This is an entry for GMTK Game Jam 2026.
A relaxed 4-day game jam, making a game from scratch.

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Keep the flow til' you reach your destination.
It's time for a test run! This fancy new prototype engine should get us to the next town over, that is... if you keep it in check with consistency~

At least it's a more friendlier engine than the last time...
Let's be fast and try to get to the end with the least amount of rotations!

CONTROLS:
The goal: Get to 0 distance in as few rotations as possible.

1. Rotation Phase:

Similar to a rhythm game, tap your inputs along the beat and in-line with the panels on the engine to close the distance and gain some potential.
Mis-inputs will not be punished, but you will get no benefit. You will get a BEST if you time it precisely, otherwise it's OK.

Keyboard & Mouse:

• WASDQE - Activate Upper Lane (locked at first)
  
• Mouse Buttons / Arrow Keys / IJKLUO / Space - Activate Lower Lane
  

Controller:
Note: You still need to use the mouse to move around in the Potential Phase, as the UI is not designed for the controller...

• Arrow Buttons + LB - Activate Upper Lane (locked at first)
  
• Face Buttons (ABXY) + RB - Activate Lower Lane

Once you run out of rotations or if you overheat, the rotation phase will end and you will shift to the potential phase.

2. Potential Phase:
Spend the potential you have earned to add more functionality to the engine.
Click on one of the slots to swap functions around or to buy new functions for the engine.

NOTE: Any function you buy will overwrite the slot you select without confirmation.

Each function has its own distance tread, heat value and effect:

• TAP: Requires an input to take effect
• TICK: Passive, but makes a sound
• SILENT: Passive, but makes no sound
• S. TAP: Silent, but still requires an input to take effect
•   Distance tread is strictly in "BEST - OK" format. No randomization involved.
  (This is a bug, it's supposed to be "BEST [OK]")

Press "Begin Rotations" when you are satisfied and go back to the rotation phase.

You can adjust the BPM while in the potential phase to make it faster or slower to your liking, but it will have no effect on gameplay other than speed.

KNOWN BUGS:
✅ = fixed post-jam

• ✅ [Rental Storage] persists after reset
• ✅ Distance tread in function info should show "BEST [OK]" instead of "BEST - OK"
• ✅ Resetting during Rotation Phase locks the slots before starting. This can be easily fixed by pressing "Preview Rotation"
• ✅ All ADD functions should not show distance tread values (they are actually set to 0, so what you see are example values)
• ✅ Typo: [Double-cyllinder] flavor text - "We don't have ride stars ..."
• ✅ [Silent Pull] should be cooling more than [Pull] on BEST
• ✅ Resetting leaves [Phase 1] and [Last Sprint] unlocked
• ✅ Visual: The blimp indicator follows active value than visual value
• The shop is interactible during transition
• Bugs requiring a major re-write:
  • You can multi-tap a function if you are fast enough (more obvious on low BPM)
  • Some duration-based functions bleed over to the previous/next slot based on your timing (requires a major re-write)

NOTED POST-JAM CHANGES: (not uploaded)

• [Silent Push] Dist. 150[100] -> Dist. 150[120]
• [Silent Pull] Dist. 10[8],  Heat -8 -> Dist. 12[10], Heat -9
• [Compact Pull] Heat -8-> -16
• [Compact Push] Dist. 200[160] -> Dist. 240[180]
• [Finishing Flourish] Dist. 1500[900] -> Dist. 2000[1500]

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CREDITS:

• @fiaKaiera: Game Developer
  

ASSETS USED:

• Kenney: Fonts (Kenney Pixel, Kenney Mini, Kenney Mini Square)
  
• Kerrie Lake: Color Palette (Resurrect 32, modified)
  
• Kenney + Pixabay: Sound Effects
  • Kenney's Impact Sounds
  • Kenney's UI Audio
  • Kenney's Voiceover Pack (modified)
  • Pixabay Sounds:
    • freesound_community [1/2/3]
    • melbeebelbee [1]
      
    • dragon_studio [1/2]
    • irhouen [1]
    • universfield [1]
    • daviddumaisaudio [1]
  • Wind sound:  freesound_community [1]
    • Taken from last year's entry Steamcycles

QUESTIONS:

Q: I keep overheating.. how do I manage that?
A: You might either have too many "Push" functions, or too much passive stuff that generates heat.

Q: How do you get more potential?
A: Simply time it right. BESTs give you 2 and OKs give you 1. "Potential Battery" on Phase 2 or "Potential Engine" on Phase 3 also exists in the Function Shop.

Q: Give me a secret.
A: You can tap the first beat when the whistle blows at the end of the Rotation Phase.

Q: Who's the mouse?
A: They're named Ratch! They're a character from the previous entry!

Q: What's the least amount of rotations have you done during the jam?
A: 110 rotations. It could be better... Trust me.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask on Bluesky: @kaiera.furria.net