Game Design Document Outline
Version 0.1 November 2012, Aeon Studios
Joseph Donoghue
“Manifest Econtra”
1.
Title Page
1.1. Game Name – Manifest Econtra
1.2. Copyright Information – All rights reserved
1.3.
Version Number, author, date – V1, Joseph Donoghue, Aeon studios
2.
Table of Contents –
3. Design History –All design history can be
observed at this web address>http://joesgamedesignblog.blogspot.co.uk/
4.
Section I - Game Overview
4.1.
Game Concept
Manifest Econtra is a 3rd person free roam game (with level
based sections) for a next-gen console. Manifest is a one of a kind creature
who is the personification of 'Life', he is able to shape shift on an extreme
scale. Players can scan, absorb and/or transform into any human or animal sized
creature in the game. As manifest learns about the earth the more he can
upgrade new abilities and skills, both metamorphic and real world skills such
as carjacking. The graphic style is metallic and organic. This is a story
driven game with high and low profile gameplay such as over the top free
roaming and destruction, and also life imitation and stealth options such as
mimicking a key person or animal. Most weaknesses Manifest deals with are moral
descisions that affect his cells and the creatures he absorbs, however he is a
force of nature and is near unbeatable ( which is a lot of fun for players).
Manifest Econtra is a 3rd person
free roam game (with level based sections) for a next-gen console. Manifest is
a one of a kind creature who is the personification of 'Life', he is able to
shape shift on an extreme scale. Players can scan, absorb and/or transform into
any human or animal sized creature in the game. As manifest learns about the
earth the more he can upgrade new abilities and skills, both metamorphic and
real world skills such as carjacking. The graphic style is metallic and
organic. This is a story driven game with high and low profile gameplay such as
over the top free roaming and destruction, and also life imitation and stealth
options such as mimicking a key person or animal. Most weaknesses Manifest
deals with are moral decisions that affect his cells and the creatures he
absorbs, however he is a force of nature and is near unbeatable ( which is a
lot of fun for players).
4.5. Feature Set
Destructive free roam environment
The ability to change form
Rich and compelling story
State of the art physics
4.2.
Genre – Horror/Action
4.3.
Target Audience
- 18+ people who enjoy game narrative and free roam
4.4.
Game Flow Summary –
- Narrative level sections which flow into free roam with
choices of side missions or story missions or just free roaming to explore and
level up. Enemies stand in your way aswell as traversable puzzles.
Look and Feel –
- The graphic style will be smooth with unrealistic textures
that highlight the physics of the material such as a living cloak. Light
sources will cause great contrast to show the difference between a natural
environment, which will be dark and dingy, and a natural one.
Project Scope –
4.4.1.
Number of locations - 5
4.4.2.
Number of levels – 30
4.4.3.
Number of NPC’s -60
4.4.4.
Number of weapons -9
4.4.5.
Etc. – Playable
character is able to shape shift into scanned game models and take control of
them, or learn from them to add to your base abilities.
5.
Section II - Gameplay and
Mechanics
5.1.
Gameplay
5.1.1.
Game Progression – Narrative progression with the incentive of finding
upgrades and gaining XP
5.1.2.
Mission/challenge Structure – Mission objectives involve discovery and investigation,
infiltration and destruction
5.1.3.
Puzzle Structure – the puzzles included are traversal problem solving sections
that challenge the player to get from A to B
5.1.4.
Objectives –The major obstacles include defeating/escaping enemy forces
and traversing objects, some situations will involve going for a stealthy
approach in which case manifest must not be discovered to avoid a confrontation.
The main objective is to find out the truth about a plot to bring about the end
of the world.
5.1.5.
Play Flow – The game is split up by some level based sections but in
majority the choice of mission points within the free roam environment
5.2. Mechanics –– Manifest is able
to scan creatures and characters with the press of the R3 button, this stores
that specific model into Manifests' memory. Even though some models will be the
same species as others, some individuals may look different and have different
strengths and speeds.
5.2.1.
Physics–The
physics highlight life and lack of life, for example Manifests’ cloak reaches
out and hangs in the air like a unique living structure. Manifest eventually
learns to fly. He can hang in the air due to his strength in his bounds, also
he can run at break-neck speeds, when this happens the air distorts around him.
5.2.2.
Movement
5.2.2.1.
General Movement – Un-naturual walk cycle, changing around the basic limb
structures
5.2.2.2.
Other Movement – Changes depending on form, realistic animal/human movement
5.2.3.
Objects
5.2.3.1.
Picking Up Objects- Manifest can interact with vehicles and throwable structures
that can be used as weaponry. Also he can pick up organic models and choose to
absorb them, read their information or throw/kill them
5.2.3.2.
Moving Objects- Vehicles, Real world scenery etc.
5.2.4.
Actions
5.2.4.1.
Picking Up, Carrying and
Dropping- Circle button picks up and carries
objects/enemies/weapons that can be thrown or interacted with
5.2.4.2.
Talking- Linear dialogue: Manifest does not talk
5.2.5.
Combat –Combat involves slashing, throwing, grabbing and consuming, combat
stretches out into a destructible interactive environment
5.2.6.
Economy–
Abilities and upgrades can be purchased from the upgrade menu using XP
5.3.
Screen Flow
5.3.1.
Screen Descriptions
5.3.1.1.
Title Screen- Includes an interactive visualiser or a DNA strand changing,
used to introduce the game
5.3.1.2.
Main Menu- Moves between main functions for the game
5.3.1.3.
Continue- Accesses HDD to the most recent Save or Autosave
5.3.1.4.
New Game- Starts a new game and creates a new save file
5.3.1.5.
Load game- Loads a save file from the HDD
5.3.1.6.
Extras- includes extras such as ‘Making of’ videos and unlockable content
5.3.1.7.
Options- Adjusts brightness, controlls, Screen size etc
5.4.
Game Options – What are the
options and how do they affect game play and mechanics? – Difficulty settings affect enemy resilience (HP), Subtitle settings,
Brightness and contrast.
5.5.1.
– Checkpoints,
and autosave
5.6. Cheats and Easter Eggs – Hidden ‘Natural’
areas for more XP
6.
Section III – Story, Setting
and Character
6.1.
Story and Narrative –
6.1.1.
Back story – Manifest: a unique creature with extraordiany shape
shifting ability comes to earth and finds a chaotic world in its final days.
Manifest must uncover the truth behind a mysterious organisation and prevent
the end of days.
6.1.2.
Plot Elements –Manifest absorbs a human whom he can communicae with, finds
a powerful henchman within the organisation, confronts the master and discovers
an extra-terrestrial race.
6.1.3.
Game Progression – Narrative level sections which flow into free roam with
choices of side missions or story missions or just free roaming to explore and
level up. Enemies stand in your way aswell as traversable puzzles.
6.1.4.
License Considerations – Approx $40,000 PSN liscence, Ps3 development kit 10,000
dollars
6.1.5.
Cut Scenes – Plot points
6.1.5.1.1.
Manifest
Crash lands to earth creating a huge crater
6.1.5.1.2.
Manifest
watches a human and follows him to his home
6.1.5.1.3.
Manifest
Accidentally absorbs the man and escapes to a new area. He has a brief
convesation with the still conscious man within him
6.1.5.1.4.
Manifest
finds a destructive city wasting lifeforms
6.1.5.1.5.
Manifest
defeats and copies Goredomes’ cells and receives a vision of his master
6.1.5.1.6.
Manifest
Recieves a blast of mental torture through the human within him from The Puppet
Master
6.1.5.1.7.
Manifest
defeats The Puppet Master
6.1.5.1.8.
The Race
emerge from their ship and reach out for Manifest
6.1.6.
Game World – Simulation, basic AI for character models, high AI for
enemies
6.1.7.
General look and feel of world
– textured, abstract, personified
6.1.8.
Characters – John, Goredome, The Puppet Master, The Race
6.1.9.
Character #1- John
6.1.9.1.
Back story- A Lumberjack living in a Canadian forest
6.1.9.2.
Personality- Fairly reserved and ill mannered
6.1.9.3.
Look- Dark
hair, well built, Lumberjack attire
6.1.9.3.1.
Physical characteristics- Within Manifest he can affect his appearance
6.1.9.3.2.
Animations- Trudging walk cycle, mostly seen in cinematics and sections
whilst he talks to manifest from within him as manifest takes on a copy of his
form in different ways (having absorbed him)
6.1.9.3.3.
Special Abilities- John is able to communicate through his neuro patterns with
manifest and affect his actions
6.1.9.3.4.
Relevance to game story- John teaches Manifest about humanity and guides him as they
go through the story together
6.1.9.4.
Relationship to other
characters- Much like a teacher to Manifest
6.1.10.
Character #2- Goredome
6.1.10.1.1.
Back Story- Born as Gordon, a troubled person born
with a unique nervous system, due to this he feels no physical pain. Goredome
has a form of Body Dismorphic Disorder
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_dysmorphic_disorder) and an obsession to
body modification and surgery, this is the reason for the knives surgically
attatched to his hands and the armour crafted to his flesh. Due to many jobs
working for 'The Pupeteer' (below) he has sustained many gruesome and
permentant injuries, mainly to his face and jaw. Goredome cares not for the pain
of others, this derides from his inability to understand the concept of pain,
because of this he is a mindless agent of gore.
6.1.10.1.2.
Personality- Completely un empathetic with other peoples’ pain and
suffering, he is mad and animalistic with his love for flesh
6.1.10.1.3.
Look- Infected
and rotting flesh, many severe injuries and body modifications
6.1.10.1.4.
Physical Characteristics- Huge metal claws bondes to his fingers to be used as
weapons
6.1.10.1.5.
Animations- Combat AI with a gliding cloak
6.1.10.1.6.
Special Abilities- Able to withstand physical attacks
6.1.10.1.7.
Relevance to game story- Leads Manifest to the Puppet Master, also gives manifest
increased durability
6.1.10.1.8.
Relationship to other
Characters- Major Conflict with manifest, pawn of the
Puppet Master
6.1.11.
Character #3- Puppet Master
Character #3- Puppet Master
6.1.11.1.
Back Story-A
master of his field, the Puppeteer was once reguarded as the best psycologist
in the world. He became a well known name in theatre where he perfomed his
shows of magic, suggestion and hypnosis. His performances caused unrest in the
public for their dark and forceful nature. He recieved an official ban from the
profession for abusing his audience physically and mentally. The pupeteer then
began to work his way back up the social order by working the public on the
streets, by invading peoples minds he gained influence. He has a divine
understanding of his own mind and so is able to use the full potential of his mentality
and physicality such as releasing the mental restriction on his muscles. He
developed a gold mask that enhance his facial expression in order to invade the
minds of his targets more promenantly. During his research he discoved the
exsistence of a race of extra terestrial beings and how to communicate with
them through his thoughts. The race recognised his knowledge of himself and
others and treated him as the leader of humanity (which they created). The
pupeteer was growing tired of the dull exsistence of humanity, knowing that the
Race would return to earth to assess their creations (mainly humanity) he
decided to create havoc and evil so humanity would start again after the Race
had destroyed them. He also hoped to use his influence to convince the race to
let him join them as the supreme human specimen.
6.1.11.2.
Personality- An Authority figure, piercing physical prescence, very
distant from social situations, void of emotion within his control
6.1.11.3.
Look- Wears
a synthetic Golden mask that emphisises his expressions
6.1.11.4.
Physical Characteristics- Wears a Dinner Jacket and shirt with rolled up sleeves and a
thin black tie. He has an average stature.
6.1.11.5.
Animations- Very fast movement, slight ghost trails, skilled
free-running, returns to standing stance, until later when he becomes more
fragile and frantic.
6.1.11.6.
Special abilities- Able to fully control his own body through his unique mind,
and influence others
6.1.11.7.
Relevance to game story- Main Antagonist, Leader of ‘The organisation’, In contact
with ‘The Race’
6.1.11.8. Relationship to other Characters- Mentally
tortures John within Manifest, Manipulates Goredome, Intends to destroy or
understand Manifest. He is the one in contact with ‘The Race’
6.2.
Section IV – Levels
6.3.
Level #1
6.3.1.
Synopsis- Follows a cutscene of manifest falling to earth, then a short
sequence of real-time evens such as ‘press square to form eye’. The player then
contols Manifest stood in a crater, some ‘instinct’ directions come up on-screen
giving instructions on how to use the camera (player moves camera in
accordance). Then some base tutorials for movement around the bottom of the
crater (analogue stick) and free running (R2) outside of the crater, then
interaction with animals and changing form.
6.3.2.
Introductory Material- Cutscene of Manifest taking form on a cellular level out in
deep space, then a more creature form crashing to earth leaving a huge crater,
shots of wildlife reacting.
6.3.3.
Objectives- Learn the introductory controls
6.3.4.
Physical Description- Manifest takes on a human-like form due to his ‘Instinct’,
player must follow on screen commands to form limbs and attributes until
Manifest is able to stand. Then after a camera tutorial Manifest moves and
climbs out of the crater. Then Manifest learns to scan and take on the form of
various basic animals, the short level ends with the encounter of a Lumberjack
named John.
6.3.5.
Map- Circular
level around a huge crater. Natural environment with much Wildlife.
6.3.6.
Critical Path- Player must follow on screen commands to progress, along with
moments of free-roam between targets
6.3.7.
Encounters- Various animals, then a Human at the end
6.3.8.
Level Walkthrough- Press square to Form bone structure, Press circle to form
nervous system etc…follow on-screen commands on adjusting camera, Move manifest
(slow movement learning how to walk- quickly improves). Free-run/jump out of
crater. Interact with animals. Scan lifeforms. Learn about the DNA wheel- take
on the form of 3 animals- Gain XP. Investigate cause of Animals fleeing (John)
6.3.9.
Closing Material- Cutscene of manifest encountering John
7.
Section V - Interface
7.1.
Visual System
7.1.1.
HUD - What controls – X/start= accept, O=back, Dpad/ L.Analogue stick=select/move
though menus, R analogue stck controls a DNA strand in the background and
creates movement much like a visualiser
7.1.2.
Menus- DNA
menu (in-game option/weapon wheel), Title screen, New Game/Load Game/ Continue
Game/Extras screen, Options screen
7.2.
Control System – How does the
game player control the game?
What are the specific commands?
7.3.
Music- Ambient
rock varies depending on gameplay
7.4.
Sound Effects- Real world sound affects in addition to fleshy transformation
sounds
7.5.
Section VII – Technical
7.6.
Target Hardware- PS3
7.7.
Game Engine – Titanium
7.8.
Network –PS3 Network
8.
Section VIII – Game Art
9.
Section X – Management
9.1.
Budget –
$10,000 for liscence, Approx $600,000 all round
9.2.
Risk Analysis – Religious offence, Violence (even though non-realistic),
Budget, Commercial, General Reception, Loss of artistic vision, Hacking
