Archived news

For Linux users (July 20): On other storefronts there have been problems loading the game. I'm working vigorously on solving these problems and I'd appreciate testers. I'm going to give keys to anyone who shows interest. My e-mail is jordan.s.h.thomas@gmail.com

July 13 (1.5.1) Changes:  Linux and Mac versions of 1.5.1 are available along with Windows. Bugs fixed with regard to collision and facing, and Seraphine's House setting off unintended flags. Opacity reduced on some background and walkable area layers, to add contrast and improve readability. July 5 (1.5.0) Changes: Districts 11, 12 and 13 are more compact, as requested.

Minimap is added to ground stages, with colour coding: Green: Friendlies Purple- PC Red: Enemies Yellow: Equipment Blue: Bosses Acts 3-B (X52I Omnistation) and 3-C (Nymph battle) added. Act 3 Complete. Linux version available

May 17 (1.4.0) Changes:

Zoomout for bosses (Game option, off by default) Gradualization of pause menus restored after initial Stencyl 4.0 problems Pre-dialogue sound on mission control messages Act 3-A (Jeong Island Cave rescue) added.

April 23 (1.3.0) Changes:

-NPCs and bosses that warrant an arrow have the main/side arrow underneath their arrow to distinguish main objective NPCs/bosses and side objective NPCs/bosses. -Main and side arrows enlarged. -The prologue to act 3 has been added, before 3-A actually starts. This includes all NPCs new to act 3 and their dialogue. -Lingering main arrows in District 13's comm terminals fixed. April 15 (1.2.1)

April 7 (1.2.0)-

-Improved transition icon/objective marker system

-Objective available on the lower left corner of the map.

-Critical bug involving a large, persistent black square when activating the map was solved.

March 31- Post con: -Dodging no longer happens between loading zones.

-Game Options no longer reset to default on title screen load.

-Sky Test stage had some instances where the flight rate would still be 0 if tasks were done out of sequence. This is no longer the case.

-Attract Mode could be cancelled while transitioning, with the attract mode stage becoming playable. This is no longer the case.

Some last few elements of polish were added in time for March 30.

- Selectors cover the whole screen

- Maps now include regions to better orient the player to their mission area.

- Some map and objective data was edited.

- Some extremely latent bugs were fixed pertaining to the UI and text.

Changes since the February beta:

Explosions are now particle-based and more heavily emphasized.

Tutorial is now skippable via Game Options menu. If you choose 'Story Mode (so far)' with "New Game Tutorial" off, you will go straight to the Kirin battle with Spread Gun already equipped.

Left walking animation is improved.

The selector in nearly all menus spans the length of the screen, allowing it to look much cleaner.

Bugs related to acquired equipment not showing up in the inventory have been squashed.

Key Config has been cleaned up.

All of 1-A has been changed significantly:

- Ground-based movement and firing tests to start, then an aerial test, with tutorial explanations all woven into Seraphine's in-universe role as an aerospace test pilot, with new dialogue to match. Seraphine gets the Spread Gun before the boss fight with Kirin.

In Sky Test, if Seraphine is hit by the high damage laser trap meant to showcase the zero shields crisis state, the laser trap will disappear afterward.

- Engineers being rescued are held in various buildings in District 12 (Marc Garneau Centre, Altair's House, MacroMart.)

- Enemy animations for ground foes fought in districts 12 and 13 are now far more gradualized, allowing for more fluid movement.

- District 13 tile blockades are no longer a maze. Traversable path is significantly more straightforward, with dialogue to match.

- Golem boss fight has changed: Golem has 1000 HP instead of 500, but the CJ-Bat will force the Golem to a wall, stunning it briefly and doing 300 damage +100 for each golem rock it bounces into during this event (stunning is visible as slowed-down, more frantically animated rolling mixed with partial, gradualized flickering)

- Work is still actively being done on the game, with some outstanding tasks already in the queue to be applied to the next build. This is essentially an update to keep any further feedback current and to display progress so far.

- A dodge trail is added when Seraphine dodges.

- Double-tap dodging is turned off by default.

-Tutorial simplified and shortened. No strafing required in the tutorial ground stage.

-Bugs with regards to collision (frame drops) and dialogue (occasional crashing) fixed. This is a beta of a game that will be launched in Early Access on March 30, 2019, at Island Entertainment Expo (www.islandexpo.com) in Charlottetown, PEI, Canada. The game will be available for retail with all post-beta improvements and any others needed between now and then, for $5 Canadian. This price will not rise with the completion of content. If you have downloaded the beta and played the game, send an email to jordan.s.h.thomas@gmail.com with detailed feedback, or use betabound's link if approved (to be edited in in that same circumstance), and I will send you a free key for the game in early April, after the Island Entertainment Expo launch of the game.

In the year 2299 of the Galactic Standard Calendar, a host of invasive species descends on the colony planet Hera. You are Séraphine Letourneau, a test pilot for a major research and development company forced to join the fight after they invade during a routine test of an experimental flight suit. Challenge the enemy on the ground or in the air, gradually earning weapons, upgrades and defensive tools in the effort to save the planet in a top-down shooter/adventure hybrid inspired by games like The Guardian Legend, Zelda: A Link to the Past and Fester's Quest.

Z- Repeater

X- Fire special weapon 1 (choose special weapon 1 or equipment in pause menu)

C- Fire special weapon 2 (choose special weapon 2 or equipment in pause menu)

V- Fire special weapon 3 (choose special weapon 3 or equipment in pause menu)

Q-(Hold while moving to strafe and move slowly)

E-(Press while moving, or move while holding to dodge/dash. This has limited invulnerability)

Arrow keys- Move

Esc- Pause Menu

Ctrl- Quick Map

1- Quicksave

2- Quickload

3- Key config

4- Strafe Mode toggle (Hold/Release or press to switch strafing/slow movement on or off)

5- Music mode (16-bit or modernized, not done for all tracks at the time of the beta)

6- Toggle Full Screen/Windowed

7- Language Filter on/off (Meant for audiences with relevant restrictions)

8- Game Options

9- Save Game

0- Load Game

+ Increase volume by 10%

-  Decrease volume by 10%

Equipment Types: Weapons- Special weapons with limited ammo. Crisis Triggers- Special tools that trigger effects once you're one hit from defeat (where your shield gauge is zero) Dodge Tools- Special tools that add a property to your dodge.

Credits: Programming, music- Jordan Thomas (my name) Quality Assurance, Concept Art, Story- Morgan Stride

Character, Logo and Icon design- Ken Potter

General Advice- Arseniy Desrosiers Concept Art, Backgrounds- Teresa Sheriff, Amanda Arab Enemy and NPC design- Ian Johnston, Ken Potter Tile art- @Whtdragon on Twitter (real name withheld at artist's request)