Windows DEFENDERGROOVE: Defender-flavored, Electrojazz-powered shoot'em'up!

Gravedust

Member


Defendergroove is an aggressively unfaithful remake of the classic space shooter Defender!

It really only keeps the looping level format and central mechanic of defending your little people from getting grabbed by aliens. New additions include powerups and a more traditionally shmup-style scoring system, where you are awarded more points for destroying each type of enemy in a certain way. Scoring points spawns additional powerups, and earns extra lives. Getting special scores makes powerups roll around faster, encouraging more stylish and risky methods of play to obtain the highest scores, though it's certainly possible to use more sensible methods if you just want a full clear.

Check it out:

The look and feel (and name) of the game are in large part inspired by the music of Graphiqsgroove, an electrojazz composer whose music I am really enamored with and is featured in the game with permission. The game plays the music like a jukebox, and will try to match the intensity of the track to whatever stage you are playing. Gameplay is beginner-friendly to start with, though it ramps up considerably. Continues are unlimited, though if you game over your score is reset. Generally I wanted to create a pleasant, almost relaxing environment for people to achieve a bullet-dodging, alien-busting flow state in.

Defendergroove features 2 Player local multiplayer and gamepad/keyboard support, local high-score tables for per-level and full-run scores.
It also supports player profiles, so you can set personal preferences (including ship graphics and color) without having to mess with game options that effect everyone.

Going forward I hope to add more levels, enemies, more and prettier visual effects and backgrounds (the backgrounds are placeholder!), and more music.
But for now I'd love people to try the game and see what they think so far :)


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DOWNLOAD HERE! [.zip][WINDOWS][~100Mb] (mostly music! There are ~30 tracks included)
Includes a set of 10 linked levels, + 2 bonus levels:
[Coffee break] A mid-difficulty level that runs 15 minutes(!) and transitions through several tracks.
[Singular Sensation] High difficulty, only one person to defend, but only ONE LIFE to do it with.
Play the bonus levels by scrolling past the normal levels in level select.
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FEEDBACK APPRECIATED!
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Please help me balance and tweak the game by letting me know how far you got and what your scores were on your initial runs!
Pressing the 'P' key in-game will dump your run scores to your clipboard as text, and you can paste it right here. :)
I'm also happy to hear any critique you might have!
 
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Gravedust

Member
Defender is a classic. Nice play on it. Has big visual effects.
Thanks very much! I hope you enjoyed it. :)

Actually though, I have been noticing the game running more slowly for some people, I had this problem before (was a vsync issue) and thought I'd fixed, it.

>> If anyone who played the game noticed it ran more slowly than shown in the OP video, please let me know! <<
 
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