March 31, 2014
Please contact us at support@musictoolssoftware.com
iPad users, please download xBeat as an iPhone app.
xBeat Help
Game Round Sections
1. Intro (optional)
2. Rhythm
3. First Try
4. Second Try
Instructions
On the game screen press [+ play] for easy play with free intro clicks, or press [- play] for the more challenging quick-play where the rhythm starts immediately.
You will hear two different kinds of sounds, click and instrument.
Like a metronome, the click sounds are there to keep time, playing regularly in the background during the whole round of play. The beginning of each section is denoted by a slightly altered click to help you know when sections begin.
The percussion instrument sound you'll hear is the rhythm. Listen first, tap later. Like Simon Says, xBeat plays the rhythm and then you echo it by tapping on the screen. You get two tries to get it right.
Health: If you have the wrong tempo, you tap over the wrong click, or your timing isn't accurate enough you will lose health. Lose all of your health and the game will be over. All of your hearts will be refilled if you can get to the next level. You will gain a new heart container every three levels.
Sounds: To select a sound, scroll the instrument/click list on the game screen and tap the desired sound. The lists look like buttons but they are tables which can be scrolled by touching the screen and dragging.
Coins: xBeat provides you with a few sounds yet you may unlock more with coins. You get coins based on the value of the rhythm gems you collect. Gem value is based on accuracy and the number of notes in the rhythm.
The coins earned from the gem will be shown momentarily at the end of the round on the upper left of the game screen. Your level-coins will be shown momentarily at the end of each level on the upper right of the game screen. Coins represent your score.
Explanations
Acc.: On the game screen, Acc. is your accuracy which shows the percentage of closeness to the desired click of your worst tap. If your worst tap happened to be closer to another click your accuracy percentage would be zero.
Interruption: If you pause during a round of play or the game is otherwise interrupted, xBeat will give you a free redo.
Pause: To pause, tap the ["] button at the bottom left corner of the game screen. Hitting pause will silence the game. The pause screen allows you to continue or start a new game but also acts as a title screen with high scores and coin total. It gives you one degree of separation from the active game where you can treat the app more like drum.
Continue Game: If you are paused and want to continue, or the game is over and want to continue from where you last left off, tap the [Continue Game] button on the pause screen.
New Game: If you would like to cancel the current game or the game is over and you would like to play again tap the [New Game] button from the pause screen.
Analysis Bar: After you've finished a round, the analysis bar will pop up at the bottom of the game screen to show you how you did. The black slashes represent the clicks and the slashes with diamonds represent where the rhythm-sounds occurred and where your taps should have been.
White slashes represent your taps. If you performed during both tries you will be able to tell the slashes apart; first-try slashes will have red marks on them and second-try slashes will be all white.
Level Completion Bar: The tally bar at the top of the game screen gives you a general idea of your progress into a level. Once you complete a sub-level, that section of tally-marks will be framed with white. Once you have totally filled the bar with white marks, the level will have been completed.
Tempo/Speed: xBeat is designed to test your ability to play the same rhythms at three different speeds. First a random slow tempo is generated, then a random medium tempo, and finally a random fast tempo. Each speed represents a new level.
Rhythms: The greatest power within xBeat is the completeness in which it gives you rhythms. This mathematical degree of precision means that the rhythms span all styles of music within common music theory. The rhythms are presented in random order.
Variations
xBeat offers many modes of game play to suit your style.
Exploration: This is the easiest way to go, just hit play and discover rhythm. If you like this mode you may also enjoy playing the rhythm over and over at the end of a round, using the analysis bar to recreate the rhythm if needed.
Accuracy: Pros like to play precisely. Discover how difficult it is to win gold and silver medals with good accuracy.
Blind: xBeat was designed to challenge your ear over your eye. Try playing without looking at the screen.
Deaf: Though more difficult than playing with sound only it is possible to play without. Turn the sound all the way down and use the tick marks on the outer frame to watch the clicks during play. The flashing flare in the center of the game screen shows you the rhythm. Because of the relative lag in graphics, though calibrated, this mode isn't as accurate as playing blind.
Level Replay: Replay any level you have already achieved to enjoy the number of notes and speed you like most or try to better your previous score. You can choose the level you want to play from the achievements screen. Scroll to the level you desire and press [Play].
Highest Level: Advancing levels challenges you to faster and faster tempos, more and more notes, and more rhythms, testing your perseverance. xBeat doesn't limit the number of levels but you must complete a level before you can get to the next. As incentive, every three levels introduces a new gem shape.
Advanced: Tap during the rhythm section and still get the rhythm correct during trial time.
Achievements
To get to the Achievements screen press the [%] button from the game screen or the pause screen. To go back to the previous screen press the [<] button.
Platinum Medals: This is near impossible. If you can tap accurately to the nanosecond then you will have obtained the elusive Platinum Medal.
Gold Medals: If you can be accurate to the one-hundredth of a second then you can obtain a gold medal.
Silver Medals: Play accurately enough to line up the white lines exactly inside the black diamonds in the analysis bar on the game screen and you can win various silver medals.
Gems: This shows you how many rhythms you have completed successfully in your lifetime.
Longest Run: This shows how many rhythms you have achieved successfully in a row.
High Score Per Level: You can replay any level you have already played and try to better your previous score. A new level will be saved even if the game is cancelled. Your level-score will be shown at the end of a level at the upper right of the game screen
Levels/Highest Level: This shows the highest level you have achieved. Later levels contain more and more possibilities and new types of gems.
Leaderboards
In the Achievements screen press [Leaderboards] to view the leaderboards web page. This page requires an internet connection and will time-out in one minute if a connection can't be found. You can view the leaderboards without joining, allowing you to view the top players in the world.
If you join you can also view where you rank in the world and how you rank amongst your friends. The world, friend, and user filter buttons, [Wrld][Frnd][User], are located at the bottom-left of the leaderboard web page.
Note that scores will be submitted or updated when you click on the [Leaderboard] button if you are currently registered.
Public Name: To join the leaderboards click [Leader Profile] in the achievements screen, click on the Public Name box and enter your desired gamer handle. xBeat will check to see whether the name is already in use. Keep trying until you find a unique name. Use the On/Off button to control participation in the leaderboards while allowing you to reserve your public name
Friend Name: If your friends would like to compare your scores against theirs, enter a Friend Name and give it to your friends. To enter a name click on the Friend Name box in in the Leader Info screen.
Take your time and pick a name you really like because changing this name later would have the effect of disabling the name you gave your friends. You can turn the name off if you don't want your friends to see your scores.
Friends: If you want to see your friends' scores, obtain their friend-names and enter them in your Friends list. To enter friends, Click [+] at the bottom of the Leader Profile screen. When the keyboard appears you can type their name and press [OK] or you can press [Cancel] to abort.
To remove a friend from your Friends list, click the [Edit] button at the bottom of the Leader Profile screen, press the minus button next to the name you wish to delete, then press [Delete]. Click the [Done] button at the bottom when you are finished editing. You can also delete by swiping left across the name then pressing [Delete].
Tips
Counting: Some may find it useful to count clicks, restarting from one at the beginning of each section.
Capture the Moment: Though the game auto-saves achievements you may want to own a visual record. If you find a gem you really like, want to record the date of a medal, place high on the leader boards, or especially if you achieve a platinum medal, be sure to preserve it with a screen-shot.
Contact Info
Please contact us at support@musictoolssoftware.com