Signal wave path, NEW VERSION by LDJam user 430897

[raw]
made by LDJam user 430897 for Ludum Dare 59 (JAM)

You find yourself in an empty factory, and you need to pick up radio signals to unlock the doors and escape safely. Be careful—danger lurks! Look on the map for the spots where the radio signal is strongest, and use the Q and E keys to change the frequency. Each correct frequency emits a sound that unlocks the doors.

READ ME:

Headphones recommended.

Now, about the gameplay: first, you need to grab the radio. Once you have it, you must walk around the factory looking for radio signals. When you get close enough to where the signal is strongest (the noise volume increases), you need to find the correct frequency on your radio. When you do this, a beep will sound, meaning you’ve found the correct signal to unlock the first door! Next, go to the door and enter the frequency into the sensor (using the Q and E keys), and then simply hover over the button and click to open the door. The same process repeats for the other two doors. Along the way, you’ll see hints about the “master signal” that you can enter into the last panel to get help.

illustrative images

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Ratings

Overall 459th 3.531⭐ 34🧑‍⚖️
Fun 665th 2.969⭐ 34🧑‍⚖️
Innovation 529th 3.226⭐ 33🧑‍⚖️
Theme 384th 3.828⭐ 34🧑‍⚖️
Graphics 385th 3.818⭐ 35🧑‍⚖️
Audio 320th 3.548⭐ 33🧑‍⚖️
Humor 356th 2.926⭐ 29🧑‍⚖️
Mood 313th 3.813⭐ 34🧑‍⚖️
Given 41🗳️ 54🗨️

Feedback

Boring-wayne1
Apr 21st · 05:48 UTC
I think it is a really good game, it has great physical engine, some detailed 3d model, and also has a good innovation. I can understand the Theme "Signal" through your game. However, for the experience and the playing method, I cannot find where is the map, and I cannot figure out the requirements for opening the door. So, I am wondering whether there could be a tutorial before the game start?
Custodi
Apr 21st · 11:20 UTC
Game won't start, just shows console, that's all.
🎤 LDJam user 430897
Apr 21st · 15:28 UTC
@boring-wayne1 Thanks for the feedback!
Regarding the tutorial, it's crucial and I need to add it to the project; I just didn't have enough time... sorry.

Now, about the gameplay, first you need to collect the radio. After obtaining it, you must walk around the factory looking for radio signals. When you get close enough to where the signal is strongest (the noise volume increases), you need to find the correct frequency on your radio. When you do, a beep will sound, meaning you've found the correct signal to unlock the first door! Then, go to the door and enter the frequency into the sensor (using the Q and E keys), then simply point to the button and click to open the door. The same process repeats for the other two doors, and along the way you'll see hints about the "master signal," which you can enter into the last panel for help. The explanation got a bit long, but I hope you'll give it another chance and try playing again. :)

And I should add that there is a mechanism to eliminate the creatures; let's just say they don't like bright lights combined with loud noises...
Edinaldo
Apr 21st · 18:10 UTC
Wow, congratulations man, great game!
oxnh
Apr 23rd · 11:28 UTC
This game had a great ambience but I couldn't get anything to trigger. I sweeped through the frequencies slowly and quickly near the radio coming through the floor and the tv a dozen times and I didn't hear any beep.
🎤 LDJam user 430897
Apr 23rd · 14:16 UTC
@oxnh Ah, thank you for playing, and I apologize for not providing a detailed tutorial on the game mechanics; I really didn't have time. Basically, you need to walk around the factory to find where the radio signal is strongest. Then, you scan the frequencies on the radio you're holding (using the Q and E keys). As you scan the frequencies, you'll eventually find the correct one and a beep will sound (but only if you're at the point where the signal is strongest, the volume will be higher). That's the first frequency to unlock one of the three doors, and then the signal will appear in another location on the map. Recently, I noticed a bug at this point that causes you to lose access to the first door if you try to find another signal (I'm already working to fix it).

I hope you'll give the game another chance and understand this explanation better.

Oh, and the TV is used to eliminate the creatures that appear.!
exofrenon
Apr 25th · 14:38 UTC
Really nice looking game with some great vibes. It reminds of David Szymanski games (Iron Lung, etc) and early 2000s games like Half-Life. I liked the main idea of the game, I think the "Signal" theme really sits well with the horror genre, but this is the first one I encounter.

Having said that, it was really hard to understand what I had to do, and more specifically HOW to do it, even after reading your instructions. It sounds simple enough, but when you play it it feels like it doesn't work, whether by design or by bugs. I had to restart the game 3 times and I only managed to open the first door.

I would suggest to simplify the mechanic and once you find the correct frequency to automatically open the correct door, or at least have numbers on the doors to know the order they are opened. This is because while you play around with the radio to find the frequency you might accidentaly lose track of the correct frequency, maybe by just 1-2 clicks. This means that you will have to go around every door and try every frequency in that 10-20Hz window and still not find it. Also an indication when you are in the correct spot to find the frequency would also be nice, since you don't know if moving around will make the signal stronger or if it is good enough were you stand now.

Overall, great job in the aesthetics and the mood of the game.
MicleFirst
Apr 25th · 14:41 UTC
I tried playing the game. Unfortunately, it seems it’s not working quite correctly. I explored the area and tried to understand how the puzzle works. I got attacked by bugs and decided to restart, but when I started a new run, my health didn’t reset. I wandered around a bit more, but when my health dropped to zero, I couldn’t start a new game anymore T_T
I liked the visual style. I hope you update it later. Still, it’s a good attempt![GyPBG3vA4k.jpg](///raw/5cc/76/z/72b15.jpg)
Archaeognathus
Apr 25th · 14:54 UTC
Hey, very nice and original idea. After reading your explanation, I managed to open a door. But what I thought to be the first door happened to be the last, and I somehow instantly won xD
I had some issues pinpointing the correct frequency, since the beep only sounds once, and it's hard to see at which exact number. I managed with some trial and error, but it would be helpful if you had more chances at pinpointing it.

I did not know you can even create a gime directly in Blender. The factpry looks cool. Well done :)
🎤 LDJam user 430897
Apr 26th · 00:17 UTC
@exofrenon Thanks for playing, I'm glad you liked the idea. I apologize for not having a satisfactory gaming experience; I worked day and night to finish the mechanics on time, but unfortunately some bugs remained, and there really is a bug when opening doors (spoiler: I'm already working on it). And about finding the correct frequency, it was also a bit confusing, since it's crucial to play with headphones to find the correct signal location, and as you said, it would be good to have a visual description of that, along with the door numbering. (I'll provide everything in the next update).
🎤 LDJam user 430897
Apr 26th · 00:19 UTC
@miclefirst Hi! Thanks for playing and I apologize for the bugs, I'm just as frustrated as you are. I'm already working on updates to fix everything and will publish them soon. Thanks for the feedback!
🎤 LDJam user 430897
Apr 26th · 00:24 UTC
@archaeognathus I really didn't expect this problem with the door. I appreciate the feedback and I'm already working to fix it as quickly as possible! Regarding the beeping, I agree that it's also a bit difficult to find the frequencies. I'm already working to fix everything and will provide updates soon. And once again, thank you for the feedback!

And yes, you can create games in Blender, haha. I use version 2.79 of the Blender Game Engine (very old, already forgotten)
🎤 LDJam user 430897
May 04th · 07:44 UTC
@boring-wayne1 @custodi @edinaldo @oxnh @exofrenon @miclefirst @archaeognathus

Hello again, everyone, and sorry for addressing you this way. I’m sharing the latest version of Signal Wave Path. I hope you’ll give my game another chance and download it again. The last version had a lot of issues, which I believe have all been fixed now, and I hope you’ll enjoy the gameplay. Thanks to everyone for the feedback and suggestions; I’ve tried to incorporate all the fixes and new mechanics into the game. That’s it, have fun!
Skleembof
May 04th · 23:12 UTC
Well I played both versions and you basically fixed all the issues I had with your jam entry in the new one, although its basically an entirely different game.

The post jam version is pretty fun, but I wasn't able to beat it because I got killed by a spider. I think it's a little too difficult as the spiders can spawn quietly on the other side of the map and sneak up on you. I died at the part where you have to shoot the giant nests or whatever on the antenna. I was backing away shooting at like 6 spiders in front of me when I got attacked from behind.

I think you should make the spiders die much faster, and change their attack so they dont instantly hit you. Maybe when they get close enough they play a sound effect to indicate that they are about to blow up which gives you time to move away even if they were behind you and you never saw them.
🎤 LDJam user 430897
May 05th · 04:13 UTC
@skleembof You're right, the difficulty is a bit high... it's very difficult to make the game completely alone, because we end up testing it so many times that it becomes easy for the developers, so the game's balance becomes a bit complicated to calculate (spoiler: it was much harder, haha, I ended up lowering the difficulty of the enemies and their spawn rate to make the game more accessible). Speaking of enemies, I even added a scream when they jump, so the player can dodge (secret: if you walk diagonally, the enemies' firing range becomes harder to hit you).

You died in the central tower, which represented great progress, I believe 70% of the game was complete. After finishing that tower, there would be another surprise waiting for you further on, too bad you didn't advance, haha.

In short, I wanted to provide an experience where the player could play at least 2 or 3 times to completely master the mechanics.

Thank you very much for the feedback. If I return to work on the project, I will implement your suggestions :)
Alexandr Gerya
May 05th · 13:59 UTC
this thing looks sick like half life mixed with iron lung but the frequency hunting is way too vague beep happens once and you miss it game over gg
BloodCat8090
May 05th · 15:24 UTC
It's interesting to play
🎤 LDJam user 430897
May 05th · 15:54 UTC
@alexandr-gerya My friend also said that it reminded him a lot of Half-Life, lol.

The first version of the jam had this bug, which was later fixed in the post-jam version.
After that, take some time to play again; I completely remade the game
Wallted
May 05th · 20:04 UTC
Sorry, but the game won't run for me either :( I tried post jam version too.
🎤 LDJam user 430897
May 05th · 20:14 UTC
@wallted Oh, what a shame, you would have felt the adrenaline rushing through your veins, haha. Maybe it's some incompatibility, or Windows directories that don't work correctly on certain systems, I'm not sure.
Wallted
May 05th · 20:23 UTC
@valb-soares I just found a second game that does not run for me that has very similar export you did. There are blender and python mentions in the directories. Could you tell me what engine and software did you use to create your game? Maybe I will look into this as it may be a bigger problem with my setup :)
🎤 LDJam user 430897
May 05th · 20:35 UTC
@wallted I'm using version 2.79b of the Blender game engine (which uses Python 3.5), and the export is done by the engine itself.
LDJam user 179298
May 06th · 01:44 UTC
I really like the art and the vibe. I never thought I would see a game made in blender in 2026, that's awesome.
🎤 LDJam user 430897
May 06th · 01:48 UTC
@vladimperator Oh, thank you. Developing games with Blender is a big challenge.
LDJam user 301711
May 06th · 04:06 UTC
Very cool
MikhailNe
May 06th · 12:52 UTC
The game looks really good. I really liked the lighting design.
Sylvic
May 06th · 13:43 UTC
Definitely some very nice ambiance in general, loved the vibe of the level design overall (the mix of lighting, assets, etc.). There are some details but people above me have already pointed them out (which BTW first time playing a game made in Blender lol)
🎤 LDJam user 430897
May 06th · 14:07 UTC
@sylvic Thanks for the feedback. The initial scope of the game was very large, so I released a small version in just 3 days, which generated many bugs. After collecting community feedback, I worked on the full version of the game, which took another 10 days. Developing in Blender isn't easy; it requires a lot of improvisation, haha.

Furthermore, doing the whole process alone is very laborious, but anyway, I managed it :)
Solar Vita
May 06th · 19:12 UTC
Oh, that are really a Half Life and other old games vibes, love it! I felt true rush. Perhabs it's to hardcore, I can't kill spiders without losing life, so they always kill me :'D And I can't catch TV signal. But I think it really can be a good base for some big project where u can have more time to polish gameplay and fix all bugs quietly. Lovely game
🎤 LDJam user 430897
May 06th · 19:27 UTC
@solar-vita Thanks for the feedback! My friends also said it reminded them of Half-Life, haha.

I don't know which version you played (the jam version or the post-jam version), but there's a trick to avoid taking so much damage from the creatures; basically, you need to move diagonally: WA, WD, SA, SD... This makes it harder for them to see you.

I think nobody has managed to finish the game yet; I even left an easter egg in the final scene.
rihhardson
May 06th · 21:48 UTC
A great 10-minute adventure, with no obvious bugs. The sounds of weapons and jumping are nostalgic. The primitive enemies overwhelm you with just the right amount of numbers, and I was even a little shocked in the end. I loved it.
Solar Vita
May 06th · 21:51 UTC
@valb-soares ahaha, my husband just finished it (a comment above)! he's a hardcore shooter-player. And where was easter egg?
Solar Vita
May 06th · 21:54 UTC
Anyway, the fact u did this alone make it great
🎤 LDJam user 430897
May 07th · 00:16 UTC
@solar-vita Upon finishing the game, you will go to the final scene; all I can say is to pay attention to the towers in the scene, as they belong somewhere on this planet. rsrs
LDJam user 289440
May 07th · 09:33 UTC
I only managed to catch one wave of 73.0, the rest were impossible to find because the bugs kill all the time, and there is no way to counter them, so the opponents essentially turn into a death timer
kpded
May 07th · 10:59 UTC
thank you very much for the entry. Sounds and visuals work great together
but with main mechanics it would be very nice to have some sort of visual indication that I am some where near to the right frequency
Accelerate0814
May 07th · 12:31 UTC
Up until now this is my favorite game of this jam, incredible work in this short time frame.
🎤 LDJam user 430897
May 07th · 12:51 UTC
@kerioth Ah yes, this project was bigger than I imagined, so I had to drastically reduce functionality to deliver it on time, and since I was doing everything myself, there were many bugs. Feel free to rate it taking that into consideration. Now, if you play the post-jam version, you'll see that everything works correctly, although with a certain degree of difficulty.
🎤 LDJam user 430897
May 07th · 12:52 UTC
@kpded Yes, that really was a problem! A visual description was added in the post-jam version.
🎤 LDJam user 430897
May 07th · 12:54 UTC
@accelerate0814 Oh, thank you so much for the feedback! The jam version was extremely difficult, but I rolled up my sleeves and completely rewrote the game to bring my initial idea to life :)
Solar Vita
May 07th · 14:53 UTC
@valb-soares oh, we saw them but didn't recognize in the moment. will check it, interesting
deadjolly
May 07th · 16:31 UTC
I played the latest version, and I couldn't get past the first door? I found a frequency at the top of the stairs in the corner that unlocked a green light, but I couldn't figure out how to unlock the touchpad, and of course using it while it was red hurt me until I was dead. The spiders seemed undodgeable, even with sprint. Cool room and puzzle setup, but I didn't have the patience to keep cycle through all of the static signals over and over.

Solid graphic presentation, and decent audio design, although the static got a little grating after standing in it for any amount of time. Spiders reminded me of headcrabs ;). Nice job!
Shram
May 07th · 20:02 UTC
![131231.png](///raw/7f3/66/z/732f5.png)![1313.PNG](///raw/7f3/66/z/732f6.png)
What the hell is this, dude? You're dumping Neurogame in a photo preview. I won't even comment on the game's quality.
🎤 LDJam user 430897
May 07th · 20:14 UTC
@deadjolly Thank you for playing! The game contains information on how to play, and the messages displayed by the game also teach you how to play.
🎤 LDJam user 430897
May 07th · 20:19 UTC
@shram Thank you for the feedback, and I apologize for that. I wanted to bring something more realistic to the images, since the game was very dark; I even made it clear that they were illustrative images, as you can see above.

Since I work alone and have no experience in the arts, it's complicated.

This is my first time participating in Ludum Dare, the next ones will be better :)
Scottyartt
May 09th · 07:01 UTC
Agree with comment a bit higher I don't like this kinda lie you should not showing smth not related to you game all of us know it is just 72 hours so you cannot do anything like AAA quality. Better to show what you really have here
No AI please for it
🎤 LDJam user 430897
May 09th · 15:03 UTC
@scottyartt There's a review panel where anyone can rate different aspects of the game; so if you didn't like the graphics, you can leave your review.

I was the sole developer of the game. If you and your friend have a team to develop a game, great.

Unfortunately, I don't have as much time as I'd like to develop games, so I use what I have and the time I have available.