Get the Flock Out of Here!

About v0.2.0

Find and lead some lost souls to the promised square and don't let them do stupid things. It can get a bit intense at times.

Lead up to 15 unique followers, from your BSky account. Each follower type has their own personality, so lead them wisely.

How many can you save in the quickest time?

Genre: Top-down Puzzle / Strategy / Simulation / It's Lemmings-esque

Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

Resolution: Adaptive (960×540 base, scales to any display including 4K)

The game is actually a critique on social media and influencers. More about that in future updates.

Feedback & Support

This is an MVP v0.2.0 release. All graphics are placeholder and intentionally simple. This release is all about gameplay.

Your feedback helps shape the next version!

• Found a bug? Let me know in the comments.
• Balance feels off? Suggestions welcome.
• Want more or fewer enemies?
• Need more enemy types?
• Got a feature request? Tell me what would improve the game.

Controls

Desktop (Mouse)

• Click - Place the staff. The Messiah and followers will move towards it if they're within the circle of influence.
• Close Button (top-left) - Exit gameplay

Mobile (Touch)

• Tap - Place the staff. The Messiah and followers will move towards it if they're within the circle of influence.
• Close Button (top-left) - Exit gameplay

Gamepad

• Left Thumbstick - Move cursor position
• A Button - Place the Staff
• B Button - Exit to menu

Your Followers

Each follower has a unique personality that affects their behaviour:

• Elder (Gold) - Unwavering believer
• Zealot (Bright Blue) - Eager believers
• Lurker (Yellow) - Casuals, easily distracted, probably on their phones.

The Ascended: Those who reached safety

The Fallen: Those who died on the way to salvation, sometimes due to stupidity

Hazards & Enemies to Avoid

• Holes (Black circles) - Various sizes, trap the unwary
• Monsters (Red circles) - Hunt the flock, avoid at all costs

Game Features

• Stained Glass Aesthetic - Beautiful geometric rendering with vibrant jewel tones (coming in v0.3.0)
• Boid Flocking - 4 behavioural rules
• Seeded Levels - All players get the same level for fair comparison
• Stats Tracking - Compare your performance across games
• Cross-Platform - Play on desktop, or Android mobile phone/tablet
• Accessibility - Mouse, touch, and gamepad (coming) input only
• Mercy System: Retry as many times as you like. No penalties.
• Influencers' Theme: Social networking can be stressful.

How to Play

1. Start - Click or tap to begin the countdown
2. Wait - 4-second countdown with "Get the Flock Out of Here!"
3. Gather - Place your staff near some followers so they fall within the circle of influence.
4. Guide - Place your staff to guide followers toward the green sanctuary
5. Find - The triangles around the circle of influence show you where your nearest followers are, by type colour.
6. Manage Time - Get as many as you can to the sanctuary in the quickest time
7. Avoid Hazards - Steer clear of holes and monsters
8. Reach Sanctuary - Get followers into the green zone to save them
9. Reflect - View results showing who was saved and who fell
10. Brag - Post your best time and number of saved followers in the comments.

What's Downloadable

Desktop Build - Optimized for Windows, macOS, and Linux

If you download the macOS binary, be sure to remove the quarantine attribute on the app bundle:

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine [path_to_app_bundle]/Messiah.app

Mobile Apps - iOS and Android versions (Android download available from itch.io)

The Android .aab file needs to be sideloaded, which usually means enabling:
Install Unknown Apps by going to Settings > Apps > Special app access > Install Unknown Apps

System Requirements

Desktop (Windows 11, macOS, Linux)

• 64-bit processor
• 100MB disk space
• Any modern GPU

Mobile

• iOS 14+ (eventually on the App Store)
• Android 10+

Development

Built with:

• MonoGame 3.8.x - Cross-platform game framework
• C#/.NET 9.0 - Modern runtime
• Stained Glass Art Style - Unique geometric rendering (coming in v0.3.0)

What's Next?

• Audio and sound design
• Additional maps and difficulty modes
• Leaderboards (community and online)

Credits

Concept & Development: Dominique

Game Icon: ChatGPT. (I can't draw, and I can't afford an artist right now!)

Framework: MonoGame 3.8.x

Enjoy. Now go and get flocked, I mean get your flock out of here! 🌟

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine [path_to_app_bundle]/Messiah.app