Don't Panic!

So you've just woken up on a tiny raft, adrift in the ocean?
It's OK!

You have your wits about you and a make-shift hook. You'll be fine!

Let's get started.
First, you'll need to get your bearings.


Additionally, you look around by moving the mouse.

Ok, lets take a look at your surroundings...

You're on a small (2x2) Raft in the middle of the ocean.
There's garbage floating by..



You're moving...


And... is.. is that a Sh-sh-sh-SHARK!


Ok, what did I just tell you?
DON'T PANIC!

One thing at a time.
Start with what we know.
There's garbage floating past, and we have a hook. Let's see what we can do with this.

There are multiple kinds of resources drifting past you at any given moment.

There are Planks of Wood, Palm Leaves, Chunks of Plastic, and Barrels

Occasionally, You'll see a Palm leaf that's bigger than the rest. Collecting one of these will give you 3 Palm Leaves instead of 1.


Now let's grab some of that garbage. It might be useful.

To use the hook, select it on your hotbar (mouse wheel, or shortcut) and Throw it with Action 1 (LMB by default)

Now reel in your catch by holding Action 1 again..

Pro Tip: You can pick up items directly if they float close enough to you by looking at it and pressing the Interact Key (E).

With time, you can add Collection Nets to your base to collect drifting items for you.


Congratulations! You're making progress!

Now that you've gathered some resources, lets see if we can make something useful.

Open your Inventory (I) and browse through the available blueprints on the left.


Select the item you wish to craft, and you will see a new window which displays the resource requirements.
Some items have to be crafted from other items. You can mouse over them (Green Plus) to quickly craft them from the available resources. The Plus will be red if you are missing the required materials.

• Hammer
  
• Fishing Pole
  
• Plastic Cup
  
• Simple Purifier
  
• Wooden Spear

Whew!
Collecting useful flotsam and crafting is hard work!

By now you've probably noticed you're getting Hungry and Thirsty.
The bars are at the bottom left of your screen.

Use your Fishing Pole to catch some fish.
You cast your line in the same way as the hook.

When you get a bite, reel in your catch with Action 1 (LMB)


If you eat raw fish, or drink unpurified seawater it will make you thirsty.
That's why the grill is not on the Priority List above, but the Purifier is.
Craft a Purifier, and place it by selecting it on the Hotbar, and positioning it on your raft.

Place planks to fuel the fire, and use the Cup to gather seawater, and place it in the Purifier.

When the purifier is finished, use the cup again to gather the water. Drinking the water will replenish your thirst.

If you build a Grill, you can cook fish before you eat it. This will stop the food from making you thirsty, and will make you much less hungry than eating raw fish.

Notes:
Barrels will sometimes give you Potatoes and Beets.
These can be eaten raw without causing thirst.
Like all food, cooking is recommended as they will quench your hunger much more when cooked.

Excellent!
Now you don't have to starve to death, or dehydrate!

What's that splashing sound?

That pesky Shark is back!
...And he's biting your Raft!

Quick! Stab him in the eyes! 4 hits with the Wooden Spear should do it...
(Stabbing him in the eyes is optional. As long as you hit him, it counts.)

Great, now your Raft is damaged..
You crafted a hammer right?
Switch to it, and hold down Action 2 (RMB) and mouse over the repair option.

Now use the hammer to repair the section he attacked.

If you didn't get there in time and he destroyed a part of your raft, DON'T PANIC!
The hammer can replace the section that was lost.

Pro Tip: If you kill the shark, stab him 4 more times.
You'll be rewarded with 3 additional pieces of shark meat, and his head.
Mmmmm shark meat...

Let's review.
You now can harvest resources, craft useful items, feed yourself, and defend your home away from home.
Now it's time to start making things a little more comfortable around here!

Things are getting a little cramped here.
Lets use your hammer to expand the raft.
Select the Foundation from your hammer menu, and if you have the resources, you will see a Green Ghost like when you were placing the Purifier.

Good Job! Keep expanding your foundation until you have enough room to feel comfortable.
Next you'll probably want to add some walls and a roof.

While you could theoretically continue making your raft wider and longer, eventually you'll get so big you wont be able to get to the shark in time to stop him.
You can only run so fast, after all.

Instead, it's recommended to build Tall, rather than build Out.
Not only will you save on resources, but the extra altitude will come in handy when you decide to explore islands.

Both Posts and Walls will provide structural support for another floor.
Floor sections must be directly connected to a load-bearing support in order to be placed.

Don't be afraid to get crazy with it!

Given time and patience, you can live in luxury!!

Pro Tip: Keep in mind that there is no "front" on your raft.
The wind can shift and you could start drifting another direction.