Welcome to Starr Mazer: DSP - a simple-to-play, but highly-unique and addictive shmup that adds depth and replayability with procedurally-genrated and randomized elements. Take a look at the image below to familiarize yourself with the HUD / GUI and most common elements you'll be seeing on-screen:


Elements in this image:

Pilots: These are essentially your "lives" - each pilot represents another try without having to re-start your run. Each procedurally-generated pilot has their own portrait, ship, stats, and weapon combination - more detail on those later.

SK:ORE: Your score not only represents your bragging rights, but also functions as the game's currency. Your first run will begin with three randomly generated pilots - but once that run is over, you will use your SK:ORE to purchase more. Better pilots with better weapons cost more SK:ORE.

Weapons: Your ship has two weapons - Main and Super. The main weapon is exactly what it sounds like - the one you'll be using most of the time. Super weapons are more powerful secondary weapons or modifiers for your primary weapon.

Power Level: The weapon power level modifies the potency of both your main and super weapons. Using super weapons consumes the power level. More details on this later.

Carbomite: Glistening crystals dropped by destroyed enemies, carbomite adds to your weapon power level and score.

Enemies: Pretty straightforward - they shoot you, you shoot them. Being struck by an enemy is the same as being shot by one, though it's worth noting that touching a destroyed enemy will not cause damage.

"Health": Generally, this is a one-hit-and-you're-dead type of game, but it goes a little deeper than that - more about how health works shortly.

Starr Mazer: DSP is a one-hit-and-you're-dead kind of game, in that there isn't any level of health between "dead" and "full" - but there's a bit more to it: the health system in this game is referred to as chance to survive.

You'll notice a bar beneath your pilot's portrait - this represents your pilot's chance to survive a hit.

If the bar is fully blue-green, there is a 100% chance they will survive the next hit. Mosty, only higher-value pilots enjoy this luxury; more on this in a moment.

More often, you will see one or more blue-green sections in a black bar, with a yellow line / arrow moving back and forth.

If your ship is struck by an enemy or enemy fire while the yellow line is in a black portion of the bar, it will be destroyed (leaving a few seconds to let off a few stifled shots before exploding) - but if the yellow line is over a blue-green section of the bar, you will survive the encounter.

Higher-value pilots have a larger portion of blue-green in this bar - and some very high-value pilots will start with a full bar which will convert to the broken bar after being hit.

Carbomite is dropped by destroyed enemies, powers-up your weapons, and adds to your SK:ORE.

When enemies are destroyed, they will often drop carbomite crystals.

Larger, harder-to-kill enemies drop larger pieces.

If multiple pieces of carbomite are on-screen, they will eventually gravitate towards each-other and combine into successively larger pieces.

Larger pieces add more to your weapon power meter, and add more SK:ORE.

There are four sizes of carbomite; small, medium, large, and huge - pictured below:

As mentioned before, picking up carbomite not only adds to your SK:ORE, but increases your weapon power level.

Beyond the base level, there are three additional power levels, depicted by a three-slot bar at the bottom-left of the screen.

Think of this bar as ammo for your super weapons - but each bar also acts as a modifier for the potency of both your main and super weapons. This adds a layer of strategic depth to using super weapons; do you burn up all your power using your super weapon on a tough enemy or group of enemies - or do you preserve it to retain higher-level main weapons?

The first two bars (levels 2 and 3 for main weapons, respectively) are only consumed by using super weapons. However, the third bar, which adds bonus damage or attributes (METER BUFF in the pilot selection screen), is consumed by both super and main weapons.

As mentioned, pilots act as the game's system of extra lives during a run.

Each pilot is procedurally-generated; including their portrait, ship, stats, weapon loadout, and starting power level.

Your first run will include three random pilots - but after that, you'll use your SK:ORE to buy a new fleet.

Depending on how much SK:ORE you have, you will be able to chose from three "packs", or tiers of pilots - represented as cards. The higher-tier packs of pilot "cards" cost SK:ORE to access, while the bottom tier is free. Higher-value pilot cards can be found in the higher-tier packs alongside lower value ones.

Which pack will you chose?

Beyond aesthetics and flavor text, different pilots have some important aspects to consider:

Weapon loadout: Each pilot has their own pairing of main and super weapons, described in the pilot selection screen. Some weapons can only be unlocked by chosing expensive, higher-value pilots.

Chance to survive a hit: Rated F through A, this represents how much of the "health" bar will be filled - increasing or decreasing the chance of surviving a hit. Higher-graded pilots may also start with a full bar, as described in the "health" section.

Speed: How agile the ship is - how quickly it moves around the screen, again rated F through A.

Carbomite attraction: Rated F through A, how much carbomite crystals gravitate towards the ship.

Starting weapon power level: When the pilot starts their run, this is the weapon power level they will have before collecting any carbomite.


It is important to consider the balance between the value of individual pilots, and the overall number of "lives" you'd like to have for a run.

Now you're ready to take on the G'ell fleet - be a leaf on the wind - a hollow reed!

If you notice any inaccuracies in this guide, or have any more details or information you think should be included, just let me know!

NOW GET BACK MEOWT THERE!