Session Recovery Mid-Game

Technical issues can occur during a session. How you respond in the first 60 seconds determines whether players leave happy or dissatisfied. This guide covers the most common mid-session scenarios and exactly what to do in each one.

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On this page:

  Immediate Response - Any Mid-Session Issue

  Scenario - Game Crash

  Scenario - Single Player Headset Lost

  Scenario - Audio Failure

  Scenario - Player Feels Unwell

  Post-Session Player Communication

  Compensation Guidelines

  Logging the Incident

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Immediate Response - Any Mid-Session Issue

Follow these steps immediately when you notice something is wrong, regardless of the specific issue type.

Golden Rule

• Never leave players in headsets during a system fault.
• A frozen headset means a player cannot see where they are - safety comes before recovery time.

1. Announce to players via microphone - "Everyone pause where you are and stand still - I'm just checking something."
2. Pause the session in the Launcher - Pause the game for affected players or the whole group. Do not let players continue walking while the system is in a fault state.
3. Diagnose while players are stationary - You have 60-90 seconds before players become frustrated. Use this time to identify the issue.
4. Communicate clearly and confidently - Players can hear uncertainty. Sound like you are in control even if you are still diagnosing.

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Scenario - Game Crash

What players see: Black screen, frozen image, or headset goes to the home screen.

1. Enter the game space and assist any disoriented players - Players with a home screen showing may try to walk. Guide them to stand still.
2. In the Launcher, end the current session - Do not attempt to restart the crashed session. End it cleanly.
3. Reload the game from the Launcher - Allow 2 minutes for all headsets to reconnect and the game to load.
4. Offer to restart or resume - "The game had a technical issue but I've reloaded it. We can restart from the beginning or jump back to where you were - what would you prefer?"

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Scenario - Single Player Headset Lost

What you see: One player shows as disconnected in the Launcher. All other players are fine.

1. Pause that player's game only - The other players can continue. Pause only the affected player via the Launcher.
2. Enter the game space and check the affected player - Ask them what they can see. If the headset shows a black screen, attempt a headset restart via the Launcher.
3. If the headset does not recover within 60 seconds - swap it - Replace the headset with a spare. This is faster than extended troubleshooting and keeps the rest of the session moving.

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Scenario - Audio Failure

What players report: No game audio, or audio cuts in and out.

Check	What to do
Headphone cable connection	The most common cause is a headphone cable that has come loose. Check the 3.5mm jack on the affected headset and reseat firmly.
Headset volume	Check the hardware volume buttons on the Focus 3 or Focus Vision. The volume may have been accidentally turned down.
If all players have no audio	A software audio setting may have changed. Check audio output settings in the Launcher.

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Scenario - Player Feels Unwell

Player Welfare

• Motion discomfort is not a technical fault, but it requires immediate action.
• A player who feels unwell in a headset can become a safety issue and will always leave a poor rating if not handled correctly.

1. Immediately pause the game and ask the player to remove their headset - Do not delay. Have them sit down outside the game space.
2. Offer water and a place to sit - Symptoms usually pass within 5-10 minutes of removing the headset. Do not offer food.
3. Offer the rest of the group the option to continue or pause - Do not force the group to stop - ask them what they prefer.
4. Do not suggest the player return to the headset if they are still unwell - Returning too soon will make symptoms worse. It is better to end their session than risk them becoming more unwell in the game space.

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Post-Session Player Communication

Situation	What to say	What not to say
Minor issue, session resumed successfully	"Thanks for your patience - glad we got that sorted quickly."	"Sorry about that, it happens sometimes."
Significant time lost, session completed	"We lost some time so I've added [X] minutes to your session."	"I can't do anything about the lost time."
Session had to end early	"That wasn't the experience you deserved - let me get a Team Leader to speak with you about making that right."	"Nothing we can do, the system crashed."
Player motion discomfort	"This can affect some players - how are you feeling now? Take as much time as you need."	"It's normal, it just happens to some people."

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Compensation Guidelines

Compensation decisions must be made by a Team Leader or above. Do not offer or promise compensation without approval. The following are general guidelines only - your venue policy may differ.

Situation	Typical response
Minor disruption (less than 3 minutes), session completed	Apology only - no compensation typically required
Significant disruption (3-10 minutes), session completed	Complimentary session extension or discount on next booking - Team Leader discretion
Session ended early due to technical fault	Voucher for a replacement session - Team Leader discretion
Player unwell and cannot complete session	Discuss with Team Leader - consider circumstances before offering compensation

Important

• Never offer or promise a cash refund without explicit approval from a senior staff member.
• Refund decisions follow your venue's Cancellation Policy.
• Always log the incident in Zendesk before the player leaves the venue.

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Logging the Incident

Log every mid-session incident in Zendesk regardless of whether the session was completed.

Include in your ticket	Details
Session details	Date, time, game title, number of players affected
Issue description	What the issue was and when it occurred in the session (e.g. "at the 15 minute mark")
Steps taken	What you did to attempt to resolve the issue
Outcome	Whether the session was completed, resumed, or ended early
Compensation offered	Any compensation discussed or offered to the player
Player details	Player name or booking reference if available

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Article Keywords/Phrases:

Session recovery
Mid game crash
Game crashed
Headset disconnected mid session
Audio not working in session
Player sick VR
Motion sickness
Session ended early
Player compensation
Refund policy session