THE ENERGY SYSTEM
Your life force and survival resource
What is Energy?
Energy is your life force. It determines how far and fast you can dash, your resistance to gravity wells, and your overall survivability. When energy reaches 0%, you fade into the abyss forever.
Energy at Various Levels
Full dash distance, full speed, full gravity resistance
Slightly reduced dash distance, 80% speed
Half dash distance, 60% speed, affected by gravity wells
Short dashes only, 40% speed, float in gravity wells
Permanent game over. No recovery possible.
Energy Drain Sources
- • Death: Lose all energy and respawn at last checkpoint
- • Enemy contact: Drains 20-40% depending on enemy
- • Hazard damage: Drains 10-25% per hit
- • Water areas: Drains 1% per second standing
- • Gravity wells: Drains 2% per second at low energy
- • Light beams: Drains 5% per second
Energy Restoration
- • Small energy orb: +5%
- • Large energy orb: +20%
- • Enemy kill: +15%
- • Checkpoint proximity: +10% (once per checkpoint)
- • Secret area rewards: +25-40%
- • Final ascent: Slow regeneration active
MOVEMENT SYSTEM
How your character moves and interacts
Walking & Running
Walking is free — no energy cost. Movement speed is constant.
- • Base speed: 100 units/second
- • No acceleration curve — instant full speed
- • Can change direction instantly
Dashing
Your primary escape and travel mechanic. Costs energy.
- • Tap dash: Short burst, 3% energy
- • Hold dash: Full dash, 10% energy
- • 5 i-frames during dash
- • Cooldown: None
- • Can dash in 8 directions
Jumping
Standard jump with variable height based on button hold.
- • Tap jump: Short hop
- • Hold jump: Full height
- • Wall jump: Available after Level 2
- • No double jump (initially)
Abilities Unlocked
- Wall Jump — Level 2
- Extended Dash — Level 5
- Gravity Anchor — Level 9
DASH MECHANICS IN DEPTH
Understanding dash behavior
Dash Distance Formula
Actual dash distance = Base Distance x (Current Energy% / 100) x Speed Modifier
At 100% energy: 100% distance
At 75% energy: 75% distance
At 50% energy: 50% distance
At 25% energy: 25% distance
Dash Speed Formula
Dash speed is separate from distance. It affects how quickly you cross gaps.
Above 60% energy: 100% dash speed
30-60% energy: 75% dash speed
Below 30% energy: 50% dash speed
0% energy: Cannot dash
Invincibility Frames (i-Frames)
Dashing grants 5 frames of invincibility at the start of the dash. This allows passing through hazards without damage/energy drain.
Frame data: i-frames start at frame 1, end at frame 5
At 60fps: 5 frames = ~0.083 seconds
Timing dash to hit hazards at frame 1-5 avoids all damage
GRAVITY WELLS
Level 8 mechanic - affects all movement
How Gravity Wells Work
Gravity wells reverse or alter gravitational pull. Up becomes down, down becomes up, or gravity becomes neutral.
Gravity Resistance
Your energy level determines how much you resist gravity effects.
- • 75%+ energy: Full control
- • 50-75% energy: Slight drift
- • 25-50% energy: Significant drift
- • Below 25%: Float uncontrollably
Gravity Anchor Ability
Unlocked after defeating The Heart at Level 9.
- • Hold to anchor in place
- • Costs 1% energy per second
- • Allows precise platforming in gravity wells
- • Essential for Level 8 and beyond
DAMAGE & DEATH
What happens when you take damage
Damage Sources
Enemies:
- • Basic Guard: 20% energy drain
- • Undead Prisoner: 25% energy drain
- • The Warden: 40% energy drain
- • The Heart: 35% energy drain (contact)
Hazards:
- • Spikes: 15% energy drain
- • Light Beams: 5% per second
- • Water: 1% per second
- • Falling (long): 30% energy drain
Death & Respawn
When you die, you lose all current energy and respawn at your last activated checkpoint.
- • Death sets energy to 0%
- • Respawn at last checkpoint with 0% energy
- • Checkpoint restores 25% energy on activation
- • Standing near active checkpoint restores 10% (once per death)