1. How to Change Flare Color
GamesRadar notes that holding R opens the color menu. Use the mouse wheel to select a color, then release R to load. Options include cyan, red, yellow, orange and dark blue; the default is green.
Fire flares toward the sky. If the angle is too low, they may fall without forming a visible smoke cloud.
2. Do Colors Have Fixed Meanings?
There is no enforced rule in-game. Public guides describe flares as communication tools, not weapons. A common community habit is green for friendly contact, yellow for caution or keep distance, and red for hostility, but this is player convention, not a system rule.
3. Extraction Green Smoke Is Not a Normal Signal
After calling extraction, the Trampler releases green smoke. This tells nearby players you are extracting. It does not mean "I am friendly"; it means "I may have loot and I am waiting for the ship."
Before calling, make sure the area is quiet. After calling, keep time away from the ship as short as possible.
4. Practical Rules
- Without voice, flares can show intent, but do not assume strangers will honor the convention.
- When carrying Coral Chunks, Weird Coral or a full crate, do not reveal yourself just to say hello.
- Squads can predefine colors, such as yellow for regroup, blue for retreat and red for fire.
- Flares have limited duration. Fire too early and teammates may miss it; fire too late and enemies may already be close.
5. Flare Scenarios
You see a ship first
If your loot is valuable, do not flare. Break line of sight and leave. Use a flare only when you actively want contact or need to warn them off.
Your looter is away from the Trampler
Fire a pre-agreed color high above the ship, then move toward the planned meeting point. Do not fire repeatedly from the exact spot you want to hide.
Green smoke is already visible
A second flare usually adds more exposure. Use voice, movement or gun angles instead unless the flare is part of a squad-specific fallback signal.
6. Simple Team Color Preset
Before a run, agree on three colors only. Too many meanings slow everyone down during combat.