CaveShip - Generation Stars

About the Game

CaveShip is a fast action game set deep in the caves of space asteroids. Your goal is to reach the end of each cave while scoring as high as possible.

The flight model rewards precision and risk: turbo boosts raise your score but increase damage, brakes reduce risk but lower points, and flying close to the cave walls earns bonus score.

A bundled Map Importer lets you create your own caves from simple bitmap files, then import and play them in-game.

Replays, score uploads, and a dedicated high score list support competitive runs.

Game Guideline

Import Map

With the game you get the Map Importer. You can make your own maps, send them to us and download new ones from our website.

How to make a new map

1

Open your favorite Picture Editor

2

Create a new Bitmap picture

3

Height must be 200 pixels

4

Width anywhere from 1,000 to 30,000 pixels

5

Draw a level using your pencil or another tool — do not use blur effects (the ship can only fly through pure black)

6

Save it (no compression) in the "Maps\\" folder

7

Run "Import Map.exe", select your file, name your map, and click IMPORT

8

Exit the program, run the game and press ENTER over your map! Enjoy...

Controls

In Menu

New Game (at any time) ENTER

Selection up UP

Selection down DOWN

Replay (on selected) R

Help (how to score) H F

Upload selected score U

Exit game ESC

In Game

Fly up UP SPACE

Fly down DOWN

Brake LEFT CTRL

Turbo RIGHT SHIFT

Pause P

Debug Mode D

Return to menu ESC

Replay

Fast forward RIGHT

Fast backward LEFT

Slow motion DOWN

Return to menu ESC

Playing Instructions

Stats (HUD)

COLLISION Shown in the top-left corner only when you hit something with your ship.

SHIELD BAR Shows remaining shield (blue) and maximum shield (white) when damaged. Recharges slowly.

EXTRA FUEL BAR Shows extra fuel used for Turbo and Brakes. Recharges slowly.

SCORE Current total score.

BONUS SCORE Shown in parenthesis beside the Total Score during bonus moments.

CHANCE Displays your chance to break the record (bottom-right). In Debug mode, shows FPS instead.

In-game HUD layout

Scoring

Shield 5 pts/sec

Full shield = max points. Less shield = less points.

Speed — Turbo +50%

Turbo gives 50% more score because of higher risk.

Speed — Brakes −50%

Brakes reduce score by 50% because it's safer.

Risk Bonus Variable

Flying near cave edges earns bonus score.

Damage

Damage depends on force of hit.

Turbo collision

Double damage

Brake collision

50% less damage

Below 30% Shield the Extra Fuel bar turns RED. You can't use Turbo unless no other thruster is active — forcing Turbo will drain all extra fuel.

Hints and Tips

Debug Mode

D

In Debug mode you can see FPS and extra lines on sides of your ship, don't worry you can't hit the edges with them. That lines indicate a Bonus score. Closer you are to the ground more points you get, lines on the picture show you that. If the lines don't even touch the ground, you won't get Bonus Score.

Debug Mode in action

Turbo Mode

+50% Score boost

Use your turbo whenever you have a chance, because it can boost your scores for 50%, but use it wisely.

Collisions make more shield damage

Brake Mode

−50% Score penalty

Use your brakes only when you are heading for a wall. Don't use them often, because they reduce your score up to 50%.

Collisions make less shield damage

Pro Tip

If you want higher scores, use your Turbo more often and fly as close as you can to the edges, but try not to hit the edges, because then you will automatically get less scores because of lesser Shield.

Features

Map Importer for custom caves

Risk-reward scoring with turbo and brakes

Replays and score uploads

System Requirements

Operating System

Windows 95/98/ME/YOU/THEY/XP+

Processor

500 MHz processor or lower 😉

Memory

32 MB RAM

Graphics

Yes 😆