Battlefields TCG, World at War - Print & Play!

I am proud to present the game I have been working on lately. I would like to stress that this is a card game that you have to download and print yourself to play. It is not a digital product! With that said it is completely free as I am trying to showcase designer skills here.

I have nowhere to host the files myself so I used a free hosting service - I hope it will not be much of a trouble to wait 1 minute to download the zip. In the archive you will find all the materials and instructions on how to play the game. In short though you need to print some cards and find a friend or two to play with as the game is in a Trading Card Game (TCG) style format.

If you want to contact me for any reason please use the following emails:

Contact Author (for anything): semovbiz@gmail.com

Feedback: feedback.bf.tcg@gmail.com

Here are the links to the game. If you download the whole thing (the first 2 links) it is a .zip in which you will find everything you need to play the game (mostly images of the cards and rules). The last 2 links are to the rules if you just want to see what the game is about.

BATTLEFIELDS TCG WORLD AT WAR RELEASE - Download Link 1

BATTLEFIELDS TCG WORLD AT WAR RELEASE - Download Link 2
BATTLEFIELDS TCG WORLD AT WAR RELEASE - Download Link 3 (No wait!)

BATTLEFIELDS TCG RULEBOOK ONLY - Download Link
BATTLEFIELDS TCG RULEBOOK ONLY - Browser Link
Battlefields Rulebook 1.1 - Hit.bg PDF Link (BG Only)

Keep in mind I still have some work to do on this game, if you notice issues feel free to email me.

I will be posting again soon and generally be more active. I am looking forward to any feedback and suggestions!

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As always, until next time.

TCG Project "WAR" - Card Previews

I know this doesn't make a lot of sense yet, or maybe it does if you know a thing or two about collectible card games or trading card games (CCG & TCG). Here are a few more cards to check out until I am ready with the rules PDF file and it will all make sense (hopefully). The plan is to release a full package where anyone may download it, play the game for free and maybe help me balance it. At this point if the game proves popular I will consider PC (or whatever else) development.

You are looking at an original CCG concept. It is more or less in tune with games like Magic, The Gathering and WoW TCG, but with its own unique twists and mechanics as well as an intriguing business plan behind the idea - all in due time.

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Until next time.

An exciting new project!

I've been absent for quite a while haven't I? Well don't worry too much, I've been busy working on an exciting new project. Here's a little sneak peak and there is more to come in the following weeks!

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Until next time.

A quick flash drawing

Just something I drew today in Flash. Keeping in mind my drawing skills are well below average, at least this one didn't turn out completely awful!

I've been a bit lazy lately, but I have a few nice lengthy posts coming up including the HOOK post and a post about difficulty in games.

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Until next time.

The Pitch Document/Proposal - Continued

I've decided to expand on the pitch post a bit more since my previous post doesn't do justice to some of the elements on the pitch. However, before I get into the nitty-gritty of the pitch document I would like to speak to you about documentation in general.

You see, the more people there are working on a project, the more documentation is required. A lot of projects fail due to lack or inadequacy of documentation (I will not use percents!). It is equally important to have proper documentation and also to have a way (system) to distribute those documents and information to whomever might need it. No point in having a lengthy and descriptive design document that cannot be accessed by your staff on demand, but rather just sitting in a folder on your laptop. There are many websites that provide Source Control for documents or you can setup a server at your office.

Back to the pitch! As we discussed before the pitch should be brief, to a publisher (and a goblin) time is money! Usually before pitching to any one publisher you should consider if said publisher is right for your game. Believe me when I say if a publisher has no prior experience or any titles in your game's genre they will rarely get on board. If you do your homework you will know what games a certain publisher is looking for and that knowledge might save you some time. On the other hand identifying the perfect publisher for your game will increase your chances. Now comes a part that developers hate to admit to themselves. Generally it is less effective to pitch a game similar to another game that a publisher has recently released. I am sure you might believe that your game is the most original ever, but in the gaming industry it is rare to come up with truly new and innovative designs.

Let's talk about the document itself. This goes without saying but... the pitch is a proper formal document, you should not have any spelling or grammar mistakes. It is a very bad impression. This document will be looked over by multiple people!

The Overview (Again!)

What I missed to mention in my previous post is that this section is the first thing the reader lays their eyes upon. Its main purpose is to spark interest in the reader with the use of adjectives and flashy words. I consider the strongest opening is always with the name of the game you are pitching and a few strong words that describe the game, i.e "Garden Horror is a Innovative, Fast Paced, Action/Tower Defense game...". Although be careful not to overdo it.

Showcasing work

It is presumed that if your high concept (or if you just got a meeting with a publisher) got approved you would have had time to prepare some additional goodies to present as well. One of the most common things to present is artwork. All words description is fine but if you present some artwork pieces this gives your project a whole new feel. Now you are sharing your vision with the publisher. A picture is worth a thousand words as they say and an image of your main character for example might be worth a lot to the publisher as well. Additionally you are looking at things like car models and tracks for racing games, weapons and armor concepts for an RPG as well as environmental artwork. Now, a fortunate side-effect of showcasing art is reinforcing credibility in your team which is, believe me when I say, oh so very crucial!

The Main Body

This is the reason I wanted to expand on the pitch since I did not touch extensively on this part of the document before. In the main body you are looking to include a lot of relevant information. This includes a description of the gameplay (i.e. what does the player do in the game) as well as explain what is referred to as the HOOK (more on the hook in one of my future posts). You are also looking at things like game controls and some of the game setting. If your game is in an existing IP (Intellectual Property, i.e. Star Wars) you should explain how it ties to the main story and characters if it does, and how it uses the setting in general.

The next important part of the main body is the walkthrough. Some might say this is optional, I say it ties well with a demo if you have one. The idea is that you describe, step by step, a small timeframe of gameplay (preferably from the demo) but rather try and artistically convey how it would feel when the game is completed. A reader should be able to read this portion and imagine what the finished version of your demo level should look, feel and play out. It should almost always be written from the player's perspective. This part in addition to the demo is a proof of concept type-a-thing where it attempts to reinforce the validity of your gameplay ideas.

Multiplayer Features

If your game relies heavily on multiplayer make this separate sections within the main body and spend some time describing the multiplayer features you plan on having. Keep in mind that multiplayer games generally have more competitors on the market, thus make sure this section answers questions like "How will your game be different than what Call of Duty does?"

The Back of the Box

Figuratively of course, but you have seen the back of a game's box. You will almost always find several key features that define the game. Here write your game's key features. For example you might have something like: (I put more just because it is fun, but usually you need about five of those)

* Long non-linear levels (generally good, depends)
* X hours of gameplay (generally bad as a feature point in my opinion)
* User generated content (a very good feature point)
* Dynamic inventory system (I don't know what that is, but it sounds cool!)
* Your decisions truly impact the world - make or unmake kings! (Too many games claim that, then again if you really have that in your game, kudos!)
* More than 300 different cars (very good feature to have in a racing game, hopefully the cars handle differently though..)
* Stealth like you have never experienced it before (vision and sound!) (Now this sounds cool)
* 3 Unique races (Good feature if the next is true)
* Balanced competitive gameplay

I had some fun with those didn't I? :) Back to the pitch now.

Target Demographics

This one is of great importance to the publisher. It should include the target audience you are aiming for. This lets the publisher know from the get go how and where to market your game. Are you looking at a broad audience or a specific target group, in any case this information should be included. Remember that a Runebound universe remake of the tabletop adventure games is looking at a very specific target audience and if marketed improperly it might alienate the very people that like Runebound. On the other extreme an FPS game set in the Call of Duty universe should be marketed broadly. Here you might also make an argument for the viability of your game on the market. If you are looking to exploit a niche that has not been filled for a while (he he there is a dirty joke in there somewhere) do back your claims with some research and numbers.

This goes without saying but, don't make shit up! They will know.

PC/Mac/Xbox/Playstation/Wii/Other

In other words, platforms. Make sure you define for which of those you will be developing your game. Keep in mind some or leaning towards certain markets more than others. It's a horrible cliche but let's say it - Playstation and Xbox cater to hardcore crowds and Nintendo's Wii is more of a casual console. These notions are not always true of course, but keep that in mind.

Ship Date

First and foremost, if you are developing a game with an year in its title, for god's sake, release it that year. It usually aims to capitalize on an event and it would be stupid to have FIFA 2011 released February 2012. Here you are approximating a release date, not pinpointing it! This is something that would make the publisher feel a bit safer so you should get it right. It is a matter of project management and planning mostly. Have your project manager draw up plans, contingency plans for those plans and then some more. Come up with a realistic date that also gives you some buffer in case anything goes wrong, which it will most certainly will. Keep expectations within reason is what I am trying to say.

Budget

Read the previous post, the budget part is pretty hashed out there. Maybe in addition I would say also, add potential investors that might back you up. There is quite a bit more to say about budgets, but it does not concern the pitch. I will try and make a post out of it sometime if I can.

Conclusion

Finally, you are at the end, but what more to say?! As I mentioned before, credibility is key in the pitch. Showcase your team as much as possible. Say things like - "The world renowned author and the Lore Guy behind such hits as Dark Night, Darkness in the Dark and Darkadia - Darko Darkov is a member of the team and already hard at work on our next title.". It is also a good idea if you mention previous titles you have done as a company (if you have).


So in conclusion of this post, I believe this is quite an extensive explanation of the pitch document. Just a little piece of advice, always give it to someone for proofreading. Preferably someone not involved in the project (make sure they sign a non-disclosure agreement first though!), if they get excited about your idea you are on the right track. If they are confused or indifferent you still have some work to do.


The HOOK - I will try and compile information and make a sensible post explaining what hooks are in presenting games, how they work, what types there are and how to use them for greater effect. In short though, a hook is a piece of information that makes you go "Really? I'd play that!". For example saying that your game's story is written by George R.R. Martin and Peter Jackson is an executive producer on the project. This is a type of hook.

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Until next time.

The Pitch Document/Proposal

Hello again, this time we will be looking at the Pitch Document or Proposal and discussing its various aspects.

The pitch usually comes after a publisher has looked over your concept document and decided there might be something to it. This is usually the first important step in building a good relationship with a publisher and is also a proof of the ability of a developer to stand their own. Sometimes a pitch might be the 1st document a publisher sees from you skipping altogether the brief high concept. A typical pitch document consists of several key elements that are as follows:

          Outline of the Project

Here you will be looking to convey the project as clear and as intriguing as possible. It is a section not unlike the high concept, but a bit longer. Usually it spans one or two pages detailing the main mechanics and what the game is all about.

          Business Information

This is probably the most important section of the document in regard to showing the publisher that the developer is a serious and capable bunch! This section is a bit longer and the developer has to include relevant information about several key subjects.

Costs - the developer has to show realistic estimates of the costs, show them you understand the math, but don't try to explain it to them! The publishers work with money a lot more, so to speak, so they will know if you are pulling numbers out of a hat or if you are way off.

Timetable - know your (time) limits. Identify key areas as milestones in development. Here you should strongly relate time with costs and show them you can plan for issues as well. Contingency plans and buffers, while realistic, will be greatly impressive.

* As far as costs and time goes there are a number of tricks and methods you can use that are mostly described and could be learned from project management/software project management books and web resources. For example estimating that your staff will work 6 days a week is quite a bad idea and building your timetable around that assumption is a good way to lose money fast.

The team - like with costs and timetable, this section is also all about credibility! If your numbers are correct you are way ahead, but if you can showcase your team whether it is with art, technological prowess or simply by having a renowned person in your company's midst, you should include that.

Additionally you will be looking at things like the target market/s, formats (platforms), possible holes in the market that your game seeks to explore (i.e. "Nobody has developed an X type of game in the last few years and we are seeking to exploit that."), languages, etc.

          Demo

And last but not least there is the Demo. Now some might argue a demo is not a mandatory part of a pitch, but in my opinion publishers nowadays expect a demo anyway, so you better have one. Don't be confused - a demo in the pitch is not the same demo you see before a game comes out. On the contrary, it is a prototype of the game, featuring core mechanics (maybe even not all) and possibly innovative features that make your game unique. It is of utmost importance that your demo runs smoothly without glitches and bugs. Your demo will mostly be viewed by non-technical people so for them it is important to look and feel good rather than what is under the hood.


In conclusion, what you are aiming at with your pitch is to have your idea, your game accepted for development. You are basically attempting to convince people to give you money to make it. I reiterate - it's about credibility, you should appear like a capable company or you probably won't get the deal. Have finance information to backup your estimates, have tables to show how you will manage your project in time. Support your idea as much as possible. An example is if a renowned person in the industry thinks your idea is the next big thing, mention it!

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Until next time.

Game Designer Portfolio - Part 4

Hello again, I was not going to post today, but I want to be consistent, so there. This is a game I created a while ago. It features a car driving down a very bad road (hence the name). There is not much to explain here but the controls.

Use arrows to accelerate, break and move left or right.
Use space bar to shoot at incoming barrels.
Collect Nitro to move faster for a short period of time.
If controls do not respond - click on the flash window (the game).

Here is the link: BAD ROAD RACER


Let me just add a quick disclaimer here. I did not create the car asset as well as the barrels, the potholes and the nitro. They were images I downloaded, credit goes to whomever credit is due.


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Until next time.

Game Designer Portfolio - Part 3

I would like to show you a game I created recently. Since I have not yet implemented the tutorial I will also post the User Guide that goes with the project. It is far from perfect and I am by no means an expert in writing guides. That is why I am interested if the guide actually helped you understand the game, add a comment and tell me what you think.



Here is the link for the game: BATTLE FOR THE ISLE OF DAWN
(Use the "Play flash fullscreen" option to view in fullscreen mode)

And here is the guide for the game. (Just a note, it is quite a bit detailed.. and probably confusing at times, oh well.)

If you have any questions/suggestions/anything feel free to message me!

Edit: There seems to be a problem with the stats window (upper left) both in low and high res. Enemy unit count might not be visible sometimes.

Update: Problem should now be corrected when the game is played in fullscreen mode.

Battle for the Isle of Dawn

User Guide

I.                   Requirements

Battle for the Isle of Dawn is a game of conquest, resource and army management. You will be required to do all three to achieve victory. To run the game you are required to have any of the following.

Adobe Flash CS3 or above.

Flash Player (to run the executable in .swf format).

*If resolution is a problem (game is set at default 1280x720) please open

View -> Show All on your flash player.

II.                 Instructions and GUI Elements

This section details the elements you will see in the game and what they mean in addition to rules and regulations of the game.

This is the game board and this is where most of the action takes place. There are 24 areas marked with a letter-number combination (A1, A2, D3, F1, E4 etc.). Each area is selectable and when selected the following window will open.

Now let’s see what does this window allows us to do while playing. Here is another image with some areas highlighted.

As you will notice the white boxes (two in the yellow areas and two more under them) are input boxes. This means that you may write numbers and letters into these boxes. This is in fact the way the game works and 

how the human player declares their moves.

To move units first SELECT AN AREA on the game board. The movement window will pop up on the left side of the screen as shown. In the BLUE CIRCLE in the upper right corner of the movement window you will see the area YOU HAVE CURRENTLY SELECTED. In the input box next to the “Move to:” text, write the DESTINATION (TARGET AREA) where you would like your forces to travel. For this example it is E2. Always make sure you enter a NEIGHBORING area to the one that you have SELECTED. In case you enter an invalid “Move to:” location you will get an ERROR and be allowed to try again.

On the right side under the blue circle there is a count of what units are currently into the area you have selected. Consult that information before entering how many units of any type you would like to move to the target location. In the example case it is TWO FOOTMAN from F2 to E2.

AFTER you successfully execute a move the window to the left will pop up automatically. It is the RECRUITMENT WINDOW and it allows you to recruit (Build, Train, Make) new units on the board according to your resources.

This is also the way the board looks after move from F2 to E2 of 2 Footman has been executed from the previous example.

Here you may recruit new units by first typing the RECRUITMENT LOCATION at the input box next to RECRUIT UNITS AT in the upper side of the box (upper yellow circle). For the example the F2 area is selected for recruitment. Next to each unit FOOTMAN, KNIGHT or PALADIN there is also a blank input box in which the player may enter the amount of that unit they wish to recruit. The COST of each unit is printed against it on the recruitment window. Player RESOURCES are shown on the lower right side of the game screen (yellow ellipse).

IMPORTANT: UNITS MAY ONLY BE RECRUITED AT FOUR AREAS ON THE BOARD (CALLED CASTLES), THOSE ARE:

      F2,      D2,      C3,      A2

In addition you must be IN CONTROL of the area you want to recruit units at.

After you have selected where (if at all) you wish to build you select the RECRUIT button in the lower right corner to recruit or alternatively the SKIP button to skip recruiting this game round and save resources for the next.

This is an example of an area and what are its attributes. F2 is an area that has a Castle Icon, a Gold Mine icon and a House Icon. Some areas only have one or two and other areas have NONE of these ICONS

.

CASTLE – they are important for two reasons. One – they allow recruitment. Two – they are worth a lot of Conquest Points.

GOLD MINE – at the end of each GAME ROUND an area with this ICON will provide ONE GOLD to the player that CONTROLS the area.

HOUSE – at the end of each GAME ROUND an area with this ICON will provide ONE MANPOWER to the player that CONTROLS the area.

            In Battle for the Isle of Dawn players constantly try to control any number of areas by moving forces into them. An area is CONTROLLED by one player or another whenever:

A)     There are forces PRESENT in the area that belong to that player

B)     There WERE forces in the area that belonged to that player and the ENEMY has not ENTERED the area yet to claim it for themselves.

LARGE GREEN DOT – Indicates the presence of HUMAN PLAYER forces in the area.

SMALL GREEN DOT – Indicates there the area is under HUMAN PLAYER CONTROL but there are NO HUMAN PLAYER FORCES PRESENT at the moment.

LARGE RED DOT - Indicates the presence of AI forces in the area.

SMALL RED DOT – Indicates there the area is under AI CONTROL but there are NO AI FORCES PRESENT at the moment.

Whenever you mouse over an area you will notice this window in the upper left side of the screen.

This window shows the STATS of the area that the mouse is over at the moment. It details who CONTROLS the area, GOLD INCOME, MANPOWER INCOME and the various forces present.

BATTLE BEFORE IT IS RESOLVED                               

                                                 

BATTLE AFTER IT IS RESOLVED

BATTLE OCCURS whenever two opposing armies find each other in a single area. If this happens the game is INTERRUPTED and the window on the LEFT appears. It details where the battle is happening, what are the units involved and prints a TOTAL ARMY STRENGTH value for both players. Each player then is allowed to PLAY A CARD and reveals it to the other player instantly and simultaneously executing the CARD EFFECT. A card is selected by clicking on it.

ONCE A CARD IS PLAYED IT IS DISCARDED AND MAY NOT BE USED UNTIL THE END OF THE GAME!!! THIS IS TRUE FOR BOTH THE HUMAN PLAYER AND THE AI.

Cards range in power as some multiply your whole Army Strength by 2 “x2” and others are more situational like “FK +2” which gives +2 STR for each Footmen-Knight you have in your army for the battle. In that case it would be “+4” whereas “x2” would be “+6” for the battle. Discover what other cards do on your own!

After you select a card the AI reveals its card and you see the BATTLE RESOLVED WINDOW on the RIGHT. In that case the AI played “-9” card and deducts 9 of the players TOTAL ARMY STRENGTH. The played had played “FK +2” gaining 4 which gives him 10 and -9 from the AI card leaves the human player at 1 total army strength. The AI has 2 and 2 > 1 therefore the AI wins the battle. WHOEVER LOSES THE BATTLE LOSES ALL UNITS IN THE BATTLE. The game then continues as usual. 

In case of a TIE another card is played by both players until resolved.

Last but not least the VICTORY CONDITION.

To win the game a player has to acquire 150 CONQUEST POINTS.

Each CASTLE CONTROLLED provides from 0-20 depending on the player.

            For the HUMAN PLAYER:

            F2 = 0 points.    D2 = 5 points.   C3 = 9 points.   A2 = 20 points.

                       

For the AI:

            F2 = 20 points.  D2 = 9 points.   C3 = 5 points.   A2 = 1 point.

EVERY OTHER AREA CONTROLLED provides 2 CONQUEST POINTS at the end of the game round.

Game Round

Step 1: Human Player Movement

Step 2: Human Player Recruitment

Step 3: AI Movement

Step 4: AI Recruitment

Step 5: Gain resources and Conquest Points (Both Players)

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Thank you for reading, until next time.

Game Designer Portfolio - Part 2

First, I would like to apologize for leading you on in my last post. The document I posted was in fact not a Pitch document but rather a High Concept. The difference being that a Pitch comes after the High Concept in any publisher's office. The high concept I posted however is a bit longer than what you would want, even though it is not something critical you shouldn't make your high concept longer than 3 pages. It is meant to sustain and spark interest rather than to explain everything.

In the example I have given below I have made several mistakes where my High Concept and Story sections are longer than they are supposed to be. Remember the concept document should be punchy rather than lengthy. Often designers and teams writing these documents would refer to other games to explain a certain mechanic i.e. "Like the shadow gem in the Thief games, but for sound.".  This is not only absolutely acceptable, but encouraged. Doing that also could reinforce the belief that your concept is good by referencing successful games and their mechanics. Another mistake I made was not referencing at all games with similar mechanics such Trine.

The point of the High Concept is mainly to get a meeting or interest from the publisher. Just a quick refresh for the people that might not be aware of how this works - game developers (companies that develop games) usually seek publishers (companies that publish games) with proposals for games. The publisher than reviews those and meets a few more times with the developer, if all goes well a deal is struck and the publisher funds the development of the game. Sometimes publishers seek developers and sometimes a publisher and developer are the same thing but let's keep it simple. What the publisher will look in any one High Concept is the potential for profits, remember publishers receive hundreds of concepts every day, but they cannot meet with everyone so they select just the ones that make an impact.

Here are a few tips for writing a good concept doc:

a) Short and concise - they don't have all day, make sure it doesn't take more than 10-15 minutes to read your whole document

b) Be realistic - do not promise the next MMO that will trump WoW, look at what you have and what you can achieve realistically.

c) Gameplay, gameplay, gameplay - at this stage you will not be talking about graphics, maybe mention of the visual style, but most importantly you are looking at gameplay! By reading the document they should be intrigued and thinking how fun it would be to play your game.

d) Business later - don't even think of explaining how your game is going to be a hit and make them all rich, such statements do nothing to get you a meeting with the publisher.


Now, looking back at my concept in the previous post you will notice it almost exclusively focuses on gameplay and that is a good example of explaining gameplay in my opinion, with the exception of the missing references and some sections being longer than they ought to be.


Take a look at this, it is a High Concept for another game, you will notice the structure of the document is quite different. This is a more standard structure that is seen more often.

Maze (3D Shooter)

Pencho Semov

High Concept

Fun, engaging 3D shooter that has the player fighting for their life in a labyrinth filled with laser turrets, various enemies and traps. The player will have to navigate numerous obstacles to reach the exit at the end of each level.

Features

·         Classic 1^st person view with several weapons at the player’s disposal.

·         Laser turrets are scattered across the maze aiming in random patterns that the player must avoid and destroy the turrets at the same time in order to proceed.

·         Various traps endanger the player’s health at any time.

·         Enemies wonder around in the maze ready to attack the player.

·         Non-linear areas exist in order to let the player escape from or engage a monster in more than one way.

·         Health packs could be found in shadowy corners and help the player restore lost health.

·         Jump feature allowing the player to overcome giant gaps filled with nasty substances.

·         Random turret placement each new game for re-playability and surprise fun.

·         Several weapons aid the player including a shotgun!

·         Easy to navigate interface and informative HUD showing everything that the player needs to see, including health, ammo, timer and aim.

·         Other tools such as a flashlight aid the player in darker areas or a steal pipe to smash crates.

·         Maze-like level architecture with lots of narrow corridors and rooms with different puzzles of laser turrets.

·         Darker areas where the player MUST rely on their flashlight to survive.

·         Ammo is limited so the player will have to make tactical choices of what to destroy in each room in order to proceed.

·         The dark and claustrophobic atmosphere of levels will also be reflected by the monster and turrets design. The player feels totally alone in a hostile environment that provides for some oppressive survival fun.

Player Motivation

A timer tracks how well the player is doing. If they complete a level faster they are awarded additional points based on the time as well as how many turrets they have destroyed, ect.

Genre

Classic tactical 3D shooter with Portal’s claustrophobic atmosphere and a horror theme to the level design (as opposed to a clean, high-tech lab). Traps, creatures and turrets further enhance the effect. Tactical element added in the form of player decisions on how to spend limited ammo and resolve situations. Fast paced gameplay if fighting for score that requires quick thinking or slow and careful advancement through the maze for players that just want to enjoy the ride.

Target Customer

1^st Person shooter fans will enjoy the presence of monsters to shoot as well as the tactical element. On the other hand some fans of the horror-survival genre will definitely enjoy this game as well.

Competition

Most FPS games that involve puzzles and require cleverness to overcome levels such as “Amnesia – Dark Descent” (even though there is no shooting) and "Call of Chulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth".

Unique Selling Points

·         Crazy traps that give some indication prior to damaging the player, but still require quick reaction to dodge for challenging gameplay.

·         Weapons and gadgets that are unique and aid the player in useful ways.

·         Graduate increasing difficulty curve that provides more and more challenging situations and puzzles for the player to solve.

·         Monsters that suddenly pop behind a corner bringing the survival-horror element to the game.

Target Hardware

                PC.

Design Goals

·         Create interesting yet doable situations that force the player to think and find the correct actions to get through.

·         Make every tool (and weapon) available to the player useful in some way.

·         Design levels in such ways that the player might find a health pack or ammo just when they need it.

·         Use lighting to great effect to generate proper atmosphere. Also with the flashlight in darker areas it will be a key gameplay feature.

·         Implement mouse control and HUD that are adequate.

·         Make enemies chase players intelligently.

·         Make non-linear parts to each level to enrich the feeling of being in a maze.

Story

“You wake up in dark and mysterious maze with only a flashlight. You don’t remember anything of how you got there or who you are. It’s up to you now to discover those things and more… for the horrible maze holds a dark and terrifying secret…”

Graphic Design Preview

·        HUD, look and feel of the game

·        Sample level design

Game Overview

We are looking at a 3d shooter that implements survival-horror theme and oppressive environment that forces the player to solve puzzles and think fast in order to survive.

The game will also feature:

·         Music and random sounds depending on the area that the player is currently in.

·         Story elements in the form of written messages on the maze walls.

·         Menu that pause the game and lets the player save/load their progress, restart level and/or chose different options (sound, video, preferences).

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Until next time.