How to Survive

Game Version: 0.2.1 (Overlord guides coming soon!)
These are just some tips I found useful while surviving the Island. Will add more stuff over time.

The Island and You

• Days are short, and really. Keep an eye on the sun - it moves fast. Time is wildly precious here.
  
• There's no generating resources in this game so always be on the move - stop only for necessities.
  
• Resources, chests, springs and cave-ins all spawn randomly each time.
  
• You'll start on the beach so be on the lookout for chests scattered nearby. Use rocks to break locks.
  
• Your inventory are your two hands in the early game. Be mindful of what you carry.
  
• There are crates floating in the shallows and can be used to carry items - always have one with you.
  
• You've probably seen the shipwreck, so your first long-term goal is to get to it.
  
• Where to go, what to do? Read on

Food and Drink

• Coconuts can be found at the beach (and floating in the shallows) and in near jungle, but not in deeper jungle.
  
• Breaking a coconut depends on what you smack it against: big rock (1 hit), brown/black rocky wall (2 hits), small rock (~4 hits). Just be sure you punch it real good.
  
• Coconut meat can be cooked.
  
• Flowery water springs can be found in the jungle against cliff faces. Safe to drink. Can refill bottles.
  
• You can dip your entire head into these springs for fastest thirst filling. Feels good on your face too.
  
• If there are no flowers above the spring - it's empty.
  
  
  
  
• Candy corn-looking fruit can be eaten.
  
• Banana-looking fruit isn't good for you raw, cook it first.
  
• Look up palms for high hanging coconuts, shoot em down!
  
• Clams can be found on beaches. Smash them against rocks and then open them with your hands.
  
• Crabs can be killed with a rock or stabbed with a knife or with long thin sticks. Or just shoot them.
  
• You can stack up to 4 crabs on one thin stick, found on/near beaches.
  
• If you take the crabs-on-the-stick by both ends of the stick, you can carry whem without them falling off.
  
• Fish can be killed with the thin stick but are more difficult to catch. Shooting them also works.
  
• It's useful to have some meat on the side for last-ditch health restoration if the fire goes out prematurely.

Items

• Wood comes in 3 basic types: long, medium and short. While the first two can also be used in building, the short ones are good only for firewood.
  
• Rocks come in small and big types. Big rocks need to be lifted using both hands and can be used to pulverize any unfortunate head.
  
• Every 3 days survived you will unlock an item that will be available in chests upon starting a new game after death.
  
• Torches can be found in chests from day 1. They have a moderate lifetime and you can continue moving through the night if you're feeling brave.
  
• Guns, ammo and gunpowder can be found in many chests from day 1.
  
• Knife can be found in chests (after 3 days it will be unlocked upon death) and can harvest meat from creepy crawlies when stabbing their corpses in a crazed victory frenzy.
  
• Bottles can be found in chests (after 6 days it will be unlocked upon death) and can hold coconut water and spring water. Maximum liquid they hold is near half the bottle.
  
• Rifles can be found in chests (after 9 days it will be unlocked upon death)
  
• Satchels can be found in chests (after 12 days it will be unlocked upon death), and you can carry two - one for each shoulder.
  
• Book of building can be found in chests (after 15 days it will be unlocked upon death).
  
• Ideally you want to survive to day 16 and then just shoot yourself to trigger the unlocks and start over with everything unlocked.
  
• Reflect on insignificance of pirate treasure when you come upon it. But hey, you're rich now!
  
• After finding the book, roots that can be harvested for rope which can be used in building.

Survival Tips

• Always be on the move!
  
• Maintain Hunger and Thirst as they slowly increase Health over time. Depleted Hunger or Thirst do the opposite.
  
• Any cooked meat instantly restores some Health.
  
• A rock is the most useful item in the game. It's also the only resource that can do damage to animals.
  
• Take a crate from the water immediately and at the least have 2 rocks and a bark/coconut shell inside it.
  
• To crack open a coconut while trying to spill as less water possible, hold it with both hands and smash it against any rocky surface. Chances are you end up with two halves in your hands and not a drop spilled.
  
• Full coconut can be stabbed with the knife to get the most water from it.
  
• Broken locks can be struck with a rock to create sparks, and only for that. Less effort is needed to create sparks with lock + rock than rock + rock.
  
• In the beginning you can only get torches and flintlocks from chests.
  
• Firing a flintlock generates sparks from the flintlock pop.
  
• It's tempting to cut corners in the jungle by sliding down cliffs, but do so slowly and carefully. When carrying a crate, jumping/falling can cause you to fall faster than its contents so they'll fall out and make a mess. You also might lose some health.
  
• Be extra careful when traversing via vines - it's like they're made of rubber.
  
• Want to check how much you have until sundown event? Stretch out your hand and match your pinkie with the line of the horizon. When the sun gets right between your middle and ring fingers - it's time.
  

Preparing for the Night and Praising the Fire God

• Always think about where to settle for the night. Look for an easily defensible position.
  
• Look for places with plenty of scattered wood, these are usually a stroll away.
  
• It's very important where you place the fire. How much is your back covered?
  
• Fire setup: on open space - mostly ineffective as you'll be attacked from all angles. Use only when there's no other option.
  
• Fire setup: by a rock wall - cuts about 50% angle of attack. Make sure you've got space to evade attacks.
  
  
  
  
• Fire setup: by a cliff - cuts about 50% angle of attack, depending on the cliff formation.
  
• Fire setup: at a cave entrance - most effective as it cuts nearly 95% of angle of attack.
  
  
  
  
• Fire setup: in narrow space - most effective when using 2 fires and standing between them.
  
  
  
  
• Tree bark, outer coconut shells and red corals found on some trees in deeper jungle can serve as flint.
  
• The bigger the wood piece, the longer it burns.
  
• Fires last longer than you think. You don't need much wood for it to be effective.
  
• Using the crate can get you enough wood for one fire in one trip.
  
  
  
  
• Keep the crate away from the fire.
  
• Always have a backup pile of wood and/or some coconut outer shells to help stoke the fire if needed. Don't burn up everything all at once.
  
• When the sun is low enough, ominous music plays. It's the warning shot and last call to start gathering firewood. You have about 30-40 seconds to get one ready to go before they come.
  
• Another music cue always happens after that time. The narrator occasionally heralds their arrival. Last moment to light the fire.
  
• Even just standing too far from the fire can damage you a good amount. Stay near the fire always.
  
• You may just chill eating coconut and throwing leftovers into the fire, but watch out then. Creepies are around and they crave manflesh.
  
• It's random which creepies will attack, always be ready for any.

Dogs

• Tasmanian tigers*
  
• They're fearful of the fire but will come at you.
  
• Keep circling around the fire as a moving target is harder to get than a stationary one.
  
• When you hear distinctive snarling coming from a specific direction, they will approach and pounce you from short range.
  
• Can be either evaded or shooed with a torch in their face, they hate that. I'm against killing doggos but these are real jerks.
  
• They'll come at you more and more as the night goes on.
  
• Good fire setup: against rock walls or by cliffs.
  
• Best fire setup: cave entrances
  
• One shot from the pistol isn't a guaranteed kill - a well placed headshot is.

Bats

• They encircle you from high above, but some tend to fly lower and you should watch out for those.
  
• Low flyers do swoop in for the kill and will announce it by distinct screeching, so pointing an improvised torch their way is critical to shoo them off. Or you can just shoot them point blank.
  
• They'll swoop in more and more as the night goes on.
  
• Crouching and holding a torch or two up is a great tactic overall, but be aware they can still get you in crouched state!
  
• Good fire setup: against rock walls.
  
• Best fire setup: cave entrances. They'll still come in and you'll have to shoo them out with a torch.
  
• One shot from the pistol kills them. They're ugly. Ew.
  
• Throw their bodies in the fire to demonstrate you mean business.

Lizards

• Most dangerous encounters as they're aggressive and don't fear fire much.
  
• Keep circling around the fire as a moving target is harder to get than a stationary one.
  
• Be ready to dodge to the side when a lizard is real close and is looking at you on its hind legs as it's gonna pounce you.
  
• If they pounce you, move out of their way and they'll fall on their backs and become vulnerable for a few seconds. Bash their skull with big rocks! Shoot them! Curse them in the name of the Fire God!
  
• They can just decide to run you over with no warning, so watch out for that.
  
• Watch your back. They can swarm you in seconds from behind and you won't even know it.
  
• They'll attack more and more as the night goes on.
  
• Good fire setup: narrow spaces with 2 fires on each end.
  
• Best fire setup: cave entrances.
  
• In both setups they won't go past the fire and you're safe.
  
• One shot from a pistol is not a guaranteed kill - a well placed headshot is.

• If you have a torch and watch your back you're mostly safe, you can move away from the fire, shoo beasts, throw flaming sticks at them, whatever makes the castaway you happy. Or angry.
  
• Arranging fire in a line creates an effective deterrent wall.
  
  
• The night music intense and you're the one with flaming sticks! Dance and shout as nobody is watching and furiously invoke Fire God chants to keep creepy crawlies at bay!
  
  
• When firing the gun, be still. Any movement will take it off the aim due to physics and you'll miss. Must make the shot count.
  
• Use the gun when creepy crawlies get real close. Or just go Rambo on them, up to you.
  
• Killing creepy crawlies may reduce their numbers, but you won't get their meat without a knife.
  
• When the night terror is over, the game saves. Take the crate with your goodies and move immediately. Cover as much ground as possible.

Getting to the Shipwreck

• You'll have to traverse most of the map and this can take 3 to 4 days if you know the way.
  
• The jungle is a maze so it's better to go a different way.
  
• There's a ravine in the middle of the map which can be crossed by fallen trees.
  
• The rocky mountain is your first goal, so focus on it.
  
• There are vines that make climbing out of the ravine possible that will put you on the main path - if you start by going along the ravine from the far end of the beach. Take a day to traverse it.
  
• If you traverse several log bridges and monkey across some ravines, you're on the right path.
  
• At some point you'll come upon swampy-looking area with sand shelves.
  
• Keep the rocky mountain to your left as you'll be heading toward the beach that way. Once at the beach, you'll realize it's just above the far end beach area where the ravine starts. Plenty of chests, crabs, coconuts and wood here.
  
• Go hug the rocky mountain wall and you'll see a vine hanging from a tree. From here you can choose whether to climb or go around the mountain.

The Climb

• Take a full day to traverse the mountain.
  
• You'll climb several vines before reaching a path. There's only one path across the mountain.
  
• You can optionally climb to the top of the rocky mountain to get a better view of the entire island.
  
• There will be a black rocky arch near the shipwreck which you can spot from a high enough position, that's your goal.
  
• See the long stretch of the flat path going straight to the black arch? That's what you're looking for.
  
  
  
  
• Continue down the mountain and try to find the long flat path.

Around the Mountain

• Alternatively, you can just continue past the vine and around the mountain, hugging the wall to your right until a wide path appears.
  
• Ignore any paths leading up, either to the left or right.
  
• Keep following the flat path as it stretches on. Past the pink shoebill storks you'll see a rocky archway.
  
  
  
  
• Past the arch, take a left and follow the flat path until you see the black arch. Go through it and you're there!
  
  

• When you reach the shipwreck, take a whole day to explore it. Have a fire ready to go upfront, there's a lot of wood there.
  
• And in the shipwreck, there's a permanent upgrade in an unlocked chest - a gun holster! - so if you die or restart you'll still have it.

Building

• Two types of structures can be built - fence and gate.
  
• Only long and medium sticks/wood pieces can be used for building.
  
• It's better to stock up on resources first as even one structure sure uses a lot of those.
  
• Building process is quite intuitive but time consuming.
  
• Place big rocks against gates so creepies can't open them.
  
• NOTE: Since the amount of resources directly dictates how long you can stay in one place, so relying on buildings on long-term is not a viable option. To get most of a spot you wish to build at, make sure there are lots of resources around.

Deep Jungle

Coming Soon!

Dos and Don'ts

• Don't fire the gun at yourself unless you really want to.
  
• Don't swim with the gun on you. It won't fire when wet.
  
• Don't hold the gun above the fire, even when holstered, and especially if it has gunpowder in it.
  
• Don't eat the banana-looking fruit without cooking it first.
  
• Don't go into the dark without a flame. There are things worse than beasts.
  
• Don't go into the water during nights.

• Reflect on your situation on Bootstrap Island.
  
• Continue praising Fire God the smart way. He is your only God now...

[markoman]

Hey all! Thanks for your feedback!
I'm back on actively playing and filling in the guide with new stuff (still haven't faced Seymour! though) and I'll be posting something soon.

[Crunk]

If you're lazy like I am, you can also just swim to the shipwreck and skip the hassle of going through the island. Always keep your head above the water!

[Capital Vices]

...what happens in the water at night

[Kino]

you can also reach the beach near the ship in a single day of swim

[The Mirage©]

Huh. Maybe nights won't be as terrifying anymore. Much obliged, partner.

[chyorse]

I HAVENT TRIED THIS GUIDE YET I HOPE IT WORKS

[thephoenixb]

also dont go into the water at night

[ГУЛЬ ZXC 1000-7]

You can actually eat banana looking fruit if you cook it!

[ladiesman217]

hey can i add one you can use the chest as a bbq if your not used to camp fire cooking

[Bootstrap Island CM]

Wow! Really advanced survival tips! The devs can stop making the Survival Journal entries now ;)