Build
A desrt Starter Car Build
Step-by-step reference for assembling the garage starter sedan—the first vehicle every A desrt survivor needs before entering the desert.
Every A desrt run begins with the same humble problem: a car skeleton in a dusty garage and parts scattered across your starter home. DarkCodes Studio intentionally hides components in multiple rooms so the first hour teaches exploration and manipulation controls. This reference walks through locating each mandatory piece, mounting it with F and LMB, welding with Z, and validating fluids before you press R to hear an engine catch.
Required starter components
| Part | Typical location | Mount notes |
|---|---|---|
| Engine block | Garage bay or nearby tables | Align mounts before Z weld |
| Radiator | Garage shelves / yard | Connect coolant routing |
| Battery | House desk or garage | Needed for R crank |
| Hood | Garage floor | Weld hinges; check clearance |
| Doors (×4) | Garage / exterior | Sequential weld inside edges |
| Seats | Garage | E must reach driver seat |
| Headlights | Garage crates | Wire before night drives |
| Exhaust pipe | Undercarriage zone | Clearance from rocks |
Location walkthrough
Spawn in bedroom; exit into garage through left door from bed area. Majority of car parts sit in the main garage bay beside the chassis. Missing doors or exhaust may be outside main room—circle the house exterior. Basement entrance hides on the right side of the house outside; descend for extra crates, tools, and sometimes duplicate panels. Flashlight and hammer often spawn near workbench—grab before basement zombie risk.
- Clear walking path from spawn to garage bay.
- Collect handheld tools and light sources first.
- Gather engine-adjacent parts (radiator, battery) before heavy doors.
- Check basement last if exterior hints point there.
- Return all items to bay before welding sequence.
Assembly sequence
Order reduces rework. Mount engine block and transmission mounts first—everything else aligns relative to powertrain. Install radiator with coolant lines accessible. Set battery where cables reach starter. Hang doors before seats if door sills block interior access. Weld hood after interior checks so you can still lean in. Exhaust last prevents burn accidents while leaning under car.
Controls during assembly
F picks parts; LMB drags into ghost highlights; Z welds seams; RMB nudges angle. Reference PC controls and weld controls when joints fail. Q zoom inspects overlap—hood gaps let zombies snag fingers later.
Fluids before first start
Do not press R until petrol, oil, and radiator water meet minimums detailed in fluids & fuel guide. Starter sedan typically needs gas in tank, oil in block, and water in radiator. Dry cranks damage engines you cannot yet replace. Fill from garage cans before yard test.
First drive checklist
- Sit driver seat with E.
- Press R; listen for crank vs silence.
- Feather W forward one meter; listen for rattles.
- Test S brake before increasing speed.
- Short loop around garage; re-weld any pops.
- Only then aim toward open desert navigation.
Follow driving controls for throttle discipline on sand. First trip should be short—loot nearby structures, not horizon chases. Upgrade path leads to engine upgrades after confidence grows.
Common starter mistakes
Skipping Z welds launches doors in first bump. Forgetting battery strands you on R mash. Installing hood before seats traps you outside driver position. Mixing moped oil ratios into car tank causes smoke—cars and mopeds differ per moped guide. Overloading trunk before suspension check squats rear axle into rubble.
Starter car mastery is the tutorial DarkCodes never formalized. Nail this build and every future swap—from injection to turbine—reuses the same F, Z, R vocabulary.