Starfish ROOM: Launch & Speed Update

[SketBR]

Hey everyone.

Just dropped my new game: Starfish ROOM.

It is an action roguelite with pixel art and a specific Japanese vibe. You control Kibo Wave, a catboy chosen to defend the ROOM from hordes of monsters and aliens.

The loop is intense:

Defend the Room: Enter, kill everything with your sword and dynamite.

Power Up: Pick cards between waves to upgrade your stats.

Face the Aliens: Boss battles.

Repeat: It is an endless cycle of defense and combat.

For those who do not know me, I am SketBR. Been making games online since 2016 (started when I was 11). I did the pixel art and some of the music for this too. This is a very personal project.

I need your support. Play it, drop a 5-star rating, and leave some real feedback. It helps me keep making stuff for the community.

Update: New Look & Speed

Yo. SketBR here.

Been grinding non-stop on Starfish ROOM and I have got some changes to share. I want this game to feel right, so I tweaked a few things.

New Look

Changed the player outline to WHITE. It pops way more against the background now. Super crisp.

The Feel

Cranked things up. The game is officially faster now. The flow is way more addictive. Good luck putting it down once you start.

Japan Support Added

Big news for people in Japan or anyone reading Kana: The game is now translated into Hiragana and Katakana.

Look, I will be real—I do not know complex Japanese yet (still learning), but I wanted to make sure people who do not understand English can still play and have fun.

Check out the update and let me know if you can handle the new speed.

Game Link:

Starfish ROOM by KittyCreamPuff

https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/1007406

[KipgubbYT]

You should probably add what keys to use during the tutorial (remember, it’s pretty important to look at the game from the perspective of a player–they don’t know the game by heart like you do!)

Yes, I have realized that the controls are in the Itch description, but you should probably still do it in the actual game too.

Also, what led you to using middle click for such an important control? I personally don’t think middle click is a good control, especially for players on laptop like me. I would personally use Q or E since they are right there, close to the WASD cluster.

Besides that, the game does seem pretty fun

[SketBR]

Hey everyone! SketBR here.
I’m working every day to improve the “Game Feel” of Starfish ROOM. Today’s update focuses on making combat feel heavier and ensuring new players understand the mechanics right away.
Here is what changed:

1. Damage Visual Feedback (Red Vignette)
   Now, when the player takes damage, the screen reacts! I added a red vignette that flashes on the edges of the screen. This provides immediate visual impact and increases tension when health is low. The game needs to clearly communicate danger, and this does it perfectly.

2. New Sound Design (Heavy Bass)
   To match the visuals, I implemented a new sound effect for taking damage. It is a deeper, bass-heavy sound. When combining the red vignette with this new audio, every hit taken feels much weightier.

3. Tutorial Refinement
   I added new details and text to the tutorial to better explain the essential controls, specifically:
   Bombs: It is now clearer how to throw them (Key E).
   Dash: Explicit instructions on how to dodge (Right Mouse Button).

My goal is to make the game intuitive but intense. Give the new update a try and let me know what you think about the new damage feedback!

[SketBR]

Hey everyone! SketBR here. I’m back with another update for Starfish ROOM, focusing on accessibility and smoother mechanics.

Here is what’s new in this version:

1. Gamepad Support (Xbox Input) You asked for it! The game now fully supports controllers with the Xbox input layout. Playing a roguelite with a gamepad gives it a completely different, more comfortable feel. Plug in and play!

2. Visual Feedback: Card Selection To help switch your focus from combat to strategy, the character now turns Blue the moment the Roguelite Cards appear on screen. This provides clear visual feedback that the action has paused and it’s time to choose your upgrade.

3. Improved Throw Bomb System I have refined the Throw Bomb mechanic. It is now much more responsive and precise, making it easier to land those explosions exactly where you need them.

Give it a try and let me know how the controller support feels!

Thanks for playing!

https://kittycreampuff.itch.io/starfishroom

[Amigo54]

Hello!

I just played a few seconds to your game but i don’t succeed to play with WASD keys (my keyboard is french)

But it’s a well good job.

A+
Xierra

[SketBR]

This latest update focuses on expanding the player’s offensive capabilities and significantly improving the overall atmosphere through a complete audio rework.

New Dash Attack Mechanic The dash is no longer just a movement tool for dodging. I have implemented a new mechanic where the player now kicks monsters and aliens upon contact during a dash. This adds a layer of aggressive mobility to the gameplay, allowing you to clear paths and deal damage while repositioning.

High-Quality Audio Remaster I have completely updated the game’s music and sound effects. The new tracks have been produced with higher fidelity to ensure a more immersive and professional experience. This audio overhaul better reflects the intensity of the combat and the fast-paced nature of the game.

Technical Refinements Optimized dash hitboxes to ensure consistent contact with enemies.

Balanced audio levels to ensure music and sound effects complement each other without distortion.

General performance improvements to handle the new collision logic during high-speed movement.

Link of game https://kittycreampuff.itch.io/starfishroom

Thank you for following the development of Starfish ROOM.

[SketBR]

This update introduces a new layer of immersion to Starfish ROOM through the implementation of a dedicated dialogue system. Players will now encounter specific narrative interactions with various alien entities, adding personality and context to the arena combat.

In prototype versions, the dialogues were just text, not a beautiful dialog box

Introduction of Alien Characters

The game world is now populated with distinct adversaries who communicate with the player, providing both lore and personality. These characters include:

Chad White: An alien who is homosexual and Egyptian and whose attack consists of colliding with the player.

Shinobi Striker: An alien shinobi from Pennsylvania who uses his vampire armblade to attack his opponents.

Sabrity: A 14-year-old girl with a hyperfocus on firearms.

Balstico: A Brazilian armadillo whose weapon is transforming itself into a ball.

Kireionna: A 16-year-old transgender queen who drops menacing Tanukis.

Narrative and Gameplay Balance

These dialogues are designed to be concise, ensuring that the fast-paced nature of the roguelite gameplay remains uninterrupted. The character portraits and text boxes have been integrated to match the existing pixel-art aesthetic while providing clear visual feedback during interactions.

World Building

By giving the enemies a voice, the “ROOM” now feels like a lived-in environment with established factions and rivalries. This is a significant step in evolving the game from a pure combat loop into a more complete narrative experience.

[SketBR]

This update focuses on expanding the game’s accessibility to a global audience and fine-tuning the gameplay pace to enhance visual clarity.

• ​Japanese Language Support
  I have implemented full Japanese localization for the dialogue system between the aliens and the protagonist, Kibo. This allows a wider range of players to experience the unique personalities and humor of characters like Chad White, Shinobi Striker, and Sabrity in their native language.

• ​Movement Speed Adjustment
  The player’s walking speed has been slightly reduced. This change was made to allow players to better visualize the character’s animations and details during exploration and combat. By slowing down the base movement, the contrast between normal walking and the high-speed “Dash Kick” mechanic becomes more impactful, improving the overall game feel.

• ​Gamepad Removal
  The gamepad support has been removed in this version to prioritize the polish of keyboard and mouse controls. This allows for a more focused development on the precision of the “Throw Bomb” system and the responsiveness of the UI during dialogue sequences.

• ​Technical Polish
  ​Updated font assets to support Japanese hiragana, romanji and kana characters.
  ​Adjusted camera damping to match the new movement speed for smoother visuals.

​Refined dialogue triggers to ensure seamless transitions between combat and story beats.

[Amigo54]

Hi @SketBR!

I love your job.

Could you give precisions on how you localize the sentences?

A+
Xierra

[SketBR]

Okay, I uses variables to make this languages system, and i use Gemini to translate ENG to JPN

[SketBR]

This update focuses on visual polish for the upgrade system and significant changes to the enemy encounter logic to increase gameplay intensity.

• Upgrade Card Visual Overhaul
  I have completely redesigned the upgrade cards to improve clarity and aesthetic appeal. The new system features unique frames and a refreshed color palette for each card type. This visual distinction helps players quickly identify upgrade categories during the fast-paced “Level Up” moments, where the character turns blue to signal the pause in action.

• Real Monster Hordes
  The enemy spawning system has been reworked to support much larger quantities of monsters within the ROOM. Players will now face true hordes of aliens and monsters simultaneously, requiring better use of the “Dash Kick” and “Throw Bomb” mechanics to survive. This change significantly increases the difficulty and emphasizes the importance of strategic positioning.
• Future Feature: Accelerometer Support
  I am currently researching and planning the implementation of accelerometer-based controls. This will offer a new way to play and control Kibo Wave in Starfish ROOM, providing a unique alternative for devices that support motion input.
• Technical Adjustments
  Optimized sprite rendering to maintain performance during large horde encounters.
  Refined the UI layer to ensure the new card frames display correctly on all screen resolutions.
  Adjusted monster AI to prevent stacking issues within high-density groups.

Link of Game:
https://kittycreampuff.itch.io/starfishroom

Support Me:
https://ko-fi.com/sketbr