Navigating the massive island in Sons of the Forest can be a challenging endeavor without proper orientation tools. GPS locators act as vital navigation beacons that allow players to mark essential points of interest, base locations, and key resources on their handheld tracking device. Finding these small electronic items is crucial for organizing efficient exploration routes across the island.
Understanding How GPS Locators Function
GPS locators appear on your handheld GPS tracker as purple markers displaying an exclamation point icon. These signals represent emergency beacons from deceased team members scattered across various parts of the environment. Recovering these tracking devices allows you to repurpose them for custom waypoint management.
Once added to your inventory, you can attach a locator to a stick driven into the ground or place it directly on allies like Virginia. Interacting with the placed locator allows you to cycle through icons to customize map markers according to your preferences. This feature helps maintain clear visual indicators for bases, caves, and supply caches.
Where to Find Purple GPS Locators on the Island
The first GPS locator is found floating on a life raft offshore near the western coastline. Players must swim out to the raft while keeping an eye out for aggressive sharks patrolling the open water. Climbed onto the raft, you will find the locator alongside a pistol and essential survival supplies.
A second GPS locator is suspended from a cliffside near the central mountain region. A deceased soldier hangs from a rope attached to a rock outcrop high above the ground. You will need to shoot or cut the rope from above to drop the corpse and retrieve the beacon below.
The third major GPS locator is located inland on a wooden cross marker buried in a grassy clearing. Equipping a shovel allows you to excavate the grave site and reclaim the electronic tracker. This site also contains valuable gear that aids early survival efforts.
Best Strategies for Utilizing Waypoints
Placing GPS locators near key resources ensures you never lose track of vital crafting materials or cave entrances. Marking your primary shelter creates a reliable point of reference when returning from long hunting trips. Utilizing different icon symbols makes it easy to categorize points of interest at a quick glance.
Giving a locator to companion NPCs like Virginia makes tracking their movements across the island much easier. Her icon will permanently show up on your map screen, ensuring you always know her location during combat or exploration. Managing your beacons properly turns chaotic survival into a structured tactical operation.
