Devlog 4 Vertical slice

Question

Taking prototypes one, two and three into consideration along with their feedback form the play-tests hosted, how do we combine the best features of these prototypes to create the best player experience. 

Both Ben and I began brainstorming on a concept for a game,  game features and who's going to be in charge of what for the creation of this game. Below you will find a Game Design Document for our game this is what we came up with during our brainstorming process. 

Game Name: 

Genre: 3D platformer/Horror/Adventure

Target Platform: Web/Mobile/Console

Target Player: For ages 10+, for any players that are up to the challenge . This game is for players who like platformer/puzzle type games. 

Game story ideas

• Focuses on a main character that has to go on an adventure. 
• The player should not have the ability to kill the enemies(maybe they can if they collect a power up). 
• The player should have some sort of guide throughout the levels. 
• The game should contain different levels.

Game story summary

Game story follows a main character named Connor. Connor and his family are part of a car crash. Connor ends up in coma due to his accident. He meets his light guide which then explains to him that he is trapped within his own conscience and must deal with all his inner demons before he can escape and wake up. Connor is really worried about his family as he doesn't know what happened to them after the car crash he gets really concerned when he finds out he is in coma, something worse must have happened his family. He needs to wake up and find them to make sure that they are okay. In order or Connor to escape he must deal with the darkest parts of his conscience which is his emotions. Connor is scared of whats ahead of him but is then reassured by his light guide who says he will protect him and help him escape. Connor must deal with emotions such as anger, sadness and betrayal. The light guide explains to Connor that he currently has no powers and Connor must deal with his inner corruption in order for the light guide to flourish. The more corruption Connor defeats in himself the stronger the light guide will get and will be able to assist Connor throughout his adventure. Connor starts his adventure and is ready to defeat corruption. Connor slowly but surely progresses through his conscience defeating corruption and his light guide grows stronger. As the light guide grows stronger Connor realizes that its acting more and more suspicious but Connor shakes this off as this light guide is helping him. As soon as the last bit of corruption is defeated Connor is ready to wake up and find his family, this doesn't happen. The light guide then reveals its true self. The light guide was all a facade and it reveals itself to be the root of all Connors corruption, which is personified as Connor. The light guide then reveals its plan to Connor, It then explains to Connor that it used him as a pawn in his own conscience to defeat all of his own corruption. The light guide was unable to do this as it lacked empathy and didn't have the resources to defeat the corruption. Now that all the corruption is defeated the light guide has an opportunity to escape and take control of Connors body leaving his true self trapped in his own conscience. All Connor will be able to do is watch as the root of his evil proceed to ruin his whole life while he is trapped just watching its actions. Connor must defeat the root of his own evil to keep it under control ad finally escape his conscience. 

Both Ben and I think that this game should contain two endings:

• Good - Connor beats the root of his evil and wakes up to find his family.
• Bad - The evil defeats Connor and keeps him trapped as a prisoner in his own family. 

Core Mechanics

• Player movement - The player should be able to walk around the level
• Jump - The player should be able to jump to maneuver through the level. 
• Climb - The player can climb suitable surfaces. 
• Run - The player can run for short periods of time which will be measured by a stamina bar. 
• Pick up/ Use - The player will be able to pick up and use certain items within thee levels. 
• Hide - The player can hide from enemies for a certain amount of time which will be measured by a hide bar. 

Goals

• Defeat all corruption within inner self.
• Collect all pick ups to use and improve abilities. 
• Solve puzzles within level to progress.
• Dodge enemies and attacks.
• Uncover all of the corruption to learn more about Connor and his backstory. 
• Spread light throughout the level. 

Rules 

• Operational
  • The player has to play through every level before replaying any levels (Can replay levels that are already beaten).
  • Player can run for a period of time.
  • Player can hide for a period of time.
  • Player can only hold one item at a time. 
  • Player cannot use abilities when they are holding an item. 
  • Player can jump and hold an item at the same time.
  • Player does not have the abilities to attack enemies. 
  • Players health is measured with a bar and percentage. 
  • Player can collect power-ups throughout the levels to heal. 
  • Enemy contact takes -15% and gives the player a moment of invincibility in order to escape. 
  • Enemy projectile varies from -5% to -20% depending on the projectile.
• Structural
  • Player abilities are measured by percentage. 
  • Level sizes will vary with the camera following the player.
  • The gravity in game is similar to earths gravity.

Progression system

The game will contain a level system that the player has to progress through. In the game there are three emotions the player has to deal with. These emotions will have three levels each, two being normal levels and the third being the mini boss. There will also be a tutorial level at the start and then a final boss level at the end. In total there are eleven levels to progress through. 

• As the player plays through the games the story will progress. 
• Segments of the story progression will be shown after the completion of every level. 
• The player has the ability to collect pick ups to improve their abilites. Some of the pick ups will e used as an in game currency. 
• The player progresses through the levels by completing puzzles and evading enemies.

Setting

This game is based mainly in Connors mind after a freak accident. The player must help Connor to defeat the corruption and escape. The settings of each level can depend on what corruption Connor is dealing with. 

Aesthetic 

• A dark art-style. 
• Not too realistic or cartoonist. 
• Use a dark color pallet with a few pops of color throughout. 
• Include elements to remind the player that they are in Connors mind.
•  Use sharp corners. 
• Have  scary creepy vibe throughout the level.