Why We Don't Need a Rulebook
It seems like tabletop games are one of the last holdouts in consumer products that still expect you to sit down and read a manual before doing anything fun. Imagine buying a new blender and needing to pass a written quiz to make a smoothie. That’s how some games feel.
We wanted to change that with Rift Zone: Contact. To be clear, we still have a rulebook. If you’re the kind of player who likes to understand every stat and mechanic before round one, we salute you. Our Quick Start Guide walks you through your first game step by step, and we’ve got full documentation online for every unit, terrain effect, and weapon detail. But here’s the thing: none of it is required.
An easy to learn tabletop game, finally
If you’re more of a ‘learn by doing’ player, aka trial by fire (hi, welcome, same), you can just jump in. From the moment you launch the Rift Zone: Contact app, it guides you through setup, drafting your army, placing units, and starting the action. You don’t need to memorize movement ranges, attack mechanics, or line of sight rules in advance. The app handles all that so you can focus on strategy, not filling back and forth between page 7 and appendix C. Or from page 25 to page 47, then page 83, and back to page 26. We see you, Gloomhaven: Forgotten CIrcles.
Better yet, the app adapts. You can dial the amount of guidance up or down depending on how confident you feel. Want tutorial-style coaching? We got you. Want a minimalist reminder now and then? Also fine. It’s a learn-as-you-play system designed for real people, not walking encyclopedias.
Built-in rule reinforcement (sorry, Steve)
Thanks to the AR-enhanced virtual board, you’ll never discover three turns in that you accidentally ignored a rule that would have changed everything. The app prevents illegal moves, flags invalid attacks, and applies terrain effects automatically. It’s like having a referee, a strategists, and a rule lawyer in your pocket, minus the arguments.
This also means your friend Steve can’t just make up new rules on the spot and claim they were in the “Super Mega Extended Dungeon Master’s Guide.” Sorry, Steve. Not today.
Tactical mistakes? Still possible. Tactical nonsense? Not allowed.
You’re still responsible for the decisions you make. If you try to rush your UEDF Gungnir through heavy terrain while your friend zips their Scry’Ox swarm overhead, that’s on you. The app won’t stop you from making a terrible tactical call, but it will stop you from accidentally launching a missile into a building that blocks your line of sight.
Our AR visualization system shows attack ranges, movement limits, elevation effects, and targeting restrictions in real time. Want to know if your Stormbringer can hit your friend’s Stalker from behind that ridge? You’ll see the answer immediately. No ruler required. It’s all part of making this a truly accessible, augmented reality miniatures experience.
Augmented reality meets streamlined gameplay
Most tactical miniatures games ask players to juggle tokens, track damage, remember modifiers, and hope that no one bumps the table when getting up to get another snack. Rift Zone Contact handles all that digitally. The AR layer recognizes where your units are and keeps your shared virtual battlefield perfectly in sync across every player’s phone. No more arguing about measurements and no more plastic stuff scattered across the floor.
This makes it one of the few tactical AR board games where setup is quick, tracking is automatic, and cleanup is basically closing an app. It’s especially great for people who love the look and feel of tangible minis but don’t want to manage hundreds of different physical components.
The rules may change and that’s a good thing
This isn’t a static game. The world of Rift Zone Contact is alive. As the story on Proxima Centauri b evolves, so do the units, their equipment, and the rules themselves.The Scry’Ox and UEDF teams are always adapting. We’ll push updates to the app to reflect new mechanics, balance adjustments, and always listen to player feedback.
That means when something isn’t fun or fair, we can fix it. No need to reprint a new book or paste over rules with house fixes. You’ll always have the latest version at your fingertips and your battlefield will always be ready.
Play the way you want
At the end of the day, we’re not anti-rulebook. We’re pro player choice. If you want to dive into the lore and explore every rule before unboxing your minis, do it. If you want to open the box, hit start, and figure it out as you go, do that too.
We designed Rift Zone Contact so that no matter how you like to learn and play, you’re welcome at the table. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or just starting out with tabletop games, you’ll find an experience that’s easy to pick up and hard to put down.