Wolfswood is the public Demo’s expedition region, but the Demo contains only part of the wider game. Its safest map is a network of landmarks, danger transitions, and return paths rather than a static screenshot copied from an older Playtest. Official July notes name Pinecrest Farm, the Bandit Enclave, South Vault Crash, a Scrat Invasion, indoor spaces, electrical floors, darkness, and one-way portals. Confirm each feature in the current client before treating it as a Demo route.
Build the map from your entry point
At spawn, turn slowly and identify a large silhouette, road direction, building cluster, elevation change, and any map marker. Choose one as the anchor. As you move, remember junctions in terms of that anchor: uphill from the farm, left at the wreck, beyond the narrow bridge. This survives small layout changes better than a chain of compass bearings.
Mark the first safe retreat area and the direction of a known extraction portal. October notes add portal markers to the map, but the marker does not describe the safest approach. Track cover, ranged sightlines, hazards, and one-way terrain separately.
Treat named sites as build-specific evidence
Pinecrest Farm, Bandit Enclave, and South Vault Crash appear in July patch notes, along with changes to Wolfswood activities. They are useful orientation names only after you see them in the current Demo or Alpha. Do not assume an older location entrance, enemy group, or reward survived October unchanged.
When a location is confirmed, record the client and build, its approach from two landmarks, current objective types, and the nearest observed portal. Avoid claiming a complete loot table from one visit. Container contents and enemy drops may be variable or revised.
Enter buildings with a return plan
July notes opened more houses and described electrical floors, darkness, and one-way portals. Pause at an interior threshold and look for the exit before looting. Change the camera or brightness only through normal options; do not make the whole game unreadable to solve one dark room. Watch the floor for active hazards and allow the party to cross together.
If a transition is one-way, say so before anyone activates it. Check health, wounds, cooldowns, backpack space, and objective state. A one-way route can turn a minor supply problem into a forced encounter, so the party should agree that the reward is worth losing the old retreat line.
Route around enemy roles
Wolfswood can mix close attackers, ranged pressure, wildlife, Scrats, and larger threats. Survey before starting. Use buildings and terrain to block distant fire while the group handles closer enemies. If an encounter can be bypassed without abandoning the objective, compare its likely reward against healing and condition costs.
The old name “Changelings” was replaced by Chosen of Maldrakor in October notes, and their behavior was made more responsive to activity. Preserve the alias only when explaining historical material. Use the current name for live callouts.
Use portals and teleporters carefully
Map markers make an extraction destination easier to find, while Alpha notes also describe Balloon Teleporters. These are not interchangeable. An extraction portal ends or secures the expedition according to the current mode; a Balloon Teleporter changes position within the world. Verify the icon and interaction message before committing.
After using any fast transition, reestablish orientation. Find a landmark, check party count, and mark whether return is possible. Do not let one player activate it while others are sorting inventory or treating wounds.
Make exploration serve a specific goal
Pick one focus per run: confirm a route, complete a quest, locate a site, learn an enemy group, or reach the first Vaultbreak. Optional discoveries are welcome, but the focus tells you when to turn toward extraction. This is especially important when carrying a new recipe, important gear, or Legacy progress.
For mapping, travel lightly enough to leave room for findings and bring recovery you understand. Avoid spending the first run fighting every pack. A route recorded from a successful extraction is more useful than a broad exploration that ends before anything is secured.
Keep Alpha regions off the Demo map
October notes name Bahra, Shanty Town, Windshear Crag, Fume Pits, and Ancient Tower content for the Alpha. They should not be drawn as accessible extensions of the public Demo until the Alpha client confirms connections. Likewise, later Vaults should not be placed from patch prose alone.
Maintain separate observations by client. If a location changes between Demo and Alpha, preserve both dated routes rather than merging landmarks that no longer connect. The Alpha Test guide describes the scheduled window and product boundary.
Update a route after every extraction
Write the entry anchor, two junctions, one hazard, one enemy role, the objective location, and the portal approach. Note where the map or world contradicted an older record. That small log becomes a dependable Wolfswood guide without pretending the pre-release region is final.