2017-09-01 17:35:11

sanslash - I deleted it because it gives an error message on opening the executable and I didn't want people to lose interest in my game because of a lack of functionality. I will re export tomorrow as it's late in Aus right now, and I will re upload, and repost.

2017-09-01 18:07:43

sanslash332, take a look at post 24.
Best regards, Haramir.

The true blind is the one who refuses to see.

2017-09-01 18:40:42

hi,
I have downloaded the game , and pass level 1, it's quite easy , you just have to follow the crying sounds.
and there's no error when I open it smile

2017-09-01 20:25:44

Well darn. I was so looking forward to coming home from the store today and downloading it. Lol. I understand though. Keep up the awesome work.

2017-09-01 20:32:19

Hey Sean, sorry to disappoint lol I'll PM you the Dropbox address of the partially broken executable.

2017-09-01 20:34:35

JasonBlaze wrote:

hi,
I have downloaded the game , and pass level 1, it's quite easy , you just have to follow the crying sounds.
and there's no error when I open it smile

Awesome! Did you follow the hum sound? How long did it take, and did you hear the win voiceover? There is the mother crying at the beginning of the level too, you don't mean that right?

2017-09-01 20:36:30

Just to explain: I had the link up for about twenty minutes and took it down because the game executable had a fatal error when I tested it on another computer. It's late here (can't sleep, doing this in bed) but I'll fix it and reupload in the morning. Stay tuned!!

2017-09-02 04:28:14

Hello, Well, with the previous excecutable, i can download it without problems, and when I try open it to play...
I can without problems. I can't play mutch time because I have to go, but later I give it a try.
Because that this was estrange to me, because the executable was completely fine, and It didn't install anything. It was a portable instead an installer.

Well, waiting for other updates tongue. when I have a coment of the game, i Give that to you tongue

2017-09-02 04:53:54

What happened to the link to download the game?
I don't know if I want to play this game because there are still some bugs that you need fixing.
also, What are the controls for the PC version?
it would be hard to play the game without knowing the controls.
can you fix the speech in the game so that I can hear the Voice?
if the game had no speech I wouldn't be able to hear what's going on.
can you add a menu system to the game as well?

2017-09-02 05:30:14

Post 34. everything you addressed has been spoken of in earlier posts by the developer. The game has been taken down because the developer wanted to fix installment errors. The voice volume has been raised. The controls have been posted earlier as well.

2017-09-02 06:22:31 (edited by daisyalesoundworks 2017-09-02 13:31:31)

Okay! Here's the update!
Summary of what happened is as follows:

I uploaded the game and posted the download address here yesterday. Then I realized that it gave an error on startup. I believe I've fixed that error but it may show up on some systems, please let me know.

Here's the game address, please download while learning more about it as it's a 400mb download.
Windows x32: coming soon
Windows x64: https://www.dropbox.com/s/v1uo7zmitpx2v … 4.rar?dl=0

Important note: It  will probably ask your permission to install a very small C++ processing file directly from Unreal. It’s safe.
Important note 2: there is no need for text to speech. Everything you need to know is narrated, and ALL the information in the game you need is audio. If you hear dog whining, that's the edge of the map signifier. However, someone requested to add keyboard equivalents of mouse clicks. Here they are: E is bark, F is sniff sonar ping at the beginning of the trail, and G is a sonar ping somewhere on the trail. The narrator will tell you to click the mouse, I haven’t updated that yet. Just remember E, F and G.

It is the full game, with visuals, so if you have sighted people in your home, get them to give their opinion too, please. If your computer can't handle it (mine is a tiny bit jumpy with visuals but the gameplay and audio is not jumpy, and it's a simple office computer, not a gaming rig) just wait a day or two and I'll release a demo without visuals.

Please think about these three questions while playing.

1. Is it fun?
2. Is it too easy, or too hard?
3. How can we get the players to care more about the dog and the rescue scenario? I need a carrot on a stick of some sort. Earning money, fame as a resource, etc? I mean I obviously want you to listen to the loved ones at the start, and connect with the missing persons that way but I need another motivation. Collect money to buy ... things? I don't really know.

Controls: arrow keys/WASD for moving. E/Left Mouse are bark, to keep the handler near you. F/Middle Mouse is to sniff, and sound off a sonar ping on the beginning of the level. G/Right Mouse is to sniff and sound off a sonar ping on the trail if you lose it.  E, F and G are the main controls of the game, remember them!
Directions: everything else will be told to you in the opening tutorial speech. It's a simple game that relies on skill, NOT on colourful narrative and conversation like many audio games. The skill is being able to concentrate enough to hear the sound that represents the scent trail and being able to follow it. Another skill is to spatially locate the sonar pings when you press F and G. You will lose the trail. When you do, press either F or G and spin around until the audio is equal volume in both ears. If you press F and the audio is 100% in the left ear, it means you’ need to face to the left a bit to be facing the direction. F will sound a sonar ping at the VERY BEGINNING of the level.

Things will get in your way - everything from inclement weather to your own footsteps is going to bar your listening ability. This is a camping site, with other people so you might run into an alternate scent trail that will confuse which way to go but feel free to follow it.

If you ever get lost or feel overwhelmed, just press F for sonar ping and start over. There are no time limits here.

**This is the FIRST time anyone other than me is playing the game. There will be bugs, there will be possibly unplayable portions of the game. I'll try to fix it ASAP.**

When you complete the level by bringing the lost person back to the origin of the middle mouse/F key sonar ping, you'll be instantly transported to home after a short narrative. Then, if you walk towards the helicopter sound, you can play through the Snow level. It is incomplete and doesn't have a win portion yet but the soundscape is different and so are the mechanics. You're welcome to check it out but don't expect much. There's also a keystroke that will take you directly to the snow level but I'm not going to tell you what it is yet, I'll post it here after a few people comment on playthroughs.

I HOPE YOU HAVE FUN!

2017-09-02 06:26:58

Oh also, I put my website, email and patreon in the beginning not targeting gamers here, but because I don't know where this demo will end up. It's a scary thing, as a developer, you put months into something and then give the internet access to it... I don't know where this demo will travel on the internet in a week so I wanted to include everything.

2017-09-02 07:01:54

Well daisy, where did you exactly say you came from in the forum.
I think you said australia or the short form of that if so, then you are the first of the devs from that side.
I am with sonnar in new zealand and poland, well the nz part of it anyway.
We are also a small company and I agree, developing a game or a lot of games is super hard.
Things to choose is what projects to do, and we have at least 3-4 ongoing at once probably closer to 2-3 probably, I loose track from time to time.
Anyway to have to focus on just 1 or 1 set of projects can be something especially for a startup.
I would be happy to test public and private tests.
One thing that is refreshing is that you support 32 and 64 bit units I have a 64 bit cpu I will try both units and see what those programs do.
One thing I should note though, not all of us have gaming grade systems, this older system has an unsupported amd system with some beta drivers and it should work but for those with internal graphics you may want something to either turn graphics off for the blind or turn it down low unless they have a gaming wrig or some midrange dedicated card they just won't be able to play your game and while I fully understand the mainstream world there are a lot of people that don't update drivers especially for graphics unless they need to.
The same don't use mice etc.
I do but then I will update everything even stuff I shouldn't.
I will test your game tonight as I am currently doing this message from another location and on a different network and not on my system.
I have some podcast access to a local technology cast I run, I'd also try to get coverage on cool blind tech which is where all the geeks rock out.
if you need any help or cash or something while I can't actually put to much on a patrian I maybe able to make a donation from time to time on paypal, but I don't have all that much cash in fact I have been spending a bit to much of late on things but whatever, you need help emial me from the email link on my profile, and then we will see how it goes.

2017-09-02 07:21:53

Hi there. Now the game works for me. I love it so far, but, I lose the trail pretty easily. I guess I just need to get used to the way the game works. I'll keep trying. What about adding a keystroke such as enter to skip dialogue?

2017-09-02 07:25:08

Sean - really good point. Actually I did - if you just bark, it breaks the narrative's hold on your controls. If you want to start over, just bark and run away from the narrator. He'll keep talking but it is spatialized so go ahead and just do your thing, he'll be silent soon enough.

It's still hard for me. You really have to make a map in your mind of where you came from because even with scent, there aren't visual landmarks and I did that on purpose. You can't say, oh the scent went by that tree over there. It's still hard for me, and I laid the trail hahah.

Just let me know when it gets frustratingly hard. Challenge is good, but I don't want to turn people off from it.

2017-09-02 07:59:23

@Crashmaster,

Really great advice! Thank you! I have been talking with some other people on this forum about gaming computers and how to make the game the best possible optimization. I'm considering making a menu option that loads a version of the same levels with all visuals and lighting removed. I haven't done this yet, because I run this game on an office computer - no dedicated video card, not a lot of RAM. So if I can run it, and the audio and gameplay isn't jumpy AT ALL, I think we're okay with our blind gamers playing the full, visual version so far.
Someone else told me about the notion that most gamers don't use mice, and I added alternate controls to the mouse clicks. This is the kind of feedback I really need! Thank you for your comments, I'm making a note of them, particularly getting exposure through podcasts and Cool Blind Tech.

Also I don't expect support from this forum. I do understand how exclusive most of the working world is to vision impairments. I put in my patreon and email because releasing this demo is like a message in a bottle: I have no idea where it'll end up. If someone gets their hands on the demo that has money to support it, awesome! But I made this for people who appreciate good, solid audio.

2017-09-02 08:01:04 (edited by daisyalesoundworks 2017-09-02 08:22:08)

BUG #1: Pressing shift to run will sometimes turn on auto run. I don't know why this happens and I'm working on it. It's best to just not run, you'll run off the scent trail. I put the run option in there as a pitfall for overconfident sighted people. Your vision won't help you here!

2017-09-02 09:08:21

BUG #2: Shift and up skips a level. That's not great because that's also the command for run. I don't know why it does that, it might be a built-in command in UE4 or something.

2017-09-02 09:22:33

Bug #1 is fixed. Uploading v1.01 soon.

2017-09-02 09:24:23

@daisyalesoundworks
I'll pick up the game and play it asap and I'll give feedback as soon as I can.  I really hope you get the support you deserve for this, I can see that you're trying hard to make this a very interesting project.

Keep up the good work and best of luck with fixing all the bugs.  I'll test versions as and when I can.

Regards,
Sightless Kombat.
***If you wish to refer to me in @replies, use Sightless***

2017-09-02 09:29:29

Thanks Kombat! There's a much less buggy version coming soon!!! Thanks for the support, I need it lol

2017-09-02 10:19:52

Bug #2 is fixed and added the R keystroke to stop the tutorial speech. It doesn't stop the anti-piracy/support part, but when it gets to the part where he starts telling you what to do, you can immediately shut him up.

2017-09-02 10:23:24

F12 is now quit.

2017-09-02 12:01:40 (edited by daisyalesoundworks 2017-09-02 12:05:26)

Here is the updates people asked for. It will finish uploading about one hour from this post.
Hit R to shut the narrator up after he starts the tutorial. Doesn't work when it's announcing my details but it will work after he starts telling you about the level.
Eliminated the level switching bug.
Eliminated autorun bug.
Worked on the sonar ping spatialization as someone was saying it was ineffective and didn't seem to work in 3D space, but it still works for me. Anyone else having issues?
Windows x64: https://www.dropbox.com/s/v1uo7zmitpx2v … 4.rar?dl=0
x32 version is still finishing export, will be up after this one finishes upload.

2017-09-02 12:07:09

Both the 32 bit and 64 bit installers has been removed from Dropbox. smile

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.
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