Controls

Nousfarer plays best on a computer with a keyboard and mouse. Phones and tablets get on-screen touch controls instead. In the game, the ? button in the top-right corner shows the controls for the scene you are in, and the game menu has the same list under Controls.

On foot

These controls apply on the bridge, on a planet and inside an institute.

Action	Keyboard and mouse	Touch
Move	W A S D	Left pad
Look around	Mouse	Drag on the screen
Look with the keyboard	Arrow keys	—
Walk slowly	Alt	—
Sprint	Shift	—
Jump	Space	Jump button
Talk, inspect, study, open or enter	E	E button
Lock or release the mouse pointer	P	—
Close a panel or open the game menu	Esc	☰ button

What E does depends on where you are: on the bridge it uses the helm, Copilot or another station; on a planet it talks, inspects, boards or enters; in an institute it talks, studies, opens or exits. Look for the E prompt near the object.

Flying the ship

Sit at the helm on the bridge and press E to take control.

Action	Keyboard	Touch
Pitch up or down	W / S	Left pad
Turn left or right	A / D	Left pad
Boost	Shift	E button, with no target lined up
Warp or land on the target	E	E button
Go back one layer	Esc, then Back one layer	☰, then Back one layer
Leave the helm	Esc, then Back to bridge	X button

Line up a galaxy, star system or planet so its label sits in the centre of the view. When the prompt says Press E to Warp or Press E to Land, press E. If you have an active Copilot expedition, a gold diamond marks the next stop.

The game menu

Press Esc (or tap ☰) to open Your expedition. From there you can resume, return to the ship (or to the bridge while flying), sign in, and adjust:

• Sound: music, sound effects and planet ambience volumes, or mute everything.
• Display: the graphics quality preset. See Troubleshooting if the game feels slow.
• Controls: the control list for your scene, and a button to lock or release pointer look.