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[Christian Knudsen]

Disabling the DPI scaling via Compatibility settings did seem to make it better.

Yay! I'll just add that to the troubleshooting document, then.

Thanks for the help!

[Christian Knudsen]

I've been reading up a bit on this, and it seems it's possible to disable DPI scaling for an application through a so-called manifest file (I'd never heard of these before). They're basically an external XML file (though they can also be included as a resource in the executable) that contains information about how Windows should handle the executable.

I've tried my hand at making one for Hidden Asset. When you have the time, can you give this a shot? Just save this file to the 'hiddenasset' game directory (i.e. in the same folder as the 'hiddenasset.exe' file):

http://www.laserbrainstudios.com/hiddenasset.exe.manifest

When you test it, remember to uncheck the "Disable display scaling on high DPI" setting for the executable first! And maybe also try running the game without the manifest file first to double-check that the mouse cursor movement is slow again.

[MSThalamus]

I can do this for you sometime in the next few days. (Sorry it's a busy time).

[Christian Knudsen]

No problem. Just whenever you have the time. And, again, thanks for helping me out with this!

[MSThalamus]

Looks good!

[Christian Knudsen]

The manifest file does the trick?

[MSThalamus]

It seemed to, yes.

[Christian Knudsen]

Great!

But now the manifest file is apparently stopping the game from running on my Windows 7 system ("The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect"). It worked fine yesterday and I haven't made any changes. Typical.

[MSThalamus]

Huh. FYI, I'm running Windows 7 Pro, fully patched, so it should work. Maybe the manifest file was altered/corrupted somehow?

[Christian Knudsen]

I thought you were on Windows 10 for some reason. Don't know where I got that idea.

Anyway, I figured it out...

I copied the manifest contents from this Microsoft page: https://msdn.microsoft.com/da-dk/C9488338-D863-45DF-B5CB-7ED9B869A5E2

But there's an error in the sample they're presenting:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?> 
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0"> 
<application xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3"> 
    <windowsSettings> 
        <dpiAwareness xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/SMI/2016/WindowsSettings">PerMonitorV2</dpiAwareness> 
        <dpiAware>true</dpiAware> 
    </windowsSettings> 
</application> 
</assembly>

Should be this:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?> 
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0"> 
<application xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3"> 
    <windowsSettings xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/SMI/2016/WindowsSettings"> 
        <dpiAwareness>PerMonitorV2</dpiAwareness> 
        <dpiAware>true</dpiAware> 
    </windowsSettings> 
</application> 
</assembly>

They've got the

Code:

xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/SMI/2016/WindowsSettings"

part in the wrong place.

Thanks Microsoft!

[Christian Knudsen]

Hidden Asset v0.6.2.1 released!

This is a minor update that primarily fixes a potential crash when loading a game.


-- Download links --

North America:
Windows 7 or later (128 MB)
Linux 32-bit (126 MB)
Linux 64-bit (126 MB)
Mac OS X 10.5 or later (156 MB)

Europe:
Windows 7 or later (128 MB)
Linux 32-bit (126 MB)
Linux 64-bit (126 MB)
Mac OS X 10.5 or later (156 MB)

[PolluxDevelopers]

nice game)

[fearless_donut]

I tried the new version and i think it's much better now. This time i didn't play much, i only passed the tutorial and a half of the next level. The gameplay is more clear and the current npc's alarm system gives the player a chance to correct a mistake  . I also discovered the FastForward button (i don't remember if it was in previous version) and it's very useful.

I just thought that more in-game dialogues could improve the gameplay greatly. I remember that when i was playing Metal Gear Solid game there was periodically small and funny chit-chat over the radio with your mission coordinator on entering almost every location. Such dialogues can maintain interest of a player and parallel give him a refreshment from the main gameplay process. I think it would be nice if you could implement something similar. For example, your second level is consists of 4 floors and you can give a few words on entering each floor. Like speaking with your curator dude over the phone or something. It may be some jokes or abstract philosophical talks, whatever, the more important thing is that such dialogue is a small local reward for a player for completing some local work(passing a floor).

And what do you think about giving the player non letal weapons too? I know this game is totally about killing and maybe i'm too old for this stuff but i felt myself uneasy when i had to kill innocent ppl with a knife when i could just knock them out by a stunner device from behind if only i had it.

[Christian Knudsen]

Awesome! Happy to hear that it plays better now! And, yeah, the fast forward button was also in the previous version.

I won't have the player talk to his agent/curator when entering a new floor, as that goes against the story that the full game will tell (a large part of it is about the main character being isolated from and not liking other people much), but you're right that it would be good to have some kind of "reward" for reaching a new floor of the building. I'll give this some more thought.

Non-lethal weapons will definitely be in the full version of the game.

[Christian Knudsen]

Version 0.6.2.2 of the Hidden Asset alpha demo is now available for download and testing. Use the download links below. Savegames from previous versions won’t work in this new version.

Changelog:
– Fixed: Bug that would sometimes stop the player while automatically following an NPC.
– Fixed: Fast forward sometimes affecting cutscene playback speed.
– Fixed: Damage text on damage dealt by a thrown object including the word ‘CRITICAL!’.
– Added: Game now pauses when minimized.
– Changed: Doors unlocked with a keycard or keycode only need to be unlocked when entering.
– Changed: NPC rushing to help another NPC fight the player will react to seeing a corpse.
– Changed: Tech Eden owner will not walk out of the back room if the player is behind the counter.
– Changed: NPC that heard you will stand still and listen for a shorter time.
– Changed: Guard at Hensley International reacts to dishwasher turning on even if currently reacting to hearing the player.


-- Download links --

North America:
Windows 7 or later (128 MB)
Linux 32-bit (126 MB)
Linux 64-bit (126 MB)
Mac OS X 10.5 or later (156 MB)

Europe:
Windows 7 or later (128 MB)
Linux 32-bit (126 MB)
Linux 64-bit (126 MB)
Mac OS X 10.5 or later (156 MB)