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Camera & Flight Mode

How the first-person camera works in We Are Small. Flight mode, pointer lock, speed boost, and camera roll explained.

We Are Small uses a first-person flight camera that gives you complete freedom to explore the Solar System from any angle and any distance.

Entering flight mode

Click anywhere on the 3D scene to enter flight mode. When you do:

  • Your mouse cursor disappears (pointer lock activates)
  • A small crosshair appears at the centre of the screen
  • Mouse movement now controls where you look
  • Keyboard controls (WASD) become active for movement

Exiting flight mode

Press Esc to exit flight mode. Your cursor reappears and you can interact with the user interface — clicking planet labels, opening the settings panel, or launching guided tours.

How movement works

Movement is relative to where you are looking:

  • W moves you forward in the direction you are facing
  • S moves you backward
  • A and D strafe you left and right
  • Space moves you upward relative to your current orientation
  • Ctrl moves you downward

This means you can look down at a planet and fly toward it by pressing W, or look sideways and strafe past it.

Speed boost

Hold Shift to activate a 5x speed multiplier. This is essential for crossing the vast distances between outer planets. Release Shift to return to normal speed.

A good workflow:

  1. Point toward your destination
  2. Hold Shift + W to fly at high speed
  3. Release Shift as you approach
  4. Fine-tune your position at normal speed

Camera roll

Press Q to roll the camera left and E to roll it right. This rotates your view around the forward axis, like an aircraft performing a barrel roll.

Roll is useful for:

  • Adjusting your horizon line after looking around
  • Getting a fresh perspective on planetary rings
  • Photographing planets from unusual angles

Trackpad support

If you are using a laptop trackpad instead of a mouse:

  • Two-finger swipe moves the camera in flight mode
  • Pinch-to-zoom is not supported (use W/S instead)
  • Click to enter flight mode works the same as with a mouse

Getting unstuck

If you find yourself disoriented or lost in deep space:

  1. Press Esc to exit flight mode
  2. Find a planet label in the scene
  3. Double-click the label to warp directly to that planet
  4. Click the scene again to resume flying