Installation Guide

Follow these steps to get Lockstep Arcade up and running on your system

1

Get Your Credentials

You will need a credentials.bin file to connect to the server. If you don't have one yet, request beta access and we'll send you the file via email.

2

Download the Game

Download the latest release and save the ZIP file to a location of your choice.

3

Extract the Archive

Unzip the game release archive into its own directory. You should then have client.exe, entry.png, and some other files, all in the same directory.

4

Add Your Credentials

Copy your connection credential file (credentials.bin) into the same directory as client.exe.

5

Launch the Game

Double-click client.exe to start the game client. You should now be connected to the lobby!

Troubleshooting

Windows Security Warnings

Sometimes Windows marks files downloaded from the internet as potentially unsafe. If Windows blocks the download or you can't extract/run the game, follow these steps:

For the ZIP file:
  1. Right-click the downloaded zip file
  2. Select "Properties"
  3. At the bottom, check the box next to "Unblock"
  4. Click "Apply" then "OK"
  5. Now extract the zip file
If the .exe is blocked after extraction:
  1. Right-click the game executable
  2. Select "Properties"
  3. Check "Unblock" at the bottom
  4. Click "Apply" then "OK"
If Windows SmartScreen appears:
  1. Click "More info"
  2. Then click "Run anyway"

Antivirus Software

If you have an antivirus installed, you may need to add the game folder to your antivirus exceptions list. Please refer to the documentation for your antivirus for more details.

Running in Windows Sandbox

If you're worried about running executables from the internet and you have Windows 11 Pro, we recommend running the game client inside Windows Sandbox.

To run this way:
  1. Make sure you have enabled Windows Sandbox as an optional Windows feature
  2. Start Windows Sandbox
  3. Move the game client directory into Windows Sandbox
  4. Double-click the client to run from there

Using the Lobby

When you start the client you will see a server overview, showing any game rooms which have been created, and players that are online.

Joining or Creating Games

  • Click on a game room to see details about the game settings on the right hand side
  • You can either join an existing room (if there is one), or create a new game room (by clicking the relevant button)
  • When in a game room, all players need to click to indicate they are ready
  • The host (player at the top of the players in room list) can then start the game

Game Controls

Camera Movement

Middle Mouse + Drag: Pan the view around

Mouse Wheel: Zoom in and out

WASD Keys: Alternative camera movement

Giving Orders

Click order in bar: Select an order from the top bar

Function Keys: Quick-select orders

Click near lemming: Give the selected order

Left/Right Arrow: Hold to set directional filter

Other Controls

F11: Toggle fullscreen/windowed mode

Important Notes

  • You only have a limited supply of each order type, so use them carefully!
  • Orders won't apply to falling lemmings (they appear darkened)
  • Selection bars will show which lemming will get an order for the current mouse position

Game Objectives

Lockstep Arcade features a Lemmings clone where the goal is to get your lemmings from a start position to an exit location.

Game Modes

  • Free-for-All: Some maps feature all-against-all competition
  • Team Play: Other maps have team assignments (shown in game details)
  • Cooperative Challenges: Can be played single player or as part of a team with high score tables
  • Ranked Matches: Compete for rankings using the Glicko2 rating system

The team (or player) who gets the most lemmings into their exit when the game time expires is the winner!

Testing and Multiple Clients

Most of the time (e.g. if you connect at some arbitrary random time) the lobby will likely be completely empty, apart from you, on connection.

Multiple clients can be started on a single machine for testing purposes by double-clicking client.exe again after the game has started. One client can then be used to create a game room, and then you can join this game room with other clients to see everything working.

It is also possible to play games with just one player (even on maps where this doesn't really make sense), to try out the various in-game mechanics and just see the game running.

Need Help?

If you're experiencing issues or have questions, please reach out through the beta access form with details about your problem.