Choose your words carefully in this inspired customer service game. It uses the interactive slider feature in Storyline 360 to create a side scrolling/parallax effect.
WOW. This is fantastic! Who knew sliders could be so entertaining? Thanks for posting the additional information about building the project - it really helped me as I explored the story file.
Hello Jonathan..this is awesome! We are non-profit organization create educational tools for children. If ok with you, I would like to use it for one of our project and make few changes.
It's probably best if you start with this blog, which unpacks how the game works and provides a high level overview of its structure.
There you will see how each phrase is 'fired' and how one of three patterns is selected when the game starts, to vary the order of the phrases. The same logic could be used to add more levels to the game.
https://bit.ly/elhc253bl
If you're still unclear on how to adapt this for your own use, drop me a line personally.
Hello Jonathan! I'm using your template for a game and I noticed that the up and down keys are not working to move birdy. In fact I have to use the left and right arrows to move him. Do you know how to fix this? Thanks!
Hi Amanda. I can only assume something has changed between the version of SL360 I authored this in and the current version. You may need to re-target the trigger that powers the change in the variable to ensure it's targeting the correct keys.
I think what is probably happening is that the default accessibly key controls for the slider (left/right) are superceding the triggers I put in to achieve the same action (up/down). It may be that the enhanced accessibility options in recent updates has changed how the course performs.
Remember, the slider is originally designed to move horizontally, not vertically, so the behaviour you're experiencing is most likely the accessibility controls for sliders kicking in.
Double-check the triggers that add to/subtract from the 'Birdy' variable when the user presses up or down.
I checked the triggers, it still says Up and Down... Hmmm.... I'm just not sure I have the experience with this software yet to figure out this issue. Any other suggestions?
Are you experiencing the issue in preview mode or the published file?
If you're experiencing it in preview, you may be surprised to find it works when you publish it.
Try publish for Web and run the HTML story file on your local drive and see if that makes a difference.
It's also the case that key-press triggers only work after the user has clicked somewhere on the slide.
"Key press triggers occur when the learner presses a specific key after clicking the slide or layer."
https://community.articulate.com/series/articulate-storyline-360/articles/articulate-storyline-360-user-guide-how-to-work-with-triggers
If you attempt to control the game without using a mouse at all, the built-in accessibility key-press for the slider may be the only key-press trigger in operation. That is until you click somewhere on screen, then the custom key-press triggers will kick in.
Ok so this is weird... I took the trigger keys and set them opposite, so down became up and up was the down key. And it worked, but it was the opposite keys. So then I put them back the way they were and it didn't work! Now what? And yes, I did try publishing it.
Honestly, I'm at a bit of a loss. I've just run the story file here without experiencing this issue and the keys work in preview mode too.
Are you using SL360 or SL3 and have you recently updated your software?
Are the keys still amending the 'Birdy' variable and is the slider still linked to the 'Birdy' variable?
Let me know how you get on Amanda and I'll do my best you help you if the issue persists.
The only other thing I can think of is do you have a specially configured keyboard for any reason?
Ok, I just downloaded the original file again and yes, I still had the same issue. As soon as a click one key to 'start' the game the up and down arrows don't work anymore. However, a work around for me is to use the U and D keys instead..? That seemed to have worked. I don't know why the up and down keys aren't working, in both preview mode and published HTML mode.
Hi Amanda. This is very strange. I can't replicate the bug here and I'm working from the download file too. I take it you're using a standard keyboard with no special configuration?
Shouldn't be an issue, but are you on a PC or Mac?
Try this version of the download instead, that doesn't have a Mac folder name: https://bit.ly/elhc253dl
PC. I just logged out and updated SL360, then went back in. Again, it worked if I used the opposite keys, Down and Up insted of Up and Down, but as soon as I do it the correct way it won't work.
Think I've figured out how to resolve this for you.
Copy and paste the two UP/DOWN key-press triggers into all three of the GAME PLAY layers too, as well as the base layer.
That should fix it?
I also noticed that using the mouse doesn't seem to work at moving the bird at all. I think that the best thing I can do is to just use the U and the D key.
Hi Amanda - there's definitely something weird going on I am afraid. The mouse should work in all circumstances, as this is built around a standard slider.
Does the online preview behave for you in the same way? https://bit.ly/elhc253
I've just republished the course here using the latest version of SL360 and it works as intended on a PC, in both preview and publish.
Try this version: https://bit.ly/elhc253dl
I want to add more levels, so I duplicated the original slide and pointed the play button at the end of the original slide to the duplicate slide. Since they don't need the tutorial, I'm trying to decipher where the appropriate "landing spot" is to start the phrases again. They don't need the Start Layer as far as I can tell or the How to Play info. Can you help me figure out what to remove? I did something and now the bird won't move!
Hi Jennifer - adding more levels may be best best achieved by adding more layers and/or more flying text boxes, rather than adding a new slide.
There are a lot of variables that depend on the position of the slider, and duplicating the game slide will create a second slider and a new slider variable - breaking the connections established in the main game.
This demo is now quite old and I too have noticed that Storyline no longer appears to support GIFs as slider thumbs, which may explain why the bird no longer moves.
You may find the blog I wrote at the time helpful?
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/flip-bird-jonathan-hill-assoc-cipd/
In the meantime I am working on a updated version of this demo using the latest version of Storyline. Watch this space.
Ah! I appreciate the reply! It works perfectly fine if I don't try to add the duplicate slide with new phrases. Will definitely watch this space as this game is definitely a keeper! I'm using the most recent version of Storyline 360 and the last version you created for Amanda over a year ago, so you've done something right! ;o)
Chrome and Edge users may have issues with the animated bird embedded in the slider. Hopefully this a temporary issue.
https://community.articulate.com/discussions/building-better-courses/gifs-no-longer-supported-in-slider-thumbs#reply-771405
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