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{
"title": "Chapter 2: Controls, Modes & Save Ecosystem",
"created": "1970-01-01T00:00:00Z",
"updated": "1970-01-01T00:00:00Z",
"slug": "controls"
}📖 Chapter 2: Controls, Modes & Save Ecosystem
Welcome to Chapter 2! Here you will find the complete reference for playing Block Garden across Desktop and Mobile devices, switching game modes, and taking advantage of Block Garden's privacy-first save ecosystem.
🕹️ 1. Input Controls Reference
Desktop Keyboard & Mouse
| Action | Primary Key | Alternate Key | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Move Forward | W | Up Arrow | Walk forward in camera direction |
| Move Backward | S | Down Arrow | Walk backward |
| Strafe Left | A | Left Arrow | Walk left |
| Strafe Right | D | Right Arrow | Walk right |
| Jump / Ascend | Space | — | Jump upward or ascend in flight mode |
| Descend / Sneak | Shift | — | Sneak or descend in flight mode |
| Toggle Flight | K | — | Toggle Creative free-flight mode |
| Break Block | Left Click | Hold Enter | Mine targeted block |
| Place Block | Right Click | Enter | Place active block at crosshair |
| Cycle Material | ~ or ` | Mouse Wheel | Cycle through hotbar items |
| Hotbar Slots | 1 – 9 | — | Directly select hotbar slot |
| Open Inventory | E | I | Toggle full material inventory |
| Toggle Hotbar | M | — | Show / hide hotbar UI overlay |
| World Gen Menu | Ctrl + S | — | Open world generator configuration |
| Pointer Lock | Click 3D Canvas | — | Lock mouse cursor for 3D FPS camera (Press Esc to unlock) |
Mobile Touch Controls (Powered by Hammer.js)
| Action | Gesture | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Look / Camera | Touch & Drag | Smooth 360° camera rotation |
| Place Block | Single Tap | Places active block on selected voxel face |
| Break Block | Tap & Hold | Mines block under touch target |
| Navigation | On-Screen Touch Pads | Move, jump, and access hotbar on mobile screens |
🎮 2. Game Modes
Block Garden features two primary modes selectable in the Settings menu:
- Non-Creative Mode (Default): Resource progression survival mode. Dig for dirt, stone, and sand; mine coal, iron, gold, copper, silver, and diamond veins; harvest seeds to sustain crop yields.
- Creative Mode: Unlimited block supplies, instant block breaking, and free-flight mode (
K) enabled for high-altitude construction.
💾 3. Offline-First Storage & PDF Postcard Protocol
Block Garden is completely cloud-free and privacy-first. Your progress remains entirely on your device or in self-describing save files.
[World State JSON] ──► [CompressionStream gzip] ──┬──► [localforage IndexedDB]
├──► [.bgs Binary Save]
└──► [PNG tEXt Chunk "gamestate"]
│
▼
[pdf-lib Postcard PDF]
│
▼
[Web Share Target API]
Save File Formats
- IndexedDB: Saves automatically persist in local storage via
localforage, compressed with nativeCompressionStream("gzip"). .bgsBinaries: Lightweight gzip-compressed binary world files.- PDF Postcards (
.pdf): Usingpdf-lib, Block Garden generates a self-describing PDF printable postcard. It contains a rendered screenshot, seed metadata, game stats, controls guide, and a PNG attachment holding the gzip game state inside customtEXtPNG chunks. - Share Target Protocol: On PWA-supported mobile and desktop browsers, shared
.bgsor.pdffiles can be handed directly to Block Garden via native OS Share actions.
🗺️ 4. Included Pre-Packaged Worlds & YouTube Demos
Jump straight into pre-built worlds using seed links or downloadable PDF game saves:
- 🌿 The Garden: A sprawling botanical garden showcase.
- 🕳️ Caves: Deep subterranean cavern structures and mineral deposits.
- 🌸 Flowers: High-density floral biomes.
- ☁️ Gateway To The Clouds: Skyward tower reaching cloud level.
Video Demonstrations
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