Video walkthrough
Watch the route, then match the frames
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.
Vehicle fragment route context
Watch for: Fragment route planning, mobility unlocks, scan confirmation, and why vehicle-progress routes should stay focused.
Route out frame review
Watch for: Start with Tadpole fragments guide at 00:53. Compare the screenshot cue, route note, and player action before following the guide in-game.
Wreck check frame review
Watch for: Start with Tadpole fragments guide at 01:56. Compare the screenshot cue, route note, and player action before following the guide in-game.
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
Watch for the route start and the first landmark before the scan target appears.
Pause on each scan and check whether the frame shows a repeatable object or only a close-up.
Notice when the player leaves after the required scan rather than farming unrelated materials.
Route out
The route-out frame gives the player the first repeatable direction.
Action: Set the route, ignore side loot, and save inventory for fragment-area essentials.
Fragment scan
The scan frame should prove what the fragment looks like and where it sits relative to the landmark.
Action: Scan, verify blueprint progress, and avoid rechecking the same fragment.
Wreck check
The wreck frame helps separate the fragment route from a generic resource sweep.
Action: Use the wreck as the return anchor and leave once the fragment count is complete.
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.
00:53Checkpoint 1: Leave from a landmark you can find again without the map open.The route-out frame gives the player the first repeatable direction.Expand
Route out
Start the fragment route from a repeatable shallow heading so the return remains obvious.
Player action
Leave from a landmark you can find again without the map open.
Proof before moving on
The route-out frame gives the player the first repeatable direction.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Return to the last landmark and rebuild the route chain before searching for the next one.
01:03Checkpoint 2: Follow the fragment route to the first wreck or structure checkpoint.The scan frame should prove what the fragment looks like and where it sits relative to the landmark.Expand
Fragment scan
Keep the scanner ready and confirm the target before collecting side materials.
Player action
Follow the fragment route to the first wreck or structure checkpoint.
Proof before moving on
The scan frame should prove what the fragment looks like and where it sits relative to the landmark.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Check whether you scanned a duplicate or an unrelated object before moving deeper.
01:56Checkpoint 3: Scan only confirmed fragments before collecting optional materials.The wreck frame helps separate the fragment route from a generic resource sweep.Expand
Wreck check
Fragment routes are easiest when each wreck or structure becomes a named checkpoint.
Player action
Scan only confirmed fragments before collecting optional materials.
Proof before moving on
The wreck frame helps separate the fragment route from a generic resource sweep.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Return and craft it before using the same route for deeper pushes.
00:53Checkpoint 4: Record which checkpoint contained each fragment.The route-out frame gives the player the first repeatable direction.Expand
Route out
Start the fragment route from a repeatable shallow heading so the return remains obvious.
Player action
Record which checkpoint contained each fragment.
Proof before moving on
The route-out frame gives the player the first repeatable direction.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Return to the last landmark and rebuild the route chain before searching for the next one.
01:03Checkpoint 5: Return to craft once the unlock is complete instead of extending the trip.The scan frame should prove what the fragment looks like and where it sits relative to the landmark.Expand
Fragment scan
Keep the scanner ready and confirm the target before collecting side materials.
Player action
Return to craft once the unlock is complete instead of extending the trip.
Proof before moving on
The scan frame should prove what the fragment looks like and where it sits relative to the landmark.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Check whether you scanned a duplicate or an unrelated object before moving deeper.
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.
Route out
Start the fragment route from a repeatable shallow heading so the return remains obvious.
Fragment scan
Keep the scanner ready and confirm the target before collecting side materials.
Wreck check
Fragment routes are easiest when each wreck or structure becomes a named checkpoint.
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
Search Tadpole fragments as a short repeatable scan route. Start from a stable landmark, keep the scanner ready, check wreck or structure stops, and return once enough fragments are confirmed.
Visual checkpoint
Start the fragment route from a repeatable shallow heading so the return remains obvious.
Map anchor
Tadpole Fragment Chain in Wreck approach. Use it for use this when mobility is the bottleneck and you want fragments instead of general resource gathering.
Abort rule
Searching for fragments while the scanner is not equipped.
Field manual translation
The Tadpole unlock changes how players read the map, so fragment routes need clean checkpoints. A useful guide should show where the route starts, how the scan target is recognized, and what return path prevents the fragment hunt from becoming a lost deep dive.
Primary job
Scan all required fragments - Each fragment should be tied to a landmark and a return decision.
Best entry habit
Wreck-first orientation - Use the wreck or route structure as a memory anchor before scanning.
Stop condition
Fragment count unclear - Return and audit the blueprint progress instead of searching randomly.
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
- Scanner
- Oxygen margin
- Inventory discipline
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
Leave from a landmark you can find again without the map open.
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.
Start the fragment route from a repeatable shallow heading so the return remains obvious.
Follow the fragment route to the first wreck or structure checkpoint.
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.
Keep the scanner ready and confirm the target before collecting side materials.
Scan only confirmed fragments before collecting optional materials.
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.
Fragment routes are easiest when each wreck or structure becomes a named checkpoint.
Record which checkpoint contained each fragment.
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.
Start the fragment route from a repeatable shallow heading so the return remains obvious.
Return to craft once the unlock is complete instead of extending the trip.
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.
Keep the scanner ready and confirm the target before collecting side materials.
After-action plan
What to do after the guide works
Bank the result
Return to craft once the unlock is complete instead of extending the trip.
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 use the Tadpole as a route-planning anchor for biome pushes, co-op hauling, vehicle safety, and threat retreats.
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-upTadpole Submersible Guide
How to use the Tadpole as a route-planning anchor for biome pushes, co-op hauling, vehicle safety, and threat retreats.
Use if the route branchesVehicles and Upgrades
A vehicle and upgrade planning guide for depth, storage, route safety, and progression in Subnautica 2.
Save for the next diveScanner Fragments Guide
How to think about fragment scanning, unlock priorities, duplicate scans, and route planning around discoveries.
Detailed notes
Fragments need checkpoints
A fragment guide is useful when each scan location is tied to a route anchor. Wrecks, room entrances, unusual terrain, and visible structures make better notes than loose distance claims.
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.
Why Tadpole unlock timing matters
The Tadpole changes how far you can push and how much you can bring home. Unlocking it early is valuable only if you also build the habit of safe vehicle parking and return planning.
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.
Frame gallery reading order
Use the images as a three-step memory hook: route out, fragment scan, wreck check. If one of those pieces is missing, the route will be harder to repeat later.
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.
What to do after the final scan
Do not keep clearing the wreck after the Tadpole unlock completes unless the return path is trivial. Bank the blueprint, craft or plan the vehicle, then revisit the same route with better carrying capacity and a cleaner escape plan.
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.
If the route stops making sense
Back out to the last visible checkpoint instead of widening the search forever. Fragment routes are easiest to recover when you reset from a known landmark, re-equip the scanner, and repeat the same sweep pattern rather than improvising a new one under oxygen pressure.
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.
Fragment route mindset
Fragment routes should be treated as objective chains. Enter with scanner space, confirm the first landmark, scan only what supports the unlock, and return as soon as the blueprint is complete. Continuing after the unlock often creates inventory pressure and route confusion.
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.
What to record after scanning
After every Tadpole fragment, record the biome, landmark, depth band, nearby threat level, and whether the route is worth repeating. That note is useful when patches shift placement or when co-op teammates need to find the same route later.
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
Tadpole Fragments Location Guide 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. Leave from a landmark you can find again without the map open. 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. Follow the fragment route to the first wreck or structure checkpoint. 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: Scanner
Route action: Leave from a landmark you can find again without the map open.
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. Scan only confirmed fragments before collecting optional materials. 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 Oxygen margin
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. Searching for fragments while the scanner is not equipped. Clearing side resources before confirming the scan target. 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
Searching for fragments while the scanner is not equipped.
Clearing side resources before confirming the scan target.
Forgetting which wreck or checkpoint produced each fragment.
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.