Starsss, The Star-Chasing Roguelite Platformer (PC/Mac/Linux) :: Steam Greenlight Too

WhiteSponge

Game Crafter
Joined
February 12, 2013
Messages
158
Hey everyone, my name is David. If you know me from before, it is most probably because I also made Small Chronicles.

I would like to share about a new game for PC/Mac/Linux that I have just started working on since late 2014.

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Starsss is a roguelite platformer that sets you up on the ultimate star-chasing adventure. With Starsss, you will be on the hunt for stars while also defeating enemies or avoiding them. And each time you die, you'll have to start all over on a new procedurally generated/randomized stage!

Key Highlights
Ω Explore various procedurally generated stages each filled with unique enemies with wacky behaviors

Ω Level up character(s) and abilities from defeating enemies and collecting ability orbs

Ω Play character(s) differently each play-through from learning the various unique character growths

Ω Attempt to reach the legendary Stellar Skies, where the Star of Records is rumored to be at


* Please note that the game is still a work-in-progress so everything is subject to change. I will also be using this thread to post the latest game development updates for Starsss!

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Play The Game Now!
You can also play Starss now from the game's website!
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Steam Greenlight
Starsss is also on Steam Greenlight! Upvote it to get it from Steam!
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Live Streaming @ TwitchTV
The entire game development process is also streamed live on TwitchTV! You can also catch the live stream over at WhiteSponge's TwitchTV channel every Monday, Thursday and Saturday from 9pm to 11pm EST.
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Screenshots Time!

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WhiteSponge is on Twitter and Instagram! Follow WhiteSponge at

TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/WhiteSponge

INSTAGRAM:
http://instagram.com/whitespongestudio
 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
158
Having dates to look forward to is definitely exciting! And the release date of the upcoming Asuka update is no exception! There are only 4 days left till 3rd February arrives!

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So put that date down in your calendar right now! While it isn't long ago that the new ice world was added to Starsss (in v0.03a), there is nothing wrong with giving you another awesome character to play with. In fact, why not have them both?

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On top of being the 1st female character in Starsss, Asuka also has the fastest legs. Her agility and smaller figure is what will give her the upper edge in action.

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Asuka's special skill, Counter, also allows you to deflect and return enemy projectiles. If you can master it, reward yourself with a cookie!

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So look forward to the new Asuka update that is coming this 3rd February!

Now there is just 1 last thing you have to know for today.


Starsss on Desura
Starsss is also coming this February 13th on Desura! You can already pre-order the alpha version now on Desura!

Now if you haven't heard about Desura, it is a*community driven digital distribution service for gamers. Basically, you can get games, downloadable content and mods from Desura.

So if you want to get Starsss from Desura instead of from the WhiteSponge site, you can do so now!


Starsss on Steam Greenlight
Besides getting on to Desura, Starsss is also on Steam Greenlight!



So to get Starsss from Steam, help Starsss get green-lit by upvoting it on Steam Greenlight!


Starsss on TwitchTV/YouTube
And lastly, you can also check out today's live stream (now uploaded onto YouTube) for a sneak preview of a possible 4th character! Enjoy!

 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
158
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #2
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After a week of waiting, Asuka has finally arrived in Starsss! In addition to that, today's update will also be about the future roadmap of Starsss!

The Orange Speedster
Firstly, let's give a warm welcome to Asuka! After a long wait of 7 days, you can finally play as Asuka in Starsss!

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In contrast to Beat and Ro, Asuka has a distinct characteristic of having the fastest legs. She can easily run across platforms in a flash.

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However, she also has significant less starting health than Beat, who can be considered a rather balanced character. Check out this character teaser made specially for Asuka!



To really experience how she plays like, play the game now!




Starsss - The Roadmap Ahead
The past few months of progress for Starsss have been awesome. Firstly, Ro was added, along with special skills for playable characters. New character growths and abilities such as Impulse were also introduced to the game soon after.

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And not to mention the ice world update that effectively doubled the amount of game content in Starsss!

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Now, with the addition of Asuka, that makes 3 playable characters and 2 worlds that you can play as and challenge. However, your star-chasing adventure is only just beginning.

To give you an idea of the roadmap ahead of Starsss, check out the roadmap graphic below!

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So what do you think? Are you excited for what lies ahead for Starsss? Be sure to provide your feedback too! You can do so via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram or even the contact form!

Just One More Thing
There is just 1 more thing…

As mentioned above, there are 3 playable characters now in Starsss. Beat is a balanced character and Ro, the 2nd character, has more mana than health. Asuka has more emphasis on her speed. This means that there is a possibility of a new character with more health than mana!

So say hello to the 4th character! To catch a sneak preview of her, check out today's live stream session (that's now on YouTube) ! Enjoy!

 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
158
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #3
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Take a look at your hands. Imagine if you were able to create and bring life to characters using both of your hands. What type of character would you create?

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And that is the question that is frequently asked here at WhiteSponge. So to begin answering that, let's revisit the 3 existing characters in Starsss.

Beat - The Kickstarter
If you were new to Starsss, Beat is definitely the character you would want to start with. Armed with equal amounts of health and mana, he is the ultimate balanced character to kickstart your star-chasing adventure.

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His special skill, the 5-hit combo, literally does what it says. Upon activation (via your S key), Beat dashes to the nearest enemy and does a 5-hit combo.

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Ro - The Mana Monster
Armed with a huge mana pool, Ro is the character that you would choose if you prefer to be on the offensive. As his starting health is significantly lesser as compared to Beat, you will have to be on your toes all the time.

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Ro's special skill - Stunning Nose, does not do a huge ton of damage unlike Beat's. Instead, you would usually use it in the right situation to stun multiple enemies at once.

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Asuka - The Orange Speedster
While she does not have a huge health or mana pool to survive on, Asuka's legs does more than compensate for that. Her fast running speed allows her to quickly evade and outrun enemy projectiles if needed.

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Unlike Beat and Ro, Asuka's special skill, Counter, does not inflict damage directly on enemies. Instead, if you use it at the right time, you can deflect enemy projectiles right back at them!

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The Unveiling
After revisiting the 3 existing characters in Starsss, are you more pumped up for the unveiling of the 4th character?

So say hello to Eating - the 4th character who you will be able to play as in Starsss!

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In stark contrast to Ro, Eating is the tank of Starsss. In addition to having more health than mana, she moves like how you would imagine she would - slowly.

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While this indicates that she doesn't die easily, her limited mana pool puts that in check. Therefore, if you want to play as Eating, don't waste mana by missing your attacks!

Well what about her special skill then? To catch a glimpse of her special skill, watch the behind-the-scenes YouTube video down below!

And lastly, remember that Starsss (alpha) is on sale and you can get it for only under $5! Start your star-chasing adventure now!

 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
158
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #4
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Do you love drumsticks? It is one of the tastiest part that you can savor and enjoy every last bit of! Now imagine a drumstick, and combine that with the 4th & upcoming Starsss character - Eating. What will you get?

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Say hello to Eating's special skill - the Drumstick Shield! This is what happens when you press your S key to activate it.

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A shield with a drumstick literally appears over Eating's head! In addition to that, Eating will also glow with a green aura, thereby indicating that she is invulnerable for just a short period of time.

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While this might seem overpowered at first glance, you are not able to move Eating while she is invulnerable. The Drumstick Shield also costs quite an amount of mana to activate, so don't expect to be able to spam it at will.

So what do you think of Eating's Drumstick Shield? Do you like it? Or do you feel that it is overpowered? Do remember to check the blog regularly for when Eating makes her arrival in Starsss!

Now there is just 1 more thing…

Remember how you can get Starsss directly from WhiteSponge? Well you can also get the game from Desura! Starsss comes out on Desura this coming 13th February but you can already pre-order it now!

To end things off, check out today's TwitchTV live stream session where we did some play-testing with Eating! Enjoy!

 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
158
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #5
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If you are enjoying the pineapple tarts and bak kwa (Chinese salty/sweet dried meat which is similar to jerky), happy chinese new year! In this joyous festival season where you should be eating most of the time, Eating has arrived in the latest update for Starsss!.

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Eating - The Health Tank
Eating is the latest character to join the family of playable characters in Starsss! She looks like she is always stuffed with food and as a result, she does have quite an amount of health.

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To play Eating, you will have to collect at least 99 stars to unlock her. I'll have to apologize first but there aren't any in-app purchases which allows you instant access to Eating. This means that you actually have to spend more time playing the game to accomplish unlocking Eating!

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Better Gameplay Experience
In addition to adding Eating, the characters are now more responsive to the game controls! This is accomplished by removing inertia from the characters when you stop moving them.

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This change ensures that you do not fall off the platform edges unintentionally and get damaged by enemies. With improved game controls, you will also feel that the characters respond better to you changing directions.

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Pausing The Game
On top of that, you can now pause the game by pressing your escape (ESC) key! When you pause the game, everything stops and this is what you will see.

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When the game is paused, you can go back to the character selection menu (via Q key) if you ever so wanted. However, do remember that by doing so, you will have to start the game from the beginning.

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And if you ever needed to get away or shut down your computer, you can quit Starsss (not recommended though) just by pressing your E key.

Next?
So what is coming next for Starsss, now that Eating, the 4th character, has been added to the game? To get a sneak preview of what's coming next, check out the YouTube video down below!

You can get Starsss v0.05a directly now from WhiteSponge! It is currently on sale so be sure to grab it as the price will only go up when more game content is added!

Enjoy!

 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
158
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #6
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Imagine having the power to create worlds. What kind of world would you create? And that is the question that I ask myself whenever a new world is added to Starsss.

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When you start your star-chasing adventure, you will encounter the first world - the Brick World.

The Brick World
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The Brick World is filled with enemies that range from the basic Green Virus to the Fading Ghost.

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If you somehow manage to defeat Big Teeth, the boss of the Brick World, you will be able to advance to the next - the Ice World!

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The Ice World
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In addition to housing powerful foes, the platforms of the Ice World are also rather slippery.

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As with the Brick World, defeating the boss of the Ice World is what will get you to the next world.

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And so let's go back to the question - what type of world should come next after the Ice World? Before getting to that, there is a hidden story in Starsss that I have to reveal. (WARNING: SPOILER TEXT IN WHITE BELOW)

Remember how the Brick World has a ceiling on the top edge but the Ice World has none? This is because you are actually venturing from an underground facility (Brick World) to above the surface, which has been overtaken by a new ice age (Ice World).

(END OF SPOILER)

And from the Ice World, let's go on to the next - the Metal World!

The Metal World!
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With the Metal World, you will find yourself akin to being in a sci-fi movie. Metal plates, artificial platforms and what not are just some of the things that you will find in the Metal World.

But wait… where are the enemies? They are actually still in my brain, waiting to be released into the world…

Want More Worlds?
Help support Starsss by getting the game now! You can also help to upvote the game on Steam Greenlight! Your continual support will help ensure that your star-chasing adventure continues on even from the Metal World!

Lastly, enjoy today's live TwitchTV stream (now on YouTube) !

 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
158
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #7
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When you walk down a road, do you stop to take a look at the small flowers at the side? Sometimes it is the little things that really matter in life as they make it more beautiful. Is it the same with Starsss? Let's find out.

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To begin with, let's take a look at what happens when you attack with an ability in Starsss.

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The projectile launches towards the direction you are facing, but that is all there is to it. Do you feel good or excited watching that?

Now let's add a simple screen shake to it. Watch what happens.

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Does this feel better? By simply adding a screen shake, the game now feels more action-packed! Let's take a step further and add player pushback (recoil) to it.

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When you fire a gun in real life, there is bound to be some recoil. And that is why adding the pushback is a good idea to add some sort of realism to Starsss.

In addition to juicing up the characters during attacking, enemies now also lie around as corpses after you have defeated them. Just take a look at the following GIFs and compare them.

Before
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After
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Which version looks more satisfying to you? While the former version appears to look neater from enemies getting removed from the screen, the latter version tells you how many enemies you have defeated. That creates a better feeling of satisfaction as you can just stand on top of the corpses of the enemies that you have defeated.

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So what do you think of these small little changes to Starsss? There will be more gameplay improvements and content coming so be sure to always read the blog!

An update for the demo is also on the way! This new version will include the recent gameplay improvements but not the additional worlds and characters. To fully experience the new worlds and characters, be sure to grab the game now!

And here's a little preview of the next little thing to be added to Starsss - hit effects! Enjoy!

 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #8
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In the previous post, the gameplay experience in Starsss was improved by adding little things that matter. However, is it possible to take it a step further? Are there more things that matter? Let's find out.

To start things off, this is what happens when you use an ability to attack in Starsss now.

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With the screen shaking and the player pushback (recoil), it feels better than if there wasn't any. However, notice that when the projectile hits the wall, nothing happens?

So to bring it 1 step further, let's add a hit effect to it!

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From adding the hit effect, you can immediately tell that your projectile has hit the wall. This immediate visual feedback allows your brain to process it as "Oh I hit the wall" instead of "Wait… where did my projectile go?".

It is also the same as when your projectiles hit an enemy.

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Along with the enemy blinking red, the hit effect serves as a visual reinforcement, telling you that you have successfully landed an attack on the enemy!

In addition to adding a hit effect, there is something else that is long overdue - a death animation! Currently, if you were to be defeated in Starsss, this is what you would see.

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However, in the upcoming update (for both demo/full versions), you will get to enjoy your death in the game.

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How do you like the new death animation? Remember that a new update for both the demo & full version is coming this week! Be sure to follow the Twitter channel for when that happens!

If you can't wait for that to happen, you can also first grab the game now!

And for a preview of what new animations will be added to Starsss, check out today's live TwitchTV stream! Cheers!

 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
158
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #9
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It's here! The new update for Starsss has finally arrived! But why is this particular update so exciting? Well…

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That's because a ton of gameplay treats have been added to Starsss in this new update! And who else can forget the new slow motion death animation?

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Besides being able to enjoy your death slowly, there's a couple of new animations that should catch your eye!

Remember when you collect a star and nothing much happens, except that an ability name just pops up?*With the new v0.051 Alpha, a little something special has been added.

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And let's not forget that there are also health, mana and ability orbs, which can drop from defeated enemies! So why not give them new animations when you get to them too?

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So be sure to play the game right away! You can do so at http://www.whitesponge.com/games/starsss where you can get the game or try the demo!



And if you are curious about how the animations were added to Starsss, check out today's live stream! Cheers!

 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
158
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #10
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What does it feel like to venture to a new world? What will you find there? Remember when the Metal World was announced for Starsss? Well it's time to populate it with new enemies!

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As the third world which you will journey to, the Metal World isn't as friendly as either the Brick/Ice Worlds. It is only right if the Metal World poses more of a challenge as compared to them.

To achieve that, enemies of the Metal World have to not only have the behaviors of enemies from the Brick/Ice Worlds, but also sport additional intelligence to stand your star-chasing adventure. So let's start with introducing the Metal World's first enemy that you might see - the Metal Drone!

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The Metal Drone looks like the most basic robot that you could see, only that it isn't as friendly as it seems. If you are in it's line of vision, expect to eat multiple bullets at once.

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And if you want to sneak up behind it for a surprise attack, think again.

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It will detect that it is under attack (from you), and response swiftly with its bullets. In addition to attacking, it also moves randomly. If you try to predict where it will head for, you will be in for a surprise.

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So what do you think of the Metal Drone? Does it seem too intelligent to you? Or do you think that it could be made more challenging instead?

Stay tuned for the next update about the new enemies that are constantly being added to the Metal World!

And if you haven't tried the latest update (v0.051 Alpha) yet, be sure to give it a go!

Lastly, here's today's behind-the-scenes game development! Check it out for a sneak peek into the next enemy of the Metal World! Cheers!

 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
158
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #11
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In the previous post, the new Metal Drone was added to the upcoming Metal World ~ However, the next enemy to be added is rather peculiar with its specific role - alerting nearby enemies.

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The Sentry Bot, a new enemy that is coming to the Metal World, doesn't really attack with projectiles.

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However, when it sees you or if you attack it, it will go into high alert.

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In addition, when it is in high alert, it will notify its nearby enemies of your presence and location.

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When that happens, the alerted enemies will turn towards where you are and attack you immediately. So if you see a sentry bot in high alert, be sure to destroy it quickly or jump away quickly!

So what do you think of this new enemy? Does having a specific role make it more interesting? Be sure to provide any feedback you deem necessary!

And if you have not tried the demo of Starsss, be sure to do so now!

Lastly, check out today's TwitchTV live stream for a sneak preview of the next enemy to be added! Cheers!

 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #12
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Guess what? A new update is coming soon for Starsss! Unlike the previous ones, this update will focus on fixing some hot bugs of rather high priority.

To begin with, here's a screenshot that a fellow star-chaser sent me.

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Basically, when Big Teeth, the boss of the 1st world, does his earthquake jump, the entire screen shakes. And that means the platforms move up and down, thereby causing you to sometimes get stuck in a wall.

Luckily, it has already been fixed as of the moment you are reading this.

Besides that bug, here are a few of the other bugs that will be fixed in the next update:

- Getting stuck in a wall after using Beat's special skill
- Wave projectiles hitting platforms (that it is parallel to) before being able to travel far enough to hit a target
- Projectiles (enemies' and your's) sometimes stopping in mid-air
- Going back to the character selection menu sometimes causes a character to land outside of the white selection box

Now in addition to bug fixes, there are a few gameplay changes that you should take note of.

The first thing is that stars now come in different colors!

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This will help you identify what ability the star carries with it. So if you are not in the mood for Impulse, avoid the purple stars.

Besides stars, there is a slight change to the drop rate of health orbs. With the upcoming update, you will find that health orbs drop more often when your health gets super low.

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So what do you think of the bug fixes and gameplay changes? Make sure to follow @WhiteSponge on Twitter for when it comes out (within these few days)!

And lastly here's today's TwitchTV stream! Enjoy!

 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
158
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #13
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It has only been 2 weeks since the last update but there's no reason not to release another! Say hello to v0052a where a huge amount of bugs have been fixed! But how would this change Starsss? Well…

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Getting Stuck? No Thanks!
For starters, you now get a fair chance at fighting Big Teeth, the first boss of Starsss. Instead of getting stuck in a tile when he does the earthquake jump, now you just get stunned (and damaged).

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It was also possible for you to get stuck after using Beat's special skill. Luckily, this has also been fixed as now you'll just end up at where the enemy was.

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Death Upon Appearing?
In previous versions, it is possible for you to die upon appearing on the next stage. This is caused by enemies falling off onto you, from platforms above where you start the stage in.

To prevent that from happening, enemies now spawn closer to the center of platforms instead of on the edges.

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Character Selection Box?
While this isn't really a game-breaking bug, sometimes when you return to the character selection menu, you don't end up within the white selection box.

It doesn't really affect the game that much gameplay-wise but visually, it just seems out of place. So with v0.052a, you will now be in the white box no matter what.

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Stars In Different Colors?
Besides bugs, there are also a few gameplay changes in this new update. Firstly, stars now come in different colors!

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This is to help you identify what ability a particular star carries with it. So if you are not in the mood for fireball, avoid the red star.

More Health!
Health orbs are a rarity in Starsss. While the game balance must not be upset by making them dropping too often, it helps when your health is extremely low.

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So with v0.052a, health orbs have a higher chance of dropping when your health gets super low!

Thoughts? Get v0.052a now!
What do you think of the changes and bug fixes in this new update? Be sure to get v0.052a now!

Lastly, check out today's TwitchTV live stream! Enjoy!

 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #14
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When you look at a game, what comes to your attention immediately? It has definitely to be the visuals of the game! While Starsss is designed with the retro style and pixel art combination in mind, that doesn't mean that it can't be improved visually!

If you have seen the latest screenshots of Starsss, here's what the brick world looks like.

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With Starsss, the stages are procedurally generated. This means that the platforms are always different when you reach a new stage, thereby creating a new experience every time.

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However, notice that the background is always blackish? So let's take it 1 step further! Let's welcome the new procedurally generated background!

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With this new visual background, it creates a more immersive gameplay experience for you. It also indicates where you are in the world of Starsss. Every time you visit the brick world, you will get to see a different view of the cave in the background.

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Adding on to the procedurally generated platforms of the stage, this combination will greatly enhance the replay value of Starsss. But it's also possible to make the background come alive!

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Did you notice that the cave in the background suffers from tremors every now and then? In addition, whenever there's a tremor, you can actually see rocks falling from the ceiling of the cave.

So what do you think of the new background? Does it make the gameplay feel more immersive? Share your comments below or via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

Be sure to also vote for Starsss on Steam Greenlight if you haven't done so yet! A vote a day keeps the games coming!

And if you haven't tried the latest version of Starsss, do it now directly from the Starsss page! Enjoy and keep the feedback coming!
 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #15
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What is more exciting than playing a game with your keyboard? Playing it with a game controller! That is why you need to know the fun stuff that goes on when game controller support is being added to Starsss!.

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Now as you might have known, the development of Starsss is done mainly from the Mac/OSX operating system. So in order to make the XBox One Controller work with it, you'll need to get and install the Xone-OSX driver.

Once it has been installed and the system has been restarted, this is what you can see in the system preferences.

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Clicking on the new Xone Controller preference shows you the settings that you can change for your controller.

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And if you are using a micro usb cable, connecting the XBox One controller to the Mac allows you to do this.

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Getting the Xbox One Controller to work with the Mac is one thing, but there's more to be done with getting Unity (the game engine that Starsss is made in) to work with it.

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Using Unity's Input Manager allows you to specific new mappings for both the joystick and buttons on the XBox One Controller. For example, you can detect whether the left joystick is being pushed to the left or right with the following line of code.

Code:
float h = Input.GetAxis("LeftJoystickX");
//if h is less than 0, it's left. If not, it's right

It goes without saying that allowing you to move your character left or right, using the left joystick is a definite must. However, besides pressing the A button to jump, it's also better to implement jumping via pushing the left joystick up. This allows you to use the left joystick to jump and the buttons on the right, namely X (to attack) and Y (special skill) at the same time.

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The left and right trigger buttons could be also used for changing between your primary and secondary abilities (if you have learnt dual offense).

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So while there are a lot of mappings to be done, trust me when I say that it is definitely worth it. Look forward to when Starsss comes out with game controller support!

And be sure to help vote for Starsss on Steam Greenlight! Each and every vote counts so tell your family and friends to vote too!

Lastly, check out today's TwitchTV live stream! It's now on YouTube so you can slowly enjoy watching it! Cheers!

 
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Feb 12, 2013
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158
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #16
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While game controller support was added, it won't matter if you didn't know about it ~ Therefore, it's time to bring it 1 step further - making the menus auto-detect if a game controller (Xbox 360/ONE) was connected!.

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To begin, when you first arrive at the character selection screen in Starsss, this is what you would see usually.

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However when you connect your XBox game controller, the character selection screen changes to reflect that.

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In addition to the character selection screen, the game also detects your XBox game controller when it is paused or when it's game over for you.

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With your XBox game controller connected, it's not hard to relate to the next question - which button is for attacking? What about jumping? Or activating your character's special skill? To answer those questions, check out the pixel art game controller below!

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This pixel art version of the XBox game controller gives you a clear indication of the role of each control. For example, the X button is for attacking while the Y button can be used to activate your character's special skill. You will also be able to see this pixel art game controller when you open up the options screen from the character selection screen!

So what do you think of the menus with their new ability to change when you connect your XBox game controller? Let me know in the comments below or tweet to @WhiteSponge!

Be sure to also vote for Starsss on Steam Greenlight! Your vote is powerful and it means a lot to me!

Lastly, enjoy today's TwitchTV live stream as it's now on YouTube! Cheers!

 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
158
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #17
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If you have been wondering, each and every day of the past few months has been dedicated to improving the gameplay experience of Starsss. In fact, here are a few of the new things that will be coming out soon in a new update!.

Immersive Visuals
You will be getting a new visual background for the brick world! This creates a more immersive gameplay experience when you're fighting against the enemies in the brick world!

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The random earthquakes and falling rocks in the background adds to that immersion by making it come alive. In addition, the visual background gives you a small clue as to where in the world of Starsss you are at. Do you want to take a small guess?

However, if you prefer the old minimalist look without the background, it's also possible for you to turn it off. And that brings up the next new addition to Starsss.

Optional Options
What if you want to listen to your music playlist while playing Starsss? While I recommend that you leave the music on, you will be able to turn it off soon!

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Besides the music, you can also turn off the visual background if that's your preference. If you do so, you will be able to get back the old minimalistic style in Starsss.

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By the way, did you also notice something else in the new options screen?

Xbox One Game Controller
Support for the Xbox One game controller is also coming soon!

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This means that you'll be able to play Starsss using your Xbox One game controller! Move your character using the d-Pad, attack using the X button or activate that special skill using the Y button!

Bigger & Faster Bosses
While this isn't considered as anything revolutionary, increasing the bosses' size does make them more intimidating. Take a look at this old screenshot of Big Teeth.

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Now compare it with the new and bigger version of Big Teeth.

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Notice the difference? The bigger version made Big Teeth seem more challenging and akin to what a boss should look and feel like. And besides the enlargement, Big Teeth now moves around more and is a lot faster!

So what do you think of the upcoming additions and changes? If you want to play the game now, get it now from http://www.whitesponge.com/games/starsss!

Lastly, be sure to drop by Twitter and say hi! Cheers!
 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
158
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Starsss - Development Blog Post #18
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An awesome update has arrived! This new version of Starsss not only allows you to play the game with your XBox One controller, it also introduces a new visual background!

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In addition, you can now turn off the music and the visual background in the game's new options! Just press the ESC key or the start button on your XBox One controller (from the character selection screen)!

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And guess what? v0.06 alpha also introduces a whole new collection of music tracks (created by the awesome Bibiki) ! Listen to the new Starsss theme, enjoy the brick world theme or feel the excitement of the boss track when you're facing Big Teeth!



Want to know how playing v0.06 Alpha feels like now? Grab the game now!

Have a great weekend playing Starsss! Cheers!
 
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
158
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Stellar Stars - Development Blog Post #19
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We are announcing that from today onwards, Starsss, the game that has been in development on the live TwitchTV stream, will now be known as "Stellar Stars". And here's why you need to know why that is happening.

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When the idea behind Starsss first came about, it was just something that arose from wanting to create a different gameplay experience every time you played the game. This meant procedurally generated stages, random enemies, random drops and basically anything that could be randomized.

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With game content constantly being added to the game, it is often easy to lose track of what's most important - the gameplay experience! With Stellar Stars, WhiteSponge aims to create a gameplay experience that makes you feel excited, challenged and satisfied when you have reached the objective - finding the Star of Records!

Think of Stellar Stars as the next better version of Starsss - a more polished adventure with better gameplay, visuals, music and sound effects all around! And don't forget about our 4 characters - Beat, Ro, Asuka and Eating!

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And we have created a simple little teaser just for this!



So what do you think of this new change? Be sure to grab Starsss now as it's your last chance to do so! Once the next version with the name change comes out, it's Stellar Stars from then on!
 
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Feb 12, 2013
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