Assignment 1: Design Document Analysis

ICAGAM523A – Assessment 2

Appendix 1: Design Document Template

The light blue text within this document is just a guide on how you will need to fill each section out and will need to be removed before submitting.

You will need to go through this document and fill it out completely with a minimum of what is written in the blue text for each section. If you need to add extra information about your environment, do so. This is a design document and in industry should be able to be handed to someone else to be built exactly as you want it to be without any further input.

You will need to fill in all sections of this design document (as well as the scheduling spreadsheet) in order to cover the minimum requirements for assessment 2. Please follow

the guides in each section for a more information. The guide text should be deleted before submitting this assessment. If you have additional images, they should be clearly labelled and either attached to this document or included in your submissions zip file.
Name Lucas van rangelrooy
Tutor Dean Clifton
Date 05/23/15
Revision

Resources

Target Hardware
Recommended Requirements for Project P.A.I.N are:
• CPU; 2.4 GHz Intel Core i7-4700MQ (3.4 GHz Turbo)
• Graphics;.
Nvidia GeForce GTX 880M (8GB).
AMD Radeon HD 7750 1GB GDDR5.
• Memory; 8 GB DDR3L RAM.
• Storage; Western Digital Blue 1TB 5400RPM SATA 6Gbps 8MB Cache 2.5-inch Internal Hard Drive.
• Budgeting / Scheduling / Roles

With our current budget restrictions, the delivery of the level design will have to be quick. A Target of 1 day will be spent over each pass of the environment resulting with all assets being produced and tested over the span of a week.
Please refer to the separate spreadsheet containing the Budget/Schedule.
The roles required Referred on the budget spreadsheet are;
• Level Designer
• Concept Artist
• Environment Artist
• Level Scripter
• Effects Artist
• Sound Designer
• 3D Artist
• Texture Artist
• QA Tester.

Risk Analysis
RISK LIKELY OCCURENCE IMPACT ON PRODUCTION MITIGATION
Player:
Poor camera tracking resulting in poor character control. HIGH HIGH
Camera must be the first design task, the first spec and first scripting prototype. Rules governing the camera need to be established early and must be clear.

Enemies:

Buggy AI resulting in poor response from enemies
MEDIUM LOW
Ensure focus on AI algorithms particular in response to player actions. Reduce Expectations of AI sophistication.

Environment:

Buggy environment allowing illogical interaction with the game (walking through walls, becoming trapped in objects).

Inability to reach elevated environment assets.
HIGH HIGH
Reduce the amount of interactive environment, use memory efficient art methods.

Ensure Environment physics match character physics.

Puzzles:
Unsolvable puzzles, or inability to reach next stage in the puzzle. MEDIUM LOW
Ensure puzzles are solvable and logical, prior to Whiteboxing the level.

Design

Theme
Overall the theme of this level is an abandoned indoors Environment, with corridors and multi-level open areas. The design of the Level will suggest a large technological development was present. AI’s will be robotic Bulky “foot soldiers”, with the main character having an Advanced, agile and lightly armour and Weaponry.
Environment: The images provided below define the style of the targeted. Being abandoned it will be a dirty environment with there being signs to it previously being an Advanced facility, with dark and damp style lighting and metallic textures. Additionally, these environments suggest the way puzzle elements could be delivered mechanically-with machines, and using the tools provided within the Environment.

Lab Zone Corridor (600v, 2012-2015)
(http://600v.deviantart.com/art/lab-zone-corridor-480694278)

Mech Hanger – 4 (Bondhan Kimbalazani)
(http://www.bondhan.com/hangar.html)

Character and AI: The images provided bellow are character designs used as inspiration, both NPC and Player.

Movement styles, textures and weapon theme are implied with these designs with Gender and features being a Player choice at the start of the game. As the players Character is of a light build being agile, lightly armed and armoured, with casual/loose fitting outerwear. AI enemies are non-gender specific, cumbersome, robot-like and heavily armed.

Chell (Portal 2) Garret (thief Series)

http://www.giantbomb.com/chell/3005-778/ http://thiefgame.wikia.com/wiki/Garrett

Free Running War Loaders (Borderlands 2)

https://www.pinterest.com/bestzazzle/parkour-lamour/

http://borderlands.wikia.com/wiki/WAR_Loader

Raiden (Metal Gear Rising)
http://metalgear.wikia.com/wiki/Raiden's_first_cyborg_body
Puzzles and Assets: Puzzles appear in two different formats, mechanical (Interaction causing a machine/s to do something) or physically (interacting with the environment or environmental devices). Other Assets will be props and doors.

Portal 2 (Valve) Crane Concept (James Ledger)
http://lbc9.com/games/platform-games/portal/wallpapers-8.html http://www.jamesledgerconcepts.com/scraps/

Design goals and justifications
OVERVIEW

• THIS IS LEVEL 1.
o The player can view some advances in the stages via windows on top elevated walkways, but cannot use this route as access, this is to provide an overview and help in puzzle solving.
o Provide an introduction to the game backstory, through a mixture of embedded narrative across the whole level (data tapes and rebooted consoles)
o The level is divided into 4 stages.
o There are 4 enemy NPC’s across the level.
o Enemy can be disabled (once disabled they do not reactivate unless the entire level is revisited).
o Each stage requires solving a puzzle in order to progress (open the door to the next stage).
o An extra three stage puzzle, spread across the level needs to be solved in order to exit to the next level.
o Stages get progressively difficult in their puzzle and enemy content.
o The level is mapped across ground and three elevations, accessible by stairs, ladders or jump/climb actions.

STAGE 1
o Familiarise player with character controls.
o Familiarise player with puzzle solving methodology.
o Familiarise player with character/enemy interaction.
o Do not force the player to progress before they are happy with their familiarisation.
o Provide one enemy NPC in this stage.
o Enemy NPC is walking a fixed route between stage 1 and 2 (providing a clue to opening this door-swipe card) with timed pauses along the route.
o The Stage puzzle here is a single step sequence (disable the enemy NPC and retrieve its swipe card (access to stage 2).
o Player can disable the enemy NPC to allow time for familiarisation with movement, locating puzzle elements and gaining an overview of the level from the top elevation.
o There are two exit doors with swipe card access.

STAGE 2
o Provide one enemy NPC in this stage.

o Provide one Computer console.

o Provide one locked safe.

o Enemy NPC will react to access door opening, believing NPC 1 is entering the room.

o The console controls an overhead crane that can be moved up to roof height, then along a track to stage 4(this must be done in order to complete the exit puzzle).

o The stage puzzle here is a two-step sequence.

• 1-disable enemy NPC and retrieve safe PIN code.

• 2-find a safe that contains the access code to stage 3.

STAGE 3

o Access to Stage 3 needs door pin code from Stage 2.

o Provide two enemy NPC’s in this stage (both on fixed patrol routes that converge at one point).

o One patrol route passes the safe, the other passes the computer console.

o Both enemy NPC’s must be disabled it must be done at the extremity of a patrol route to avoid discovery.

o Stage puzzle here is a four-step sequence.

• 1-retrieve safe PIN from enemy NPC (only one enemy holds a swipe card).

• 2-find a safe that contains a computer password.

• 3-access computer and unlock door to stage 4.

• 4-retrieve crane jib locking key from enemy NPC, to connect cargo assets to crane.

STAGE 4

o The enemy here is time.

o Opening the stage 4 entry door triggers a

timer.
o Stage puzzle here is a four-step sequence.
• 1-return to stage 2 and manoeuvre the crane jib over a cargo asset.
• 2-return to stage 4 and connect the crane jib to a cargo asset.
• 3-return to stage 2 and move the cargo asset onto a conveyor belt (this automatically starts the conveyor moving).
• 4-return to stage 4 and hitch a ride on the conveyor belt out of the level.
o The time penalty – if the player does not hop on the conveyor belt, before the cargo asset has exited the stage, the conveyor stops and the whole puzzle, for this stage, must be repeated from step 1.
o 2 non active doors at this stage also act as red herrings to distract the player.

floor plan

Player
Computer Screen

Enemy NPC
Safe

Enemy Route
Window

Critical Path
Door

Sphere of Influence
False Door

Crane Jib
Crane Gantry

Machinery Racks
Server Racks

Cargo
Cargo Conveyor

Gantry walkway
Level Entry

Ladder
Level Exit

`Concept art

Gameplay Related Info
The game mode this environment is designed for is 3rd person single player puzzle solving and action/adventure.
There are 4 enemy NPC’s spread across the first 3 stages (1 each in stage 1 and 2, and 2 in stage 3). NPC’s in stages 1 and 3 have fixed patrol routes, the NPC in stage 2 is stationary at a computer terminal. All the NPC’s hold various puzzle elements, either PIN codes smart cards or crane jib locking key.
Stages 1-3 contain climbable elements in the form of ladders and walkways, these can be used to avoid or ambush enemy NPC’s (who remain at ground level), the highest walkway in stage 2 can also be used to gain a preview of stage 4.
Access between stages is via smart card, computer and PIN controlled doors.
Stages 2 and 3 contain locked safes and computer terminals, the safe in stage 2 contains the code to open stage 3 door. The safe in stage 3 contains the password to access the computer terminal that unlocks the door to stage 4. The computer terminal in stage 2 is used to control the crane jib. In addition computer terminals contain embedded narrative elements for the overall game plot.
Stage 4 contains cargo containers and a conveyor belt. The crane jib can be moved from stage 2 to stage 4 in order to manoeuvre cargo onto the conveyor belt, the conveyor belt will automatically start when it senses cargo on it, and stop when the cargo has exited the stage. There are 2 non active doors at this stage that provide a red herring in the puzzle process

Interactive Objects

Interactive Objects:
• Stage 1 –
• 2 doors (NW and SE corners) operated by smart cards.
• 2 ladders providing access from ground to 1st level gantry walkway.
• 2 ladders providing access from 1st level gantry walkway to 2nd level gantry walkway.
• 1 swipe card to access doors in stage 1 and 2 (held by enemy NPC).
• Stage 2 –
• 1 door (SW corner) operated by smart card.
• 1 ladder proving access from ground to 1st level gantry walkway.
• 1 ladder providing access from 1st level gantry walkway to 2nd level gantry walkway.
• 1 ladder proving access from 2nd level gantry walkway to 3rd level gantry walkway.
• 1 computer terminal to access;
• 1 – The crane jib controller (raise, lower, forward, back, left, right).
• 2 – Embedded narrative elements.
• 1 safe PIN code held by enemy NPC.
• 1 safe accessed via PIN code.
• PIN code for access to stage 3, held in the safe.
• Stage 3 –
• 2 doors (SW corner and N wall) operated by PIN code.
• 4ladders providing access from ground to 1st level gantry walkway.
• 1 computer terminal to access;
• 1 – The unlock sequence for door to stage 4.
• 2 – Embedded narrative elements.
• 1 crane jib locking key, held by enemy NPC.
• 1 safe PIN code, held by enemy NPC.
• 1 safe accessed via PIN code.
• 1 password for the computer terminal.
• Stage 4 –
• 1 door to access stage 3.
• 1 Crane jib/cargo lock mechanism.

Moving Objects:
• Stage 2 –
• 1 Crane Jib controlled from the computer terminal.
• Stage 4 –
• 1 crane jib controlled from stage 2 computer terminal.
• 1 cargo conveyor belt that provides the exit route from this level.
• Multiple cargo containers that attach to the crane jib, to be moved to the cargo conveyor belt.

Required Assets

Type of object Asset Category

11 ladders Mesh/Model/Texture
3 machinery racks Mesh/Model/Texture
4 enemy NPC’s Mesh/Model/Texture
1 overhead crane jib Mesh/Model/Texture
6 sections of crane gantry Mesh/Model/Texture
2 computer terminals Mesh/Model/Texture
2 safes Mesh/Model/Texture
8 cargo containers Mesh/Model/Texture
1 cargo conveyor belt Mesh/Model/Texture
5 internal doors Mesh/Model/Texture

11 gantry walkways Model/Texture
14 computer server racks Model/Texture
2 windows Model/Texture
1 exit door Model/Texture
1 entry door Model/Texture
2 false doors Model/Texture
4 rooms Model/Texture
2 corridors model/Texture

Door open/close Sound/Animation
Crane operation Sound/Animation
Enemy NPC attack Sound/Animation
Enemy NPC disable Sound/Animation
Enemy NPC walking Sound/Animation
Enemy NPC running sound/Animation
Computer terminal use sound/Animation
Keypad use sound/Animation
Safe open sound/Animation
Player walking sound/Animation
Player running sound/Animation
Conveyor belt operation sound/Animation