A stylized 2D combat prototype built with Pygame that begins Phase 1 of the "Fractal Gods" experience. This vertical slice focuses on core moment-to-moment combat: responsive movement, a stamina-driven attack kit, timed parries, and a learning enemy patrolling a mythic arena.
- 2D Combat Fundamentals – Move, jump, crouch, and orient toward your foe with smooth gravity and ground detection.
- Light & Heavy Strikes – Spend stamina on quick jabs or slower, harder-hitting reality slices with knockback.
- Reactive Parry Window – Time your parry to deflect incoming blows, regain mythic focus, and stun the enemy for counterattacks.
- Enemy Patrol & Assault – Face an echo sentinel that roams the arena, chases when you draw near, and telegraphs heavy swings.
- Health & Stamina Interface – Monitor survivability and exertion through layered HUD bars and combat text cues.
- Win / Lose Cycle – Victory and defeat states pause the action and let you reset for another duel.
Future phases will layer in the god-tier abilities (lightning, time-slow, void shift), combo systems, and the symbolic progression tree once the combat core feels sharp.
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Move | A / D |
| Jump | W |
| Crouch | S |
| Light Attack | 1 |
| Heavy Attack | 2 |
| Parry | F |
| Reset Duel | R |
| Quit | Esc or close window |
Ability slots X and C are reserved for future mythic powers.
- Ensure you have Python 3.10+ installed.
- Install dependencies:
pip install -r requirements.txt
- Launch the prototype:
python main.py
The arena window will open at 960×540. Duel the echo sentinel, experiment with spacing and parry timings, and press R after a win or loss to restart.
- Phase 2 – Power Systems: introduce lightning strikes, time-slow bursts, void dash, and the myth energy meter.
- Phase 3 – Echo Intelligence: expand enemy behaviors so echoes learn from recent player habits.
- Phase 4 – Progression Tree: craft the symbolic path selection UI and persistent upgrades.
- Phase 5 – Narrative Integration: weave in story arcs, arenas, and lore codices that reinforce the sovereign paradox mythology.
Contributions, ideas, and playtest notes are welcome as we continue shaping the pantheon.