Weave
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Art Style
The general style of the game should emphasize the sense of grand adventure. They styling should be very fantasy and mystical. Realism is considerably less important to this game, especially considering the character has magic powers and fights incarnations of gods.
Character
I like the material design of this character. Something similar would be good. However the sheer amount of leather (and his body structure) makes the character feel weighty. Ideally I want the main character to feel airy or light. More use of silk in her design would be good. Also the colors on this character are too muted. I want the character to be vibrantly colored. Bright colors serve to highlight the character from her dusty surroundings as well as create visual appeal. Dark purples, scarlets, or bright oranges or yellows would be good. Don’t feel limited to those colors but they would be a good base. The character should also have a lot of cloth on the design that can move around. The cloth flowing around the character will accentuate the fluidity of their movement. Ideally I want the characters movements to look like a dance.
Enemies
I feel that enemies would generally be non-humanoid if they were gonna match the titan’s theme but don’t feel limited to that. Like the titans the enemies forms will be at least partly made out of physical materials they are possessing. They would be a mix of shadowy essence and ornately carved stone pieces or wood or mud. The god’s theme allowing. For the carved stone think midna’s helmet.
I like this image because it looks like he’s built out of building materials. Something you might build a tower out of. He’s a bit too uniform though.
I like this image because of the non uniformity of the enemy’s design.
If a titan had a nature theme this enemy design would be fitting.
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Combat
Arena combat using 1 of 3 weapons meteor hammer, rope dart, or roped knives. The combat would have two main modes, agile and planted. Agile has some moves that can be used but doesn’t have the power behind a an attack from a strong base. Planted would open up options for the player (more control over their attacks), as well as increase the power behind them. However in the planted state the player cannot dodge attacks. They might be able to counter attacks however there should be some attacks that you need to dodge (heavy attacks) to force them out of planted mode. If counters are implemented they have to be very difficult to implement. The goal is to make both modes of combat useful in different situations without forcing the player in either direction. Ideally the player would perform best by switching in and out of these two modes. The different weapon types change the style of combat. The meteor hammer is good for trips and strikes, while the rope dart is good for throws, and tangling the enemy. Rope knives would be a primarily lethal weapon, essentially the player throws and retrieves knives from enemies, this weapon has very little power to disable enemies and is primarily meant for damage.
Combat Stances
Planted Mode
In planted mode the camera zooms out to a more top down view and the player can now input directional attacks with the left stick. Different inputs will determine the type of attack that comes out. The player also has to aim the attack in the direction of an enemy. In planted mode the player is always attempting to kill or disable enemies before they reach the player because they can’t dodge and will have to leave the mode or take damage.
Stingers, Sweeps, and, Double Tap, Hold back then stinger forward, hold forward, 360.
Agile Mode
In this mode moves have momentum and the player steps into attacks. The player is much harder to hit however they have less power behind their attacks because they don’t have a good base. The player will want to use this mode while fighting enemies that are fast and hard to pin down. Camera control will function the same or similarly to how it works during platforming sections.
Weapon Types
Meteor Hammer
Heavy weapon. The attacks are slower but crowd control better. Heavy attacks almost always knock down enemies. Heavy attacks with this weapon are particularly slow. Sweeps are particularly good at knocking down enemies however smaller enemies will always be knocked down by heavy attacks from this weapon.
Rope Dart
This weapons sits in the middle between the knives and the meteor hammer in that it is moderately fast inflicts damage and only has a few moves that crowd control. The main advantage of this weapon is that the tip can wrap around enemies for the player to grab and throw them. The player could potentially throw a grabbed enemy into a nearby enemy to knock down two at once.
Knives
In agile mode knives are a much closer form of combat (stabbing). However in planted mode the player throws knives at enemies for increased range compared to the other weapons. This weapon inflicts the most damage but has literally no ability to crowd control.
Additional Mechanics
Devil Trigger
D.Trigger in its current form consists of the player activating it with the press of a button. The player will then switch to planted if they are in agile or if they are in planted mode they will stay as they are. However their form of input changes during D.Trigger. While in this mode the energy bar used exclusively for D.Trigger drains and the player is able to execute exceptionally powerful attacks.The player uses their magic to will the movement of a bunch of strips of silk. They lash out with the application of Ash’ra’s will. While in this mode the player’s method of input is simplified. They can do basic flicks in a direction to send a wave of silk lashing out, knocking down almost every enemy and at least staggering for a large portion of time. These inputs only need a stick to be moved and the player can move either stick, allowing them to attack in two directions at once if they like. The attacks will function the exact same regardless of the weapon the player had equipped before they activated D.Trigger.
This might seem a bit odd giving them the ability to attack at the same time in different directions. This can be confusing to player’s however I posit that this syncs the player’s thoughts with Ash’ra in a way. This is because it is extremely mentally taxing to magically control so much silk at once. So while it is mentally taxing for Ash’ra it is also mentally taxing for the player. This complexity would also give a sense of accomplishment once they mastered that method of control. Player’s are able to use two sticks simultaneously. The oddness of the input scheme is also offset by the simplicity of the inputs. The typical attack buttons (X, B, and Y) would then be relegated to one off actions or magical abilities that affect the enemies or the area around the player. (Think a pulse that stuns or knock down all enemies). Using one of these abilities would definitely cost extra meter as they are special actions. These buttons are not used for standard attacks as they are in standard planted mode as it complicates this control scheme and does not allow for the two stick to be used at once. This simpler control scheme also serves the purpose of requiring less strategic thought from the player. It will take coordination but the player doesn’t have to think as much about their actions as their attacks are essentially super powerful and stun any enemy. There isn’t really a “What attack should I use?” Question. The player just has to hit stuff. The difficulty comes in mental maneuvering and coordination.
D.Trigger costs meter while using D.Trigger but also penalizes the player for disabling devil trigger essentially adding a cost to every time it’s toggled. This stops the optimal strategy from being activating every single time you want to hit the enemy and instead incentivises the player to use it when they have the opportunity to attack multiple enemies at once or take down a large enemy (or when they are in trouble). This keeps gameplay challenging with a high ceiling without making attack actions ridiculously complicated or having the most optimal strategy be complex (as in hitting a bunch of buttons at once to do one single action).
Enemy Mechanics
Aggressive Type
Aggressive enemies in this game have 4 major characteristics. Light or Heavy, Fast or Slow. Typically enemies will that are heavy will be slow and those that are light will be fast. This is mostly for balancing purposes, as an enemies weight determines the player’s ability to knock them down or crowd control them. A character’s weight/size also naturally determines their health pools. For example: A fast goblin type character would be hard to pin down but most moves of even a lighter weapon like the rope dart would be able to knock this creature down. The player would also be able to grab and throw them. A heavier, larger golem type of creature couldn’t really be thrown, and most moves of the rope dart couldn’t stop or stagger this heavy creature. However, the heavier meteor hammer would have a lot of moves that could stagger the golem and a few that could full on trip or disable it. It would be worse off at pinning down the small goblin creature though as it’s moves are slower to start up. The goblin could attack before you could. The knife weapon is an exception as it has zero disabling functionalities and high damage. It’s a high risk high reward play style. The player is vulnerable, especially in planted mode since they can’t stop enemies from attacking them (They can only dodge in agile mode) but the player dishes out a lot of damage, attempting to kill the enemies before they are killed.
Support Type
Besides aggressive enemies there are support type enemies. They either buff the survivability or other minions (via healing or damage reduction) or they could weaken the player by reducing their mobility or survivability (slow debuff or a vulnerability debuff). There are other things the support enemies could do like resurrection etc.
Caster Type
Caster enemies would do damage at a distance to the player, The key thing to know about these is all of their attacks are powerful and give fair warning to the player so as to be balanced and not frustrating. Essentially a sniper character constantly taking difficult to dodge potshots at the player would be very annoying.
The point of caster and support enemies would be to give a clear hierarchy to the fight. Take out casters and support enemies first and then focus on the aggressive enemies.
Special Type
Besides these 3 basic type there can be special enemies that have different attacks or behaviour than the others. Potentially specials could be an aggressive enemy that is both fast and immune to crowd control making them difficult to handle.
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Controls
Interface
The player will see their health displayed in a bar on the screen. They would also see how much energy they accumulated for their ultimate attack (Think devil trigger from devil may cry). The enemies health bars would be displayed above their heads. There could be a bar showing how close you are to subduing a titan, but the titan combat will need to be fleshed out a bit.
Menus
The only menu necessary will be a pause menu. This will contain the map and any extra bits of lore the players have found. Also the options menu and the exit button obviously.
Messaging
Cutscenes could be narrated by Pad’ua’s character after she absorbs the information in an artifact. Besides that the design of the enemies should convey their connection to their god and the environment will also evoke some of the theme and general setting.
Control Scheme (v1)
Button Action 1 Camera Look 2 Up/Down to cycle weapons. Left right key bound to consumables 3 Character Movement; Would be used to direct the rope weapon in planted mode; When pressed the character switches betweeen the two combat modes 4 N/A 5 Dodge 6 Controls the amount of silk flowing behind you. Harder you pull the trigger the less comes out 7 N/A 8 Pause Menu; This is where the map is 9 Activate wall run by pressing down, letting go has the player stop wall running; If the player is not near a wall this well be the run button 10 Pin silk to the ground or if the player is wall running to the wall they are running on A Jump (Gliding) B Special Attack (dependent on weapon type) X Light Attack Y Heavy Attack -
Gameplay
Players will switch between two main modes of gameplay. Combat and platforming. The combat section will be in arenas versus a group of enemies. The combat will focus on player mastery of the inherent systems and will change little from beginning to end. The player may face different enemies along the way but they will fight them with the same base skillset. The platforming sections will be how the players traverse from one key area to another. The titan battles will be where those two styles of play come closer together. The player will have to platform around the titan to tie them up with silk. While they are trying to platform enemies will get in their way and interfere with them. The titan fights are meant to be giant set pieces that the player interacts with in set ways.
Player Character Actions
Run, Wall Run, Climb, Fight, Swing using silk, Let out silk behind them, pin silk, tie up enemies (Potential pacifist bonus for subduing enemies without killing them, as the enemies are doing this against their will, however any pacifist option should be much more challenging to accomplish).
Wallrun
The player can run along walls to cover gaps they could not normally with a jump. They will also be able to wall run on the titans however its very high risk because if the titans move to much the player will fall off while wall running.
Pin Silk
The player’s will try to tie up titans to purify them by pinning silk to them. Once the player pin’s silk to the first key point in the titan silk will start flowing behind them and can be used in a couple ways. They can pin to a non important point to “save” their progress. If the player falls they just have to grab the silk and they can climb or swing back to a point without falling all the way to the ground.
Let Out Silk
While the player is swinging from silk or is in the process of tying a titan they can hold down the left trigger to grip the silk more or less tightly. By default when the trigger is not pulled the silk comes out freely. The player wouldn’t want to this when they need more leeway (For example if they pull the left trigger while wall running they’d run out of silk and get yanked to a stop. However if the player just jumped out in space and wanted to swing they would want to hit left trigger. This mechanic also allows players to naturally control their descent if they are clinging from a rope.
Climb
If the player pushes A while next to a climbable area (vines) they will jump onto the vines and get into a climbing state. Pressing B while in a climbing state will cause the player to drop down. If the player is below a grabbable ledge they will automatically latch onto it and climb up. Think Darksiders for climbing.
Player Character End Goal:
To purify all of the gods of the council so that the can once again defeat Ahriman and restore balance to the world. Purifying each god burns their insignia onto the magic bag giving it a particular extra ability. This would be themed with the god’s theme.
Enemies
When the gods were enslaved so were their minions. Each god has a set of enemy types associated with them. Their abilities and attacks would tie into their gods theme. The potential problem in this is that it doesn’t allow enemies to be repeated, however some basic enemies could be re skinned to fit the gods theme while retaining similar mechanics to give a continuity to the combat. The more difficult enemies would be the ones that are swapped out. Alternatively a story macguffin could be made up saying that the minions are controlled by Ahriman, this would lose out on the opportunity to theme enemies based on their god though.
Combat
Arena combat using 1 of 3 weapons meteor hammer, rope dart, or roped knives. The combat would have two main modes, agile and planted. Agile has some moves that can be used but doesn’t have the power behind a an attack from a strong base. Planted would open up options for the player (more control over their attacks), as well as increase the power behind them. However in the planted state the player cannot dodge attacks. They might be able to counter attacks however there should be some attacks that you need to dodge (heavy attacks) to force them out of planted mode. The goal is to make both modes of combat useful in different situations without forcing the player in either direction. Ideally the player would perform best by switching in and out of these two modes. The different weapon types change the style of combat. The meteor hammer is good for trips and strikes, while the rope dart is good for throws, and tangling the enemy. Rope knives would be a primarily lethal weapon, essentially the player throws and retrieves knives from enemies, this weapon has very little power to disable enemies and is primarily meant for damage. (The knives are optional just thought they’d be an interesting addition)
Planted Mode
In planted mode the camera zooms out to a more top down view and the player can now input directional attacks with the left stick. Different inputs will determine the type of attack that comes out. The player also has to aim the attack in the direction of an enemy. In planted mode the player is always attempting to kill or disable enemies before they reach the player because they can’t dodge and will have to leave the mode or take damage.
Stingers, Sweeps, and, Double Tap, Hold back then stinger forward, hold forward, 360.
Agile Mode
In this mode moves have momentum and the player steps into attacks. The player is much harder to hit however they have less power behind their attacks because they don’t have a good base. The player will want to use this mode while fighting enemies that are fast and hard to pin down. Camera control will function the same or similarly to how it works during platforming sections.
Meteor Hammer
Heavy weapon. The attacks are slower but crowd control better. Heavy attacks almost always knock down enemies. Heavy attacks with this weapon are particularly slow. Sweeps are particularly good at knocking down enemies however smaller enemies will always be knocked down by heavy attacks from this weapon.
Rope Dart
This weapons sits in the middle between the knives and the meteor hammer in that it is moderately fast inflicts damage and only has a few moves that crowd control. The main advantage of this weapon is that the tip can wrap around enemies for the player to grab and throw them. The player could potentially throw a grabbed enemy into a nearby enemy to knock down two at once.
Knives
In agile mode knives are a much closer form of combat (stabbing). However in planted mode the player throws knives at enemies for increased range compared to the other weapons. This weapon inflicts the most damage but has literally no ability to crowd control.
Obstacles
Pits and cliffs, the titans themselves would be platforming challenges even though they are animate.
Replayability
There could be player scores so the player could try to perfect every encounter? There are 3 weapons with different styles of play. Besides that not much replay value. Could give an achievement to the player for completing the entire game by only subduing enemies which would be a significant challenge (A pacifist run if you will).
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Level Design
Level design is pseudo open world, but player movement is limited from heading into empty areas, essentially map layout is more like a big spider web spreading out from the the guardian sanctum with 4 or 5 major paths that each lead to one or two major boss areas. When it comes down to progressing towards a boss fight the level design becomes a lot more narrow with the player traversing between small open areas where a fight with smaller enemies would happen. (ala string of pearls).
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Sound
Music
The music should swell with the combat, especially the boss sequences. It should give the player a sense of grand scale and adventure. While the player is trekking through lesser populated areas of the desert the music would be a bit more wistful and lonely.
Sound Effects
Swishing silk or cloth will be a very important sound effect. Besides that weapons striking enemies or the ground will clang or thud. The titans making a huge cracking or earth shaking sound while they move. They may groan in pain or anguish while you are subduing them.
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Story
Back in the times of yore there was an ancient evil. This evil was called Ahriman. Ahriman was powerful that no single god could stop him. However 6 of the weaker gods banded together into a council, a pantheon if you will and drove him back, draining him of his strength until he was all but defeated. In one last desperate act Ahriman expelled his soul and possessed one of the council unbeknownst to the other five. Seeing the benefit of cooperation the council was upheld even after Ahriman was “defeated.” During this time of prosperity Ahriman secretly plotted his revenge against those who had wronged him, and after centuries of preparation Ahriman revealed his scheme to the council enslaving each of them to his will. This betrayal brings a dark time on the people of our story.
Ash’ra is the last remaining priestess of the Silk Guardians, the rest of her sisters has been wiped out by stone incarnations of the enslaved gods, which were in the form of titans. All but the high priestess, Ash’ra’s master Pad’ua were killed. Pad’ua was gravely injured however and used her last remaining power to inhabit the temples most treasured artifact: The silken bag. Pad’ua uses her life force to enhance the magical properties of the silk the bag creates and affords Ash’ra more control over the silk. Ash’ra must now venture forth on a holy quest to purify the enslaved gods through their physical embodiments. Once purified Ahriman’s control of that god is relinquished. She must do this by encasing them in the holy cloth that the silken bag creates. To do this however, Ash’ra must venture forth into the desert, lands unknown, and fight the god’s servants and then the gods themselves. The fate of the planet lies in her hands.
The Player Character
Ash’rah is a strong warrior priestess who is tasked with the protection of the world against great evil. She is the last of a noble line of protectors. The priestess order called the silk guardians.
The Foe (Shadow)
Ahriman is the biggest evil out there however Ash’ra cannot reach him. Her influence only extends to the things on the physical which Ahriman is not. The enslaved gods and their minions oppose Ash’ra via physical force. Ash’ra will have to kill the minions to get to the gods and purify them so that they are no longer under Ahriman’s control.
Other Characters
Ash’ra’s master Pad’ua can speak to her through the magic bag. Pad’ua is not truly dead, she has just taken on a different form via soul transference. Other than Pad’ua and maybe the gods there will be no other speaking characters in the game.
Story Vehicles
Hieroglyphs. Magic artifacts that contain the story? Pad’ua could absorb the information and narrate it to Ash’ra while painting a picture of the story with silk.
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Summary
The player is a lady warrior who uses rope weapons to defeat enemies. The rope is made out of silk. The player will fight in arenas against humanoid enemies. They will also fight huge titans by platforming on the titans and the environment around them. Titan fights are giant set pieces. The player will attempt to disable the titan by attaching an infinite silk rope that comes out of their magic bag to key points on the titan. Eventually the Titan will be wrapped up. Once the titan is disabled the player “purifies” them restoring them to their former glory and freeing them from the control of the bad guy.
Genre
Character Action Platformer.
Audience
Fans of Shadow of the Colossus, Devil May Cry, Prince of Persia, or Bayonetta.
Unique Selling Points
Two distinct modes of play that mesh well between each other via a well mapped control scheme. A unique setting (Persian or Arabian). Innovative Combat mechanics. A unique spin on the shadow of the colossus formula.
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User Interface
The player will see their health displayed in a bar on the screen. They would also see how much energy they accumulated for their ultimate attack (Think devil trigger from devil may cry). The enemies health bars would be displayed above their heads. There could be a bar showing how close you are to subduing a titan, but the titan combat will need to be fleshed out a bit.
Menus
The only menu necessary will be a pause menu. This will contain the map and any extra bits of lore the players have found. Also the options menu and the exit button obviously.
Messaging
Cutscenes could be narrated by Pad’ua’s character after she absorbs the information in an artifact. Besides that the design of the enemies should convey their connection to their god and the environment will also evoke some of the theme and general setting.
Control Scheme (v1)
Button Action 1 Camera Look 2 Up/Down to cycle weapons. Left right key bound to consumables 3 Character Movement; Would be used to direct the rope weapon in planted mode; When pressed the character switches betweeen the two combat modes 4 N/A 5 Dodge 6 Controls the amount of silk flowing behind you. Harder you pull the trigger the less comes out 7 N/A 8 Pause Menu; This is where the map is 9 Activate wall run by pressing down, letting go has the player stop wall running; If the player is not near a wall this well be the run button 10 Pin silk to the ground or if the player is wall running to the wall they are running on A Jump B Heavy Attack X Light Attack Y Special Attack (dependent on weapon type) -
World
The player would fight each titan in a different area. The change in area would change the method in which the player climbs or ties up the titan. For example if the player was fighting in a canyon that was the titan’s height it would benefit them to climb the canyon first as the canyon doesn’t move and then jump on the titan from there. Alternatively, maybe you’re fighting the titan in a plain, so you have to figure out how to tie them up without anything but the titan to climb on. Other notable environments are inside a huge cavern, under water (no idea how that would work but it would be cool), and or in the sky (if we wanna be cliche and have a bird titan). This is more of an aesthetic thing but it would be awesome to have monuments built into the cliffside.
References:
Key Locations
The temple would be a key location but unless the player is given a reason to return they wouldn’t ever bother. Besides that the key locations are the areas where the titan fights take place (the ones mentioned above).
Game Flow
The player will head out to defeat a particular titan and then the player will return to the temple and then head out in another area that was unlocked after they defeat a titan. The second option sounds cool but may push the game even closer to Shadow of the Colossus.
Interactivity
The player can pin silk to the environment and the titans. The player can attach silk to outcrops and swing on them. Besides the titans themselves the world will be pretty static.
Training
A training room where the player can learn key combos and attacks. This could be a separate level however it would be more immersive to just have it be room in the temple (this requires the world to be the second structure mention in the game flow section). Maybe something similar to the kung fu panda training room. It should also allow the player to practice platforming.
Map/Layout
To be created (probably not by me)
War
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Systems
Overarching Systems
Travel
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Open world
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Restrictions on traveling will by placed with in-world/game things/reasons
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Fast travel will be with boats, airships, etc.
Movement
Speed =
min(s * h * ds * b, max*b)-
s= Base land speed -
h= hardiness coefficient -
ds= decrease in speed due to armour -
b= bonus modifier to speed
Jumping
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No mid air direction change
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Speed is affected by armour, jump height is constant
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Fixed jump (no hold for higher jump)
Dialogue Trees
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Morality System
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Vertical Axis Good/Bad that is universal for all factions
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Horizontal Axis of Famous/Infamous that is specific on a faction per faction basis
- Ex. Bandits attack villagers. If you kill all the bandits, you become infamous with the bandits, famous with the villagers, and bad with both.
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Inventory/Loot
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Items are limited by weight
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Accessed via menu (not list)
Combat
Player vs. Enemy AI
Player Specific Combat:
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Like Dragons Dogma ( All specifications )
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“Light Attacks” (Name not Final) is Comboable and Cancellable
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“Heavy Attack/Ability” Non Combable/Canceable
- After attack player always returns to nuetral state
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Ranged attacks have two modes
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“Quickfire” launches projectile in direction of movement a set distance
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“Aiming” draws camera in close and creates reticle
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Thrown projectiles have fixed distance, arc depends on which way player is facing while aiming
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Path is not plotted during the throw
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Items used during combat are instantaneous and don’t leave player vulnerable
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Health regen will have a “Soft Cap”, where health will regenerate quickly to a certain midpoint, than start regenerating much slower
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Abilities/mechanics are going to be unlocked through narrative progression (Think Legend of Zelda)
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When player is hit they flinch. Flinches make player immobile briefly and small knockback.
- Flinch is affected by how hard the player is hit and their strength stat.
Party Based Combat:
Base Stats
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Strength
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Effects encumbrance
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Combat capabilities
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Flat damage
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Health
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Effects flinch
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Allows character to lift heavier weapons
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Charisma
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Effects dialogue tree options
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Increases ability for negotiations to be successful, and the end result
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Speed
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Faster combo chains/attack speed
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Movespeed
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Intelligence
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Ability to operate machinery
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Limit or increase options for machine interactions
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Allow access to more mechanistic weapons
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Quest
Time-limited
- Quests are the main determining factor for ending
Individual Character Systems
Different Status bar per character
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Troop Morale
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Combat/Decisions before each encounter
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Recruitment
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Reputation
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Traveling Merchant/Supply & Demand
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Ship System
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Survival
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???
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Flying/divebomb
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Allies
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Political Support
- Bribing People/Giving Speeches
Mavrock - King
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Tree of Influence - Main system for Mavrock
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Visualized as a tree whose nodes consist of all characters Mavrock can interact with. It begins with all except a few nodes greyed out.
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Mavrock can collect bit of information in his journal (some menu type ui). Collecting info on specific characters unlocks that characters node in the tree.
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When a node in the tree is unlocked, it results in either a new ability for Mavrock (ability to build helper robots in combat, etc.), new dialog options for Mavrock when talking to certain characters (telling guards who are loyal to a noble who under your influence to do an action, etc.), or story progression.
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The “Influence” bar for Mavrock fills as more nodes in the Tree of Influence are unlocked.
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SandGlass
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Aesthetic Summary
The world itself is barren, the sand wiped away most signs of life. However, the world isn’t completely empty. Creatures that adapted survived. So the world is a planet of survivors. The creatures that survived should fit into an arid environment. The colors aren’t verdant and are not too vibrant, but that doesn’t mean the the colors can’t be varied or interesting. Color should be used for emphasis and be striking. Refer to the color scheme document for a base idea of the colors of the game. The ruins themselves draw influence from persian architecture. Think grand structures that stand resolute against time. The technology should influence the design.
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Character Design
My idea of what the player looks like is a vague concept rather than a defined aesthetic so all that I can describe is how the character feels. To me the main character is an intrepid explorer uncovering mysteries. This doesn’t mean the character is necessarily noble however he is at least brave to be exploring these ruins. He doesn’t view himself as a hero or as a saviour to his village however, he does want to help. The player is driven by his fierce curiosity to uncover the mystery of the ruins as well as wanting to help the village. Since I can’t really describe how the player looks I will have to resort to pictures. The thumbnails that Andrew provided came surprising close to the image in my mind. This doesn’t mean that the main character has to look like this, however what should be taken away from these images is the tone or feel. Each of the characters presented here look like explorers. They seem brave or dynamic. If anything could be taken from these visually its that I always had the image of the tattered cloak in my head. Hopefully this helps clarify what I think of the characters visual style. If you can keep the visual tone of the character similar to this anything is really fine by me. Please experiment.
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Color Scheme
Here is the color scheme for the sand and for the ruins. This is just for those two things so feel free to use other colors for other things but if you do try to make sure that it is cohesive or fitting.
The different sand colors relate to how the sand would look in shadow or brightly lit in the sun.
The red in the ruins is meant to be a metallic copper of some sorts.
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Core Loop
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Mechanics Summary
Movement
In SandGlass the player navigates through sand dunes using boots using the artifact technology. While surfing you will have to avoid/interact with the ruins, keeping your momentum high while doing so. The main challenge of the game is through proper use of the games controls. You control the character directing him to ramps, and avoiding pits, trying to keep momentum high while searching for collectibles.
Maybe also prosthetics made using artifact technology, but Character Design is working that out.
collectibles need a mechanical benefit as opposed to just intrinsic value. or they need to be removed
Controls
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A: Jump
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Forward Left Analog: Accelerate
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Backwards Left Analog: Decelerate
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Right Analog: Camera Control
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X: Interact
Obstacles
Walls: Impede the player’s progress and slow them down if not avoided properly.
Pits: Pits that the player needs to jump over. They are of varying sizes and should be placed in conjunction with walls and other obstacles to increase the difficulty of traversal.
Goals
Artifacts: There is the final artifact at the end of the level that is the player’s goal. Basically the victory state for each level.x
However there should be smaller artifacts that the player picks up during the level.
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SandGlass
A dune surfing 3d platformer with emphasis on momentum management skillfully maneuvering the environment.
Mechanics
In this game you explore the ruins of a lost civilization, their remnants landmarks in the barren desert. You explore these by surfing the sandy dunes, avoiding ruins and traversing obstacles. The goal is to make it to the end of the level, preferably gathering collectibles on the way to the bottom. The main challenge of the game is through proper use of the games controls. You control the character directing him to ramps, and avoiding pits, trying to keep momentum high while searching for collectibles. After each major section of gameplay there will be a pyramid level. This level is intended to test the player’s knowledge of the game’s mechanics and unlike the other sections will be on a timer. If you fail to keep moving quickly enough you will fail that level.
Story
The ruins of the lost civilization contain powerful artifacts, and lost technology. This technology is extremely advanced, all of its secrets are lost to time. It is so advanced that it may as well be magic. Some sections of the ruins may have effects that counter normal laws of nature, such as space or gravity. You can retrofit collected tech that allows the last bastion of civilization, your home, to survive. You are your village’s last hope for survival.
Aesthetics
The game will contain a lot of sand. The sand will be broken up by rocky ravines, crumbled pillars, and ruined structures. The ruins draw their base look from Egypt, however their look is augmented by the advanced technology. Think sandstone and crystal energy conduits. I like the idea of minimalism or doing a lot with little. The game should contain striking color for interesting aesthetic highlights and variety in the scene.
Scope
Each level is linear and directed. The experience should be compact and well thought. Each level contains careful placement of objects that make the most of the small space. In addition to this there will be little or no backtracking, so level designers only have to think in one direction.
Team Requirements
3 level designers, 1-2 systems designers. 3-4 Environment Designers, 2-4 Concept Artists, 1 rigger, 1 animator, 2-3 Modelers/Texturers, 2-3 Programmers
Minimum Total Team Size: 15-21
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SandGlass Design Journal
January 4th 2015
This section is before the idea was really in place, so this is less useful
General Ideas - Formative Stage
References: Spyro, Banjo Kazooie 1 & 2, Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine.
Similar Games: Sly Cooper, Ratchet & Clank.
Moveset: Jump, Double Jump, Triple Jump, Sideflip, Long Jump, ???
How to combine combat and platforming?
- Stick to simple jump on enemies or something else in addition or entirely?
Theme: There is a theme rather than a story. Story is secondary/unimportant.
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Theme should be colorful and vibrant. Someplace enjoyable.
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Theme should hopefully not be restrictive from a mechanics standpoint. Specifically moving platforms and other platforming challenges should be supported by theme.
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Enemies should be varied. This should be visually and mechanically. Even if you defeat them the same way, the challenge can be modified by enemy attack methods. Should be a couple different methods for different enemies though. Enemies should fit in theme.
Ninja Theme? Fluid movement some stealth mechanics??
10 Game Ideas for a 3D Platformer
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Ninja Game: 3d platforming mostly involving stealth. Power fantasy would be master assassin.
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Issues: The theme itself lends more towards assassin gameplay, which usually heavily involves stealth components. It also opens up questions of non lethal vs lethal. Would like to be true to the lore of ninjas if I went down this path. How would collectibles work? Something similar to okami? Mark of the ninja?
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left trigger and spin left stick in a circle results in a flurry of shurikens that will stun nearby enemies.
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Accurately thrown shuriken can result in a kill.
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Thief: 3d platforming mostly involving stealth. Opens up more thematically consistent goals. No more assassinations but stealing specific things.
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Collectibles make more sense as you are a regular kleptomaniac. Collectibles aren’t floating things you pick up. Rather they are bits of gold and jewelry you find when moving through a level.
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If you are a thief you are most likely working in indoor environments. If this intended to have a camera similar to SM64 the levels will most likely need to have walls that disappear… How to do indoor environments with respect to the camera?
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If ignoring that issue and moving outside. What goals will be presented to the player? What can you steal outside?
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Stealth mechanics would work like most games but with a indicator like payday.
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MGS is a good reference.
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Themeless? Abstract?
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Arabian/Egyptian: Similar to the theme of prince of persia. Could incorporate elements of magic or mysticism.
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What are player motivations? (Combine with thief idea?)
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Is automatically a vibrant and colorful setting. Is also an interesting setting.
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What are enemies? How can I avoid every enemy being a big man with a sword?
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How do you defeat enemies? Is there a combat system?
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Moving platforms through magic? Archaic mechanical devices?
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What are collectibles?
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Main Idea comes to the forefront
Fleshed Out Egyptian Setting:
This is the point where the idea fully takes place
Main Mechanic: Sand Surfing. Similar to the sequences in Journey, but less floaty.
2 methods: Railroading sequences like journey did, or giving an open world area to explore.
Railroading
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Advantages: Smaller. Less complex. Directed goal. Able to create some really cool sequences. Allows careful and interesting placement of secrets/collectibles.
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Disadvantages: Limits player. If done poorly player will feel restricted.
Open
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Advantages: Player freedom. The feeling of exploration and adventure. More easily able to place secrets in locations that don’t break the player from the main core loop.
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Disadvantages: Have to design for full freedom of movement. Too Big. Too Complex.
Two options: Tons of replayability or a little of replayability.
High Replay Value
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Emphasis on Speedrunning
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Options for 100% runs and any% runs
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Needs player skill to reflect final time. This more than just knowing the right route its also being able to execute. to put it more simply player skill directly reflects how fast they can go. To a point.
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Skill cap must be high in this case.
Low Replay Value
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Any replay value is gained through use of collectibles and secrets
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Players would be allowed to backtrack through the use of typical platforming controls.
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In fact they may be required to do so in certain areas to gain collectibles or secrets.
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Maybe a significant demarcation between levels with and without secrets?
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Have flow levels where maintaining speed is important (How?) and all collectibles are visible, even if they aren’t too easy to get to.
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Then have other levels which may have sections that are fast paced but the player is always relatively easy to stop themselves and explore. Will there always be a path back up? Maybe not.
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In both types of level momentum is important for gaining certain collectibles.
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Methods for doing so: Jumps based on speed. Breaking walls based on speed. Going up ramps (How is this different than jumps or walking?) Maybe a ramp plus a breakable wall.
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Breakable walls should be color coded which corresponds to a speedometer. (Will the speedometer conflict with the theme? Not if the art direction is good)
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What else?
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Maybe have some levels with sloped walls which can be used as impromptu ramps.
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What is the frequency of pickups? Will there be “coins” everywhere related to player score? Or are pickups less frequent? Powerups?
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Enemies try to either slow/hinder the player or kill them.
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Skilled players can avoid enemies or even better they can use them to gain an advantage (height or speed).
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Ant Lions: Pull player towards the center of their pit trip, however players can use the end of the pit as a ramp. (Alternatively the ant lions could launch the player. They gain a great height advantage for the cost of speed maybe a bit too gimmicky)
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Oil Jars: If the player hits one they lose control or have less control of their player however they gain speed. Players could use this to reach an area they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to due to their speed.
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What Else?
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Pyramid themed levels?
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Pyramid traps?
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Underground setting (How will camera function?)
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Different collectibles? What purpose do they serve? Don’t collectibles actually hinder the experience of the pyramid levels? (e.g. urgent feeling, hold on while I pick up a thousand collectibles? Ways to combat that?) Maybe incorporate collectible placement for perfectionists who can find the optimal route to collectibles while maintaining speed.
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Pyramid levels should be challenge levels with different obstacles that truly test a player’s understanding of the game mechanics. The challenges could be timed by sand filling in areas. Maybe some areas are easy when there is more sand, but if it fills up too much you can’t escape and then lose the level. Maybe a bit too complex but a nice way to remove the need for a timer. It definitely should be timed. Do we need other obstacles for pyramids or is that compromising gameplay for theme? The timed element makes it difficult enough. Maybe pyramids are the flow levels I was talking about? Or should they be another level type.
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If you are escaping rising sand doesn’t that mean the levels have to be vertical in nature with the goal being high? (Thats a problem.) (How to maintain speed while gaining height? Usually should be mutually exclusive. Gain height at cost of speed or gain speed at expense of height.
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Control Scheme:
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A = Jump and maybe Glide?
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B = Crouch/Accelerate? Fall Faster?
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X = ?
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Y = ?
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Start = Pause Game
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Back = Map or Objectives? Maybe the amount of collectibles you have picked up during the level.
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Right Trigger = Veer right?
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Left Trigger = Veer left?
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Left Thumbstick = Standard Controls for walking/moving
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Right Thumbstick = Camera Movement
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Right Bumper = ?
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Left Bumper = ?
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Left Thumbstick Push = ??
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Right Thumbstick Push = Center camera behind player?
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1/22/2014 Summary of Progress so Far
Create a 3D platformer where the main method of platforming is sliding down dunes of sand.
The levels will be primarily linear in nature with a focus on intelligent placement of collectibles and secrets which require the player to understand and utilize the movement system. Secrets will usually require a combination of curiosity and competence.
There are three types of level: flow, collect, and pyramid. Flow levels involve fast paced movement. They have less focus on secrets and instead focus on the player gaining enough speed to access different areas with collectibles. (e.g. the more speed you have the higher you can jump and then you can get to a platform thats at a higher elevation that has some collectibles.) The collect levels are the same as flow except there is less focus on speed and more focus on curiosity. The player should still want to go fast but should also feel like its ok to slow down and explore an area fully. (How do I incentivise the player to do this?) The pyramid are similar to flow levels in that secrets are less prevalent, however these levels are meant to be more challenging and to really test a player. They are also timed, when flow levels are not.
This is a surfing game that relies on player skill and varies the skill required by how much players want collectibles.
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How is difficulty introduced?
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If tricks aren’t the skill cap what is?
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Is a “grind” or a substitute mechanic beneficial? What purpose does limiting the players movement have? Switching between “rails” is some level challenge but it inherently limits player movement. Its not much because so far the only thing I have is moving left right, and jumping.
I want each level to be like a wonderfully crafted poem or metaphor. The sections that have a lot of content are meaningful and well thought out, the transitions are correct and serve to emphasize the content in-between.
Gameplay will focus around redirecting momentum
Ways of redirecting movement (Manipulating Momentum)
General Movement: Moving the analog back and forth
Jumping: Pushing the A button
Ramps/Angled Objects: Ramps could be specifically placed or they could be angled pillars that the player bounces off of. The first is easier but the second opens up more gameplay options.
Hitting a wall: Immediately stops movement and then the player falls straight down.
If it is angled objects would players have to hit this dead on or otherwise risk shooting off at an angle?
Wall Running/Sliding: Fall slower while sacrificing forward momentum
Sliding up an incline that has a low enough angle that it isn’t considered a ramp.
What purpose does this serve? What can it do that ramps can’t?
Surfing (ala CS:S): This has merit but I feel it is too unoriginal. Also it is very fast paced, in a way that does not fit the rest of the game.
Wind Tunnels: How do these work? can the player switch between different tunnels/exit at any point? Is this a fun mechanic? Replace these with slaloms or halfpipes?? Add them in addition?
Drifting: How slidey do we want the surfing to be? Is there a purpose in making it more slidey like the drift mechanic in mario kart?
Ways of Hindering Movement
Hitting a wall: This can be good or bad. If the player hits a wall that allows them to collect a secret that is good. Otherwise it will slow the player down which is frustrating.
How frustrating this is, is determined by the level design. Well placed walls vary the game play, keeping it interesting.
Forcing the player through a tiny space: Forcing the player to go through a small opening presents a level of challenge. The challenge changes based upon the size of the opening, its placement, and the speed that the player is moving at.
Pits: Pits that the player can fall in. Similar to walls, too many will frustrate the player but having some will vary the gameplay.
What if most pits had a raised edge that functioned as ramp? If the player is fast enough they will simply jump over small pits automatically. The danger would be if they fall in from the air. Maybe good for beginning levels but don’t be afraid to use frequent pits to ramp up difficulty. Just do so intelligently.
Enemies: Do enemies serve a purpose? What is that purpose? Can they add anything meaningful or fun to the game? How?
Good now take everything there and flesh it out ^
Reference: SSX3, Sonic Riders, Journey, 1080°
1/29/2014
The game should be challenging but not too challenging.
Setting: Sand
The setting is going through the ruins of a lost civilization. Maybe recovering the lost technology? Your enemies could be trying to get it before you. Maybe racing some people for it. Does the technology you pick up augment your abilities?
Technology is in the form of artifacts. Nobody quite knows how they work. It is technology but its advanced enough that it doesn’t even seem like technology, more like magic.
Look of infused sandstone, energy conduits and the like.
Base look starts with egyptian ruins, however want to remove the culture and mythology of egypt from this as it is a different civilization.
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Story Summary
The ruins of the lost civilization contain powerful artifacts, and lost technology. This technology is extremely advanced, all of its secrets are lost to time. It is so advanced that it may as well be magic. Some sections of the ruins may have effects that counter normal laws of nature, such as space or gravity. You can retrofit collected tech that allows the last bastion of civilization, your home, to survive. You are your village’s last hope for survival.
The player is a scavenger who is scouring ruins in an attempt to save the village he is a part of. The village is one of last vestiges of civilization and without the artifacts the MC is bringing back to them the village will fade and be covered by sand. The player was part of a group of scavengers however after he was separated from the main group by a sand storm he found an artifact that attached to his feet when he touched them. He quickly found that this mysterious artifact was able to manipulate the sands in a way that allowed him to traverse at high speeds. Places in the ruins that were not accessible before suddenly could be found by the player. This game covers the story of the player as they discover more about this strange technology that they found as well as the mystery of what happened to the world ages ago.
The reason the village needs artifacts is because they use a device at the center of the village that keeps the sandstorms at bay. It is cobbled together from pieces of old technology, and since they don’t know how it works they can’t repair it, they can only try to find parts in the ruins that can replace any that break down.
Main Method of Conveyance:
The player should discover more about the technology of the race that left these ruins in the sand as well as what happened to such an advanced society. The player will do this by learning about the technology itself and about the people who made it.
It would be preferable to tell this to the player through experiencing it or through architecture of the ruins (for example the player finds a factory and by exploring finds out the purpose of the factory which is one piece of the puzzle). Another way of doing this is having the player experience “visions” whenever he activates certain devices in the ruins. In these visions the player will take the place of a one of the ancient race. The player will then act a certain event that was integral to the fall of civilization.