Hello, and judging by the fact you’re here, you must have bought Aurifi, so we thank you very much!
Jailbreaking
Aurifi pushes the possibilities of the iPhone. It uses pretty much all the available processor, and all the available memory. Those users who have Jailbroken their phones will find that the games crashes a lot – usually at the end of the tutorial. This is because Jailbreaking changes the way that memory is handled, and essentially reduces available memory. We can’t design to this modification of the phone as it is highly unpredictable, and where do we stop? We’re sorry about this, but there’s nothing we can do, it’s a users’ choice to jailbreak. As a note, it doesn’t help us one bit to give us 1-star reviews if your phone is jailbroken – it can only damage the chances that we can one day make a game that you appreciate.
Crashing
In all cases we have encountered so far on non-jailbroken phones, the crashing issue can be solved by restarting the phone – this is because Aurifi needs lots of memory to run, and sometimes some other apps can fragment memory. If you have tried this and continue to get crashes, please let us know right here on this site. For the record, to date, we have not one single crash report logged on the Apple crash report service. It’s possible that some configs are causing crashes, but with the million different possibilities of combinations of apps on the iPhone today, we cannot hope to predict them all, and rely on you out there to report them in a helpful manner please.
Lag (Latency)
The 3D engine was improved in ver 1.1 which has meant that we have now been able to minimise the lag present. It has been removed from all mini games.
Starting the Game
When the game loads, to resume a game, use the resume menu. This sounds obvious, but some users haven’t clocked this feature. Furthermore, the menu system is designed to be used EITHER by tilting or tapping the side of the screen you want, which makes menu navigation extremely quick. Sorry, it’s a fair crit that this isn’t clear.
The tilt-based games
On the tilt-based games, this takes a little time to get used to – it’s an unfamiliar control method. Just like graphical games, we purposely introduce a feature called ‘inertia’ that means that there is resistance to action – please don’t confuse this with lag – there isn’t any.
Tips?
What do users think of us publishing some tips for how to get beyond challenges? Is this something you want, or would you rather carry on with the challenge?
Thanks for purchasing Aurifi, and please please do communicate with us. If you leave a review on the App Store, we can;t contact you, and many of the problems raised can be solved with communication.
The Punk Pie Team
38 Comments
First I love the name Punk Pie, that is great. Well I have to admit I am not a gamer, but this game caught my interest for several reasons. I am blind and although there have been some games developed that are designed for those who are visually impaired, none come close to providing the experience of Aurifi, in my opinion. I would say that Aurifi is like the audible version of a Wii game. Aurifi leverages the capabilities of the iPhone in a way that to my knowledge, no other game does. I hope you all continue to develop games along the same lines as Aurifi. I gave this game 5 stars and a review in the iTunes store. Like I said, I’m not a gamer, but I sure am hooked on this game. I think this will entertain me on my business trip at the end of July. I wonder however, what my fellow passengers on the plane will think of me tilting and tapping my way along.
)
Dear Scott
We don’t know what to say! Thank you!
We will carry on in the knowledge that people are very happy.
Keep in touch.
Chris @ the Punk Pie team
Yeah, this thing rocks. Blind as well. I think this is the first of its kind for an iPod/iPhone. Played it for…A couple of hours, not joking. I was like what the heck? Three hours passed already?
…Anyway. I hope you make more fantastic titles like Aurifi! As a side note to anyone with VoiceOver enabled you have to turn it off for the game to work correctly, obviously.
Not having many issues. Keeping the sound in the center and holding it there, for me anyway, doesn’t work. It just jumps to the other side. I’m probably doing something wrong, just not sure what.
Anyway. Best app I’ve ever purchased from the App Store on my iPod. You guys rock!!
So, I asked about why practically none of the tilt games respond on iPhone 4. My friend has a 3GS, and they work fine for me on it. There is obviously some difference with iPhone 4. Maybe I need to do something differently? My iPhone 4 isn’t jailbroken or modified in any way.
Hi Bryan
We’re looking into this. The UK got the phone only a few weeks ago (tried to get one earlier but no possibility!). The beta testing handset we have plays the game perfectly, so we’re trying to establish what could be making the game unplayable for you. Please give me a couple more days, and we should have an answer for you.
Thanks
Chris at the Punk Pie Team
Hi Bryan
Ok – results are in. All implementations of Aurifi on iOS4 and iPhone 4 are exactly as intended. The only possible explanation is that your friend’s set-up was different in another way – it wasn’t just 3GS, but he / she was running Ver1.0 of Aurifi. You are probably running Ver1.1, which has much slicker control due to improvements in the audio engine.
The improvements are better, but they are different – they take a bit more getting used to but are as originally intended. Therefore I think you’re actually comparing Aurifi1.0 to Aurifi 1.1, rather than 3GS to iPhone4.
If you want to check with your friend (remember to ask if he / she updated since you tried it) to see if that checks out.
Do you think it’s too hard? If so, we’ll see what we can do in our upcoming update.
How does everyone else feel about this?
Let me know.
Chris
Hi PunkPie,
I love the game but wonder if an improvement would to make the audio binaural rather than stereo. This would give you a 2d or even 3d feel rather than the current left-middle-right.
(As a recording musician, not sure about your distinction between ‘lag’ and ‘inertia’)
Harry
Hi Harry
Glad you like the game. I use ‘lag’ to mean, in pro audio terms, latency. There have been a few comments about this, particularly in version 1.0, and the forum users used the term lag, so I did too in response. Inertia is used in its proper computer gaming meaning – the object sound is not ‘absolutely’ linked to the controls, rather incrementally, and inertia is purposely introduced at this stage.
Aurifi 1.0 and 1.1 use HRTF, which is a 3D sound DSP process. Binaural is possible, but puts an unacceptable load on the processor. We are looking at Binaural mapping for the next release, but that would restrict usage to those devices running the A4 processor.
Please keep in touch!
Thanks
Chris @ Punk Pie Team
Hi Chris,
Mmm. I don’t hear the 3D sound at all. I am using good in-ear ‘phones (Etymotic ER4P with custom ear moulds). I’ve tried over the ear ‘phones as well. Any ideas on how I can improve things?
Harry
With regards to tilt… I have found that the neutral position is landscape with the screen at 45 degrees from vertical. Like an open laptop. If the screen is held flat then tilt locks out. Presumably because the iPhone thinks that the whole game needs to be flipped round.
Harry
Hi Guys,
I bought this after reading your #iDevBlogADay post. It sounds interesting and I was keen to try it out.
However… I’m using an up to date iPhone 4 with headphones, and the audio doesn’t seem to come from the left or right at all. When she says “this should come from the left ear and this from the right”, it’s all just central. Then tipping doesn’t move the sound source at all, although perhaps forward and backward a little.
Is this an iOS 4 / iPhone 4 bug?
Another comment – having gone through the intro sounds twice, it’s pretty annoying. Kind of like being on an automated call system. Maybe you could have the game adapt to what you’ve been told before? Maybe if you’re tipping decisively the 3 second count down isn’t needed? Seems like it could be made awesome anyway, where as at the moment it’s pretty irritating (but maybe if the game seemed to work I wouldn’t be irritated).
Anyway – I’d appreciate a reply to my email rather than checking back here.
Good luck with it – it sounds ground breaking, so it’d be lovely to play with it working well
Oh yes! You don’t seem to have disabled the idle timer, so the screen blanks after a minute or so – I’m not sure if this is by intent, but it’s pretty disorienting.
Hi Ben
Aurifi has been fully tested on iPhone 4 with the latest iOS updates – you are the first person in the world to have this problem! There is a feature in iOS 4 that makes all sound Mono for persons with deafness in one ear – can you ensure this feature is switched off please?
On the Intro, tapping the side of the screen for the option you want is also possible, cutting down the menu time to a fraction of a sec. The reason it is normally so verbose is for blind users.
Also, please make use of the save feature to avoid having to go through menus and tutorials.
Thanks Ben!
Chris @ Punk Pie Team
Hi Ben
It’s an audio-only game – you don’t *need* the screen, and as soon as you touch it it comes back. This is a power saving feature.
Thanks
Chris
i bought the aurifi and it’s a very cool game, but i have one problem. when i get to the point where to steer left or right of a sound it seems that the tilde function doesn’t work very well. sometimes absolutely nothing happens when tilding the iphone. do you have any idea? greetings Svend from Denmark.
hi! i bought Aurifi, and think it’s one of the best games i’ve seen on Iphone. but i have one problem, when reaching the point where to tilde the Iphone to pass to the right or the left side of a sound it doesn’t work. sometimes it do and sometimes it doesn’t. what could be the problem? gretings Svend.
HI Sven
In the times where ‘it doesn’t work’, you have to tilt for much longer. Try to tilt immediately, and stay tilted until you will eventually hear it pass.
Thanks
Chris
I have Aurifi. According to the iTunes store it works on the iPad, and I guess technically that’s true. That said, even when I tell it to go to full-screen, I can’t tap the edge of the iPad screen and have results. I have to tap somewhere on the screen away from the edge. This is very frustrating because I can’t remember exactly where the screen in this case is supposed to be. If I could just get the hang of that, somehow, I’m sure I could get past the tutorial. Any suggestions appreciated.
Dear Jane
Not encountered this before – let me have a look at the various iPad options and I’ll get back to you.
Thanks
Chris @ Punk Pie
Dear Punk Pie.
Firstly, you rule. I love the game, the concept is innovative and I hope to see more great creations from you guys!
Secondly, will the iPhone app be getting an update for the beautiful icon? I love it but on the iPhone 4, it is a bit pixelated and well, I was hoping you’d make your icon HD soon
But seriously, I love you guys.
Regards,
A huge fan
Dear Sandok
Glad you like it!
We have an exciting new version of Aurifi coming before Christmas – you heard it here first.
The Punk Pie Team
Hi Jane
All tests in, and I tried it personally tonight. Using the ‘authentic’, Apple-supplied way of playing iPhone games on the iPad, it works perfectly, I give you my guarantee. The only time we could get anywhere close to this reported issue was by using FullForce. If you not using FullForce, then can you describe the problem in exact detail? I know you have already done this in this forum, but it wouldn’t harm to try again in different words. We’ll get straight on it.
Thanks and looking forward to hearing from you.
Chris @ Punk Pie Team
just bought aurifi, tilt doesn’t seem to work in iPhon4. advice?
Hi, downloaded your game a week or so ago, am using iPhone 4. However, I never got the tutorial — now when I start the game I hear the earphone reminder, it forces me to slot 2 and then I cannot control anything — have read podcast re how to operate but I’ve never gotten this info — like never gotte the tutorial. Also when I press the center of the screen I do not get more info… please advise.
Pat
Hi Pat
We’ve been chatting by email but thought it was worth posting the result to assist others. Turning VoiceControl off solved your problem.
Take care
Chris
Hi
It definitely works. Try switching off voice
controlover.Thanks
Chris
Greetings. I love the Aurifi game. The first time I played it, the game worked as expected, However, when I tried to play it the next 2-3 times after that, I am able to get to the point where the game tells me to tap the screen to begin, but when I tap, my tap is not acknowledge. I’ve checked to make sure the screen is on and Voice Over is disabled, since I’m a blind guy as well. I tried deleting and reinstalling the game with no change. I’ve even tried resuming where I left off with other games I’ve started, and whenever I have to interact with the screen by tapping certain places or drawing shapes, my input is not taken and I get the error message sound or the try again sound. I have an iPhone 4 running latest version of Aurifi. Any ideas? I’d like to see this fixed/working since this is a truly unique game that I’d love to play a lot more. Thanks: Wayne
Hello there ,
I’m a blind musician from Paris. I bought the game yesterday and I love it. It’s true that tilting is very hard to master. I can see from the other comments that I’m not the only one who has problems with this. I’m using the app on an iPod touch three, and there is something with that tilting sensitivity which is kind of… how could I say??? very very exponential. I mean that nothing happens if I tilt gently and then, in the case of panning the sound for example, it starts moving too fast if I tilt just a bit more.
Another thing which is quite difficult for blinds, I don’t know about others, is to draw triangles circles or even squares on a rectangular screen. I’ve never succeeded yet.
In spite of all this, I really adore this game, it’s my first sensation of what is referred to as virtual reality. Thanks andBravo!
JPR
I’m writing to let you know how much I”m enjoying Aurifi! I play it on both my iPhone and my ipod touch 4th generation. The game is quite captivating, and you couldn’t have picked a better voice to steer me along!
I’m so excited to hear you’re working on a second Aurifi! If you are looking for beta testers, I would love to help test the new game!
Hi Marcy
It’s our pleasure! Thank you for the compliment, glad you like the game.
We’re building Aurifi 2 now – I’ll add you to the beta tester list.
All the best
Chris
Hi,
I also bought aurifi and enjoy it. I got an iTouch for christmas, so I’ve been playing quite a lot.
Would love to be a beta tester for Aurifi 2. I guess I’ll just mention I’m a blind guy too from the US, and it’s a great game. Too bad Punk Pie couldn’t release the multiple titles due out in 2010, but I hope it’ll be accessible for blind players when it comes out.
One thing I’d like to see in Aurafi is Game Center achievements and hmm, maybe playing online with others and team up somehow? Well at least leaderboards and achievements would be cool.
I’ll certainly test the 2.0.
Hi Joshua
Good to hear those ideas, and glad you like the game. We’ll seriously consider them. Multiplayer audio-only? That sounds very cool indeed.
Chris
I hear from one source that the tilting issue is a bug, but from other sources that it is not. I can use the game menus via tilting without problems, but can’t seem to tilt effectively during game play. I’m using an IPod Touch. Shall I keep trying to fine-tune my tilting skills, or is there something amiss with the game?
Hi Teresa
The tilting in the game rather than the menus is a little tricky, but this is part of the game. It takes a little time, and a softness of touch to get it right every time, but I assure you it’s possible.
All the best
Chris
I’m playing Aurifi on an IPhone 3GS. I’m a blind guy and I don’t know what version I have but I bought it from the app store about a month ago. I’ve never one “guard” or “evade” I’ve had some success with the other tilting games. Could someone please explain “evade”? I’ve got it to where I get either the low and high-pitch beep after both sounds and the laser after both sounds and I’ve never won it either way. Also, what is the secret to getting passed “guard”? Since I have an older phone, would I be better with the older version of the game and, if so, how do I get it?
Thanks,
Michael
Hey Punk Pie! Congratulations on a truly innovative game and concept!
I bought Aurifi and there are many parts about the game that I truly love, such as the natural musical progression and the addition of extra layers of music upon passing challenges.
I do, however, have so many frustrations with this game that it makes it almost unplayable:
1) I realize that lag, or inertia, is purposely introduced into the game to make it more challenging. But in my humble opinion there is far FAR too much resistance to my actions. When I am told to steer left and steer right, nothing I do can cause me to pass the challenge. I instantaneously tilt my iPhone 4 the absolute furthest in each direction that is possible without causing it to misinterpret my instruction as a tilt in the other direction, and hold it until I hear the sound indicating that it’s “passed” or “not passed.” I’ve also tried a softer touch. Absolutely no difference. Often the sounds won’t pass to the other side, and even when they consistently do every single time, Aurifi still tells me I didn’t pass the challenge. This is so frustrating that I’ve almost given up on Aurifi because of it.
2) You can get the pattern of claps totally incorrect, as long as you enter the correct number of claps. In fact, Aurifi won’t let you enter more claps than is necessary, so the only way to “lose” that challenge is to enter *fewer* claps than is required. What’s with that?
3) The “deflect” challenge doesn’t work at all: the sound rarely ever moves over even with the most aggressive steering.
4) The static noise never stays in the middle. As others have pointed out, even the teensiest turn will cause the sound to go to the total opposite channel without ever staying in the middle.
Can you help me with any of these? And can you also add me to the beta group?
Hi,
As I’ve posted in another thread, I’m having issues with tilting and drawing shapes. I’m frustrated, but not giving up!
As I’d love to see improvements, I’d love to be added to the Beta test team for Aurifi 2 if possible!
Thanks, and have a great day!
In Christ, Miranda
Hey Aurifi team,
Just curious. You got a blog on this site; any reason why you are not updating it?
Also, how is Aurifi 2 going?
Thanks.