Blueprint Mechanic Description

Definition (What are they?)

Blueprints are essentially just one time unlockables that players get in order to gain access to crafting a new kind of powerup.

Interaction between player and feature (How do they work?)

They will function identically to the shooting star mechanic described here

Effects post interaction

The player will have a new powerup unlocked on the crafting screen.

Example of what the crafting screen could look like when the player has not unlocked fortification but has unlocked 3 other powerups - Spacial Ocean, Cryo Shield and Frost Field -

Example of the crafting screen once the fortification powerup has been unlocked through a blueprint -

Possible future UI for when there are more materials. The materials tab could be scrollable from left to right so players can view the quantities of all obtained materials -

Why would they spawn in a level?

If a player has failed at certain stage of the game two times already a blueprint for the first powerup spawns.

Where do they spawn?

They always fly overhead above the player and will usually spawn in between phases when there is less action going on in the game.

The blueprint asteroid may be extremely fast at first so the player may miss it and it may usually just fly out of screen the first few times.

After the player has seen it a few times and maybe remembers the word for it they may be better prepared to attack it on a fourth or fifth attempt when it would also be a bit slower than the first few times it flies over head.

There would be around 30 seconds to 1 minute of buffer before the blueprint asteroid respawns for the player to attempt to shoot it again.