Introduction & Basics

## What Is Echo Arena?

Echo Arena is game-studio Ready At Dawn's fast-paced first-person competitive multiplayer game where players control robotic Echo-Units to face off in zero-gravity environment. A full-contact sport, players use the Oculus Touch platform to grab, punch, glide, and boost their way around the virtual arena in an attempt to get the disc into the opponent's goal.

### Where Can I Play Echo Arena?

Echo Arena is a Virtual Reality video game exclusive for the Oculus Rift, Quest 1 and 2 and requires the use of the Oculus Touch controller system.

Like all Oculus games, it is possible to play on the HTC Vive through the third-party bridge "ReVive".

An Open Beta is currently scheduled for July 6th-10th, 2017.

Echo Arena will launch as a free multiplayer game alongside it's single player counterpart "Lone Echo" on July 20th, 2017.

### I've got my Rift and Touch, Downloaded the game, now what?

**PLAY THE TUTORIAL**

Seriously, I cannot recommend this enough. You may skip the tutorial on most games, claiming you'll "figure it out". But not only is VR new territory to control schemes, Echo Arena's locomotion controls are uniquely revolutionary.

You **WILL** take some time getting used to moving around in zero-gravity, and you WILL benefit from going through the simple (5 minute) tutorial.

After that? Hit 'PLAY' and you'll get dropped into a lobby full of other players, toys, and various areas to brush up on your zero-g skills. The primary feature of this lobby lies at its center, the "Matchmaking Kiosks". Using one of those is how you get into a match and actually start to play!

## CONTROLS & MOVEMENT

Now, since you played the tutorial I can keep this short right?

Find a quick-reference to button controls below:

* **Grab** Is your primary form of interaction. By grabbing objects you can "fling" yourself around. You can also grab other players and hitch a ride, and fling yourself off of them. Grabbing the disc is the primary method of game play.

* Forming a **Fist** allows you to stun other players by punching them in the head.
* Blocking: Forming two Fists and holding them in front of your face allows you to block incoming punches, and will stun the attacker.
* **Brake** will slow you in mid-air. Depending on your speed it may take a few seconds for the brake to slow you to a complete stop.
* **Boost** will push you forward in the direction you're looking (as opposed to how Wrist-Thrusters function,) with great speed.
* **Maneuvering Thrusters** (AKA Wrist Thrusters) will pull you by the arms when activated. Depending on the location and orientation of your Touch controllers, you can use these to "fly like Superman" through the air, and make fine adjustments to your vector.
* **Snap-Turn** is enabled by default and allows you to re-orient along the Yaw-Axis(Left/Right). Useful if you don't have a 360-compatible set-up.
* **Snap-Roll** is disabled by default, but allows you to re-orient along the Roll-Axis (Up/Down). A few players find being "upside down" compared to everyone else advantageous—though some also do it "for the lulz."

## The Lobby

Every time you go through a loading screen and into a new map, you'll spawn inside an "Activation Pod". To leave the activation pod you need to physically pull the release-lever to let your Echo-Unit(you) free to move about.
Use these opportunities to re-orient yourself in your play space, adjust your Rift/Touch, or know that you can AFK during a loading screen and not have any weird movement issues when coming back.

#### Matchmaking Station

The center area in the lobby is the matchmaking station which consists of 10 matchmaking booths. These allow you to enter the queue to match with other players. In addition, this is where you'll find spectator and custom match options, (disabled during the beta).

When you enter a queue, a screen will appear on your left-wrist, letting you know the status on the queue.

In the center of these stations is a holographic display of the Arena, where players can familiarize themselves with the layout. See: Arena Map & Terminology (Coming Soon)

#### Leaderboard

Located in the same room as the matchmaking stations. Details of what the leaderboards track will be added later.

#### Combat Room

This is a spherical room with a multitude of floating obstacles.

Within the zone of this room your fists are usable. You can punch, shoot and disable other players here, as well as block using both hands.

#### Customization Room

This is where you'll change the cosmetic look of your Echo-Unit.

You can change the tint, pattern, as well as decals on various parts of your robotic body, as well as set in-match looks, emotes, and number designations. As you progress and level up, you'll unlock more options to outfit your Echo-Unit with.

#### Practice Arena

This room has two opposing goals and a scattering of obstacles, and can be used to practice your disc throws and maneuvering.

There are no defined teams within this room, and neither of the goals keep track of points or objectives.

The disc in this room cannot pass through the transparent barriers, and will bounce off if thrown or carried into one of them.