A space flight adventure
A motion based puzzle game with gravity well racing
Play as Aare, a lone hybrid human synth escaping a violent confrontation in a restricted well craft. Help her rebuild her craft and cybernetics enough to start making sense of what happened, and explore the system in this colorful, soundscape gravity racer.
Developed an interesting and novel movement mechanic during the physics jam involving gravity well surfing in space. We were inspired by the idea of people having to travel by slingshotting themselves around planets to preserve fuel and use gravity to propel them instead. Exploring this mechanic was incredibly fun, and paired with colorful visuals and music created a trippy, enjoyable surf racing type game. The space setting and gravity mechanic revealed a whole range of solar events to provide jets of energy to surf on or avoid, asteroid belts to traverse while slinging, and ways to make the player really feel the effects of gravity.
So far we have the mechanics in place: [ list mechanics ]
We have craft and planets, ready to create interesting race courses and maps to challenge the player. We are looking for ways to update and improve their resolution and performance.
Aare has arrived in a new system after fleeing confrontation with the law about her restricted cybernetic limbs and well craft. Their craft is shot at, damaged, low on fuel and life support, and they escaped into alien space with no plan but to survive. Their distress beacon is picked up by a near by station, and are pinged for status. All Aare can do is try get there in time. This is the first time the player is forced to use minimal fuel and some gravity well surfing to cross a treacherous distance to the station.
They manage to make it to the station on their last breath, only to be greeted by an angry dock manager about the state of their craft. It may have left scorch marks.
With no way to pay for repairs, let alone the docking fee, Aare is offered work delivering packages and collecting alien resources to fund her sanctuary.
A gruff, mechanic that crewed with her on a salvage mission is impressed with her grit, and offers her their workshop for patching up Song and anything else Aare needs to fix. This is where you upgrade.
The main player experience will be taking on different challenges and jobs, to earn credits and resources to fix and then continue building their well craft and cybernetics.
Once Aare has brought her craft back from the brink, they are told about a series of courses that challenge pilots to well surf around Pyxis stretch. This is your first race, where you can earn credits and renown.
flying around in space delivering packages to far flung stations, salvaging alien trash belts and structures, building an alien well craft and slingshotting at incredible speeds around stunning star scapes.