What this is

• A browser NES-PPU vertical slice — Night 1 end-to-end
• Not a ROM yet; architecture aims at cartridge (CHR, OAM, banking)
• Proves fun, readability, hardware-safe budgets, and scalability
• Near-final systems: combat, bridge, Omens, Witnesses, boss
• Deployable pitch build — validate the loop before 6502 work

The Night 1 loop

Shoot

→

Fragment

→

Carry

→

Bridge

→

Shroud

→

Boss

• Gaze combat drops Omen Fragments; carry four to finish the bridge
• Wing Shroud blocks / Perfect Reflect returns shots; optional Dread if you stay
• Survive five scripted waves, then the three-phase Red Watcher

Player systems

Omen Gaze

Primary shot. Clears waves and drops bridge fragments.

Wing Shroud

Hold to block. Six-frame Perfect Reflect returns projectiles.

Premonition

Full meter: halves enemy updates for two seconds.

Witnesses

Lives as people. Snatcher carries one off unless shot down.

Night 1 cast — in the slice

• Five scripted waves mix these types into readable formations
• Two selectable enemy art sheets swap as a CHR bank from Options
• Snatcher + Premonition shipped in the browser slice

Full game roster — planned

Concept art on the sheet · not in the Night 1 slice

• Later nights reuse the same metasprite / CHR-bank pipeline
• Boss parts show how large encounters stay under 8 sprites per meta
• Scope gate: all enemy types and final bosses stay outside the slice

Bridge & pressure

Four Omen Fragments

• Carry pieces across the arena to complete the bridge
• Bridge Eaters and shots deal structure damage
• Optional Dread: stay after the bridge for score risk

Cross or linger

• Finished bridge opens the path onward
• Dread escalates difficulty and scoring hooks
• Repair pressure keeps the arena tense

Omen choice + Red Watcher

Red Eye

Offensive Omen path — stronger Gaze pressure.

Black Wing

Defensive Omen path — Shroud and survival tools.

Red Watcher

• Phase 1 — approach
• Phase 2 — patterns
• Phase 3 — climax

Presentation / NES proof

• Software NES PPU: 256×240, planar CHR, nametables, OAM
• CHR banking — common tiles + scene banks
• Night 1 TNT tileset: ground, bunkers, bridge, water, sky
• Two enemy art sheets swap from Options without rebuild
• Eight sprites / scanline + metasprite part limits enforced
• APU-style score: pulse, triangle, noise voices in Web Audio

Full game — beyond Night 1

Design scope exclusions become the roadmap

Slice vs full game