Beta testing signups & feedback

[Jubal]

This is the closed release reports & discussion thread for LIFE If you want to know more about which features are included or involved in the game more generally, check the thread here.

Testing places are currently open, either post here or email me at james(at)wavcott(dot)org(dot)uk. You can submit bug reports either by posting in this thread or by email: I would prefer it if people posted here as then it's easier for everyone else to see what's already been reported and easier for me to keep track of it, but I will accept reports by email if people prefer. The current testing version is δ-004.

CURRENT OPEN REPORTS
These are issues that have not yet been fixed.

Bugs
~No Current Reports~

Feature tweaks
2017/06/18: Esglit ranch has no practical function. Consider adding purchase of esglit meat as a separate item?
2017/07/06: Issues with load/save. Not replicable as error - may need better explanation of how load/save works somewhere.
2017/08/10: Problems with game being broken by Win 10 window sizing elements feature - need readme to indicate fixes for this issue.


CURRENT CLOSED REPORTS
These are issues that have been fixed in the internal version and will be sorted in the next version of the game.


PREVIOUS VERSION REPORTS
These are issues that have been fixed as of the most recent release.

Most Recent Fix List (δ-004):

Spoiler

2017/07/06: Issues with finding keycard & use with simulator. Consider blocking use of simulator until player has keycard. Simulator now requires keycard.
2017/08/07: "Try saying something else!" wrongly occurring for "LOOK" command in junkyard. Fixed.
2017/08/10: Problems with players having difficulty using realtime elements but still wanting to play. "Realtime off" mode implemented, removes asteroid fields from the game.
2017/08/14: Issues with coordinate format in console being hard to understand. Forms "Xn, Yn" and "x,y" now permitted as well as official "~Xn, Yn~" notation.
2017/11/21: Range of alternate commands and extra dialogue options not working. Fixed.
2017/11/21: Some players prefer not using asteroides. Settings can be changed on character select screen: asteroid-free mode available.
2017/11/21: Ice Warrior Armour & Caldspar Ring had no descriptions. Fixed.
2017/11/21: Draconian character unlock note showed up even after character had been unlocked. Fixed.

Earlier versions:

Spoiler

γ-003

Spoiler

2017/06/30: "Try saying something else!" triggered when walking to Kasktar. Fixed.
2017/07/06: Text not always added to the end of the log. Fixed.
2017/07/06: Hard to find LIFE.exe due to lack of child folders for sound & images. Images & sound now in child folders.
2017/07/06: Difficulty with flying ship using two-key system. One key system (: @ #) now main ship flying system.

β-002:

Spoiler

2017/06/20: Cloaking device referred to as a shield generator in text for repairing broken version.
2017/06/20: Consider re-playing the end of the creature anim when "LOOK [Creature]"

[Red Baron]

Looking forward to finding out more about the game .

[Jubal]

Welcome! As I've said, I'm hoping to get the beta out to testers in a couple of weeks, but do ask any questions you have in the meantime and I'll do my best to answer!

[Spritelady]

It's possible I just haven't identified the correct command but I can't seem to buy esglit meat from the rancher under the city- I've tried various combinations of 'talk to' 'ask about' and 'buy' esglit meat but none of them work...

[Jubal]

That's correct; you can't buy esglit meat from him, he and the ranch are completely just there for theme/because I wanted some esglit to be in-game.

Do you think it's something that I really need to add there?

[Spritelady]

Not necessarily, I just found it a little misleading that I need esglit meat to get rid of the oranothere and the rancher specifically says something along the lines of 'let me know if you'd like to buy esglit meat' but that isn't necessarily a fault

[Jubal]

Well, I've added it to the log for now so I can think about it and mull it over a bit - will see if anyone else picks up on it!

[Spritelady]

Have found a bug- I had a broken cloaking device which I took to the engineers shop to have repaired. It managed to fix the device and attach it fine but during the dialogue about it being fixed it somehow thought what was being fixed was a shield generator. It did give me a cloaking device at the end of the dialogue so not a drastic issue

[Jubal]

Thankyou, duly logged

EDIT 27 June: β-002 now released, the new exe should be heading out to people soon

[Spritelady]

As I was walking across the ice to the second thauil city, one of my commands gave the appropriate output but then followed with 'try saying something else!' even though I hadn't input a second command...not sure why it would do that?

[Jubal]

Because of a misplaced if statement - thanks, I'll check.

You had a couple of other issues right? Something about the Oranothere, and I think there was one other thing but I can't remember what :/

[HemingwayGames]

Nice work, Jubal. This looks really good. Love the soundtrack.

I came across some issues with the log. Sometimes it added old text to the end of the latest entry. This occurs when clicking on the log which move's the log's cursor.

Example:
>>> LOOK BAR
It's a bar, with lots of drinks cabinets and strange bottles set into it. Despite this fact, this place only seems to serve one variety of incredibly bland tasting beer.
It is a BLANKET. Definitely a BLANKET.

Inventory doesn't seem to be restored when the game is loaded. I noticed this when I reloaded and lost my keycard and couldn't enter the starship. EDIT: I've retested and this is not an issue. I was loading the wrong save game.

Is a keycard awarded for completing the simulator? Keycards are not awarded for new games once the achievement was unlocked.

The following are some suggestions for improving usability:

- Move gifs and assets to child folders so LIFE.exe is more easily found
- Improve the input for the simulator. Is it possible to just accept A and D without the enter key? Arrow support would also be handy.

[Jubal]

OK - as we discussed, I can't seem to replicate this save error - let me know if you work it out better, or if you think it's more an issue of bad explanations of the load/save functionality and whether I could improve them.

The next build will include some quite major updates to the technical side. I've fixed the cursor bug so new text is reliably added to the end of the text widget, and implemented a one-touch system for flying the spaceship (though the old system still exists for people who want it). This should solve most of the main technical problems people have complained of with the game so far

[HemingwayGames]

Hi Jubal, I've retested the loading of games and everything works fine.  I was loading the wrong save.

Test results:

>>> INV
You are a HUMAN named X4. Your inventory contains:
PADBOOK
KEYCARD
You have 33 mazumas, the local form of currency.
>>> SAVE
Game Saved!
...
Game loaded!
You are in your newly acquired DORM, number 8973/92, situated alongside others in a large concrete tube in the cave wall. There is a BED here, and a DRAWER. The exit is SOUTH.
>>> INV
You are a HUMAN named X4. Your inventory contains:
PADBOOK
KEYCARD
You have 33 mazumas, the local form of currency.

[Jubal]

Phew, I'm glad: that sounded like the sort of weird bug that might've been super complicated to fix!