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Navigate the map with game-like controls

Use the keyboard's arrow keys to move around the map with game-like controls.

const map = new maplibregl.Map({
    container: 'map',
    style: 'https://tiles.openfreemap.org/styles/liberty',
    center: [-87.6298, 41.8781],
    zoom: 19,
    bearing: -12,
    pitch: 60,
    interactive: false
});

// pixels the map pans when the up or down arrow is clicked
const deltaDistance = 100;

// degrees the map rotates when the left or right arrow is clicked
const deltaDegrees = 25;

function easing(t) {
    return t * (2 - t);
}

map.on('load', () => {
    map.getCanvas().focus();

    map.getCanvas().addEventListener(
        'keydown',
        (e) => {
            e.preventDefault();
            if (e.which === 38) {
                // up
                map.panBy([0, -deltaDistance], {
                    easing
                });
            } else if (e.which === 40) {
                // down
                map.panBy([0, deltaDistance], {
                    easing
                });
            } else if (e.which === 37) {
                // left
                map.easeTo({
                    bearing: map.getBearing() - deltaDegrees,
                    easing
                });
            } else if (e.which === 39) {
                // right
                map.easeTo({
                    bearing: map.getBearing() + deltaDegrees,
                    easing
                });
            }
        },
        true
    );
});

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <title>Navigate the map with game-like controls</title>
    <meta property="og:description" content="Use the keyboard's arrow keys to move around the map with game-like controls." />
    <meta property="og:created" content="2025-06-25" />
    <meta charset='utf-8'>
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
    <link rel='stylesheet' href='https://unpkg.com/maplibre-gl@5.24.0/dist/maplibre-gl.css' />
    <script src='https://unpkg.com/maplibre-gl@5.24.0/dist/maplibre-gl.js'></script>
    <style>
        body { margin: 0; padding: 0; }
        html, body, #map { height: 100%; }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
<div id="map"></div>

<script>
    const map = new maplibregl.Map({
        container: 'map',
        style: 'https://tiles.openfreemap.org/styles/liberty',
        center: [-87.6298, 41.8781],
        zoom: 19,
        bearing: -12,
        pitch: 60,
        interactive: false
    });

    // pixels the map pans when the up or down arrow is clicked
    const deltaDistance = 100;

    // degrees the map rotates when the left or right arrow is clicked
    const deltaDegrees = 25;

    function easing(t) {
        return t * (2 - t);
    }

    map.on('load', () => {
        map.getCanvas().focus();

        map.getCanvas().addEventListener(
            'keydown',
            (e) => {
                e.preventDefault();
                if (e.which === 38) {
                    // up
                    map.panBy([0, -deltaDistance], {
                        easing
                    });
                } else if (e.which === 40) {
                    // down
                    map.panBy([0, deltaDistance], {
                        easing
                    });
                } else if (e.which === 37) {
                    // left
                    map.easeTo({
                        bearing: map.getBearing() - deltaDegrees,
                        easing
                    });
                } else if (e.which === 39) {
                    // right
                    map.easeTo({
                        bearing: map.getBearing() + deltaDegrees,
                        easing
                    });
                }
            },
            true
        );
    });
</script>
</body>
</html>