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Players of Ranger’s Path: National Park Simulator can look forward to a diverse collection of new tasks and features in the game’s first free Early Access update: More callouts, missions, a brand-new vehicle and the introduction of a park rating system await virtual rangers starting today!

Check out the new EA update 1 release trailer here:

Park Rating System

Players can now profit from a brand-new Park Rating System which will influence visitor quantity and unlock rewards such as new tools and gameplay features. For this, the park has been divided into several sub-sections called “clusters” which consist of several trails each. By opening trails, doing maintenance work, completing callouts and interacting with visitors, players increase the Cluster Score, while neglecting their duties leads to a decrease in score points.

Increasing the Cluster Level enables additional gameplay elements such as the activation of basic callouts within the cluster area, increased density of hikers using the cluster’s trails, and enabling visitor usage of camping or angler spots. It also unlocks transport missions and additional callouts related to weather stations, garbage bins, and camping sites. Well-maintained park areas of course also attract more visitors leading in turn to an increase in tasks and interactions.

All Cluster Scores combined raise the overall Park Rating Score unlocking rewards such as new tools, certain cosmetics, or features like a new vehicle.

New Missions & Callouts

Next to the Park Rating System players can also look forward to new tasks and missions:

Restock, Supply and Transport

Players can pick up supplies and information leaflets at the Ranger Village and deliver them to campsites and information boards across the park. They are also able to collect data from weather stations and bring it back to the Ranger Village for evaluation. Overflowing trash cans and firepits have the potential to create hazards by unintentionally attracting animals or preventing hikers from building their fires at designated locations. Both forms of waste can be collected and transported back to disposal spots in the Ranger Village.

Backpack Search

There are always some visitors who don’t take the rules too serious: Picking protected plants, spooking animals by flying drones or leaving their mark on signs and benches by tagging them with spray paint may sound harmless or fun to some but are a real threat to the park and its natural resources. Rangers are therefore allowed to ask visitors to show the contents of their backpacks upon reasonable suspicion and search for prohibited items, poaching equipment or stolen specimens. Positive findings result in either a warning or even expulsion from the park.

Flora Survey

The ranger station has received reports of unhealthy looking plants, bushes and trees across the park. Rangers are sent out to locate and inspect the potentially afflicted areas and take appropriate measures such as removing smaller plants and bushes as samples or marking dangerously damaged trees with their spray can for later felling.

The Trailhawk Summit Utility Vehicle

Increasing the Park Rating Score enables players to unlock a brand new, versatile car, the Trailhawk Summit Utility Vehicle. It is even more maneuverable than the already existing Ranger Pickup and can be used for traveling on smaller roads and uneven terrain to reach, for example, pickup or delivery locations located deeper inside the park.

Ranger’s Path: National Park Simulator is available in Early Access on Steam and the Epic Games Store for 19.99 Euro/ 19.99 USD /16.75 GBP. Owners of the main game receive all EA updates free of charge. Find out more about upcoming updates with the official EA Roadmap!