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Controls and Gameplay - Version 7 vs Version 8
May 25, 2026, 06:06 AM
Fixed language count to 16, removed Russian (not supported on Steam), and renamed Spanish to Spanish (Spain) (2026-05-25)
May 30, 2026, 09:40 PM
Updated the Sprinting and Stamina section: night sprint is now default, sprint speed +15 percent and stamina regen +150 percent, and encumbrance is the main sprint limit instead of time of day
11Overview22Outbound supports keyboard-and-mouse and full controller input. The game is played entirely in first person while on foot and offers a choice between first-person and third-person camera angles while driving. All interactions with the camper van are physical: the player opens the front door to reach the steering wheel, lifts the rear hatch to access the Crafting Table, and walks through the interior to use installed workstations. Controller support was added during the beta phase (v0.7.6, October 2025), and the Steam store page lists full controller support.44Camera Perspective66On foot, the camera is locked to first person. The developers confirmed that third-person on-foot gameplay is not available for the 1.0 release due to the additional character animation and game-design work it would require. Players who experience motion sickness with first-person games should be aware of this limitation.88While driving, players can switch between a first-person cockpit view and a third-person exterior view. The option to select a default driving camera was introduced in v0.5.12 (April 2025) and is set when creating a new save file. Third-person driving provides better visibility of the road and surrounding terrain, while first-person cockpit view offers a more immersive experience on scenic routes.1111Settings to Adjust First1313A few options make the early game noticeably smoother, and they are worth setting before you drive off:1515Driving camera: set it to the third-person, behind-the-vehicle view. The first-person cockpit is cramped and makes it hard to see the road or spot roadside resources.Day length: turn it up. Nights are slow and limit what you can do, so longer days mean more useful time per cycle.Field of view: raising it widens your view and makes materials easier to notice while driving.Sprint: switch sprinting to a tap-to-toggle rather than a hold, so one tap keeps you running. You will want to sprint almost constantly, since walking is slow.Mini-games: if the crafting, fishing, and tire-pressure mini-games feel tedious, the mini-game difficulty option can make them more forgiving or skip them entirely.1717Getting Unstuck1919On rough or awkward terrain the van can occasionally wedge itself or flip onto its roof. If you cannot drive out of a spot, open the pause menu with Escape and use the Unstuck option, which resets the van to a nearby position where it can drive again.2121On-Foot Controls2323While on foot, the player walks, sprints, gathers resources, uses tools, and commands the dog companion. Nearby interactable objects are highlighted with a prompt, simplifying resource collection. A compass was added during alpha testing based on player feedback to help with navigation. The table below lists the default keyboard-and-mouse bindings observed in the demo.2525ActionDefault Key / InputMoveW / A / S / DLookMouse movementSprintLeft Shift (hold)JumpSpaceInteract / Pick upEUse tool / Primary actionLeft Mouse ButtonSecondary actionRight Mouse ButtonOpen inventoryTabOpen journalJToggle compassCCommand dogFScroll hotbarScroll Wheel / 1-92727Keybindings shown are based on the February 2026 demo. The full release may allow remapping.2828Sprinting and Stamina3030Sprinting is tied to the energy system. As the in-game day progresses and the character's energy depletes, sprint speed decreases. Once the character becomes too tired (around sunset), sprinting is disabled entirely and the player moves at a walking pace until they sleep in the van to recover.31+Sprinting is tied to the energy system. At launch, sprint speed gradually fell as the in-game day wore on and sprinting was disabled entirely after dark, but a post-launch balance patch reworked movement: the character can now sprint at full pace at any time of day, including at night, sprint speed was raised by 15 percent, and stamina regeneration was raised by 150 percent. The main limit on sprinting now is carrying weight rather than the time of day. If the backpack is overloaded the character cannot sprint until the load is reduced, and resting by sleeping in the van restores stamina between long trips.3232Driving Controls3434To start driving, the player walks to the front of the camper van, opens the driver-side door with the interact key, and selects the steering wheel. The van is electric, powered by renewable energy sources (solar, wind, water). Handling is affected by terrain type and the total weight of installed modules. A heavily built van with many workstations and building components handles differently from a stripped-down, lightweight setup.3636ActionKeyboardNotesAccelerateWSpeed depends on van weight and terrainBrake / ReverseSHold to reverse after stoppingSteer leftASteer rightDHornHHonks the van hornSwitch cameraVToggles between first-person cockpit and third-person exteriorExit vehicleEReturns to on-foot mode3838In the early game the van feels sluggish because the default powertrain is weak and the battery capacity is limited. Upgrading the energy system and keeping the overall build weight low improves acceleration and top speed.3939Physical Van Interactions4141One of Outbound's defining features is that all van interactions are physical rather than menu-driven. Instead of pressing a button to open a global crafting screen, the player walks up to the relevant part of the van and interacts with it directly.4343Driver's door: Open the front door and select the steering wheel to enter driving mode.Rear hatch: Lift the back hatch to access the Crafting Table mounted at the rear of the van.Interior walkthrough: Walk inside the van to interact with installed workstations such as the sawmill, food processor, or recycling machine.Storage compartments: Open drawers or containers inside the van to access shared storage that any co-op player can use.Passenger seat: In multiplayer, other players can sit in the passenger seat while the host drives.4545Building Mode Controls4747Entering building mode switches to a grid-based placement interface where the player can add, rearrange, and remove modules on the van. The modular building system uses interchangeable components that snap to a grid, allowing both interior and exterior customization.4949ActionDefault InputEnter / Exit building modeBSelect module from catalogLeft Mouse ButtonPlace moduleLeft Mouse Button (confirm)Rotate moduleR / Scroll WheelRemove moduleXCancel placementRight Mouse Button / Esc5151A ghost outline previews the module's position before placement is confirmed. Modules can be freely rearranged within the van's building boundaries at any time. Players must consider both interior space and exterior aerodynamics, because the van's weight and shape affect driving performance and fuel efficiency.5252Crafting Interface5454The crafting system is accessed by walking up to a workstation and pressing the interact key. Each workstation type has its own recipe list. The player scrolls through available recipes, selects one, and the workstation processes the required materials. Key workstations include:5656Crafting Table: Located at the rear of the van (accessed by lifting the back hatch). Used for basic recipes, tools, and building components.Sawmill: Converts raw logs into planks and processed wood products.Food Processor: Prepares ingredients for cooking recipes.Recycling Machine: Breaks down bottles, cans, and scrap into vouchers that can be spent at signal towers to unlock new blueprints.5858New recipes are unlocked by discovering schematics in the world, downloading them from locked computers at signal towers using vouchers, or progressing through the technology tree.6060Mini-Game Controls6262Outbound includes several mini-games tied to specific activities. Each mini-game has its own control scheme that appears on screen when the activity begins.6464Fishing6666Fishing was added as a Kickstarter stretch goal. The player casts a line with the primary action button, waits for a bite, and then follows on-screen prompts to reel in the catch. Timing and input rhythm determine whether the fish is caught or escapes.6868Tire Inflation7070Vehicle maintenance was introduced in v0.7.6 (beta). The van's tires lose pressure over time, and the player must inflate them using an on-screen mini-game. The mini-game involves matching a pressure gauge indicator to keep inflation within the target range.7272Cooking7474Cooking lets players prepare meals that restore energy and provide temporary buffs. The cooking mini-game involves selecting ingredients and following recipe steps at the appropriate workstation. Prepared meals can be stored in the van's inventory for later consumption.7676Mini-Game Difficulty Settings7878Patch v0.5.13 (April 2025) introduced a dedicated difficulty setting for mini-games with three options:8080SettingEffectOnMini-games play at their intended difficulty with full timing requirementsEasierTiming windows are more forgiving and failure penalties are reducedOffMini-games are skipped entirely; the result is awarded automatically8282This setting can be changed at any time from the pause menu. It applies to all mini-games including fishing, tire inflation, and cooking activities.8383Fall Damage8585Fall damage was adjusted in v0.5.13 alongside the mini-game difficulty update. The calculation was reworked to be less punishing for short drops. In keeping with Outbound's cozy design philosophy, falling from typical building heights causes minor energy loss rather than serious harm. Players who prefer a completely stress-free experience can further reduce fall damage through the game's settings.8787Controller Support8989Full controller support was added in v0.7.6 (October 2025) during the beta phase. The game works with Xbox, PlayStation, and generic USB/Bluetooth gamepads. Controller prompts replace keyboard hints automatically when a gamepad is detected. The Steam store page lists Outbound with full controller support, meaning the entire game (including menus, building mode, and mini-games) can be played without a keyboard or mouse.9191Outbound also launched a console demo on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2 in April 2026, confirming that the controller experience is a first-class input method on all platforms.9393ActionTypical Gamepad ButtonMoveLeft StickLook / CameraRight StickSprintLeft Stick press (L3)JumpA / CrossInteractX / SquareOpen inventoryD-Pad Up or SelectAccelerate (driving)Right Trigger (RT / R2)Brake (driving)Left Trigger (LT / L2)Steer (driving)Left Stick9595Gamepad mappings shown are standard conventions for the genre. The game may allow button remapping in its settings menu.9696Supported Languages9898Outbound supports 16 languages for interface text, full audio, and subtitles:100100LanguageLanguageLanguageEnglishKoreanSpanish (Spain)DutchPolishLatin American SpanishFrenchBrazilian PortugueseTraditional ChineseGermanTurkishIndonesianSimplified ChineseUkrainianItalianJapanese102102Tips103103Use third-person camera while driving to spot roadside resources and avoid obstacles more easily.Set mini-game difficulty to Easier or Off if you want a fully relaxed experience with no timing challenges.Keep the van's weight low in the early game for faster travel. You can add heavier modules once you upgrade the energy system.In co-op, one player can drive while others craft or manage inventory inside the van simultaneously.Check tire pressure regularly after the beta update (v0.7.6+) to keep handling responsive.
