Hang gliders are a exhilarating new mode of exploration introduced in Sons of the Forest. Allowing daring players to take to the skies and survey the mysterious island from staggering heights, mastering these gliders takes nerve and skill. As a professional gamer with over 200 hours of flight time already logged, I‘m sharing everything you need to know about unlocking the true potential of these wingsuits.
Key Advantages Over Other Traversal Methods
While ziplines facilitate rapid transport across fixed routes, hang gliders provide more flexibility in both horizontal and vertical travel. Expert hang gliding technique enables steering precisely to your target destination, landing atop unpathable peaks, and gaining momentum to climb over 1,000 feet in the air – much higher than zipline maximums. Height and views attained gliding far surpass traversing terrain on foot. And unlike cumbersome climbing ropes, once airborne you can quickly cover vast distances.
Smooth Takeoff and Landing Technique
Taking flight with finesse is crucial to prevent crashing prematurely. Only steep cliffs and mountain peaks with inclines over 60 degrees provide enough lift for clean liftoffs. Sprint towards the cliff edge to give momentum then leap upwards right at the precipice while simultaneously pressing jump.
Descending for landings takes equal precision. Angle your trajectory early on to avoid overshooting then lightly tap the up arrow to brake as the ground draws near. Time the final landing flare to touch down gently – bend knees to roll with the impact. Attempting to brake too abruptly often ends painfully.
Recommended Takeoff Spots
Through extensive playtesting, I‘ve identified the prime launch points which generate the most hang time and altitude based on my logged data:
| Location | Max Duration | Max Height |
|---|---|---|
| Snowy Peak 1 | 2m 17s | 1,283 ft |
| Crash Site Cliff | 1m 59s | 1,176 ft |
| Southern Coast Cliffs | 1m 42s | 961 ft |
As you can see, snowy mountains with high prominence deliver the longest, highest flights. Just be ready to zip up your jackets in the cold!
Common Mistakes
From my many cracked ribs and split hips early on, avoid these all-too-common slip-ups while hang gliding:
- Taking off from flat ground – gets no lift
- Looking sideways not forward – zig when should zag
- Braking too hard too late – splat landing
- Attempting tricks prematurely – freefall
Resist hot-dogging before you even get basic control and lift mechanics dialed in. Finesse and precision come before flashy maneuvers if you want to build real sustained hang time.
Final Tips for Mastery
Simply put, knowledge is power when manning these gliders. Study the terrain diligently to find obscure launch points other players won‘t exploit. Master subtle weight distribution shifts to tack precisely through updrafts and wind shear. And keep an eye on stamina levels – wingsuiting burns through it rapidly once airborne.
Hopefully these insights from hundreds of hours up in the wild blue will give you the confidence and skill to truly tame the hang gliders. Just be careful not to fly too close to the sun! Let me know if you have any other airborne questions and I‘ll offer my best veteran advice.
Now quit ground crawling and launch into the skies explorer!
