Fused Finale

by ACWraith
Fused Finale
Guide travellers to the warp gate with procedurally generated rhythm.
ID:101932
 
I just uploaded a version of my randomly generated rhythm action game, Fused Finale. In it, players assume the role of an AI terminal that controls the scanners of a warp gate. The gate has to be configured for each traveler. Players must tap towards organics and away from synthetics. Inattentive or overeager taps decrease the player's productivity rating (life bar).

Each level is split into two sections. The first is a day on the job that tests players' reactions with a constant stream of travelers. The second half involves a diagnostic run by the terminal's management that tests memory. Each successful note in the diagnostic section increases the player's life bar.

[EDIT: Screenshots replaced.]





The key thing about the music at the moment is that there is no melody. Each song is constructed with harmonizing rounds. The player sings a bit one round and then sings something else as the computer sings that part in the next round. The only constant is the drum beat... when it isn't toggling between its two time signatures.

Honestly, playing a melody doesn't seem very interesting to me because of the repetition. With randomized music, there's no reason to learn how to play any individual song. That said, I might add more constants to noodle over at some point.

I'm curious about what others think about the songs. I think they resemble ambient science fiction movie music. That's handy for the theme, but not always what people want to listen to.

Meanwhile, how's the balance? I think the game is usually rather easy, but I had to quit early in order to get back to implementing it. I'm thinking of allowing players to start new games at any level they have reached before.

As the post title states, this is my entry to BYOND Casual's Imagination Competition. Please download and play Fused Finale before Sunday so that I may have the opportunity to update it.
Awesome......
Fun game, but VERY VERY VERY hard.
I lose more life in the 'restore life' phase. :P
I just added different maps. The number of paths to manage now starts small and increases. It should make the game less difficult.

(I might add more maps for variation at some point, but I figure balance is more important for now.)
ACWraith you bastard, you won the Casual Competition. Welp, not like I entered anyway.
I'd really like to win, but I'm not counting anyone else out yet. There were three projects emailed to Tiberath last week. [Edit: Er, make that one email and three Tiberath was aware of.] Plus, Metamorphman recently submitted hexWar. I have not played it yet, but it could be nifty. =)

[Edit 2: Plus, perhaps Forum_account will submit RPG Sweeper. That I have played. I suck at it, but I like it. =)]
I like the game, but the large amount of fail that I produce when playing it makes me a sad panda.

I have poor rhythm :(
@Cody123100: Try relying on eyesight rather than hearing. Travelers don't produce a note until they move from a scanner to the warp (which is roughly a quarter second after that). Aim for the scanners.

When I was designing the game, I had no idea if BYOND could reliably present an audible illusion of constant time. I just decreased the tick lag thinking that the average beat duration might be more equal for larger sets of ticks. Then I made all of the symbols visual just in case. ;)