- Project Boneyard is the Toy Factory trial environment where Reagents complete industrial objectives under heavy Ex-Pop pressure.
- Franco Barbi patrols the factory and punishes players trapped in narrow production corridors.
- Route planning between the production floor, storage, and maintenance areas decides most runs.
- Save Rig charges and throwables for the final escape, when enemy pressure peaks.
Project Boneyard Overview
Project Boneyard is the Toy Factory program inside The Outlast Trials, Murkoff's industrial testing ground where Reagents process macabre "toys" through production machinery while Ex-Pops hunt the work floor. The environment combines large open sections with tight maintenance corridors, which makes both stealth routing and chase management essential.
The trials hosted in this environment follow the standard loop: search for resources, complete staged objectives, and reach extraction. What separates Boneyard from programs like the Police Station or Orphanage is the factory's machinery-driven layout, where objectives often force players to remain exposed near loud equipment.
Video Highlights:
- Official look at the co-op survival loop and Murkoff experiment framing
- Shows night vision, stealth movement, and team extraction pressure
- Demonstrates enemy pursuit behavior in industrial environments
| Area | Function | Danger Level |
|---|---|---|
| Production floors | Main objective stations, loud machinery | High |
| Storage and loading | Resource respawns, side rooms | Medium |
| Maintenance corridors | Rotation routes between sections | High |
| Factory offices | Quiet search rooms, documents | Low |
Before touching any objective, walk one full loop of the factory and mentally mark at least two exits and one hiding spot per room. Boneyard punishes players who commit to a dead-end production line.
Objectives and Walkthrough Steps
Boneyard objectives typically involve collecting materials, feeding them into production machines, and moving finished products across the factory while patrols react to the noise your work generates. Follow this sequence to keep each stage controlled.
Scout and Stock Up
Search offices and storage rooms for bottles, bricks, lockpicks, healing items, and batteries before starting loud tasks. Inventory is limited, so prioritize throwables and one healing item.
Start the First Machine Quietly
Begin the initial production task when nearby patrols are moving away. One player interacts while the rest watch entrances and keep an escape lane open.
Transport During Patrol Gaps
Carry quest items between stations only after confirming the route is clear. Use thrown distractions to pull enemies toward the opposite side of the factory.
Regroup Before the Final Stage
Late-stage objectives spike enemy pressure. Heal, recharge where possible, and agree on the extraction direction before triggering the last machine.
Extract Without Lingering
Once the exit opens, move as a group through the route you marked earlier. Spend remaining Rig charges and throwables to protect the run to the door.
Skipping the main objective to search every room is the most common failure in Boneyard. Complete the objective chain first, then grab optional rewards only when the route back is safe.
Franco Barbi and Enemy Counterplays
Franco Barbi is the Prime Asset tied to the factory program. He uses a powerful close-range weapon and is most dangerous when players are boxed into narrow spaces near machinery. He cannot be defeated, only avoided, delayed, and redirected.
| Enemy | Threat | Best Counterplay |
|---|---|---|
| Franco Barbi | Close-range burst damage in tight corridors | Keep an exit open, use doors and loops, stun only to create windows |
| Berserker | Fast melee pressure after repeated noise | Break line of sight early, manage stamina, hide in lockers |
| Big Grunt | Blocks key routes, absorbs hits | Wide loops, doors between you, avoid objectives while nearby |
| Pusher | Gas attack forces players out of position | Leave the cloud immediately, save Antidote for emergencies |
Stun Rig Users
- Best tool against Franco grabs
- Use for revive windows
- Time it, do not waste charges
Heal Rig Users
- Recover after chases
- Reduce consumable drain
- Save charges for late-trial recovery
X-Ray Rig Users
- Track Franco through walls
- Plan safe transport routes
- Call out patrol shifts to the team
Fighting Franco or heavy Ex-Pops always loses. Every interaction should end with you hidden, behind a door, or on a different floor of the factory.
Loadouts and Difficulty Strategy
Loadout choice in Boneyard should account for the map's long transitions between objective stations and the high late-trial pressure. These role setups cover the main team needs.
| Build | Rig | Key Amps | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silent Infiltrator | X-Ray | Noise Reduction, Incognito, Slide | Solo, Normal to Psychosurgery |
| Emergency Rescuer | Stun | Strong Arm, Last Chance, Self Defense | 3-4 players, Hard to Program X |
| Field Medic | Heal | Hide and Heal, Regeneration | 3-4 players, Hard to Ultra |
| Crowd-Control Specialist | Stun | Strong Arm, Cacophony, Tactical Rigging | Program X and Ultra groups |
On higher difficulties, enemy patrols tighten around active objectives and mistakes compound quickly. A solo player should prioritize X-Ray and quiet movement, while a four-player group benefits most from pairing one Stun user with one Heal user so rescues and recovery are both covered.
Invest Therapy Tokens in one dependable Rig and a small set of Amps before branching out. A focused stealth or rescue setup outperforms several half-upgraded builds in Boneyard.
Boneyard Run Checklist:
- Scout one full factory loop before the first objective
- Carry at least one throwable and one healing item
- Mark two exits and one hiding spot per objective room
- Regroup and heal before the final production stage
- Confirm extraction direction with all living teammates
FAQ and Final Tips
Q: What is Project Boneyard in The Outlast Trials?
Project Boneyard is the Toy Factory trial environment where Reagents complete production-line objectives for Murkoff while evading Franco Barbi and Ex-Pop patrols through industrial workspaces.
Q: Can you beat Franco Barbi in Project Boneyard?
No. Franco is a Prime Asset and cannot be defeated. Successful teams avoid him with stealth, break line of sight around corners and doors, and use Stun Rig charges only to create windows for revives or objective interactions.
Q: Is Project Boneyard manageable solo?
Yes, but it demands disciplined routing. Solo players should run an X-Ray build with Noise Reduction and Incognito, avoid loud optional tasks, and keep throwables reserved for unavoidable patrols near the extraction.
Q: Which items should I prioritize in Boneyard?
Bottles and bricks for distractions, one healing item, and a lockpick for locked shortcuts. Save batteries and antidotes for situations where they clearly prevent a failed run rather than spending them early.
A steady completion with a moderate rating earns more long-term XP and currency than repeatedly failing while chasing a perfect run. Learn the factory, extract reliably, then push higher difficulties.
Related Content
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