Straight Record looks like a quick checkbox mission until you're out there in the Dam Battlegrounds staring at empty terrain and wondering if the marker bugged. If you're trying to prep your loadout first, browsing ARC Raiders Items can help, but the real trick is simply spawning close enough that you're not sprinting across the whole map while everyone else gets set up to ambush you.

Get Yourself to Victory Ridge

You want Victory Ridge on the north side of the Dam Battlegrounds. If your pod drops you deep south near Generator Hall or the Hydroponics Dome Complex, don't feel bad about bailing early. Plenty of runs die on the commute. Aim for the stretch between West Broken Bridge and Ruby Residence, then keep moving along the ridge line instead of cutting through wide open low ground where you're basically a walking target.

Spot the Trap Before You Start Flipping Things

The EMP trap isn't some huge machine with lights and a big sign on it. It's more like a battered radio unit with an antenna, sitting in a fairly open clearing. On the map, think west of Generator Hall and north of the Hydroponics Dome. Once you've got eyes on it, remember you can't disable it straight away. You've got to power it down through three nearby switches, and the area gets messy fast if you linger and make noise.

Switch 1, Switch 2, Switch 3

1) Start with the easiest one: from the device, head directly north. There's a small rise you can scramble up, and a glowing control box sits up there waiting for you. 2) Next, go east into the ruined buildings. This is the awkward one. You'll need to reach the second floor, then carefully cross a narrow pipe that links two broken sections to get to the box. Take it slow—falling here costs time and usually health. 3) For the last switch, head south toward the Hydroponics side and look for a power cable on the ground. Follow that cable as it runs back north and it'll lead you straight to the final box.

Shut It Down and Get Out Alive

Once all three switches are flipped, loop back to the EMP unit in the middle and interact to disable it. That's the mission step, but it won't matter if you get greedy and overstay. Sweep the clearing, listen for footsteps, and don't be afraid to rotate to extraction instead of taking the "short" route through someone else's line of sight. When you do make it back to Celeste, the reward's solid for the effort—especially if you're building toward better ARC Raiders gear and don't want to lose another run to a bad cross-map trek.