First-run setup

SAND Controls Guide

This controls guide is written for new SAND: Raiders of Sophie players who want a safe first session before joining a serious crew. Exact default keybinds can change during Early Access, so the most important step is to open the in-game settings menu and confirm movement, interaction, weapon, inventory, communication, and Trampler controls before carrying valuable loot.

Do not treat controls as a five-second setup screen. In an extraction game, bad keybind habits become expensive when the crew is trying to leave, the Trampler is exposed, or another group appears while you are still searching for the right input.

First Controls Checklist

  1. Confirm movement, sprint, crouch, jump, interact, reload, weapon swap, inventory, and map or route-related inputs.
  2. Check voice or ping tools before entering with a crew.
  3. Practice entering, looting, returning, and extracting in a low-risk run.
  4. Adjust sensitivity only after you can move and interact without hesitation.

Trampler Control Habits

The Trampler is the center of route safety, so movement and interaction around it need their own practice. Learn how to enter, exit, reposition, and regroup without blocking other players. If you are driving or managing the base, your job is not only movement. Your job is to keep the walking base useful as a retreat point.

Entry flowKnow how the crew boards and leaves the Trampler before enemies are nearby.
Route callsPair movement with short calls like hold, rotate, back to Trampler, or extract now.
Inventory rhythmPractice looting and storing quickly so the crew does not stand still in open space.
Escape muscle memoryKnow the inputs for leaving a bad position before the fight starts.

Best Practice Drill

Use Voyage Mode or another lower-pressure session to run a simple drill: leave the Trampler, gather one small objective, return, store or secure value, then extract. Repeat until the route feels boring. Boring is useful here because it means the controls are no longer taking attention away from route decisions.

Common Control Mistakes

The biggest mistake is joining a crew before testing inputs. The second is changing sensitivity, graphics, communication tools, and keybinds all at once. Change one thing, run one cheap route, and only then decide whether the change helped.

Related guides

Source basis: Steam listing, official support FAQ, official site descriptions, and current Early Access mode information checked on Jun 28, 2026.