Game Settings

Game Settings

This section details every configurable setting in The Forest, covering graphics, audio, controls, accessibility, language, network, and gameplay. It includes recommended optimizations for performance and quality across low, medium, high, and ultra hardware tiers, and highlights settings that are easy to misconfigure.

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1. Graphics Settings

Graphics options are found in the main menu under Options > Video. Adjust them before starting a session; many changes require a restart to take full effect.

1.1 Display Mode & Resolution

• Fullscreen – Best performance, exclusive fullscreen. Use this if you play on a single monitor.


• Windowed – Allows easy alt-tabbing but reduces performance slightly.


• Borderless Windowed – Good for multi-monitor setups or streaming; uses your desktop resolution. Slightly less performance than fullscreen.


• Resolution – Set to your monitor’s native resolution. Lower resolutions (e.g., 1280x720) can boost performance on weak GPUs.




1.2 VSync & Frame Rate



• VSync (On/Off) – On eliminates screen tearing but can cause input lag. Off gives higher FPS with possible tearing. Recommended: Off for multiplayer or fast-paced combat.


• Max FPS – Not directly available in The Forest; you can cap FPS via GPU driver or external tools (e.g., RivaTuner). Recommended cap: 60 FPS for consistency, or 144 FPS if you have a high-refresh-rate monitor and can sustain it.




1.3 Field of View (FOV)



• Slider (60–90) – Default is 70. Higher FOV gives wider peripheral vision but can distort edges and reduce performance slightly. Recommended: 75 for balanced gameplay. 90 if you are prone to motion sickness. Avoid going below 70; it feels claustrophobic.

1.4 Quality Presets & Individual Options

The game offers five presets: Low, Medium, High, Ultra, Custom. For precise control, use Custom and tweak individual settings.

1.5 Recommended Presets by Hardware Tier

Important: High-end GPUs may still experience stuttering due to engine limitations. Enable VSync only if you see tearing; otherwise use a driver-level frame cap.

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2. Audio Settings

All audio settings are under Options > Audio.

• Master Volume – Overall volume.


• Music Volume – Background music. Lower if you want to hear footsteps or enemies better.


• SFX Volume – Sound effects (footsteps, combat, building). Keep high for survival cues.


• Voice Volume – Dialogue and enemy vocalizations. Important for detecting cannibal chatter.


• UI Volume – Menu sounds, inventory clicks. Usually fine at default.


• Audio Output – Stereo, 5.1, or 7.1. Choose according to your setup. If using headphones, Stereo is best.


• Subtitles (On/Off) – Turn on if you have hearing difficulties or play in a noisy environment. Note: subtitles only cover scripted dialogue, not ambient sounds.


Misconfiguration Tip: If you cannot hear cannibal footsteps, ensure SFX volume is high (≥80%) and Music volume low (≤30%).

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3. Controls Settings





3.1 Keyboard & Mouse



Accessible via Options > Controls > Key Bindings. Customize every action.

Essential Keybinds:

• Move – WASD (unchanged)


• Interact / Pick Up – E


• Attack – Left Mouse Button


• Block / Aim – Right Mouse Button


• Sprint – Left Shift


• Crouch – Left Ctrl


• Inventory – I


• Crafting – C


• Map / Compass – M


• Torch / Lighter – L


• Book – B (survival guide)


• Quick Select (1-5) – Weapon / tool slots


• Use Item – F


• Jump – Space


• Sit / Sleep – Z


Mouse Sensitivity – Adjust from 0.1 to 10. Recommended: 3.0–4.5 for precise aiming. Higher sensitivity helps quick turns but may cause overshoot. Enable Raw Input (if available) to bypass OS acceleration.

Invert Y-Axis – Off by default. Enable only if accustomed to flight controls.



3.2 Controller



The Forest fully supports Xbox and PlayStation controllers. Plug in before launching. Settings under Options > Controls > Controller.


• Controller Sensitivity – Default 0.5. Adjust to taste; higher for faster camera rotation.


• Vibration (On/Off) – Immersive but can be distracting during stealth. Turn off to preserve battery.


• Input Mode – Auto-detect or manual. If using a DualShock 4, Steam Input may mimic Xbox prompts; set to PlayStation layout if you want correct button icons.


Special Attention: The Forest does not support re-binding controller buttons in-game. If you need custom mapping, use Steam’s Controller Configurator (Big Picture Mode) or third-party tools.

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4. Accessibility Options



The Forest offers limited built-in accessibility features. Most are found in Options > Gameplay or Audio.


• Subtitles – On/Off. Many scripted dialogues are subtitled, but ambient enemy sounds are not. Helps players with hearing impairments.


• Crouch Toggle – Instead of holding Crouch, you can toggle it. Useful for players with motor disabilities. Enable in Controls (set Crouch to toggle mode, though not explicitly labeled – you can rebind a toggle key via .cfg editing, but officially there is no toggle option).


• Color Blind Modes – Not available. Survival relies on color cues (e.g., health icons, blueprint colors). No workaround in vanilla.


• UI Scale – Not adjustable. The HUD is fixed size, which may be small on 4K screens.


Workarounds:

• Use Windows’ Accessibility Magnifier for small UI.


• Enable NVIDIA Freestyle or AMD Radeon Image Sharpening to improve clarity.


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5. Language Settings



The Forest supports multiple languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Russian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and more.


• Change Language: Via Options > Language (main menu). List is scrollable.


• Note: Changing language requires a restart of the game. All menus, subtitles, and UI text will update. Audio remains in English (no alternate voiceovers).


Misconfiguration: If you accidentally pick a language you cannot read, look for the flag icons next to each option to identify your native language.

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6. Network & Multiplayer Settings



The Forest supports up to 8 players in a co-op session. Settings are under Options > Network (while in a multiplayer world or at the main menu).


• Server Name – Only editable if you are hosting.


• Password – Set a password to keep your game private.


• Max Players – 1 to 8. Set to 2–4 for a balanced experience.


• Voice Chat – Enable/Disable. In‑game voice chat uses push‑to‑talk (default R). Disable if using Discord.


• Network Quality – Low / Medium / High / Ultra. This affects how often the game syncs positions and state. High or Ultra is recommended for consistent gameplay with friends, even on slower connections. Low reduces bandwidth but may cause desync.


• LAN Only – Check to restrict discovery to local network (no internet connection needed).


Special Attention: Multiplayer uses peer‑to‑peer hosting. The host’s settings (graphics, gameplay) affect all players. Ensure the host has a stable upload speed (≥5 Mbps recommended). Save progress is tied to the host’s save file.

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7. Gameplay Settings



Found under Options > Gameplay.


• Difficulty – Peaceful / Normal / Hard / Hard Survival (Hard Survival unlocks after completing the game once).

- Peaceful: No cannibals or mutants. Only wildlife. Good for building or story exploration.
- Normal: Default. Cannibals appear, but are not overly aggressive. Resources plentiful.
- Hard: Enemies deal more damage, are more aggressive, and resources are scarce.
- Hard Survival: Permadeath? Not exactly – your save is deleted on death. Not recommended for learning.

• Building Destruction (On/Off) – When On, enemies can destroy your structures. Off prevents damage, helpful for builders who want a stress‑free experience. Can be changed mid‑game via console commands but not in options after world creation (Note: In multiplayer, the host controls this).


• Infinite Resources (On/Off) – Only available in Peaceful mode. When On, sticks, stones, and other resources never deplete. Great for creative building.


• Head Bobbing (On/Off) – Simulates walking motion. Disable to reduce motion sickness.


• Camera Shake (On/Off) – Screen shakes during explosions or big hits. Turn off for stability.


• Aim Down Sights (On/Off) – Whether firearms use iron sights. On by default.


• Auto‑Pick Up Items (On/Off) – Automatically collects certain items when near. Off gives manual control.


• Tool Tips (On/Off) – Displays hints about new items and actions. Keep On for new players.


• Compass / Clock Display (On/Off) – Toggles HUD elements. Keep On for navigation.

Misconfiguration Warning: If you start a world on Normal or Hard and later wish enemies could destroy your base, you cannot change Building Destruction after world creation (unless you use console commands `builddestroy off/on`). Plan ahead.

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8. Special Attention Points During Setup

1. Resolution Scaling (Not Present): The Forest does not have a resolution scaling slider. If you need to lower resolution to improve performance, manually set a lower resolution in the drop‑down.

2. HDR Not Supported: The game does not support HDR. Leave HDR disabled on your display.

3. Save Corruption Risk: Always exit via the main menu (Save & Quit) to avoid corrupting your save. Do not force‑close the game while auto‑save icon (floppy disk) is showing.

4. Mods & Settings: If you install mods, some graphics settings may be overridden. Common mods like “The Forest: Redux” add custom settings. Read mod documentation.

5. Console Commands: You can access developer console by pressing F1 (enable in launch options via Steam: `-console`). Commands allow changing draw distance, FOV further, enabling debug overlays. Not recommended for casual play.

6. Multiplayer Netcode: If you experience rubber‑banding, lower the Network Quality to Medium. Also ensure no one is using Wi‑Fi with high latency – wired connections are better.

7. Subtitles Only for Scripted Events: Do not rely on subtitles for enemy sounds. Adjust audio balance as described in section 2.

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Final Advice: Start with the High preset on mid‑range hardware and disable motion blur, depth of field, and lower shadows to Medium. Tweak per setting only if you need more FPS. For multiplayer, host with a wired connection and keep settings consistent for all players.