Hello everyone,
I’m currently developing Project Aether, a mission-based 2D shooter for Android inspired partly by the Flash games I played growing up.
The prototype began with a simple question: can a shooter make the decision not to fire as meaningful as pulling the trigger?
Combat is still central to the game, but some encounters can be resolved through observation, restraint or the correct use of mission intelligence. Decisions made during a mission may affect its debriefing, the information available to the team and later events.
The current prototype contains four connected missions. They are being used to test:
- Mobile movement and shooting controls.
- Mission briefings and debriefings.
- Optional objectives and alternative solutions.
- Intelligence gathered between missions.
- Consequences that persist across the campaign.
Most of the current presentation is deliberately temporary. The visuals consist mainly of line art and shapes drawn by the engine, while the audio uses simple 8-bit-style effects and synthetic placeholder voices. My priority at this stage is validating the mechanics, mission structure and narrative systems.
I recently published a longer development log covering the original concept, the proof of concept, early feedback and the development of the first four missions:
Building a 2D Shooter Where Shooting Is Not Always the Best Solution
I’m now preparing a limited Android playtest.
One of the questions I’m currently considering is how clearly the game should signal that an encounter has a non-destructive solution. Should the possibility be communicated explicitly in the briefing, suggested through intelligence, or left for the player to discover?
I’ll use this thread to share future progress and playtest findings.