Asciilands controls & hotkeys
Keep the keys close and your cursor under control. Search the reference by action or key, then check the context before pressing it.
WASD moves, F interacts, I opens Pack, C opens Crafting and B opens Build. Hold Alt to free the cursor. Settings → Controls shows your current bindings.
On this page
Find a control
Moving the camera and using menus
Click the world to control your view, then hold Alt when you need a free cursor. This is especially helpful when the game is receiving mouse movement but you want to select an interface element. Escape is the other useful reset: it closes or opens the menu, and ends placement while building.
If a key appears to do nothing, check whether you are typing into chat or editing a field. A menu with keyboard focus can receive the input before the world does. Finish the text interaction, return focus to the game and try the action again.
Movement bindings can be changed in Settings → Controls. Click the binding and press the replacement key; Escape cancels the change. Review the whole group after changing a familiar key so that another action has not become confusing.
The same key can do different jobs
Always check your equipped item before testing a mouse action. A bow’s draw input and a wand’s spell-selection input share a button, but they do not have the same effect.
| Input | Context | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Right mouse | Melee weapon | Hold to guard against attacks from the front. |
| Right mouse | Bow equipped | Hold to draw, release to shoot. |
| Right mouse | Glyph Wand equipped | Cycle the learned spell. |
| Right mouse + drag | Construction | Move the camera while placing pieces. |
| R | Building | Rotate a supported piece. |
| R | Fishing rod | Hold and release to cast; press again on the bite cue. |
| F | Nearby station, plant, plot or water activity | Use the interaction available in that context. |
Moving stacks without losing track
Pack opens with I. Selecting an item exposes actions such as equip, eat, split and drop. Equipment can also be selected from the numbered bar. If you made a tool but harvesting still feels unchanged, inspect which item is actually equipped.
The published container controls use left click for a whole stack, right click for half a stack or a single-item placement, and Shift + left click for a quick whole-stack transfer. Escape cancels the current operation. Practice with cheap materials before sorting your valuable components.
Overloading the pack slows walking and prevents sprinting. A Simple Bag can increase capacity. When a transfer refuses to complete, check space and weight as well as proximity; a button refusing an action is not always a key-binding problem.
Make the ASCII world readable
Use Settings to adjust glyph size, display scale and ASCII density. Higher density draws more cells and can cost performance. Choose a setting where you can distinguish the interaction target, rather than treating maximum density as an automatic improvement.
The mouse wheel and bracket keys change zoom. At the closest view, additional zoom enlarges the glyphs. If the world is difficult to read, try zoom and scale separately so you can tell which setting helps.
For a repeatable input problem, note the active control preset, equipped item, open menu and expected result. Settings → Debug offers a session report for a bug report. Send game issues to the official community rather than expecting this independent guide to alter your session.
Sources & review notes
Checked October 23, 2026. Mechanics are based on the game’s published help, not an independent gameplay test. Our walkthrough order and planning tips are editorial advice.
- Official game and in-game Field Guide ↗Relevant topics: Start here → Controls; Crafting & pack; Combat & magic; Travel & fishing; Account & settings.
- Official Asciilands FAQ ↗Account access, supported devices, saving and possible wipes.
Open beta rules can change. If your current recipe or menu differs, follow the live game and check the official community. Read our source policy.