Into the SPACE GATE!
Greetings, Pilots!
We're back! In your face and on your feeds, and this time we're coming with a whole new level draft for you to chunk and plunk your SHMUPPY minds at! Along with a number of upgrades, patches and bug-fixes, this time we're stepping out of Act I and into--
Act II: Cracking the Heavens, Shaking the Stars
It's official! Not only are we continually upgrading our existing content and engine, we're beginning our monthly release of content new content! One level draft a month, until we're done with them. Then, all 9 levels done, we revise revise revise, pump them with juice, and release a tight, tweaks, amazing game experience to you. We're proud to give you an Early Access peek at-- ActII, Level 1 - "Reducto ad Absurdum"
The DSP MkI Pilots, having defeated the G'ell infected SARDO-099 Form Amorphous Defense Platform, are thrown through the Numspa Gate and into Weirdspace, an alien hyper-space dimension, where their piloting skills are put to the test against hundreds of dizzying G'ell Pattern Attack ships lead by the enigmatic alien fighter pilot Slake Shinegunner, who pilots the visciously effective G'ell Modified Forward Assault Special Frame, "Mad Harbinger." On the other side of Weirdspace, the DSP MkI Pilots find themselves thrust into a UNFP warship graveyard. What was once the entire defensive force of the UNFP, including the "Agotos", an incomprehensibly sized capital ship, now a cracked and burning wreck. The DSP MkI Pilots must dodge the debris of their fallen comrads and battle through a mass of G'ell fighters before facing off a second time with Slake Shinegunner, whose "Mad Harbinger" has been upgraded to a furious brink.
What's New?
You'll notice we changed this level's boss from BNO-66866 and his wicked ship, "Element Manifold." Don't you worry, he's not getting cut - just moved. We thought that, since Act II's big bad boss is actually a collective of FIVE BOSS SHIPS working in conjunction, known the the G'ell as THE FIGURATE, we'd harass the player with one or more of each of them per level.
FIVE BOSS SHIPS?
Well, yeah! I mean, we can't end every act with a giant super-ship. That would get [strike]boring[/strike] repetitive. THE FIGURATE is not only the main boss of Act II, it's also a set of enemy ships that harass the player throughout the three levels of Act II! For Act II, Level 1 we went with--
Slake Shinegunner / Mad Harbinger
Slake Shinegunner is a humanoid alien from Jerk Space, a geometrically unstable pocket of bent-lens beyond the Helix Nebula. Slakes ship, Mad Harbinger, is a prototype Gell super-assault unit armed with the Gells most devastating attacks while still being well armored and fast enough to be competitive.
Slake will harass you in and out of Weirdspace, as is his way.
Weirdspace?
Oh, that. Yeah. Things get weird once the DSP MkI Pilots are flung through the Numspa Gate. It used to be a stable artificial wormhole in there; a hyperspace corridor used to connect humanity with the greater galaxy.
The G'ell have destroyed the corridor and disrupted the hyperspace channel, creating Weirdspace; an aberration of space-time that the entire UNFP defense force was lost in once it was deployed through the Numspa Gate to stop the G'ell Invasion Force.
At the other end of Weirdspace the DSP MkI Pilots smash into a wall of chaos; the remains of the entire UNFP Defense Force, lead by the now broken and burning capital ship, "Agatos."
What It's Got
- New Level Design
- New Enemies
- New Patterns
- New Gameplay Mechanics
What It's Not
Complete! This level draft and has a few phases of polish to go through in which we'll be adding new assets and even more content such as:
- New Music
- New Sound Effects
- Voiced Character Intro for Slake
- More Cat Admiral!
- More Post-Weirdspace Action
- MORE CAT ADMIRAL!
New Music?
Why yes! Keep your eyes peeled for a music announcement next week that is going to blow your mind all the way up!
What's Next?
This sprint, we're focusing on finishing the main elements of Act II, Level 1 - like all of that wreckage and a bunch of juice, as well as starting a new level for you to enjoy: Act II, Level 2 - "Black Without End" Out of the wreckage of the blasted UNFP Defense Force, the DSP MkI Pilots find themselves in dogfight after raging dogfight with the full force of the G'ell armada in orbit around the G'ell Colony Invasion Mega-Ship, "Atamastor," weathering a blistering attack coordinated by the alien assault fighter pilot Boltrox Chennard in his G'ell Strike ship, "Fleshrender." Act II, Level 2 will launch to our test group in August, with our mid-month update, and to the public shortly thereafter, once any major bugs are squished.
Test Group, You Say?
Why yes! I'm glad you noticed! We have a test group that meets up on our Discord Server and gets access to test builds as we go. It's a pretty fun gig if you have the time. It gets boring being the only ones breaking our game. Come help! Just pop on to our Discord Server and let us know you want to be a tester. We'll hook you right up!
More to come!
Thanks for reading this update! And for playing our game! We're continuing to work hard to make something awesome for you, because you're awesome! YES, YOU! STILL! Until next time, GET BACK MEOWT THERE, PILOT! - Don Thacker, Imagos Softworks
[ 2019-08-02 15:32:17 CET ] [ Original post ]
A Fast-Fire Update Straight at Your Face!
Greetings, Pilots!
We're coming in hot with a quick end of the month update! A few new features, a couple of re-jiggers and a bunch of bugs squashed for you.
What's in it?
- Tons of new pilot character species!
- Fixed fatal crash referencing mouse clicks when the mouse wasn't being clicked
- Fixed crash during firing of the Refract Engine weapon
- Improved fluidity of logo animations at start of game
- Logo animations are now skippable with start/enter/escape
- Fixed fatal crash during credits sequence
- Improved credits sequence readability
- Added Digital Tribe Games logo to credits sequence
- Added Made With GameMaker Studio to credits sequence
- Several controls related bug fixes
- Build version is now displayed on all screens for easier bug reporting
If You See Something, Say Something!
If you find a bug and want to let us know about it, you can jump right on to our bug reporting form and let us know! That form comes right to us, and uses super future computer magic (SPREADSHEETS!) to dump your bug right into our dev queue!
What's Next?
This sprint, we're working on a whole new level for you to enjoy: Act II, Level 1 - "Reducto ad Absurdum" The DSP MkI Pilots, having defeated the G'ell infected SARDO-099 Form Amorphous Defense Platform, are thrown through the Numspa Gate and into Weirdspace, an alien hyper-space dimension, where their piloting skills are put to the test against hundreds of dizzying G'ell Pattern Attack ships lead by the G'ell infected artificial intelligence BNO-66866, who pilots the deadly command vessel, "Element Manifold." Act II, Level 1 will launch to our test group in July, with our mid-month update, and to the public shortly thereafter, once any bugs are squashed.
Test Group, You Say?
Oh, you caught that, did you? Well, yes. We have a test group! They meet up on our discord server, with special access and flair and credits and early access to builds and access to a special ship once the game is launched. AREN'T YOU JEALOUS? Well, you don't need to be. Just pop on over to our discord server, and ask a mod make you a tester. You'll get access to our test channel and all of the above-mentioned goodness! Thanks for reading this update, and playing our game. We're working hard to make something awesome for you, because you're awesome! YES, YOU! Until next time, GET BACK MEOWT THERE, PILOT! - Don Thacker, Imagos Softworks
[ 2019-06-29 07:22:16 CET ] [ Original post ]
Thrusters Engage!
Greetings Pilots!
Our new logo. It has WINGS MADE OUT OF GUNS! It's been a long and [strike]complicated[/strike] interesting road, but Starr Mazer: DSP is back in action with a new and improved engine, new gameplay mechanics, new pilots, new ship parts, new enemy designs, new bosses and an overflowing trove of things to come! We've got a new dev team in SubPixel Studios, a new distribution partner in Digital Tribe, a new art team in DieMango, Valery Kim and domino99 and new music & sounds from SIXIXIX, Parker Luis Can't Lose and Hunter Jacob Pierce. And, of course, Imagos Softworks is in the pilot seat, pointing at aliens to shoot and space gates to blast through.
Hitting the Ground, Punching the Sky
The ravaged capital city of Thearsa CP-IX has never looked [strike]worse[/strike] better! We're celebrating our progress with the first of a series of regular updates to the Starr Mazer: DSP Early Access Public Build. We'll be releasing regular updates as progress is made as well as monthly milestone updates around this time every month until launch. Each of these updates will bring us closer to release, and you'll get to be a part of the journey along with us, as our Early Access supporters! We're aiming high with this update, and intend to aim even higher from this point forward. We aim to impress. We may not hit every time, but our guns are hot and we're firing wildly!
A Taste of Things to Come
These guys use their mouths to THROW ASTEROIDS AT YOUR FACE! This new build includes:
- Entirely new game engine!
- New level art for Act I!
- Numerous SFX upgrades!
- Improved gamepad support!
- New visual shaders!
- Improved carbomite effects!
- Player ship thruster effects!
- Ridiculously reduced load times!
- Carbomite shockwaves!
- Improved Infinite Salvo!
- Improved enemy death animations!
- New particle effects!
- Improved collision accuracy!
- Tweaked spawning locations for hit FX/particles!
- New sound engine!
- Dramatic slo-mo player death effect!
- THAT AWESOME NEW LOGO!
- Reprocessed pilot VO!
- START button pausing!
- Improved sprite rendering!
- Improved/additional explosions & explosion effects!
- Screen shake fixes!
- Improved player death AOE!
- Improved UI!
- Fancy new pilot portraits!
- Improved procedural construction engine!
- New MID-BOSSES!
- Updated Asteroid Chuckers!
- Tons of bug fixes!
- So! Much! More!
The Future is Fire
Look at all of that FUTURE STUFF FOR FUTURE BUILDS! By the end of this Early Access period, we will have 9 procedurally assembled stages, each with a boss fight (6 mid-bosses, 3 giant mega-bosses), multiple alien species, thousands of new pilot/ship part/weapon/stat combinations and loads of revamped music/sound. More than that, though, we will have fought our way through the fire and succeeded against indomitable odds, just as the DSP MkI Pilots of the UNFP. And we couldn't have done it without you. Thank you for joining us on this journey! If you want to chat with us directly, join us on our discord server! Now, grab the new build and GET BACK MEOWT THERE, PILOT! - Don Thacker, Imagos Softworks
[ 2019-06-17 16:50:07 CET ] [ Original post ]
Hi Playism fans!
We are happy to announce that this week, we'll be offering Pixel Game Maker MV - the latest entry in the Maker series, currently being distributed by Playism - at a 20% off discount for our Weekly Sale.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/837510/Pixel_Game_Maker_MV__MV/
Pixel Game Maker MV allows you to create all sorts of original games without any programming ability required whatsoever. For example, you could even create your own version of La-Mulana 2!
*This image features a boss battle created using Pixel Game Maker MV.
Pixel Game Maker MV is currently in Early Access, and we're in the process of gathering feedback and requests from many of our players. Don't miss this opportunity to give the title a spin!
We hope you enjoy Pixel Game Maker MV!
Other Languages
MV Pixel Game Maker MV
Playism
Follow us on Steam Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook Check out our blog
[ 2018-10-30 07:50:52 CET ] [ Original post ]
Tokyo Game Show has started!
Playism is not only exhibiting some awesome games, but we are also joining up with Steam to hold some Tokyo Game Show Sales for everyone worldwide to join in!
[url=https://store.steampowered.com/developer/Playism/list/36822]
Find the full list of Playism titles on Sale here!
As well as a huge selection of games on Sale, Playism is also proud to present our upcoming games and projects!
CINERIS SOMNIA
CINERIS SOMNIA is a 3D adventure through a beautifully strange and mesmerizing world. Coming Soon to Steam! https://store.steampowered.com/app/752470/CINERIS_SOMNIA/
Star Sky 3
In the starry light of the sky above, a story is waiting to unfold. Explore the final chapter of the Blue Moon saga, coming soon to Steam! https://store.steampowered.com/app/933770/Star_Sky_3___3/
N1RV Ann-A
(Japanese Only) Cyberpunk Bartender Action N1RV Ann-A (pronounced simply as Nirvana) is a booze em' up about waifus, technology, and life in the dystopian economic bubble. Coming soon to PC, Nintendo Switch (JP), PlayStation 4 (JP) Currently on show at TGS @ Hall 9 Indie Game Corner 9-B60 https://store.steampowered.com/app/914210/N1RV_AnnA_Cyberpunk_Bartender_Action/
VA-11 Hall-A
(Japanese Only) You are a bartender at VA-11 HALL-A, affectionately nicknamed "Valhalla." Although it is just a small bar downtown, it attracts the most fascinating people this side of dystopia. Keep your clients lubricated and you will be made privy to the most interesting stories. Coming soon to Nintendo Switch (JP), PlayStation 4 (JP) https://store.steampowered.com/app/447530/VA11_HallA_Cyberpunk_Bartender_Action/
Night in the Woods
(Japanese Only) College dropout Mae Borowski returns home to the crumbling former mining town of Possum Springs seeking to resume her aimless former life and reconnect with the friends she left behind. But things aren't the same. Home seems different now and her friends have grown and changed. Leaves are falling and the wind is growing colder. Strange things are happening as the light fades. Coming soon to PC (JP), Nintendo Switch (JP), PlayStation 4 (JP), Xbox One (JP) Currently on show at TGS @ Hall 9 Indie Game Corner 9-B43 https://store.steampowered.com/app/481510/Night_in_the_Woods/
Astebreed
Climb into the cockpit of an otherworldly war machine and fly into battle against a horrifying alien race bent on eradicating humanity to preserve their own civilization. Coming soon to Nintendo Switch.
Croixleur Sigma
Wielding magic blades, four girls fight back successive waves of monsters in this exhilarating hack-and-slash action game! Coming soon to Nintendo Switch.
Will -A Wonderful World-
(Japanese Only) A young girl wakes up, groggy in an unknown room. A talking dog appears before her and she becomes startled by the revelation he tells her: They are gods and it is their duty to change the fate of any humans that ask for their help. Letters appear in the mail and with pen in hand she begins her job. Coming soon to Nintendo Switch (JP) and PlayStation 4 (JP) https://store.steampowered.com/app/588040/WILL_A_Wonderful_World__WILL/
La-Mulana 2 OST
The Original Soundtrack for La-Mulana 2 has now been released! Relive the ruins with 59 tracks! Currently on show at TGS @ Hall 5, Konami Booth https://store.steampowered.com/app/916280/LAMULANA_2_Original_Sound_Track/
[ 2018-09-20 05:41:36 CET ] [ Original post ]
Hi All
This week we have set a huge selection of Playism games on Sale!
Check out the full list of all the Playism titles that are currently on sale!
[url=https://store.steampowered.com/developer/Playism/list/36822]
See sales on the Playism Publisher Page.
See sales on the Playism Blog.
[ 2018-07-17 10:14:07 CET ] [ Original post ]
The Steam Summer Sales have begun! Start this summer with a splash by grabbing some exciting indie games from Playism!
See all the exciting Playism titles on Sale
Today we have set Starr Mazer: DSP on sale for 30% off!
[quote]Fifteen years after humanity’s glorious victory over the pacifist G’ell, the aliens have returned with a fleet and the unabashed hatred for humans they need to use it. Lock and load with the last remnants of mankind’s resistance in DSP, a retro-sexy, roguelike SHMUP set in the Starr Mazer universe!
[/quote]
https://store.steampowered.com/app/462100
Check out all the Playism titles on sale here:
Steam Summer Sales 2018 feat. Playism
Join our Steam Publisher Page for all our latest updates:
Playism Publisher Page
[ 2018-06-22 06:15:13 CET ] [ Original post ]
The holiday sales have kicked off on Steam, and we have added Starr Mazer: DSP to the festive activities!
[quote]Fifteen years after humanitys glorious victory over the pacifist Gell, the aliens have returned with a fleet and the unabashed hatred for humans they need to use it. Lock and load with the last remnants of mankinds resistance in DSP, a retro-sexy, roguelike SHMUP set in the Starr Mazer universe!
[/quote]
Grab Starr Mazer: DSP now for 30% off!
http://store.steampowered.com/app/462100/Starr_Mazer_DSP/ For more sales, check out the Playism blog! Vote for your favourite 2017 Playism release now!
[ 2017-12-22 12:10:59 CET ] [ Original post ]
The holiday sales have kicked off on Steam, and we have added Starr Mazer: DSP to the festive activities!
[quote]Fifteen years after humanity’s glorious victory over the pacifist G’ell, the aliens have returned with a fleet and the unabashed hatred for humans they need to use it. Lock and load with the last remnants of mankind’s resistance in DSP, a retro-sexy, roguelike SHMUP set in the Starr Mazer universe!
[/quote]
Grab Starr Mazer: DSP now for 30% off!
http://store.steampowered.com/app/462100/Starr_Mazer_DSP/ For more sales, check out the Playism blog! Vote for your favourite 2017 Playism release now!
[ 2017-12-22 12:10:59 CET ] [ Original post ]
We will post more detailed info soon, but the long and short of it is this: STARR MAZER: DSP is finally available on Steam again! GET BACK MEOWT THERE PILOTS!
[ 2017-07-11 23:28:25 CET ] [ Original post ]
We will post more detailed info soon, but the long and short of it is this: STARR MAZER: DSP is finally available on Steam again! GET BACK MEOWT THERE PILOTS!
[ 2017-07-11 23:27:50 CET ] [ Original post ]
The game is currently unavailable due to a copyright infringement claim of assets reported towards Imagos Softworks, the copyright holder / developer of Starr Mazer: DSP. We are confirming the situation with Imagos Softworks, then will update everyone as soon as possible. We sincerely apologize to all the users who had trouble and was worried about the sudden closing of the store page. PLAYISM
[ 2017-02-23 13:32:01 CET ] [ Original post ]
The game is currently unavailable due to a copyright infringement claim of assets reported towards Imagos Softworks, the copyright holder / developer of Starr Mazer: DSP. We are confirming the situation with Imagos Softworks, then will update everyone as soon as possible. We sincerely apologize to all the users who had trouble and was worried about the sudden closing of the store page. PLAYISM
[ 2017-02-23 13:32:01 CET ] [ Original post ]
Steam's Autumn Sale has begun! And all the Playism's titles are on sale as well. Duration: November 23 9h50am PDT - November 29 10h10am PDT
Starr Mazer: DSP - 20% off
In an all out war, we are going all out. Choose your pilots, defeat enemies and get money to afford more randomly generated pilots. http://store.steampowered.com/app/462100/ In addition to the sale, Steam are holding their Steam Awards, you can vote for Starr Mazer: DSP on the store page. We hope you will vote for it! Starr Mazer: DSP is part of Playism's Ready the Guns Recommendations list See the Playism Blog for all the games on Sale
[ 2016-11-29 10:35:38 CET ] [ Original post ]
Ahoy Mazers, We've been working hard on some serious level 4 and 5 updates, which you can now test in the BETA branch. You can jump right to those levels by pressing 4 or 5 from the title screen. Keep in mind all graphics are placeholder, and there are no new sound effects either. This is just a gameplay prototype. More animations, sfx and polish are in the works. Let us know what you think in the forums!
[ 2016-11-18 20:48:19 CET ] [ Original post ]
Ahoy Mazers, We've been working hard on some serious level 4 and 5 updates, which you can now test in the BETA branch. You can jump right to those levels by pressing 4 or 5 from the title screen. Keep in mind all graphics are placeholder, and there are no new sound effects either. This is just a gameplay prototype. More animations, sfx and polish are in the works. Let us know what you think in the forums!
[ 2016-11-18 20:48:19 CET ] [ Original post ]
Ahoy Mazers,
There's a new contest to sink your claws into - HALLOWEEN BOSS RUSH!
Make sure you have the latest version - 0.396 and type TRICKS on the title screen to unlock it.
Here is the low down:
Starr Mazer: DSP Halloween Boss Rush Contest - October 24th - 31st 2016
The Gell are sending their biggest and baddest vessels to take down Thearsa CP-IX! Command your DSP Squadron and blast them out of the sky!
Play Starr Mazer: DSP on Steam and type in the code tricks at the title screen to start the special Halloween Boss Rush mode! Assemble your squad and compete against your friends and the world for the fastest time! Beware! Losing pilots will penalize your time! Your best run will automatically be entered onto the Steam Leaderboards.
http://steamcommunity.com/stats/462100/leaderboards/1489194/
The top three pilots will win prizes!
What are you waiting for? Get out there and make the Thearsa fleet proud!
Complete Rules and Prizes: starrmazer.com/contest
[ 2016-10-25 02:45:25 CET ] [ Original post ]
Ahoy Mazers,
There's a new contest to sink your claws into - HALLOWEEN BOSS RUSH!
Make sure you have the latest version - 0.396 and type TRICKS on the title screen to unlock it.
Here is the low down:
Starr Mazer: DSP Halloween Boss Rush Contest - October 24th - 31st 2016
The G’ell are sending their biggest and baddest vessels to take down Thearsa CP-IX! Command your DSP Squadron and blast them out of the sky!
Play Starr Mazer: DSP on Steam and type in the code “tricks” at the title screen to start the special Halloween Boss Rush mode! Assemble your squad and compete against your friends and the world for the fastest time! Beware! Losing pilots will penalize your time! Your best run will automatically be entered onto the Steam Leaderboards.
http://steamcommunity.com/stats/462100/leaderboards/1489194/
The top three pilots will win prizes!
What are you waiting for? Get out there and make the Thearsa fleet proud!
Complete Rules and Prizes: starrmazer.com/contest
[ 2016-10-25 02:45:25 CET ] [ Original post ]
Hello Mazers, Announcing the first official DSP contest: SKORE ATTACK! With the latest update we also snuck in a special beefed up version of level 1 for you to test your skills on. Official rules and prizes are here : starrmazer.com/contest Here are the basics: 1. Open Starr Mazer: DSP on Steam - make sure you are on the latest default branch (version 0.382 or above) 2. At the title screen type in the code: topdog 3. Enlist your squad and battle the Gell. Unused SK:ORE will be added to your total end SK:ORE. 4. High SK:OREs are registered on the Steam Leaderboard automatically when you finish either by completing the level or losing all of your pilots Feel free to try multiple times for the highest SK:ORE. High SK:OREs must be be submitted before October 14th at 5pm PDT to be eligible to win. Here is the official leaderboard: http://steamcommunity.com/stats/462100/leaderboards/1463981 Good luck!
[ 2016-10-04 18:15:54 CET ] [ Original post ]
Hello Mazers, Announcing the first official DSP contest: SKORE ATTACK! With the latest update we also snuck in a special beefed up version of level 1 for you to test your skills on. Official rules and prizes are here : starrmazer.com/contest Here are the basics: 1. Open Starr Mazer: DSP on Steam - make sure you are on the latest default branch (version 0.382 or above) 2. At the title screen type in the code: topdog 3. Enlist your squad and battle the G’ell. Unused SK:ORE will be added to your total end SK:ORE. 4. High SK:OREs are registered on the Steam Leaderboard automatically when you finish either by completing the level or losing all of your pilots Feel free to try multiple times for the highest SK:ORE. High SK:OREs must be be submitted before October 14th at 5pm PDT to be eligible to win. Here is the official leaderboard: http://steamcommunity.com/stats/462100/leaderboards/1463981 Good luck!
[ 2016-10-04 18:15:54 CET ] [ Original post ]
Greetings Pilots, Apologies for the delay in updates - we needed a little bit of downtime from the crazy crunch leading up to launch, but we're back on it and shaping things up. So, we just pushed version 0.3.8 to the BETA branch. This is officially "ACT 1 Polish, Round 1". Here is what has changed: updated default bullets fix sniper graphics, fire less frequent, slight reduction in power remove crumbles from asteroid graphics giant enemy plasma balls should not be destroyable adjusted intro timing return kamikaze raiders to original color more warning time on huge asteroids reduce death blossom power - it’s OP big cyclone drone should shoot plasma balls more attention brought to warnings more enemy events for 1-1 more enemy events for 1-2 more enemy events for 1-3 updated grid background in options screen speed fx when passing through space gate rings weapon previews in the shop cannon a bit more powerful, less blowback new carbomite animations boss - parts update boss - tank form refinement boss - fins oscillate boss - fixed some janky looking part positions boss - tank speed fx boss - improved turret flashing animations replaced invulnerable level 3 enemies with starfish challenges revised level 1 night background variation increased carbomite drop frequency on level 3 improved minor cyclone drone bullet pattern fixed: some seekers face the wrong way The most significant change you might notice are some new enemy patterns in all 3 levels, and weapon previews the in the shop. the rest are all very subtle, but do add up! The next major update will be ."ACT 1 Polish, Round 2"., which will have new player weapon animations, even more polish on the boss, some new enemy events and just tighten things up in general. When it's solid we'll push it to the default branch, then it's on to ACT 2 :) We hope you enjoy it! -The Pixeljam and Imagos Teams
[ 2016-09-21 21:07:41 CET ] [ Original post ]
Greetings Pilots, Apologies for the delay in updates - we needed a little bit of downtime from the crazy crunch leading up to launch, but we're back on it and shaping things up. So, we just pushed version 0.3.8 to the BETA branch. This is officially "ACT 1 Polish, Round 1". Here is what has changed: updated default bullets fix sniper graphics, fire less frequent, slight reduction in power remove crumbles from asteroid graphics giant enemy plasma balls should not be destroyable adjusted intro timing return kamikaze raiders to original color more warning time on huge asteroids reduce death blossom power - its OP big cyclone drone should shoot plasma balls more attention brought to warnings more enemy events for 1-1 more enemy events for 1-2 more enemy events for 1-3 updated grid background in options screen speed fx when passing through space gate rings weapon previews in the shop cannon a bit more powerful, less blowback new carbomite animations boss - parts update boss - tank form refinement boss - fins oscillate boss - fixed some janky looking part positions boss - tank speed fx boss - improved turret flashing animations replaced invulnerable level 3 enemies with starfish challenges revised level 1 night background variation increased carbomite drop frequency on level 3 improved minor cyclone drone bullet pattern fixed: some seekers face the wrong way The most significant change you might notice are some new enemy patterns in all 3 levels, and weapon previews the in the shop. the rest are all very subtle, but do add up! The next major update will be ."ACT 1 Polish, Round 2"., which will have new player weapon animations, even more polish on the boss, some new enemy events and just tighten things up in general. When it's solid we'll push it to the default branch, then it's on to ACT 2 :) We hope you enjoy it! -The Pixeljam and Imagos Teams
[ 2016-09-21 21:07:41 CET ] [ Original post ]
What's up pilots, We just updated the Linux and Alternate branch to version 0.3.7, addressing the major bugs found after launch. We also just posted the ROADMAP so you can get a better idea of what we have planned for DSP: http://steamcommunity.com/app/462100/discussions/0/343785380900053753/ Let us know what you think!
[ 2016-08-31 20:45:00 CET ] [ Original post ]
Hello Pilots, We just pushed a new version to the "default" branch today, with the following updates:
- Don’t allow pause during transitions or intro
- FIXED : some enemies release huge amounts of carbomite when killed with certain supers
- Don’t let 2 super carbomites combine (one will just swallow the other)
- Typos corrected
- FIXED: sometimes you don’t get the “beat all of act1 with 1 pilot” achievement
- FIXED: same size carbomites will sometimes combine to form nothing (needs decent testing though)
- Possible fix for music dropping (we can't reproduce this, but changed the way music gets triggered a bit).
[ 2016-08-30 19:35:29 CET ] [ Original post ]
Greetings, Pilots! We hope everyone is enjoying their time pounding the G'ell invasion force into squishy space putty and sacrificing huge amounts of human lives. Here is what lies ahead for the dev team: - First thing Monday we're going to address all the bugs that have been brought up in the forums. Fixes for all or most should be uploaded and live by the end of that day. - Next we'll outline a roadmap of where we're going to take DSP, merging our own internal plans with the feedback threads in the forums. Keep the suggestions coming! We have big plans for this game, and we can't wait to show you what's next. -The Imagos and Pixeljam Teams
[ 2016-08-27 15:45:40 CET ] [ Original post ]
Only a few days left before Starr Mazer: DSP comes out on Early Access! This exciting news for us all.
Starr Mazer: DSP is a side-scrolling shoot’em up in the same vein as classics like Gradius and Lords of Thunder with a roguelike twist on the traditional lives/continues system. Players take control of a squadron of DSP pilots with different ships, weapon loadouts and voices. Your mission is to battle through nine frantic arcade levels, countless waves of enemies, 3 powerful bosses, and take down the G’ell Super Ship in a single run.
Be sure to check it out!
http://store.steampowered.com/app/462100
[ 2016-08-23 11:57:07 CET ] [ Original post ]
🎮 Full Controller Support
- Linux Content [174.82 M]
The citizens of Thersa-CPIX are at war and we’re not sending one hero to the fight, we’re sending EVERYONE!
- Levels - Battle through nine Levels, across three intense arcade-style bullet-filled acts! Take the fight from the surface of war torn Thersa-CPIX to the Space Gate and up to the heart of the G’ell Super Ship; the Adamastor!
- Recruit - Recruit a diverse team of humans, aliens, and a dog! Hand pick your DSP team before every mission using their weapons, stats and battle order to your advantage!
- SK:ORE - The fight never ends with SK:ORE! There are no game overs in this battle! Use your SK:ORE from fallen enemies and Carbomite pickups to purchase a new squadron of pilots!
- Unlock Pilots - Discover legendary pilots! Give your squadron an edge in battle with unique legendary pilots like Slimo, Bunny Killmaster, Don Thacker and many more!
- Power Up - Power up your weapons for maximum destruction! Collect Carbomite from fallen foes to power up your primary fire or to fuel your super weapon!
Starr Mazer: DSP was born as a passion project during the development of its bigger brother, the point-and-click SHMUP hybrid, Starr Mazer. Originally, Imagos Softworks teamed up with veteran development studio Pixeljam to craft a demo environment to test weapons, enemy attack patterns and space combat. When both teams couldn’t stop playing the single demo level they designed, they knew they were onto something very, very special.
Shortly after, Don Thacker, Alex Mauer and Miles Tilmann started working tirelessly to crack the code and turn the little demo into a unique fully featured experience. After playing Rogue Legacy, Don was inspired to craft an elegant roguelike game loop to add a refreshing update to the shooter genre. Thus the DSP MkI Corp was founded and a perilous battle that pitted thousands of pilots against the G’ell invasion was born!
A unique game mechanic alone isn’t enough to be memorable. So to bring the world to life in stunning pixel art, the team enlisted Starr Mazer art director Maximo V. Lorenzo, lead artist Kirk Barnett and background artist Christopher Pariano. Alex Mauer, composer of Starr Mazer, also joins with an intense synthwave soundtrack to round out the experience and take what was once a single demo test level into a fully realized shoot’em up experience!
Hi there! It’s Dan, Playism’s senior content manager. Starr Mazer as a whole is a project I’m very close to and I wanted to say a few words about it.
A major cornerstone of my video game experiences growing up was sitting in front of the TV playing hours of Life Force, R-Type and Gradius. What enraptured me about these games were the stories they told in their boxart, levels, the kinds of enemies that appeared, the bosses and the way they implied humanity’s imminent extinction. These were stories that not only came alive in my imagination, but that were also clearly communicated in pixel art that was not always so clear. Despite low-fi graphics, the experience was profoundly hi-fidelity.
It was a trend that I didn’t feel followed the genre as a whole. Cave took SHMUP story-telling to new heights with Mushihimesama and Death Smiles; Treasure did so with Radiant Silver Gun and Ikaruga. However, I felt the stories in those games came across quite differently as my attention was drawn toward moments and bullets rather than stages and bosses. Impressive as they were, my focus was simply on other things—like not dying horribly.
As I came to know Don’s work in film, such as his shorts and feature length film, Motivational Growth, I understood where Starr Mazer: DSP’s strengths in story came from. And talking with him about classic and modern games I finally understood how Imagos Softworks and Pixeljam were seamlessly blending modern roguelike designs with old school, horizontal, SHMUP story-telling.
Starr Mazer: DSP will be my first personal experience with Early Access and I’m thrilled to see where this adventure goes. I can’t wait to undertake it with you.
- OS: Ubuntu 14.04 or higher
- Processor: 1 Ghz CPUMemory: 2 GB RAMStorage: 150 MB available space
- Memory: 2 GB RAMStorage: 150 MB available space
- Storage: 150 MB available space