2012-12-06 14:44:12

Hi,
Firstly, i'm going to presume I'm the friend jamesscholes mentioned.
Basically, the game wasn't letting me pick any pieces up, what so ever.
The game works most of the time, but I've also had songs that don't work.

My main issue though, is that this game is no way retail material.

I'm afraid to say that although this is somewhat new as ideas go, it's not something you should be charging for.
Limitting the file types  to mp3, and ogg I presume is limitting, as you've  already noticed.

I believe you should have tested the audio library a lot more, as there seems to be a lot of issues with that.

And lastly, if someone is not able to play this game due to not having a good enough graphics card... an audio based game, about music...

There is something wrong.

2012-12-06 15:19:15 (edited by Lorenzo Bellincampi 2012-12-06 15:45:53)

I like your honesty SLJ, thanks for the support.

The graphic card required is, fortunately, very very minimum. Today only the oldest netbooks does not satisfy the requirements.
Unfortunately this is a requirement of the framework we are using, and even if we don't use any graphic, the software still has to initialize the Direct3d and friends.

EDIT:
@robla
Once again, we respect your opinion, but we must say that not charging just because it does not read some mp3 or because it does not read other file types is wrong in our opinion.
As SLJ said, if you don't like the game or cannot use it, don't buy it, it's your choice and we surely are not trying to force someone to buy something. There the lite version for this. You try it, it does not work with your files? Peace, you can not use the game. It does not mean that the game is a fail.

In addition, an audiogame requiring a video card it is not wrong or right. It's a system requirement. If you meet it you can play the game, otherwise you can't. Stop. Again, it does not mean that the game is a fail.

Anyway, once again, we respect your opinion, and if you think the game is not worth buying or playing, it's fine with us. If you think that the problem is worth solving, you can help us solving it giving more details. To be more precise, if the game crashed or does not play the song after you have set the timer, the game is not reading that file.

Audiogames developer @ http://www.shardworkshop.com

2012-12-06 19:16:47

What I'm saying is how can you expect people to actually spend money when there are obviously huge audio library limitations, then say there's nothing you can do about it, and will reconsider next time? It's ludicrous.

2012-12-07 00:20:33 (edited by Lirin 2012-12-07 00:21:43)

Well, the error pops up before the logo, the game is loading, there's window wich is starting to open the game I believe. AFter a wchile when the window is opened the error comes out.

BTW, i am using nvidia geforce GTX260

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2012-12-07 01:36:38

Ok that is the first report of this error with Music Puzzle, it can be a corrupted resource, so the first thing to do is trying a re-download and a clean reinstall. If that fails send us the DirectX informations.

Guy for all the bug reports please write at infoATshardworkshop.com. It'll be easier following the single bug threads, instead of serching this topic up and down.

Audiogames developer @ http://www.shardworkshop.com

2012-12-07 09:38:24

I'm going to take a step back from the details of bugs or features and comment upon the discussion itself.  Annoyingly to everyone, I'm going to be very Elvish, that is, say both yes and no.  Here goes.

To those who are saying this game isn't ready for prime time, or that it's not worth charging for because it doesn't work on your system, I get your frustration, but there is a sufficiently playable demo available to give the game a good shake-down, so that you can easily avoid spending money for a product that doesn't work.  There is clearly no effort to defraud here; if anything there may be a lack of testing resources, which is not going to be uncommon, given the fragmented state of Windows hardware and software.  We should treat our developers with respect, partccularly those who are going to try ande make a full-time go of this, a daunting prospect at best.

I happen to agree that this game isn't ready for commercial release, but I'd far rather participate in changing that, if it's a game I have an interest in than act to scare away said developer with unhelpful commentary.

Now to the other shoe.  As I said, this game doesn't appear to be ready for prime time just yet.  I'd like to suggest to the developers that, like you did with 3D Velocity (if I remember correctly) you releas a beta test product of the full version of the game, perhaps with a limited time license for testing.  This will allow you to crowd-source your testing in a way that no small shop can afford to do in-house.  I think you will find that a large majority of people here who will test for you will provide good feedback that you can use to make your product better before a commercial release.  Even with a fully functional demo, the fact that you are charging for the game does raise the bar quite a bit so far as expectations go.  If I'm going to consider buying a game, then, unless I have some wildly strange configuration, it really ought to work out of the box.  I note and approve of your willingness to help users solve the problems that are coming up, but in putting up a for-pay product, you are in effect saying that this is ready.

So, I think that we can all work together to create an environment where this came can improve and live up to the coolness of its concept.

2012-12-07 14:36:22

I made a german translation (in text) and sent it to the Shard Workshop folks.  Hopefully it gets included in the game.

skype name: techluver
Feel free to add me.

2012-12-07 21:24:18

@themadviolinist
I'm going to be completely honest and tell you that I like you. More like a polite, reasonable violinist than a mad one big_smile.
I agree with like 99% of what you said, and I'm going to say that we're surely going to arrange a more "world-wide" beta test,  because we planned that (the next projects are quite bigger tongue ), and even more so now that we saw that even for a project that little it would have helped.

What I would like you guys to understand is that there is no single beta test that would save you from bugs, even game breaking. It sure can help, and that's why we'll do that, but take for example Diablo 3. Multi million project, months and months long world-wide, millions users beta test: game breaking bug on day one. That's how software works, unfortunately.
Anyway, we'll surely do an external, deeper, beta test for our next products.

Audiogames developer @ http://www.shardworkshop.com

2012-12-08 03:51:39

What?  You only agreed with 99% of what i said?!  You fiend!!!!!?  You. . .  oh wait, sorry that rant is directed at someone else.  I'm only mad north by northwest, when the wind is in the south I can tell a hawk from a hand saw.

2012-12-08 13:26:39

Is it possible to get language packs included in the official game?

skype name: techluver
Feel free to add me.

2012-12-08 14:05:51

@theelvishviolinist
You Elvish being! big_smile

@harryIst
We are still discussing this.
First thing, if we have to add a translation we would like to include a complete one, that is, also the  documentation.
Second thing, there is a problem: at the moment we cannot be sure of the quality of third party translations.
With that being said, if you think you can make a quality translation of the documentation, we'll see what we can do to dub, and to verify it, but we cannot assure you anything.
Please understand that this is nothing personal, it's just that we need to be sure of what we're distributing!
In any case, thanks for the commitment!

Audiogames developer @ http://www.shardworkshop.com

2012-12-13 17:15:30

Hello everyone!
We have updated both versions of Music Puzzle. Here's the change log:

- Added 3 new game modes in the full version: "high pitch" that will let you rebuild a higher pitch, sped up version of your song, "low pitch", for the low pitch version, and the "low quality mode", that will make the game harder by degrading the quality of the song.

- Added FLAC files support to both versions.

- Fixed a couple of bugs. Now You should be able to read every mp3 file.

Just download the lite version again to enjoy the changes.
Full version customers have been contacted though their purchase mails.

Have fun!

Audiogames developer @ http://www.shardworkshop.com

2012-12-14 01:27:58

I'm glad you've added FLAC file support to the game, but you haven't modified the code which shows the file open dialog for selecting a song.  FLAC is not in the list of allowed formats.

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2012-12-14 04:02:03

Uhm now that is strange. We obviously have modified that code, otherwise it would not have been even possible to test it.
The problem is, given the way in which we have implemented the dialog, it is almost impossible to not have it at least showed.

How have you installed the new version? I suspect that for some reason you have the old executable. If you'll not be able to see the FLAC format doing a clean install (uninstall, make sure the game directory has been eliminated, install with the new setup), send us your Music Puzzle Lite.exe file.

Audiogames developer @ http://www.shardworkshop.com

2012-12-14 09:51:07

Hi.
Congrats on the new update.

Best regards SLJ.
Feel free to contact me privately if you have something in mind. If you do so, then please send me a mail instead of using the private message on the forum, since I don't check those very often.
Facebook: https://facebook.com/sorenjensen1988
Twitter: https://twitter.com/soerenjensen

2012-12-14 13:13:30

@SLJ
Thanks a lot!

Audiogames developer @ http://www.shardworkshop.com

2012-12-15 16:20:07

Maybe, to really stretch the limits by adding midi support, since I think that could have the notes separated. That way, you have about 50 notes to arrange, hard enough? I am really liking the game. Could you add sapi support for the open file dialogue? That could eliminate the requirement of having the screen reader on during the game. That or the keyhook, so the arrows will always work.

2012-12-15 16:24:55 (edited by jack 2012-12-15 16:26:57)

bug having I am game with. second game playing I exiting without picking pieces up get I error with ignore message and abort. This you fix could next version in. Okay okay, here's the non dificult bug report. What I actually meant to say was, I have a bug. When I play a second game without first exiting, it works until I try rearranging the pieces, when I pick one up, it says jaws says error messages, ignore button. So basically there's an ignore and abort button. Have you fixed this bug yet? And just for clarification I have the December 4th version of it.
And yes I can be as insane as Dark!
lol

2012-12-18 22:35:52

Haha you've got me there jack, I really thought you could not order words big_smile.

First thing first, we have fixed that bug in the new version, so no problem.
Second thing: this is how you actually report a bug: details! Congratulations, and thanks wink

Audiogames developer @ http://www.shardworkshop.com

2012-12-20 06:57:22 (edited by arcadia 2012-12-20 06:59:15)

The game is working grate for me. Does the fast forward part only work with the first piece you move? I somehow find this thing very addicting, and can see possibly paying for this in the future. It's cool to see games with different objectives. not that shooting games are terrible, I just think the variety of games keeps things interesting.