CORE MECHANICS

(Prototype — systems below are the design intent; numbers will firm up as the build lands.)

The beat window

Actions register cleanest inside a beat window aligned to the track's tempo. Hit inside the window for a "perfect" (full flow + score); hit early/late for a weaker result; miss entirely and the run breaks. The window is the core skill dial — generous on easy tracks, tight on hard ones.

The move-set

Unlike a one-button runner, Pulse Dash uses a small move-set — jump, dash, dodge — each mapped to obstacle types the track throws on beat. Reading which action the upcoming cue wants, and committing on tempo, is the play.

Flow & scoring

Consecutive on-beat actions build a flow/combo that multiplies score and intensifies the visuals (the neon world brightens and pulses harder). Breaking the beat drops the multiplier. Score rewards clean runs, not just survival.

Tracks

Each song drives its own layout and cue pattern, so learning a track is learning its music. Track selection is the content spine; difficulty scales with tempo and window tightness.

Feel & audio

The whole presentation is beat-reactive — hazards, background, and feedback all pulse with the track — so timing feels musical. Built on ForgeFront's audio-capable arcade stack.