Video walkthrough
Watch the route, then match the frames
00:28Frame 1Vehicle upgrades should answer a route problem: depth, storage, speed, safety, or return distance.
01:48Frame 2Open the module state before leaving so you know whether the next trip needs fragments or materials.
03:56Frame 3Test new vehicle depth on a known route before pushing into a new threat band.Video chapters
5 stepsVideo references
Watch or inspect the route before you dive
Click YouTube cards to load the player. Open frame cards to compare local screenshot notes. Use the evidence to confirm landmarks, movement, and encounter pacing, then follow the written checklist below.
Wakemaker and mobility upgrade route
Watch for: Vehicle upgrade order, module checks, depth tests, and when a route needs the Tadpole.
Vehicle plan frame review
Watch for: Start with Tadpole upgrades and chassis locations at 00:28. Compare the screenshot cue, route note, and player action before following the guide in-game.
Depth test frame review
Watch for: Start with Tadpole upgrades and chassis locations at 03:56. Compare the screenshot cue, route note, and player action before following the guide in-game.
Official update checks
Patch notes that can change this guide
Video watch notes
What to pause, compare, and write down
Do not watch the video like entertainment only. Use these notes as a second-screen checklist: pause on landmarks, confirm the player action, then return to the written route.
Watchlist
Pause on Vehicle plan and identify the landmark, depth band, or objective state before following the next step.
Use Module check to confirm what changed; if the video only shows a close-up, rebuild the route from the previous landmark.
Treat Depth test as the exit rule: finish the objective, return, and update storage or crafting before adding side goals.
Vehicle plan
Vehicle upgrades should answer a route problem: depth, storage, speed, safety, or return distance.
Action: Identify the route your current kit cannot safely complete.
Module check
Open the module state before leaving so you know whether the next trip needs fragments or materials.
Action: Prioritize range and return safety over convenience.
Depth test
Test new vehicle depth on a known route before pushing into a new threat band.
Action: Add storage when material runs become the bottleneck.
Video route timeline
Turn the video into playable checkpoints
Use this section like a second-screen route sheet. Open each checkpoint, compare the frame, do the action, then stop if your route no longer matches the video evidence. It keeps the guide useful even when Early Access shifts small placements or creature behavior.
00:28Checkpoint 1: Identify the route your current kit cannot safely complete.Vehicle upgrades should answer a route problem: depth, storage, speed, safety, or return distance.Expand
Vehicle plan
Vehicle upgrades should answer a route problem: depth, storage, speed, safety, or return distance.
Player action
Identify the route your current kit cannot safely complete.
Proof before moving on
Vehicle upgrades should answer a route problem: depth, storage, speed, safety, or return distance.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Reset to the last confirmed landmark or objective state, then repeat only the route-critical step.
01:48Checkpoint 2: Prioritize range and return safety over convenience.Open the module state before leaving so you know whether the next trip needs fragments or materials.Expand
Module check
Open the module state before leaving so you know whether the next trip needs fragments or materials.
Player action
Prioritize range and return safety over convenience.
Proof before moving on
Open the module state before leaving so you know whether the next trip needs fragments or materials.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Use the video frame as evidence, but record entry, proof, and exit as separate notes.
03:56Checkpoint 3: Add storage when material runs become the bottleneck.Test new vehicle depth on a known route before pushing into a new threat band.Expand
Depth test
Test new vehicle depth on a known route before pushing into a new threat band.
Player action
Add storage when material runs become the bottleneck.
Proof before moving on
Test new vehicle depth on a known route before pushing into a new threat band.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Return, craft, sort storage, or retest the route before turning this page into a longer objective chain.
00:28Checkpoint 4: Keep vehicles near readable landmarks.Vehicle upgrades should answer a route problem: depth, storage, speed, safety, or return distance.Expand
Vehicle plan
Vehicle upgrades should answer a route problem: depth, storage, speed, safety, or return distance.
Player action
Keep vehicles near readable landmarks.
Proof before moving on
Vehicle upgrades should answer a route problem: depth, storage, speed, safety, or return distance.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Reset to the last confirmed landmark or objective state, then repeat only the route-critical step.
01:48Checkpoint 5: Reassess upgrades after each new biome opens.Open the module state before leaving so you know whether the next trip needs fragments or materials.Expand
Module check
Open the module state before leaving so you know whether the next trip needs fragments or materials.
Player action
Reassess upgrades after each new biome opens.
Proof before moving on
Open the module state before leaving so you know whether the next trip needs fragments or materials.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Use the video frame as evidence, but record entry, proof, and exit as separate notes.
Gameplay evidence
Screenshots to match before you keep swimming
Use these frames as visual checkpoints. If the terrain, lighting, or landmark does not match, slow down and re-check the route instead of forcing the next step.
Vehicle plan
Vehicle upgrades should answer a route problem: depth, storage, speed, safety, or return distance.
Module check
Open the module state before leaving so you know whether the next trip needs fragments or materials.
Depth test
Test new vehicle depth on a known route before pushing into a new threat band.
Route decision lab
Decide if this route is worth running now
This section turns the video into a practical in-game decision. Use it before leaving base, after the first landmark, and again before entering a deeper or darker area.
Route purpose
Treat vehicles and upgrades as route enablers. Build or upgrade when a new path requires more range, safer returns, storage capacity, or hazard tolerance.
Visual checkpoint
Vehicle upgrades should answer a route problem: depth, storage, speed, safety, or return distance.
Map anchor
Vehicles and Upgrades Staging in Mobility upgrade route. Use it for use this when the next objective is possible but wastes too much oxygen without mobility support.
Abort rule
Building upgrades without a route that needs them.
Field manual translation
Treat vehicles and upgrades as route enablers. Build or upgrade when a new path requires more range, safer returns, storage capacity, or hazard tolerance. Use this resource route manual as a second-screen checklist: identify the entry condition, confirm the objective with a visual proof point, then stop when the return rule is met. This keeps the article practical for Early Access patches without pretending every coordinate or state is final.
Primary job
Route range - Identify the route your current kit cannot safely complete.
Best entry habit
Fragment scans - Prioritize range and return safety over convenience.
Stop condition
Building upgrades without a route that needs them. - Add storage when material runs become the bottleneck.
Patch-safe reading
Exact item positions can shift during Early Access. The useful part of this page is the route logic: what to prepare, what visual cue to confirm, what objective to finish, and when to turn back.
Updated
2026-06-12 / tracking / Early Access
What this guide covers
Requirements
- Fragment scans
- Crafting materials
- Power planning
Use this if
You want a route you can follow from video evidence without needing exact official coordinates. The screenshots and steps are written to help you recognize areas, landmarks, and decisions while playing.
Early Access can move details. Treat this as a video-based walkthrough and verify landmarks in your own build.
Step-by-step walkthrough
Follow the video route without guessing
Identify the route your current kit cannot safely complete.
Use this step as a route checkpoint, not as a promise that every object spawns in one exact coordinate. Match the landmark, compare the screenshot, then continue only if the return path is still clear.
If your game build looks different, stay with the same decision: keep oxygen safe, scan or collect the current blocker, and return before pushing into the next unknown area.
Vehicle upgrades should answer a route problem: depth, storage, speed, safety, or return distance.
Prioritize range and return safety over convenience.
Use this step as a route checkpoint, not as a promise that every object spawns in one exact coordinate. Match the landmark, compare the screenshot, then continue only if the return path is still clear.
If your game build looks different, stay with the same decision: keep oxygen safe, scan or collect the current blocker, and return before pushing into the next unknown area.
Open the module state before leaving so you know whether the next trip needs fragments or materials.
Add storage when material runs become the bottleneck.
Use this step as a route checkpoint, not as a promise that every object spawns in one exact coordinate. Match the landmark, compare the screenshot, then continue only if the return path is still clear.
If your game build looks different, stay with the same decision: keep oxygen safe, scan or collect the current blocker, and return before pushing into the next unknown area.
Test new vehicle depth on a known route before pushing into a new threat band.
Keep vehicles near readable landmarks.
Use this step as a route checkpoint, not as a promise that every object spawns in one exact coordinate. Match the landmark, compare the screenshot, then continue only if the return path is still clear.
If your game build looks different, stay with the same decision: keep oxygen safe, scan or collect the current blocker, and return before pushing into the next unknown area.
Vehicle upgrades should answer a route problem: depth, storage, speed, safety, or return distance.
Reassess upgrades after each new biome opens.
Use this step as a route checkpoint, not as a promise that every object spawns in one exact coordinate. Match the landmark, compare the screenshot, then continue only if the return path is still clear.
If your game build looks different, stay with the same decision: keep oxygen safe, scan or collect the current blocker, and return before pushing into the next unknown area.
Open the module state before leaving so you know whether the next trip needs fragments or materials.
After-action plan
What to do after the guide works
Bank the result
Reassess upgrades after each new biome opens.
Clean the inventory
Move route-critical materials into labeled storage so the next dive starts with empty space and a clear job.
Pick the next guide
How to think about fragment scanning, unlock priorities, duplicate scans, and route planning around discoveries.
Next route queue
Use these as the next blockers to solve after this route. Each queue card keeps the same evidence style: source video, gameplay frames, and a written checklist.
Best immediate follow-upScanner Fragments Guide
How to think about fragment scanning, unlock priorities, duplicate scans, and route planning around discoveries.
Use if the route branchesResource Priority List
Which resources to prioritize first, which to store, and which to avoid hoarding until a recipe proves they matter.
Save for the next diveMap and Biomes Overview
A spoiler-light map planning guide for thinking about biomes, depth, resources, hazards, and route escalation.
Detailed notes
Upgrade by route need
The best upgrade is the one that changes a failed route into a safe route. Anything else can wait.
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Vehicle notes for co-op
In shared sessions, agree on vehicle parking, storage rules, and who brings repair or support materials.
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Vehicles extend routes, not judgment
A vehicle makes the ocean feel safer, but it also tempts players into routes they cannot yet support. Before using a vehicle for progression, test docking, turning, visibility, storage, and a clean escape lane on a familiar route. Once those basics feel predictable, use the vehicle to connect known anchors instead of blindly diving into every deep signal.
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Upgrade only for the route in front of you
Vehicle upgrades should answer a current route problem: depth, cargo, safety, speed, or recovery. If your next objective is shallow scanning, extra depth can wait. If your repeated material loop wastes time, cargo or storage support may matter more. This route-first approach keeps upgrades from becoming a collection checklist with no immediate payoff.
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Video route notes
Vehicles and Upgrades should be followed as a resource route, not as a memory test. Start by watching the first route movement and naming the entry condition before copying the path in-game. Identify the route your current kit cannot safely complete. Then pause again when the video reaches the first visible proof point, because that is where the guide changes from general advice into an action you can repeat. Prioritize range and return safety over convenience. If the route starts to feel different in your build, keep the same player goal: repeat the route without relying on a perfect coordinate.
Entry check: Fragment scans
Route action: Identify the route your current kit cannot safely complete.
Proof to look for: material or fragment proof
Version note: Early Access / tracking
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Screenshot checkpoints
Use screenshots as checkpoints instead of decoration. The first image should answer where the route begins, the second should show what confirms progress, and the third should explain what to do after the scan, pickup, puzzle state, or threat read is visible. Add storage when material runs become the bottleneck. This is especially important in Early Access because exact positions can drift while landmarks, depth bands, room states, and player decisions stay useful. A good screenshot lets you say, "I am at the right kind of place," before you risk oxygen, storage space, or vehicle safety.
Entry frame: match the landmark before moving deeper
Proof frame: confirm material or fragment proof
Exit frame: know the return direction before adding side goals
Loadout frame: check Crafting materials
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Stop rule and next dive
The most useful part of this page is the stop rule. Building upgrades without a route that needs them. Using vehicles as storage and then losing track of them. When the objective is confirmed, return and convert it into progress: craft the upgrade, sort the material, save the route note, or mark the blocker as solved. If the route fails, do not repeat the same swim blindly. Change one variable at a time: enter from a clearer landmark, reduce inventory clutter, bring the missing tool, or wait until oxygen and vehicle support match the route. That turns a failed resource route into better field knowledge instead of another full-inventory wander.
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Common mistakes
Building upgrades without a route that needs them.
Using vehicles as storage and then losing track of them.
Entering hazard zones before understanding exit paths.
FAQ
Is this guide for the current Subnautica 2 build?
This page is written for Early Access and includes a visible update date. Treat exact values as tracking notes until the current build is field-tested.
Does this page use official screenshots?
Pages combine attributed official Steam / Unknown Worlds media, local gameplay frame captures, and source-video evidence cards. New player-submitted captures should keep the route, timestamp, and build context attached.
Community notes
Add a field report
Player reports enter a moderation queue. Approved notes can load from Supabase; pending drafts stay visible in this browser for follow-up.
Near starter shallows
Approx. 70-120m from pod
Confirm oxygen before leaving the first landmark. The route is much safer when you mark the return path before collecting side materials.
Guide-wide
N/A
Creature patrol ranges and fragment placement can shift between builds, so treat exact distances as field estimates until multiple players confirm them.