Windrose: Beginner’s Quickstart Guide
Table of Contents
First Steps on Land
When you first join a Windrose server, you spawn on a starter island with basic tools: a Hatchet, a Pickaxe, and a Rope. Your first goal is to gather enough resources to build a Sloop — the smallest ship and your ticket to the open sea.
What to Gather First
Spend your first 10 minutes collecting:
- 20 Pinewood Logs – Chop coastal trees with your Hatchet
- 10 Hemp Rope – Collect Hemp plants (green fibrous plants near beaches) and craft at your inventory
- 5 Iron Ore – Mine the dark grey rock outcrops on the island’s hillside with your Pickaxe
- 10 Stone – Break small rocks on the beach
With these materials you can build a Campfire (for cooking and warmth), a Small Chest (for storage), and begin crafting the first Sloop components at the Carpenter’s Bench.
Crafting the Carpenter’s Bench
The Carpenter’s Bench is your first crafting station and is needed for ship-related recipes. Craft it with: 10 Pinewood Logs + 5 Stone. Place it on flat ground near the beach for easy access.
Building Your First Ship
A Sloop requires these materials (craftable at the Carpenter’s Bench):
- 30 Pinewood Planks (made from Pinewood Logs at the Bench)
- 10 Hemp Rope
- 5 Iron Nails (smelt Iron Ore at a Campfire/Forge)
- 2 Canvas Cloth (craft from 4 Hemp)
Once you have the Sloop blueprint item, take it to the waterline (shallow water near the beach) and place it. The ship will appear as a frame you then fill in piece by piece — hull planks, mast, sail, and helm. Filling in the ship takes about 5–10 minutes for a new crew.
Your First Voyage
With your Sloop complete, it’s time to set sail:
- Stock the ship – Load food (fish + cooked meals), repair materials (20 planks, 10 nails), and cannonballs if you have them
- Assign the helm – One player stands at the wheel. Others can adjust sails, man the cannons, or watch from the bow
- Raise the anchor – Interact with the Anchor Chain to lift anchor
- Unfurl sails – Interact with the Rigging Station to deploy sails
- Steer – The helm player uses A/D to turn, W/S to adjust sail angle for speed
Your first destination should be a nearby coastal island visible from your spawn. Land there, gather more Pinewood and Hemp, fish from the shore, and begin planning your next ship upgrade.
Co-op Crew Tips
Playing with friends on a GPORTAL Windrose server? A few tips for smooth co-op:
- Divide tasks – One player manages the ship while others gather. Specialization speeds up progression dramatically
- Use the shared chest – Place a shared storage chest in the ship’s hold for resources everyone contributes to
- Plan island roles – Assign a Wood Gatherer, an Ore Miner, and a Fisher before landing on each new island
- Communicate storms early – The player at the Crow’s Nest should call out incoming weather with plenty of advance notice
- Keep a repair kit ready – Always have at least 10 Pinewood Planks and 5 Iron Nails accessible for emergency hull repairs
FAQ
What should I do if my ship sinks in the first hour?
Don’t worry — you respawn on the nearest island. Some materials from the sunken ship can be recovered from the wreck for a short time. Head back, gather fresh Pinewood and Hemp, and build a new Sloop. The second build is always faster than the first.
How do I find my friends on the server?
Open the World Map (default: M) to see player markers. You can also use the tp admin command if you’re an admin, or ask a friend with admin rights to teleport you to their location.
Is there a tutorial in Windrose?
Windrose includes a brief optional tutorial that covers basic controls and crafting. On a GPORTAL server, the tutorial is available to each player individually when they first join. We recommend completing it before exploring the open seas.
