2018-01-31 21:25:55

I wanted to create a forum topic where I could drop news and tidbits about the upcoming game. Figured it would be a good place for people to ask questions and comment on the game.

If you are not familiar with Brain station, there is more info at http://l-works.net/brainstation.php
complete with a description, some audio demos, and an alpha version to download and try. This alpha version was compiled several months ago, so some things have changed since then.

here's a few updates about what's been going on.

The Achievement count has skyrocketted to 152 achievements. The plan is to have upwards of 300 achievements to collect.
There are now 14 games coded with about nine more planned.
there is also a pretty neat collectible system planned which pays homage to LWorks past games.

A couple of questions I've gotten which I figured I'd answer.

When will the game be released?
When it's finished. Nah seriously though. the plan is in the first half of 2018, but I hope it won't be much later than that.
Is there a set price yet?
there is no set price, but the plan is to try to make it reasonable for people to purchase. I'd be happy to discuss this further if people have concerns.
Will this be available on Mac?
Not natively, but the plan is to skin the game, and offer it at the same time as the full Windows version.

if there are questions you'd like answered, please leave them here and I'll be happy to comment.

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2018-01-31 22:11:37

This sounds like something I will greatly enjoy. Can't wait to try it out!

2018-01-31 22:44:34

I've tried the alpha and I'll be glad when the game comes out, what's there is good, and I can say that doing bangman every day does help with your vocabulary, and you'll get used to guessing those obscure words.

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2018-01-31 23:35:16

All the math games seem to also help with mental arithmetic as well. At least it's helped for me.

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2018-02-01 00:03:01

Another little something for me to give away?  maybe?  I'd like to, at any rate.  I'll more than likely do something a little more complex than the guessing game I tossed together for AHC to go along with the idea that this is a bit more, brainy, as it were.

When life gives you oranges, demand lemons since everyone else is obviously getting them.

2018-02-01 00:28:05

I wouldn't mind, though the current order system doesn't do the cool thing AHC's does where you can enter an email and the order will get sent to that email. Working on how to do this since I know when people gift they like to gift with an email.

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2018-02-01 05:48:08

@6, you may just want to integrate with PayPal. I'd ask to set up orders for you but I'm nowhere near ready for that heh. May seriously considering gifting this to others though. That should become a trend.

"On two occasions I have been asked [by members of Parliament!]: 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out ?' I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."    — Charles Babbage.
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2018-02-01 05:53:36

Order system actually integrates with paypal. It just has some weird thing where it insists on mailing the order to what ever paypal address was used. working on this. If all else fails, I will code something to overwrite this. Sounds like a fun rainy afternoon project.

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2018-02-01 07:31:24

eHi Liam.

this sounds great, I especially like the idea of the unlockables.
one question I do have relates to different machines. If you buy a copy how many computers is it licensed for?
This is because I would like the game on my desktop, and probably on my laptop,  Plus I think this is something Mrs. Dark would very much enjoy too as she's quite the fan of word games.

With our dreaming and singing, Ceaseless and sorrowless we! The glory about us clinging Of the glorious futures we see,
Our souls with high music ringing; O men! It must ever be
That we dwell in our dreaming and singing, A little apart from ye. (Arthur O'Shaughnessy 1873.)

2018-02-01 08:25:26

Hey Liam,
Just a quick question.
Can you give us a sneak preview of what other sorts of games will be in Brain station? obviously, in the alpha, since it's just the alpha, we only get math waltz and bangman.
But will there be puzzles? Like crosswords, or word search type things?
Just a curiosity thing.

"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches with in the soul, that sings the tune without the words and never stops at all."
Emily Dickenson

2018-02-01 09:08:19

Hi.
I just wanted to drop in here and say that I am very much looking forward to the release of this game. We don't have many of this type of game in the blind community, and this will be a nice break from all those shooting and combat games out there. Not that they are a bad thing to have, but I just feel that sometimes we need more of these type of games out there. Games where you can sit down and learn something.

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2018-02-01 09:56:24

Hi.
Wow, it's great to read there will be that many trophies...
Have you considered making a mode for kids, or is this already implemented in a way, so the game don't gets harder than the actual players difficulty level?
I don't remember if this has been answered earlier, but: Will there be any kind of Braille support? Some people find it much easier to do word and number puzzles in Braille, and find it difficult to do that by using speech.

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2018-02-01 11:27:59

Wow okay. A lot of questions. so here goes.

9. There isn't a hard computer limit per say. If you want to put it on a desktop, laptop and tablet that is okay. Usual rules apply though. The game is only authorized for the person who purchased it. This may be especially important since I'm possibly looking at a small online component to let you share your coin totals, achievements, and other stats. Having two people uploading differing stats might be annoying. Then again, it might not.

10. The three main types of games are word, number, and logic games. Logic games consist of things that make you either remember things, or organize information like sounds. Apologies for being vague, but I'm keeping the whole game list under wraps until release date is closer. I'm not planning on doing crosswords or word searches. Main reason for avoiding crosswords is that that means writing tons of puzzles. A word search might also take a fair amount of time to play, and the aim of the game is to have games which from start to finish can be played in under 2 to 3 minutes per game.

12. I don't believe BGT supports braille, but if it does I could see my way to adding it to Brain Station.

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2018-02-01 13:08:59

Looking forward to this one! Can't wait..

2018-02-01 14:47:44

14. Thanks a bunch. I'm looking forward to it as well. Even though I'm the one who's making it.

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2018-02-01 15:41:39 (edited by Sightless Kombat 2018-02-01 18:11:49)

@11
I'd argue, on the contrary that the audiogame sene (for lack of a better turn of phrase) has a larger amount of word, card and puzzle games available from what I've heard and read though personally I'm not a fan of them.  That being said, given that Brainstation is a single player experience it will definitely be something I put a fair few hours into, not least because there are achievements and unlockables to work for.

@Liam
I'm looking forward to seeing how this game turns out given the alpha's high production value.  Also interested to see how past L-Works titles are incorperated.

Regards,
Sightless Kombat.
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2018-02-01 15:55:33

16. I feel like over the last several years we've strayed away from word and puzzle games. Word especially, and everythign has been How many things can you blow up. Not complaining as those games are fun, but I feel like the educational market is sorely lacking.
That being said though. Brain Station all be it educational, is still a ton of fun, and should have stuff for most everyone. So long as you're not looking to blow up things or murder stuff.

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2018-02-01 17:20:10

I'll definitely be buying this one. Liked the game, and looking forward to playing it.

Kind regards!

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2018-02-01 17:23:58

Suggestion -- quick one, that is: it would be nice if we could add our own words to the list, or the game downloaded a list of small words for easy and long words for hard or something like that. Now that would be awesome.

"On two occasions I have been asked [by members of Parliament!]: 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out ?' I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."    — Charles Babbage.
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2018-02-01 17:27:24

My major reason to not allow custom lists is it would impact the easyness factor. IE. you make a word list of 10 words you know what every word is, therefore you always know answers in word games. That being said though. I do love the idea of custom lists, and if I can come up with a way of introducing them without ruining the integrity of the user experience I'd be totally open to doing so.

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2018-02-01 17:28:24

You really should. Perhaps not custom word lists people can manually create but custom word lists that the game downloads depending on your difficulty level. By the way, sent you a PM.

"On two occasions I have been asked [by members of Parliament!]: 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out ?' I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."    — Charles Babbage.
My Github

2018-02-01 17:34:17

I'm going to mark it down as something to possibly work on for a future update, IE 1.5 or something. I do like the idea though, but have to come up with a way to do it with out compromising the game's difficulty. Maybe a custom mode would be possible, but wouldn't award coins or achievements or anything. Hm. That's a thought.

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2018-02-01 17:57:52

I need those math games in my life tongue right now I'm a math vegetable.

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End racism
End division
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2018-02-01 18:33:47 (edited by Ethin 2018-02-01 18:39:08)

Well, ironcross, that's no surprise. You never were one for mathematics. [smirks] Kidding, kidding. Don't kill me, sir! big_smile

"On two occasions I have been asked [by members of Parliament!]: 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out ?' I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."    — Charles Babbage.
My Github

2018-02-01 20:10:57

22: That's what I was thinking. You can make custom word lists, but games played with custom word lists don't award anything. That's how Adventure at C: handles custom stages, any bits you receive from them are temporary, and evaporate the instant the stage is over.

I could really see custom word lists being useful for, say, a teacher trying to teach new concepts to his/her students in a fun way. Just create a custom word list with those words and let the students have at it.