Get the Flock Out of Here!

About v0.1.0

Guide your flock to salvation in this meditative puzzle-strategy game. 

Herd 20 unique followers through a perilous countryside to reach the sanctuary as quickly as possible. Each follower type has their own personality—guide them wisely.

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)

Feedback & Support

This is an MVP v0.1.0 release, ALL graphics is 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.

- More or less enemies?

- More enemy types?

- Want a specific feature? Tell me what would improve the game.

Gameplay

You are the Messiah, who leads followers to sanctuary. Use your staff to place waypoints and guide your flock across a dangerous landscape filled with traps and monsters.

Core Loop:

1. Watch - Observe your followers' flocking behavior

2. Guide - Place your staff to indicate the direction to sanctuary

3. Protect - Steer them around hazards (holes and monsters)

4. Save - Get as many followers as possible to the green sanctuary zone

5. Reflect - View your results and try again

Controls

Desktop (Mouse)

- Click - Place the staff (Messiah and followers will move towards it, if within the circle of influence)

- Close Button (top-left) - Exit gameplay

Mobile (Touch)

- Tap - Place the staff (Messiah andfollowers will move towards it, if within the circle of influence)

- Close Button (top-left) - Exit gameplay

Gamepad

(coming in v0.2)

- 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 v0.2.0 hopefully)

🧠 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, tablet, or mobile phone (more in future)

🔄 Accessibility -  Mouse/touch/gamepad input only

How to Play

1. Start - click/touch 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 so they flock towards you and guide followers toward the green sanctuary

5. Manage Time - Get as many as you can to the sanctuary, in the quickest time possible

6. Avoid Hazards - Steer clear of holes and monsters

7. Reach Sanctuary - Get followers into the green zone to save them

8. Reflect - View results showing who was saved and who fell

8. Brag - Post your best time and number of saved followers in the comments.

Pro Tips:

- The star on the staff glows until your first follower arrives—use this visual feedback

- Monsters chase followers

- The green diamond indicates where the next staff waypoint will be. Watch out for bad positioning

- Smaller groups are easier to control than the whole flock at once

What's Included

- Desktop Build - Optimized for Windows, macOS, and Linux

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

- All Platforms - Same deterministic gameplay on all devices

- Local Statistics - Track your best performance 

System Requirements

Desktop

(Windows 11 /macOS/Linux)

- 64-bit processor

- 100MB disk space

- Any modern GPU

Mobile

- iOS 14+

- 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 v0.2.0 hopefully)

Game Design

Deterministic Levels: Same layout every game

Mercy System: No permadeath. Retry

Spiritual Theme: A meditation on guidance, faith, and salvation

What's Next?

- 🎵 Audio & Sound Design

- 🗺️ Additional maps & difficulty modes

- 🏆 Leaderboards (community & online)

"How many can you save in the quickest time?"

*Lead wisely. Protect fiercely. Save all you can.*

Credits

Concept & Development: Dominique

Game Icon: ChatGPT. I can't draw for shit, nor can I afford an artist right now!

Framework: MonoGame 3.8.x

Enjoy, and now go and get flocked.....I mean, get your flock! 🌟