WASD Manual

WASD is a fast paced classic arena shooter with an in-game map editor.

WASD's map structure is based on a simplistic grid with flexible geometry, fast collisions, vertex lighting and real-time occlusion culling. Similar to the Cube Engine, but written from scratch. It allows for limited floor-over-floor level design.

Getting Started

Install

Platform	Install instructions
Windows	Extract `wasd.zip` and run the game from the extracted folder.
Linux	Extract `wasd.tar.gz` and run the game from the extracted folder.
Android	Open `wasd.apk`, allow installs from unknown sources if Android asks, and launch from apps.

Quick start

Launch the game.
Set your player name.
Open multiplayer.
Refresh the server list.
Join a server, or host a local game.

For offline practice, host a local game and add bots.

Basic Controls

Action	Control
Move	`W`, `A`, `S`, `D`
Jump	`Space`
Aim	Mouse look
Fire	Left mouse
Scope	Right mouse
Select weapon	`1` through `9`
Switch weapon	Mouse wheel
Score / match info	`Tab`
Chat / command input	`T`
Send chat / run command	`Enter`
Console	`F1` or backtick
Menu	`Esc`

Situation	`Esc` opens
Normal play	Main menu
Edit mode	Edit menu

Playing

Weapons

Weapon	Damage	Fire rate	Range	Notes
`Pistol`	Low / medium	Medium	Medium	Basic sidearm. Useful when you have nothing better or need to finish someone off.
`Rocket Launcher`	High	Slow	Medium	Slow projectile with splash damage. Good for corners, doorways, floors, and forcing players to move.
`Shotgun`	Very high up close	Slow	Short	Close-range spread weapon. Hits hard up close, but weakens quickly with distance.
`Assault Rifle`	Low per shot	Fast	Medium / long	Automatic hitscan weapon. Good for tracking moving players and keeping steady pressure.
`Rifle`	Very high	Slow	Long	Precision weapon. High damage if you can aim. Strong on open sightlines and in instagib modes.

Image placeholder: weapons or HUD weapon bar

Game Modes

Mode	Teams	Pickups	Starting loadout	Notes
`Deathmatch`	No	Yes	Standard start	Free-for-all arena combat. Good default mode for learning the maps and weapons.
`Team Deathmatch`	Yes	Yes	Standard start	As above, but with team scoring.
`Instagib`	No	No	Rifle	One-shot kills. Cleaner aim-focused mode with less item control.
`Team Instagib`	Yes	No	Rifle	As above, but with team scoring.
`Loaded`	Yes	No	Full weapon set	Team Deathmatch rules, but spawning with a heavy ammo loadout and high shield. Good for immediate chaos.
`Capture The Flag`	Yes	Yes	Mode/map dependent	Team objective mode. Attack the enemy flag while defending your own.
`Edit Mode`	No	Yes	Editor tools	Map editing mode. Used to build, test, save, and tweak maps in-game.

Online Play

WASD can browse public servers and connect directly by address.

Join a server

Open the Esc menu and select multiplayer.
Refresh the server list.
Click a server, or use /connect <ip:port>.

Host a server

Open the host menu.
Pick the map, mode, player limit, and match rules.
Start the server.

Public hosting depends on your machine being reachable from outside your network.

Useful network commands

Command	Action
`/getaddress`	Shows the public address the game sees.
`/connect <ip:port>`	Joins a game directly.
`/disconnect`	Leaves the current session.

Router and firewall notes

Item	Details
Play traffic	UDP
Default game port	Starts at UDP `63258`
Port fallback	If `63258` is busy, the game moves upward until it finds a free UDP port.
Master server port	`27950`
Public hosting	Requires router/firewall forwarding for the UDP port the game is actually using.
Same-LAN testing	Can be misleading if the router does not handle loopback well.

Image placeholder: server browser

Editing Maps

Note: The editing features in WASD are a work in progress.

Map structure

Before making your first map, it helps to understand how WASD maps are laid out.

WASD maps are built from a grid of map units. Each grid unit has:

a floor height
a ceiling height
optional floor and ceiling corner heights
an optional deformable cube

Stairs and platforms can be created by varying the floor height. Walls are created by raising the floor level up to the ceiling.

Floor and ceiling corner heights can be shaped to create slopes.

Deformable cubes can have editable floor height, ceiling height and corner vertex x, y, z positions. These are useful for curved walls and small details.

If you are familiar with brush-based editors for games like Quake and Unreal, WASD's editor may initially feel limiting, but it can be fast for prototyping map layouts.

A good way to learn is to load an existing map in edit mode and look around.

Enable edit mode

Open the chat/command input with T, then type:

/edit

The current map will reload in edit mode and editing functions will become available.

After edit mode is enabled, press E to toggle the edit overlay on and off.

Selection

To make a selection, aim at grid units with mouse look.

Click and hold the left mouse button over an area, then release it when the desired cubes are highlighted in a light blue wireframe.

Selection wireframe

To cancel the current selection, click the right mouse button.

Edit controls

Editing keys appear on the top right of the edit HUD when in edit mode.

Press and hold an edit key while using the mouse scroll wheel to edit the selected property.

You can also use Page Up and Page Down for some edit operations.

Action	Control
Change floor texture	`T`
Shape floor corners	`1` to `4`
Shape ceiling corners	`5` to `8`
Toggle solid geometry	`R`
Add map light	`X`

Edit HUD

Editing commands

Action	Command
Create a new map	`/newmap <size>`
Save the current map	`/savemap <filename>`
Load a map	`/map <filename>`
Compute lightmap and rebuild geometry	`/calc`
Set map name	`/mapname <string>`
Set map author	`/mapauthor <string>`

Files, Settings & Custom Content

WASD stores user data outside the game folder.

Platform	User data location
Windows	App data area
Linux	`~/.config/wasd`
Android	`/data/wasd`

Android's /data/wasd directory is not easily accessible from the normal Android user interface unless the device is rooted or accessed with Android Debug Bridge.

The user/save area may contain:

config/autoexec.ini
screenshots
saved maps
map preview images
downloaded maps
other generated files

Custom and downloaded content can be placed in the relevant folders. Content generated or downloaded in-game will go to the user directory.

If a bundled file and a user-created file use the same relative path, the user file takes priority.

Troubleshooting

Master server is unreachable

Check your internet connection.
Make sure outbound access to master server port 27950 is not blocked.

Cannot join a server

Check the ip:port.
Make sure the server is not full.
If it is your own host, check your router and firewall.

Other people cannot join my hosted game

Usually this is a router, firewall, or NAT problem.
The host must be reachable from outside the local network.
Forward the UDP port the game is using.
The game starts at 63258, but it may use a higher port if that one was already busy.
Same-LAN testing can be misleading.

Edit mode turns off

Use /edit first.
Then use E to toggle the edit overlay.

Settings did not save

The game saves to the user area, not the install folder.
Force-closing the game can interrupt the write.

The game crashes when I perform some action

Sorry about that! We'd love to hear from you and get it fixed in the next release.

Email: wasdbugs@wasdfps.com

WASD-FPS