IMPORTANT. Computers and VR headsets can remain on, they do not have to be turned off.

Limits Participation

This game is not intended for those who suffer from epilepsy or similar conditions. The minimum age to play the game is 13 years old.

(Please review the following safety documentation on the Oculus Rift VR headset: Oculus health and safety warnings;

and for the HTC: HTC Vive safety and regulatory guide).

Some game tasks associated with color differentiation, so walkthrough may cause considerable difficulties in people suffering from color blindness.
Most of the tasks in the game is given only by voice-over narration. People with hearing impairments will be very difficult to understand what needs to be done.
Not recommended the game for people suffering from arachnophobia.

Launching the Game

1. Wake up the operator’s and players’ computers from Sleep Mode.
2. On players’ computers: launch Launcher.exe
3. On the operator’s computer:
   • launch the operator program, enter your username/password, choose the game, choose the right language in settings then choose the number of players that will play in this session. Afterwards click on “Launch” and make sure that all players have been launched.
     
   • In each headsets players must, by turning their head, move their cursor onto the button to agree with the informational message that comes up. It's usually required to do if you are using Oculus Rift DK2. Afterwards a skull icon talking about being ready for the game will appear.

Operator’s Introduction

4. Allocating roles. Goal: drive in a sense of teamwork, immersion into the game both before and after it has started.

“Hello!

A cyber-detective agency exists that investigates crimes committed within the mind. You must go deep into the mind of a maniac, one that has kidnapped a child and find out where he his keeping them, and why. The man, into whose mind you will be sent, lived somewhere in a small home within a small city; his parents did not treat him kindly. For days on end he was alone in that terrible house. What he feared more than the house, however, was to help his father in The Mine -- there he once got lost and spent several days in total darkness.

Today you find yourselves as cyber-detectives, penetrating deep into the consciousness of a maniac. Your mission is to save a child kidnapped by this maniac. But first, we must determine who wants to be who on the team. Who will be team captain? Who will solve difficult puzzles? Who will protect the team and defend it against unseen attacks?”

5. Instructions. “Here is what you need to know”.

• • Motion Sickness. “You will swim underwater which may cause some of you to experience motion sickness. If that happens and you feel uncomfortable playing you must notify your operator”. Afterwards give out candy/sweets to those who want it.
  • Body posture. “Be sure to sit up straight. In addition to being good for your posture, your virtual avatar will work better.”.
  • Use of hands. “The device responsible for capturing your hand movements is located on your forehead, but it does have a limited working range."
    

• • "This means that for it follow your hands properly, you should be looking at your hands yourself. The device will be able to see your hands very well like so [hold your hands out in front with palms facing you];
    
    “it does not see your hands very well like so” [hold your hands out in front with palms facing the floor or the ceiling, hold them away from the device’s field of vision].
    
  • “If for some reason your hands do not work right on screen, lower them out of the device’s field of view, then raise them again out in front of you with palms facing outwards and with elbows half-bent”.

• • Swimming. “When the opportunity comes for you to swim (which will not be right away), you will need to extend your hands outwards with palms facing away from you” [show them this].
  • Flying. "The gestures for flying are similar to those for swimming. Simply extend your hands outwards with palms facing away from you” [show them this].
  • Communication with other players. “This is a cooperative game and you must all work together. For this reason you all have microphones. They should be placed as close as possible to your mouth, level with your lower lip or slightly below it. This will help you to be heard better by the other players” [show them this].

Outfitting Players and Starting the Game

6. Jewelry and gadgets worn on the hands/wrists. “Please take off all watches, bracelets, rings, jewelry and other personal effects.”.

7. Putting on the VR headset. “After you put on the headsets you can adjust the straps to what is most comfortable for you.”.

• (If a player wears glasses) “You can adjust the headset’s straps so that you can wear it with your glasses, or if you prefer, take off your glasses and play without them, whichever is most convenient.”.

8. Putting on the Headphones. “Put on the headphones and adjust the microphone so that it is directly next to your mouth, level with your lower lip or slightly below it”.

9. Starting. On the operator’s computer: start the game by click the “Start” button.

Start the game from any level. After clicking on the “Launch” button and accepting the agreement shown in the headsets, the operator can click the “Start” button to begin the game from the very beginning or choose the necessary level. To change levels click on the left and right arrows shown in the picture: 

• Start - the first level of the game, “Introduction”;
•  Casket4 — the first level of the game, where the detectives returns inside to the maniac's mind;
•  Swamp — the third level, where the detectives sail on boats, overcoming fears, wandering in the mind of a maniac, then faced with a giant monster and revive neural connections tree;

•  Casket5 — the fourth level, where detectives solve the next one puzzle of the maniac’s consciousness;
•  Labyrinth — the fifth level, in which cyber-detectives escapes from the labyrinth of consciousness;
•  Casket end — the last level, in which players, after solving a riddle with emotions, are then thrown into the air, learn to create items and solve the final task before escaping the maniac’s consciousness.

Player names. Enter in the names of the detectives. These names will be displayed throughout the game, above each avatar. This will team members to instantly identify one another. To do so, after launching the game via the “Launch” button (players will see a skull when this happens) and BEFORE launching any particular level (Start, Casket1, etc.) the operator must, in turns, select all player screens (RED, GREEN, etc.) and then enter, under the central screen, the name of the player, then click the “Apply” button. At that time, a message will come up to the selected player saying “Give me a name” as well as a prompt heard through the headphones to say their chosen name out loud. Recorded name the player sees in the glasses, it is red. Other people's names - is in blue. The operator sees the name in the upper left corner of the player's window. If necessary, a name can be changed from that same screen.
Below the name you can choose the gender of your character, and then click Apply.

Game Walkthrough

Communicating with the Players and Hints

During the game you can give players hints by using the program suite. To do so click the “MIC” button and speak when the button is pressed (the MIC icon will turn red):

• Hints. If you see that a player cannot solve any particular task for more than 10 minutes, it’s worthwhile to ask them if they need help or not. Always give them a choice to accept a hint or not. "Cyber-detective [NAME], how’s it going, do you need help with something?" Hints should not be obvious answers, players should still have to think a bit after hearing them.
• In the first 30 minutes your operator can and MUST communicate with the players if they see them looking bored, dissatisfied with the game, or are experiencing discomfort. SHOULD THIS BE THE CASE, TALK TO THE PLAYERS WITHOUT GIVING HINTS! Ask them how’s it going, how are they managing with controlling their avatar, what tasks are they now working on. Players should feel that you are interested in their progress/game.
• If players are playing the game rather passively, start up a discussion: “Who was able to provide the item?”
• Always verify if the players have heard you.

During the replicas of the audio guide or a maniac, the microphone button is temporarily unavailable.

Start

1. After the introductory speech, players will link their hands with the image in front of them. To do so they will need to raise their arms and hands forward, and when the circles around their hands turn green, hold that position for a few seconds.
   If necessary, the operator can click the button “Skip Calibration”. To do so, they need to click on the following: Robot View → Skip calibration

Casket 4

1. To start players must guess how to open the hatch on the casket and pull out the item.

a) Hint: “Try touching the casket, maybe it has some kind of secret?”

2. Next players need to place the figures in the corresponding grooves. The detectives will determine who has which figure and exchange them between one another.

a) Hints: “Together you will solve this task”.
 

Swamp

1. Detectives are in unguided boats and sail forward. Players have an opportunity to shoot fireballs. Soon the first battle begins and they are attacked by crows. When a crow pecks detective, their screen will turn red and for a few seconds they will not be able to do anything. The crows can be fought off using fireballs which, at this moment, are self-guided. After a fight with detectives boats sail into the cave, where they faced with Kraken. To kill him players need to shoot the barrels, which are floating in his direction. It is necessary to allow the barrel to swim under the belly and shoot. It explodes and then detectives can deal damage Kraken.

a) Hint: "Pay attention to the floating barrels."

After killing the Kraken, players have to solve the problem of revival of "tree of neural connections," by growing up small twigs. Detectives need to take a leaf at the end of the branches in the fist and pull it in any direction. The branch will grows. Next, players need to touch the branch for grow leaves.
Everyone needs to grow up two to three branches.

a) Hint: "Try to take any branch and pull."

b) Hint: "Try to touch the branch."
 

Casket 5

1. The task to paint the house fragments in the form of geometric shapes. Each player has its own figure (below right). Detectives has dyes of the different colors on a table. Some colors must be mixed to achieve the result. Black erases everything. If the item is painted properly, it starts to glow. Level is passed when all the elements will painted over by the necessary colors.

a) Hint: "Pay attention to the figures you have in the bottom right corner"

b) Hint: "Perhaps some colors need to be mixed."

Labyrinth

1. Players are divided into two parts in the two capsules are each at different locations of the labyrinth. Before them the labyrinth scheme designation location capsule with other team. Teams should suggest where to move the players in the other capsule.

a) Hint: "Is your movement the same with movement a point on the map?"

b) Hint: "How do you think who is designated point on the scheme?"
 

Casket end

1. The cyber-detective will see a cluster/clot of emotions sitting at a table. By touching it together as a group, they will absorb these emotions. This will result in a cut to the next scene. Buttons will appear on the table which can be pressed only by the weight of several cubes.

At that moment the players can create these cubes: on both hands, a player must bring their thumb and index finger together, then begin to move their hands to the side. An animation tutorial will appear on the players’ screens.

If a player makes the biggest-sized cubes possible, then each detective will need to create and place around 5 of such cubes on the table in front of them.

a) Hint: "Who was able to create a cube and put it in its necessary spot?"

2. After pressing all the buttons on the table, the team will be catapulted from where they are and start to fly. By stretching their arms out with palms facing forward, the detectives will move closer to the city in the sky. Now, as with the cubes, players must create small homes and throw them into their designated places. The places for these small homes will be marked by a glowing blue light. Players will need to fly to the right spot, create a small house and then drag it into its necessary placement. This will cause the small house to start growing automatically and stand in place. Players must “build up” all of the places. Finally, the mission’s end point will be marked by a pole of light coming from a house in which the child is hidden. Afterwards, the detectives will need to escape the maniac’s consciousness through a portal.

a) Hint: "Can you do something similar to what you did with the cubes?"

b) Hint: "Have you built homes everywhere that you need to?"
 

Watching through the Robot and Photographing the Players

An operator can control the robot from the side on the players’ behalf. The robot’s screen, by default, will take up a large portion of the screen; player screens are laid out to the left/right of it.

To control the robot:

• View - click the left mouse button and move it in the necessary direction
• Forward, left, right, back - W, A, D, S
• To fly up, down - Q, and E
• Snap a photo - click on the middle mouse button.

Take good screenshots of the players, offer them to pose for a few. However, you must remember that each screenshot will consume computer resources. This will show up as a brief moment of picture lag on one of the player’s screens.

Your screenshots will be saved on the operator’s computer in the Mind Horror_Screenshots folder.

To quickly move the robot from one player to another, click the button in the upper right corner of the needed player. It will turn green and the robot will be attached and follow for the player if he moves. Pressing the button again detaches the robot from the player.

Observing through the Eyes of the Players

Player screens, by default, are laid out to the left of the robot screen. To watch through the eyes of one player, click on that player’s screen and it will expand, having replaced the robot screen. To return to the robot screen, click on the player’s screen again.

Helping the Entire Team with the Walkthrough

On each level an operator move all players to the next level. To do so, they need to click Robot View → Load next level.

On the “Casket4” level an operator can:

• open slots with gears by breaking it: Robot View → Break gear doors;
• place all the gears in the casket to their places: Robot View → Place gears;
• open the letters mechanism: Robot View → Trigger levers;
• complete all words in casket: Robot View → Solve words.

On the “Swamp” level an operator can:

• kill snakes biting players: Robot View → Kill Snakes;
• move players to the Kraken's cave: Robot View → GoTo [All]: Kraken;
• kill the Kraken: Robot View → Kill Kraken;
• complete level: Robot View → Complete Level.

On the “Casket5” level an operator can solve the puzzle: Robot View → Complete painting puzzle.

On the “Labyrinth” level an operator can offer remote help to the left and right capsules:

• move the players into the middle of the labyrinth: Robot View → Middle;
• move the players into the end of the labyrinth: Robot View → End;
• open the exit doors: Robot View → Open Gates;
• complete level: Robot View → Complete Level.

On the "Casket end" level an operator can:

• Activate the detectives via Robot View → Activate players;
• Activate the launching of the detectives into the sky via Robot View → Lift platform;
• Activate the buttons on the platform via Robot View → Push platform buttons;
• Turn on/show the animation explaining how to create the cubes/small houses via Robot View → Show cubes tutorial;
• Return the detectives to the city if they have fallen off the path via Robot View → GoTo [all]: City;
• Activate the final destruction via Robot View → Activate destruction.

Some buttons may not be available before the necessary game moments.

Help Players with the Walkthrough

On any level. If a game avatar’s field of vision can no longer be controlled (a player sits forward, but their avatar looks to the side or vice versa, the avatar looks forward but the player is sitting turned to the side, or the head of the avatar is not in place, or its body placement is off): ask your client to sit up straight as the operator chooses the necessary player window → Robot View → Recenter.

If a player’s arms are the incorrect length (they are too short or too long, do not correspond to the player’s hand gestures in reality, or when a player put their arms out forward the back of the avatar’s head appears): ask your client to sit up straight, then choose the necessary detective’s player window → Robot View → Hand movement scale. Move the slider for this item to a comfortable setting. A low value for this setting is ideal for tall individuals with long arms. A high value for this setting is ideal for shorter players with shorter arms.

If detective wants to change the volume of the game, then the operator can change the setting Volume: choose the necessary detective’s player window → Robot View → Volume. The default is level 1.

On the "Casket4" level an operator can:

• help to open slot with gear by breaking it via the player window → Robot View → Break gear door;
• place the player's gear to his place via the player window → Robot View → Place gear;
• open the letters mechanism via the player window → Robot View → Trigger lever;
• complete player's word via the player window → Robot View → Solve words.

On the “Casket end” level the operator can:

• Activate the detective via the player window → Robot View → Activate players;
• Activate the button on the platform via the player window → Robot View → Push platform buttons;
• Re-show the animation explaining how to create the cubes/small houses via the player window → Robot View → Show cubes tutorial;
• Return the detective to the city if he has fallen off the path via the player window → Robot View → GoTo: City.

Some buttons may not be available before the necessary game moments.

Game Over

Put emphasis on the game’s end (after the credits have finished):

• Nice, you got through that quick! Well done!
• You’ve successfully saved yourselves in the final minutes/seconds! Well done guys!
• You all only had a few seconds/minutes to spare! Well done!

Tell them what to do next: "The game’s over. Wait just a few seconds and I will come around and help you guys take off your headphones/headsets."

Click “EXIT” in the operator’s program to end the game on all player computers.

After each use of the headsets we recommend cleaning the lenses with a special microfiber cloth. In addition, be sure to clean the facial cushion pads on the headsets as well.

Surveying (Surveys)

“You have just played an innovative, new game. We would like to improve it, and make other games that are even cooler. We would be grateful to have your help with this by filling out a small form.”

If you have any troubles, see F.A.Q.