Game Design Document
April 13
2008
Game Design Document for the Action Adventure RPG Game ‐ DeathWish 1931.
Viral Light Interactive © 2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENTS 1.0 Story and Overview ................................................................................................... 4 1.1
Introduction: ....................................................................................................... 4
1.1.1 General Overview ........................................................................................... 4 1.1.2 Basic Game Details ......................................................................................... 4 1.2 Plot Points: ............................................................................................................ 4 1.3 Environments ......................................................................................................... 6 1.3.1 Descriptions .................................................................................................... 6 1.3.2 Concept Art ..................................................................................................... 9 1.4 Non-interactive sequences .................................................................................... 9 1.4.1 Descriptions .................................................................................................... 9 1.4.2 Storyboard..................................................................................................... 11 2.0 Characters ............................................................................................................... 12 2.1 Playable Character .............................................................................................. 12 2.1.1 Base Description ........................................................................................... 12 2.1.2 Visual/Concept Depiction .............................................................................. 12 2.1.3 Development ................................................................................................. 13 2.1.4 Abilities .......................................................................................................... 13 2.2 NPCs ................................................................................................................... 14 2.2.1 Ally NPC Details ............................................................................................ 14 2.2.2 Neutral NPC Details ...................................................................................... 15 2.2.3 Enemy NPC Details ...................................................................................... 18 3.0 Inventory ................................................................................................................. 20 3.1 Combat-oriented items ........................................................................................ 20 3.2 Key event items ................................................................................................... 21 3.3 Support-oriented items ........................................................................................ 22 4.0 Gameplay ................................................................................................................ 22 4.1 Gameplay Basics ................................................................................................. 22 4.2 Gameplay Elements ............................................................................................ 23 4.3 Artificial Intelligence ............................................................................................. 24 4.4 Pacing .................................................................................................................. 25 5.0 Miscellaneous Points of Interest .............................................................................. 25
5.1 Prototype Details ................................................................................................. 25 5.2 Rewards and Easter Eggs ................................................................................... 25 5.3 Marketing/Package Art ........................................................................................ 26 6.0 Gameplay ................................................................................................................ 26 6.1 Level Descriptions ............................................................................................... 26 6.2 Level Maps .......................................................................................................... 28 7.1 Front End Flowchart ............................................................................................ 29 7.3 Game Controller Diagram .................................................................................... 31
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1.0 Story and Overview -------------------------------------------1.1 Introduction: 1.1.1 General Overview Deathwish 1931 takes the gamer back to the "good old days" of 1931, a time when mob rule was law and power upheld itself through the barrel of a gun. Our character, Vincent Tonilly, is an Italian office worker that accidently stumbles upon his employer's shady dealings. Fearing the worst, the executives decide to dispose of poor Vincent... he is left for dead, bloody and battered in the city outskirts. Barely clinging to life, he swears revenge under his breath.
1.1.2 Basic Game Details Genre Deathwish 1931 is best classified under "Action/Puzzle."
Platform, Minimum Specs Deathwish 1931 is set to run on Windows XP/Vista Operating Systems. Minimum Specs: • Windows XP/Vista • 1.2 GHz Intel based processor • 256 MB of RAM • DirectX 10.1337f or better • Nvidea GF4 MX440 or better
Target Demographic Our target audience is between the range of ages 18‐32, in the North American and European regions. Besides gamers who enjoy action and puzzle based games, we aim to hook those who regularly engage in story and plot‐driven devices (RPG fanatics, for example).
Perspective The game is played primarily from a 1st person perspective.
The option of 3rd‐person is enabled.
1.2 Plot Points: Betrayal In a barren field, we see Vincent Tonilly (our game persona) as he is dragged, beaten and shot in cold blood. The unseen assailants retreat the scene, leaving Vincent to die a slow, painful death. He reflects on his betrayal, and manages the strength to pull himself together. Weak and on the verge of death, Vincent
forces onwards, eager to find some help. Recollection Having helped the farmer and regained his strength, Vincent starts replaying the events of his past, everything leading to his downfall. In a played‐out flashback, we see as he stumbles across the dirty dealings of his employer, Dante. Before he can so much as blink, he is hit from behind and knocked out cold. The next thing he remembers is waking up in a pool of blood and his oath of revenge. Home No More When Vincent finally ditches the countryside and makes his way to the city, he finds he no longer has a place to live... the house that used belong to him has been taken over by some pretentious aristocrats. And worst yet, Vincent's family has vanished without a trace. Furious, he makes a small scene... only to regain his composure once he realizes how safe he is as a "dead man". If Dante knew he was alive, he would've already crushed Vincent like an ant. Without a home, family or penny to his name, Vincent sets off to create a life of vengeance. New Life After making a few underground connections, Vincent has been able to swing himself a new identity. This new persona (named accordingly by the player) signifies the path of revenge that Vincent must undertake... under this alias, he can finally work his way up in the world of crime, and bloody his hands in the process. An Old Fiend Following a sabotage gone awry, a minor wound lands Vincent in the hospital . Unfortunately, his real identity is readily identified by a fellow doctor. Namely, an associate of Dante... Dr. Lawrence Mirch, the one who just so happened to arrange the hit on Vincent's person. He rushes to a private ward, grabs a phone and spins two numbers before he stops cold... he hangs up the receiver. The grand realization is, if Dante was told about the botched murder, it'd be Mirch's ass on the line. Dante is, after all, a very unforgiving person. The only thing the doctor can do himself now is quietly dispose of the patient on his own. Medical Mistake Dr. Lawrence Mirch fails in his efforts, and is effortlessly killed by Vincent in his home. News of the doctor's death spreads like wildfire, which (unsurprisingly) reaches Dante's ears. Taking the matter personally, but knowing not the target nor the reason, he dispatches his goons to tackle the darkest depths of the city. Within time, the entire underground and its minions are under assault. Borrowing some eggs After a number of goon encounters in the back corners of the city, Vincent muscles his manpower and (finally) breaks into Dante's estate... completely massacring everybody there. Unfortunately, there's absolutely no sign of Dante anywhere. Depending on how you progressed during the game, Vincent may or may not find out the whereabouts of his missing family, according to a stashed away memo of Dantes.
Burial at Sea From the estate, Vincent figures that Dante must have escaped on his private yacht. In a climactic battle to the death, Vincent finally succeeds and kills his nemesis. He Weighs the body down and throws it overboard, watching as it sinks out of sight. Ending Circumstances Depending on the circumstances, Vincent will either blow up with a bomb that Dante set on the ship (last ditch effort), or he'll leave alive and skip town, as he heads off to retrieve his family from a distant relative.
1.3 Environments 1.3.1 Descriptions Fields Time of day: Late‐afternoon – evening Description: The fields you start out in act like an endless desert, stretching out far beyond your field of view. Much of the field is deserted and consists of general waste, such as weeds, mud, stones and holes. The crops that remain have either gone bad or become bug‐infested, leaving no source of nourishment. Nonetheless, this needless growth swallows your waistline as You slowly trudge your way around. A few trees remain, slightly twisted out of shape due to improper growth... the branches hang over awkwardly, nestling and intertwining in an uncomfortable manner. Splitting the endless field is a desolate dirt road, of which you have not heard or seen a vehicle ever since you were last deserted. On the field across the road, you faintly spot a small red house and wooden barn, with what looks like smoke emitting from the chimney. Above, night is closing in and clouds are gathering, amounting to what looks like a late night storm. The Farm Time of day: Night time – moon light You see a lit farm house with a light in the distance. Between you and the house is a field with a driveway. Surrounding what seems to be a farm are small patches of trees, with a field of wheat behind the house. Above you there is a star filled sky with some cloud cover. In the field are wild chickens, and you hear various animals clucking, mooing, scratching and snorting. With time (as you grow closer), the clouds grow thicker and it begins to rain. By the barn is a small wooden shed. The door on the front is unwieldy, showing signs of age and barely held in place by its rusted padlock. Though worn and torn, the structure of the shed itself is solid. By the house, there are many branching fences, used to house the various animals. Between the fences are small pathways to navigate through, just large enough for a small group of people to pass by. The gates themselves are wooden, though certain areas are re‐inforced with additional material (wire, steel posts, etc).
The City The city itself is quite large, comparable somewhat to an actual city. It has many different stores, landmarks and attractions, including candy stores, post offices, parks, arcades... of course, many of these locations serve as decor, as you can't actively enter every single place you visit. It would be impossible to highlight the entirety of the city in this version of the document, so this portion only signifies the most crucial of points and areas: First and foremost, the city is more or less divided by the wealthy and poverty‐ stricken, by a margin of 20% to 80%. Key points of land belonging to the wealthy are the central‐east portions of town (Market District), south‐western portion (Port and Luxury district) and northern most point of town (Scenic District). Everywhere else falls into the category of middle‐class or lower... the crummiest portion being the district behind (east of) the Market District. This is the commonly dubbed "Beggar's District", the place where you'll make most of your underground connections. Breaking down the city zones briefly: Market District: Most of the attractions you'll come across are here, and while it's hardly the ritziest part of town, it has its fair share of eye candy. Usually crowded with upper class citizens, you'll encounter various line‐ups and occupied benches. Police will shoo away the beggars, often forcing them back into the Beggar District. Streets are relatively clean and flashy, with stores hanging obnoxiously large signs and display posters to catch their customer's eye. It is (more or less) based on your typical 1930 American town, with perhaps a little more visual pizazz than you would normally see during that era. Almost any American town serves as reference, but be mindful of the little details: telephone poles, street lights, speakers, exhibit windows, rotating signs, gas pumps, tire marks... anything that makes the district come alive. Port and Luxury District: Though a very important part of the city, only a small portion of it is accessible to your character. The luxury portion of the town is characterized by fat lots of land with fancy gates and huge elaborate mansions, excessive by even today's standards. Think of a town filled with unnecessary flashy luxuries... private fountains, private golf ranges, multiple pools, decorative bushes, excessively sized parking garages... and lump them together in a big fat sum. Further down the stretch of fat cat property lanes is the waterfront/port, where many of the moneymakers sail their private yachts and other various water boats. This district is significant as it encompasses both Dante's Estate and his yacht, both crucial areas in the story (See Plot Points 1.2). Scenic District: The Scenic District is mentioned, but rarely seen. It's prime significance is that it houses the hospital, a key location that Vincent may visit. The Scenic District, in a nutshell, is characterized by sweeping hills and rich vegetation, parks with small ponds and massive public golf ranges. Beggar's District: Take what you've seen for the Market District and turn it on its ear... as if it was hit by a disastrous hurricane or earthquake. Broken and looted buildings, wrecked architecture, dirty
unkempt stree ets (horribly liittered and plastered with h shards of glaass, graffiti)... it should preetty m much dictate a an accurate reepresentation n of slum life,, a grim repreesentation of the Great Depression. he key pointss are in the baack alleys, wh here (while daangerous), yo ou'll meet peo ople who can Th asssist you. The e bums are reelatively harm mless, though annoying (they'll bother yyou for change, an nd persistenttly at that). Yo ou may find a few hoodlum ms looking to mug you, so keep your deefenses up. The Hospital he hospital sh hould represeent the look aand style of th he era. It is m moderately sizzed, with 3 flo oors Th an nd all the neccessities a hosspital should have, within reason (waiting room, mo orgue, surgeryy deepartment, p patient roomss, supply room m, receiption area, etc). Th he first floor d deals primarilly w with visitors an nd non‐terminal patients, while the seccond floor deals with surgeery, checkupss and reegular hospitaal operations. The third flo oor should bee dedicated to o sick patients, and will bee w where Vincent t ends up. Pattient rooms aare plain white and decoraated with a baasic hospital b bed, sm mall TV situatted on a tablee, window witth closed whiite curtains, m medium‐sized d trashcan and a fo ootstool, amo ong other medical tools an nd items of th he level design ner/concept aartist's desiree. Lawrence e Mirch's Hom me Estate Th he layout is u up to the level designer's d discretion, butt it overall should invoke aa sense of ecccentricity (off‐color, drab b paintings, sttrangely shaped architectu ure, spiraling banisters, purple ru ugs, stained gglass windowss, etc). The layout does (sh hould not) sugggest the posssibility of deaad en nds, we wantt the doctor to be able to fflee freely thrrough his hou use when he iis attacked... and no ot trap himse elf like a rat. TThe house sho ould be quitee large in term ms of width/breadth, but o only co ontains a base and upper ffloor, no baseements. The b backyard should be rounded like a half ciircle, with largge bushes ob bstructing the sides (as to n not provide im mmediate esccape from thee premises). Dante's Estate M Much larger th han Lawrencee's estate (30% % larger horizzontally, and it contains 3 floors and a llarge po ool and huge hedge maze on its back acreage). Unlike Dr. Lawren nce, Dante haas a fashion sense m more akin to w what was pop pular at the tim mes, including a huge closset of clothes,, long hallwayys filled with large, grandiose paintings, ind door pools, trrophy rooms, small theatree room, multiple m master bedroo oms and guesst rooms, masssive library, ggrandfather cclocks, etc. he trophy roo om is Dante's favorite room m, and the last room you'lll have to visitt. It's situated d on Th th he top floor, aafter you grab b the key off of one of his goons. It's po osh and comp plete with beaar ru ugs, deer man ntles, a displaay table with ccritter skeleto ons and a largge expensive oak desk, co omplete with h a tall, royaltyy‐inspired thrrone (with jew wel engravinggs and red fab bric padding). Behind the boo okshelf is a seecret passagee, where Dantte appears to o have escapeed. Yacht Dante's Y It should vvery closely replicate the R R.N.R Shamro ock V:
You'll end up finding (and fighting) Dante in the Master Cabin (or its equivalent).
1.3.2 Concept Art Farm Replication
1.4 Non-interactive sequences 1.4.1 Descriptions Betrayal ‐ Opening Sequence The scene pans to the open field described in 1.3 Environments ‐ Fields. Vincent enters the Scene south from our perspective, entering from and away from the camera. We spy a red blindfold over his eyes... the scene changes to a side view of his feet, following him as he paces away... much of this view is hidden by the undesirable vegetation growth, but it should indicate a sense of him moving. The camera pans suddenly to the front of his feet, and slowly pans upwards, revealing his face... we see a group of men in the far distance, but cannot clearly distinguish their faces. The scene then changes to the perspective of one of the men... we see him draw a weapon and point it in Vincent's general direction. We hear murmurs, the screen flashes black and we hear the inevitable gunshot sound. Cue the Flashback sequence. Flashback Sequence Note: This is played out from the 1st‐person gameplay perspective. You do not have control over your player at this given time. Cuts in during the sequence where Vincent makes his way to Dante's office. As Vincent enters the area just outside the office, we see the black silouette of two figures through the glass of the door. We hear Dante's voice, he appears to be arguing with somebody about 'due payment'. Just then, we see Dante walk over to his desk, retrieve a pistol and shoots the patron in the kneecap. The guest shrieks in pain, and Dante mentions something about a ride. Vincent, sensing the danger, turns to flee... just in time to encounter a patiently waiting goon. He knocks Vincent unconscious... the screen fades to black, once again. It re‐opens in the field, with Vincent lying in a pool of his blood... the player takes control of Vincent from this point onwards (cue 1.3.1 Plot Points, Fields). Lost Home Sequence
Vincent arrives home and finds his home overtaken by an obnoxious rich couple. When he confronts them, they order him to vacate their property. Vincent engages in a heated argument until the couple threatens to call the police... a situation Vincent cannot chance, as he stands a better chance against Dante with a lost identity (see 1.2 Plot Points, Home No More). He wanders off without a word, wondering just what he should do next... he decides on the need for a new alias, something to mark his newfound life of vengeance. Encountering Dr. Lawrence We catch a glimpse of the camera as it travels down the halls of the hospital, tailing the tall doctor from behind. The gap closes, and he reaches the end of the 3rd floor hall where Vincent's room is. We hear a horrified sound as he peers through the door window and spots Vincent... a flashback occurs to the Betrayal sequence, showing that Dr. Lawrence was the one who fired upon Vincent. Cut to a private room, which Dr. Lawrence bursts through in a panic. He grabs the phone, but hangs up the receiver before finishing. Reflecting on the situation, he realizes he is most likely to be killed for botching the job (see 1.2 Plot Points, An Old Fiend). He decides to take care of it himself, as the screen fades to black. Dante's Reaction A brief scene in which we catch Dante infuriated over his fellow doctor's death (see 1.2 Plot Points, Medical Mistake and 6.1 Level Descriptions, Lawrence Mirch's Estate for details). After a minute of ranting, he calmly sits and lights up a cigarette. Blowing a puff of smoke, he mentions there's no place for an urchin to hide besides the shadows... the scene fades to black. Dante's Escape Having invaded Dante's estate and made your way to his trophy room (6.1 Level Descriptions, Dante's Estate), the cut scene kicks in. From a first‐person perspective, Vincent stands in front of the door. You'll hear sounds of shuffling as he opens it, and a final clatter as it opens. The room is bare, and all sound (and music) fades to nothing. Ending Sequence #1 ‐ Bad End After defeating Dante, the camera pans to the outside of the yacht... the camera spots a large bundle of TNT strapped against the back end. The fuse gives, the camera pans out and everything on the yacht is blown to smithereens, Vincent included. The screen fades to black amongst the wreckage, and the credits start to roll. Ending Sequence #2 ‐ Good End This sequence follows the bad end exactly (minus the credits), but then pans to the port and hows Vincent standing there. The camera pans to his face, then shortly to his back as he looks onwards towards the wreckage. He puts a hand in his pocket and retrieves something. The camera focuses in, showing a picture of him and his family. Having not completely lost himself in his motive for revenge, he walks away... the camera fades to black. The camera pans to a distance shot of a dirt road, where we see someone driving. Zooming in, we see it to be Vincent. The camera circles to his back and suddenly stops dead, as we see him drive away in the distance. Panning left, we see a sign pointing to Arizona, the place where his family was revealed to be staying (see 1.2 Plot Points, Borrowing some eggs). The screen finally fades to black after a long pause, and the credits roll.
1.4.2 Storyboard
Two Excerpts from the starting cinematics of the game. Showing the fall of the player’s character and giving background to the players motives.
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2.0 Characte C ers -----------------------------------------------ayable Ch haracter 2.1 Pla 2.1.1 Baase Descrip ption Vincen nt Tonilly (M Main Charaacter) Age: nality: Nation Blood Type: Eye Co olour: Height: Weigh ht: Likes: es: Dislike
28 Am merican/Italian AB Bro own 5'8 8 180 0 lbs Red d Meat, Bluess Music Dante, Corruptio on, Opera
Personality: ed and left to die, Vincent w was best desccribed as a level‐headed aand optimisticc Before hee was betraye individuall, a rare type in heed of the Great Depression. Neith her the kind to o stick his nosse in other people’s b business, nor the kind to ccare, Vincent was more or less a family man. Businesss was just a p place to make aa living, he recckoned ‐ But once betrayeed, broken an nd left withou ut a home or ffamily, Vincen nt's mindset w warps... his ussual passive sself becomes explosive and d he developss a far more ccynical view o of the world aro ound him once e he's seen it in this new liight. Vincent''s morals, on the other han nd, are left to o the discretion n of the player and their acctions.
2.1.2 Viisual/Conccept Depiction Vinccent is characcterized primarily through his protrudin ng cleft chin, tthick sweeeping eyebro ows and curlyy jet black haiir. His ears aree large and oval‐shaped, while his nose iss long and hooks downwarrd near the base. Vinccent maintain ns a shifty, sleeepy look with his eyes and his lips connect tigh htly to his cheeeks. His comp petition and ccomposure are somewhatt grittty and he exh hibits a soft taan on his facee and arms. H He's basically aa man n who looks like he's workked hard his eentire life. His clothes vary o over the courrse of the gam me (accordingg to the choicces of white businesss suit and a lo oose brown the player). He starts with a w nch coat, soakked in blood aand dirt with grey pants and tan shoes tren follo owing the gam me's introducction.
2.1.3 Development Though Vincent doesn't grow the way an RPG character would, he is able to scrounge, develop and combine resources from his surroundings, thus increasing his overall chances of survival. A bottle, fuel and rag aren't so useful on their own, but they make a potent projectile in the form of a Molotov cocktail... even an abandoned shotgun with a single shot can make the difference between life and death. See Support Items (Entry 3.3) for more information and examples.
2.1.4 Abilities Vincent can also learn a few moves to ensure his survival, the majority of which require either cold‐hard cash or a few odd jobs... Note‐ That abilities are selected in the same nature as items using the HUD screen NERVE PINCH ‐ When approaching a foe from behind, Vincent can subdue a foe by applying pressure to specific portions of the body. DISARM MANEUVER ‐ When in close confrontation with an armed opponent, use this ability to counter your foe and steal his/her weapon in the process.
STOMACH TURNER ‐ Vincent turns to his side and thrusts his foot out straight out, socking his foe in the stomach. This is good as a stunning move as well as crowd control, as any surrounding opponents will be pushed back from the force of the kick.
2.2 NPCs (Note that NPCs do not h have a mannerr of developmeent or self‐imprrovement ‐ theeir attributes aare set in stonee).
2.2.1 Allly NPC De etails
Farme er (Actual name nevver given) Age: nality: Nation Blood Type: Eye Co olour: Height: Weigh ht: Likes: Dislike es:
46 Am merican A Bro own 6'0 0 212 2 lbs Mo orning Hours, Hunting Slackers, Mooch hers, Stray Animals, Nonsence.
Descriptio on: He is yourr savior, if you u don't mind getting your hands dirty. TThe farmer has a number of odd jobs fo or you to perform, the pe erfect opportu unity to learn n more about your surroun ndings and ho ow you may interact w with it. The paay is chicken ffeed, literally,, but you have to start som mewhere. Personality: The farmeer is a no‐BS kkind of guy, th he kind who w won't give yo ou handouts ffor half‐ass jo obs. You'd exp pect some kind d of military b background.... he's the last kind of perso on you'd everr expect to crack a smile. However, he isn't completely emotion‐less, as he's willing to help any stru uggling soul in n need... so lo ong as they are w willing to worrk for it. He's relatively quiet an nd gruff, and only speaks w when spoken to. His vacan nt stare is relaative to that o of a oded killer, bu ut you need not worry unleess you openly assault him m... and beware, he puts up one Cold‐bloo hell of a fiight. Visual desscription: His rough‐edged comp plectition (worn for wear, w with various ccuts and bruises) reflects in his clothingg, as with grime and grit from hiis daily chores. His blue jeaans, for exam mple, are worn n he is usuaally covered w with holes and grass sttains, his whitte cotton shirrt typically drenched in dirrt and sweat, his grey workk shoes cracked and coated with mud d, etc. manage to witthhold the grime quite weell, however. H He sports a grey mustachee in His black ssuspenders m contrast tto his fading rred hair, both h of which aree trimmed to be short and tidy. He is rarely seen witthout his grey derby hat, exccept for mealss and periodss of sleep. His daily work co ontributes to his stocky fo orm... his face iss characterize ed primarily th hrough thin sweeping eyebrows, narrow wed eyes, a w wide grimacin ng mouth, lin nes under his eyes, thin paale lips and piinched celestial nose.
Offensive e Behavior: Should the farmer be aassaulted, this is what the assailing partty can expectt: ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Melee (Close Engagem ment) Ranged d (Medium En ngagement) ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Haymaker: .357 Magnum (6 sho ots before reloading): A close‐en ncounter attaack that sendss the opponeent He'll pu ull out this weeapon if the two of you aree on their ass, or (worst case scenario o) knocked ou ut spread far apart. If tthat happens,, quickly run ffor completely. It has a sligght windup, b cover! JJust one shott from this weeapon is just aabout but is very difficult to o dodge or block once exeecuted. The enough h to kill you, o or at least brin ng you close tto farmer is slightly vulne erable after its execution, death. YYour only opttions are to fiind a way to cclose giving you u time to counterattack. the gap p, or to assaullt him while h he reloads hiss weapon n. Reloading ttime is slow, thankfully, bu ut Approxima ate damage: 20 0% of your heaalth. tread w with absolute caution! Punch com mbo: The weeapon tends to be less accu urate (and A series o of forward jab bs followed byy a hook or a damagiing) the farther away you are, howeverr. punch to the stomach.. It executes q quickly, so thee player willl want to be out of range ffor this attack Approximate damage (depending where hit): 12‐2 25% Arm/Legg: or be ablee to block/avo oid the blowss. Body: 30‐4 45% Approximaate damage: 12% of heaalth (3 hits: 2%, 2%, 8%)
Head:
80% %
2.2.2 Ne eutral NPC C Details
Chicke en In an agge such as thee Great Depreession, even aa lowly barn animal caan be an unw wavering threaat. Speed, size and num mbers put you u at an all‐time disadvaantage. Chickeens have a fo ondness for yo our invento ory –specially the shiniest items. Chickeens are veryy likely to run n off with onee of your prizeed possesssions. Will you be able to ccatch it?
Personality Types:
COWARDLY CHICKEN (Flee AI type) Will run from you and every other NPC it comes across, often 'bawking' aloud when it is encountered or found. It makes a lot of noise as it runs off as well. Holds the 'key' key item (see [3.2: Key Items] of the document). For more specific details, see ‘cowardly chicken’ under Game AI types (portion 4.3, AI).
AGGRESSIVE CHICKEN (Seek AI type) Will actively seek out the cowardly chicken and attack it at every given opportunity, until its health is completely depleted. Makes a loud 'BAWK' sound as it attacks. For more specific details, see 'aggressive chicken' under Game AI types (portion 4.3, AI).
WANDERING CHICKEN (Wander AI type) Motions around almost aimlessly, relatively brain‐dead. Clucks as it walks, in a seamlessly random manner.
Appearance Types:
• • • • • • • •
Brown chicken. Brown chicken with white spots. White chicken. White chicken with tan spots. Tan chicken. Red chicken. Red chicken with white spots. Black chicken.
Size Variance: 12‐16 inches. Weight Variance: 5‐8 lbs.
Offensive Behavior:
If a chicken should be prompted to attack, you can expect the following: Peck: An attacking chicken will 'bawk' loudly as it lunges forward with its beak and spreads its wings, sharply pecking at your legs. While damage is low, the attack itself is quick and you may find your health diminishing quickly with several successive hits. As well, there is a slim chance of the chicken knocking you over with this. Approximate damage: 2‐4% of health. Chance of knock over: 5%.
Bull An aggrressive, territtorial bull. He has no qualm ms about sstalking and ccharging you iif you come n near. Its sheeer strength deeems hand‐to o‐hand weapo ons uselesss, so Dante should go out o of his way to ffind someth hing a little more powerfull. Just watch o out if you tickk it off
Personalitty Types:
Appearan nce Types:
TERRITORIAL BEAST (Se eek/Arrive AII type) uld enter its teerritory, it will actively purrsue you until it loses sightt of If you shou your presence. Afterwards, it will retturn to its origgin point. It will snortt and stomp its feet menacingly should it suddenly d detect your presence. on For more specific personality details,, see 'bull' under Game AI types (portio 4.3, AI). oal‐color bull is well‐fit and d toned physiically well, though it sufferrs a This charco series of sccar marks on tthe back of itts legs. It has moderate sized horns for a bull of its size.... the bull itself is approxim mately 172 cm m (5.6 feet) tall and weighss 1600 kgs. TThe bull walkss at approxim mately half your character'ss speed, so it can be easily avvoided... its charge, on thee other hand... Size Variancce: 5.6 feeet (172cm) Weight Variiance: 1660 kkgs.
Offensive e Behavior: ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Melee (Close Engagem ment) ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Horn Lift: When close, the bull w will rear its head to the sidee and follow w up with a deadly horn lu unge, which iss guaranteeed to knock you down and d inflict heavyy damage. D Defending an nd/or hand‐to o‐hand weapo ons will fail to o cancel this aattack, so bew ware. Deadly should yo ou find yourse elf cornered. Approxima ate damage: 20 0‐33% of healtth. Chance of knockover: 100 0%.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Ranged d (Short Engaggement) ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Charge: The bulll will snort lo oudly and kickk dirt with its one of its front paws mo omentarily, beefore it chargges d in your geneeral direction n. It will only forward charge if it has a cleaar line of sigh ht (ie. there are no obstacles between it and the playyer) . Furtherr details are listed und der Game AI ttypes (portion 4.3, bull cattegory). Getting struck by tthis attack results in severe knockbackk and damagee. Approxim mate damage:: 50‐80% of health. Chance of knockover: 100%.
2.2.3 En nemy NPC Details 2.2.3.1 Regular En nemies Hencchmen (Various) Note: D Due to the do ocument size limit and thiss character's irrelevance to the p proposed dem mo, this entry will be withh held until veersion 2.0 of the documen nt.
2.2.3.2 Bosses Dr. Laawrence M Mirch Due to the do ocument size limit and thiss character's Note: D irrelevance to the p proposed dem mo, this entry will be withh held until veersion 2.0 of the documen nt.
Dante e Moers Age: nality: Nation Blood Type: olour: Eye Co Height: Weigh ht: Likes: es: Dislike
33 Itallian O Greey 5’7 7 174 4 lbs Pow wer, Cigarettes, Fine Art, Liteerature Com mpetition, Fissh, Television n
oers, Vincent's former bosss and sworn ttarget, is the founder of Sq quid Inc., a reenowned law and Dante Mo protection n agency. It lo ooks like a reputable firm on the surfacce, but in reality it has ties to some of th he darkest an nd more desp picable corners of the city..
Perso onality: Like m many villains, Dante is the cocky type w who acts like h he has th he whole worrld in his hand d, like some ssort of demi‐G God. He do oesn't hesitate to call the sshots or confrront his oppon nents... no matter how po owerful an op pposition. He especcially despisess those who sstand in the w way of his grand plans,, and his procclaimed 'soluttions' are anyything less thaan morale... as Vincen nt can much aattest to. Appearance: Dantee demonstrattes his vain sid de through a variety of expen nsive suits and accessoriess. He typicallyy prefers black and grey p pattern attiree, and his dresss shoes are aalmost alwayss black.. Dante is a heavy smoker,, so it's rare to o spot him witho out a lit cigareette or cigar. A As for physicaal appearancee, he has th he brow of a hawk and cold, piercing grrey eyes. His mouth is particularly widespreaad, especially when he grin ns diabo olically. Dantee sports a sharp aquiline no ose, like that of an arrow w. His hair is aa pale yellow, carefully gro oomed around d the conto ours of his facce and head.
Offensive e Measures:
Note: Due to the docume ent size limit and this portion n's irrelevance to the proposed demo, this entry will be until version 2.0 0 of the docum ment. withheld u
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3.0 Invento ory -----------------------------------------------(Note: Though the game g features s a variety of items, i docume ent constraintts limit us to an exhibition of demonsttration-only ite ems)
3.1 Combat-orie ented item ms S Scythe Description: A long, two‐han D nded farming sccythe. Typically u used to mow d down long patcches of grass, yyou'll be using it to r reap the blood d of your enem mies. Appearance: TThe dull‐brown A n wooden hand dle has slight crracks a and splinters, t the metallic blaade is scratcheed up and stain ned w with grass resid due. FFound where: In the tool sheed, once you gaain access. Eith her s steal the tool s shed key in thee house or gain n the farmer's p permission. Attack Type: M A Medium‐close rrange, strikes ttargets about 3 3 p paces or closer r to yourself. W With both hand ds, Vincent holds the S Scythe to his ri ight side and sw wipes it horizo ontally towardss his l left, in a sharp arc. Note the attack is relativvely slow to e execute. Approximate D A Damage: 5% fo or a graze, 15% %‐20% from a p proper h hit. Deals some e knockback.
Shove el Descripttion: A dented d, but readily useable shovel. Can be utilized for both co ombat and for d digging holes in n the ground (highlight a spot to dig with iit selected). oden handle haas rippled indents Appearaance: The woo followin ng it all the wayy up to the sho ovel end, the m metal spade iss loosely attach hed, shifting in and out of plaace. It's heavvily rusted and somewhat disstorted in shap pe. where: Behind the barn, paraallel to the fencce. Found w You'll fin nd it leaning aggainst a broken n wheelbarrow w. nge, Vincent haas two alterations in Attack TType: Close ran his attacck... he'll either swing it violeently like a baseeball bat, or sswing it overheead like a hamm mer. Damage remainss the same, tho ough the knockkback differs... it'll knock th he opponent either backward d (baseball edition) or flat over (hammer eedition). e: 8%‐14% from m a clean hit. Approxiimate Damage
y event ittems 3.2 Key
House K Key Description: A ssmall rounded‐‐edge brass keyy. ooks like your typically key, w with Appearance: Lo e prong and seecondary lip. Has a flat right‐angle opening on thee bow end. a small circular o ound where: G Gotten from the runaway Fo ch hicken (see6.1 Level Descripttions, farm). urpose: Grantss access to the farmer's housse. Pu
Tool SShed Key Description: A A small roundeed‐edge brass key. Appearance: Exactly like the house key, eexcept it has the enggraved numberrs ‐ '661'. Found where e: In the farmer's house, lookk in the dresser in n the farmer's room to find this item. Purpose: Opeens the farmerr's toolshed.
G Gears
Descrip ption: Miniaturre‐size gears. Appearrance: Brownissh‐grey, very p polished and cleean. Gives a slight reflectio on. Edges are ssmooth, looks new... comes w with one large 8 prong gears and brand‐n two sm mall 4 prong geaars (shaped likke plus signs). Found where: Given tto you by the ffarmer after mplete a set am mount of odd cchores. you com Purposse: Used as parrts for horselesss carriages and d other m mechanical objects.
3.3 Sup pport-oriented items T Top Hat Description: A D A stylized blacck hat. Appearance: Blackk with a whitee ribbon, in near mint ccondition. A p portion of thee hat's back liip is ben nt out of shap pe. Found d where: Han nging on a fen nce post on the faar‐east end off the farm. Purpo ose: Combinee this with sm mall objects (such as keyys) to hide them. Used to cconceal stoleen goodss and keep yo ou out of trou uble.
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4.0 Gamepl G ay -----------------------------------------------4.1 Gameplay Basics B The Playeer seeks to find out what has happened to him and m make his way back to town n to seek his vengeance. The playerr must navigate the 1931 w world in order to survive and find a meaans to get to the next area. Sometimes the player wiill have to kill, steal and so ometimes usee ingenuity an nd combine objects to o make tools.
The playeer is faced with obstacles that he must o overcome usiing his probleem solving skiills as well as the tools he finds and purcchases througghout the gam me. Ultimattely leading to o his revengee on his Attem mpted killers.
4.2 Gameplay Elements Player The playerr is represented d by a 3D model of hands wh hich are portrayed in first perrson perspectivve.
Puzzles Puzzles aree littered aroun nd the game w world and will involve many d different obstacles from anim mals to solid ob bjects.
Items In the full ggame there are e items which can be used fo or many differeent purposes. These items don’t necessarrily have a speecific purpose b but can be used in many diffeerent scenarioss. Below is an example of ttwo items whicch can be found in n the game.
Gears – parts of for ho p mechanical rseless carriages and other m objects
Tools
A Key – Opens locked o O objects in the ggame world.
In the dem monstration the e player can accquire a shovel from the farm m area and a firrearm from witthin the housee. Our aim with TTools is to enab ble the player tto be able to m make choices th hat affect the ccore game playy experience fo or the user. I.e. The pistol enables the ability tto defend onesself effectivelyy against mobstters and foes aat range with aa great weapon againstt foes. Each too ol with their prros deal of noiise, and the shovel with meleee range allows for a silent w and cons eenables different style of playy for the user.
Bad Guys Enemies will vary based on the stage in the game. These enemies will include animals as well as humanoids. In the beginning of the game you can see examples of enemies as chickens and a bull.
4.3 Artificial Intelligence Chicken AI There are two significant types of 'AI' chickens in the demonstration (and one lesser). The first, the coward chicken (which just happens to be holding the important 'key' item), is instructed to flee from everyone in sight, player and NPC included. It must not only determine its own safety route, but gauge its surroundings carefully to see if any intruders are about. Once an intruder enters its safety radius, it will panic and re‐gauge a new safe location to run to. If possible (given time limitations), it will locate strategic areas to hide itself, depending on the positions of the player and opposing NPCs. If completely cornered, it may be forced to defend itself. The second chicken type is the aggressor, and will feverishly engage, chase and attack the cowardly chicken. In other words, it's a seeker type. If the cowardly chicken is within view, or within the aggressor's seek radius, it will charge like a torpedo towards the hapless coward. Within limitations, the aggressive chicken should employ aggressive behavior (cutting off its opponent's path, cornering it into a dead zone, sneak up, charge in from the sides, circular motions, etc.) The aggressive chicken should also attack the player should you happen to block its path, but it should not lose track of its main target (very important!). If the aggressive chicken loses sight of its target, it will wander and monitor the entire grounds carefully until it comes across its hated brethren. When it finds the coward chicken, the chase begins anew. There is a third kind of AI chicken, the wandering (ie. brain‐dead) chicken. It will wander around almost hap hazardously, not really watching where it is going. It is hardly a significant demonstration of AI ability, but it still upholds a fundamentally basic path finding demonstration. Bull AI In terms of behavior, it is more or less similar to the aggressor chicken. The main difference is that you, the player, are its main prey. It will only make a move to attack you should you invade its territory... once engaged, it continues to stalk the player until you escape. Unlike the aggressor chicken, which constantly pursues its target, the bull will return to its origin point once the chase is finished... giving the player a breather until the beast is once again engaged. The bull is best summarized as both a seek and arrive AI type, given its overall behavior. When the bull attacks, it charges forward in a relatively straight path, but can arc its path slightly (within a range of ‐15/15 degrees of turning potential). It walks slower than you, but charges approximately 1.8 times as fast as you can run... meaning the player must take care not to trap him/herself in narrow areas. Note that there is no negative AI interaction (relation) between the chickens and the bull, unless the aggressor chicken happens to attack the bull.
4.4 Pacing 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 Level Of Difficulty
1
Players Projected Skill Level
0.5 0
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5.0 Miscellaneous Points of Interest ------------------------------------------------5.1 Prototype Details The Prototype places the user in the starting level called “Farm”. It is in this level where the user learns how to play, move around and interact with the world. At the time of this document it is Pre‐Alpha and complied in C++ with OpenGL.
5.2 Rewards and Easter Eggs There is a reward system allowing players to collect money. Money allows the player to purchase food, ammo as well as weapon upgrades, information and mobility. Food is used to return hit points to an injured player. It could potentially also be used as bait for attracting animals should they have something you need. Ammo is pretty obvious, it supplies the player more projectiles for their weapons. Upgrades would fall under two sections. There would be player upgrades as well as weapon upgrades. Player upgrades would mainly consist of objects stolen from the military and other groups. Objects like body armor (flack vest) or special ammunition(s) like shotgun slugs are some of the equipment that could be acquired.
Other rewards include weapon upgrades that would increase accuracy and damage of your weapons. Upgrades such as new barrels, new stocks, new ammo, cleaning kits, scope sights.
5.3 Marketing/Package Art Marketing will be done by our lead marketer, Johnny Scapegoat. We will utilize a highly photoshopped design cover in a black double DVD case holder. As a sign of quality, we won’t forego the manual and will include a full paper manual.
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6.0 Level/Mission Descriptions -------------------------------------------6.1 Level Descriptions Fields Objective: Make your way to the farm in the distance. Description: As soon as you spot the farm, just make your way towards it to complete this objective. Farm Objective: Force your way into the farmer's house. Description: There’s a large box blocking the door into the house. After approaching the box and pushing it out of the way you find the door locked. Your goal is to obtain the key from the chicken to open the house door. The chicken will flee from you so you must outsmart and subdue it, even if that means hacking it to bits with an axe. New Objective: Make your way to town. Description: Find $100 to afford a trip back to town. Do this either by helping the farmer with optional chores, stealing from the farmer, selling items to a passing merchant or assaulting the merchant and taking all of his gold. Once you have $100, use the farmer's phone to arrange a trip into town.
City Objective: Make your way to your home in the city. Description: If you manage to find and view the city map, make your way to the marked location (on the central‐northeast end of town, just north of the Market District). Arrive here to trigger a cut scene (see 1.2 Plot Points, under Home No More). Beggar's District Objective: Search the Deserted Alleys for a Forging Artist Description: Whether you ask around the Begger's District or Market Square, you should find someone who'll direct you to the forging artist. Find him in a southern alley of the Begger's District to grant yourself a new identity and to be introduced to the Underground World. From now on, you can take on any dirty job you wish, by searching for agents in various parts of the Begger's District. Market Square Objective: Midnight Run ‐ Warehouse Bombing Description: After receiving this mission from an Underground Agent, make your way to the Warehouse marked on your map, within the confines of the Market Square. After you successfully dispatch the goons, place the bomb inside and escape, you'll be wounded by flying shrapnel, forcing you a trip to the hospital. Hospital Objective: Thwart the assassination attempt. Description: Following the cutscene (see the events of 1.2 Plot Points, Medical Mistake), you'll be attacked by numerous goons in your hospital room. Escape the hospital and dispatch the goons without drawing attention to yourself (ie. no witnesses). Objective 2: Force information from goon. Description: Leave a goon helpless (disarm, corner, scare or take one hostage) to learn who orchestrated the hit. With this information, you'll have your new target. Lawrence Mirch's Estate Objective: Assassinate Dr. Lawrence. Description: Fight your way to Dr. Lawrence's Estate (east of the hospital), defeat his goons and defeat him in combat. He'll be armed, but should be easily disposed of.
Beggar's District Objective: Make your way to the Underground Agent Corner. Description: When you make your way to the nearest Agent, you'll see that you've been set up. Defeat the fleet of goons and watch the following cutscene. Dante's Estate Objective: Assassinate Dante. Description: Similar to the "assassinate Dr. Lawrence" objective, you must break into Dante's Estate, kill his security and make your way to the trophy room, where he appears to be hiding. Once you arrive there, however, you'll see he has escaped. Dante's Yacht Objective: Kill Dante. Description: Again, dispatch of the security and corner Dante in the Master Cabin. Destroy him to finish the game and watch the final cutscene & credits.
6.2 Level Maps
This map is a ¾ Angled overview shot of the level labeled ‘farm’ more information about each relevant world object/events noted by markers on the left can be found in Supporting sections (1.3 to 4.0)
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7.0 User Interface -------------------------------------------7.1 Front End Flowchart
7.2 Game HUD 7.2.1 De escription The HUD D is a simplle heads up p display tha at allows fo or interaction n with the world. w It disp plays current health h in the e top left co orner as we ell provides the user with a pop up p chat box when w conversations are had. h The usser will see e the curren nt items in use, u as well as be able e to t pause game, g menu u and inven ntory selection screen with the top p navigation n bar access the seen in the t mockup p in the top middle. Th he overall th heme will be that of wo oodish metal looking theme. t
7.2.2 M Mock‐up De esign
7.3 Game Controller Diagram
