The Fastest Way to Travel in Sons of the Forest: A Comprehensive Guide
The sprawling, treacherous landscape of Sons of the Forest demands efficient travel. Whether you’re escaping cannibals, gathering resources, or exploring the mysteries of the island, knowing how to move quickly is crucial for survival. So, what’s the absolute fastest way to traverse this dangerous territory? The answer is a combination of tools, techniques, and, of course, a bit of good timing: the Hang Glider, combined with strategic use of the Golf Cart, where and when appropriate. Let’s dive deeper into how and why.
The Reign of the Hang Glider
While the golf cart is quick, the Hang Glider stands out for sheer speed and the ability to bypass obstacles. Introduced in an early update, it dramatically changed the way players navigate the island. Unlike walking, sprinting, or even using ziplines, the Hang Glider allows you to soar above the terrain, covering vast distances with unmatched velocity.
Mastering the Hang Glider
- Acquisition: The Hang Glider isn’t a starting item. You’ll need to find it located on a snowy cliff’s edge overlooking the forest, near 2 red tents. Using your GPS and map to pinpoint the location will help you find it quickly.
- Deployment: Once acquired, simply hold down the jump button while running off a suitable edge. After a few seconds, the glider will deploy, allowing you to glide across the landscape.
- Landing: The Hang Glider will continue flying until you hit the ground or an obstacle, such as a tree. Try and scout out a suitable area when you know you are getting close to your destination.
Why the Hang Glider is the Top Choice for Speed
- Bypass Obstacles: The hang glider allows you to fly over mountains, water bodies, and dense forests, circumventing routes that would otherwise take considerably longer on foot or in a cart.
- Speed Advantage: Covering long distances in a short amount of time, the Hang Glider significantly reduces travel time across the island when compared to other transport options.
- Strategic Positioning: Using the hang glider to reach elevated vantage points can help you scout for resources, identify enemy locations, or plan your next move strategically.
The Supporting Role of the Golf Cart
While not as versatile as the Hang Glider, the Golf Cart is another vital mode of transport in Sons of the Forest, which arrived in Patch 07. It’s best used on flatter land, as it does get stuck easily in forests and on rocky terrain.
The Utility of the Golf Cart
- Faster Ground Movement: The Golf Cart significantly outpaces walking or sprinting across flat ground.
- Carrying Capacity: Compared to your own inventory, the Golf Cart allows you to transport more materials, making it ideal for long resource gathering trips.
- Accessibility: Although golf carts are not available at the start of the game, you can find several broken down ones around the island. Eventually, you will find one that is functional, allowing quick ground movement.
The Limitations of the Golf Cart
- Terrain Dependence: The Golf Cart is very unreliable on uneven terrain. Navigating through dense forests, rocky areas, or steep slopes is difficult and often impossible.
- Vulnerability: While faster than walking, it’s not immune to cannibals and other enemies. Players are vulnerable in the open while driving, so you will need to take care when choosing your routes.
- Limited Maneuverability: It can be quite difficult to change direction, or stop suddenly in the Golf Cart. Planning your route is essential when using it, as you cannot stop or make sharp turns on a dime.
Combining Transportation Methods for Maximum Efficiency
The key to truly fast travel is knowing when to use which mode of transport. The ideal strategy combines the speed and versatility of the Hang Glider with the grounded efficiency of the Golf Cart:
- Hang Glider for Long Distances: Use the Hang Glider to cover large distances quickly, circumventing obstacles, and reaching elevated areas.
- Golf Cart for Resource Runs: Once you’ve landed, use the Golf Cart for efficiently gathering materials across flat, navigable areas.
- Strategic Zipline Placements: Utilize ziplines strategically to connect key locations or provide shortcuts over difficult terrain, which is especially useful to connect places you know you will be travelling between frequently.
- Sprinting when necessary: While it’s not the fastest, it’s still handy to get out of a quick scrape, or reach a close by area quickly.
By mastering both the Hang Glider and the Golf Cart, players can significantly reduce travel times in Sons of the Forest, allowing them to explore more efficiently, complete quests quickly, and ultimately, increase their survival chances.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is sprinting faster than walking in Sons of the Forest?
Yes, sprinting (running) is significantly faster than walking. You can sprint by holding down the Left Shift key while moving. However, sprinting uses stamina, so it’s not ideal for long-distance travel.
2. How do you get the Hang Glider in Sons of the Forest?
The Hang Glider is found on a snowy cliff’s edge, near two red tents. You’ll need to use your GPS to locate it.
3. What other modes of transport are there?
Besides the Hang Glider and Golf Cart, the game also has ziplines, which are accessible with the Rope Gun, and the Sled, which helps traverse down slopes with a controlled speed.
4. Can you teleport in Sons of the Forest?
Yes, if you enable cheatstick mode, you can use the command “gotozone” to teleport to areas of the map. This will take you to the general location, rather than a pinpoint spot.
5. How do I deploy the Hang Glider?
After finding it, hold the jump button while running off an edge. The Hang Glider will deploy after a few seconds in the air.
6. Is the Sled a good way to travel?
The Sled is useful for descending steep slopes safely. It allows for controlled sliding instead of free-falling, and helps avoid fall damage.
7. Are there any cars to drive in Sons of the Forest?
While there are broken down Golf Carts dotted around, you can find working ones to drive around. These are not standard cars, but they do offer a quick way to move around flat terrains.
8. What is the best axe for speed?
The Tactical Axe is the best axe for speed, allowing you to cut down trees and fend off enemies quicker.
9. Why does Sons of the Forest stutter?
Stuttering can be due to factors such as a low-end graphics card, outdated drivers, background tasks, improper game settings, corrupt game files, and known bugs.
10. Who is Virginia in Sons of the Forest?
Virginia is a three-legged, three-armed mutant who can act as a companion NPC. She can fight alongside players and help in various ways, such as hunting. You can give her weapons to make her more useful and effective.
11. Can you use guns in Sons of the Forest?
Yes, you can find a pistol and a shotgun in the game. However, ammunition is not readily available, making them valuable resources. There may be more discoverable weapons as well.
12. Where can you sleep in Sons of the Forest?
You can sleep in a stick bed or a tent. Pre-designed cabins don’t have beds.
13. Is Sons of the Forest scarier than The Forest?
Yes, Sons of the Forest is considered significantly scarier than its predecessor, with more terrifying enemy designs.
14. Does Sons of the Forest have a bad ending?
Yes, there is a bad ending where you choose to stay on the island, resulting in you being left behind by Timmy and Eric.
15. What is the world record for beating Sons of the Forest?
The current world record for beating Sons of the Forest is around seven minutes and 38 seconds by a dedicated speedrunner.
By using the Hang Glider, making smart use of the Golf Cart, and utilizing other modes of transport available, you will dramatically improve your ability to navigate the dangers of Sons of the Forest and greatly enhance your survival chances.