This manual is for the previous version of the game, "Super Multitasking."
Unfortunately, the manual for the current version is too large to fit in a post here, but you can view it by clicking here: Super Duper Multitasking Manual/FAQ
(Last updated 12/31/2018)
Please read
Super Multitasking can be enjoyed with a keyboard, but a controller is recommended.
Officially supported controllers: Xbox One, Xbox 360, DualShock 4*, Switch Pro*, Steam Controller*.
* Supported via Steam Controller Configurator and an official configuration.
Other controllers may work, but may require third-party tools, and no support will be provided.
Please see more details in the FAQ section below.
Menu Controls (cannot be changed)
Keyboard
(These can be used even if you're using a controller to play the game.)
- Up/Down arrow keys = change highlighted option.
- Left/Right arrow keys = adjust highlighted option (if applicable).
- ENTER = choose highlighted option.
- ESC = go to previous menu/exit menu.
- TAB = hide menu and show what's underneath! Great for screenshots.
Controller
(These assume an Xbox One/360 layout, but work regardless of which controller you're using.)
- Up/Down on D-Pad or Left Stick = change highlighted option.
- Left/Right on D-Pad or Left Stick = adjust highlighted option (if applicable).
- A Button, or Menu/Start = choose highlighted option.
- B Button = go to previous menu/exit menu.
What is Super Multitasking?
Super Multitasking is not so much a game as it is an experiment, one that tests your ability to play up to 4 continuously-shuffling minigames at the same time. Now, it can certainly be played as a game, in one of several different modes. With Challenge Mode, you can even approach it as a game with a distinct start and end that can be "beaten." However, with Super Multitasking, I feel that you get much more than a mere game. It's a tool that can push your video gaming skills to their limits, that will bend your mind in ways that other games cannot, that can unlock potential you never knew you had, and that can open the door to new experiences--either by yourself, shared with friends, or streamed to your favorite audience.
My hope is that you will enjoy Super Multitasking, both as a traditional video game, as well as in ways that you have not enjoyed video games before. Please share your feedback with me, either on yyrgames.com, via the contact form or via the forums; or on Steam itself, via its forums or user reviews. I'll be reading all of it.
I also realize that, because Super Multitasking is so different from other games, it is certainly not for everybody. If you find that it is not for you, I encourage you to take advantage of the Steam refund policy. I really appreciate that you took the time to try out my work, even if it turned out that you didn't enjoy it. Time is the one resource we can't get back, so for the time you gave to me, I thank you.
Explanation of Game Modes
Standard Mode: Choose between a number of options, then last as long as possible. You'll start by playing just one minigame at a time. The longer you last, the more minigames you'll need to play at once, and the harder those minigames will be to complete. If you make a single mistake, the game ends. Your best times will be tracked, both locally and on Steam Leaderboards. There is also built-in support for tournaments (see below).
Practice Mode: A fully customizable playground. Set up any situation you like, using any of the 17 unique minigames or 26 possible ways to play them. Choose their timing, as well as what happens when they're done. And if you want, you can keep playing even after you make a mistake. Use this to practice difficult situations, or to create challenging new conditions for yourself or others.
Challenge Mode: 42 scripted Challenges await you here. They start off very easy, but eventually become ridiculously difficult. Each lasts for a certain amount of time, mostly between 15 and 25 seconds. Try to complete them all! There is no limit to the number of attempts, nor is there any penalty for failure, so proceed through them at your own pace. Speedrunning support is also available (see below).
Bonus Modes: These are variations of Standard Mode that feature a specific minigame running continuously as other minigames shuffle in and out. Try these unique spins on Super Multitasking and see how you fare!
Standard Mode
The main mode of the game pits you against a never-ending onslaught of continuously-shuffling minigames. Last as long as possible without making a mistake! Compete against friends or go for the top of the leaderboards!
Here is an explanation of the available options on the Standard Mode menu:
Start - Gameplay will begin.
Minigame Collection - Select between SUPER and ORIGINAL. SUPER is the default option, and contains the full set of 17 unique minigames that can be played in 26 different ways. ORIGINAL contains 12 of the unique minigames that were first introduced in Multitasking 1.0, playable in 19 different ways. If the sheer variety of minigames feels intimidating to you, you should consider choosing ORIGINAL until you're more comfortable with the game.
Difficulty - Choose between EASY, NORMAL, HARD and MAXIMUM. EASY ramps up very slowly, keeps the minigames simple, and has you playing a maximum of 2 minigames for several minutes before things get tough. NORMAL ramps up at a pace that most players will enjoy. HARD gets very tough within just 2 to 3 minutes. MAXIMUM is just nasty!
To keep the menu uncluttered, these are all that display by default. But if you select MORE OPTIONS, you will be able to access the following settings:
Minigame Difficulty - This option sets the initial difficulty, as well as the rate of difficulty increase, for the minigames themselves, and does not affect the difficulty of the multitasking. EASY keeps the minigames very simple for several minutes. NORMAL ramps up at a pace that most players will enjoy. HARD requires that you pay some level of attention to the minigames in order to succeed. MAXIMUM presents all minigames at their highest possible difficulty!
Multitasking Difficulty - This option sets the rate of difficulty increase for the multitasking and does not affect the minigames themselves. EASY ramps up very slowly, and has you playing a maximum of 2 minigames for several minutes. NORMAL ramps up at a pace that most players will enjoy. HARD has you playing 3 minigames simultaneously by the 2-minute mark. MAXIMUM has you always playing 4 minigames at once!
Tournament Mode - Turn this ON to have between 2 and 24 players attempt the same sequence, one after another. The game will keep track of everyone's time ranking. The player that lasts longest is the winner!
Number of Players - When Tournament Mode is ON, select the number of players here.
Seed - When Tournament Mode is ON, select the seed here. The seed determines the basis of the sequence. If you choose a seed you used before, the beginning of the sequence will be identical, but it may vary afterwards depending on a number of factors. You can also type this in directly (and press Backspace to back up).
Standard Mode games end when you fail to achieve any minigame's goal, or when any player character is struck. If you have chosen to participate in network features, and you set a personal best time, your time will be posted to Steam Leaderboards. Leaderboards exist for every possible combination of Minigame Collection, Minigame Difficulty, and Multitasking Difficulty, so go for it =)
If Tournament Mode is turned on, the next player will take their turn until everyone has played. Then, the winner will be displayed and the game will end.
After the end of the game, you'll be brought to a menu where you can retry, change settings, return to the main menu, or quit to Attract Mode.
Practice Mode
Practice Mode allows you to freely control everything that happens, so you can set up all kinds of situations. Practice tough spots, create new challenges for your friends, or just create the most horrific thing imaginable!
Here is an explanation of what does what on the Practice Mode menu:
Start - Gameplay will begin, as long as you've set up a minigame in at least one slot.
Minigame Difficulty - This represents the difficulty of the minigames across all slots, as a percentage of the maximum possible. It can't be set individually for each slot; all minigames will be played at this difficulty.
Game Over - The default is ON. If you set this to OFF, making a mistake will not end the game. You can instead continue to play the minigames that you have not failed, until either your script is finished or you quit. Note that turning this OFF will disqualify you from earning certain Achievements.
Autoplay - The default is OFF. If you set this to ON, the computer will play the minigames automatically. Note that turning this ON will disqualify you from earning certain Achievements. Please note that the computer's intelligence was not the highest priority on my list, so it's not capable of playing all the minigames perfectly.
Slot - Choose from TOP, LEFT, CENTER, or RIGHT. This setting doesn't change anything on its own; it represents the slot you're currently editing, using the settings below this:
Game - Choose the minigame that will run in this slot. You can choose between Empty, Random, or any of the specific minigames that run in this slot.
Start Delay - If you want the minigame to begin immediately, leave this at 0 sec. If you want it to begin after a delay, choose the delay here in seconds from 1 to 30.
Duration - Choose the duration of this minigame in seconds, from 1 to 30. Note that minigames requiring you to achieve specific goals do not have a set duration, so you're not able to select one here.
After End - Choose between END, REPEAT or RANDOM. The default is END. If you set this to REPEAT, the minigame will start over every time it has been completed. If you set this to RANDOM, a random minigame will start every time it has been completed. Depending on what you set here, you may need to quit from the Pause menu in order to end the session.
Exit - Quit Practice Mode and return to the main menu.
Challenge Mode / Challenge Speedrun Mode
Challenge Mode contains a set of 42 fully scripted Challenges. These will start off very easy but will eventually get very, very difficult. You have an unlimited number of tries to complete them, so do your best! Use your wits, skills, and determination to ultimately conquer all 42! If you are successful, your final combined number of attempts will be posted to Steam Leaderboards. Your progress will be saved after each attempt, so you can quit at any time and come back later to pick up where you left off.
Each Challenge features between 2 and 4 minigames and lasts for a specific duration, usually between 10-25 seconds, or until all minigames are cleared, depending on the situation. The duration will not be displayed onscreen; you'll have to discover it for yourself! The Challenge is cleared if you reach the end without making a mistake. As in Standard Mode, if you fail to achieve a goal or any player character is struck, you lose, and you'll have to try again. Clues to completing some Challenges can be found in their names or descriptions, visible from the menu. If you're having trouble, try using Practice Mode to set up a similar situation, or play more Standard Mode to become more familiar with the gameplay.
If you press RIGHT on the Main Menu while Challenge Mode is highlighted, you will be able to attempt Challenge Speedrun Mode! This is the same as Challenge Mode, except you will attempt to complete all 42 Challenges in a single session. A timer in the bottom-right corner of the screen will keep track of the total time you've taken (including menu time). If you are successful, your final time and number of attempts will be posted to Steam Leaderboards. If you quit, your progress will not be saved; if you would like to try again, you'll have to start over. Either way, your statistics from each Speedrun attempt will be merged with your normal Challenge Mode statistics.
Bonus Modes
Bonus Modes work in the exact same fashion as Standard Mode, with one major difference: depending on which Bonus Mode you pick, one particular minigame will be continuously running in one of the screen's slots. Other minigames will shuffle in and out. Just as in Standard Mode, select a difficulty and last as long as possible! Your best times will be posted to Steam Leaderboards. (When playing Bonus Modes, you are not able to adjust minigame and multitasking difficulty independently, or set up tournaments. Sorry!)
FAQ
Q: The game crashed. What should I do?
A: The most common cause of Super Multitasking crashes, in my experience, is having an old version of the Steam client. Let it update itself, either by using the Check For Updates function, or by manually downloading the latest Steam client, and install it. Then, relaunch and try again. If you are still seeing a crash, e-mail me at
[email protected] and tell me about it. Include as much detail as you can, and a screenshot if possible. Thanks!
Q: I just ran the game and the controller isn't responding properly.
A: If you have Fraps running, quit Fraps, quit the game, then run the game again. It should work normally now. Once the game is already running, you can open Fraps and everything will work 100%.
This issue has also happened before when running on Windows and using the "Xbox Configuration Support" setting in Steam's General Controller Settings. Super Multitasking on Windows natively supports Xbox controllers, so it's not necessary to use this feature. If you're still having trouble using an Xbox 360 or Xbox One controller, try turning this option off. Pull down the Steam menu and choose "Settings," click "Controller" along the left sidebar, then click the "General Controller Settings" button, and finally, uncheck "Xbox Configuration Support."
Q: Wait, the Windows keys on my keyboard aren't working!
A: To make keyboard gameplay easier, I disable those keys while Super Multitasking is running. When you quit the game, they'll once again function normally. If you find this to be bothersome, please let me know using one of the methods outlined above.
Q: I'm playing on keyboard. When things get hectic, some of my keystrokes don't seem to respond. What's going on?
A: You may be using a keyboard that won't process more than 2 keystrokes at once. Many Apple MacBook integrated keyboards act this way, as well as some others. Try a USB keyboard (or a different USB keyboard) and that should alleviate the issue.
Q: It doesn't look like there's a ton of things to do. Are there more?
A: For ease of use, the game jumps right into Standard Mode when you press the A button (on Xbox-compatible or Switch Pro controllers), the X button (on DualShock), or the ENTER key. From the Standard Mode start menu, you can select "Main Menu" to see the other modes, including Practice, Challenge, and Bonus. Or, to jump straight to the Main Menu from Attract Mode, press LB/RB (Xbox), L1/R1 (DualShock), or ESC (keyboard).
Q: Wait, what's Attract Mode?
A: It's the loop of things that happen while nobody is playing. Just about every arcade game ever made has this. Every game I release has this as well ;)
Q: I'm having friends over, or showing the game at a gathering. I want them to have fun, but I don't want them to break my records, to mess with my Challenge Mode progress, or to earn Achievements/post to Leaderboards on my behalf. What should I do?
There's a feature made just for this purpose! It's called Guest Mode, and you can find it in Help & Options. Go there to enable it. All saving, Achievements, and Leaderboards will be disabled until the game is quit and restarted.
Q: Is there multiplayer?
A: At the moment, there is just Tournament Mode, which allows for 2-24 players to play the exact same sequence and see who's best. But I'm pretty sure that's not what you mean when you ask for multiplayer.
This question has already been asked by a number of people. Rest assured, I have heard the suggestion =) I have nothing to announce right now, but please see the question about future versions below.
Q: Why is there an option to opt out of network features? What network features are we opting out of?
A: Participation in network features entails the following:
- Each time you complete a Standard/Bonus Mode game, or Challenge Mode, your time or number of attempts will be posted to Steam Leaderboards along with your username.
- Each time you complete a Standard Mode game, your anonymous play statistics will be sent to Steam. This includes how many times each minigame and each slot were played and failed.
If you opt out of these features, none of this data will be sent. You will still be able to view the leaderboard and stat data accumulated by users who have participated. Also, you can change this setting at any time from the Help & Options menu. If you opt out at first and then opt in later, stats from before you opted in will still not be sent; only stats accumulated while you're opted in will be sent to Steam.
Q: I get a notification that says "Couldn't connect to Steam. Leaderboards/Achievements unavailable." How do I fix this?
A: There are a few possibilities here. One is that your Internet connection was interrupted. Another is that your Steam client needs to be updated (this fixed it on one of my test machines). Or maybe it's something I never saw during my testing, in which case you should e-mail me about it. But regardless of the cause, neither Leaderboards nor Achievements will work until you fix the issue, quit the game, and finally, restart it. If everything is working normally you should not see this message.
Q: I get a notification that says "Steam Leaderboard connection failed" or "Steam Leaderboard submission failed." What happened? Can I have it try to submit my record again?
If you see this message, the game tried to obtain a leaderboard connection, and failed. Or, the connection succeeded, but the game tried to post your record to the leaderboards three times and failed. It then repeated all of that and it still didn't work. Maybe you lost your Internet connection, maybe Steam is having issues on their end, or maybe something else went wrong, but regardless, the process failed. Unfortunately, to prevent cheating, there is no way to submit your record after the game is over. Sorry...
Q: What kinds of controllers can/should I use?
A: Here is the list of officially supported controllers:
- Xbox One, Xbox 360: natively supported
- DualShock 4: supported via the Steam Controller Configurator, using an official configuration called "DualShock 4 (yyrGames Official)"
- Switch Pro: supported via the Steam Controller Configurator.
- Steam Controller: supported via the Steam Controller Configurator, using an official configuration called "Steam Controller (yyrGames Official)"
The following controllers are not officially supported, but you may be able to use them by utilizing third-party drivers or tools:
- DualShock 3 and earlier
- Xbox OG
- Wii Classic Controller or Classic Controller Pro
- Wii U Pro Controller
Basically, any controller that has two analog thumbsticks, bumpers/triggers, and face buttons *should* in theory work with this game.
But you're on your own with getting it to work.
The following are examples of things that definitely won't work at all, simply because they lack one or more of the necessary controls:
- Arcade-style digital joysticks (Hori, MadCatz, Razer, etc.)
- Motion controllers such as Wii Remote, PlayStation Move, etc.
- Hori Pokken Tournament or Pokken Tournament DX controllers
- Guitar Hero/Rock Band guitar or drum controllers
- Any other controller that lacks two analog thumbsticks, bumpers/triggers, and/or face buttons
If you attempt to connect a non-working controller, the game will post an error message and ignore the controller. Sorry!
Q: I was playing on keyboard. Now I plugged in a controller and my records/progress are gone. What happened?
A: Don't worry, nothing actually happened. Because of the massive differences between controller and keyboard controls, and because a few of the minigames have difficulty changes between one and the other, Challenge Mode progress and personal bests are tracked separately between the two. To switch between controller and keyboard mode, simply exit to Attract Mode and then either plug in or disconnect your controller.
Please note that the arcade-style, local Standard Mode leaderboards are NOT separated between controller and keyboard.
Your Standard Mode/Challenge Speedrun personal best for the currently selected control/set/difficulty combination will be displayed in the lower corner before you begin.
Your Bonus Mode personal best for the currently selected control/difficulty combination will be displayed along the top of the screen before, during, and after play.
Q: I got a penalty for pausing the game? What the heck?!
A: Standard Mode is supposed to be a test of your ability to focus and multitask over a continuous period of time. Yes, sometimes life happens and you need to pause your game, sure. But if you pause the game more than twice, it is considered to be cheating, and you will be assessed a penalty as follows:
- The 3rd time you pause: 2 seconds.
- The 4th time you pause: 5 seconds.
- The 5th+ time you pause: double the previous penalty, up to a maximum of 60 seconds.
The penalty will not decrease your elapsed time below zero; zero is the lowest it can go.
The penalty will not affect the difficulty of the game; it will continue to increase just as if you had not been penalized.
Q: What languages does this game support?
A: At the moment, only English.
Q: When will it support more languages?
A: I would love to include multi-language support in the future. However, the game wasn't originally built with that in mind, so some significant changes will be necessary to make that possible. Either buying the game, or sending me an e-mail specifically requesting multi-language support, will help convince me to make those changes and work on translations. (I would most likely not do the translations myself, but would seek out native speakers to assist.)
Q: How do I try to improve my # of attempts in Challenge Mode, after I've completed it?
A: You may have noticed that the total # of attempts will show up after you've cleared everything, but there's nothing you can do to improve it. Well, actually, that's not true. There are two ways:
Use the Data Clear function to wipe out your Challenge progress. This will reset everything to zero and allow you to try again. Go for a lower total number of attempts this time!
Try Speedrun Challenge Mode. If you are successful, and your total number of attempts is lower, it'll be adjusted accordingly and submitted to leaderboards.
Q: If I crowd around a controller with 3 other people and we play as a team, that sounds awesome, doesn't it?
A: Well, it kind of defeats the purpose of the game, which is to test your multitasking ability. But obviously, there's nothing I can do to stop you from trying this, and who am I to judge how people have fun with a game they bought? So go right ahead, but I would like to ask a favor: if you want to do this, please go into Help & Options and turn on Network Opt-Out or Guest Mode before you do. This way, players competing for the best times on the leaderboards will not be at a disadvantage. (If you forgot to do this, and feel bad about it, just send me a message and I'll remove the record manually...thank you!)
To those players competing for the best times: I have a reliable method for detecting leaderboard hackers, but obviously there is no way I can detect this; the honor system will have to do. Please understand =\
Q: What does the "Rank Display" option in Display Options do?
A: This displays difficulty information in the upper-left corner of the screen as you play. "GAME" shows the current minigame difficulty as a percentage of the maximum possible. "MULTI" shows the current multitasking difficulty as a number from 0 to 4.
Q: Okay. How do these values work?
A: These values will increase as you play; the rate of increase is determined by your selected difficulty level. When MULTI reaches the next whole number, minigame difficulty will decrease significantly, but will immediately begin increasing again, albeit at a slower rate than before.
Here is an explanation of what the MULTI value means:
- Between 0 and 1, you will always play 1 minigame at a time. You won't be here for long.
- Between 1 and 2, you will always play at least 1 minigame at a time, with a chance of a 2nd appearing. As the rank gets closer to 2, this chance increases.
- Between 2 and 3, you will always play at least 2 minigames at a time, with a chance of a 3rd appearing. As the rank gets closer to 3, this chance increases.
- Between 3 and 4, you will always play at least 3 minigames at a time, with a chance of a 4th appearing. As the rank gets closer to 4, this chance increases.
- Once it reaches 4, it will stay at 4, and you'll play 4 minigames at a time until you fail. On MAXIMUM difficulty, the value is always 4.
Q: Do you plan to expand on this game, either with DLC or further releases?
A: Funny you should ask. The truth is, I had always planned from the beginning to release 3 versions of this game.
Version 1: Multitasking 1.0, released in mid-2016 on Xbox 360 (XBLIG).
Version 2: Super Multitasking, released in early 2018 on PC (Steam). Adds more minigames and Challenges, Bonus Modes, Leaderboards, Achievements, keyboard support & more.
Version 3: Well...provided that Super Multitasking hits its sales target, you will find out in due time. So spread the word =)
Q: Are there Trading Cards in Super Multitasking?
A: No...well, not yet, at least. A set of 6 Trading Cards has already been created; each depicts a different way that Mr. Multitasking can meet his end ;) All of the other associated assets (badges, profile backgrounds, etc.) have been created as well. However, I can't actually add them to the game until certain (unknown) thresholds have been met. This is due to Steam's new Trading Card policy, which was designed to eliminate the "fake games" that exist solely for the purpose of Trading Cards. The policy is great, and certainly will improve Steam as a whole. But that means if you want Trading Cards in Super Multitasking, you'll want to spread the word! Talk about it, Tweet about it, stream it, shout it from the rooftops =) If and when the threshold is met, I will flip the switch and you will have your Trading Cards.
Q: Are there lootboxes in Super Multitasking?
A: I can honestly say that if you manage to last for 5 minutes in Standard Mode, you will automatically unlock and receive 100% of the lootboxes in the game. ;)
Q: How many people worked on this game?
A: I'm proud to say that this game, and everything in it, is solely my creation, with the only exceptions being the non-synthesized sound effects. (Those came from a royalty-free sound library.) It took many hundreds of hours for me to create, balance, and test this, and I really hope that you enjoy it! I did have testing assistance from a handful of people, who will be mentioned either in-game, in documentation, or both.
Q: I'm not familiar with yyrGames beyond this. What's your deal?
A: I create arcade-style games exclusively, and have been doing so for 10 years now. Unfortunately, because I was releasing them exclusively on Xbox Live Indie Games, most of my catalog was delisted in 2017, so I'm currently in the process of porting them to more modern platforms. You can check my progress at http://yyrgames.com. 