Grounded guide: How to fix the mysterious device

Something strange is going on in the backyard, and it’s up to you to figure it out.

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Foggy headed and groggy, you awake in a small, dark tunnel with no memory of how you got there. Walking over large clumps of dirt and rocks, you head towards the end of the tunnel and emerge, only to find that something is wrong. Something isverywrong.

Everything around you is huge — no, wait, you are actually just tiny. And so beginsGrounded, the latest co-op survival game from Obsidian Entertainment for Windows 10, Xbox, and Steam. Grounded has you take control of one of four teenagers that have been shrunk down to the size of an ant.

The sandbox of Grounded allows players to play in different ways, and every playthrough feels unique. It’s quite the adventure full of mysteries, but one head-scratcher players encounter is the “mysterious device.” It’s not just a matter of what it does; you also have to fix it. It’s the only objective in the game. So if you want to uncover the plot of Grounded, you’ll have to start here.

It’s a big(ger) world out there.

Obsidian Entertainment makes its exclusive debut on Xbox One and PC with Grounded, a cooperative survival experience that literally makes all of your problems much, much bigger, and you much smaller. Join your friends as you try and survive in a dangerous backyard.

How to fix the mysterious device in Grounded

At the start of the game, players will come across a large mysterious device. Of course, to find out what it is exactly required further investigation. Upon closer inspection, you’ll find a flashing button on the device with the wordTargetprinted underneath. Pressing the button will trigger three lasers from nearby towers to converge onto the device.

Don’t pat yourself on the back just yet. One of the lasers is malfunctioning, and a blade of grass is blocking the other. If you want to progress in Grounded and learn how you ended up the size of a termite, you’ll have to figure out how to fix the mysterious device. Let’s get started.

Unblocking the laser

While you can tackle it in any order, I recommend handling the immediate threat of the very annoying blade of grass blocking the laser first. Unfortunately, you can’t cut down the grass with your hands — you’ll need anaxe. Here’s how to make one.

Putting in the work

With all the materials in your bag, you can get to crafting. You will need to build the pebblet ax to chop down that pesky grass. The pebblet ax requires two pebblets, one woven fiber, and three sprigs to craft.

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With one connection reestablished, it’s now time to turn your attention to the malfunctioning laser.

Travel preparations

The source of the malfunctioning laser is deeper into the foliage than that blade of grass, so before you set out, prepare yourself. This is a survival game, after all, so managing your character’s food and water intake is required for peak performance. I recommend making apebblet spearand atorchfor this next part, as well as taking a moment to find some sustenance.

Before moving forward, take a moment to check on your vitals. It’s not required, but it’s recommended to do so to maintain your character’s stamina. So, eat some mushrooms and drink clean water to restore your strength. If it’s starting to get late before you’re prepared, you might want to seek shelter and tackle the task the next day. Nothing’s worse than losing your way in the dark and wandering into a spider’s den by accident. If that’s that case, build a lean-to to sleep under.

You can also set your respawn point to the newly constructed lean-to, so be sure to do so in case things go awry. You don’t have to take these precautions before heading out, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry, especially when you’re new to the dangers of the back yard.

Major malfunction

Now that your preparations are complete, head to the malfunctioning tower to investigate. Look up and follow the flickering beam to the base of the tower. As you approach, you’ll quickly find the cause of the problem.Lawn mitesare all over this area, chewing on the power cord and causing the laser to short out. Lawn mites are a minor nuisance, so even if you didn’t build a spear ahead of time, you can still exterminate them by using your ax, a pebblet, or even your fist.

Looking for answers

Now you can pat yourself on the back. You successfully repaired the mysterious device, but the story doesn’t end here. Something seriously strange is happening in the backyard, and you can expect to encounter much greater threats than just mites as you explore head north towards the oak tree.

What’s next?

Be sure to prepare accordingly by using thisguideon crafting basic tools and weapons, and as spiders, larvae, and other creepy crawlers become more common, you’ll want to consult our handyspider combat guidebefore you find yourself in a pinch. Be sure to check back soon as we head north and investigate the explosion at the oak tree.

It’s a big(ger) world out there.

Obsidian Entertainment makes its exclusive debut on Xbox One and PC with Grounded, a cooperative survival experience that literally makes all of your problems much, much bigger, and you much smaller. Join your friends as you try and survive in a dangerous backyard.

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Zackery Cuevas is a writer for Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore. I like playing video games, talking about video games, writing about video games, and most importantly, complaining about video games. If you’re cool, you can follow me on Twitter @Zackzackzackery.