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Workstations
May 3, 2026 at 11:58 AM
Added 1 image (2026-05-03)
Workstations are buildable machines that form the backbone of production in Outbound. Players place these units inside the camper van or on its rooftop to process raw resources into refined materials, craft tools and equipment, prepare food, and generate electricity. Every workstation draws power from the van's shared battery, so managing the energy system is essential to keeping production running smoothly.
New workstations are unlocked by downloading blueprints at signal towers scattered across the world. The van starts with a basic workbench bolted to the rear, and from there players expand their mobile workshop by discovering new blueprints, gathering materials, and building increasingly advanced machines.
The following table lists the workstations that have been confirmed through the demo and developer previews. Each workstation serves a distinct role in the van's production chain.
Workstation | Function | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
Workbench | General-purpose crafting station | Built into the rear of the van from the start. Accepts downloaded blueprints and produces tools, equipment, and other workstations. |
Sawmill | Converts logs into planks | A countertop unit that processes harvested wood into planks. Planks are required for building walls, floors, furniture, and other structural components. |
Recycler | Converts litter into download vouchers | Processes collected trash and litter into download vouchers. Vouchers are spent at signal towers to unlock new blueprints. |
Food Mixer | Prepares food and drinks | Processes raw ingredients into prepared meals and beverages such as tea. Prepared food restores health and provides other benefits. |
Generates electricity from organic fuel | The starting power source. Burns biodegradable materials to charge the van's battery. Works anywhere but consumes resources. Can eventually be supplemented or replaced by renewable sources. | |
Planter | Grows crops on the van | Allows players to plant and grow crops directly on the camper van. Requires a watering can (unlocked separately) to tend crops. |
Note: Outbound is not yet at full release. Additional workstations may be available in the final version of the game.
Apart from the workbench, which comes pre-installed on the van, all other workstations must be unlocked through the blueprint system. The process works as follows:
Collect litter from the environment. Picking up trash serves the game's environmental theme while also providing a practical resource.
Feed litter into the Recycler to convert it into download vouchers (also called tickets or tokens).
Find a signal tower while exploring. These towers are scattered across every biome.
Spend vouchers at the tower's terminal to download a blueprint. Each tower offers multiple blueprint options, and the selection can vary between playthroughs. This keeps that no two runs feel identical.
Return to the workbench and craft the newly unlocked workstation using the required materials.
This loop ties the recycling system directly into progression. Players who spend more time cleaning up the world earn faster access to advanced equipment.
Workstations are placed using the building system, the same modular grid that handles walls, floors, furniture, and decorations. Players can position workstations inside the van's cabin for a compact, organized layout, or mount them on the rooftop if interior space is at a premium. The van supports multiple floors, so a dedicated crafting level is entirely possible.
Each workstation is a physical object that occupies space in the van. Planning the layout matters: placing related workstations near each other streamlines production, while a cluttered arrangement can make it harder to navigate the interior during a busy crafting session.
Every workstation that processes materials draws electricity from the van's shared battery. The camper van's electric motor, lights, and appliances all share the same battery, so running several workstations at once increases total consumption. If the battery drains completely, powered equipment shuts down until power is restored.
Early in the game, the bio burner is the only way to charge the battery. It burns organic materials like wood and plant matter, which makes it reliable but resource-intensive. As players progress, they can unlock renewable power sources through signal tower blueprints:
Solar panels generate electricity during daylight hours.
Wind turbines produce power in windy conditions.
Water generators harness flowing water for a steady charge.
A well-balanced energy grid combines multiple renewable sources so the battery stays topped up regardless of weather or time of day. Surplus power feeds into reserves, keeping workstations operational overnight or during high-consumption periods. For full details, see the energy system article.
Rather than using traditional menu-based interfaces, each workstation has a built-in display screen that shows its current status. The developers at Square Glade Games designed these displays to keep information visible at a glance without pulling players out of the game world. A workstation's display typically shows what item is being processed, how long it will take, and what inputs are needed.
Many items in Outbound cannot be made in a single step. Advanced crafting recipes require materials that have already been processed at one workstation before they can be used at another. For example, raw logs must first pass through the sawmill to become planks before those planks can be used at the workbench to build furniture or structural pieces.
This multi-stage approach encourages players to think about their production pipeline. Having multiple workstations placed in a logical order inside the van reduces the time spent shuffling materials back and forth.
As players unlock more advanced technology, they gain the ability to connect workstations together into production chains. Rather than manually moving output from one machine into the next, automation lets workstations feed their output directly into downstream machines. This frees up time for exploration, farming, cooking, or simply enjoying the scenery.
Setting up an efficient automated line is one of the deeper systems in Outbound. Players who invest in automation can keep their van producing materials while they head out on foot to forage, gather litter, or discover new areas of the map.
Build a recycler early. Download vouchers are needed to unlock every other workstation, so the sooner the recycler is up and running, the faster overall progression becomes.
Keep an eye on the battery indicator. Running too many workstations at once without sufficient power generation will drain the battery quickly.
Place the sawmill and workbench close together. Planks are one of the most frequently used materials, and a short path between these two stations saves time.
Explore off the main road to find signal towers. Many towers are located away from primary routes, and they may offer blueprints that are not available at towers closer to the road.
Lock download vouchers in your backpack before using the depositing station. This prevents them from being stored automatically and ensures they are available when you reach a signal tower.
