How To Play The Escaper

Overview

The Escaper is a 3D first-person adventure. Explore the world in your cage, collect gear, fight enemies, and play optional arcade mini-games scattered around the map. You have 3 lives; landing in Ocean-tagged water cancels fall impact.

Game modes

Pick a mode from Game Selection → Game Mode, or in F2 Escaper Settings (Game mode dropdown). The HUD shows the active mode; Photon lobbies sync it when the host starts.

Live multiplayer session: after a Play / Explore run is already going, the host can pick another Play venue or Explore from Game Mode. Everyone leaves the old mini-game, teleports to the new seats, and gets a lobby (no auto-start). Walk to that venue’s OPS / stele and press START there. Combat modes (Modern / Quest / Classic / Infinite) stay a full New Game. Guests cannot switch. Overlays such as Game Selection close so everyone returns to the 3DGameHUD; leftover Game Info balloon text from the previous venue is cleared.

The Escaper (Modern)

Default full adventure: enemy waves, random lost Cage Bowl and Propeller spawns, SoundSight treasure chimes, then find the Duck Raft and escape Arcade Island.

Escaper (Quest)

LavaFlow crossing: At the base of the southeast mountains, LavaFlow is a field of random floating lava rocks. Each rock is stable for only a few seconds (about 3) before it bubbles and sinks into the flow. A bloop warning sounds around 2 seconds — listen for it and leap to the next rock before yours drops. Sunk rocks rise back up so you can retry the crossing.

Same combat and escape goal as Modern, but quest items sit at fixed landmarks. The lost Propeller is on SnowyLavaRock — the odd snow-covered rock in the middle of LavaFlow that does not sink (unlike the floating lava rocks around it). A Snowman stands on the rock; behind the Snowman is the beige Large Ammo Crate (the green Large Ammo Crate with the DetPack is in CrossFields). Stand on SnowyLavaRock for +1 health and +1 fuel every second (Sleigh Ride MIDI loops while you are there). The beige crate stockpiles yellow ammo while you stay on the rock — one ball on first contact, then another every minute (the timer pauses if you leave); walk to the crate to collect. After the Propeller, the Cage Bowl is fixed high on a skyscraper — you need flight to reach it.

Infinite Enemies

Like Modern, but enemy amount sliders are hidden and waves keep coming until you destroy 8 island sentry buoys (then spawning stops). Destroy 3 sentries to disable JellyRover boss spawn, same as other modes.

Escaper Classic (The Prisoner)

No grunt waves — only the JellyRover boss, which hunts you starting 30 seconds after the run begins (and keeps respawning). Still find bowl, propeller, and duck raft to escape.

Explore Arcade Island

No enemies; Cage Bowl, Propeller, and Duck Raft are already equipped. Roam the island and play any mini-game without the main quest pressure.

Play Checkers / Chess / BaffleShots / Bowling / Pool / Teeny Tiny Tetris

No enemies; quest gear, full ammo, and full fuel from the start. Each mode warps you to its venue (North Parthenon checkers, South Parthenon chess, Nav OPS East/West, bowling lane, billiard table, Tetris South/North OPS) so you can practice or host multiplayer there. In a live Photon session the host can hop between these venues (and Explore) without ending the room — see Live multiplayer session above.

WASD + mouse

Movement & camera

Combat

Weapon number keys

FlipChip (coin toss)

Two half-checkers (red + black) with their own rigidbody and bounce. Melee object pickup / toss is a core Melee function and stays available on the CheckerBoard, cue stand, and other no-weapon / mini-game zones.

• Equip 1 Melee. Aim at a FlipChip and press RMB (no Shift) to pick it up. RMB again drops it.
• Mouse wheel flips the held chip. Shift+wheel still sets Punch for the toss.
• LMB while holding tosses it. Punch scales throw power, spin, and hit damage.
• A thrown chip that hits an enemy deals melee-style damage and knockback. After it settles, the HUD shows Red Side Up or Black Side Up.
• Console: /flipchip drops a new chip 10 ahead and 50 up.

Checkers FlipChip (pre-game): At CheckersOPS, press the FlipChip button to spawn the coin on the OPS screen. Equip Melee, RMB pickup, LMB toss (fast spin — no flip-count rule). When it settles, Black side up → Player1/Host plays Black; Red side up → Player1/Host plays Red (default Black if you never toss). Works solo vs AI and in a Photon room — either player can toss before Start. Seats lock once on Start; mid-game tosses only affect the next match after Reset. Chip lost in the ocean → press FlipChip again to respawn. While the coin is in the world, the fourth direction indicator under the compass (FlipChip icon) points toward it — see Direction indicators (hidden while held in melee).

C4 Timer Bomb

Collect the DetPack from the light-green Large Ammo Crate in CrossFields (LargeAmmoCrate on the map). Until then, yellow GameBalls bounce off you. After DetPack, each yellow collect is +1 C4 charge. A fourth inventory icon turns green when the DetPack is found — there is no compass direction arrow for the crate or DetPack (only the four indicators listed under Direction indicators).

• 9 toggles Blaster Grenade and C4TimerBomb (after DetPack). Quick Menu C4TimerBomb also works. Needs at least one C4 charge. Slot shows DetPack icon plus charges · fuse (e.g. 3x · 10s).
• Throw power uses Melee Punch — set on weapon 1 (wheel / Shift+wheel). C4 does not change Punch; it reuses whatever you last set on the fist.
• Mouse wheel in C4 mode sets fuse length (3s min, 30s max; default 10s). Fuse meter flashes under the sight; bomb LCD shows the preset before stick.
• LMB quick throw — spawns and throws at your aim (no RMB hold required).
• RMB hold — arm in hand (−1 charge). LMB while holding = throw. RMB release = drop. Fuse starts on first solid impact after throw or drop.
• Blast radius is 2× Blaster Grenade; chain-detonates other armed C4 in range.
• First solid hit sticks. The bomb LCD counts 10:00 down to 00:00 in 60ths of a second. The 3D DetonatorLight mesh flashes GreenEmit / RedEmit (faster in the last 2 seconds). An electronic beep plays at 10:00 and every second until detonation. Stay too close and you take blast damage. Blast uses the BaffleShots ship-hit VFX (CFXR2 WW Explosion).
• Blast radius is 2x the grenade blast. Damages enemies and the player, knocks rigidbodies, and destroys SentryBuoys (they sink). 3 sentries still disable JellyRover boss spawn; 8 still stop Infinite waves.
• Console: /c4 spawns one in front of you (debug). /giveall grants DetPack.

Throw weapons — Cannon Ball & BallChain

Both share the movable throw sight loft (mouse wheel / gamepad LT–RT). Each weapon remembers its own loft angle when you switch away and back. Cannon uses the green sight + degree text; BallChain uses the purple sight + degree text.

• BallChain steps are solid as soon as each ball is laid — climb while the lead is still in the air.
• Keep shooting to extend or rebuild if an unfinished trail times out and clears.
• Only a few chain lines stay in the world at once (oldest are removed).
• Melee a chain segment to destroy that line.
• Each BallChain toss costs several ammo.

Equipment

• F — Propeller (flight)
• B — Duck Raft / Bowl
• E — Interact / collect

Menus

• ESC — Pause / open Game Selection (3D HUD off). During death or victory, toggles the menu; ESC again returns to the camera pan
• P — Game pause (blocked during death / victory)
• Tab — Quick Menu (weapons / items)
• ` or F9 — Console
• Enter / Space — Confirm in menus (Game Over uses the on-screen Continue / Restart buttons)

Quick Menu navigation

• W / A / S / D — Direction categories. After DetPack, C4TimerBomb sits next to BallChain on the left/horizontal row; selecting it shows the yellow-ball charge count.
• E / Q — Cycle items in the selected direction
• LMB — Select (single-fire for auto weapons)
• RMB — Select (auto-fire mode)
• S+A held — Exit to Game Selection

Time control

Pause / Break toggles slow motion while you play. Page Up / Page Down raise or lower time scale. This is separate from P (normal game pause).

Lives, death, and water

You start with 3 lives. A lethal hit (enemies, fall onto land or buildings, void) costs one life. The world snapshot-pauses: you stay frozen while the camera orbits and the Game Over panel is up.

GAME OVER appears only when all lives are gone. Mid-run deaths do not stamp GAME OVER on the HUD toast; the panel already has the reason and lives.

ESC during the end sequence

1. First ESC — Game Selection (3D HUD off), same as a normal pause.
2. Second ESC — back to the orbit and Game Over panel, still paused, with Continue or Restart restored.
3. P does nothing here. Click the button to leave the sequence.

Water landing (Ocean)

Landing in Ocean-tagged water (rivers and sea at the water line) cancels fall impact, like Minecraft water. You do not need the propeller. Solid ground, buildings, and the void still hurt. Outer ocean on the Duck Raft is still the escape / victory path.

UI hotkeys

Help & settings (F1–F4)

Game utils (F5–F8)

Console & cams (F9–F12)

Other HUD

Direction indicators (under the compass)

Below the compass, up to four sliding icons show where something important is on the map. Each icon moves left or right on the band to match compass bearing — center means straight ahead. Icons grow larger when you are close and shrink as you move away (about full size near 1 m, smallest around 1 km). If the target is far behind you, its icon hides until you turn back toward it.

The three quest icons can also pulse when SoundSight hears their treasure chime. The DetPack and ammo crates use the top inventory row only — there is no compass direction icon for them.

Gamepad

You can mix gamepad movement with mouse look. Remap via F7 or Settings.

Mini-games — shared lobby & turns

Pool, Bowling, Tetris, and Checkers use a stand-in zone (trigger volume). While your cage is inside:

• Weapons and RMB zoom are blocked (same idea as Nav OPS / Chess-Stele).
• Clicks drive lobby UI instead of weapons.
• Step outside to restore normal combat.

Multiplayer lobby (Host = Master Client)

Remotes can only RMB join — they cannot open the lobby, change mode, reset, or start. The host runs the table / lane.

Pool (15-Ball / 9-Ball)

Stand in the PlayBilliardSwitchZone. Mode and short rules appear on the pool board.

Host controls

Remote players

• RMB (Recruiting) or Join + LMB — join only (must be inside PlayBilliardSwitchZone)
• Before host opens lobby — HUD: Waiting for host to open lobby (LMB at pool switch)
• Cannot reset, change mode, or start (toast: Host only — use RMB to join)

Modes

• Free — sink any ball in any order; keep the turn after a legal sink (no foul). Miss when balls stop → next player (No balls pocketed — not a foul).
• 8-Ball Last — sink others first; early 8 in the bay scores no points / can lose.
• Solids & Stripes — first group ball sunk locks groups per player (board shows Name (Solids) / Name (Stripes)). Wrong group / early 8 = no points.
• 9-Ball Arcade — diamond rack (1 at apex, 9 in center); 9 must be last except a golden break (9 on a legal opening break = win). Early 9 otherwise = loss.
• 9-Ball Classic — same diamond; always hit the lowest ball first; pocket the 9 on any legal shot to win. Illegal 9 → foul + 9 spotted.

Cue-stand shooting

1. Walk onto the cue ball to select it (purple sight + cue-stick power slider).
2. Aim with look (banks / open aim OK — no object ball required under the ray).
3. Mouse wheel sets shot power; LMB shoots a flat impulse.
4. Space / Jump (or step off the cue) cancels select. Weapons are halted while the cue is selected.
5. The cue is not melee-punched — only cue-stand shots move it. Object balls can still be nudged with weapons / melee when not on the cue.

Break / ball-in-hand

• Opening break: cue starts in the kitchen (behind the head string).
• After a cue scratch (or certain fouls): ball-in-hand — stand on the cue, hold Shift, aim a transparent ghost, LMB to place once. Release Shift to cancel (cue stays put).
• Most modes: place in the kitchen. 9-Ball fouls: place anywhere on the felt.

Turns, scratch, scoring

After you hit, the table waits until every ball in motion fully stops. Legal sink + no foul → keep turn; miss or foul → next player.

Scratch / foul (important split):

• Cue scratch (foul + re-spot + ball-in-hand): cue goes down a pocket into the return bay, or stays off the felt for about 3 seconds. Brief pocket airtime is fine. Cage bumps that shove the cue are not treated as pocket scratches.
• Object ball off the table (~3s off both felt and bay, e.g. on the floor): scratched / no points (red X on the header). The cue is not re-spotted and may keep rolling until it stops — that alone is not ball-in-hand.
• A ball confirmed in the return bay is a sink (green check on the header).

Header icons: the table header shows all 15 ball icons. Green check = sunk for credit; red X = scratched / no-points.

Scoreboard — who sank what (pool board and F8 → Billiards):

• SD-1 … SD-7 — solids
• ST-9 … ST-15 — stripes
• 8 — eight-ball
• 9 — nine-ball (9-Ball modes)

AngelBrace Sunk: SD-1, SD-3, SD-5
AngelBraceToo Sunk: ST-9, ST-11, 8

HUD toasts use the same codes and ball badges (e.g. AngelBrace sunk SD-3). In multiplayer the host simulates physics and broadcasts sunk / scratch toasts so remotes see the same HUD messages.

Big Dumb Bowling

Stand in the PlayBowlingSwitchZone.

Remotes: RMB join only (cannot open lobby or start).

Each player bowls a full frame (up to two balls, or three in the 10th; a strike ends early), then the turn passes. Scoreboard and F8 bowling page show roster and turn.

Tetris

SouthTetrisOPS / NorthTetrisOPS (NavOPS-style) use TetrisTriggerZone. UI: board/rules, Settings (start level, arena scale, music), Start / Settings / Reset. MIDI Troika loops from TeenyTinyTetrisBuilding (spatial). Arena sky text: solo score line, or MP1 (left / North) and MP2 (right / South) in 2P. Live standings also on F8 → Tetris.

Tetris is live / simultaneous — it does not use "{Name}'s Turn" (solo never flashes a turn banner). 2P flashes Players Ready when the match goes live. Ends use Wins! / You Lose! / Draw! / Co-op Clear! / Sprint Clear! / Time's Up!.

OPS lobby

Aim with the crosshair (same idea as Nav OPS / Chess-Stele). Mode wheel and Start/Reset are host only.

Match flow

• Engage → South pad 5s → Playing (host). Already on your pad → clamp immediately; else 3s settle. Then 0.5s ready wait → first piece (A/D ready).
• Marathon — solo well; sky score line. Survive as long as you can.
• Sprint — first to 40 lines; elapsed time; Sprint Clear!; top-out → Game Over.
• Ultra — 2:00 clock; Time's Up! keeps score; top-out → Game Over.
• 2P Co-op — shared 20×20 (no mid wall), two pieces. Team 40 lines → Co-op Clear!; either top-out → shared Game Over. Bright = yours, dim = other.
• 2P Vs Race — dual 10×20 + mid wall. South = right well, North = left. First to 40 lines wins; top-out loses.
• 2P Vs Attack — same dual layout. Garbage: Double 1, Triple 2, Tetris 4 (Single 0). Clears cancel your pending garbage first; leftover rows rise on the opponent’s next lock.
• 2P Ultra Duel — same dual layout. Shared 2:00; highest score wins; tie → Draw!; top-out loses.
• After Game Over / Vs end, blocks and TetrisBorder stay until host Start or Reset.

Play Spot (while clamped)

A translucent ghost shows the landing cell (preview only). While Playing, the FPS HUD shows NEXT (and optional HOLD), level, and your score. Guideline scoring: 100 / 300 / 500 / 800 × level; gravity level rises from the Settings start level.

Networked piece sync uses host-authoritative NetworkedTetrisSync — remotes mirror OPS mode / board / pieces; P2 joins North (non-host Start) and steers with intents. Start level and arena scale are host-set; music volume stays local. Escaper Play Tetris (and a live venue switch into Tetris) seats the host at TetrisSouth / SouthTetrisOPS (same pad as solo) and Player 2 at TetrisNorth / NorthTetrisOPS. 3rd+ players ring near North. Quest gear, full ammo, and full fuel are already equipped.

Chess at South Parthenon

Full dedicated guide: Chess at South Parthenon (same guide as the dedicated GitHub Page).

Short version: use the Chess-Stele for solo Level / Puzzles / Custom / Leorik. 2P (Play Chess venue or a live match): Level / Puzzles / Custom / Leorik are hidden. Host START begins a new 2P game and warps both cages to the board seats (White's Turn; host = White, guest = Black; lion hidden). Host Clear resets the 32 pieces in place (no second warp). Backspace takes back the last move once, then play a new move. Rear stele is the optional 2D board only. Labels / Predict / Style / music stay local. Tab: purple predict + raycast. Play on the outdoor 3D board or the back stele; RMB pending, fire commits. Turns use the shared header banner and Caps Lock balloon.

Checkers at North Parthenon

North Parthenon is the black marble mirror of South. The 8×8 red/black board runs local X/Z −67 to 67 (A1 at −67, H8 at 67). Black (darker) racks on ranks 1–3, Red (lighter) on ranks 6–8, dark squares only. Pieces land with the same chess1–5 click used at South Parthenon.

CheckersOPS terminal

Stand in checkersOPSTriggerZone (weapons and RMB zoom off), aim a button with the crosshair, and LMB to click.

Offline is always vs AI (you are Player1; default Black until a FlipChip toss changes it — in Anti-Checkers the AI opens when Red moves first); inside a Photon room it is always 2P. There is no vs-AI / hotseat toggle — the session decides. Cycling the variant re-racks the board and is pushed to guests. The variant locks on Start and on the first move played; only host Reset unlocks it.

Variants

Wheel order. Jumps are mandatory in every variant — quiet moves are only offered when no jump exists.

Except for Anti-Checkers, Black moves first and you win by taking every enemy piece or leaving the opponent with no legal move. The OPS rules panel always prints the active variant's summary.

Playing on the 3D board

You must be inside the board play zone. Weapons and RMB zoom stay off whenever you touch a piece or square, or stand in the zone looking down.

1. Stand on one of your pieces to select it — a blue circle marks that square.
2. Markers appear: green sphere (GreenEmit) = a square you can land on, green circle = a piece you can capture. The end of a multi-jump gets the raised far sphere.
3. Aim a marker to preview that line; it brightens. Aiming a middle hop takes only that much of the chain, aiming the far sphere takes the whole chain.
4. RMB locks the preview as pending — orange sphere and circle, status reading Pending A3 -> C5 x2 (LMB commit).
5. LMB commits and the piece hops square by square. Backspace cancels the pending line; RMB again clears the pending line and the selection.

Turns, results, and multiplayer

The OPS board shows Black Turn / Red Turn; the shared top HUD flashes the player name for ~7s and Caps Lock recalls it in the balloon. A match ends on {Color} Wins! when one side has no pieces or the side to move has no legal move (both inverted in Anti-Checkers).

NetworkedCheckersSync: Player1/Host (Master Client) color comes from flipChipSideBoolean on Start (default Black). Guest gets the opposite color at CheckersPlayer2. Pre-game FlipChip tosses sync via RPC; either player can toss before Start. Join marks lobby only — no seat warp until host Start. Host Start RPCs everyone — variant applied, AI off, seats from the host's boolean, each cage warped. Moves travel as packed hop sequences so both clients animate the identical chain. Host Reset and the host variant wheel are RPCs too; leaving the room drops back to solo vs AI without wiping the board.

Console: /goto CheckersPlayer1 (Black) · /goto CheckersPlayer2 (Red). Escaper Play Checkers mode starts P1 at the Black seat and P2 at the Red seat.

BaffleShots at Nav OPS

Enter the Nav OPS trigger (weapons blocked). RMB zoom is blocked only during fleet setup / Nav Plan, not once battle starts. Your turn / Opponent's turn use the shared HUD banner and Caps Lock balloon. Status also appears on F8 → BaffleShots.

Planning

• Nav Plan — random kick-start for your fleet groups (and Repulse Mines if enabled). Reposition with RMB drag · LMB rotate · release to place. Nav Plan hides once battle is underway; Reset returns to setup and shows it again.
• Confirm / Start when the fleet is complete. Solo: Confirm starts vs AI. 2P: each seat Confirms. Host first → Waiting… until the guest confirms, then Start. Guest first → host button is already Start (one click locks the host fleet and begins battle). Only the host can Start; the guest stays on Waiting… / Ready.
• Settings — Classic BattleShip vs BaffleShots art, Group Sink (on = whole group sinks when fully hit; off = each hit segment sinks alone), Repulse Mines, and Music (aim slider + wheel). Host owns Classic / Group Sink / Repulse Mines in multiplayer; music is local. MIDI can keep playing after you leave the trigger.

Repulse Mines

Experimental attack mines. When on, each side plants 2 on empty water on their fleet grid — the water the opponent is shooting at. Nav Plan places them randomly; move with RMB drag and LMB (or RMB-release) — setup only, not on ships or shot cells. No 3D mine mesh: fleet grid shows the icon; target shows it only after a shot hits one (REPULSE, yellow X). The shot bounces back at the ship that fired it: that player takes a random remaining hull hit and must stop to repair for one turn (yellow X on that fleet cell + smoke; the opponent gets an extra shot). When their real turn returns, smoke and yellow X clear unless that ship was hit again during repairs.

Battle & game over

Aim the viewport crosshair at the target grid and LMB to fire on your turn. On game over, the target grid reveals any remaining enemy ships and unexploded Repulse Mines.

Solo: Human vs AI when not in a networked room. 2P (East / West): East = P1 / host (Master Client); West = P2 / guest. Play BaffleShots (and a live venue switch) seats host at NavOPSEast and guest at NavOPSWest. Place and Confirm at your seat; host Start when both fleets are locked (see Confirm / Start above). Host-only Reset. Ocean fog of war hides opponent hulls until hit; damage FX still play on struck segments.

Tips

• Mixed input — gamepad move + mouse look works together.
• Auto-fire weapons — select with RMB (mouse) or LB (gamepad) in Quick Menu.
• Throw sight — mouse wheel (or LT/RT) sets loft for Cannon Ball (green) and BallChain (purple). Each weapon keeps its own loft when you switch.
• BallChain (0) — low-velocity toss that lays climbable steps as it flies; keep shooting to add links; melee a segment to clear a line.
• No-weapon zones — Nav OPS, Chess-Stele, bowling, pool, Tetris OPS, Tetris Play Spot, and Checkers OPS block fire for UI. On a checker piece or square — or anywhere in the checkers board zone while you look down — weapons and RMB zoom are off so hops can use RMB. At Nav OPS, RMB zoom is blocked only during fleet setup (not during battle).
• Direction indicators — four icons under the compass (bowl, propeller, duck raft, FlipChip); slide with bearing, scale with distance; DetPack has inventory only, no arrow.
• Scores — F8 open, Space cycle (includes Tetris).
• Whose turn / who won — top HUD ~7s (Pool also shows Wins!); Caps Lock for the balloon. Tetris is live — 2P shows Players Ready, then Wins! / You Lose! / Draw! / Co-op Clear! / Sprint Clear! / Time's Up!.
• Mini-game host — only the Master Client opens, starts, resets, and (Pool) changes mode; everyone else RMB joins while recruiting (Pool: host Shift+LMB opens lobby first; guest RMB or Join inside PlayBilliardSwitchZone). Live venue switch: host Game Mode hops Play / Explore mid-session (combat modes = New Game). Tetris: host Engage at OPS, then South Play Spot for 5s to start Playing; guests claim North via non-host Start; spawn host South / guest North. BaffleShots: East host / West guest; Confirm then host Start (Waiting… if the host locked first); fog until hits; host owns Classic / Group Sink / Repulse Mines settings. Checkers: host owns variant wheel, Start, Reset; guest Join marks lobby; FlipChip button + pre-game toss sets Player1/Host color before Start. Chess 2P: host START / Clear only; no Level / Puzzles / Custom / Leorik on the stele.
• Checkers — solo is always vs AI (Player1 = you), a Photon room is always 2P. Wheel the OPS panel for the variant (locks on Start or the first move, unlocks on host Reset). FlipChip before Start: top color = Player1/Host color (default Black). On the board: stand on a piece (blue), aim a green sphere to land or a green circle to capture, RMB to pend (orange), LMB to commit, Backspace to cancel. Aim the far sphere to take a whole jump chain; once a chain starts you must finish it.
• BaffleShots — Nav Plan randomizes fleet (+ Repulse Mines if on); RMB drag ships or mines in setup; Group Sink / Repulse Mines in Settings; a hit mine repulses the shot back — attacker repairs and skips a turn, opponent gets a bonus shot; game over reveals leftover ships/mines; Nav Plan hides in battle until Reset. 2P Confirm: host first → Waiting… then Start; guest first → host button is Start.
• Pool cue — walk onto the cue to shoot (wheel = power, LMB = stroke); Shift + ghost after a cue scratch for ball-in-hand — object balls off the table do not re-spot the cue.
• Tetris — Engage → host on South 5s → Playing → clamp (immediate if already on pad, else 3s) → 0.5s → first piece; stick/D-Pad or A/D move, Q/LB · E/RB rotate, W/stick↑ flip, C/Y Hold, soft or RT hard; Jump/B or Shift/A+WASD to leave; Settings = level + arena 1/2 · 3/4 · Full (host) + music (local); Sprint 40 / Ultra 2:00 / Co-op / Vs Race·Attack·Ultra Duel; corpse board until Start/Reset. Spawn: host SouthTetrisOPS, guest NorthTetrisOPS.
• ESC — pause / Game Selection (HUD off); during death or victory, second ESC returns to the orbit with Continue / Restart.
• Lives — 3 lives; Continue respawns; Restart after the last life or a victory. GAME OVER means the run is finished.
• Ocean landing — falling into Ocean-tagged water has no fall impact; land and buildings still deal fall damage.
• F11 — Sky Eye camera (not a menu exit).
• Settings — camera invert, run/walk, balloon toggle, and more in F2.

Appendix — screenshots for authors

See the full filename checklist in images/IMAGES.md.

Missing images show a striped placeholder until you drop the matching file under images/.