Starfish ROOM: Launch & Speed Update

Community Devlog
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Inspired in games Spent Shells, Vampire Survivors, Apple Knights. In a world colonized by aliens, Kibo Wave has been chosen to fight various aliens, kill monsters, collect cards, and speedrun in seconds in an eternal loop in a 2D musou roguelite sci-fi queer game.

Story

An alien colony has invaded the planet of cats. A transgender catboy named Kibo Wave was chosen to fight against a horde of monsters and battle aliens eternally in a loop called “Eternal Loop.” After fighting for a lifetime, Kibo encounters his clone from the future, named Boki, who is allied with the aliens and created to kill him. Now, Kibo must save his life against Boki for a worthy ending.

Gameplay
You wake up in a small, enclosed room. You have your sword, dash, kicks, and dynamite. After the text “Make The Fiesta” appears, the party begins, and a bunch of monsters are chasing you to kill you.

Upon reaching a score of 100, two randomly selected cards appear; one is chosen, granting powers, and more monsters appear to eat you.

The ROOM ends, and you wake up in the Starfish arena to fight colorful aliens.

After defeating the alien, you wake up in a ROOM corresponding to that alien, and other monsters appear.

But After 2 Eternal Loops, you fight your clone from the future who came to kill you, but even so, in the process, you die and the Eternal Loop continues

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Hyper Links:

Itch:
https://kittycreampuff.itch.io/starfish-room-final

Newgrounds
https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/1025228

STFROOM subreddit Community
https://www.reddit.com/r/StarfishROOM/

2 Likes
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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

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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) :drop_of_blood:
    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) :loud_sound:
    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 :bulb:
    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!

1 Like
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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) :video_game: 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 :black_joker: 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 :bomb: 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

1 Like
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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

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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

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Thank you for following the development of Starfish ROOM.

1 Like
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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.

2 Likes
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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.

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Hi @SketBR!

I love your job.

Could you give precisions on how you localize the sentences?

A+
Xierra

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

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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

3 Likes
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In this update, I’ve made several improvements and additions

  • I changed the design of the blue diamond score bar.

  • I added 2 new cards, a meteor that passes through the ROOM and a card that adds “Add Timer” which increases the game time

  • The aliens are colliding with solid objects

  • The monsters and aliens leave trails of green slime

  • Improvements to the organization of the game’s main menu

  • New conquest menu to see your full potential

Entertainment, these were the latest updates for this simple game.

Link of this game:

https://kittycreampuff.itch.io/starfishroom

Support Me:

https://ko-fi.com/sketbr

I hope you play Starfish ROOM and enjoy it

2 Likes
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Hello everyone! We have a quick but lethal update for Starfish ROOM: Defend the Rooms. While it’s a micro update, the stakes have never been higher for Kibo Wave

Please, play my game: https://kittycreampuff.itch.io/starfishroom

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New Boss: Boki, The Alien Clone

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A new threat has emerged from the shadows of the future. Meet Boki, a mysterious alien clone of Kibo Wave. But this isn’t just a simple copy—Boki is a battle-hardened cyborg from a dark timeline who has traveled back with one single mission: to eliminate the original Kibo Wave

Prepare yourself for a high-intensity encounter! Boki brings cybernetic precision and alien technology to the battlefield. Do you have what it takes to stop this futuristic double?

Visual Enhancements: Animated Menu Texts

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To give the game a more polished and dynamic feel, I’ve also updated the UI. The main menu texts now feature new visual effects, making the navigation experience much more immersive and energetic from the moment you hit “Start”.

What’s Next?

This micro update is another step in making Starfish ROOM the best experience possible. Stay tuned for more, and as always, thank you for the incredible support!

Defend the rooms. Stop the clone. Save the future.

2 Likes
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Hi, how are you? In this new update, I’ll show you everything that’s changed.

New language: PT-BR

A new and striking language, the PT-BR language is something that, just by hearing it, everyone knows it’s BR, unlike Asian languages such as Hindi, Chinese, and Thai (South Asia). In this new language support, the characters write as if they were in a Brazilian film/dubbed in PT-BR. In the dialogues, the characters speak with slang and accents, unlike Japanese and English where they write grammatically simple and “correct”.

Now you can use your cell phone as a motion capture controller. This function already comes with automatic attack and shake to throw bombs, but there is still no dash option for this type of controller. The idea behind this type of control is for casual players who just want to pick up a game for fun.

Bugs:

The card descriptions weren’t accurately describing the cards (I fixed this bug) and maybe the game improved by about 200%.

Now Boki appears in the scene normally and now there’s a “Kibo Death” ending.

Hope you like it.

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BRO WHAT IS THIS SOUNDTRACK :skull:
I might make some music for the game if you would like (although I have to warn you that most of the time if I try to make genres outside of the chiptune area there is a risk that it just might not be good)

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I actually tried it.

Nice game bro!

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-Z-depth of characters
-New spiders art
-Remove aliens/monsters border collision of Player
-Text Count for Eternal Loop to Boki arena fight
-Fix Kibo hurt collisions and infinity kick attack
-Monsters now is life system
-Now have is control with key arrows

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https://kittycreampuff.itch.io/starfishroom

These are the changes I made to my game, I hope you like this

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In this update, I’m going to make Starfish ROOM open-source available for anyone to tinker with.

What is open-source?
Open-source projects are those where a developer makes the raw, original code/files available online with the goal of improving the project.

How do I open the Starfish ROOM code?
Here’s the fun part: you can download the Gdevelop engine to open the Starfish ROOM source code. Once opened, you’ll have complete control to modify the game without the risk of being sued.

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https://kittycreampuff.itch.io/starfish-room-final

In the future, I hope there will be many Starfish ROOM mods.

Thank you for playing.

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In this Starfish ROOM: DEFEND THE ROOMS lastest update, I added a blood effect, white effect and others VFX, custom cursor and lazer shotgun and fix the monsters not dead bug

https://kittycreampuff.itch.io/starfish-room-final

I hope that like this

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In this update I changed the bitmap font (I couldn’t use Simplified Chinese due to limitations of GDevelop 5), changed Timer/Score to Flow/Core, now Kibo Wave speaks during battle, and now the camera follow player

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https://kittycreampuff.itch.io/starfish-room-final

https://www.reddit.com/r/StarfishROOM/