The crafting loop
- Find a working generator. The demo’s POIs can have a generator with a recycler and a crafting bench hooked up.
- Power the recycler. The community playthrough shows the recycler needing power at 12:18.
- Recycle junk. Empty boxes, broken parts, scrap metal and food waste become materials. The demo shows recycling at 13:08–13:50.
- Open the workbench. The official screenshot shows a Workbench / Crafting / Tier 6 menu with recipe icons and costs.
- Craft what you need. Repair kits, storage, tools and emergency items.
Recipes and costs (official screenshot)
| Recipe | Cost (gear/scrap) | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Old Flashlight | 25 | Light at night/indoors |
| Cargo Box | 35 | Extra storage |
| Flare Gun | 60 | Calls an emergency air drop |
| Good Repair Kit | 100 | Standard repair |
| Good Sledgehammer | 120 | Salvage/repair tool |
| Awesome Repair Kit | 200 | Stronger repair |
| Excellent Sledgehammer | 200 | Stronger salvage/repair tool |
The screenshot also shows a Tier 6 workbench and resource counters of 80 gear / 0 leaf / 0 flask. The leaf and flask counters were empty in that shot; we have not confirmed what they are used for. Treat the costs as a demo-build snapshot, not a promise for Early Access.
What to craft first
- Good Repair Kit (100) — the single most useful item; a broken car ends the run.
- Cargo Box (35) — cheap storage; stops you losing small items in the snow.
- Flare Gun (60) — emergency air drop; craft before a long empty stretch, not after you are stranded.
- Old Flashlight (25) — useful at night and inside dark POIs.
- Sledgehammer — only if you need to salvage; the repair kit is more important early.
Where to find a workbench
- Gas stations and cabins are the most common POIs; look for a generator, recycler and bench.
- The starting garage has a crafting bench in some demo runs; check around the car.
- The demo’s patch notes mention a recycler and crafting bench at working generators; if a POI has power, it may have both.
- No map: mark the direction of a workbench you find; you may need to come back with more scrap.
Recycling tips
- Recycle food waste — the community playthrough notes that recycling food gives materials.
- Do not recycle everything — keep a repair kit, a jerry can and warm clothes.
- Scrap metal is currency — the workbench costs are in gear/scrap; hoard it.
- Check the bench before a long drive — if you cannot afford a repair kit, you cannot afford the trip.
- In co-op, one player can recycle while another repairs; the bench is a natural meeting point.