The Carcass Keyboard Commands Reference

This page is the authoritative keyboard command reference for The Carcass on Steam. The game accepts typed commands and menu selections—no mouse. Commands below reflect the 2.0 update Pulse rules: only next and harvest advance time unless an event explicitly states otherwise.

Use the command lookup tool to filter this list mid-run.

Global navigation

Input	Action	Pulse?
Typed command + Enter	Execute terminal command	Varies
Menu number keys	Select highlighted option	Usually no
ESC	Skip intro / back out of some screens	No
SPACE / ENTER	Continue intro pauses (2.0+)	No

Time and harvest

Command	Action	Pulse?
next	End current Pulse, advance simulation	Yes
harvest	Harvest active region resources	Yes

Harvest prints [PULSE CONSUMED] and a mini turn report. Menus label danger and Pulse cost per zone.

Colony management

Command / menu	Action	Pulse?
Build menu	Place Nutrient Vats, Bone Quarries, chambers	No (costs resources)
Assign roles	Set citizen jobs	No
Research menu	Queue tech branches	No (progress ticks on Pulse)
Rations / morale	Adjust food policy	No

See colony buildings for structure names.

Diplomacy and events

Context	Action	Pulse?
Event dialogue choices	Branch story flags	No until Pulse ends
Trade treaties	Faction screens	No
War declarations	Military diplo	Often resolves on next Pulse

Combat orders

Context	Action	Pulse?
Expedition dispatch	Send warriors to marrow/regions	Usually tied to Pulse advance
Defense roster	Assign defenders	No
After-action reports	Read-only	No

Details in combat guide.

Intro-specific

Input	Action
ESC	Skip entire intro cinematic
SPACE / ENTER	Continue at [SPACE/ENTER] Continue... markers

Best practices

1. Plan free actions first—queue builds, research, assignments.
2. Harvest or next once with intention.
3. Read turn report every Pulse (Pulse guide).
4. Never harvest high-danger zones without reading menu Pulse label.

Accessibility commands

Settings menus (text size, color alternatives, CRT intensity) live in terminal preferences—documented in terminal settings. All remain keyboard navigable.

After patches

Command names may expand near launch. Compare patch notes when updates drop. Report mismatches so we update the lookup table.

Memorizing ten commands beats memorizing ten menus—start with next, harvest, and build.

Muscle memory drills

Practice next only sessions and harvest-only sessions in the demo before Ironman. Speed comes from never guessing Pulse cost.

Deep dive: command discipline

Treat the terminal like a flight deck. Before ending a Pulse, ask: Did I queue all free actions? Do I need harvest yield this turn or story progression via next? Combat expeditions often resolve on Pulse advance—do not stack harvest and war dispatch blindly.

Intro keys: ESC skip, SPACE/ENTER continue at pauses. Settings menus remain keyboard navigable—see terminal settings. After 2.0, harvest prints explicit Pulse consumed banners—if you do not see them, you did not spend a Pulse.

Bookmark command lookup during Ironman. One wrong confirmation in a high-danger harvest menu deletes hours on Extinction.

Closing tips for typists

drill harvest vs next in demo until banners feel automatic. Ironman has no undo.