The first Sons of the Forest update is coming soon. The new content and fixes will be a part of a series of updates during the game’s early access period.
While there are no roadmaps or any official announcements regarding the next update’s content, Endnight has provided some information from a recent Q&A with the r/TheForest Team. There is also the more obvious missing content that will inevitably make its way into the game.
For players curious about what Endnight has in store for the first Sons of the Forest update, here is a list of possible content that may be coming in a few days:
Updates on the Crafting and Building Systems
The crafting and building systems in Sons of the Forest are some of its best features. The crafting feels good and the building system becomes intuitive overtime. However, there are still some aspects that the developers may want to improve.
For instance, the building system is lacking in blueprints. Buildings like water collectors and log sleds are not in the game but are likely to appear in the next update or other upcoming updates. The developers may also have other buildings in mind that they want to add in the next update, such as new furniture and utility items.
Regarding the crafting system, Endnight may need to make a few changes to existing recipes as well as add new ones. One recipe in our mind is bone armor, which requires 4 bones, 1 tape, and 1 rope.
While most of the materials needed for rope are easy to get, the player can only carry 10 ropes at a time. This makes the bone armor somewhat expensive for just mitigating one hit from a regular enemy cannibal. One thing they can do is swap the rope for wires which are more abundant and players can carry more than 50 of them at a time.
Players can expect these types of tweaks to various crafting recipes to balance the game and make the experience more fun.
More Lore and Story Elements
The Sons of the Forest lore is interesting but is currently lacking. There are many holes in the current story and questions that the game has yet to answer. Players who have finished the game’s story understand how the ending seems confusing and raises a lot of questions.
In a recent Q&A, Endnight developers stated that there are plans for adding a lot more lore in the game. There will be new story-related areas and cutscenes to expand on the story. They will also add new story-related items, such as notes that players can collect around the island.
Players can expect the update to have at least a few story-related additions to make the world interesting and rewarding to explore.
New Creatures
Sons of the Forest introduced players to new mutants and cannibal types that were not present in the first game.
Cannibals now have a hierarchy and different classes which makes them unique. Some cannibals are larger and tougher while others are more agile but fragile. There are also a variety of mutants that pose different challenges to players. Some can tank a dozen arrows while others are extremely weak against fire.
Endnight developers have stated in a Q&A that they will soon release new creatures in the game. Currently, the devs are testing out and perhaps balancing the new creatures to ensure a quality experience for players.
Filling the Empty Parts of the Map
One of the most prominent criticisms of the game is the large and empty map. Sons of the Forest’s map is four times larger than the first game but is lacking in content.
For instance, players following the story will notice that they only need to explore a quarter of the map to get the essential items and finish the game. Exploring away from these areas will lead players to barren locations that offer nothing in terms of progression and gameplay.
There are also a lot of caves in the game which seem to be unfinished. Players can expect that these places will eventually receive significant updates and become explorable areas.
For now, the upcoming update may simply fill in a small part of the map or add a new cave to explore. Alternatively, adding map content may not be at the top of the list and only come in the next few updates.
AI Improvements for Companions
Kelvin and Virginia have proved their worth as AI companions. Kelvin is a significant help in building and resource collecting. Virginia adds a unique feel to the environment and acts as a second gunman for the player.
However, there are still a lot of improvements in terms of AI and utility. Kelvin can sometimes accidentally destroy buildings while Virginia cannot follow orders.
As the devs stated in the Q&A, they have plans to add more command options for Kelvin and improve Virginia’s AI. However, these changes may not come in the first update since these are complex and major additions.
Still, players can expect some small changes to the companion AIs whether it be bug fixes or polishing certain features.
Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements
Lastly, any major update will come with a lot of bug fixes and performance improvements. There are a couple of bugs that need addressing, such as disappearing logs, non-interactable items and companions, and achievements not unlocking.
Many players have also expressed their complaints about performance. Some players encounter frequent crashing while others get very low FPS with their high-end gaming rigs.
The upcoming update will set the standard for what players can expect from Endnight and Sons of the Forest early access. We hope the upcoming update will provide relevant new content and make the experience more fun and engaging.
