Unlock the secrets behind the cunning ’On the Trail of the Traitor’ switch puzzle in The Outer Worlds 2. Dive into our step-by-step guide and master the challenge that’s stumping even the sharpest explorers. Ready to crack the code and advance your adventure?
How to solve the ’On the Trail of the Traitor’ switch puzzle in The Outer Worlds 2
In the quest “On the Trail of the Traitor” in The Outer Worlds 2, players encounter a switch puzzle that controls access to the next area of the facility. To solve it, you must first locate the three power switches scattered across the control room and nearby corridors. Activate them in the correct sequence indicated by the terminal logs-usually left to right or based on flickering light patterns. Keep an eye out for hidden panels or power conduits that must be repaired before a switch will respond. Once all switches are activated in order, the main door will power up, allowing you to continue the mission.
One of The Outer Worlds 2’s main quests, “On the Trail of the Traitor”, takes you to a facility in Golden Ridge called the N-Ray Range. Your task is to find Victor Clemens, an associate of De Vries.
However, not long after entering the N-Ray Range, you’ll find that the path is blocked by a switch puzzle. In case you haven’t found the “On the Trail of the Traitor” puzzle location yet, enter the N-Ray Range through the smaller building on the right (the main entrance is blocked), drop down the hatch, and open the door next to the large tubes with the shiny purple fluid. At the end of this room, crawl through another hatch to find the switch puzzle.
Besides informing you that you may flick a maximum of three switches at a time, the note on the wall doesn’t offer a puzzle solution. Instead, the first step to solving this puzzle is to leave the room, head right, and enter the room with an NPC called Exemplar Foxworth inside. Speaking with Foxworth is optional (no need to kill this friendly scientist), and will start the “Discrete Mathematics” quest alongside “On the Trail of the Traitor.”
Now, enter the vent behind the white screen, but beware of the purple electricity. The electricity rotates clockwise, so if you wait for it to pass, and then follow it, you can safely reach the exit.
After exiting the vent, turn left, toward the body on the floor, and then right. At the end of the path, you’ll see a room with an odd item inside. Be sure to pick this up, as you’ll need it to solve the switch puzzle:
This item is called the N-Ray Scanner, a gadget used to see through walls. Not only is it useful to spot enemies, but also to see wiring.
Go back to Exemplar Foxworth’s room (unbar the door on the other side of the dead body for a shortcut) and put on the N-Ray Scanner. You will see a cable connection between the switch puzzle and the broken doorway.
Return to the switch puzzle and use the N-Ray Scanner again. See the cable running through three switches before reaching the faulty doorway? These are the three switches you should pull to solve this The Outer Worlds 2 puzzle.
So, with or without the N-Ray Scanner equipped, flick the following switches to continue “On the Trail of the Traitor”:
Where to find the N-Ray Scanner in the N-Ray Range
The N-Ray Scanner in The Outer Worlds 2 can be found in the N-Ray Range area. After meeting the wounded NPC Exemplar Foxworth, look behind her back for an improvised wall with a vent entrance. Enter the vent and navigate through it, avoiding electric traps. Exiting the vents will lead you to a small corner lab where the N-Ray Scanner is located on a desk. Once you pick it up, the game will teach you how to use it. The scanner lets you see invisible enemies, wires, and traps through walls, making it essential for solving puzzles like the switch puzzle in the same area.
To summarize:
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Meet Exemplar Foxworth in the N-Ray Range.
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Look behind her for a vent entrance behind an improvised wall.
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Go through the vent avoiding traps to find the scanner on a desk in a small lab.
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Pick up the N-Ray Scanner and use it to see hidden wires and enemies.
This scanner is required to solve various parts of the quest “On the Trail of the Traitor,” including the switch puzzle. It also grants a +20% critical chance while active in combat.
How to reach the small corner lab where the scanner sits
To reach the small corner lab where the N-Ray Scanner sits in The Outer Worlds 2, follow these steps:
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Start by meeting Exemplar Foxworth in the N-Ray Range.
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Look behind her for an improvised wall or vent entrance.
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Enter the vent system and carefully navigate through it while avoiding electric traps.
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Exit the vent to reach a small corner lab area.
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Inside this lab, the N-Ray Scanner will be on a desk ready to be picked up.
This vent system is the only way to access the lab where the scanner is located. It requires careful movement to avoid traps but leads directly to the scanner that you need to progress in the quest and solve related puzzles.
This is the same method tied to the quest “On the Trail of the Traitor” and essential for using the scanner to see hidden wires and paths for puzzles.
