Driving mode basics

This page is for players entering driving mode for the first time. It covers device detection, basic driving, camera switching, vehicle lights, reset recovery, and HUD information. If the in-game settings or key prompts differ from this page, follow the in-game display.

Recommended devices: the game supports keyboard and mouse, gamepads, and steering wheels. After entering the driving interface, the HUD shows the detected driving device.

Icon state	Meaning
Gray device icon	No gamepad or steering wheel detected; keyboard and mouse can still be used
Gamepad icon	Gamepad detected
Steering wheel icon	Steering wheel detected

If both a steering wheel and a gamepad are connected, the HUD prioritizes the steering wheel icon. Steering wheel users should confirm the icon before driving.

Action	Keyboard	Gamepad / steering wheel
Steer	`A` / `D` or arrow keys	Left stick / steering wheel
Throttle	`W` or bound throttle key	Right trigger / throttle pedal
Brake / reverse	`S` or bound brake key	Left trigger / brake pedal
Handbrake	Bound handbrake key	Bound handbrake button
Switch driving camera	`C`	Gamepad `View / Special Left`
Reset vehicle	`R`	Bound reset button
Toggle lights	`L`	Bound light button
High-beam flash	`K`, if enabled in the current version	Bound high-beam flash button
Open / close settings or return	`Esc`	Gamepad back button, if bound

Starting and accelerating: hold throttle to accelerate. Keyboard players can tap the throttle for low-speed control, while gamepad and steering wheel players can use triggers or pedals for finer input.

Steering feel changes with speed: at low speed, steering is more responsive; at high speed, steering angle is limited to avoid sudden large yaw from small inputs.

Braking and reversing: hold brake while moving to slow down. After the vehicle stops, keep holding brake / reverse input to enter reverse. Give the vehicle a moment to complete the gear change.

Steering: use more steering input at low speed. For high-speed lane changes, steer gently to avoid losing control. Keyboard input is digital, so use short taps to fine-tune heading.

Camera	Use
Far follow camera	Good for observing vehicle attitude, road shape, and curves
Hood camera	Good for close driving and reading the vehicle heading

Press C to cycle driving cameras. Gamepads can use a View / Special Left style button. Different vehicles may have different camera lists.

Vehicle lights: press L to cycle lights. Vehicles may use three-state or multi-state light sequences.

Off -> Low beam -> High beam -> Off

Off -> Position lights -> Low beam -> High beam -> Off

If high-beam flash is enabled, holding K temporarily switches to high beam and releasing it restores the previous light state. Light behavior can vary by vehicle; test vehicles without headlight components may show only partial light effects.

Reset and recovery: if the vehicle rolls over, gets stuck, or falls into a ditch, press R to reset it. The reset system searches for a higher terrain point nearby, rights the body, and clears velocity.

In narrow ditches or steep slopes, the first reset may still slide back down. Press R several times if needed; each attempt resamples a nearby position.

HUD item	Description
Speed	Current vehicle speed
RPM	Engine speed
Gear	`R` reverse, `N` neutral, numbers for forward gears
Throttle / brake	Current input or vehicle state
Device icon	Currently detected driving device
Light icon	Current light state, if implemented in the current version

If the device icon is gray even though a gamepad or steering wheel is connected, try reconnecting the device or returning to the menu and entering driving again.

Issue	What to try
Gamepad or steering wheel has no response	Check whether the HUD device icon is lit. If not, reconnect the device. If it still fails, use keyboard input to confirm the vehicle can still be driven.
`C` does not switch camera	The current vehicle may not have multiple cameras or may not support camera switching yet. Try another test vehicle or check in-game prompts.
`L` changes illumination but lamp material does not glow	Some vehicle light materials may still be under tuning. If low and high beam illumination works, driving behavior is not affected.
Vehicle remains stuck after reset	In ditches, steep slopes, or complex terrain, press `R` several times, or countersteer and reverse before resetting again.