The main concept for my game is going to be that of an undersea 2D platformer, similar to the likes of the Super Mario and Donkey Kong Country games. There will be a system of levels, and each level can be replayed. The protagonist, a deep sea diver, wakes up at the bottom of the ocean, and the object of the game is to arrive back on the surface.
Setting/Scenery
The scenery is one of the essential parts of what will make this game fun. You will go from the pitch-black depths of the ocean floor in the beginning, to give a sense of danger and despair that your protagonist will feel at the beginning of the game, to bright fluorescent backgrounds as you begin your eventual rise to the surface. This will tie in with the progression of the game. You go from having no idea of where you are or what to do, to being able to navigate the ocean freely and beautifully, and the scenery will reflect that.
Character
The main protagonist is a nameless diver that wakes up on the ocean floor. Little is known about him at the start, other than the fact that his ship was destroyed in a giant storm. His anchor was tied to him, and thus he couldn't swim back to shore, and was dragged down into the depths. The character lugs around the anchor with him, using it as a weapon and as a tool to help him fend off against wildlife as he returns to the top. The upgrade system will also affect how the character looks. As he gains more upgrades, the equipment from his ship, his character model may change slightly, and his color scheme may change. This is all going towards the idea that through this journey, you'll become the world class diver once were.
Gameplay
The diver will have to jump and find his way to the exit of each level. He will have to avoid or kill various enemies along the way, such as octopi that may constrict him, or turtles that may try to take him in the wrong direction. There are also systems of air and pressure in the game. The character loses air naturally, and will have to pick up either O2 tanks or air bubbles to restore it. As you go farther down, the background and scenery becomes darker, and you lose air faster and potentially may not jump as high. However, in these lower sections you are more likely to find the upgrades, as they will be hidden down in the depths. The 4 pieces of the upgrade in each level will also serve as checkpoints in the level. I want to make it so that while it is not necessary for the player to grab the upgrades to beat the game, there will be incentive for them to push themselves and collect them.
Oh geese, water levels are notorious among video games for their slow pace and odd controls. How do you plan to get around this?
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea that you would be able to see your progress by your ability to see things under the sea. I like the idea that you don't lose health, but that you would lose air as well.
ReplyDeleteGreat research phase with both content and concept. You really built your idea out even more during the final phase. Now seek to coordinate the look and feel of all four images. Try to make them look like they all came from the same game, by shrinking down the content and adding uniform visual elements on all the images. Also please use naming conventions for post titles as found in syllabus.
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