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Draft:Rift Runner

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Rift Runner: Cosmic Conduits

Rift Runner: Cosmic Conduits is an indie video game developed in Rust using the Bevy game engine, blending real-time strategy (RTS), tower defense, and platformer elements. Set in a quirky, cosmic horror-comedy universe, players take on the role of a "Rift Runner," tasked with protecting a jittery, mobile "Core Shard" across hexagonal planetary platforms in space. The game features a distinctive mix of strategic energy field deployment, dynamic platforming between planets, and unpredictable encounters with three-eyed green alien foes known as Ethereals.

Gameplay

In Rift Runner: Cosmic Conduits, players defend the Core Shard—a moving target that hops between hexagonal tiles—from waves of Ethereals, including Gloopers, Staregazers, and Eyekings. These foes, characterized by their triple-eyed, slimy appearance, employ acid-spit attacks that slow the Core Shard or corrode defenses, and deliver jumpscares with sudden spawns. Players deploy three types of energy fields—Pulse Fields (offensive), Weave Fields (resource-generating), and Temporal Fields (control)—using rift energy, which is managed in real-time. The game progresses across three planetary platforms: Slime Pits (Cycles 1-5), Triad Moons (Cycles 6-10), and Green Abyss (Cycles 11-15), each introducing stronger foes and unique environmental effects like energy boosts, field-shifting shadows, and intensified spawns. Victory is achieved by dissolving a set number of foes across 15 cycles, with platforming transitions resetting the battlefield.

The hexagonal grid layout, combined with RNG-driven mechanics (e.g., Core Shard movement, foe spawns, field effects), ensures high replayability. A minigame, the Entropy Core, allows players to entangle quantum particles for bonus energy, adding a puzzle element. The game’s pacing is fast and chaotic, with a focus on adaptability and quick decision-making.

Development

Rift Runner: Cosmic Conduits began as a text-based prototype inspired by tower defense classics, evolving through iterative design into a graphical 2D game using Bevy. Initially conceived with a static grid, it transitioned to a coordinate-based hexagonal system with chunk-based planetary platforms to distinguish it from similar titles like Plants vs. Zombies. The addition of acid-spit attacks, three-eyed green men, and jumpscares emerged from a desire to infuse personality and unpredictability, while the moving Core Shard and platformer elements reflect its hybrid genre ambitions. Developed as an open-source project, it aims for a polished indie release with sprite-based visuals, animations (e.g., acid splashes, jumpscare shakes), and a quirky soundtrack featuring screeches, splats, and Core Shard yelps.

Themes and Style

The game’s aesthetic blends cosmic sci-fi with horror-comedy, featuring a sarcastic Overmind narrator, a panicky Core Shard, and taunting Ethereals. Its visual style targets a vibrant, gooey look—slimy planets, glowing fields, and twitching alien eyes—while maintaining a retro 2D charm. The narrative pits the player against a fractured cosmos, with dialogue like "Grrr! Three eyes on you!" and "AAAH! Nearly dropped my circuits!" driving its eccentric tone.

Reception and Future Plans

As an indie project in development (as of April 2025), Rift Runner: Cosmic Conduits has not yet been formally released but is planned for open-source distribution on platforms like GitHub, with potential commercial polish for Steam or Itch.io. Future enhancements include field upgrades, a scoring system, and expanded planet-specific challenges to deepen its addictive loop. Its unique genre fusion and chaotic RNG mechanics position it as a fresh take on tower defense, appealing to fans of strategy, platforming, and quirky indie experiences.

game code: https://github.com/Gaming-tech-cyber/Rift-Runner

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