Full tutorial playlist here.

1. Introduction to VTKD

What is VTKD?

VTKD is a non-contact virtual sport game designed to simulate Taekwondo in a digital format. Players use a VR headset and AXIS motion tracking technology, allowing their physical movements to control their in-game avatars. The gameplay is similar to traditional fighting games like Street Fighter or Tekken, where rounds are won by knocking out the opponent or having a higher amount of health.

Key Features:

• Motion Tracking: AXIS nodes are placed on the spine, thighs, and shins to capture movements, particularly kicks, ensuring precise gameplay in a one-on-one format.
• Game Standard Format:
• Rounds last 60 seconds.
• Matches follow a best-of-three structure.
• The play area is a 4x4 meter space.

Health Bar

Each player has a Health Bar that matches their assigned color: the Blue player has a Blue Health Bar, and the Red player has a Red Health Bar.

On the Game Master's screen, each player's health is displayed above their respective character.

In the player's VR view, the opponent’s health is shown above the opponent, while the player's own health is displayed on the left side of the screen. The Health Bar decreases whenever the opponent successfully lands a strike on the body or head.

Strike

Attacking mechanics in VTKD. 

Attacks can target the body (upper torso) and head. A successful hit to the body or head will damage the opponent.

There are three levels of damage—light, medium, and heavy. The damage type is determined by the acceleration of a successful strike. A strike must meet a minimum acceleration threshold; if not, no damage is dealt.

Head strikes deal double the damage of body strikes for each damage type. Only kicks cause damage; punches to the opponent’s body or head do not inflict any damage.

Block

Defending mechanics in VTKD. Players can block an opponent’s attack by bringing the forearm close to the body, raising the knee or combine both actions for enhanced defense. When a block is successful, players receive both visual and audio feedback.
A successful block reduces the opponent’s stun meter if it is not already full.

Stun

Immobilizing mechanics in VTKD.

A player can build up their stun power by successfully landing strikes (kicks or punches) on their opponent. Once the stun power is fully charged, the opponent can be stunned.

When stunned, the opponent is immobilized for 3 seconds and cannot defend themselves. During this time, the opposing player can deal damage freely to the stunned player. After 3 seconds, the stunned player regains control and can resume gameplay as normal. The opponent’s stun charge can be gradually reduced by successfully blocking their attacks.

Break ("Kalyeo")

There are two different separation mechanics in VTKD.

Automatic Break

This break is triggered automatically when the players are too close to each other, pausing the game; to resume, both players must return to their designated starting points, marked by a yellow circle visible only in their VR headset.

Referee Timeout

This break is manually triggered by Game Master; players are required to return to their starting points; the Game Master then manually resumes the game when ready.

Results Screen

The results screen declares the winner of each round, which is primarily determined by the Health Bar.

Results Screen are shown in two stages: Intermission (after each round) and Final Result (after the final round).

A trophy will appear on the winning player’s remaining HP after each round. In the final round, a "Winner" text appears next to the winning player’s name.

A player can win a round by one of three methods:

1. knocking out the opponent by reducing their HP to 0,
2. retaining more HP than the opponent at the end of the round, or
3. winning by specific draw criteria (explained later).

The results screen also displays game statistics important for tie-breaker situations.

• Total Damage is the damage dealt to the opponent,
• Head Kicks refers to successful kicks to the head;
• Total Kicks refers to number of successful kicks to the body and head combined; 
• Total Blocks refers to number of successful blocks; 
• Boundary Damage refers to damage received from stepping out of boundary.

Win Criteria When Health Is Drawn

When both players finish the round with the same HP, the following criteria are used to determine the winner and in order:

1. The player with the most headshots wins the round.
2. The player with the fewer number of kicks wins the round.
3. The player who landed the last successful hit wins the round.

Some Examples:

Round 1: Both players have the same HP, a player wins due to fewer total kicks.

Round 2: Both players have the same HP, a player wins due to more headshots.

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2. Important Information

The following must be fulfilled before proceeding with the rest of the manual.

• You have the required hardware that includes the following, see more details on Hardware Requirements (3a) below.
  • A computer/laptop (refer to specs below)
  • AXIS motion trackers (two standard AXIS units or three AXIS lite units)
  • PICO4 VR headset (two units)
• You have registered your warranty for all devices: Warranty Registration
• You have a VTKD portal System Operator account to set up Member accounts (Game Master and Players) and to download VTKD applications.
• You have a stable internet connection and a dedicated router.
• All PICO4 VR headsets are charged to at least 80%.
• All AXIS units are charged for at least 2 hours.

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3. Requirements

a. Hardware Requirements

Below are the requirements to run 1 VTKD court which consists of 2 VR players.

AXIS full-body Tracking System

Two units of standard AXIS OR three units of AXIS lite, must consists of

• 10 x AXIS nodes.
• 2 or 3 x charging docks.
• 2 x USB A or USB C dongles.
• 2 x dongle adapters.
• AXIS straps and node holders for all AXIS nodes.

VR headset

2 units of PICO4 VR headset with controllers.

Laptop or Desktop PC for Game Master (GM)

Refer to the required specifications here.

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b. Software Requirements

• AXIS Control Center (installed on PC).
• VTKD PC Application for Game Master and Spectator (installed on PC).
• VTKD Android Application for VR players (installed on PICO4 headsets).

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c. Other Requirements

Physical Playing Space

Between 40 to 50sqm open space with no pillars or large objects.
4m x 4m play area for each player.

Refer to the Site Assessment Manual to test and verify that the location is is suitable for use.

Additional Hardware for Spectator

Laptop or Desktop PC that has similar specifications as GM.

External display (monitor, TV, or projector) for spectator feed.

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4. Setting Up

a. Account Setup & Build Download

Account type and functions

Below are the 3 different account types and their functions.

*Please be advised that subscription fees may be implemented in the near future.

Minimum accounts needed to run 1 VTKD court:

• 1 x System Operator account
• 1 x Game Master account
• 2 x Player accounts

Activating System Operator account

An email with a one-time-password (OTP) will be sent to your email address that you provide to your local distributor. Video link here.

*You will not be able to run VTKD without a system operator account.

You are required to change your password to activate your account. Click on ‘Change’ and you will be redirected to the portal site.

Click on the ‘System Operator Login’ tab to input your email and OTP.

Change your password to activate your account.

You will be redirected to the login page to re-login with your new password as a System Operator.

Creating Game Master and Player accounts

To create a game, you are required to have a minimum of:

• 1 x Game Master account
• 2 x Player accounts

Video link here.

Log in to your System Operator account and click on the ‘Organizations’ tab.

Enter the ‘User Management’ option to view your members list.

To create a Game Master or Player account, click on ‘Create User’.

Key in the Username and Display Name of the account and select the role of Game Master or Player.(Take note that the username is unique to a user. If you are unable to create the account, it could be due to the username is already in use by another party.)

Once created, make sure to copy the OTP, and proceed ‘Back to Dashboard’ or ‘Add another user’ if required.

Click on ‘Logout’ which can be found at the bottom left of the page.

For Game Master and Player accounts, you may now login under the ’Member Login’ tab.

*This is the username that is created by your system operator. It IS NOT your email address.

Similar to the System Operator account, you are required to log in and change your OTP to activate your account.

Do this for all subsequent accounts (min. 1 x Game Master + 2 x Players) before attempting to login to the Virtual Taekwondo game application on your computer.

Game file download (PC & VR)

Video link here.

There are 2 different downloadable files on the portal that are required for VTKD.

VTKD Software –

• VR Download
• PC Download

Login to VTKD Portal using the System Operator or Game Master Login.

Select the Organizations tab on the left sidebar, followed by Game Files Download.

Click on both the VR Download and PC Download to download the VTKD application files. The latest version will always be on the topmost of the page. Both files will be downloaded to your default downloads folder (e.g. C:\Users\User\Downloads). 

VR Download – “Android-PICO…”

PC Download – “vtkdu-installer…”

Keep the files at hand to follow the upcoming steps.

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b. PICO Setup

1. Charge your PICO headset

• Have at least a battery percentage of 80% to set up your PICO

2. Power On PICO:

• Hold the power button located on the right side of the PICO headset until it starts up (LED light will turn blue).

3. First-Time Setup:

• Complete the PICO initial setup.
• This includes creating a PICO account for VR access.
• https://www.picoxr.com/sg/blog/pico-4-setup

You may refer to the official PICO Tutorial User Guide here.

4. PICO System Update:

• Always update to the latest system update.
• A system update pop-up should appear when logged in to the PICO account.
• If the pop-up does not appear, you can locate the System Update in settings under ‘General’ >‘System Update’.
• Once the System Update file is downloaded, click ‘Update Now’ to install it.
• The PICO will reboot to apply the update.

5. Boundary and Controller Update:

• Confirm the play boundary warning. Select the Custom boundary and draw your play area (recommended 4x4m). Video link here.
• A controller update pop-up should appear. Ensure both controllers are powered on before clicking ‘Update Now’.

6. Enable Developer Options (*The Developer option is required to install the Virtual Taekwondo application into the VR headset): Video link here.

• Navigate to: General > About > Software Information.
• Use the controller trigger to click 8 times quickly on ‘Software Version’ to enable the ‘Developer’ tab.

• Go to the ‘Developer’ tab and enable ‘USB Debug’.
• Ensure the USB Connection is set to ‘File Transfer’.

7. Putting on dongle attachment

AXIS Standard USB-A dongle attachment:

• Version 1 - Overhead dongle sleeve

• Version 2 - Side velcro

VTKD Box USB-C dongle attachment - Side strap

8. Recommended Settings (for optimal gameplay and prolong battery life):

• Cover the infrared sensor with a piece of opaque tape or sticker. This prevents the headset from going to sleep/standby when not worn.

• Set the brightness level to 0.
• Set the volume to a minimum.
• Turn off Bluetooth.

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c. AXIS Setup

1. Download and Install the AXIS Control Center (Video link here):

• https://downloads.axisxr.gg/cc/stable/default

• Follow the prompts to complete the installation.

2. Update AXIS dongle (Video link here):

• Once installed, launch the AXIS Control Center
• Connect the AXIS dongle to your PC
• Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Dongle’ > ‘Update Dongle’ (If your device is up to date, there will be an indication ‘Latest Version!’)

3. Pairing AXIS Motion Trackers/Nodes (Video link here):

• Set all nodes into pairing mode by pressing and holding the power button (1) until it blinks dark blue (2).

• Click the ‘Set to pairing mode’ button in AXIS Control Center. You will be able to see all the unpaired nodes in the node drawer.

• Drag and drop nodes to the required position for VTKD (Spine, Right Thigh, Right Shin, Left Thigh, and Left Shin)
  • You can identify which node corresponds to the one in the node drawer by double clicking it, or double pressing the button on the physical AXIS node.

• The placement of the AXIS nodes on the body must match the placement in the AXIS Control Center (i.e. if a node is assigned to the right thigh in the Control Center, the same node must be worn on the right thigh of the player).
• Use a 4 finger space above your knee to place your thigh nodes, and the middle of your shin for your calf nodes.
• For the spine node, it should be placed in the upper part of the back, along the middle of the spine. The orientation of all nodes should be facing upwards.

• For the lower limb nodes, the nodes should be worn above the knee, and the middle of the calf.

• Pair additional nodes to other body parts like shoulders or arms(It is recommended to update all nodes together to avoid inconsistency in software version).
• Once nodes are placed in position, click on ‘set to pairing mode’ button again to save.

4. Update AXIS Motion Trackers/Nodes (Video link here):

• Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Nodes’ > ‘Update Nodes’(If your device is up to date, there will be an indication ‘Latest Version!’)

• Once updated, the nodes will turn off automatically.

5. Magnetometer Calibration (Video link here):

1. Detach the charger from the charging dock
2. Put nodes in the charging dock
3. Ensure nodes are charged & turned on
4. Close the lid of the charging dock
5. Start magnetometer calibration
   1. X-axis: Flip the charging dock along the X-axis
   2. Z-axis: Flip the charging dock along the Z-axis
   3. Y-axis: Rotate the charging dock along the Y-axis

6. AXIS Straps and Node holders (Video link here):

• Slot in a strap into the node holder with the rubber side facing out

Setting up AXIS WiFi Channels

AXIS uses a wireless 2.4Ghz signal to transfer and receive data and has 11 separate channels to utilize.

When operating with multiple units of AXIS in the same event space, the general principal as follows –

• For each Court or Field of Play (FOP), the two AXIS sets in use (blue player and red player) should be paired on the same Wi-Fi channel e.g., In FOP A, blue player’s AXIS is paired on channel 1, red player’s AXIS should also be paired on channel 1.
• If there are 2 FOPs, both courts should be on different channels E.g., FOP A nodes on Channels 1 and FOP B nodes on Channels 6.

An important note to take is that at any time, 10 nodes on the same channel can be turned on. E.g., if both FOP A and B nodes are on channel 1 and turned on at the same time (20 nodes), the AXIS might start to drop in performance.

Video link here.

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5. Installing Game Files

a. PC Installation (Game Master & Spectator)

*If you have an older software which requires an update, UNINSTALL the old software from your PC before installing the new version.

1. Locate the ‘vtkdu-installer…’downloaded game fille as explained under Account Setup & Build Download.

Video link here.

2. Double click on the installer file to launch the Virtual Taekwondo Setup Wizard.
3. Click ‘Next’ on the Setup Wizard.

4. Tick the checkbox about “I agree to the License...”.

5. Click on 'Install'.

6. If Windows prompts a pop-up asking permission to make changes, click 'Yes'.

7. Once installation is done, click on 'Finish'.

8. A “VTKDUPlayer” application shortcut will appear on your desktop.

b. PICO4 VR Headset Installation (Players)

Before proceeding with the Headset installation, be sure to have completed the necessary setup for your PICO4 device and updated it to the latest version. You may refer to PICO Setup.

Video link here.

1. Turn on the headset.

2. Connect the headset to PC via USB-C. PICO4 should appear as a drive on your PC.

3. Locate the “Android-PICO…”downloaded game file on your PC, as explained in VKTD Account Setup & Build Download.

4. Right-click on 'Android-PICO…', then select and click 'Extract All...'.

5. Specify the path of the extracted file or just use default and click 'Extract'.

6. Once files are extracted, locate the “Android-PICO...” folder.

Note: If you have difficulty extracting the folder, try using the WinRAR application.

7. Within the “Android-PICO...” folder, locate the “Android_Install.bat” file.

8. Double click on the “Android_Install.bat” file and the installation will start.

If Windows prompts “Windows protected...”, click 'More Info' and 'Run anyway'.

9. Once the installation is completed, there will be a “...Success...” indication;
you can now disconnect the PICO4 from the PC.

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6. Game Preparation

Creating Game Room (GM only)

Video link here.

1. Ensure the PC is connected to the internet (Wi-Fi or wired).

2. Open the “VTKDUPlayer” application that can be found on your desktop.

3. Click 'Yes' to allow the User Access Control pop up.

4. Read the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy before ticking the checkbox, followed by 'LOGIN'.

5. Key in your credentials and 'LOGIN'.

A game server will automatically start in the background (DO NOT close this window when the game is running).

6. On the main menu, click on 'VERSUS'.

7. Amend room setup as needed and click on 'Create'.

8. Once the room is created, Players can now join the room (Blue player must always join the room first).

Joining Game Room (Players with headsets)

Note before proceeding:

• Make sure there is sufficient space.
• Make sure you have drawn the custom boundary on PICO4.
• Make sure the AXIS receiver (dongle) is connected to the PICO4.
• Make sure all (5) AXIS nodes are worn at the correct placements on the body.

1. Startup PICO4 and make sure to connect it to the same WiFi as the Game Master.

Video link here.

2. Once the WiFi is connected to the correct network, go to 'Library' -> 'Unknown' -> 'VTKDU'

3. On the Start screen, click on 'LOGIN'.

4. On the Menu screen, click on 'VERSUS'.

5. On the Rooms screen, select the room created by GM and click 'JOIN'.

Click on the 'REFRESH' button if you do not see a room.

6. Once in the Waiting Room, proceed to AXIS Calibration.

AXIS Calibration (VR players only)

Note before proceeding: 

• Make sure you have drawn the custom boundary and already joined a game room; you should be in the Waiting room for this section.
• Make sure you are in PICO4 passthrough mode, where you can see both your real-life legs and avatar legs. If you only see your avatar legs, then switch to passthrough mode by pressing [A] button on the PICO4 right controller.

Video link here.

1. Stand on a start point, the start point must be set 1m from the middle of the playing area.

2. Recenter VR view by looking forward and then holding on to the 'Home' button on either controller for 2 seconds.

3. Do a T-pose with your feet shoulder width apart, and your toes pointing forward; remain in this position until step 4 below is completed.

4. Do the following in order:

• On the LEFT controller,
  press and hold the 'Y' button followed by the 'Trigger' button for 2 seconds until the controller vibrates.

• On the RIGHT controller,
  press and hold the 'B' button followed by the 'Trigger' button for 2 seconds until the controller vibrates.

5. Minor leg offset is normal and may not match 1 to 1 in-game. However, if calibration is done properly, your avatar legs should align almost identical to your physical legs.

6. If leg alignment differs greatly from your physical leg, follow these steps to fix the offset. Turn the nodes in the direction of the offset and calibrate again:

• For inside offset, rotate thigh node towards the right.

• For outside offset, rotate thigh node towards the left.

7. Spectator PC

Video link here.

1. Ensure the PC is connected to the internet (Wi-Fi or wired).

2. Open the “VTKDUPlayer” application that can be found on your desktop.

3. Click 'Yes' to allow the User Access Control pop up.

4. Read the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy before ticking the checkbox, followed by 'LOGIN'.

5. Click on 'Spectator' (Spectator does not require login crudentials).

6. Click on 'VERSUS' on the menu screen.

7. At the Rooms screen, click on the room created by the GM and then click 'JOIN'.

8. Once you have joined the room, the GM will begin the match.

8. Recommended Layout

The size of each individual’s play area is 4m by 4m and the distance apart from each player must have a minimum of 2 mats (WT approved mats 0.8m or 1m).

The safety area must have a minimum of 1 mat from the play area.

The player start position on each mat must be marked 1m from the middle of the mat.

*The current maximum number of courts/FOP is 2, with a dedicated router needed for each.