Welcome to Havendock, a singleplayer and co-op open-world survival sandbox where you'll crash land on a mysterious island and must build a new life from scratch. Developed by YYZ Studio and published by IndieArk and Different Tales, this Early Access title focuses on the moment-to-moment experience of crafting, farming, fishing, and managing your growing community of settlers. You'll need to master resource gathering and base building to ensure your survival and prosperity.
This guide is here to help you navigate the intricacies of island life. We'll cover everything from your initial moments after the crash landing, through efficient base building strategies, detailed quest walkthroughs, and effective settler management. Get ready to thrive with expert tips on farming, fishing, and essential crafting, ensuring you can master Havendock efficiently.
Getting Started
New to Havendock? This guide covers the basics: hunger, thirst, happiness, research, settlers, and more to get your island colony thriving. Learn how to start!
Getting Started
New to Havendock? This guide covers the basics: hunger, thirst, happiness, research, settlers, and more to get your island colony thriving. Learn how to start!











Controls & UI — Havendock Guide
Learn the essential controls and UI elements in Havendock. This guide covers keybinds and interface tips to help you navigate and manage your settlement efficiently.
Alright, let's get you familiar with how to actually play Havendock. It's pretty straightforward once you know what you're doing, but there are a couple of neat tricks to make things smoother.
Here's a quick rundown of some handy controls:
- Shift + Right-Click: This is your go-to for putting items into buildings. Need to stock up a farm or a cookhouse? Just hold Shift and right-click on the building with the items you want to deposit.
- Ctrl + Right-Click: This is the opposite – it's how you pull items out of buildings. Want to grab the milk from your barns or the finished goods from your crafting stations? Hold Ctrl and right-click to extract them.
These two shortcuts will save you a ton of time by letting you manage your building inventories without having to open their full GUI every single time. Super useful!
First Steps: Crash Landing & Initial Survival
New to Havendock? Learn the essential first steps for crash landing and survival. This guide covers initial resource gathering, basic needs, and getting your settlement started.
Welcome to Havendock! So, you've just crash-landed, huh? Don't worry, it happens to the best of us. This guide is here to walk you through those crucial first moments, making sure you go from stranded survivor to thriving settler.
We'll cover the absolute basics to get you on your feet, from managing your immediate needs like hunger and thirst to understanding how to start researching and building up your new home. Think of this as your friendly nudge in the right direction.
Here's what we'll cover:
- Getting Started: The immediate actions you need to take.
- Hunger and Thirst: Keeping your settlers alive and well.
- Happiness: Why a happy settler is a productive settler.
- Research: Unlocking new technologies to help you progress.
- Meals: How to prepare food to keep everyone fed.
- Settlers: Managing the people who will help you build your haven.
- Animals: Bringing some life and resources to your settlement.
- Traders: Your connection to the outside world for essential goods.
We'll also touch upon the different islands you'll encounter and the types of buildings you can construct to expand your capabilities.
Character Creation
New to Havendock? This guide breaks down the basics of starting your settlement, from managing hunger and thirst to understanding settlers and research. Get your colony thriving!
Havendock: Getting Started
Welcome to Havendock! Starting a new settlement can feel a bit overwhelming at first, but don't worry, we'll walk through the essentials together. Think of this as your friendly nudge in the right direction.
The Basics
When you first land in Havendock, you'll need to get a handle on a few core mechanics to keep your settlers happy and healthy. These are the pillars of your growing community:
- Hunger and Thirst: Your settlers need to eat and drink! Make sure you're producing enough food and have a reliable water source.
- Happiness: A happy settler is a productive settler. Keep an eye on their mood and address any issues that might be bringing them down.
- Research: Unlocking new technologies is key to progressing. Invest time in research to gain access to better buildings, tools, and resources.
- Food: Beyond just satisfying hunger, different foods can provide buffs. Plan your food production carefully.
- Settlers: These are the heart of your colony. You'll need to manage their needs, assign them tasks, and ensure they have a place to live.
- Animals: From providing resources like milk to helping with tasks, animals can be a valuable asset.
- Traders: Don't forget about the traders! They can be a great source of rare items or resources you might be short on.
Islands
Havendock is all about exploring and utilizing the various islands scattered around. Each island might offer unique resources or opportunities. Some notable islands include:
- Astronomy Island
- Bird Island
- Cow Island (great for getting cows for milk!)
- Fishing Island
- Moon Island (where you can sometimes buy cotton seeds)
- Wizard Island (DLC)
You'll also be using Boats to travel between these islands, so keep those upgraded!
Buildings
Your settlement will be built from the ground up with various structures. These buildings are essential for survival, production, and expansion:
- Base: Your starting point and central hub.
- Crafting: Where your settlers will turn raw materials into useful items.
- Food Buildings: Structures dedicated to growing, preparing, and storing food.
- Animal Buildings: Barns and other structures to house your livestock.
- Oil and Energy: Essential for powering more advanced buildings.
- People: Buildings related to housing and managing your settlers.
- Underwater: Specialized buildings for exploring the depths.
- Decor: While not essential for survival, decorations can boost happiness!
- Magic: For those looking to dabble in the arcane arts.
A Quick Q&A
Here are a few common questions you might have early on:
- How do I obtain cotton?
- You can set up scavenging tents to collect it, or visit the trader on Moon Island to buy cotton seeds. Be aware, you'll need to keep buying seeds as there's no other way to get them.
- How do I insert/extract items from buildings without opening the GUI?
- Use Shift + right-click to place items into a building, and Ctrl + right-click to take items out. Super handy for quick management!
- How do I get milk?
- Purchase cows from the farmer on Cow Island. Place Barns for them, and they'll handle the milk production.
- What's that desert island with a person in a smelter?
- That's a work-in-progress area, so you can safely ignore it for now.
That covers the absolute basics to get you started. Keep exploring, keep building, and don't hesitate to check back as you encounter new challenges!
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