Karst

Our first game is an attempt to fill out a relatively new genre that has a ton of potential; until now, most physics puzzle games have been flash-based side-scrollers. Karst, however, is a first person 3D platformer; this allows the player to really immerse themselves in the world and the puzzles. Immersion is important here, because the point of this game isn’t revenge or simple amusement for the character: it’s survival.

You wake up in a cave, feeling bruised and battered, staring up at hole down which you must have stumbled. Looking around, you see exactly what you’d expect of a cave – except there seems to be a faint glowing coming from a tunnel over that way. As you get closer, you start to hear a faint hum, and find the source to be a crystal of some sort. It’s a beautiful thing, and it makes you feel almost happy; as you get closer, you notice that it dims and you start feeling better. Now that you’re as good as new, it’s time to find a way out of this series of tunnels. Wait – did you hear something?

Karst is a 3D first-person puzzle game set in a cave.
The premise: you fell in, and you need to find a way out.
The mechanic: this cave is home to a series of unusual crystals, each of which seems to have its own unique effect. If you’re clever, you can use these crystals to progress through the caves – if you’re not, you’d best get used to the dark.

Attracter Crystals
	As the name suggests, they pull things towards them; and if the crystal is big enough, this could include you.
Repeller Crystals
	The opposite to the attractors, these crystals push things away. Careful – the bigger they are, the harder they push; so unless you want to go flying, don’t jump on top of the big ones.
Amplifier Crystals
	Amplifiers amplify. You thought you were going fast before? Try running past one of these guys. Or if you want to be clever, try bringing another crystal over.
Dampener Crystals
	The complement to the amplifiers, dampeners will reduce the effectiveness of the aforementioned things; attractors less attractive, repellers less repellent, and speed less… speedy.
Life Crystals
	Broken bones stay broken, bruises are still bruises, and cuts don’t simply heal over themselves. So how can you survive these caves? Life crystals can slowly transfer their power to you: but I wouldn’t rely on them, if I were you.
Death Crystals
	Everything has its complement: attract to repel, amplify to dampen, light and dark. So what do you suppose the life crystal’s compliment does?