Primary use
Dark cave visibility, wreck navigation, night exploration, and safer starter scans.
Starter visibility tool
Flashlight Guide
Flashlight is not glamorous, but it fixes a real early problem: players lose exits, miss scan targets, and waste oxygen in dark caves and wreck interiors. The useful answer is where to scan it, when to craft it, and how it fits beside Scanner and Basic Battery planning.
Quick answer: Flashlight unlocks after two early fragment scans: one in the cave below the Lifepod and one inside the northeast wreck. After both scans, craft it at the Fabricator from the displayed Titanium, Basic Battery, and Quartz row.
Reviewed .
Route status
Two early fragment scans, then Fabricator crafting.
In-game check
Check the Fabricator row for Titanium, Basic Battery, Quartz, and any count changes in your save.
Route and unlock plan
Lifepod cave, northeast wreck, and dark starter routes.
Step 1
Build Scanner first
Both Flashlight fragments need Scanner progress, so stabilize Scanner use before chasing the unlock.
Step 2
Scan the Lifepod cave fragment
The first fragment sits in the cave below the Lifepod. Scan it and leave with oxygen margin.
Step 3
Scan the northeast wreck fragment
The second fragment is inside the northeast wreck. Enter, scan the bright fragment area, and return before exploring side rooms.
Step 4
Craft from the Fabricator row
After both scans, craft Flashlight from the shown Titanium, Basic Battery, and Quartz requirement.
Player decisions
| Question | Status | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Best time | After Scanner basics | Do it when caves or wreck interiors start slowing scans and exits. |
| Main value | Visibility safety | It reduces missed exits, slow searching, and oxygen waste. |
| Material pressure | Battery chain | It competes for early power components. |
| What to check | Fabricator row | Confirm recipe counts before spending your last starter materials. |
Route confidence
Two fragments
Unlock path
The useful early path is Lifepod cave first, northeast wreck second.
High confidence
Use case
Visibility tools naturally support caves, wrecks, and night routes.
Fabricator
Recipe family
Titanium, Basic Battery, and Quartz are the material family to prepare.
Save-dependent
Priority order
Scanner-first is usually better, then Flashlight once dark routes matter.
Useful links
Questions people ask
Where are the first Flashlight fragments?
Scan one fragment in the cave below the Lifepod, then scan the second fragment inside the northeast wreck.
Is Flashlight worth crafting early?
Yes if caves, night travel, or wreck exits are slowing you down. Scanner still comes first because it unlocks the fragments.
What materials should I prepare for Flashlight?
Prepare Titanium, Basic Battery, and Quartz, then read the Fabricator row before spending your last starter materials.