Demonstar


 * For the binary star, see Algol.

Demonstar is a shareware game developed by Mountain King Studios, based on their earlier game Raptor. It is a top-down vertical scrolling shooter game with an outer space theme. The game shares many similarities with the Raiden series. Demonstar features various power-ups, including smart bombs and other power-ups which modify the types of projectiles that the player's ship fires.

The full version of the game features 18 levels. At the end of each level is a boss ship that the player must defeat to finish the stage.

Storyline
Demonstar's storyline is not considered a major part of gameplay in Demonstar, and it is not featured in-game. One can only find a short description in the game's help file. The story starts with the Terran Fleet developing a new prototype starfighter (the RaptorX), and the player is a test pilot of that prototype. Suddenly, the Xidus Armada Fleet, the Terran Fleet's arch enemy (ever since Galactix), launches an all-out surprise attack on the Terran Fleet that catches them with their guard down, destroying all Raptor fighters in the process, save the few RaptorX prototypes which were away being tested. Now the player must battle through the Xidus Fleet alone, destroy their ultimate weapon, codenamed the Demonstar, and save the rest of the Terran Fleet.

Power-ups and Bonuses
Numerous power-ups are featured in-game:

Secondary shots (floating colored icons with an "S"). The player starts with a primary shot which can't be upgraded at start or after death. The secondary weapons add extra strength. There are four type of projectiles available:
 * Proton laser (yellow strips): the weakest of all, but gives the ability to spread-shot after upgrades and can attack enemies at a wide angle.
 * Ion cannon (blue strips): more powerful than proton lasers, but shoots only in the forward direction.
 * Plasma cannon (red strips): the most powerful and most concentrated shot of all; fires a single beam of plasma cannon in the forward direction and a small spread of lower-powered shots either side.
 * Magnetic pulse (orange balls): a rare power-up which homes on to the enemy; its power is weak at the start, but after upgrading it matches the ion cannon in power.

If the player collects another type of secondary shot, it will set that shot to level 1. All secondary shots can be upgraded only 6 times towards their highest levels. Further upgrades of the same type release a 360-degree attack (e.g. more ion cannon power-ups release small ion bombs following 6 upgrades or the "Full Power" power-up). The power of both primary and secondary shots diminishes with distance.

Let y be = to yellow, b be = to blue, r for red, and o for orange.

if y=>7 than the format of the 360-degree attack is the circumference of the circle.

if b=>7 the 360 burst is a regular star with the point pointing upwards to the top of the screene.

if r=>7 many red dots appear in a spiral to ...clockwise or counterclockwise.

if o=>7...well format seems to actually also home in onto the enemies. The orange burst may not acutually have a format, other than all around, though it does home in on foes.

Full power (floating "S" with 3 colored balls rotating around):This power-up upgrades the player's secondary shot to level 6 and is accompanied by a shout of satisfaction from the pilot. But if player doesn't have any secondary shot after collecting Full Power, secondary shot will be maximized as Proton Laser by default.

Bombs (floating colored octagons with a "B"): The type of mega-weapon which is a standard in "shoot'em up" games:
 * Mega bomb (yellow): its action is similar to a nuclear weapon which deals huge amounts of damage to enemies in close proximity. Clears all enemy bullets on screen.
 * Scatter bomb (red): a defensive weapon that scatters explosives around the player's ship before exploding. Clears all enemy bullets on screen.
 * Mega pulse (blue): a rare laser-type weapon which is very damaging to enemies directly in front of the player's ship

Missiles (floating square with an "M"): Two kinds of missiles are available in-game:
 * Straight Missiles (blue): powerful weapon that shoots in forward direction only.
 * Homing Missiles (red): have the same strength as regular missiles, but home onto the enemy.

Missiles are limited and are not upgradeable.

Side-and-tail fire power-up :Adds side or rear firing.
 * Side Shooter (red): Adds side firing.
 * Rear Shooter (blue): Adds rear firing.

Can be powered up to a maximum of 3.

Shield power-ups: offensively and defensively protects the player's ship for a short period of time.
 * Crystal: Restores the players shield by one point.
 * Energy (floating colored icon with an "E") Restores the players shield to the maximum.
 * Floating I: Generates a forcefield around your RaptorX that shield you automatically from most attacks except for lasers as just a single blast from a laser will distinginuish your shield, though your energy will still be at full assuming you haven't taken a single hit. When you ram into the Xidus Armada, you only damage them. So if you crash into them while firing you can take them out even quicker. However you're only semi invincible for a short period of time and shots from enemies as well as flying in to the enemy yourself seems to greatly weaken the forcefield.

Levels
1 :OuterSpace

Level 1 is set in space. In the full version, the player is given the option to "warp" to level 7.

2 :Desert Base

Level 2 is a sandy, desert base. Some of the enemies encountered on this level are seen on the ground.

3 :OuterSpace

Level 3 is the second space level, characterized by the blue auroras down the side on the game screen.

4 Fuel Refinery

Level 4 is an oil, underground refinery planet. This level also introduces the orange power-up, Magnetic Pulse.

5 :OuterSpace

Level 5 is outer space with red auroras on the side.

6 :Ore Planet

Level 6 is an ore mining facility located on a deserted red planet. A boss may appear as an upgraded version of the previous boss.

7 :OuterSpace

Level 7 is the first level unavailable in trial version, and has blue curved lines in the background.

8 :Water Planet

Level 8 is a water marine, ocean base, with nothing but blue water background.

9 :OuterSpace

Level 9 is outer space with big white shapes in the background.

10 :Industry Planet

Level 10 is an industrial, plane planet with enemies from all the other levels.

11 :OuterSpace

Level 11 is outer space with crossing indigo stripes all out space.

12 :Research Moon

Level 12 is a moon area featuring some of the past level enemies.

13 :OuterSpace

Level 13 is a space area with crossing green stripes all out space.

14 :Farming Planet

Level 14 is an area with a green background and features the enemies from level 13.

15 :OuterSpace

Level 15 is a brown-themed area with asteroids, moonbases, and asteroids.

16 :Volcanic Moon

Level 16 is the place with a dark-grey scene that shows the explodable scenery from the past few levels.

17 :OuterSpace

Level 17 is an area with crossing red stripes from.

18 :DemonStar Base

Level 18 is The Final Level. It has a gray hexagonal shape in the background with a base and other level ships protecting the DemonStar.

Spin-off titles
After the original Demonstar was released, two spin-off titles have been released: Demonstar Secret Mission 1 and Demonstar Secret Mission 2. These games have many improvements, including better graphics, re-designed models and icons, higher difficulties, etc.

Level Editor
Demonstar full version has a built-in level editor. The level editor can be activated via Command Prompt. Also, users can load user made levels and publish their own. The level editor has never been demonstrated and is considered to be a secret.