Binaural Games (IE Papa Sangre) Suggestions

Hello Touch Arcade.

I have never posted, but have read so much in here.
Great community. Lots of great things happen here when people know that the developers of the games SOMETIMES look around.
Finally a game I feel that I can realistically improve comes out, and I thought I would start in the community by starting this thread.

I hope the developers that could potentially make a game like this, could be directed here. Such as "Somethin' Else", or "ID Software", etc.

Here is an email I wrote to Somethin' Else, but I thought I would add these here. Copy and Paste...(little bitty edits)


I purchased your game just a few hours ago (LOVE THE IDEA OF USING THE IPHONE WITH BINAURAL TECH), and I have a couple suggestions to make it a bit more...intuitive to the point of the game.

First, have an option of taking out touch-based movement controls

Have an option to use the gyroscope or tilt functions to make him move.
- At first, when you start the game, a lady would say "thank you for playing Papa Sangre. Please hold your iPhone in a comfortable neutral position. This will be your standing point. The more forward you tilt the device, the faster you will walk/run. This is the same for backwards. Pivot the device to the left and right to turn in the direction. More tilt, faster turn."

- Or have text on the screen for the start for the calibration, as this is not only for the blind.

Then if you decide to add the ability to hit monsters, or push objects, etc - you can have two buttons on the iphone device (big buttons, one for left side and one for right side, that take up half the screen each)

Second is one that of troubles with imagination and menu systems

This game relies solely on hearing and imagination, which is an AMAZING use of the iphone. Takes the issues of controls vs view space right out the window.

However you do put graphics on some slides in the game, which (although unique and creepy drawings) take away from the person's own imaginations. With those pictures, the user is unconsciously aware of those drawings, and will see a creature like that. Which, like I said, although good in their own way, are not as realistic or not the same style as some may want to have in their heads as a starting image. Obviously if the game was only for the blind, this is a non-issue, but many people would want to play a game like this if done properly and enough of the scene heard about it.
- For example, if this was an ID software game, they could use a pic of some doom character, and make this into the Doom universe.

But since you are a company most will hear of for the first time, perhaps a very simple but stylish menu system. Throw away the bones, skulls and all that, and just make a clean menu with very satisfying binaural menu beeps whilst the user configures.


Third is another mechanic that you may want to use.

Light versus no light.

WIth the controls out of the way, the user can freely close their eyes. This should be a requirement if you use this method. This could even be an option in the game.

This option, when on, introduces light in the game. I say an option because the light would only be effective in a very dark room, with the eyes closed. If someone was not so into that, or it was not possible, this option is not necessary for the audio experience. I only know two blind people personally, and both can still see light. For the non-blind, this would be great anyway.

The light would be on the brightest when in a bright sunny day, perhaps at the beginning of the game, walking through a town. You bump into people, etc, before you find your quest or what not.

The light would be a bit more ambient (bright but with a amber glow) when in a wel lit wall-in room (such as a library, store, or the beginning of a cave, etc.

Obviously you can see that fire would also be an option, thus allowing you to carry torches if you like.

You could use it as a scare tactic in the existing game, light when a monster hits you, for example. However to me that seems a bit cheesy, and would make the game less realistic. Though effective in some cases. IE mage hits you with a spell.

I will post these suggestions in the Touch Arcade forums in hopes that others follow-up with more ideas.

Thanks for reading! I hope I gave you some insight in things you can do with this game later on, or in future sequels.

Sesquipedal

 

Footsteps

Footsteps that hear twig breaking, stone scattering, etc when walking.
Obviously Wood, cement, outdoors, indoors, all have various steps and can be added as detailed as desired.