The Forest v0.02 Update - Sharks, Cassette Player and Rafts

Bang on time, the second Alpha version of The Forest has been released. Version 0.02 comes with performance improvements, bugs fixes but most importantly new items. These new items include the cassette player, shark, roof and simple raft.

As we predicted in our other post where we uncovered secret items in the game files, v0.02 does in fact include the shark. We saw the shark model in the game files together with the shark bite code. Both of these have been included in this version - Sharks swim freely in the ocean and also aggressively bite the player when they swim too close.

We also unearthed the cassette player model in the game files before v0.02 came out. We thought that the cassette player would play a part in the story, and it still might, but the immediate use for the player is to restore the players health.

Ok I'll run through each of the new items below...

Cassette Player

Before v0.02 was released, Endlight Games teased us with a secret item that they said would be added to the sailing yacht.

As it turns out, that secret item is in fact the Cassette Player which you can pick up and add to your backpack inventory. Players can equip and then use the Cassette Player to play music, which over time heals your energy.

Sharks

Found in the sea which surrounds the island. These aggressive creatures make it much harder to venture to the other islands now. They are considerably faster than the player and the shark bite is deadly. You won't miss them coming either as they look exactly like Jaws.

Simple Raft

The Simple Raft is now buildable in v0.02. There's no sail yet but the blueprint option is available via the survival crafting book. The raft is the first craftable boat in the game and now that sharks have made their appearance, the boat is essential for safely venturing to the other islands.

Floors and Roofs

The standard wooden walls which were buildable in the previous version can now be rotated and snapped to form floors and roofs. They defy gravity meaning that roofs can exist without an adjoining wall, and floors can float above ground.

Other gameplay changes

Respawn in random caves - when you're knocked out you now respawn in a random cave rather than the same one every time.
Fall damage reduced
Birds can be killed by fire
Stamina takes longer to recharge
Red Axe can be used for blocking attacks - hold right mouse button
Lowered intensity and range of fire light
Increased lighter range - i.e. you can see further in the dark using the lighter
Mutants will rescue their friends by dragging them away
Female mutants will mourn dying family members
Ocean tide now affects swim zones
Lake swim zones improved
Top heavy pine trees are easier to cut down
Beach cave entrances are now bigger and easier to access

Performance and bug fixes

Faster load
Reduced stutter
Memory optimizations - should reduce crashing
Other rendering improvements - HUD, cave walls
Countdown timer now works in multiple timezones
Fixed issue for cooking multiple animals on camp fire
Chopping bodies no longer flings the player into the air
Cannibals won't swim, or follow player to the boat
Bird AI improved, stops them landing on your hand so often

How to download

The new update is a free download for anyone who bought the game through Stream. Just open Steam as usual and if auto updates are turned on then the update for The Forest will download and install automatically.

The update is approximately 8 MB.

Make sure you visit our dedicated section for The Forest where we have tutorials and gameplay tips.