Team Shadowstalker Design Doc
Team Shadowstalker’s Design Doc
Team Shadowstalker Design Document
Game Plan
Team Shadowstalker’s game, Redemption of the Ninja, puts the player in control of a ninja who seeks redemption. Who, what, and why are not relevant questions. All that is known is that to do so, you must guide the ninja to the end of the enemy base. Only then, will you help redeem the most important of your ninja’s life: THEIR HONOR.
Overview
Redemption of the Ninja is planned to be a 2D action-platformer made with the Unity engine. The objective of the game is to guide the player-controlled character, an agile ninja protagonist, to the end of a level consisting of obstacles and enemies. To do so, the player is expected to not only execute basic actions such as attacking enemies and jumping over obstacles, but also sprint through hallways, slide under low-hanging walls, and wall-jump up and over large walls. Our game is planned to be fast-paced, skill-based, and possess a high degree of control. Much like old school Mario and Mega Man series games, the player can expect our game to have tight controls.
Perspective
The game is planned to be done with a 2D side perspective similar to games such as Super Mario World for the Super Nintendo. Our camera is planned to focus on the player character and scroll along with him through the level. We intend to set the camera so it will focus on the player character and its surroundings.
The Ninja
The ninja is planned to be a mobile and maneuverable character. Our ninja is planned to be agile and fast, being able to run a good distance in a short period of time. In addition to basic mechanics such as moving, jumping, and attacking, the ninja will possess advanced mechanics such as wall-jumping to scale high walls, sliding to slip under low-hanging ceilings, and sprinting to cover distance in an even shorter period of time.
The Enemies
The enemies of the game are planned to implement some AI. For this project, we hope to implement non-trivial AI for at least one enemy type in the game.
The Level Design
The game will have a single large level that can be broken up into parts. Ideally, we plan to include a transition to display the start of one region to another. Some ideas include a camera scroll to show the start of the next region before the ninja progresses to it, similar to games such as Castlevania, or a long hallway or elevator shaft for horizontal and vertical transitions respectively.
The Polish and Aesthetic
We are currently still planning the aesthetic and polish for our game.
Expectations
Minimum
These are what Shadowstalker will have with our final game:
- Completed Player Character. The player character will be completed. The ninja will be able to move, jump, throw projectiles, sprint, slide, and wall-jump.
- At Least One Enemy with Non-Trivial AI. At least one of the enemies in-game will possess non-trivial AI.
- Game Level. There will be a game level designed to encourage the use of the ninja’s abilities.
- Clear Objective and Ways to Fail Objective. Our game will be a game. There is a way to succeed and win, and there will be ways to lose, such as dying.
Target
These are what Shadowstalker plan to have with our final game:
- Refined Mechanics. The player character’s mechanics will be refined for tight controls and to establish a feel of high-degree control.
- Larger Game Level. The level will be expanded and consist of more areas. Segways will be planned to visually indicate transition to a new area.
- Checkpoint System. To complement with the larger level, a checkpoint system will be used to respawn the ninja should he die.
- Interactive Terrain. Breakable walls and floors are planned to be integrated into the level.
- Refined Enemy AI. The enemies will have improved and interesting AI implemented in the final game.
- Game HUD. A HUD will be made to display important stats such as the ninja’s health and lives.
- Audio and Visual Polish. Polish elements such as visual effects, sound effects, and music will be integrated into the game.
High
These are what Shadowstalker hope to have in the final game:
- Player Upgrades. Upgrades for the ninja such as increased speed or strength.
- More weapons. The ninja will gain additional weapons such as a close-range katana.
- Larger Level. Level will consist of more than two areas.
- Strong Enemy AI. Enemies will display strong AI and may be threats to player.
- Greater Enemy Variety. There will be at least two different types of enemies.
- A Boss. There will be a boss at the end of the level waiting for the player with AI implemented.
- Significant Polish. The game will have a strong amount of polish in audio and visual, allowing it to stand out very easily.
- Special Camera Effects. Camera effects that better reflect the ‘feel’ of the ninja, such as slow-mo to emphasize high-speed sprint.
- Hard Mode. A harder game mode including tinted visuals.
Alpha Build (11/6/2012)
Team Shadowstalker plans to have the following prepared for the Alpha Build. We intend to create a build that is playable and a prototype of what is to be expected. The feedback we receive will hopefully aid us in determining how our game feels and what we can do to improve it, such as changing the camera or modifying the speed and jump parameters.
- A basic level where the player must the ninja’s abilities to reach the end.
- Full character control
- An enemy with basic AI
- An interactable object such as a spike trap or a box
- A win or lose state. In other words, ‘Game Over’.
Week-by-Week Plan
Meeting Time
Saturday: 1:30 P.M-5:30 P.M (at the latest).
Tuesday/Thursday: After 4:30 P.M (only if deemed neccessary)
Week 1: (10/22-10/28)
-Load code onto SVN server and establish communication methods (Cell-phone numbers, e-mails, skype, etc…)
-Start on project
Week 2: (10/29-11/4)
-Finish Redemption of the Ninja Alpha Build. For more details, see ‘Alpha Build‘
–Tingyu: Enemy design and some basic AI
–Ryan: Create and code some interactable objects
–Alex: Designing the alpha level
–Matt: Character control
Week 3: (11/5-11/11)
-Ideally, once the alpha is finished, we will have finished the structure of our game.
–Tingyu: Refining enemy AI (This is under the assumption that the alpha AI is very basic).
–Ryan: Create more interactable objects.
–Alex: Add a new area to overall level. New level assets.
–Matt: Refine character movement and controls. Start adding some form of polish for character.
Week 4: (11/12-11/18)
-Fixing and refining game aspects such as character movement, enemy AI, level design (Some parts are tedious/dull/unfair), and interactable objects.
-Visual/audio polish
-Generally speaking, this is the week where as a group, we work together to refine the game and do polish work.
Week 5: (11/19-11/25) [Thanksgiving Week]
-More audio/visual polish work.
-By this point, the target level should be about done.
–Optional: High-bar level aspects are being attempted.
Week 6: (11/26-12/2)
-Debug game, make sure all objections have been met.
–11/27: Present deliverables
-Work on final presentation, document, and video.
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