Input

Games never ask whether a key is down: they ask whether an action is, such as "jump" or "confirm". An InputMap binds each action to keyboard keys, gamepad buttons and a left-stick direction, samples the backend’s devices once per fixed step and computes press and release edges per step. Scripted input forces the same actions, so automated runs exercise exactly the code players do.

Default actions

InputMap.CreateDefault() is what Game.CreateInput() returns unless a game overrides it:

public static InputMap CreateDefault() => new InputMap()
    .Bind("left", [Key.Left, Key.A], [PadButton.DPadLeft], StickDirection.Left)
    .Bind("right", [Key.Right, Key.D], [PadButton.DPadRight], StickDirection.Right)
    .Bind("up", [Key.Up, Key.W], [PadButton.DPadUp], StickDirection.Up)
    .Bind("down", [Key.Down, Key.S], [PadButton.DPadDown], StickDirection.Down)
    .Bind("confirm", [Key.Z, Key.Space, Key.Enter, Key.J], [PadButton.A])
    .Bind("cancel", [Key.X, Key.Backspace, Key.K], [PadButton.B])
    .Bind("action", [Key.C, Key.L], [PadButton.X])
    .Bind("pause", [Key.Escape, Key.P], [PadButton.Start]);

Source: src/MicroEngine/Input/Input.cs

Custom bindings

Override CreateInput and chain Bind calls. Binding an existing action adds keys and buttons to it; binding a new name creates it.

protected override InputMap CreateInput() => InputMap.CreateDefault()
    .Bind("jump", [Key.Z, Key.Space, Key.J], [PadButton.A])
    .Bind("fire", [Key.X, Key.K], [PadButton.X, PadButton.B])
    .Bind("lock", [Key.C, Key.L, Key.LeftShift], [PadButton.RightShoulder, PadButton.LeftShoulder]);

Source: games/NeonRift/RiftGame.cs

Overload	Use
`Bind(action, params Key[] keys)`	Keys only, e.g. `Bind("action", Key.X)`
`Bind(action, Key[] keys, PadButton[] buttons, StickDirection stick = None)`	Keys, pad buttons and a stick direction

The Key enum covers letters, digits, arrows, Space, Enter, Escape, Backspace, Tab, Shift, left Control and F1-F5, F11, F12. PadButton uses Xbox names (A, B, X, Y, Start, Back, shoulders, d-pad). A stick direction counts as down beyond half deflection. Only the first gamepad is read by the SDL and raylib backends.

Querying actions

Method	True when
`Down(action)`	The action is held (or was tapped during this step)
`Pressed(action)`	First step after it went down, even if it was released within the same frame
`Released(action)`	First step after it went up
`Axis(negative, positive)`	Returns -1, 0 or 1 from two opposing actions
`Actions`	Lists every bound action name

var move = new Vector2(Input.Axis("left", "right"), Input.Axis("up", "down"));
_position += move * 90 * dt;
if (Input.Pressed("confirm"))
{
    Audio.Play("ding", pitchJitter: 0.05f);
    // ...
}

Source: samples/HelloEngine/Program.cs

How edges are computed

Sample(source) runs before each fixed step and records which actions are down. An action that goes down is also latched, so a tap shorter than a step still produces one Pressed.
EndUpdate() runs after each step: the current state becomes the previous state and latches clear. A tap is therefore never lost and never reported twice.
Reset() runs on every scene push and pop: held actions count as already held, so the key that opened a menu does not immediately press its first option.

Both desktop backends add one more guarantee: a key pressed and released between two frames is reported as down until a simulation step has read it (see RaylibInput.CollectTaps in RaylibPlatform.cs and SdlInput in SdlPlatform.cs); taps on the on-screen touch controls are kept the same way.

Scripted input

InputScript drives actions by update number. It is used by the desktop --script argument, by tests and by development web packages.

# comment
30 press confirm          # down for 2 updates
60 hold right 90          # down for 90 updates
60 down jump / 75 up jump # explicit edges
200 capture title.png
900 quit

Source: format documented on InputScript in src/MicroEngine/Core/GameRunner.cs

Command	Effect
`N press action`	Down at update N for 2 updates
`N hold action D`	Down at update N for D updates
`N down action` / `N up action`	Explicit edges
`N capture file.png`	Save the frame after update N into the capture directory
`N quit`	End the run at update N

@+N instead of an absolute number means N updates after the previous command. A malformed line throws a FormatException naming the line. Scripts force actions through InputMap.SetForced, which tests can also call directly. In code the same script can be built with Press, Hold, Capture and QuitAfter.

On the desktop, a game started through DesktopLauncher plays a script when it is given --script FILE; --hidden, --mute and --captures DIR run it without a visible window or sound and choose where captures go (Backends).

On desktop a script implies a fixed step (one update per frame) and seed 1 unless --seed is given, so the run and its captures are reproducible.

Browser input

In a browser the same bindings apply. The page keeps keys that would scroll or trigger browser features (arrows, Space, Tab, /, ') away from the browser while playing, and leaves Ctrl/Cmd shortcuts and function keys to it. Details: Embedding.

Limitations

Keyboard, gamepad and, on the SDL platform, on-screen touch controls that press gamepad buttons. There is no mouse, pointer or touch API a game can read directly.
No runtime rebinding UI; bindings are code.
One gamepad (index 0), left stick only, digital thresholds; no triggers or analog values exposed to games.
In the browser, gamepad play was validated manually in one Chromium-based browser with the controller that was tested; no claim is made for other controllers or browsers (Platforms).