Hi Vaudevillans! Weve been silent for a while, which led some to speculate that Vaudeville was dead. But were happy to tell you that is not the case at all. As you know, we are a small team, and when were hard at work, we dont have much time for chit-chat. We prefer to focus on delivering results rather than making promises. So, finally, were back with an announcement, and what an announcement it is! As you may remember, about 15 months ago, we at Bumblebee Studios created a sensation by launching Vaudeville, the first detective game with AI-driven characters. To achieve this, we used a third-party online service called Inworld, which has been great. Weve had a good collaboration with them and are satisfied with the results so far. However, there are downsides to relying on a third-party tool: high service costs, the need for an internet connection, the risk of outages or sudden discontinuation, and, most importantly, the fact that the service is like a black box to us, unpredictable and impossible to fully customize to our needs. Now, brace yourselves, because were breaking new ground again! Today, we are thrilled to announce the availability of our very own offline beta version of Vaudeville, built with LLMs, text-to-speech, and speech recognition models, all fine-tuned, prompted, and implemented to run locally by us. The most immediate benefit you'll notice is that you no longer need an internet connection to play the game. None of your in-game conversations with characters will ever leave your device, ensuring even stronger privacy. With this innovation, we are building a better and more reliable Vaudeville. But the best part is yet to come: in the long term, this will allow us to develop more advanced features, create new functionalities tailored to our game design needs, and introduce fresh storiesnot only in the Vaudeville and detective genres but also in entire new universes! As of now, the new offline version of the game is available in the beta channel on Steam, ready for testing and feedback. The current online version will continue to run in the main channel for some time until were fully satisfied and ready to promote the offline version to the top spot. To try it out, simply right-click on your game, select Properties, switch to the Beta tab, and choose "Beta" from the dropdown. Were still optimizing the game, both in terms of gameplay and performance. Running LLMs locally can be quite demanding on your GPU, and were working to improve that. During this phase, our goal is to replicate the same experience offline that the online version provided. Expect bugs, strange character behavior, long loading times, and possible crashes on some systems. Once weve ironed out these issues, well move on to the second phase: enhancing the game even further. We hope youre as excited about this development as we are and that you appreciate our commitment to growing Vaudeville. Stay tuned, there might be more big news coming soon! Cheers! Bumblebee Studios
PS: Only the Windows version has been tested so far. We know for sure that the game crashes regularly on the Steam Deck an we are working on that. PPS: Give us your feedback and report your bugs in the vaudeville-beta channel. Thank you!

[ 2024-10-03 19:55:35 CET ] [ Original post ]

Today, we are happy to introduce Eye of the Summoner as our contribution to Steam Next Fest: June 2024. If you played this game during Ludum Dare 55 Game Jam, you will see how far we have come with this new milestone. If you did not, you now have the chance to start following us on this exciting adventure. What we are showcasing today is an early alpha version of this auto-battler tower defense game, where YOU are the tower. The game is far from complete, but we wanted to offer a sneak peek of what is to come. In the final version of Eye of the Summoner, there will be more units with different skills, permanent skill unlocks as in every respectable roguelike, improved sound and video effects, full support for game controllers and the Steam Deck, and, later, local and online multiplayer. We are also continuously working on testing and balancing to make the experience as rewarding and fun as possible. [previewyoutube=SG_6NOs28VQ;full][/previewyoutube] We believe that Eye of the Summoner is the perfect game to challenge yourselves, your friends, and strangers on the leaderboards to be the best at repelling the hordes of knights threatening the tower. We are confident that streamers will enjoy showing off their skills and challenging their audiences to beat their high scores, even more so when all the features are in place. Eye of the Summoner is available on PC, Linux and Steam Deck at the moment. The free demo is publicly available on Steam now: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2953340 If you are a member of the press or a content creator, you can request a key on:

• Keymailer: https://www.keymailer.co/g/games/f2a3034c
• Lurkit: https://www.lurkit.com/campaigns/eye-of-the-summoner
• Email: info@bumblebee-studios.se

[ 2024-06-10 16:04:31 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hey Vaudeville Community! Weve got some thrilling news and updates to share with you all today. Vaudeville Enhancements! Were always looking to improve your experience, and in our latest update, weve made two major changes: Improved Voice Acting: Weve upgraded the voices of our beloved characters with the latest generation voice tech, making them sound more realistic and engaging! Relaxed Content Filters: Weve loosened the content restrictions, allowing for more detailed discussions about the game's darker themes. No more awkward "I dont feel comfortable talking about this" moments! We are committed to delivering a fantastic final version of the story, ending the early access period with a bang. This means taking a bit more time to perfect it, but we promise it will be worth the wait!
Launching Soon: Kickstarter for Interstate Cowboys! Building on what weve learned from Vaudeville, we are excited to announce our upcoming Kickstarter campaign for Interstate Cowboysa new AI-driven RPG that feels like playing with a real-life dungeon master. Check out the preview and how you can support us here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bumblebeestudios/interstate-cowboys-an-ai-driven-role-playing-game?ref=6p9wy5&token=c8681fa1 Your feedback is crucial; please follow our project, share it widely, and leave suggestions on our Kickstarter preview page to enhance our campaign! [previewyoutube=RzSwsAyXzWA;full][/previewyoutube] Continued Commitment to Vaudeville The kickoff of this new project does not mean were stepping away from Vaudeville. In fact, its quite the opposite! With our team growing from 1 to 3, and potential further expansion from the Kickstarter, we'll have more resources than ever to continue enhancing Vaudeville while developing new and exciting projects. Were incredibly grateful for all the support, feedback, and love youve shown us. Your engagement is what fuels our passion and ambition. We look forward to continuing this journey with you and hope youre as excited about these developments as we are! Let's keep making magic happen together!

[ 2024-04-19 11:57:23 CET ] [ Original post ]

'Sell the kids for food, weather changes moods, Spring is here again' Fear not, you don't have to part with your offspring to snag a copy of Vaudeville because now it's available at an incredibly low price! Prepare to dive into the immersive world of Vaudeville, crafted by Bumblebee Studios, with an unprecedented 60% discount during the Steam Spring Sales. You can now unravel mysteries and engage with AI-driven characters without breaking the bank.
Picture yourself as a cunning detective, navigating a world filled with suspense and intrigue while enjoying advanced storytelling and interactions. With this offer, adventure is within reach without sacrificing your future generations. So, as Kurt Cobain used to sing, "Spring is here again." And with it comes the perfect opportunity to experience the thrill of Vaudeville without having to resort to extreme measures. Join us in the excitement of the Steam Spring Sales and secure your copy of Vaudeville today! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2240920/Vaudeville/

[ 2024-03-14 23:51:29 CET ] [ Original post ]

To mark the 7-month anniversary of Vaudeville's release, we decided to write a retrospective of what has happened so far. Not really a post-mortem, one of those essays you write after the game's development has been completed and wrapped up, because Vaudeville is alive and kicking, still in Early Access and still evolving with daily efforts from us and the community. We won't be done with the project until we have achieved our vision.

HISTORY

Vaudeville started as a prototype when we read about a company, Inworld AI, on the Unity Asset Store that offered a service to create AI-driven NPCs. The prototype worked well, so we decided to turn it into a full game. The goal was to get to market as quickly as possible and be the first to release a game based on conversational AI, and we did that. And when I say "we" I mean the company, but actually Bumblebee was a one-man team at the time. Anyway, "we" were so quick that we also beat Inworld AI themselves, who were working on their own implementation of a crime game called Inworld Origins (we didn't know about that, to be honest; we had been living under a rock during the whole development of Vaudeville) and released it a month after us.

RECEPTION

The game started to generate interest straight away, also with the help of content creators we were able to reach through our partners Lurkit and Keymailer, but the real breakthrough came when MoistCr1TiKal picked it up semi-randomly and started streaming the game, driving hundreds of thousands of users to our Steam page. Other top streamers followed suit: HasanAbi, WillNeff and Videogamedunkey were among the first. User reception has been very polarised. Initially, there was a lot of excitement, with the few negative reviews mostly focusing on technical issues. Users flooded the Discord channel and started analysing the game together in our chats. Their feedback was invaluable in improving the game, as well as helping us resolve some temporary technical problems. With the increasing popularity of AI techniques, their development and rising expectations, the games have started to receive negative reviews regarding the limitations of the AI, despite our hard efforts to improve the game. Unfortunately, this polarisation of opinion has had a negative impact on the Steam ratings, which are evenly split between enthusiasts and haters, resulting in an average rating that is likely to deter many potential buyers. It's hard to calculate the impact of the reviews on sales, which have been around 7,500 so far. What we do know is that people are still buying the game and there are many (around 13,000 outstanding wishlists) who are still trying to make up their minds, perhaps waiting for the game to leave Early Access or for the reviews to improve. It's also worth noting that none of the major video game press has written about the game yet, probably because of its early access status, but that's strange enough, given the interest the game has generated. Perhaps this is because there is no big publisher pushing the game . By the way, we stand by our decision to self-publish the game and do the promotion, releases and all that goes with it. We might have made a lot more money if we had, but in the end, we think it was worth it to retain our independence. We won three awards: 2nd place at the Game Development World Championship GCore Cloud Award and two Gold Winner Awards at NYX, one for Best Innovation and the other in the Indie category. There are at least two research papers in progress on Vaudeville (we cannot disclose them until they are published), and we think that this is extremely cool. Today, Vaudeville is a use case on the Unity Asset Store (the same asset store where everything started) and on the Inworld AI website. We are being contacted by companies and individuals who want to work with us. We are very proud of what we have achieved thus far.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

The biggest challenges were using a cutting-edge technology that was still in its infancy and relying on an external API. The former meant that the outcome of the chats and the playability of the games were not 100% predictable for us and partially out of our control. That's why we opted for an early access release, because we really needed the community's feedback to help us fine-tune the AIs. The latter caused the temporary issues mentioned earlier, leading to the service being unreachable on several occasions, most notably the night MoistCr1TiKal streamed the game and hit all the caps. The issues have now been resolved and the service has been stable for months.

COSTS

We have managed to keep costs under control so far, which is not to say that it has been cheap. In the first month we generated a huge amount of traffic, which resulted in a substantial bill from Inworld. However, the costs were still manageable compared to the Steam revenue. It is important to note, however, that Steam payments are delayed by a month, so if you are going to venture into this kind of business, make sure you have a buffer. Fortunately, the people at Inworld have been kind enough to delay their billing for a month, making payment easier. They also changed their pricing model immediately afterwards, making it fairer and more affordable for most users. Another recurring cost is the usage of DeepL to translate the dialogues to and from 12 different languages in real time, which has been working great for a reasonable price. We also tried to use a more advanced online service to generate the AI voices, but had to revert to the old ones due to the unsustainable cost. We hope to find a more affordable solution soon, maybe an offline one.

DEVELOPMENT AFTER EARLY ACCESS

We have worked tirelessly in the eight months since Early Access to deliver improvements, sometimes daily, often weekly. These are some of the most appreciated features: we improved the AI and the content, translated the dialogues into twelve languages, developed the story mode, improved the interface, developed a Linux / SteamOS (Steam Deck Verified) version, implemented full game control support, added a new character, improved the 3D environments, increased accessibility, added achievements and community items.

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

As we have said before, we are committed to developing Vaudeville until we are completely satisfied with our efforts. This means that while we continue to improve the game's features and fix as many bugs as possible, we will slow down our work on the final version of the story a bit to try and understand how we can work with our partners to make the AI's behaviour more reliable and the game more enjoyable. Then, we will need to take a break to do something else. Probably a more casual game with a smaller scope, just to reset our brains and not get overwhelmed by Vaudeville before we start creating new content or new iterations of the game.

BUMBLEBEE STUDIOS' GROWTH

Since the release of Vaudeville, Bumblebee has grown from a one-man, part-time studio to a team of two full-time developers. From a tiny company to a self-funded studio capable of standing on its own two feet. Our goal is to continue on this path. We are convinced that a small studio like ours, driven by its passion, can withstand the crisis the industry is going through and even thrive in this stormy weather.
LINKS https://store.steampowered.com/app/2240920/Vaudeville https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wePxGlJ5nY0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAqnrLrfWGQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw51fkRiKZU Vaudeville's Discord: https://discord.gg/2scPgBMkaq Bumblebee Studios: https://www.bumblebee-studios.se Vaudeville on Keymailer: https://www.keymailer.co/g/games/85436eda Vaudeville on Lurkit: https://www.lurkit.com/campaigns/quests/vaudeville Unity Asset Store AI Hub: https://assetstore.unity.com/ai-hub Inworld AI on Vaudeville: https://inworld.ai/case-study/ai-npcs-helped-an-indie-studio-get-300000-in-free-publicity

[ 2024-01-31 09:06:20 CET ] [ Original post ]

These changes have been simmering in the Beta Channel for a few weeks and are now ready for an official release:

• New Game Mode: Story Mode The player starts with only the Police Station available. Detective Martini must unlock other destinations through conversations with characters.
• Improved Characters The characters have been enhanced with more detailed information and will respond more consistently, with a reduced chance of hallucinating or going off-topic.
• Three Save Slots Players can now run three different instances of the game, each with its own game mode, notes, unlocks progression, conversation history and relationships with the characters.
• Achievements There are now 12 different achievements to earn. Besides the original two for starting and winning the game, there is now one for each time a new location is visited in Story Mode.
• New Voices More realistic AI voices provided by Eleven Labs to enhance immersion.
• Community Items 12 Trading Cards, each for a character in the game, 5 wallpapers and 9 emoticons to collect and show-off.
• Added Info and Disclaimer Players are now informed about the use of AI in generating dialogues and how their data is handled.
• Notebook Import The first time a player starts a new Save Slot in Sandbox Mode, the notebook from the legacy version is imported into the save game to preserve all notes previously taken by the player.

We hope you enjoy!

[ 2024-01-14 10:23:13 CET ] [ Original post ]

Greetings, Vaudeville Enthusiasts! We're excited to announce a transformative update to your Vaudeville experience the introduction of a new gameplay style, Story Mode - Developer's Cut! This innovation marks a significant leap in how you interact with the world of Vaudeville, bringing a fresh twist to our narrative-driven adventure. What's New in Story Mode - Developer's Cut? Story Mode revolutionizes your journey through Vaudeville. Starting at the Police Station, you'll unlock new characters and locations, unraveling the story bit by bit. This mode fosters a thrilling sense of progression and discovery, laying the foundation for all future Vaudeville adventures. And that's not all! Post Early Access, we'll be unveiling the Writer's Cut, featuring an even more intricate storyline, new events, culprits, and additional gameplay mechanics. For Our Classic Mode Fans Fear not, traditionalists! The original free-form experience isn't going anywhere. It will be rebranded as Sandbox Mode, perfect for those who love casual interactions with our characters and for streamers crafting unique content without the progression constraints. Be Part of the Evolution The new Story Mode is now live for testing in the Beta channel on Steam. We invite you to dive in, explore, and share your feedback. Your insights are invaluable as we refine and enhance this mode before its grand debut on the default channel. Your journey in Vaudeville is about to get even more captivating. We can't wait to see how you uncover the secrets and stories waiting in every shadowed corner of this mysterious world. Thank you for being part of the Vaudeville community. Your adventure awaits! Happy Detecting, The Bumblebee Studios Team

[ 2023-12-08 16:39:42 CET ] [ Original post ]

If you've had a chance to experience "Vaudeville" and its unique approach to NPCs and narrative, you might share the feeling that there's something special going on there. The way these AI characters respond and adapt genuinely stirs something that feels a bit like the future peeking through. That's why considering "Vaudeville" for the "Innovative Gameplay" category of the Steam Awards feels right. [previewyoutube=86Ol7M1Wj94;full][/previewyoutube] If this resonates with what youve felt playing Vaudeville, maybe drop it a vote. Here's to appreciating innovation that enhances our gaming experiences. More about Vaudeville: https://inworld.ai/case-study/ai-npcs-helped-an-indie-studio-get-300000-in-free-publicity

[ 2023-11-21 18:00:28 CET ] [ Original post ]

Today, Bumblebee Studios is thrilled to announce that its innovative noir detective game, Vaudeville, has officially been verified as suitable for Steam Deck. This accolade confirms that players can now enjoy an optimised experience of Vaudeville on the go with Steam Deck's portability. The verification ensures that Vaudeville will not just function but will excel on Steam Deck. Players will benefit from full compatibility with the system's built-in controls, display and microphone.. Additionally, all in-game features will be fully accessible using Steam Deck's default controller configuration. For those familiar with Steam Deck's user interface, Vaudeville will display the coveted "Verified" badge, indicating its compatibility and performance credentials. This status is a testament to Bumblebee Studios' commitment to ensuring that players get the best possible experience, regardless of their chosen platform.
Simone Odoardi, founder of Bumblebee Studios, commented, "Our vision has always been to make 'Vaudeville' available to a broad audience. We've expanded to Linux and are constantly enhancing its accessibility. Achieving 'Steam Deck Verified' status underscores our commitment to delivering a top-tier experience across platforms." For those interested, the "Verified" badge for Vaudeville can be found on its respective Steam store page. Detailed compatibility information is also available via the 'more info' button. About Bumblebee Studios Established in 2021, Bumblebee Studios is the indie studio that introduced the innovative Vaudeville, which immerses players into a unique detective narrative set in a fictive early 1900s Europe. Central to its gameplay is the engaging AI-driven conversational mechanic that sets it apart in the gaming landscape.

[ 2023-10-31 14:14:00 CET ] [ Original post ]

The long-term memory capability ensures characters uphold consistent and prolonged interactions, retaining important details over successive conversation sessions with users. This is a feature that has been eagerly anticipated and widely requested. It's designed to heighten immersion and provide continuity in the experience. Characters will also establish and maintain relationships based on past interactions, which will carry forward into future sessions. As we continue refining this feature, we deeply value your feedback. Please join our discord server https://discord.gg/2scPgBMkaq to help us improve this and other aspects of the game. Your collaboration is invaluable to us. Thank you! PS. You did not miss that Vaudeville has received two NYX Gold Awards for Best Innovation and PC Indie Game and reached 2nd place at GDWC Gcore Cloud Award for best usage of cloud technology, right? [previewyoutube=86Ol7M1Wj94;full][/previewyoutube]

[ 2023-10-12 16:02:09 CET ] [ Original post ]

• Native Linux and SteamOS support
• Improved controller compatibility
• Performance & usability improvements
• Three reworked environments:
  • Police Station
  • Morgue
  • Country Club

[ 2023-09-28 22:46:41 CET ] [ Original post ]

Vaudeville is a finalist at the GDWC (Game Development World Championship) for a Gcore Cloud Award for the best use of Cloud Services in game operation or mechanics. The award ceremony will take place in about 5 hours (8 AM PDT / 11 AM EDT / 16:00 GMT / 17:00 CEST / 18:00 EEST) and will be broadcast on Youtube. Join the streaming at https://www.youtube.com/@thegdwc and cheer on Bumblebee Studios and Vaudeville!

[ 2023-09-21 10:14:53 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hey Vaudevillans!

It's been an intense few months since this game went from being an interesting niche Early Access title to an internet sensation overnight. It happened on the 15th of July when I was travelling with my daughter on a train from Germany to Italy very early in the morning. I opened the Steam stats page and there was a huge spike in sales and dozens of new people on the Discord channel. They explained to me that a very famous streamer was playing our game right then and had been doing it for hours and loved it. And then another big streamer followed, and another... [previewyoutube=wePxGlJ5nY0;full][/previewyoutube] After a few hours, the game was so popular that the servers that host the generative dialogue service were overloaded and stopped working. At that point, Bumblebee Studios was basically me, Simone. There were people who helped me with various tasks from time to time, but it was still a one-man team. I spent the next 24 hours trying to reach the service provider and answering people on Discord. Most of the users were very understanding and had very kind words for me, but the sour reviews had already started to appear on Steam. You know the rest of the story: it all worked out in the end, so here we are.
Over the last two months, we have been working hard to consolidate both Vaudeville and Bumblebee Studios. There is a new partner in the company and new collaborators, to be announced soon, who are already working to improve and add content to the game. Some of the updates released since the Early Access launch include the on-screen notebook, smarter characters, improved performance and stability, compatibility with DirectX 11 and Vulkan, connection error handling and support for 12 languages!
But we still have a long way to go before we leave Early Access. Thanks to the incredible support of this community and the fresh ideas of the new team members, we have big plans for the future. Look forward to improved graphics, new environments and characters, expanded and alternate storylines, more music, improved usability and accessibility, new features, and many, many other exciting improvements.

Thanks again for your support!

Simone Odoardi and the team at Bumblebee Studios

[ 2023-09-15 09:35:03 CET ] [ Original post ]

Speech recognition and subtitles in 12 different languages:

• 
  ENGLISH
• 
  CHINESE
• 
  SPANISH
• 
  ITALIAN
• 
  GERMAN
• 
  KOREAN
• 
  FRENCH
• 
  JAPANESE
• 
  PORTUGUESE
• 
  DUTCH
• 
  UKRAINIAN
• 
  RUSSIAN

Other improvements and features added since the last major announcement:

• The game will no longer exit the current location when the connection is lost but will try to reconnect instead
• Added function to interrupt NPC's speech
• The notebook accepts text written in all the supported alphabets
• Changed conflicting key bindings
• Added new help texts
• Fixed minor bugs

Upcoming features:

• Enhanced multilanguage voicing
• Improved sceneries
• Improved emotions & facial expressions
• VR support

[ 2023-09-04 14:01:51 CET ] [ Original post ]

Added speech recognition and subtitles for four new languages:
PORTUGUESE
DUTCH
UKRAINIAN
RUSSIAN

[ 2023-08-30 20:28:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

• Added function to interrupt NPC's speech
• Changed conflicting key bindings
• Added new help texts
• Fixed minor bugs

KEY BINDINGS Leave Location: KEYBOARD ESC / GAMEPAD START Toggle Notebook: KEYBOARD F1 or CTRL+N / MOUSE MIDDLE BTN / GAMEPAD LB Toggle Mic Mute: KEYBOARD F2 or CTRL+M / GAMEPAD SELECT Interrupt NPC: KEYBOARD F3 / GAMEPAD RB Look Around: HOLD RIGHT MOUSE BTN or GAMEPAD RIGHT STICK

[ 2023-08-21 10:36:42 CET ] [ Original post ]

The game will no longer exit the current location when the connection is lost but will try to reconnect instead.

[ 2023-08-18 23:42:40 CET ] [ Original post ]

Improved stability for the following languages:

• CHINESE
• SPANISH
• ITALIAN
• GERMAN
• KOREAN
• FRENCH
• JAPANESE

[ 2023-08-16 20:08:10 CET ] [ Original post ]

2023-08-14: NOW WITH SPEECH RECOGNITION SUPPORTED IN 8 LANGUAGES (THIS FEATURE IS STILL EXPERIMENTAL IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH):
ENGLISH
CHINESE
SPANISH
ITALIAN
GERMAN
KOREAN
FRENCH
JAPANESE

[ 2023-08-14 16:56:53 CET ] [ Original post ]

We have been collecting feedback and working behind the curtains to squash bugs and improve stuff. In particular, we have been focusing on fine-tuning the characters in order to avoid plot inconsistencies and so-called hallucinations (aka totally-made-up-facts). To verify the results of our efforts, we have created a beta channel on Steam, where users can test the latest version of the game before it gets promoted to live. The beta channel will always contain the most recent version of Vaudeville and is, therefore, very prone to bugs by nature, but it will also always feature the latest improvements.
To switch to the beta channel, open Vaudeville's properties, and change the value of Beta Participation to "beta - BETA" in the Beta tab. At the moment of writing, the version in the beta channel is 0.9.18. You can verify the installation by checking the version number in the start screen's lower right corner.
Join Vaudeville's Discord and use the channel #vaudeville-beta for the discussions and the tag BetaChannel on #vaudeville-ea-forum when reporting bugs or suggesting improvements. Thank you!

[ 2023-08-05 12:11:01 CET ] [ Original post ]

AUGUST 2023

Gameplay Updates

• AI Improvements: Focus on enhancing the artificial intelligence of the characters, making them more intelligent, responsive, and realistic in their actions and interactions. Improve the consistency of their responses.
• Achievements: Increase the number of available achievements to provide players with goals and rewards for completing specific tasks or milestones within the game.
• Improved notebook functionalities: Enhance the functionality of the in-game notebook, allowing players to better organize their clues, notes, and objectives.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

Cosmetics Updates

• Sceneries & Props: Introduce a variety of new and visually appealing sceneries and props to enhance the overall aesthetics and immersion of the game world.
• Facial Expressions: Improve the facial expressions of the characters to make them more expressive and lifelike, enhancing the emotional depth and engagement of the gameplay.
• Sound Design: Enhance the game's audio elements, including ambient sounds, music, and text-to-speech, to create a more immersive and atmospheric experience for the players.
• Haptics: Implement haptic feedback to provide players with tactile sensations that correspond to in-game events, actions, or interactions, adding another layer of immersion to the gameplay.

SEPTEMBER 2023

Interaction Updates

• Improve Steam Deck compatibility: Optimize the game to ensure smooth and efficient performance on the Steam Deck handheld gaming device, leveraging its unique features and controls.
• Improve Controller compatibility: Enhance controller support and compatibility across various platforms, ensuring seamless gameplay experiences for players using different types of controllers.
• VR version: Develop a virtual reality (VR) version of Vaudeville, allowing players to immerse themselves in the game world and interact with the characters and environment in a fully immersive VR environment.
• Performance Optimization: Improve the performance of the game to ensure it runs smoothly on older and lower-end machines, optimizing resource usage, reducing system requirements, and addressing performance bottlenecks. This will allow a wider range of players to enjoy Vaudeville without encountering significant performance issues.

OCTOBER 2023

Porting Updates

• Linux: Port Vaudeville to the Linux operating system, expanding the game's availability to Linux users and allowing them to enjoy the experience.
• Mac: Port Vaudeville to macOS, enabling Mac users to access and play the game on their preferred platform.
• Ipad: Explore the possibility of porting Vaudeville to the iPad platform, offering a mobile gaming experience for players on iOS devices.
• Android: Investigate the potential of porting Vaudeville to the Android platform, extending the game's reach to Android users and providing them with a mobile gaming option.
• TvOS: Consider the feasibility of porting Vaudeville to TvOS, enabling players to enjoy the game on Apple TV.
• Xbox: Explore the possibility of porting Vaudeville to the Xbox platform, offering console gamers the opportunity to experience the game on their preferred system.

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2023

END OF EARLY ACCESS

• Conduct a thorough review of player feedback, bug reports, and suggestions to address any remaining issues and further refine the game's mechanics, features, and performance.
• Prepare for the official release of Vaudeville, ensuring that all planned features, improvements, and optimizations are in place for a polished and engaging final version.

Q4 2023/Q1-Q2 2024

Content Updates

• New stories: Continuously add new stories, quests, and narratives to expand the game's content, providing players with fresh experiences and challenges as they progress through Vaudeville.
• Procedural mode: Implement a procedural mode, introducing randomized elements and events into the gameplay to enhance replayability and create unique experiences for each playthrough.
• DLCs: Release downloadable content (DLCs) periodically, offering additional storylines, characters, items, and gameplay features to further enrich the Vaudeville experience for players who wish to expand their adventure.

NOTE: The roadmap outlines a suggested timeline and sequence of updates, but the actual development and release schedule may vary based on the team's priorities, resources, and unforeseen circumstances.

[ 2023-07-17 22:31:02 CET ] [ Original post ]

The Notebook Update

Vaudeville 0.9.14

A notebook to write down important information without leaving the game was one of the most requested features, so we gave it the highest priority. We have also implemented the first two (very basic) achievements. More will come soon. As usual, we are also improving and tweaking the characters based on inputs from the community.

• Added notebook feature with Steam Cloud sync
• Implemented essential achievements
• Improved characters' script based on the users' feedback

[ 2023-07-09 15:46:35 CET ] [ Original post ]

Vaudeville, the much-anticipated, AI-driven detective game, breaks onto the scene today, marking a new chapter in the realm of interactive gameplay. Developed by Bumblebee Studios, Vaudeville leverages the power of artificial intelligence to create an immersive gaming experience unlike any other. Set in the vibrant city of Vaudeville, a bubbling hub of culture and entertainment, players assume the role of Detective Martini, tasked with solving a series of enigmatic murders. The game offers a unique gameplay experience, intertwining AI-generated dialogues with real-time interactions. For the first time in gaming history, players can converse with characters using natural language, either by typing or talking into the microphone. The dialogues evolve in real-time, making each gameplay experience unique. [previewyoutube=0mx6PRb9NuA;full][/previewyoutube] The game captures the essence of detective work through its stunning narrative structure and complex characters, each with its own secrets to unravel. Players are thrust into a world of mystery, intrigue, and suspense, where every decision can change the course of the investigation. In celebration of the launch, Bumblebee Studios is offering an early bird discount of 35% for the first week. This offer provides a golden opportunity for curious players to delve into the heart of Vaudeville and uncover its mysteries. Vaudeville is more than just a game - it's an evolution in storytelling, a leap forward in interactive entertainment. With its AI-powered dialogue system, it offers an unparalleled level of immersion and player engagement. Every playthrough is unique, with the AI generating different responses based on your actions and choices. Join Detective Martini in the city of Vaudeville, where secrets lurk in every corner, and the truth is stranger than fiction. Your adventure starts today. Welcome to Vaudeville!

[ 2023-06-30 22:58:19 CET ] [ Original post ]

Attention all gamers and mystery enthusiasts! We are thrilled to announce that our upcoming game, Vaudeville, will be participating in the Steam Mystery Fest event! As part of this exciting event, we are offering a free demo of Vaudeville, which is now available for download on Steam. This demo will allow players to get a sneak peek of the game, which is set in the mysterious world of the 1910s. [previewyoutube=4Sa653Ac9l4;full][/previewyoutube] As a detective in Vaudeville, players will be tasked with solving a series of complex murders in a stunningly-realized 1910s-era theatre. The game's AI-powered characters each have their distinct personalities, backgrounds, and secrets, which players must unravel through careful observation and questioning. The full version of Vaudeville will be released later this year, but in the meantime, we invite you to try out the demo and experience the thrill of the mystery fest. We can't wait to see you in the world of Vaudeville! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2285800/Vaudeville/

• AI-driven characters with natural language interaction
• Open-world investigation
• Microphone or keyboard interaction
• Playable in VR

To bring Vaudeville to life, Bumblebee Studios is also launching a Kickstarter campaign with the goal of raising around $3,000. The funds will be used to finish the development of the game and bring it to market. For more information visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bumblebeestudios/vaudeville-an-ai-driven-whodunit

[ 2023-02-19 19:00:37 CET ] [ Original post ]