Having recently come out of early access, Raft is looking to be a fantastic open-world survival game for solo gamers and gamer groups. However, like most open-world experiences, there are a ton of things to look out for and manage that can quickly make any start feel overwhelming.
There can be a general assumption amongst some gamers that most survival games are similar. Whilst, various games within the genre do share similar mechanics, such as the need to consume food and water, as well as finding shelter, none are truly identical. Raft stands apart from other titles by having its players construct a mobile shelter whilst scavenging for supplies and objects over and underwater. Although beginners may make some initial errors, there are several key pointers players can look out for to ensure that they won’t go adrift.
5 Not Making The Essentials
Starting a new Raft game can feel daunting at first as players only begin with a Small Plastic Hook. With limited resources and supplies, players will only have a small number of things to scavenge (mostly rubbish and floating debris). Though there are many options available to the player, the most crucial necessities will be food, water, and a weapon.
Therefore, it’s advised that players gather the necessary supplies to create the Simple Grill, the Simple Purifier, the Wooden Fishing Rod, and the Wooden Spear. Not only will these items guarantee the player’s survival but will allow them to focus on other key aspects such as building and exploring. Here are the requirements for the necessary items:
Simple Grill
- Plank (6)
- Rope (3)
- Scrap (1)
Simple Purifier
- Plank (6)
- Palm Leaf (6)
- Plastic (4)
Wooden Fishing Rod
- Plank (6)
- Rope (8)
Wooden Spear
- Plank (8)
- Rope (3)
4 Neglecting Cooking And Fishing
Out of all the important things to watch out for within Raft, cooking and fishing stand out at the top as players will need to eat and drink to survive. Thankfully it’s not very difficult to craft the wooden fishing rod at the beginning of the game, making fishing a lot easier and faster.
Other items that can be cooked and consumed apart from fish include drumsticks, shark meat, potatoes, and beets. Players will be able to advance their cooking abilities and learn new recipes once they upgrade the grill into the Cooking Pot. Players can also create a Plastic Cup (which needs 4 plastic to make) to hold and move water. However, the capacity is limited as a cup can only hold 1 unit of water.
3 Not Exploring Underwater
Although the surface may yield some items and resources, more plunder lies beneath the surface. Some of the best resources such as seaweed and clay lie just below the surface near islands. However, getting off the raft does have its risks as dangerous animals such as the shark will hover around the structure and pursue any player that gets off.
A good strategy is to park the raft a considerable distance from the island itself and then dive in. Players may use bait to lure the shark away, but it isn’t really necessary. The shark may bite the player (just a few times) but not enough to warrant death. Once players have touched down on the island, the shark will soon return to the raft and the players should be outside the shark’s aggro range and have all the time in the world to harvest materials.
Of course, coop makes this a lot easier, but this technique can be done solo, though it’s important for players to bring enough food and water along with them.
2 Building On The Edges
Players are advised to build and store items towards the middle of their rafts. As mentioned above, there will be a roaming shark (a big, bad meanie) that will pursue and take out chunks of the player’s raft.
Players can use their spears to poke the shark away if they’re quick enough and with just 2 chunks of wood and a hammer, repair any damage that has been done to the raft. Sharks usually take about 3 hits of damage before they swim away and they will always return after some time.
1 Not Using Sharkbait
Another strategy is to make some shark bait and have the shark take a couple of bites out of it. Each bait will require 2 Raw Herring, 1 Raw Pomfret, and 2 Rope. The bait will typically last over a minute and have about 800 health on easy and normal modes. Whilst the shark gorges on the bait, players can jab at it with the spear.
The shark will keep returning until the bait runs out. This can be used as a distraction or to kill the creature. Once dead, the shark can be harvested for Shark Meat and players will be free to swim around for a duration of time until it respawns.
Raft is available on PC.