In the Roblox asymmetrical horror game GRIMWORKS (developed by puliltz), restoring power is required whenever the pizzeria experiences a blackout. During a power outage, the match timer freezes and disappears from the screen, electronic security doors stop functioning, and darkness blankets the building. Survivors must locate parts and repair one of the facility generators to turn the lights back on and resume the countdown toward 6:00 AM.
How Blackouts and Power Outages Occur
Blackouts act as a mandatory survival checkpoint during matches. In pre-alpha match footage and developer previews, power outages consistently trigger around the halfway point of the night, typically near 3:00 AM to 3:30 AM. Outages can also be accelerated when survivors heavily rely on electronic safety tools, such as the 3-second mechanical doors and flashlight recharge stations positioned throughout the map.
When the power fails, survivors face several immediate environmental penalties:
- Frozen Match Timer: The main objective clock completely pauses. The night will not progress toward 6:00 AM until the power is restored, giving the Attraction unlimited time to hunt.
- Disabled Security Doors: The powered blast doors that survivors use to cut off chase paths lose power and cannot be shut.
- Deepened Darkness: The pizzeria drops into pitch blackness, forcing players to consume flashlight battery to navigate corridors and avoid traps.
Step-by-Step Generator Repair Tasks
Developer Q&As confirmed that maps contain four preset generator stations, but the survivor team only needs to complete one full generator repair to bring the entire pizzeria's electrical grid back online.
To restore power, a player must interact (default E key) and complete three separate repair steps:
- Locate and Pour Gasoline: Search the nearby rooms for randomly spawned fuel canisters. Once carried to the generator, interact with the fuel port to trigger a balancing minigame where you must keep a gas tank icon stabilized in the center of a moving circular gauge.
- Retrieve and Connect Cables: Search the surrounding area for loose electrical wiring. Return to the generator unit and complete the wiring task by connecting matching cable ends across the junction panel.
- Calibrate the Jump-Start Timing: Complete a timed precision check similar to classic survival minigames. A marker sweeps across an interface meter, and you must press Space (or tap on mobile) precisely when the needle crosses into the designated yellow zone.
Once all three tasks are resolved on a single unit, the generator sparks, ambient overhead lighting returns, safety doors regain functionality, and the match clock resumes counting down to morning.
Blackout Mechanics: Generator vs. Normal Play
| Game Feature | Normal Power State | Blackout State |
|---|---|---|
| Match Clock | Progresses from 12:00 AM to 6:00 AM | Completely frozen and hidden |
| Pizzeria Lighting | Ambient lighting active | Pitch blackness; requires flashlight |
| Mechanical Doors | Can close for 3 seconds (30s cooldown) | Disabled and unusable |
| Flashlight Rechargers | Usable at designated wall stations | Usable, but excessive use drains grid |
| Required Generators | 0 | 1 completed unit (out of 4 available) |
Strategic Counters During Power Cuts
Restoring power exposes survivors to severe risk, but the game includes specific rules to keep the objective balanced against killer pressure.
Dealing with Generator Camping
Because the killer (such as The Leader) can monitor damaged generators, survivors should avoid grouping at a single contested machine. The developers established that because four generators spawn per map and only one requires repair, the team can immediately rotate to an alternate generator across the building if the Attraction chooses to camp one side of the pizzeria.
The Last Man Standing (LMS) Failsafe
Survivors do not need to worry about being trapped at a generator during the endgame. Developer Q&A sessions confirmed that if the survivor team is whittled down to a single player, entering Last Man Standing automatically forces the power grid back on. The blackout clears instantly, the final survivor receives a health reset, and the timer fixes to a 1-minute 30-second final survival standoff (4:30 AM jumping straight to the 6:00 AM resolution).
Flashlight Battery Management
Because repair parts are hidden in unlit corners, survivors frequently burn through their flashlight reserves during an outage. While wall chargers replenish the battery, recharging locks your character in place for several seconds. Always check your surroundings or ensure a teammate is monitoring the hallway before docking your flashlight at a station while the power is out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do survivors have to fix all four generators to turn the lights on?
No. While four generators spawn across the map layout, completing all three repair components on any single generator will successfully restore power to the entire facility.
Can the killer use vents or open closed doors during power cuts?
Mechanical doors lose power entirely during blackouts, meaning survivors cannot shut them to stall killers in the first place. Crawling into air vents remains an option for survivors to escape chases, but vents are tied to an internal oxygen gauge that forces players out if used too long.
What happens if nobody repairs the generator?
The round will not end. Because the clock freezes the moment the power cuts, survivors cannot wait out the night without interacting with the generator objectives. Power must be restored manually, or the match must reach the Last Man Standing stage to resume the timer.
