Geliathalion Survivors

The game builds on the gameplay of Vampire Survivors and expands it with rich storytelling, thrilling boss battles, and varied missions and tasks along the way. The core feature will be the FAE system.

FAE are programs that enhance the character's combat abilities. You can use the FAE in the weapon, secondary ability or as a separate offensive weapon. You can re-equip the FAE at any time to adapt your fighting style to the situation.

Attention, the sceenshots partly show an imagined vision of how the features could look like and these features are partly not available in the prototype.

Controls

WASD-Movement
Spacebar: Lets you use your skill, which in the case of Athnan is Barrage. It reloads the weapon and fires it at increased rate. You can also reload your weapon if the skill is not charged.
ESC: This opens the menu during the fight
You can equip and re-configure the FAE in the menu. Try out different combinations.
Gale, the blonde wind FAE with the witch's hat, has a special synergy with Athnan's weapon. She doubles his attack speed, but he can only attack enemies in front of him.

Development Guidelines

The playable characters will be varied and offer many opportunities to customize their attack style and expand it over the various game runs. The Rouglelite elements should invite you to try out new tactics, but should not give you the feeling that defeating a boss is dependent on luck. You will have many opportunities to choose the rewards to complete a favorite build in different ways. I will focus on fluid gameplay and making the experience as intuitive, smooth and fluid as possible. During Early Access I want to improve the game with your feedback and support.

Realeses 

The idea will be to release the demo here on Ichio and Steam and other platforms first to increase the reach and then work on Early Access and release it as well. Until then, I need your support. You can find the planned contents of the versions under the roadmap.

Prototype content: The prototype only has one level where you can try out and experiment with the FAE concept. It has the rough basic functionalities of the gameplay. There is only one playable character and two FAEs as well as one enemy type to experiment with. There is also a level system and the first basic upgrades.

Planned features

Must-have: These features will definitely be implemented and are part of the basic functionality of the game.

Weapon Mods: There will be different weapon modifications that will fundamentally change the weapon's characteristics and attack. Each character comes with their own specific weapon modification. Even if two characters use the same weapon, their unique modification will give them their own play style. Later you will be able to unlock more modifications and activate up to three different modifications, unlocking unique synergies. You can select some of the modifications at the start of the mission and the remaining mods during the mission. Once a modification has been installed, it can no longer be changed until the end of the mission. Each mod comes with its own pool of upgrades and synergies.

FAE: The FAE or Ferrodynamic Ability Enhancer are special programs that can be added flexibly to the weapon, skill or used as a support weapon. The FAE are designed to react to different enemy types and bosses during the mission or to fine-tune the character build. FAEs can enter into special synergies with the weapon mods or skill and fundamentally change them.

Boss battles: There will be multi-phase and complex boss battles that will require different tactics and setups from the FAE in order to fight them effectively. Final Fantasy 14 or the newly released Rabbit and Steel serve as a source of inspiration.

Metaprogression: There will be different mechanics to unlock and strengthen characters, weapons, skills and other elements of the game. Here I am focusing on a horizontal system of character development and not so much on a vertical system. The challenges should still remain exciting and not be rivaled by grinding.

Save system: There will be several save files and the game will be saved automatically at regular intervals.

Should Have Features: These are at the top of the list of features to be completed, but will only be delivered and expanded gradually. These include Quality of Life features, which can only be effectively implemented with feedback from the community.

Character Storyarc: Each main character will have their own storyarc with their own missions, bosses and possibly multiple endings.

Upgrade trees: The upgrades are displayed in clear tree diagrams so that you can see at a glance how you can expand your build.

Accessible menu navigation: Work is underway to make the menu more accessible and barrier free. The player will be able to customize many elements of the game to have a personalized and customized gaming experience.

Nice to Have Features: These features are nice to have, but will be deleted if time runs out or the necessary funding is lacking.

Soundtrack: Specially composed soundtrack for the game. Currently, music is used with a free license or purchased license from Humble Bundle packages.

Animated avatars in the dialogs: Detailed character portraits animated according to emotions.

Co-op Multiplayer: The possibility to experience the adventure with friends. Either co-op with split screen or, if we can get the netcode working properly and with good performance, online.

Mod support: The game is quite built modular and in itself it shouldn't be a problem to provide good mod support... but first I have to research how well this can generally be implemented in Godot.

About me and future

I am a programmer and illustrator who has to live through quite difficult life circumstances. I taught myself everything I know about illustration and game design. I started studying computer science but had to drop out for personal reasons. I care for my invalid mother and can therefore only work from home. Due to my difficult past, health and living conditions, I am unable to work a regular job, so I put all my hopes into this project. What I may lack in professional experience and expertise, I compensate for with my commitment, life experience, inventiveness and creativity. I may not be able to show off with great successes and degrees, but I hope the prototype, the vision and ideas behind it can convince you to support me in realizing my dream of publishing a game and making sure that I don't have to worry about my mother and myself financially for the time being. I thank you for any support and appreciate every donation and funding.

I've decided to take a step back and postpone the crowd-funding campaign until later, when the game development is much further advanced and has more polish. I also want to work more on my art style to find exactly the right one for me. I'm also going to change my life quite a bit over the next few months. As a result, there will be significantly fewer updates. But the prototype will remain online.

I have already spoken to the people who have supported me financially so far.I have taken their criticism on board and will be implementing it over the next few months. The gameplay and basic ideas won't change but the art style will. I simply want more power, emotion and dynamics. I will also be moving away from the more elaborate designs in a simplified but expressive direction. Accordingly I will need some time to find this art style and make it my own. Until then, thank you for your interest.

For those who stumble across this by chance. Every support helps me. No matter if it is of financial nature, constructive criticism, praise or motivating encouragement. If any of you support me very much, I will show my appreciation in some way.

I will choose another platform to document the development of my art style, so that other artists can possibly take it as an example. I will post a link here if I have something.