Outpost Zero

Outpost Zero, also known as Research Station Zero, is an abandoned Alterra facility that served as the main sector base used to research alien communications and technologies. It was shut down after research efforts failed to produce results due to Al-An's interference.

Overview

Outpost Zero is located 450-500m North East of the Drop Pod. It can be found by locating a Brinicle field in the north-east area, then heading north until a rock exit to the surface is found. Past Outpost Zero, a slot canyon leads to the Architect Phase Gate Facility.

Prior to Robin Ayou's arrival, the base was struck by an avalanche, leaving it half-buried in snow. While the interior remains largely undamaged, snow has begun to fill certain rooms and many components are bent out of shape.

Interior Rooms

Outpost Zero boasts five distinct areas: Leisure and exercise facilities, the laboratory, the Greenhouse, and two sets of quarters.

Leisure and Exercise Facilities

Upon entry, players find themselves in the leisure and exercise facilities. Benches, lockers, and plant pots occupy one side. The other side serves as the Kitchen, featuring tables, chairs, trash cans, a Vending Machine, a Coffee Vending Machine, and a Water Filtration Unit. A Jukebox Disk is found here.

The Laboratory

The Laboratory, officially listed as the science and engineering section, is located next door to the Kitchen. Research was conducted on various Architect technologies, such as an Alien Robot and Ion Cube. A photograph of Potato and a children's drawing can be found at the workstations of Samantha Ayou and Lillian Bench, respectively.

The Greenhouse

To the left of the Break Room is the facility's large Growroom, comprised of a Multipurpose Room and an accompanying Glass Dome. Since some time has passed since the base's abandonment, only decaying Lantern Trees can be found here, with fallen Lantern Fruit scattered across the ground.

Quarters

The facility includes accommodations for 3-6 persons found on the left and right sides of the break room's back wall.

• Right Side: Inaccessible to the player due to damage from the avalanche. However, the room can be accessed using a Spy Pengling to pass through a hole in the wreckage. It contains Batteries, Large Filtered Water, and a Power Cell.
• Left Side: Divided into two separate bedrooms. The left bedroom belongs to Samantha Ayou, and the right belongs to Lillian Bench. Posters, personal belongings, and PDAs can be found in each.

Story

Prior to Robin Ayou's arrival, Outpost Zero served as the home for Alterra's Architect research branch in Sector Zero. Notable among its staff was Lillian Bench, who came close to discovering Al-An's presence in the region due to his SOS signals. At an unknown point in time, Samantha Ayou was demoted and moved from the Phi Robotics Center to Outpost Zero.

Unfortunately, the branch lost its funding after Al-An's efforts to keep himself hidden prevented any breakthroughs from being made, and the base was ultimately abandoned.

Gallery

A platform outside the base

A snowman found nearby

Damaged Prawn Suits

Ditto, other side

Trivia

• Several unused props from the original Subnautica are used to decorate Outpost Zero, such as the Specimen Analyzer and Hydroponic Tower.
• In versions prior to the Frostbite Update, Outpost Zero served as the starting point for the player. In these versions, Robin left Outpost Zero to visit the Phase Gate Facility, but a meteor impact blocked her way back and diverted her onto a frozen river. The river still exists in current versions, and a way up to it can be constructed with the Habitat Builder.
• Outpost Zero is the only Alterra base not having a Greek letter as a symbol on the Alterra map. "0̸" could either be the slashed zero or the mathematical symbol for the empty set.
• A cut PDA Entry mentions Vinh Pham in the facility, though it is unknown if he was assigned there or just visiting.