Controls & HUD Guide
Build and Defend Your Raft keeps its control scheme simple — movement, a hotbar, and a handful of context buttons around the screen. This guide maps every HUD element confirmed in game and what it does, on PC, mobile and console.
The buttons that matter
| HUD element | What it does | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Crafting Table prompt | Opens the crafting/upgrade menu when near your table | Crafting Table |
| Lock Raft | Temporarily makes the raft immune to attack; on cooldown after use | Lock & Shield |
| Shield (Activate) | Deploys a movable force field that blocks cannon fire | Lock & Shield |
| Shop | Robux store for resource bundles — and the home of the code redemption box | Shop |
| Pick up | Grab and re-place build pieces; heavy items like a full chest need strength (or help) | Building |
| Crew prompts | Create/join crews, invite players, grant drive/build permissions | Crew |
| Hotbar | Tools and weapons; the September 1 patch made hotbar order save between sessions | — |
Movement basics
Standard Roblox controls apply:
- WASD (PC) or the thumbstick (mobile) to move; Space to jump.
- Boats don’t need a sailor at all times — the raft sails from the captain’s chair or any steering wheel you’ve placed. Extra wheels around the deck mean you can drive from wherever the fight puts you.
- Interaction is proximity-based: walk up to a crate, chest, table or wheel and the action button appears.
Mobile building had rough edges that the September 1 midweek update explicitly fixed (“bugs fixed with mobile building”). If placement still feels off after that patch, rejoin — and use the rotation controls before placing rather than after; walls snap facing the direction you’re looking.
The mobile HUD carries the same Lock/Shield/Shop cluster, sized for thumbs. Panic buttons on mobile are one tap — which is also how players trigger them by accident, so check before you tap around the hotbar mid-fight.
The three-second HUD check
New server, before you do anything else:
- Lock Raft / Shield — find both buttons; you will need one today.
- Shop button — this is where codes get redeemed once the dev ships any.
- Hotbar order — since the save patch, arrange your tools once; they’ll still be there next session.
Related pages
- Getting started — first hour, step by step
- Building guide — placement and rotation rules
- Codes — the redemption box lives behind the Shop button