Petit Planet Beta: Initial Movement, Radial Menus, and Base Setup

When starting the Petit Planet beta test, begin by customizing your avatar, mastering directional movement with third-person camera controls, and using context-sensitive radial menus to interact with world objects. Taking time to inspect your starting plot's spatial layout early prepares you for building and resource gathering.

Character Customization Options

Before exploring your planet, complete character creation to establish your avatar's visual style for social and exploration activities:

Presets and Facial Features: Test the provided visual presets, selecting from available eye shapes and facial expressions to define your character's look.
Hairstyles and Hair Colors: Choose a hairstyle and color scheme, which remain primary visual markers while navigating the third-person camera view.
Starting Clothing: Select initial outfits aligned with the game's cozy aesthetic to finalize your character setup.

Movement Controls and Camera Adjustment

After landing in the game world, focus on movement mechanics and spatial orientation:

Directional Movement: Use directional inputs to walk across the landscape and test how your character handles varying terrain types.
Camera Controls: Adjust the third-person camera angle to maintain clear sightlines of environmental landmarks and terrain boundaries.
Surrounding Assessment: Rotate the view while exploring to spot potential resource nodes and survey nearby terrain for future structure placement.

Context-Sensitive Radial Menus

Environment interaction in Petit Planet relies on proximity-based UI menus rather than fixed standard buttons:

Proximity Triggers: Approach objects, resource nodes, or characters to bring up the interaction UI.
Context Shifts: Options inside the radial menu change dynamically depending on what your character is directly facing.
Core Actions: Select radial menu options to execute specific tasks, including gathering materials, speaking with NPCs, or inspecting world items.

Evaluating Your Initial Plot Layout

Before placing objects or gathering large amounts of building materials, walk the perimeter of your starting area to evaluate spatial constraints:

Consideration	Goal	Primary Action
Terrain Flatness	Identify usable building surface	Locate naturally flat ground versus elevated areas requiring terraforming tools.
Grid Spacing	Reserve area for structures and paths	Note structure footprint sizes and leave clear corridors for movement.
Landmark Sightlines	Maintain navigation reference points	Choose base locations with clear views of major horizon landmarks.

Understanding these basic movement and interface systems ensures smooth progression through the core loop of exploring, gathering, and building in the Petit Planet beta.