Breaking

Breaking, digging, punching, or mining is a common activity in Castaways, performed (by default) by holding the left mouse button while the cursor is pointing at a block, or by long-pressing on the block on touch screens. Breaking is used to clear away unwanted blocks, and is the primary way of acquiring blocks for future placement or crafting.

Basics of Breaking

Breaking is accomplished by holding down the destroy button while the cursor is over a block. If the player is within range of the target (5 blocks), the player's hand begins swinging. as the player hits the block, cracks appear.

Blocks are marked with a wireframe cube outline making the current target easily visible. After the cracks completely cover the block, it breaks and depending on the type of block and the tool being used, it may be harvested for resources.

Although many blocks can be harvested with bare hands, certain ones require the use of a tool. In particular, to obtain stone, the player must use a pickaxe. The downside is that tools have durability, and so they eventually wear out.

The progress for breaking a block is reset if the target block changes while breaking. Progress is also reset whenever the breaking control is released. The player can move freely while breaking blocks.

Harvesting Wood

Some blocks, such as the water that makes up The Seas can not be broken, but blocks can be placed into the water.

Speed

The player's breaking speed is controlled by two factors: the block being broken and the item the player is currently holding. Every block has a hardness value, which determines the base amount of breaking time if the player hits it with their bare hands.