Getting Started

"content": "## Getting Started

Welcome to The Forest. This guide will walk you through everything you need to survive your first day on the peninsula. No prior knowledge required.

Character Creation

There is no character creation in The Forest. You play as Eric LeBlanc, a father searching for his son Timmy after a plane crash. Your appearance is fixed, and all players start identically.

Controls Overview

#### PC (Keyboard + Mouse)
#### PlayStation 4 / PS5
#### Xbox One / Series X|S

User Interface (UI) Overview

• Health (green bar, top-left) – depletes from damage; regens slowly when well-fed. If empty you die (unless you have a revive item).


• Energy (yellow bar, top-left) – drains from sprinting, climbing, heavy actions. Refills when idle.


• Thirst (blue droplet icon, top-left) – needs water; drink from ponds, collect water collectors, or craft a canteen.


• Hunger (leg of meat icon, top-left) – needs food; eat berries, meat, mushrooms, or crafted meals.


• Armor (shield icon, top-left) – temporary protection from crafted armor (e.g., lizard armor, bone armor).


• Inventory (press I/B/View) – grid-based; items take up spaces. Scroll through with mouse or D-pad.


• Survival Guide (press B/Options/Menu) – crafting recipes, equipment info, notes. Essential.


• Radar pulse (bottom-left, small circle) – when cannibals or mutants are nearby, it pulses faster. Helps detect threats.


• Compass & clock (top-center) – direction and time of day. Night is dangerous.


• Ammo counter (bottom-right) – for ranged weapons.




Essential Early Objectives (First Hour)


Your plane crashes on a forested peninsula. You must:
1. Survive the crash – unbuckle, follow the son’s cries, exit the cockpit. You’ll see Timmy led away by a stranger. You’ll black out.
2. Wake up in the cave – you’ll be inside a dark cave near the crash site. Follow the light and gather basic supplies (lighter, snacks, meds, an axe) from the suitcases.
3. Get a weapon – your first priority is the Plane Axe (found in the cockpit near the pilot’s body). If you missed it, go back up the plane wreck. It’s your only melee weapon initially.
4. Find water – either drink from the small pond near the crash, or collect rain/dew from leaves (craft a turtle shell water collector, but that’s day 2).
5. Find food – berries (blueberries, blackberries) are everywhere. Avoid red berries (poisonous). Also mushrooms, but identify carefully.
6. Build a temporary shelter – gather sticks (from bushes) and fabric (from suitcases). Open your Survival Guide (B/Options), navigate to Small Shelter (sticks x3 + fabric x1). Place it somewhere near water. This gives a save point and restoration of health/energy when slept in.
7. Start a fire – use a stick + cloth + sap? Actually, craft a Basic Fire (sticks x5 + leaves x2). Also craft a Lighter or use the one you found. Fire scares cannibals at night.
8. Explore the immediate area – locate the suitcases scattered around the plane for supplies: snacks, meds, cloth, dynamite, coins, etc.
9. Avoid combat – don’t fight cannibals early; they’re fast and tough. Run, hide, climb trees (to lose them).
10. Find a reliable water source – the pond near the crash is a meeting point for cannibals. Consider moving inland to a safer lake or stream.



What to Do First vs What to Avoid


DO FIRST:

• Collect all suitcase contents from plane wreckage.


• Craft a Modern Axe if possible (requires: stick + cloth + rope + duct tape?) Actually that's later. Stick with Plane Axe.


• Build a Small Shelter (saves game, safe sleep).


• Build a Basic Fire (cook food, warmth, light).


• Collect medicinal aloe and marigold flowers to craft Aloe Salve (cures poison) and Herbal Medicine (heals).


• Learn to use the Survival Guide – it stores crafting recipes automatically as you discover resources.


• Mark your home base location with a GPS panel (obtained later from caves).


AVOID:

• Do not enter caves until you have a crafted weapon (like a spear or upgraded stick) and at least a lighter. The caves lead to the main storyline but are full of deadly mutants.


• Do not chop down many trees near your base – it creates noise and attracts cannibals.


• Do not eat red mushrooms, red berries, or food that looks spoiled (green tint).


• Do not sleep on the ground without a shelter – you’ll be vulnerable.


• Do not light large campfires at night near your shelter – attracts attention.


• Do not kill cannibals without a plan – their bodies can attract more. Dispose of bodies in water or burn them.


• Do not outfit your base with expensive traps until you have surplus resources.




Early Resource Priorities (First Day)


1. Water – thirst kills fast. Drink from any freshwater source. Collect rainwater using a Turtle Shell (crafted from turtle shell + sticks) or craft a Water Collector (sticks + cloth + waterproofing? Actually later).
2. Food – berries (blue/black), mushrooms (shelf mushrooms are safe, others need cooking). Kill lizards for meat (use spear or axe). Cook meat on fire before eating.
3. Stamina food – crafted Herbal Medicine (marigold + aloe) restores health and stamina.
4. Weapons – first upgrade: Upgraded Stick (stick + cloth + booze? Actually crafted as club) or Spear (stick + x1 rope? No, spear = stick x2 + rope x1). Spear is throwable.
5. Fire source – lighter (from suitcase) or craft fire bow (later). For now, use matches found in suitcases.
6. Armor – craft Lizard Skin Armor (lizard meat + 2x cloth). Gives 20 protection. Find lizards near water.
7. Tools – Rope (found in caves or suitcases) is crucial for building. Cloth (suitscases, cannibal tents) for bandages.<|im_end|>



Common Beginner Mistakes



• Camping in the plane wreck – cannibals patrol the crash site heavily. Move at least 100 meters away.


• Not saving – the game autosaves only after certain events. Use a Shelf? Actually, save by interacting with a shelter (small or large). Save often (every 10-20 min).


• Attacking cannibals with fists – always use a weapon. Even the Plane Axe does moderate damage; barehanded deals almost none.


• Ignoring thirst – you need to drink every few minutes when active. Always carry a water skin or know where water is.


• Building too large too fast – big bases attract more attacks. Start small: a shelter, a fire, a drying rack (for meat preservation).


• Eating raw meat – causes food poisoning. Always cook on fire or a campfire.


• Going into caves unprepared – caves have aggressive mutants and need light sources. Wait until you have a spear and a few flares or the Rebreather.


• Not using the Survival Guide – the guide shows all known recipes. Open it whenever you pick up a new item.


• Dying without a revive item – if you die, you get a game over unless you have a Life Bracelet (found in caves) or die with a Timmy doll? Actually, permadeath is default. In co-op, you can be revived by a friend. In single-player, death = reload last save.


• Throwing away precious materials – do not discard cloth or rope; they are essential for many crafts.




Day One Checklist


Before nightfall on your first day, complete as many of these as possible:

• [ ] Collect all suitcases near the plane (at least 6-8).


• [ ] Craft a Plane Axe (if not obtained automatically – you get it from cockpit).


• [ ] Find a water source (pond near crash or stream).


• [ ] Build a Small Shelter (3 sticks + 1 cloth) and save the game.


• [ ] Build a Basic Fire (5 sticks + 2 leaves) and light it.


• [ ] Gather at least 10 berries (not red).


• [ ] Kill and cook at least 2 lizards (dropped meat + lizard skin).


• [ ] Craft Lizard Skin Armor (2 cloth + 1 lizard meat? Actually recipe: 2 cloth + 1 lizard skin). Use the skin.


• [ ] Cut down one tree to get logs (for building). Place logs near your shelter for storage.


• [ ] Build a Drying Rack (5 sticks + 2 rope? Actually: 3 sticks plus something else – check guide). Used to dry meat for long-term storage.


• [ ] Locate the Cave Entrance near the crash (for later) but do not enter.


• [ ] Craft a Spear (2 sticks + 1 rope) for ranged attacks.


• [ ] Learn the surrounding landmarks to avoid getting lost.




First Hour Walkthrough (Step-by-Step)



Minutes 0-5: After the crash cutscene, unbuckle and exit the plane. Move forward toward the cries. You’ll see Timmy taken. Blackout.

Minutes 5-10: Wake in a cave. Open the suitcases near you (lighter, snacks, cloth). Follow the lit path upward to exit the cave. You’ll emerge near the plane wreck on the beach.

Minutes 10-20: Go back into the plane cockpit (look for a yellowish light). Grab the Plane Axe from the dead pilot. Search all suitcases scattered outside (yellow bags). Collect cloth, duct tape, matches, snacks, meds, soda, coins.

Minutes 20-30: Look for a flat area near water (but not right next to the pond with cannibals). Ideally find a spot with a small pond or stream, and open space. Place your Small Shelter blueprint (press B → Small Shelter → place). Gather sticks and cloth to complete it. Sleep to set spawn.

Minutes 30-40: Build a Basic Fire next to shelter. Light it. Then hunt lizards with your axe (they are slow). Collect 2-3 lizard skins and meat. Cook meat. Craft armor if possible.

Minutes 40-50: Explore around your base. Cut down a tree (hit it with axe about 10 times). Collect logs. Learn to drag logs (approach and press E to pick up, use G to place). Use logs to build a Log Holder (craft from survival guide). Store 3-5 logs for future building.

Minutes 50-60: Gather berries and drink water. Mark your base on the map (press M to see – but the map is initially blank until you find map pieces in caves). Instead, remember landmarks: the plane crash direction, the sea, any rock formations. Build a Drying Rack (if you have rope) and place cooked meat on it to preserve.

Just before dark (around 18:00 in-game): Return to your shelter. Light the fire. Eat and drink. Save game. If you hear rustling or see pale figures, stay inside your shelter or climb onto it (you can place a standing stick ladder). Avoid eye contact – hiding inside shelter makes enemies lose interest eventually.



Platform-Specific Tips



• PC: Adjust FOV in settings (90-100 preferred). Key rebinding is available. Use mouse wheel for quick item swap.


• PlayStation: Use the touchpad for inventory – tap once to open, swipe for map. Enable ‘alternate crouch’ in options (hold circle).


• Xbox: The View button can be cumbersome; try mapping inventory to a back paddle if using Elite controller. Otherwise, practice D-pad navigation.

Final Advice

Take your time. The Forest rewards cautious exploration and preparation. Don’t rush into caves or combat. Build a modest base, stockpile resources, and learn enemy patterns. Your first few days are about survival, not story progression. Once you have armor, a spears, and a steady food supply, you can consider exploring the sinkhole or caves. Good luck, and remember: the peninsula remembers.