Brake-Down Protocol

Can you pull the brake in time? Or will you crash blind into the dark?

About the Game

Brake-Down Protocol is an intense, immersive first-person train management game with no on-screen UI.

Trapped inside the cockpit of a runaway train hurtling toward a dark tunnel, your vision is almost entirely blocked by dense fog. To bring the train to a complete stop, you must rely on your ears, physical cockpit instruments, and split-second decisions. Track the trackside masts, manage rising hydraulic pressure, and keep your headlights working! One wrong move bring you closer to disaster ...

Instructions

Your main goal is to pull the brake lever down to 0 before you reach the end of the track. You have 5 strikes—a 6th mistake causes total brake failure!

1. The Main Objective: Count & Brake

1. Listen for the Clacks: An audio signal (a series of wheel clacks) will announce a sequence. Count how many clacks you hear (e.g., 3 clacks).
2. Count the Yellow Poles: Watch out the window as poles emerge from the fog.
   • Count ONLY Yellow poles.
   • Ignore Red and Green poles—they are distractions!
3. Make the Call:
   • If the number of Yellow poles matches the initial clacks, pull the brake lever before the final single clack ends the sequence.
   • NO MATCH? Do NOT touch the brake lever!
   • Pulling at the wrong time or missing a valid window blocks your brake and costs you 1 Strike.

2. Manage Hydraulic Pressure

• The Hydraulic Valve slowly builds up pressure over time, faster as your brake level gets lower.
• Action: Click the valve to turn it back to 0.
• Warning: If it hits maximum pressure, the brake lever snaps back up by 1 level and costs you 1 Strike.

3. Keep the Lights On

• You need the Headlights to identify pole colors through the fog. If you feel risky though, you can also try to identify the colors in the dark
• Keeping the lights ON builds heat in the fuse. Listen for the electrical hiss!
• Switch the light OFF periodically to cool the fuse down.
• Warning: If the fuse blows, you will be left completely blind in the dark until it completely cools down!

Credits

Note: Only explicitly required attributions are listed separately.

• 3D Models: Sketchfab & Poly Pizza
  • "Button Round Flat" by The Lost Sock
  • "Tram" by Darkkostas25
  • "Lastochka" by Vladiviriy
  • "Mechanical Gears" by faith3105
  • "Farmland, river, hills, country road and railway" by Metazeon
  • "Railway Track" by EnrycoDosSantos
  • "Tunnel" by AqibGulzar_41
  • "Race Flag" by Zsky
• Textures & Skybox: ambientCG
• Sound Effects: Soundsnap
• Music: WeLoveIndies
• Icons: Flaticon