This looks awesomely.  I can't get enough of high-quality pixel art.

Excellent feedback all around.  Thanks, guys!

I originally conceived this on a larger scale, with more of an emphasis on exploration and discovery, and less arcade shooter action.  The decision to downscope it into a time-based shooter was mostly a pragmatic one, and while I think this has the potential to stand on its own as a fun little game, I tend to think of it as a stepping stone on the way to something bigger.  I'd still very much like to return to my original fleshed-out vision at some point, and it's encouraging to know that there would be interest in something like that.

[Updated October 25, 2008:]

Updated October 25, 2008: Arc Aether Anomalies is complete.  The final build is available here.

• Added "sticky" aim assist (optional, enabled by default)
• Added non-linear scaling for Xbox 360 analog stick axes
• Increased the gravity on pickup cells so they are much easier to collect
• Bug fixes to leaderboard system
• Various other tweaks and fixes what I've forgotten

Updated October 14, 2008:

Added online leaderboards.  Tweaked some of the game rules; movement is a little less floaty now, and pickup cells don't disappear so soon.  The Controls and About menus have been implemented.  Added options for mouse speed, Y-look invert, and southpaw/legacy gamepad controls.  Added a fade-out when the game is over before the mission analysis screen pops up.  Made several engine performance optimizations.  Set up a site up here: http://www.j-kyle.com/arc/


Arc Aether Anomalies is a 6DOF arcade shooter.  I've been working on it since February, based on tech that I've been developing since I was a student of the Guildhall.

Regarding desired feedback, mostly I just want to know:
Does it run?  This is original tech, which means original bugs.  I've successfully tested it on a handful of machines, but I'm still pretty wary of some of the shortcomings of my engine.
Is it fun?  I'm too close to the project to be objective.

As far as system requirements go, you'll need at least a Shader Model 2 compatible graphics card.  The faster the better.  I'm afraid I can't be more specific than that at this time.

Controls:
The Xbox 360 controller is currently supported.  (WASD/mouse is also supported, naturally.)  Support for more devices and a complete control binding option will be coming...at some point.

WASD/mouse or analog sticks: fly around
Left mouse button or right trigger: fire laser
Right mouse button or left trigger: fire arc beam

The laser is straightforward.  Shoot baddies ("spores").  Blow them up.  Collect the cells they drop.

The arc beam is where it gets interesting.  This will freeze baddies in place.  If you keep it locked on a baddie for a little while, he'll mutate into a bigger, faster baddie (a "superspore").  When you shoot these guys, they'll drop more cells and split into two smaller guys.

Grabbing cells (by running into them) increases your score multiplier and the remaining time.  There's no health bar -- you play until you run out of time, so grabbing cells is important to stay in the game.  The longer you play, the less time you get per cell, so it's best to collect as many as you can early in the game.

Download (updated October 25)
http://www.j-kyle.com/arc/Anomalies_Install_2008-10-25.exe

Screenshots:

Procedurally generated anything = instant download.  Very slick old-school art and music, reminds me of Tyrian a bit.  I loved the "REVENGE" message when I destroyed the gun that killed me.  The screen shake any time something blows up is pretty spiffy.  The editor is intuitive and easy to use.

A few small critiques: I wish the "Fight!" button in the editor would let me immediately battle the boss I was building instead of loading a previously saved boss, and I wish hitting Esc from there would go back to the editor instead of the title screen.

Watching the gameplay video now -- some of those bosses look ridiculous! :D

Very cool.  I love the silhouetted art style.  The individual non-scrolling screens, each with its own unique props, reminds me of games like Bubble Ghost.  Very interested to see where this goes.

Hey, I'm Kyle.  I got into both gaming and programming when I was pretty young.  I remember making bad Legend of Zelda clones in GW-BASIC when I was about six years old.  (And by "clones," I mean really bad pseudo-graphical text adventures with only the vaguest hint of a Zelda theme that could be finished in two minutes.  Good times.  )  Tried my hand at art and level design a few times over the years, but programming has remained my true calling.  I've started following the indie scene recently, and I'm looking forward to playing more indie games and maybe sharing some of my own hobby work.

I'm a Guildhall alumnus, now working as a game developer professionally and spending the majority of my spare time working on hobby projects pretending to work on hobby projects but actually watching TV on DVD.  I have some samples on my student portfolio at http://www.j-kyle.com/.  This screenshot is one of my favorites.  It's from my Master's project, which gave me a chance to explore some of my major interests, including graphics programming and procedural content generation.



Monocles and top hats,
--Kyle