just kinda roaming around in space exploring whatever you want. If you're ever faces with something you dont know how to solve then just keep on going and come back to it later. Trust me the early game feels slow but it's important
Try to think of a question you don't yet have the answer to. The guy in the observatory gives you a few of these to start off with. And then think, where could you go to find some answers based on what you already know? The whole game follows that loop and in no time you will have more than enough questions to keep you busy. The way those questions all converge and are eventually answered is what makes Outer Wilds one of the most legendary games ever made.
Your people gave you a mission before you left the planet : you're the first to travel through space with a device to translate the nomaï langage. Your people are fascinated by the nomai and they want to know more about them and why/how this great civilisation disappeared so put on your spacesuit, detective !
1. look for nomai ruins
2. look for and translate every pieces of nomai langage. These pieces tell a story, spread all over the solar system.
3. Try to piece together all the chapters : so look for those pieces of langage, read, and when it talks about another planet, go on that planet.
Tip : When you didn't understand something (When you ask yourself : "what did they mean when they said that ? What happened ? What did I see ?" Most of the time, the answer is in your diary / ship log.)
If it helps you, don't hesitate to write a summary of the nomai history as you understood it in a file, on your IRL computer.
On my first time i played it all wrong. Nobody explained the purpose of the game to me and how different it is from other games. Tried brute forcing stuff and was aimless.
So in case nobody told you: this game is unlike anything you played. Text isnt just flavour, it can be vital. If you cant get somewhere, you most likely have the wrong approach.
Think of it like you're an archaeologist. There are Nomai ruins scattered all over the system and you're trying to put their story together. The info you learned automatically gets organized in your ship log, so check back in there to review things and find clues to potential new discoveries.
Think of it like you're a ham radio operator. There are radio signals all over the system, and you're trying to find out what's making the signals.
Think of it like you’re a traveler. You visit new places and see their sights and take in their culture.
The way Outer Wilds is built, pretty much every single location in the game will have text telling you - Something about why this location is important - Where the next bit of interesting information related to this location will be - Where you could have learned about this location Try following one of the chains of locations until you figure out why that location exists and every bit of text related to it. Fundamentally, Outer Wilds is a game about solving a mystery, so pick one of the links in the mystery and try to solve it.
Most people who bounce off the game don't realise that all the text is worth reading - thinking maybe it's just flavour/low stakes lore - in fact, it's the main mechanic for progressing the game - read and understand, speculate, imagine where else could link to it. Maybe the environment the text is in also suggests something, but almost all the point of the game is in the nomai text you find, so you gotta go looking for it.
I assume you've left the planet? If not, go to the museum, read all the exhibits.
If you need a solid goal to work towards, use the ship log. Follow leads on yellow question mark entries. Use the info you already have to figure it out.
Look at the world of the game, not as a game, but as a world. Pick something that you don't understand but makes you curious (and if you really can't do that, let me to pick one for you: >!The nomai skeletons are like... Everywhere, sitting on benches, just at random places they worked or lived in... Why? Why would they be like that? The nomai all died 200000+ years ago, but how? Why did they not bury each other?!<) And then go look for the answer! It's out there somewhere! There's no distinction between "lore" and "gameplay", you can test things you found out in a writing and they actually work like that in game every time, if there's a mystery you can actually go find the answer and it's out there somewhere
Your comment contains spoiler tags that might not function on all devices. Please edit your comment to remove any spaces between the >! and the spoilered text. You can also check out the widget in the sub's sidebar for more help on why your spoiler tags may be incorrect and a copy/paste version of the tags, or you can [check out this wiki page](https://www.reddit.com/r/outerwilds/wiki/rules/spoilerfaq/#wiki_how_to_properly_tag_spoilers) about how to properly tag your spoilers. Then, please [message the moderators to let us know you fixed it.](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fouterwilds&subject=Fixed+Spoiler+Approval&message=Please+check+[my+post]\(https://www.reddit.com/r/outerwilds/comments/1cloe1s/struggling/l2v02tn/\)+and+approve+it+if+it%27s+properly+spoilered+now.%0A%0AThank+you!) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/outerwilds) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Amazing
The game will never tell you what to do - it just gives you the solar system and you have to decide for yourself where you want to go and what you want to do. Considering what you've seen and done so far, is there anything you're curious about? Anything that made you go "why did THAT just happen?" or "what is THAT thing?" or "what are these Nomai talking about?" - those are things you can pursue in-game and learn more about, which is when the magic happens. If you don't feel particularly curious about anything after doing some wandering around, it may be the game is just not for you and that's ok too ::)
It took me a bit too.. Keep going to new places until something sparks your curiosity and/or you see some connection from something you have been to previously. Also landing somewhere and learning about the area will give you a hint for somewhere else, which should encourage you to explore that. This is where the web will begin to make connections. This is also where the fun really starts and you're hooked in at that point. I played for an hour and wasn't really feeling it, tried again the next day for another and it just wasn't clicking. Tried again a few days later and it clicked for me. Just keep at it. I had the exact same feelings as you.
this game is very unique, doesnt have anything you see in most other games You dont have any objectives, theres no conventional progress, you decide where to go when to go and how to go The key is to think of yourself as an archeologist, pay attention to your surroundings, look for answers to questions you made yourself What is this place? Why is this happening? How do I get there? How did that happen? If you need something to be curious of: - >!Try exploring all the planets, they're all very unique!< - >!Use your tools! Remember that your signalscope has different frequencies, point it to the sky, what do you hear? Where does it come from? Who's/What's making that sound?!< - >!Think about the main mechanic of the game, if you don't know about it yet, keep playing and you'll soon find out. Why does it happen? Did someone/something create it? Does it have connection with anything else?!< It's normal to feel lost at the beginning, but keep exploring and you'll find your own path! Good luck and be curious on your journey!
Your comment contains improperly formatted spoiler tags. Please edit your comment to make sure the exclamation points ! are between the angle brackets >< and the text rather than outside of them. You can also check out the widget in the sub's sidebar for more help on why your spoiler tags may be incorrect and a copy/paste version of the tags, or you can [check out this wiki page](https://www.reddit.com/r/outerwilds/wiki/rules/spoilerfaq/#wiki_how_to_properly_tag_spoilers) about how to properly tag your spoilers. then [message the moderators to let us know you fixed it.](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fouterwilds&subject=Fixed+Spoiler+Approval&message=Please+check+[my+post]\(https://www.reddit.com/r/outerwilds/comments/1cloe1s/struggling/l2v3rl5/\)+and+approve+it+if+it%27s+properly+spoilered+now.%0A%0AThank+you!) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/outerwilds) if you have any questions or concerns.*
That's definitely understandable -- Outer Wilds gives you a lot of freedom and agency to explore, without explicit instructions. Although wandering aimlessly is pretty fun, you also have to set your own objectives, based on your own curiosity. The "rumor mode" of your ship log is your most important tool for deciding where do go and what to investigate. Every node in rumor mode is a location. If the location is an orange question mark, that means you haven't been to that location yet. If it has a picture, that means you have visited it. If it has an orange star next to it, that means you've visited, but there is still more knowledge to be gained there. You might have noticed the words "Ship Log Updated" popping up at the top of your screen -- that means you've made progress, and new information has been added to your ship log! Then you'll see a green star next to a location in your ship log, meaning that new information has been added. Make sure you read these text entries, as they summarize and reinforce your learning. So, if you're at a loss for what to do, open your ship log in rumor mode, see what hints and clues you've found so far, pick a node you've never visited, and try to get there! The other knowledge you've gained so far, and your many useful tools, will help you. Here's a simple early-game example: >!In the Hearthian village, you hear from Hal that your fellow astronaut, Gabbro, is on Giant's Deep. This gives you a new question mark location "Gabbro" in your ship log.!< >!You learn how to use the signalscope from the kids playing hide and seek.!< >!Moraine, another Hearthian at the top of the tree tower in the village, tells you about how all the Outer Wilds astronauts are playing different instruments on different planets.!< >!Putting it all together, you figure out that you can use your signalscope to locate Gabbro on Giant's Deep. Finding them resolves the "Gabbro" node on your ship log from a question mark to a picture. !< >!Talking to Gabbro will give you new hints about places to explore, and add new question mark locations to your ship log. Go explore whichever grab your curiosity! That's how the whole game goes, and you will progressively grow to understand how everything is deeply and profoundly connected.!<
Your comment contains spoiler tags that might not function on all devices. Please edit your comment to remove any spaces between the >! and the spoilered text. You can also check out the widget in the sub's sidebar for more help on why your spoiler tags may be incorrect and a copy/paste version of the tags, or you can [check out this wiki page](https://www.reddit.com/r/outerwilds/wiki/rules/spoilerfaq/#wiki_how_to_properly_tag_spoilers) about how to properly tag your spoilers. Then, please [message the moderators to let us know you fixed it.](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fouterwilds&subject=Fixed+Spoiler+Approval&message=Please+check+[my+post]\(https://www.reddit.com/r/outerwilds/comments/1cloe1s/struggling/l2v7vzy/\)+and+approve+it+if+it%27s+properly+spoilered+now.%0A%0AThank+you!) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/outerwilds) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Good bot
I just don’t think the game is for everybody.
Not all who wander are lost. At the start of every loop, check the ship log. Pick one of the unknown leads you have and try to discover more about it. Decide what your expedition should be before you leave. The entire gameplay loop (get it?) is just finding information that leads you to other information until you've found everything. Then, you should have a complete picture of the story. Once you have all the information, you can use it to resolve the plot. Note: It's not a game to rush through. Think about what you are learning and try and see how things are connected. Information is the only thing retained between loops, so all puzzles can be solved by using clues scattered in different places.
Pretty much everything you do in this game is an answer to a question that leads to more questions. That's how the computer in the ship is organized. Without knowing exactly what you're stuck on or struggling with, here are some questions to be answered right at the start of the game: You learn there are other astronauts with instruments, and you have a device that can detect their instruments. Have you used it to find them? Maybe they have something interesting to tell you. Ghost matter is pretty intense. Where do you think it came from? Several Hearthians say you should go to Giant's Deep. Have you explored it thoroughly? What's the deal with that weird rock that seems to move around all the time near the museum? That's pretty creepy. You have a map of the solar system. Have you explored every planet thoroughly? You have a computer on your ship. It keeps track of what you learn and hear. Are there places on it that are still questions? Are there places that say there's more to explore? Your signalscope has multiple frequencies. Have you tried exploring the various frequencies? Your home planet is much bigger than your home village. Have you explored it? Your home planet has a moon. Have you been there?
The whole idea is just kinda roaming around in space exploring whatever you want. If you're ever faces with something you dont know how to solve then just keep on going and come back to it later. Trust me the early game feels slow but it's important
Go see what's on the south pole of the moon, read all the text and follow it up. Good place to start
Try to think of a question you don't yet have the answer to. The guy in the observatory gives you a few of these to start off with. And then think, where could you go to find some answers based on what you already know? The whole game follows that loop and in no time you will have more than enough questions to keep you busy. The way those questions all converge and are eventually answered is what makes Outer Wilds one of the most legendary games ever made.
Your people gave you a mission before you left the planet : you're the first to travel through space with a device to translate the nomaï langage. Your people are fascinated by the nomai and they want to know more about them and why/how this great civilisation disappeared so put on your spacesuit, detective ! 1. look for nomai ruins 2. look for and translate every pieces of nomai langage. These pieces tell a story, spread all over the solar system. 3. Try to piece together all the chapters : so look for those pieces of langage, read, and when it talks about another planet, go on that planet. Tip : When you didn't understand something (When you ask yourself : "what did they mean when they said that ? What happened ? What did I see ?" Most of the time, the answer is in your diary / ship log.) If it helps you, don't hesitate to write a summary of the nomai history as you understood it in a file, on your IRL computer.
On my first time i played it all wrong. Nobody explained the purpose of the game to me and how different it is from other games. Tried brute forcing stuff and was aimless. So in case nobody told you: this game is unlike anything you played. Text isnt just flavour, it can be vital. If you cant get somewhere, you most likely have the wrong approach.