Some demo feedback

[TardisMechanic]

I've been looking forward to this for some time and after trying out the demo, I think we're making good progress. I was initially shocked at the 60+GB filesize and the questionable performance even on modest settings, but I chalk that up to the game still being in development.

To start, I really like the map, it feels like a city so far, even with the clunky traffic behaviour and pedestrians with a death wish. The driving however, feels like steering a lead fridge. I understand an ambulance is a heavy piece of equipment but honestly the acceleration really needs a look. I was playing with a keyboard (purely because I couldn't be arsed to plug my Xbox controller in) so I'm not sure if my experience controlling the ambulance would be better with it.

The first call was interesting and very realistic, having someone dazed and confused next to their car was an interesting start - but the game never really tells you the diagnostic logic behind things. I understand performing the visual checks but having to take the guy into the ambulance to take his blood pressure, sats and listen to his chest is a bit silly. I understand its the tutorial but still.

Thats where my biggest gripe comes in. After the tutorial, you're on shift and I'm not sure if it was just bad luck but my first call out was a 4 patient housefire. So instantly I had to try and guess how the triaging system worked, and assumed we'd scoop and run with the red flags and come back after for the others. However I was only allowed to take one patient to hospital after which the callout was completed.

My favourite part of the game so far is the action inside the ambulance, performing your obs, interventions and so on. I like the interaction with certain procedures (like bandaging) which I'm surprised at because usually I'm a cack-handed doofus when it comes to mouse accuracy. I also really like how the patient improves or degrades depending on what you do, it brings back memories of the old Emergency Room games.

Long story short, I get the feeling the game doesn't really know what it wants to be at the moment. Some elements are kinda arcade like and some are genuinely well researched simulation aspects.

I'm just worried the thing is due to be out in a month and honestly if this is the current build, it could do with being delayed a few more to get these simple things ironed out and the game accessible for everyone.

[Troy_Aesir]

TardisMechanic님이 먼저 게시:

I've been looking forward to this for some time and after trying out the demo, I think we're making good progress. I was initially shocked at the 60+GB filesize and the questionable performance even on modest settings, but I chalk that up to the game still being in development.

To start, I really like the map, it feels like a city so far, even with the clunky traffic behaviour and pedestrians with a death wish. The driving however, feels like steering a lead fridge. I understand an ambulance is a heavy piece of equipment but honestly the acceleration really needs a look. I was playing with a keyboard (purely because I couldn't be arsed to plug my Xbox controller in) so I'm not sure if my experience controlling the ambulance would be better with it.

The first call was interesting and very realistic, having someone dazed and confused next to their car was an interesting start - but the game never really tells you the diagnostic logic behind things. I understand performing the visual checks but having to take the guy into the ambulance to take his blood pressure, sats and listen to his chest is a bit silly. I understand its the tutorial but still.

Thats where my biggest gripe comes in. After the tutorial, you're on shift and I'm not sure if it was just bad luck but my first call out was a 4 patient housefire. So instantly I had to try and guess how the triaging system worked, and assumed we'd scoop and run with the red flags and come back after for the others. However I was only allowed to take one patient to hospital after which the callout was completed.

My favourite part of the game so far is the action inside the ambulance, performing your obs, interventions and so on. I like the interaction with certain procedures (like bandaging) which I'm surprised at because usually I'm a cack-handed doofus when it comes to mouse accuracy. I also really like how the patient improves or degrades depending on what you do, it brings back memories of the old Emergency Room games.

Long story short, I get the feeling the game doesn't really know what it wants to be at the moment. Some elements are kinda arcade like and some are genuinely well researched simulation aspects.

I'm just worried the thing is due to be out in a month and honestly if this is the current build, it could do with being delayed a few more to get these simple things ironed out and the game accessible for everyone.

Hello and thank you for the feedback!

Indeed, we are aware this Demo is heavily unoptimized. We knew it was going to be a struggle but wanted to give fans a chance to try the game out, anyway. Luckily, the final game's performance is well ahead of this older Demo build. The size of the game is unlikely to change, because that filesize is more indicative of the final game's size!

As for the player guidance, this is definitely something we've heard loud and clear from these forums and also by listening to content creators play through the game. We agree there needs to be some more hand-holding through some of the larger aspects of the game, such as triaging and the circumstances of a multi-patient Callout.

While this is a paramedic simulator, we did take quite a few liberties with the IRL aspect of that profession to create what we thought is a fun, engaging balance of gameplay and realism. For example, a paramedic would never run into a burning building to find/treat patients, but we knew that would be exciting for players and wanted to create that experience.

Unfortunately, delaying the game isn't a decision to be taken lightly and certainly is not a decision we can make on our own. The game has already been delayed once and thus is on a strict timeline to release in February 2025. We are doing everything we can with the time we have left to improve the game, but most significant game updates will likely have to wait until after-release patches down the road.

Your review is vital to us and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. Rest assured, we are definitely listening--thanks so much!

[TardisMechanic]

I appreciate the reply and I really can't wait to support the game when it releases, I hope I didn't cause any offense with my feedback - I just *really* want this to be as good as Police Simulator, which opened a lot of eyes to people who would normally dismiss these sort of games.

[Troy_Aesir]

TardisMechanic님이 먼저 게시:

I appreciate the reply and I really can't wait to support the game when it releases, I hope I didn't cause any offense with my feedback - I just *really* want this to be as good as Police Simulator, which opened a lot of eyes to people who would normally dismiss these sort of games.

No offense taken! That was kind of our goal for Ambulance Life! All the best parts of Police Simulator, but with that special Aesir Interactive twist on it. We know not everyone is going to fall in love with Ambulance Life, but we hope the people who do end up really enjoying it.

[jdwilsh]

Troy_Aesir님이 먼저 게시:

TardisMechanic님이 먼저 게시:

I've been looking forward to this for some time and after trying out the demo, I think we're making good progress. I was initially shocked at the 60+GB filesize and the questionable performance even on modest settings, but I chalk that up to the game still being in development.

To start, I really like the map, it feels like a city so far, even with the clunky traffic behaviour and pedestrians with a death wish. The driving however, feels like steering a lead fridge. I understand an ambulance is a heavy piece of equipment but honestly the acceleration really needs a look. I was playing with a keyboard (purely because I couldn't be arsed to plug my Xbox controller in) so I'm not sure if my experience controlling the ambulance would be better with it.

The first call was interesting and very realistic, having someone dazed and confused next to their car was an interesting start - but the game never really tells you the diagnostic logic behind things. I understand performing the visual checks but having to take the guy into the ambulance to take his blood pressure, sats and listen to his chest is a bit silly. I understand its the tutorial but still.

Thats where my biggest gripe comes in. After the tutorial, you're on shift and I'm not sure if it was just bad luck but my first call out was a 4 patient housefire. So instantly I had to try and guess how the triaging system worked, and assumed we'd scoop and run with the red flags and come back after for the others. However I was only allowed to take one patient to hospital after which the callout was completed.

My favourite part of the game so far is the action inside the ambulance, performing your obs, interventions and so on. I like the interaction with certain procedures (like bandaging) which I'm surprised at because usually I'm a cack-handed doofus when it comes to mouse accuracy. I also really like how the patient improves or degrades depending on what you do, it brings back memories of the old Emergency Room games.

Long story short, I get the feeling the game doesn't really know what it wants to be at the moment. Some elements are kinda arcade like and some are genuinely well researched simulation aspects.

I'm just worried the thing is due to be out in a month and honestly if this is the current build, it could do with being delayed a few more to get these simple things ironed out and the game accessible for everyone.

Hello and thank you for the feedback!

Indeed, we are aware this Demo is heavily unoptimized. We knew it was going to be a struggle but wanted to give fans a chance to try the game out, anyway. Luckily, the final game's performance is well ahead of this older Demo build. The size of the game is unlikely to change, because that filesize is more indicative of the final game's size!

As for the player guidance, this is definitely something we've heard loud and clear from these forums and also by listening to content creators play through the game. We agree there needs to be some more hand-holding through some of the larger aspects of the game, such as triaging and the circumstances of a multi-patient Callout.

While this is a paramedic simulator, we did take quite a few liberties with the IRL aspect of that profession to create what we thought is a fun, engaging balance of gameplay and realism. For example, a paramedic would never run into a burning building to find/treat patients, but we knew that would be exciting for players and wanted to create that experience.

Unfortunately, delaying the game isn't a decision to be taken lightly and certainly is not a decision we can make on our own. The game has already been delayed once and thus is on a strict timeline to release in February 2025. We are doing everything we can with the time we have left to improve the game, but most significant game updates will likely have to wait until after-release patches down the road.

Your review is vital to us and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. Rest assured, we are definitely listening--thanks so much!

Rather than starting a new post, I though i;d

I appreciate you guys want to put a demo out to show to people what the game can do, but this should be a way to advertise to people how good it is so they want to buy it when it's released. It should have been polished off, ready to go, and get people excited to play. If the demo isn't balanced and optimised, it's going to put people off. Not to mention the 60 gig download will also put people off too.

Here's my list of issues to share with you, none of it is massive apart from the optimisation:

• I don't know if this was graphics lag, but the driving controls felt really laggy. It reminded me of driving around in GTA4. I turned everything down to low and still had lag. I don't have the best system to be fair, but I can play other unreal games just fine.
  
• It seems odd I cant do obs at the patients side. In real world, you could take a defib to the patient and your partner would be doing obs while you took a history.
  
• The same thing can be said for equipment. You would have a bag full of equipment such as O2 etc. There was no obvious way to start treating people at the side of the road.
  
• The manoeuvring of the stretcher is crazy, it's like trying to tame a shopping trolley with 2 broken wheels, you end up all over the place
  
• The fire scenario... I know at the start it pointed out there was more than one patient, but this wasn't clear when you got on scene. The first person I came across needed O2 therapy, and that can only be done in the back of the ambulance... so how was I supposed to treat other people? I took her to hospital expecting to be able to drive back, but the scenario ended.
  
• I was encouraged by steam to play on a controller, but I found I ended up switching between keyboard and controller. Pressing A on my controller sometimes didn't do anything, I found I had to switch to hitting enter or using the mouse. The map and setting a location for example. I tried using the controller, but it didn't work.
  
• Others have mentioned it, but I agree it seems odd that the ambulance siren/lights are either all on or off. And again, I don't know if this was a graphics thing, but the animation for the lights is it just turning white? No red?

I did enjoy some elements of the game, but it feels very unfinished at the moment. I'm not sure I'll be buying it in it's current format. Maybe in a year or so.

[LPMD.Memphistus]

My feedback to the demo:

Car Numbering: In callouts they call car 152 but on the vehicle it says 194 this should be changed.
Radio: There should be more radio traffic, so that other ambulances etc. are also addressed, or the corresponding radio status must be set (e.g. patient admitted).
Siren: Give us the option of driving with lights only or lights and siren, as well as a horn to drive the traffic.
Tutorial/Feedback: More feedback for players. Most players arent real medics and dont know what to do. We have already a partner that we could ask for assistance if we feel overwelmed.

[Troy_Aesir]

LPMD.Memphistus님이 먼저 게시:

My feedback to the demo:

Car Numbering: In callouts they call car 152 but on the vehicle it says 194 this should be changed.
Radio: There should be more radio traffic, so that other ambulances etc. are also addressed, or the corresponding radio status must be set (e.g. patient admitted).
Siren: Give us the option of driving with lights only or lights and siren, as well as a horn to drive the traffic.
Tutorial/Feedback: More feedback for players. Most players arent real medics and dont know what to do. We have already a partner that we could ask for assistance if we feel overwelmed.

Excellent feedback, thank you!

[Der BeSte Fan]

a game in 2025 and have no inverted camera option thats crazy

[Troy_Aesir]

Der BeSte Fan님이 먼저 게시:

a game in 2025 and have no inverted camera option thats crazy

We made the mistake of assuming it wouldn't be popular, and boy were we wrong! We're tinkering with it now and already scoped it into the roadmap for an upcoming patch!

[Der BeSte Fan]

thats sounds awesome i like the game really but i walk around like a guy who never played videogames without inverted camera hahahah