Help and FAQ Sheet

The following is a list of common questions and concerns. Please read carefully before filing a support request.

General Information

Where did the puzzle square come from, anyway?

Beyond the obvious game room ethos, puzzle designs also serve as the mark of the spectrum. As someone who identifies as such myself, it was only logical that I incorporated it into my trade dress assets.

What’s with the logo colors being so drab?

Blame Microsoft. The original colors were the same and the puzzle design is square in shape, so this was changed to its current appearance as a precautionary measure.

What does it mean when a game package has been approved?

On Windows PCs, approved packages are those for which Jeffrey Davis has been cleared by our security verification providers as the representative party for Zero Break Design. This is used as an indication that you’re installing the game from an official source, and serves to verify the integrity of your game package to protect your computer system against the spread of malware and other security threats. Please be aware that if Windows reports any other source (or if the source is stated as an unknown origin) then your download is fake and should not be trusted.

Unlocking Achievements

The GameJolt version is not accepting my login. How can I have the game track my achievements?

You need to use the special user token provided for your account. This limitation on service access has been enacted by GameJolt for account security reasons. You can find your special user token from the user information menu on the GameJolt website. Rest assured that no distributor or product host, nor anyone speaking on behalf of Zero Break Game Design, will ever ask for your token or password except as required for proper game function.

Why is my game using different colors when announcing unlocked achievements?

GameJolt achievements are awarded in trophy categorization format, so the colors are representative of their classification within that structure.

The platform on which I purchased the game doesn’t follow the trophy categorization format. How will this be accommodated?

Aside from any lack of XP values for that particular service or platform, there will be no measurable difference whatsoever.

What are the XP/gamerscore values for Zero Break projects?

XP values on the GameJolt service award 5 for Bronze, 10 for silver and 15 for gold. Platinum, which is reserved for the perfectionism bonus for unlocking all of the achievements, awards 20XP. For Xbox this is replaced with a tiered achievement structure ranging from 5G for base objectives to 100G for the most demanding accomplishments. Note that Steam does not have any sort of XP system so this does not apply on that platform, however your accomplishments will still be recorded to your account when you unlock an achievement.

Game Compatibility

Do alternative platforms support the game package?

Linux-based systems (such as Ubuntu) are supported by our products for non-commercial use only. Please ensure that you download the correct package for your system type.

I have a Mac computer. Is the game compatible?

Only on 64-bit macOS due to Apple requirements, and primarily on older Intel-based x64 models. Support and features may be limited on M1-based ARM models or newer. Note that the game may behave or look differently on the macOS platform due to differences in platform structure compared to Windows and Linux; however, every attempt has been made to provide as many features and gameplay presentation elements as can possibly be made available for macOS users.

Can I run the game on Xbox One?

Unfortunately due to technical issues I have abandoned backwards support on Xbox consoles. This may change in the future if Xbox cloud gaming can be supported, but for now this is not a priority.

Can I run the game on Windows 10?

Yes. Windows PCs are not affected by the backwards support change regarding the Xbox platform.

Steam/GameJolt/itch.io: Error Codes

Why did the launcher crash with error 401?

You shoehorned a Windows 11 upgrade into an unsupported system. Per Microsoft security requirements for the use of live services, a trusted platform module verification must be run on this version of Windows. If this check fails, then the game will not be allowed to load.

Why did the launcher crash with error 403?

Windows 7 and earlier have been deprecated by Microsoft, so you will receive this error on those systems. This may also indicate a permissions error which is caused by either system misconfiguration, administrator lockdown or the use of compatibility mode which for security purposes must be removed from the launcher before the game is allowed to load.

Why did the launcher crash with error 404?

This indicates either an outage or access verification failure while the launcher attempted to communicate with the live services subsystem. Check your Internet connection or try again later. Note that this will not occur if a Zero Break product is disconnected from live services for reasons of deprecation unless the product was designed with live services as a core tenet of the game experience.

Steam/GameJolt/itch.io: Licensing and Legal

Why are GameJolt and itch.io considered non-commercial?

These are community-driven services which are only supported for the purpose of expanding access to Zero Break projects. Because these services do not fully protect against misuse of product licensing by nature of their design, they are disbarred from commercial use which is defined as inclusion in public library, internet café and/or arcade terminal collections.

Why did the game exit without loading the menu?

On Steam, the game is protected by Valve’s DRM service. If you forget to launch from Steam and try running the game manually, you will be sent back to Windows.

Live Services

Why did I receive a lockdown or support bulletin which requires that I verify my account?

You didn’t. This is prohibited by law because of the potential for abuse by rogue actors. File a fraud detection request with the associated service if this happens, and do not respond for any reason whatsoever. In extreme cases, or if you receive repeated or threatening messages, contact law enforcement immediately.

I use a chat service (such as Discord) and have received a message stating that someone accidentally reported my account to the service on which my game is registered. What should I do?

DO NOT RESPOND. This is a variation on the email support violation described above that has been going around as of recently (and is particularly prevalent on the Discord chat platform). Obviously this is also illegal, and the applicable service or storefront will never reach out to you on a chat server like this. Contact the moderators of the chat server to report the violation, and file a fraud detection request with the applicable service, storefront or law enforcement personnel.

Why did the multiplayer session fail with an error?

On Xbox consoles, this requires a gold card membership or active subscription to Game Pass Ultimate. If your subscription is current and you still have problems, there may be an outage or service interruption. You should also check for connection issues with your router and other network equipment.

What is the policy for closing down a live services feature?

This can happen for any reason, either at my discretion or if a live services provider discontinues operation of the affected systems. If this should occur and the game can stand by itself, then the game will be modified to remove the features that depend on the affected services. If advance notice is possible for any disconnection of live services, then I will provide it at least 60 days before I shut things down.

RPG Maker Console SDK for Xbox

What happened with the Console SDK release plan?

Due to the advent of RPG Maker Unite which is releasing in 2022, it will soon be possible to use the same workflow that RPG Maker tools provide with official support for the Unity framework. As a result of this development, I have made the difficult decision to cancel the release of the Console SDK as it is now considered obsolete due to the circumstance. Concurrent with this decision, the publishing offer for MV and MZ projects has been canceled as well as the services are no longer considered a priority.

Everything Else

I received a beta code for a test product. Can I explain what I’m doing with it?

Unfortunately that’s not always going to be possible. In the case of pre-release and/or unannounced products, the distribution of test builds and beta keys is governed by strict non-disclosure agreements in order to mitigate the risk of any unauthorized public release of unapproved, confidential and/or privileged information. Reasonable exceptions can be made of course, but these are generally reserved for publicity purposes such as media coverage, marketing and public previews unless it’s been stated otherwise. If the service on which you obtained the test build or beta key has an embargo definition for that build, then unfortunately you will not be authorized to say anything until the embargo hold has expired. Other than that, it’s on you as to how best to explain the matter provided that you’re able to do so without being too specific.

However, if any of the above would otherwise apply and you’ve found an error in the game – or if there’s a glitch or game-breaker – then an unlisted or privately-shared video clip or other reasonable demonstration and/or documentation of the error or trace report is accepted for investigative purposes only. You may send your correspondence to bzero@zerobreakdesign.com and the matter will be addressed at the earliest opportunity.

Is it okay to translate any in-game behaviors to a demonstration of real-world equivalence?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! These scenes may imply or present dangerous or harmful activities, environmental hazards, stunt work, violence and/or illicit behaviors or business operations, and should never be duplicated and/or performed under any circumstance.