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"...I swear that it was the best moment in my game playing history..."
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I was fully responsible for the design, graphics, and programming of Project Stormos. Design wise, originally I had planned on making a game similar to the Castlevania series in terms of control and feel. As I iterated on the gameplay prototypes, I found this idea of "Aerial Platforming" to be the most intriguing. With it, players were able to complete levels in interesting and often daring ways in environments that had (funny for a "platformer") little to no platforms. The aerial nature of the game creates a tension where the player is almost in constant fear of falling to their death, but there is always a way to keep afloat and survive.
Project Stormos follows one of my maxims of game design, which is that player creativity and experimentation should be rewarded. Levels are designed such that multiple routes can be taken to the finish. Some are obvious, some are hidden. Because the game's score is based on speed, players who can find the best routes will be rewarded. In order to do this, players must bridge paths that were previously thought to be unrelated or out of reach. Often times I found myself and others going back to certain levels and finding routes and techniques to complete them in ways I hadn't imagined before. I am really excited to see what players of Project Stormos come up with in order to get the fastest times.
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Directions- WADS
Jump- K
Dash- L + direction(s)
Sword- J
Robo Stormo's main method of overcoming obstacles is the Aerial Dash. The spans that he must cross are simply too large to be made in a single bound.
In order to dash, Robo must have at least 1 power orb. Power orbs can be seen rotating around Robo.
 Power Orb  Target Orb
To gain a power orb, simply dash through a target orb , ladder orb, enemy shot, or destroy and enemy! Robo can obtain up to 3 powers orbs at once. But remember, since using dash takes up one power orb, it is imperative that your dashes go through a target!
Be creative when overcoming different stages. Creativity = Speed in Project Stormos.
Chain together dashes into Target orbs in order to reach your destination!
If you run out of power orbs, Robo will flash purple. It's time to save yourself! Use the sword to slash target orbs, enemies, and shots to get your power back!
Examples
Blue lines represent Jump vectors, Red lines represent Dash vectors
One Target Orb
Two Target Orbs
Multiple Target Orbs
As the target orb layouts and obstacles become more advanced, it is up to the player to find the fastest route to their destination. On most levels it is possibles to achieved the coveted "No platforms" bonus, for a vast score increase. In order to do this, the player must string a huge combo of dashes together without ever touching the ground.
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Up Dash!
To up dash, hold the UP button (W) then hit the DASH button (L)
Make sure a target orb is directly above you, then do an Up Dash! Use it to reach heights that were once unreachable!
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You need Flash player 8+ and JavaScript enabled to view this video.
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Long Dash!
Can't get across that long gap? Use the Long Dash by holding either the Left or Right buttons (A or D) and then pressing the Dash button (L)
Line yourself up with the Target orb horizontally then perform the Long Dash!
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You need Flash player 8+ and JavaScript enabled to view this video.
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Diagonal Dash!
Remember that you can dash in more than one direction in a single dash. Hold multiple direction buttons (even down!) in order to do a diagonal dash!
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You need Flash player 8+ and JavaScript enabled to view this video.
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Combo Dash!
This is what Project Stormos is all about! Gain more Dash Power by dashing through Target Orbs and then string your midair dashes together.
Remember that your speed will be determined by your creativity! Look how many ways this simple example can be solved.
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"The game is fun. This is the hardest thing to do in the world of making
games, so good job."
- Patrick Curry, Midway Games, Wideload Games
"I noticed while playing that the most enjoyable moments of the game were recovering from missing a jump pad or orange orb. There is one level (maybe 4th or 5th?) that has all these orange orbs towards the bottom right-hand side of the screen in case you fall. I fell once and ended up dashing through those orbs for a full minute. I swear that it was the best moment in my game playing history. When I hit that purple orb, I felt like a god. So, more of those plz."
- Pete Bennett, Midway Games
"It's really hard. It teeters between 'wow this is hard and FUN' and
'wow this is hard and FRUSTRATING'. A couple times I quit the game, only
to open it back up five minutes later. This is a good sign."
- Patrick Curry, Midway Games, Wideload Games
"RoboStormo, you just got a big fan for your game!!! Ever since, I got your game, I just can't put it down (in the middle of a project milestone to be delivered next week ) Being able to dash around in the air without touching a single platform is both insanely hard and very rewarding if you can pull it off!!"
-Hama, Indie Gamer Forums
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