To fix voice chat in Escape From Crimson Manor, start by verifying your microphone input in Steam's Voice settings, as the game's seamless Walkie-Talkie system relies entirely on the Steam API. If the radio remains dead, disable "Exclusive Mode" in your Windows audio settings, ensure your microphone sample rate is set to 48kHz to match the Unity engine's default, and check that the in-game "Push-to-Talk" toggle is correctly mapped to your peripheral.
If you are desperately searching for how to fix voice chat Escape From Crimson Manor, you are not alone. Since MediaCity Games launched the Trapped Together demo, thousands of players have found themselves wandering the silent, dimly lit halls of Hadley Strange's Victorian estate, unable to communicate with their co-op partner. Because this prequel to The Inheritance of Crimson Manor is built entirely around asymmetric puzzles, losing your voice connection doesn't just hurt immersion—it soft-locks your progression.
The Walkie-Talkie Dependency: Why Audio Fails in Hadley Strange’s Estate
Escape From Crimson Manor: Trapped Together is not a game where you can simply ping a location and move on. Taking heavy inspiration from the We Were Here series, the game physically separates you and your partner across different wings of a gothic mansion. One player might be staring at a cryptic sequence of alchemical symbols, while the other is locked in a study staring at the cipher required to decode it.
Your only lifeline is an antique brass walkie-talkie. The developers implemented a localized, spatial voice chat system designed to simulate the crackle and latency of 1920s radio technology. However, because the game uses a peer-to-peer (P2P) networking model layered over Steam's Voice API within the Unity engine, any slight misconfiguration in your PC's audio routing causes the walkie-talkie to fail silently. You press the button, the vacuum tube glows, but your partner hears nothing but dead air.
If your audio drops while trying to coordinate the notorious nursery room puzzle—a section already plagued by an Early Access physics glitch where spam-clicking a stuck drawer sends it flying across the room without yielding the toy inside—your run is effectively dead. You must resolve the hardware handshake issues before stepping foot inside the manor.
Step-by-Step: How to Fix Voice Chat in Escape From Crimson Manor
The vast majority of microphone failures in Trapped Together stem from Windows and Steam fighting for exclusive control over your audio interface. Follow this exact sequence to force the Unity engine to recognize your input.
1. Disable Windows Audio Exclusive Mode
By default, Windows allows specific applications to take monopoly control over your microphone. If Discord or a background app seizes the mic, the game's walkie-talkie will output silence.
- Press
Win + R, typemmsys.cpl, and hit Enter. - Navigate to the Recording tab and right-click your active microphone.
- Select Properties, then navigate to the Advanced tab.
- Uncheck the box that says "Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device."
- Click Apply and restart your PC.
2. Force the 48kHz Sample Rate
Unity engine games are notoriously finicky about audio sample rates. If your studio microphone is set to 44.1kHz or 96kHz, the in-game VOIP may fail to encode your voice.
- In the same Advanced tab mentioned above, look at the Default Format dropdown.
- Change the setting to 2 channel, 16 bit, 48000 Hz (DVD Quality).
- Do the same for your output device in the Playback tab.
3. Reroute the Steam Voice API
Because Crimson Manor lacks a dedicated in-game output selector, it inherits whatever Steam thinks is your default device.
- Open Steam and click Steam > Settings > Voice.
- Under Voice Input Device, do not leave it on "Default." Manually select your specific hardware microphone (e.g., "Focusrite USB Audio" or "Yeti Stereo Microphone").
- Speak into the mic to ensure the Steam volume meter registers your voice. If Steam doesn't hear you, Hadley Strange's manor won't either.
Network Desyncs: How to Fix Voice Chat Escape From Crimson Manor
Sometimes your microphone settings are perfect, but the audio still cuts out halfway through a session. This is almost always a network desync caused by the game's P2P architecture.
When one player transitions between major zones—such as moving from the Grand Foyer to the Alchemist's Wing—the game temporarily pauses to load assets. If the host's connection drops packets during this load screen, the VOIP handshake severs.
To prevent this, both players should ensure their NAT type is Open. If you are playing on a strict university network or a restrictive ISP, use a reliable gaming VPN to tunnel your connection. Furthermore, if the audio drops mid-game, do not immediately quit. Have both players toggle the in-game "Push-to-Talk" setting off and back on. This simple UI interaction forces the Unity networking script to re-poll your audio hardware, often reviving a dead radio connection instantly.
Surviving Without Comms: The Dumbwaiter System
If you've tried everything and the walkie-talkies simply refuse to work for a specific play session, you aren't entirely out of luck. MediaCity Games implemented a brilliant physical fallback: the Dumbwaiter System.
This antique service elevator connects the separated floors of the mansion. Originally designed to allow players to trade physical inventory items—like passing the nursery drawer key, cryptic letters, or volatile elixirs between levels—the dumbwaiter can be repurposed as a crude communication device.
If voice chat fails, establish a "bell code" with your partner via text chat before you start the puzzle. The dumbwaiter features an interactive brass bell.
- One Ring: "I have solved my half of the puzzle."
- Two Rings: "I need an item from you to proceed."
- Three Rings: "Send the elevator back to my floor."
While this method turns a 10-minute escape room into a 40-minute ordeal of trial and error, it perfectly encapsulates the desperate, gothic survival horror atmosphere the developers intended.
Discord vs. In-Game Radio: A Co-Op Audio Comparison
Many players bypass the troubleshooting entirely by booting up Discord. While functional, relying on third-party software fundamentally alters the intended experience of Escape From Crimson Manor: Trapped Together.
| Feature | In-Game Walkie-Talkie | Third-Party (Discord) |
|---|---|---|
| Immersion | High. Features static, radio clicks, and spatial muffling. | Low. Crystal clear audio breaks the 1920s gothic horror tension. |
| Mechanics | Tied to gameplay. You must physically hold the button, occupying a hand. | Passive. You can talk freely while manipulating complex puzzle objects. |
| Reliability | Prone to Unity API bugs and Steam network desyncs. | Flawless uptime, immune to in-game loading screens. |
| Atmosphere | Silence heightens fear when you are separated in the dark. | Constant chatter removes the feeling of isolation. |
The upcoming full release of the game promises a 3v1 asymmetric mode where three players must coordinate to evade the Alchemist, a boss entity attempting to drain their youth. In a high-stakes pursuit scenario, the muffled panic of the in-game radio will be crucial to the horror experience. Fixing the native VOIP now prepares you for the full game's release.
FAQ: How to Fix Voice Chat Escape From Crimson Manor
Why is my walkie-talkie glowing but my partner can't hear me? If the vacuum tube on your walkie-talkie glows cyan when you press the button, the game registers your input command but your microphone is not transmitting data. This is usually caused by a sample rate mismatch. Ensure your Windows microphone format is set to 48000 Hz.
Does Escape From Crimson Manor have an open mic option? Yes, the game supports both Push-to-Talk and Open Mic. However, Push-to-Talk is highly recommended. The game's spatial audio engine applies a heavy static filter to your voice; leaving Open Mic enabled will constantly broadcast background noise and ruin the gothic atmosphere for your partner.
How do I fix the audio glitch in the Alchemist's Wing? Audio desyncs in the Alchemist's Wing are caused by asset loading spikes. If your comms drop when entering this area, have both players open the pause menu, toggle "Push-to-Talk" off, apply settings, and toggle it back on to force an audio hardware refresh.
Can we beat the nursery puzzle without voice chat? Barely. If you encounter the nursery drawer glitch and lose voice chat simultaneously, you must rely entirely on the Dumbwaiter System's bell to signal when to pull the elevator rope. It is highly recommended to restart the lobby and fix your Steam Voice API settings before attempting this wing.
Sources
- MediaCity Games Official Steam Community Updates: Escape From Crimson Manor: Trapped Together Demo Patch Notes.
- Unity Documentation: Multiplayer Networking and Audio Spatializer Setup.
- Player Bug Reports: Steam Forums - The Nursery Drawer Physics Glitch and Audio Desyncs.