Star Catcher

Introduction

Welcome to Star Catcher, a single-player VR game where you play as a child trying to catch falling stars during a magical meteor shower! This guide will help you navigate through the game and explain the main features you will encounter.

System Requirements

To play Star Catcher, you will need a PC with SteamVR and a compatible VR headset, such as the HTC Vive. Please refer to the game's system requirements for more detailed information.

Getting Started

Once you have installed and launched the game, you will find yourself in the main menu. Here, you can start a new game. When you're ready to begin, select "Start Game" which will take you to a quick tutorial screen. Once you are finished reading the tutorial, select “Play” by pressing the trigger key on your controller and immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Star Catcher.

Game Features

Visual and Sound Effects

The game features various sound effects and music to enhance your experience, such as button interaction sounds, collection noises for items, and music for the win and lose screen. The game also features particle effects to showcase star trails and collisions for stars and meteors.

Falling Stars

The main objective of Star Catcher is to fill your star jar with starlight by catching as many falling stars as possible before time runs out. The color of the star will be an indication of its rarity and point value, with pink stars being the most common and yellow stars being the most rare. The more rare the star, the higher the point value as well as the speed of its fall, which will make them harder to catch. Be quick, as stars have limited lifespans and will burn out if not caught in time.

Obstacles and Space Debris

While catching stars, you will need to protect the star jar in the middle of the forest from harmful space debris. This can be done by catching meteors before they collide with the jar. If the jar collides with a meteor, it will result in lost points.

Power-ups

Catch fireflies as they fly by to gain additional power-ups. Picking up a firefly will pause the meteor shower for 10 seconds, giving you a brief respite to catch your breath and focus on your strategy. A UI screen will appear to showcase the timer to the user.

Scoring System and Star Jar

Your score is determined by the number of stars you catch and the type of stars collected. Collected stars will fill the 3D star jar in the middle of the forest. Your progress is displayed on the in-game UI on your left hand (represented by a timer and a current score) as well as on the jar itself (represented as the number of star points currently collected and the threshold for the level). Make sure to keep an eye on the star jar, as you need to catch enough stars to fill it up and protect it from debris to avoid losing points.

Level Progression

To win the game, you must reach the minimum point requirement for each level. The difficulty will increase as you progress through the levels, requiring more points and introducing more obstacles.

Controls and Navigation

Use your VR headset to look around and locate falling stars, power-ups, and obstacles. Physically move within your play area to dodge obstacles or get closer to stars and power-ups. Use the VR controllers to interact with the game world:
- Point and hold the trigger on hand controllers to catch falling stars when in the "catching" zone or to interact with buttons on UI screens.
- Lift the left controller to check the UI, which displays your current score and time remaining.

Tips and Strategies

Prioritize catching higher-value stars to maximize your score, but don't forget that lower-value stars are easier to catch.
Keep an eye out for power-ups, as they can significantly boost your performance.
Always be aware of your surroundings and be prepared to shield your jar from obstacles as they appear.
Manage your time wisely; try to catch as many stars as possible without compromising the safety of your star jar.

We hope you enjoy playing Star Catcher! Good luck, and may the stars be ever in your favor!