DIVE or DIE Controls
Complete DIVE or DIE controls guide for keyboard and controller, including rebinding tips and diving mechanics.
Keyboard Controls Overview
DIVE or DIE: Children of Rain uses a side-scrolling underwater exploration model on PC with full keyboard and controller support. Movement in the Abyssal Pool is swim-based: you navigate horizontally and vertically through flooded ruins while managing oxygen, health, and sanity meters displayed on the HUD.
Standard movement uses directional keys or WASD to swim through the environment. The space bar or a dedicated interact key lets you collect resources, open sarcophagi containing Blueprints, and interact with underwater altars. Holding the interact button opens locked crates — plan this carefully when Stalkers or Rain-Touched enemies are nearby.
Diving acceleration (boost) increases swim speed but consumes oxygen at the same rate as the speed gain. Use boosts to escape danger or reach distant resources, but always reserve enough oxygen for the return trip to the Diving Deck.
Combat and Tool Actions
Combat tools are assigned to dedicated keys once crafted at the Workshop. The Diving Knife cuts Killer Algae tentacles at close range and clears vine blockades. The Nailgun handles Rain-Touched enemies before they close distance. Harpoons and advanced weapons unlock through Blueprint progression.
Weapon switching and item use follow standard PC action-game conventions. Check the in-game pause menu — accessible via Escape — for the current binding layout, as some keys shift after unlocking new equipment tiers.
Settlement Management Controls
On the surface, click or navigate between buildings to assign survivors, craft items, review the Camp Report, and manage your roster at the Town Hall. The Camp Status panel in the Lighthouse shows Nutrition and Morale upkeep at a glance. Hover over resource icons in the top-right corner for detailed breakdowns.
Assigning survivors to buildings, launching dives from the Diving Deck, and making Altar offerings all use point-and-click interaction. The day advances after each completed dive or when you pass the day manually.
Controller Support and Rebinding
DIVE or DIE ships with full controller support on Steam. If default bindings feel awkward, open the pause menu during gameplay to access the keybinding screen. For persistent remapping issues, Steam Input provides a reliable workaround: right-click the game in your Steam Library, select Manage, then Controller Layout to customize every button.
Steam Input Action Sets let you create separate layouts for menu navigation versus diving gameplay — useful when remapping face buttons breaks menu access. Community controller layouts are available through Steam for Xbox and PlayStation controllers.
Essential HUD Elements
During dives, monitor four critical meters: Oxygen (return before depletion or the diver is lost), Health (damage from enemies and environmental hazards), Sanity (creeping madness from Eldritch exposure), and Carry Weight (overloading slows movement and limits loot). The depth indicator and biome name help orient you in the Abyssal Pool.
On the surface, the Flood Countdown timer is your most important HUD element. Each dive consumes one day. Track Worship progress at the Altar separately — filling the meter adds an extra day to the countdown.