HANDS OVER is built from the ground up for 5-player online multiplayer sessions on Steam—combining instant 6-character alphanumeric private room codes, public matchmaking queues, and built-in spatial proximity voice chat. Follow the step-by-step briefing cards below to host a full barn table, fix microphone routing issues, and configure 32:9 ultrawide monitors.
Whether you are assembling a private five-person squad in the free Steam Demo (App ID 5224010) or queueing into public matchmaking, follow this four-step sequence to get every seat into the barn.
Ensure all five players in your group launch the exact same Steam application branch and have installed the latest update. During pre-release testing, all public lobbies run on the HANDS OVER Demo (App ID 5224010); beginning November 13, 2026, full-game lobbies operate on Early Access (App ID 4661070).
The designated host creates a new online session from the main menu. The lobby interface generates a 6-character uppercase hexadecimal/alphanumeric room code displayed in the top-right corner of the screen (documented in official builds as codes such as 988F15).
Up to four friends enter the 6-character room code to claim seats around the wooden barn table. If your group has fewer than five players, use the public matchmaking queue to fill the remaining chairs so the full 5-player bluffing loop can begin.
Before the Butcher sets the Mechanical Jaws or Revolver Roulette on the table, have every seat perform a quick voice check. Because bluffing and alliance negotiation rely on real-time table talk, verifying audio before Turn 1 prevents silent rounds.
| Observed Symptom | Root Technical Cause | Verified Resolution Step |
|---|---|---|
| In-game spatial voice chat is not picking up your microphone at the barn table | Windows or Steam is routing voice capture to a secondary virtual audio cable, gamepad mic, or disconnected headset instead of the OS Default Communication Device. | Open Windows Sound Settings > More Sound Settings > Recording tab, right-click your active physical microphone, and set it as both Default Device and Default Communication Device before restarting HANDS OVER. |
| Entering a 6-character room code (such as 988F15) returns a join failure or lobby full message | A seat was already filled by matchmaking, the host recreated the lobby (generating a fresh 6-character code), or one player is running an outdated Steam patch. | Ask the host to read out the current 6-character code shown in the top-right lobby HUD and verify that fewer than 5 captives are currently seated. |
| Table edges or card corners appear cropped on a 32:9 (5120×1440) super-ultrawide display | Early playtest builds exhibited vertical cropping at extreme 32:9 aspect ratios prior to ArtDock's dedicated ultrawide hotfix. | Update to the latest Steam Demo (5224010) or Early Access build—ArtDock deployed an official 32:9 (5120×1440) aspect ratio patch verified by community testing—and select your native resolution in Display Settings. |
| Voice volume from across the table sounds too quiet compared to contraption sound effects | Spatial audio attenuation scales with seat distance across the wooden table while the Butcher's devices produce sharp peak audio transients. | Lower Master/SFX volume slightly in the in-game audio menu while keeping Voice Receive volume at 100% so subtle verbal bluffs remain clear. |
