Emoji Scream (PC/Mac/mobile)

[MommysBestGames]

Ready for something different?
This is pretty strange, but still a fun experience if you give it some time.
***This game requires a microphone!***

PC/Mac: https://mommysbestgames.itch.io/emoji-scream
Steam Greenlight: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/f ... =817468967
Android/Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... mojiscream
Apple/iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/emoji-s ... 1187734414

In "Emoji Scream" you have to scream, laugh, talk, clap, etc. to shoot. When you scream, your player character screams, which is how you kill enemies.
There are 5 levels, and 3 difficulty settings to unlock.

Movement:
The player is always move up/down bouncing off the ceiling and ground. When you scream/shoot, he stops moving. If you hold a loud note, he will stop in place and shoot continuously. This is how you fly over environmental obstacles.

Scoring:
Shoot baddies for points. Each one will drop a coin worth even more points. Get 50 coins, for an extra 1UP.
But the read fun is in *not* screaming, then attacking precisely. If you are quiet, your player builds up to 3 colors on it's left side. Your next shot will be one of these 3 colors. So if you wait along time, your next shot will be a "+3". If it hits an enemy, he will drop 4 coins! 1 coin like always, and +3 more coins! It feels great to snipe enemies like this, especially when it's at the last moment, and you barely dodged trouble.

Bosses:
Boss fights are unusual. They are "scream duels" in which you wait to scream, when you're glowing pulse is biggest. They are mostly about long yells, but some bosses have defenses that you can take a breath during.

Video, with people: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_ABj2YVwGE
Video, gameplay of first level: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_6jFxMOKrY











If you play it, I'd love your feedback on it too, thanks!

[AcePleiades]

I'm playing it right now, and it's fun. Since the emoji moves on its own, it seems that killing the enemies from up close is an efficient way of getting the coins that they drop.
Wait, isn't this CAVE scoring?

[Kraq]

I like the idea of fixed movement. Seems to work much better than pitch-based controls used in Pah!.

[Bananamatic]

[AcePleiades]

I just had a crazy idea. I wonder if I could play a Youtube video and clear a stage with the audio that comes through the speaker.

[MommysBestGames]

I just had a crazy idea. I wonder if I could play a Youtube video and clear a stage with the audio that comes through the speaker.

That's a cool idea!
You should try it!

I had a similar idea, to play another shmup, without the music but just sfx, and see if I could beat level in Emoji Scream also.

[MommysBestGames]

I'm playing it right now, and it's fun. Since the emoji moves on its own, it seems that killing the enemies from up close is an efficient way of getting the coins that they drop.
Wait, isn't this CAVE scoring?

Is it? Wait to boost then shoot? Do the tag the bullet like this though? I don't feel like I've seen this before, but if you know a particular game, tell me and I'll check.

[AcePleiades]

I'm playing it right now, and it's fun. Since the emoji moves on its own, it seems that killing the enemies from up close is an efficient way of getting the coins that they drop.
Wait, isn't this CAVE scoring?

Is it? Wait to boost then shoot? Do the tag the bullet like this though? I don't feel like I've seen this before, but if you know a particular game, tell me and I'll check.

No no don't get me wrong, I just noticed It's similar on that aspect! Also, can you believe only now I've noticed you're the developer? Congratulations on your release!

[MommysBestGames]

Here is a gameplay video showing details on how the control system works and how the scoring system works, in which it rewards "not simply screaming all the time" but holding back and shooting precisely and accurately. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rEz1VngIIQ

And here is the greenlight page if you care to give it a vote. Thanks!
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/f ... =817468967

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Is there another option to play this STG without the screaming functionality to accomodate our hard-of-hearing and deaf shmup fans? Something to consider in a future update. Sure, there's the clapping option that's mentioned.

I recall conversing with one deaf gal whom could speak as her parents encouraged her to develop her speaking ability when communicating with normal hearing folks during her younger years in addition to using American Sign Language at the same time (but that was rather a special exception/case as most deaf folks can't speak/talk anyways) + the ability to read lips is another cool perk/gift that they learn/have/use as well -- surely does help in all aspects of daily life (or by using the ol' standby of using a pen & notepad to get the point across with normal hearing folks -- I've personally seen this done at a grocery store when I was bagging groceries for a deaf customer one time when the deaf gal wanted to communicate with the cashier).

Of course nowadays, using real time cell phone video broadcasts to communicate within the deaf world works like a charm indeed. It's a given in this day of age.

There was this one repeat customer whom was a deaf pastor of a church that I'd see on a weekly basis when he was out and about doing a bit of grocery shopping at my old store -- he was quite funny & hilarious to get his point/message across. I'd be laughing, smiling and signing with him as well. It's true that deaf folks have a terrific sense of humor.

Going through a sobriety checkpoint, especially being hard-of-hearing or deaf -- that's a whole different ball game and isn't a laughing matter either -- so law enforcement needs to know what type of person(s) they're dealing with in going forward in that type of serious situation (the odds are slim that they'll encounter such folks with such disabilities but it's possible in that particular situation -- something that they need to keep in mind while out on the job or else, the stakes can end being much higher over a simple lack of mishearing or misunderstanding and cause the current situation at hand to escalate into something much more serious than it originally needs to be with a greater chance/possibility of guns being withdrawn to ratchet up the tension/stress factor(s) a couple notches higher than usual). True story.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[MommysBestGames]

@PC Engine Fan X!
No, there is no option for playing the game without using sound to control the gameplay.
I believe most deaf people are able to make sounds still, correct? (Though not necessarily able to speak a language.)
In this game, their sounds will be visualized.
Perhaps could be good feedback to play a game which visualizes their oral sounds, though they can't hear it? Clearly a very different experience for them, or anyone, than a typical shmup/game.