Sail Forth “Open Seas” update out now (version 1.4.4), patch notes

Sail Forth got a big “Open Seas” update on Switch this week, which is version 1.4.4.

The update is said to increase exploration and sailing aspects with a fully open world as there are no longer any boundaries between locations or loading screens. Additionally, world map generation has been redesigned to improve exploration. That’s along with other elements such as a new boat.

Here’s the full rundown:

Sail Forth “Open Seas” update version 1.4.4 patch notes

Open World Exploration:
– Loading screens between areas are removed
– Can sail seamlessly between areas
– Added ‘Deepblue’ ocean biome between areas with its own soundtrack
– Island generation has been reworked a bit to give locations a bit more personality

World Map Rework:
– World Map generation has been redesigned with an open world in mind
– Can now freely explore the biomes in any order after Sandy Shores
– Difficulty is now scaled based on your overall progression in the game, rather than by which location you are in
– Depending on where you explore, you may still encounter some high-challenge enemies
– Player exact position is now saved instead of just current location

Content Updates:
– New boat: Kestrel, a mid sized schooner balancing armament and maneuverability
– Clams: New digging/surfacing behavior to make finding them more interesting
– Clams: New types of pearls are dropped by clams
– Clams: Moontide Shop uses Moon Pearls instead of normal pearls
– Ship Shape Shop: Shops now have intermittent sales depending on the calendar day, look for flashing lights!
– Ship Shape Shop: Can now sell boats that are stored in your dock without undocking them first

UI Updates:
– New combined Area Map + World Map with better visuals for nearby locations
– New design for wind indicator in the steering/compass display
– World Map shows real player position instead of anchoring to nearest location
– Label ‘key’ items in inventory

Misc:
– Crates and other small targets now always take 1 shot
– Perf improvements when many boats are visible
– Time passes during eclipse so you aren’t stuck on the same day forever
– Improved sinking physics for destroyed boats
– Improved sorting of crew inventory and cargo

Bug Fixes:
– Photo hunt encounter now properly progresses through the various ‘giant’ photo subjects, fixing cases where players were unable to complete their photo collection
– Boat AI now uses oars properly when necessary
– Fix case where player escorts might stop following player for no reason
– Fix cases where the wrong fleet boat could be selected after exiting the outfit or crew manage screen
– Fix many cases where NPCs could be covered by trees or rocks
– Adjust ice target course to be less insanely difficult
– Many fixes throughout the game to quest logic and cutscenes

The Sail Forth “Open Seas” version 1.4.4 update is now live on Switch.

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