Sparkling Summer Fan Fest '22/Button Studios

Hey y’all, Spheal here. And welcome to another Button Studios Direct, brought to you by the Sparkling Summer Fan Fest '22. It’s not been all that long since my last Direct back in April at Fan15, but I’ve got some stuff to share on upcoming projects and some things I’ve been working on over the past couple of weeks. 
This Direct will mostly be focused on titles I’ve already revealed at previous Directs. Before we start, however, I wanna thank Nio for putting this showcase together and giving us all a chance to show our projects.
With that said, let’s get this underway.
== Kishi: Shattered Rhythms ==
So, it’s been about 2 months since I first revealed details about Kishi: Shattered Rhythms, an action-adventure, beat-em-up rhythm game starring the aspiring hero, Kishi, on her quest to save the desert land of Electrica after the Rhythm Souls that keep the land alive are stolen by a gang of bandits. Today, I’m going to talk more about some of the characters Kishi will meet on her adventure, as well as shedding some more light on the combat system.
To fight her way across the land, which has now been plunged into chaos thanks to the disappearance of these Souls, Kishi must utilize the power of the Music Blade.
When facing an enemy, the area’s background music will become louder and more intense as a rhythm bar appears on screen - this indicates when Kishi should attack to maximize her damage output. Kishi has three main methods of attack which all rely on different button inputs. While X and Y are reserved for jumping and sprinting respectively, the A, B, L and R buttons as well as the D-Pad can be used to execute different types of Basic Attacks which when performed together or in sequences, can create Basic Combos or Rhythm Combos.
;Basic Attacks
So, these are Kishi's most simple and easy to use attacks. They work well against weak enemies in a pinch, but you might often find they're not particularly effective against larger groups of stronger foes.
 	Lunge 	A short and fast attack with limited range.
 	Slash 	A slower attack with a wide horizontal range.
/	Uppercut/Backslash	A fast attack, but with narrow range, only hitting targets directly in front of/behind Kishi.
/	Left/Right Spin 	A directional attack that moves Kishi a short distance to the left/right while attacking.
 	Cut 	A very slow but high damage attack.
 	Feint 	A very fast but low damage attack intended to confuse enemies.
Using basic attacks will be enough to get an inexperienced player through the easier stages of the game. But to truly master the ways of the Music Blade, Kishi should attempt to use Basic Combos and Rhythm Combos to rack up more damage and unlock added effects.
;Basic Combos
Throughout the game, the player will be taught how to use Basic Combos at different opportunities. These can be carried out simply, just by pressing two attack buttons simultaneously to create more powerful versions of basic attacks. Many of these combos also have niche secondary effects, as seen in some of the following examples:
+ 	Musical Slash 	A basic swipe of the Music Blade, which sends out a damaging music note projectile when used.
Jumping Slash	A fast, high-damage attacks that only hits enemies within a very narrow window, both in front of and behind Kishi. 	
Cut Parry 	A slow and weak cut by default, however if used as a counter to an opponent's melee attack, it will deal incredibly high damage.	
While these Basic Combos are, on the whole, more powerful than Basic Attacks, their uses are more niche and may not be useful in all situations, meaning the player should think carefully about when they are used. Spamming button combinations is not necessarily the best way to deal with certain types of foe.
;Rhythm Combos
Now for the most powerful of all of Kishi's attack options - Rhythm Combos. These are much stronger than Basic Attacks and Basic Combos. To use these, the player has to perform a sequence of specific button presses, though these will only activate a Rhythm Combo if the player has a Perfect combo of at least 10 hits beforehand.
Once this is done, this will enable the Music Blade to enter a powered-up state that brings about special effects to all of Kishi's attacks, so long as the perfect combo streak is maintained.
There are 10 types of Rhythm Combo in the game, and each one is unlocked by defeating a boss in the story. For now, we'll show the first three:
	Piercing Pop 	The initial attack will reduce the enemy's defense for several seconds, increasing the Music Blade's damage output. Furthermore subsequent attacks will break through the enemy's defensive techniques, such as guarding.
	Dazzling Disco	Upon successful use, a blinding flash of light will interrupt the attacks of all nearby enemies. Subsequent attacks will create further flashes of light that will blind nearby enemies, making their attacks inaccurate and dealing ranged damage.
	Jubilant Jazz 	The initial activation will give Kishi a huge speed boost. Following attacks will each boost Kishi's movement speed by a small amount.
If the "Perfect" streak ends, the Rhythm Combo will end, meaning Kishi will need to carry out another sequence of 15 "Perfect" attacks to activate another Rhythm Combo. Utilizing the effects of Rhythm Combos is essential for defeating certain enemies and coming out successful in boss fights. 
;Characters
Now that I've talked about the combat, let's meet some more of the characters that will appear in Kishi's adventure.
 	 	
Franz is a young shepherd who lives on a remote ranch in the desert. He and Kishi first cross paths at the start of the game after the Desert Marauders make off with the Rhythm Souls, and he offers Kishi his help in the form of a guide. He always tries to help those who need it, even if he is terrified of the Desert Marauders after his run-in with them 5 years ago had disastrous consequences.	Shikari is a member of the Desert Marauders. She is bloodthirsty and unpredictable, claiming to own many swords and knives and knowing over a thousand ways to kill her foes with them. Even within the Desert Marauders, she is feared due to her love for killing. She has an obsessive crush on her boss, Vuko, and to try to win her affection, she sets out to kill Kishi and makes it her number one goal to do so.	Gossamer is a magical light fairy who lives inside the Music Blade. They are awakened by Kishi inadvertently during the first boss fight and they continue to guide her throughout the adventure, providing tips and advice when she is stuck. They seem to be suffering from amnesia but strangely know a lot about the Music Blade and can offer to help Kishi remember how to use combos in the heat of battle.
The characters met by Kishi along her adventure into the vast desert wilderness of Electrica may help her along her way, though many are sure to be determined to stop her due to their allegiances to the Desert Marauders.
And that’s all on Kishi’s upcoming adventure, which will begin on September 20, 2022!
== Fantendo Kart Crystal ==
Fantendo Kart Crystal’s reveal was over 2 months ago (I know right? How time flies…), and with only 6 more characters left to reveal, development is beginning to wind down a little. That being said, there’s still a bunch more stuff left to be shown to you all, including some more of the characters that will be in the game as well as some exciting new game modes and mechanics. Let’s not waste any time and get into some of these new ways to play!
;Modes
What's a racing game without its game modes? Fantendo Kart Crystal introduces a variety of new game modes that can be played offline or in multiplayer, either via local wireless or internet connection. These game modes will all take place on Challenge Maps, a collection of 6 courses designed for these modes. First, let's take a look at these game modes:
Battle Royale	Take on up to 50 other players in Battle Royale mode! Use items to your advantage to wipe out other racers and aim to be the last one standing!
Hide and Seek	Find places to hide on the map and stay as far away as you can from the seeker! Stay hidden for longer to gain more points, and aim to be the last racer hidden.
Boss Battles 	Take on gigantic and powerful opponents as they take over the Challenge Maps! Be sure to use items to take them down. You can either work together with others to defeat bosses in the fastest time, or compete against them to see who can get the most hits in!
More game modes are sure to be revealed in the future, as well as the 6 Challenge Maps and the 6 Bosses that can be found on them.
;Racers
Time for some more information on playable racers in Fantendo Kart Crystal! At the moment, there are 18 playable characters in the game, with 6 left to be revealed. Here's some of the characters that will be joining the roster as unlockable characters!
RedYoshi	From RedYoshi's IslandA friendly and playful Yoshi, RedYoshi often finds himself rescuing his girlfriend, RedBirdo, from the clutches of his mysterious rival, BlackYoshi. He lives on a large island known as RedYoshi Island and spends most of his time swinging from branches and collecting his favorite food, blueberries.
Teardrop	From TeardropAn Oceanian and one of the Knights of Atlantica, Teardrop Seaside is a noble warrior who has fought on numerous occasions to protect the land of Atlantica as well as son and wife, Ritvert and Elfain, from evil threats such as Inferadness. He has the ability to change his body to suit the different forms of water, such as steam, bubbles or ice.
Theodore	From Loradila ChroniclesThe thirteen-year-old prince of Terra, Theodore is adventurous and co-operative, but due to being an outcast, doesn’t receive a lot of help from the people of Terra when he sets out to find his missing older sister, Kyra. He holds his allies close and is adept in physical combat through the use of knives and swords.
Demiurge	From World of Animals 2Demiurge is a bronze dragon from the Draconic Gardens, who like many other members of his species, wanted to rule over one of the planets surrounding the gardens. He was able to convince his caretaker and guardian, Sophia, to take him to one of these worlds so that he could rule over it and make it his own.
With these four characters joining the race, that means there are only 2 characters left to reveal for this all-star roster. These will be revealed in the upcoming months, so stay tuned for more information soon!
== Auralite ==
Now for some information regarding development of Auralite. Unfortunately this time, we were unable to contact Professor Tetra regarding information on the upcoming official public launch of the Auralite Program. At the moment, it seems that all official communications on Gem Island have been compromised. That being said, we do have information on a trainee who will be participating in the program very soon. Hopefully they give us some information on what's been going on there. So everyone, give a hand to Grandpa Wakame!
Wakame is a retired war hero who fought in the war between the stoic Seaweed Turtles and prideful Granite Lobsters of Gem Island, over 50 years ago. In the time since, he has raised his own family of children and grandchildren, and lives a peaceful life sailing the waves with his trusty surfboard, Neptune. Wakame has reportedly joined the program after being encouraged to do so by his hyperactive and enthusiastic grandkids, who have a keen interest in Professor Tetra's weapons.
Wakame fights an agile, highly defensive character who can move around on his surfboard, Neptune, while absorbing lots of hits thanks to his sturdy shell. While primarily being a transportation device, Wakame's surfboard also doubles as a weapon, which lets him shoot bolts of water when it's swung. He can also call upon a huge tidal wave for his charged attack that decimates enemies's health within a nearby radius.
;Fighter Poll #3
Now, in the Fan15 Direct, I promised that another Fighter Poll would be coming. And while this is true, it's not exactly going to be in the way you think. That's because Fighter Poll #3 will be branded as the "Create-A-Trainee Auralite Fighter Poll"! That's right, anyone on Fantendo is eligible to submit an idea for a character to star as the 19th and penultimate character in the base roster of Auralite. 
This contest will take place from July 15th through to July 31st and, depending on the number of characters submitted, will involve some sort of elimination-style bracket to determine which of the trainees from the contest will make it to the Auralite Program.
Stay tuned for more information closer to the time!
== Hotelier ==
Time for a trailer showcasing some upcoming content coming to Hotelier. Please take a look:
{|cellpadding=4|	A trailer begins in a dark room, where three guests are cautiously advancing through the darkness.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	OLA COLA:This must be the way out. Come on!
{|cellpadding=4|	Xe points to what looks like a fire escape exit.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	QUEEN CIRRA:Already? It feels too soon. We must remain on guard.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	AGENT SLATE:You two go ahead. I've got your backs.
{|cellpadding=4|	Ola and Cirra quickly walk towards the fire exit, Slate following behind them with her guns poised. All of a sudden, the lights flash on, startling the group. The sound of footsteps can be faintly heard as someone approaches them.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	AGENT SLATE:Who's there?
	
{|cellpadding=4|	OLA COLA:What's going on?
	
{|cellpadding=4|	???:Sorry to disturb you, dear guests. Please, I do not intend any harm.
{|cellpadding=4|	From a door to the group’s left, a figure emerges. She is dressed in a black and white maid’s uniform, holding a black parasol as she politely steps forwards, bowing slightly.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	???:My name is Laita.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	AGENT SLATE:Let me guess, you’re one of them, too? Are you gonna try and stop us from escaping?
	
{|cellpadding=4|	LAITA:I would never wish to do such a thing. I came here to offer my assistance. The Insomnia Hotel is my home.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	LAITA:I know it very well. But upon seeing some lost travelers within these treacherous halls, I thought it best to offer my assistance.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	OLA COLA:Can you tell us how to get out of here?
	
{|cellpadding=4|	QUEEN CIRRA:We have been lost here for days. Weeks, even.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	LAITA:Unfortunately, I cannot. I have not once seen the light of day since I came to work here many years ago.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	LAITA:Though I can offer assistance in other ways. Would any of you care for some tea?
	
{|cellpadding=4|	AGENT SLATE:This is some sort of trick, isn’t it? The second we let our guards down, you’re gonna try and fight us.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	OLA COLA:Relax. I think she’s on our side.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	LAITA:Perhaps I can prove my trust to you with some knowledge?
	
{|cellpadding=4|	AGENT SLATE:We're listening...
	
{|cellpadding=4|	LAITA:On the other side of that exit door is a powerful creature. They have no recollection of how they came to arrive here.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	LAITA:This amnesiac state has left them confused and afraid, meaning they will not hesitate to attack you once you enter.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	QUEEN CIRRA:We can handle it. We’ve made it this far, after all.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	LAITA:If you plan to continue forwards, please do not be afraid to take some refreshments to replenish your health first.
{|cellpadding=4|	Ola takes a cup of bubble tea and Cirra takes a cup of coffee. Slate eyes Laita suspiciously, before taking an espresso shot and following after her allies.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	AGENT SLATE:Ok gang. Prepare yourselves. This might be the toughest foe we've faced so far. We've gotta give them everything we got.
	
{|cellpadding=4|	LAITA:Good luck, my friends.
{|cellpadding=4|	Slate kicks the door down, guns poised, as Ola and Cirra follow behind her. One of Ola's arms transforms into a liquid rocket fist, while Cirra conjures a stormcloud in her hand. However, what the trio see on the other side of the door surprises them. A small lagomorph creature, about a foot tall, with glowing red and blue ears and eyes.
Ferro charges up!
Introducing the newest playable character in Hotelier. Meet Ferro, resident of Room 107! A member of the magnomorph species, Ferro is a young bunny who woke up outside the Insomnia Hotel after falling through an interdimensional rift in their home realm. Originally from a parallel version of earth, where the sky is purple and the trees are made of stone, Ferro doesn't have any memories of his previous life. 
That being said, despite his small size he's not weak at all. Ferro primarily uses Mineral-type damage but is also able to use damage types such as Energy and Stunning in his abilities.
Laita, at your service!
Also coming to Hotelier is the newest non-playable character, Laita. A quiet but helpful maid who originally came to the Insomnia Hotel looking for work, Laita was quickly hired by the mysterious owner of the hotel and has worked cleaning it ever since. Though she enjoys her job, she has since discovered she has no way of leaving and has not seen the light of the outside world in the many years she has been working.
Laita can be rarely found in floors of the hotel, providing refreshments such as tea, coffee, cakes and other treats to help restore the player character's health.
== Fantendo Strikers ==
And now for the final announcement of the direct - some information regarding a brand new community project.
Fantendo Strikers will be launched in the coming days as a spiritual successor to the widely beloved Fantendo Sports Resort. Unlike the aforementioned New Fantendoverse game, however, Fantendo Strikers will be free-to-edit for the entire Fantendo community. Users will have the ability to add their own team of 7 characters to the game once the project launches.
But what exactly is Fantendo Strikers? On first glance, the name and logo might suggest it’s based on the Mario Strikers games, but Fantendo Strikers will actually include 5 team sports, those being Soccer, Football, Basketball, Rugby and Hockey. All of these sports are played slightly differently to how they’re played in real life, however, as all are accommodated to have 7 players on each team and various rule twists are thrown in, such as items and most importantly - Team Specials!
That’s right. Each team in the game will have a Team Special, a powerful move that can only be used once every member of the team has filled up their Special Meter. In order to fill these meters, all members of the team should be used as much as possible with a large focus on teamwork, passing, and group strategies. Each team member’s individual Special Meters can be seen in the pause menu, but the team’s overall Special Meter will always be shown on screen.
So, which teams and characters will be available to play as in Fantendo Strikers? Of course, that’s up to you, but I’ve already prepared a few guys to work together as the game’s default team - introducing the Community Confederation!
;Team 01 - The Community Confederation
						
The default team in Fantendo Strikers is The Community Confederation, a group of Fantendo’s most popular community characters from throughout the ages! Its seven members are team captain Zerita, as well as Denos, Kyhthesis, Sreel, Yukio, Akage and Sorairo.
And as for the other teams in Fantendo Strikers? That’s up for you to decide. Anyone is free to contribute a team composed of either pre-existing Fantendo characters or wholly original ones, all that is asked is that no pre-existing characters from other media are used. 
Fantendo Strikers will be launched and become available to play on all platforms on July 1st 2022 (tomorrow)!
== ??? ==
Oh, I just forgot. Here's one last thing.
A modern Fantendoverse game, releasing in 2023.
Category:Sparkling Summer Fan Fest '22
Category:Showcases
Category:Spheal's Stuff