Demo of SONAR containing the first level of the game.
To install the demo, just double click on the "SONAR demo setup.exe" and follow the instructions. The self extracting archive will extract the actual installation and run the setup.exe for you automatically afterwards.
The routine may install .NET 3.5 as well as XNA 3.0 to your system, which may take some time until completion.
After this is done and the demo is installed, the demo is started automatically.
SONAR uses a fixed resolution of 800x600 pixels which may be interesting so some of you having some strange sort of display device.
It was tested on Windows XP SP3, but should work on every Windows above that, too. If there is any trouble getting it started, please contact me or just comment it in the download section.
Oh, I almost forgot:
As announced in the news: the first one who comments on this upload in the comment section of the upload itself gets a free copy of the finished game! Good luck!
First off, translate the installer to English, or provide an English Version.
I love the concept. It feels unlike any game I've played before.
I've played through a few times and every time, I get caught by the other blip. It would be nice to be able to have a weapon of some sort or a way to protect yourself, I've tried hiding around corners and standing still, but it seems to track me down every time once I enter the area that it's in. Possibly be able to build a trap for the other blip.
The blip ignored any rocks that I threw at it or near it.
The blip moved incredibly direct and seemed to know your exact location if you sent out a pulse, regardless on if you moved or not.
I realize that you haven't finished with the sounds in the game, but I couldn't seem to narrow down anything specific or be able to tell in what direction the sounds may be coming from so it was useless to me other than background noise (which definitely set the mood.
Without the sound, this game might be better suited for an Android device instead of a computer game.
Oh, it's interesting that the installer is in german!
Okay, you wrote pretty much, thanks for that. Time to reply something. Probably the concept of the gameplay is not clear. The other "blip" as you call it does not know where you are unless it hears you. That's the whole trick. There is a hint in the game, that these creatures won't orientate by vision, which means that they orientate like bats. This implies, whenever they hear you because of a sonar pulse or your steps (e.g. whenever your sound waves hit them) they know exactly where you are. The same goes for their scream. If they scream, its essentially the same to your sonar. They orientate by it at sense you with that, just like a bat. Rocks really can distract them but you have to do this wisely. If you throw a rock at them, they will go to that spot unless they see you. Of course they will scream, because they go on a hunt, whenever they hear something, so you have to sneak around, be silent, and most of all flee of them on contact. But silently. You can use cover also. The best way is to sneak them out because you don't have any weapon and there will be none ;)
Regarding the sounds: I admit that they are not more than background sounds at the moment and especially in the first level. There are other sounds in the later game which mark spots on the map. But I wil think this over...
Oh: You were the first one leaving a comment. So if you want to, I could mail you the finished game, when it's done! :)
It's not necessary to send me a copy. You can put my name in the credits as a Tester though.
I'll do that, too. But hey, that thing with the copy was the deal, so think about that ;)
fact that you dont see them coming unless making yourself a direct target, made this incredibely hard for me. rocks somewhat help, but not that much. and after multiple trys game punishes me for not doing very well, because appears that i have wasted all oxygen.
i liked the game- mechanics, visuals and sound are top notch. I just couldnt survive down there, not me...
There is a trick. The enemies have a big weakness: You can hear them before they may recognize you and you can anticipate their location because of the "sound particles" they emit. So the idea is (at least for the first level) to avoid them by circumvent them.
But I have to admit that the first enemy has a different position now, so you have some time and room to get around him.
my bad, didnt realize that there are good or bad particles coming in my direction
Sure, there is no way to distinguish the particles a priori (except that the ones are accompanied by a "slurp" and the others by a "scream", but this must not transport any deeper meaning necessarily). There will be additional tipps in the final version like the ones I gave above, after the player died.
Apparently the download has been blocked on Gamefront :(
It claims that the installer is a virus.