The carrier never waits
Every side trip trades distance and safety for tomorrow’s fuel. The shared clock makes even peaceful exploration tense.
PROJECT / NORTH STAR
The long way home.
Saved locally
CO-OP EXPEDITION SURVIVAL / 1–4 PLAYERS
Keep the mothership moving.
Risk leaving it behind.
Your megaship is gone. A battered carrier and its tiny fleet must crawl through a hostile, maze-like galaxy—harvesting enough fuel, making uneasy allies, and surviving every swarm between here and home.
◆◆◆
HOME / 18 SECTORS
FLEET-07
Separate, then reunite
Crews scatter into winding pockets, call discoveries to each other, then race back when the mothership needs hands.
Every route leaves a scar
Destroyed pods, allied planets, recruited buddies, and installed relics reshape the fleet for the rest of the journey.
THE 12-MINUTE LOOP
Leave. Gather. Answer the recall.
- 01Read the route1:00
Choose a branch, planet posture, and who stays aboard.
- 02Scatter5:00
Detach pods to mine, trade, rescue, or hunt a relic.
- 03Recall2:00
A swarm, anomaly, or weapon opportunity demands crew aboard.
- 04Survive & refit4:00
Spend the haul, repair losses, and commit to the next route.
OPEN DESIGN QUESTION
What makes a recall exciting?
Try: warning language, time-to-return, partial crew defenses, and rewards for arriving early.
BETWEEN EXPEDITIONS / ROUTE CONSOLE
Choose the next signal.
A guided opening campaign presented as a readable star route. Select a glowing destination, inspect its lesson and stakes, then launch its playable teaching slice.
GUIDED JOURNEY6 SIGNALS
PERCEIVING · ROUTEFLEET-07 / HOME VECTOR
Perceive
A glowing signal and bracket label explain what can be selected.
Choose
The brief shows one objective, one reward, and three lessons.
Act
The selected record launches the smallest playable test that teaches it.
Remember
New enemies, rewards, and places enter the codex after discovery.
PLAYTEST ZONE / LEVEL 01
Escort the last carrier.
A four-minute open-space escort run: drift far from home, trust your auto-turret, survive escalating swarms, and decide how much risk your chosen fleet ship is worth.
CURRENT BUILDLevel 01 · First Light
Explore a seeded sector spanning six screens from launch to the rest stop.
- 01LaunchLearn the ship
- 02GatherFuel the fleet
- 03RecallChoose to return
- 04DefendProtect home
- 05RestFinish the leg
FLEET-07 CARRIER
SHIELD120/120
HULL100%
FUEL 100%
TO REST 4:00
UNIT PIKE
FLEET HULL 86/86
BOOST READYTHREAT 0SWARM DRONE
RECALL ACTIVEReturn to the carrier
W or ↑ thrust
QUICK COMMS
BOOSTER CRYSTALS · ONE USE
DESIGN MEMORY / AUGUST 2026
What changed, and why
This archive records the playable decisions we have made together. It preserves the reason behind each change so future tuning does not accidentally reintroduce solved friction.
Flight-feel sandbox
Started with momentum, steering, boost, fuel, gathering, recall, and docking in one focused canvas test.
FOUNDATIONForgiving collection
Expanded the resource contact field so close passes feel intentional instead of arbitrarily missed.
KEPTMore decisive boost
Originally made fuel expenditure more legible. Personal fuel was later removed because it discouraged the exploration the game needs.
SUPERSEDEDOne-button docking
Removed precision alignment. Near the carrier, pressing E simply picks up the pod.
KEPTE to Dock prompt
Added a hotkey callout only when docking is available, with a small animated emphasis.
KEPTSimpler pod, rarer glow
Simplified the fighter silhouette and reserved the stronger glow language for radiant, higher-value resources.
KEPTLocator backdrop
Added a soft local backdrop and cyan chevron when the pod crosses the carrier silhouette.
ACTIVEMoving carrier crawl
The full expedition drill now asks the player to leave, gather, answer recall, and catch a moving home base.
ACTIVELevel 01 · First Light
Combined the proven interactions into a timed route with fuel delivery, shared holdings, an attack wave, carrier defense, and a rest stop.
CURRENTFleet stakes and bullet hell
Expanded the sector, added three persistent fleet units, auto-turrets, escalating swarms, booster crystals, and expedition fabrication.
CURRENTUnlimited flight, evolving rewards
Removed fleet-ship fuel, made hull the personal risk, added evolving enemy forms, and turned every kill into a salvage opportunity.
CURRENTBurst drive and reactive shields
Changed boost into a timed impulse, added delayed numeric shield regeneration, animated shield impacts and enemy motion, and moved cargo into a readable side rack.
CURRENTTEST COVERAGE / LEVEL 01
One question per module
Use the smallest child item that can answer the question. Level 01 is the integration test; its five focused modules remain available whenever one interaction needs tuning.
| Module | Primary question | Observe | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch & flight | Does unlimited movement feel expressive and controllable? | Correction time, boost use, boundary contacts | FOCUSED |
| Field salvage | Do carrier cells, salvage, and repairs teach their roles? | Reward recognition, route choices, banking | FOCUSED |
| Recall & docking | Is returning deliberate and low-friction? | Response time, prompt readability, hesitation | FOCUSED |
| Carrier defense | Do evolving enemies create readable escalation? | Evolution notices, threat priority, loot pickup | ACTIVE |
| Route & rest stop | Does the open route create useful pressure? | Carrier tracking, return path, rest clarity | ACTIVE |
| Level 01 · First Light | Does the episode teach a complete Fleeting loop? | Drops collected, carrier fuel, hull, completion | CURRENT |
LEVEL 01 / FIRST RULES TEST
Victory and failure conditions
The first level succeeds at the rest stop, fleet-ship loss keeps the pilot with the crew, and the episode fails only when the carrier can no longer continue.
Reach the rest stop
Keep the carrier fueled and intact until it reaches safety. Holdings improve the stop; they do not unlock it.
PLAYABLELose the fleet ship, not the run
If a ship's hull is destroyed, it stays lost from the hangar. Its pilot returns to carrier duty until the crew finds, buys, or builds a replacement.
PLAYABLEThe carrier can no longer continue
The episode ends if carrier fuel or hull reaches zero. That makes gathering and defense parts of the same journey.
PLAYABLECURRENT ESCORT TEST
Does danger create desire?
Unlimited flight keeps exploration expressive while evolving swarms turn combat into a source of salvage, carrier cells, and emergency repairs.
Combat and reward roadmap ↗Fleet economy model ↗
- Notice when the swarm changes form.
- Watch which drops tempt you away from the carrier.
- Decide whether hull risk makes a valuable ship exciting to deploy.
GAME CODEX / STABLE RECORDS
Know what is out there.
One searchable directory for enemy ships, fleet chassis, rewards, planets, and core systems. Every record keeps a stable ID so gameplay, MotionDeck, SoundDeck, and future save data can refer to the same thing.
19TRACKED RECORDS
RECORDS
No matching records.
enemy/drone
Drone
Swarm
PLAYABLETIER 0
Stable ID · gameplay data · asset manifests · discovery state
SHARED PROJECT / VERSIONED SOURCES
Fleeting asset registry
Every sound, song, graphic, and motion keeps a stable gameplay ID, an editable source in its specialist tool, and a runtime handoff. This is the bridge that lets the game and both creative sites improve together.
SOUNDDECK / FLEETING PROJECT
Audio palette
fleeting/pod/boost/standardPod BoostSEEDED
fleeting/recall/warning/urgent-01Recall WarningSEEDED
fleeting/resource/fuel/pickupFuel Shard PickupSEEDED
fleeting/pod/dock/latchDocking LatchSEEDED
fleeting/carrier/engine/cruise-loopCarrier DriftSEEDED
fleeting/carrier/weapon/charge-loopWeapon ChargeSEEDED
fleeting/swarm/assault/phase-01Recall Under FireSEEDED
fleeting/music/journey/long-way-homeThe Long Way HomeSEEDED
fleeting/fleet/boost/burst-poofBurst Drive PoofPLANNED
fleeting/carrier/shield/impactShield ImpactPLANNED
fleeting/carrier/shield/breakShield BreakPLANNED
fleeting/carrier/shield/rechargedShield RechargedPLANNED
fleeting/enemy/evolution/stingerEvolution StingerPLANNED
MOTIONDECK / FLEETING PROJECT
2D, 3D & motion pipeline
2D RUNTIME ARTFleet triangle mark, three fleet units, five enemy forms, combat drops, locator, route, and cargo rackEXPANDED
3D PRODUCTIONFleet chassis, carrier core, docking bay, enemy families, and carrier cellPLANNED
MOTION & VFXBurst poof, shield impacts, shield recharge, animated enemy motion, auto-fire, evolution, and reward pulseMAPPED
fleeting/brand/fleet-triangle/mark-2dFleet Triangle MarkPROTOTYPE
fleeting/ui/cargo/side-rack-2dRight-side Cargo RackPROTOTYPE
fleeting/fleet/boost/burst-poof-vfxBurst Drive PoofPROTOTYPE
fleeting/carrier/shield/recharge-vfxShield RechargePROTOTYPE
fleeting/enemy/swarm/movement-loop-vfxEnemy Motion LoopPROTOTYPE
fleeting/swarm/evolution/phase-shift-vfxSwarm Evolution ShiftPLANNED
SELF-IMPROVING LOOP
1Game brief→2Editable source→3Runtime export→4Playtest evidence→5Reusable template
Fleeting-specific learning becomes an optional SoundDeck or MotionDeck template only after it proves useful. The source recipe remains attached to every runtime asset.
PLAYABLE SPREADSHEET
Expedition balance lab
Tune a single travel leg. The model exposes the central trade: more scavengers bring fuel home, but fewer hands are ready when the swarm arrives.
FUEL 100SCRAP 18HULL 100%STABLE
Drag the pod markers to test risky gathering positions.
GENERATED LEG
Encounter timeline
MODEL READOUT
Stable expedition
Current assumption
One defender contributes 17 power. A scavenger contributes resources, but is unavailable during the recall window.
SYSTEM MAP / V0.1
One pressure loop, many answers
Every feature should feed the journey, the fleet, or the choice to split up. If it touches none of them, it is probably a distraction.
SHARED CLOCKMothership
keeps moving
keeps moving
LEAVEDeploy fleetship risk ↑
EXPLOREMaze pocketsknowledge ↑
RETURNRecall eventdefense ↑
SPENDRefit fleetoptions ↑
ECONOMY
Carrier fuel
Only the carrier needs fuel. Fleet ships can roam freely; their personal pressure comes from hull damage and the permanent risk of losing a valuable craft.
COMBAT
Recall swarms
Threats are announced, then build. Players choose between an early safe return and one last high-value grab.
PROGRESSION
Relics & refits
Relics bend rules for one run. Refit modules permanently specialize the carrier but compete for scarce slots.
DIPLOMACY
Planet posture
Raid for a large immediate haul, trade for precision purchases, or ally for recurring aid and future story beats.
LOSS
Valuable fleet ships
A destroyed ship is lost, but its pilot immediately moves to carrier duty. Replacement ships come from salvage, stores, allies, or manufacturing.
COMPANIONS
Autonomous buddies
Recruits fill absent-player roles, handle simple duties, and become optional specialists when four humans play.
CONTENT RULE
Planet reward triangle
| Posture | Immediate reward | Long-term value | Primary cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raid | Large mixed haul | None; may create hunter events | Hull, reputation, ammunition |
| Trade | Chosen item or repair | Store refresh on later visits | Scrap or specific goods |
| Ally | Small welcome cache | Recurring fuel, buddy, route intel | Mission time and obligation |
EDITABLE SCOPE
Feature board
Keep the first playable honest. Move features as the design proves itself, and capture ideas without letting them quietly become commitments.
LEARN, DON'T JUST PLAY
Playtest log
Each session needs one question, one observable signal, and a decision. Notes without a decision become lore.
SESSIONS
Evidence archive
NEXT TEST / SUGGESTED
Do danger and reward rise together?
Play through at least two enemy evolutions and compare the urge to hunt against the need to escort.
- Notice whether evolved silhouettes read immediately.
- Track which drops cause a deliberate course change.
- Watch whether repair drops create satisfying recoveries.
Pass signal
Players can name the current swarm form and voluntarily chase at least one valuable drop without losing track of the carrier.
FROM LAB TO LAUNCH
Build the proof before the galaxy
The first technical goal is a great four-player expedition loop. Content scale, platform packaging, and metagame come after that loop survives playtests.
NOW / 1–2 WEEKS
Paper engine
Lock vocabulary, resource math, route timing, and one swarm recall.
- Balance workbook
- Input + camera spike
- Network architecture decision
PROTOTYPE / 4–6 WEEKS
Ugly fun
One carrier, four pods, one maze sector, one resource, one swarm.
- Host-authoritative co-op
- Drop-in local bots
- Desktop web build
VERTICAL SLICE / 8–12 WEEKS
A remembered journey
Three planet postures, upgrades, pod loss, one recruit, and a run ending.
- Save/profile layer
- Steam input pass
- Mobile performance budget
PRODUCTION
Build the galaxy
Procedural route grammar, content tools, accessibility, matchmaking, and platform services.
- Content pipeline
- Steam + mobile packaging
- Telemetry and balance
COMMITMENT PLAN / DEFINITION OF DONE
Seven gates from idea to stewardship
0Product truthWorkbook + pipeline
1Flight feelPod is fun alone
2Co-op heartbeatSplit + recall
3Vertical sliceMemorable journey
4Content factoryGodot + tools
5Platform betaSteam + mobile
6StewardshipLaunch + learn
STANDING PROMPT
Build the smallest playable proof of Fleeting’s central promise. Work in vertical slices, measure every test, and expand only when the current loop meets its written acceptance signal.
ENGINE DIRECTION
Godot 4, data-first
Godot gives this 2D co-op game a clean path to Steam and mobile, strong scene tooling, an open runtime, and an approachable scripting layer. Keep rules in deterministic, data-driven modules so this web lab can mirror the production economy.
GAMEPLAYGodot scenes + GDScript/C#
↓RULESPure simulation modules
↓DATAResources / JSON content
CREATIVE PIPELINE
Connect your tools
TECHNICAL RISKS TO PROVE EARLY