Overview
This guide was created to help you navigate being a great host in The Forest.
Welcome!
I created this guide after many frustrating Co-op experiences. Many of these quick tips were not known by many of the people I encountered hosting games, so I decided to create a guide. Hope it helps!
Naming Your Server and Playstyles (NoHack/Hack/Cheats)
I have noticed as a Co-op player that many servers use the glitches in game or hacks to autobuild everything, spawn all the weapons, destroy huge amounts of trees and wildlife, make the cannibals not attack, etc.
While this may be fun for some, other people enjoy the survival and working for what you achieve aspect of the game.
A simple way to help people find a server that is right for them is to write what kind of server you are in your server name. Something simple like “No Hack” /”Autobuilder On” / “Vegan Mode” in your server name will notify other players of your playstyle, as well as attract other players who wish to play the game as you do.
As someone joining hosted games, nothing sucks more than to load up, grab everything I can out of the airplane, head to your base and THEN find out what kind of game you are running.
8+ Server Size = Bad?
Yes and No. It depends on several factors, but I will say I am an advocate for 4 player servers. Here is why.
1. Control. You as a host can control the trolls, abusers and problematic players a lot easier when there are only 3 other people to look out for.
2. Lag. Many people hosting 8+ servers do not have the internet or PC specs required to host such large servers! As soon as 5 or 6 people join their server, huge amounts of lag happens for everyone, including the host!
So be honest with yourself when deciding to be a host. Do you have fast enough internet? Is your PC up to hosting for more than 4 players? If no, keep your server small and simple. Small doesn’t always mean bad, and it can help make teamplay more cohesive when in a smaller group. People take care of each other more and share resources more easily.
Saving (as a Host and Servermate)
Saving in the game is very important. It keeps all your progression in building safe. If you and all your servermates die, you can go back to your savespot and try again. If a troll comes to your server and blows up your base, you can kick and ban that person, and go back to your previous save.
Saves are very important. As a host you should be saving often.
However, equally important are your servermate’s saves. They have saves? Yes, they do. They can save the progress made on your server, so that when and if they rejoin you later on, they don’t have to start at the plane wreck all over again.
As a servermate, saving is important for you as well. Everyone should save often, in order to keep things you’ve worked hard for!
Alt+Tabbing = Bad?
Yes. Using alt+tab when hosting creates major lags, crashing and “host not responding” issues when playing The Forest. Use the Steam overlay instead, or if you absolutely have to alt+tab, let your servermates know so that they can get to safety and save before you do so!
Map Marker Mania!
I have noticed that unless the host of the game changes the colors of the map markers, other people (besides yourself) still see the markers as white instead of the color you changed them to. Keep that in mind when making map markers for others, as having 12 markers and not knowing what any of them are for is very confusing.
Hosts should change the markers to different colors, keeping everyone’s bases, cave entrances, fishing spots, etc more clearly marked. It makes it easier for everyone playing, and helps gameplay be more cohesive.
Griefers & Monitoring Your Game
Part of the risk of making a public server is that you never know what kind of person is joining your game. Eventually, you will run across griefing players. They destroy your buildings, place down obscene amounts of objects until your server crashes….all sorts of things.
There is no foolproof way of avoiding these people unless you play privately with friends only or single player!
However, there are many positives to hosting publicly. Making new friends, experiencing survival with strangers and having a fresh group of people every game are some of the positives.
The best way to keep griefing to a minimum is to monitor your game. Sounds a lot like babysitting, but it can keep the drama down to a minimum. Keeping track of how many resources are needed for building, checking your player list (Tab key) often and actually speaking to the members of your server (using Enter to type or Q to voice chat) and keeping your server small (4-5 players max) are ways to keep track of people. Make sure you keep an eye out where people are running around at by viewing their nameplates, and perhaps letting people know what kind of server you have when they join will help you.
Again, these tips cannot totally prevent griefing. The only way you can 100% keep your game safe is to play single player or co-op privately with friends only.
Kicking and Banning
As a host, you have the right to kick and ban whoever you wish. Trolls, griefers, people with different playstyles, anyone.
However, I do ask that you consider these three things.
1. Please do not host if you are going to autokick people. If your game is for friends only, make it private or at least explain why the person is being kicked. Nothing sucks more than loading into a game only to be instantly banned or kicked with no explanation.
2. If a new player is harassing people, kick them. I have noticed that while some hosts try to be forgiving and keep that new player, the new player 9 times out of 10 continues to grief.
3. In my opinion, mic spammers should be kicked as well. People playing songs on mic, singing, using it like a telephone and having long conversations…or just leaving their mic open can and often does create lag. And as we went over before, lag in The Forest can be bad.
In closing…
How you host is totally up to you. I thank the many people who have hosted great games in the last few months for me and my friends, as well as the many not so good hosters who taught me many of the things I’m sharing in this guide.
While how you host is totally up to you, it is also totally up to the people joining if they are going to stay or not. I have seen many servers with only the host playing by themselves because they refuse to have some baseline courtesy for other players.
If you have any extra tips, comments or questions, please feel free to leave them below and I will add them to the guide! If this guide helps, share and rate it!
Thanks and enjoy!