Design Document for:
Ars Aranium
Run, Gun, Survive
An iPhone game.
All work Copyright ©2011
Version # 1.00
Friday, October 21, 2011
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Ars Aranium_____________________________________________________________ 1
Game Overview__________________________________________________________________ 4
Philosophy, Game Design Goals_______________________________________________________ 4
Philosophical point #1___________________________________________________________ 4
Philosophical point #2___________________________________________________________ 4
Philosophical point #3___________________________________________________________ 4
Common Questions________________________________________________________________ 4
What is the game?______________________________________________________________ 4
Why create this game?___________________________________________________________ 4
Where does the game take place?__________________________________________________ 4
What do I control?_______________________________________________________________ 5
How many characters do I control?__________________________________________________ 5
What is the main focus?__________________________________________________________ 5
What’s different?_______________________________________________________________ 5
Feature Set_____________________________________________________________________ 6
General Features_________________________________________________________________ 6
Multiplayer Features______________________________________________________________ 6
Downloadable Content_____________________________________________________________ 6
Gameplay________________________________________________________________________ 6
The Game World________________________________________________________________ 7
Overview________________________________________________________________________ 7
Environments and Monsters________________________________________________________ 7
The Physical World________________________________________________________________ 7
Overview______________________________________________________________________ 7
Key Locations__________________________________________________________________ 7
Travel________________________________________________________________________ 7
Scale_________________________________________________________________________ 7
Weather______________________________________________________________________ 7
Camera_________________________________________________________________________ 7
Overview______________________________________________________________________ 7
Camera Detail #1_______________________________________________________________ 8
Camera Detail #2_______________________________________________________________ 8
Example Map Layout #1____________________________________________________________ 8
Game Characters_______________________________________________________________ 9
Overview________________________________________________________________________ 9
Creating a Character______________________________________________________________ 9
Enemies and Monsters_____________________________________________________________ 9
User Interface________________________________________________________________ 10
Overview_______________________________________________________________________ 10
Menu Interface__________________________________________________________________ 10
Gameplay Interface_______________________________________________________________ 10
Weapons_______________________________________________________________________ 11
Overview_______________________________________________________________________ 11
Primary Weapons:________________________________________________________________ 11
Secondary Weapons:______________________________________________________________ 11
Upgrades:______________________________________________________________________ 11
Single-Player Game____________________________________________________________ 12
Overview_______________________________________________________________________ 12
Story_________________________________________________________________________ 12
Hours of Gameplay_______________________________________________________________ 12
Victory Conditions_______________________________________________________________ 12
Multiplayer Game______________________________________________________________ 13
Overview_______________________________________________________________________ 13
Max Players____________________________________________________________________ 13
Servers________________________________________________________________________ 13
Customization___________________________________________________________________ 13
Internet_______________________________________________________________________ 13
Saving and Loading_______________________________________________________________ 13
Character Design______________________________________________________________ 14
Overview_______________________________________________________________________ 14
Character______________________________________________________________________ 14
Musical Scores and Sound Effects____________________________________________ 15
Overview_______________________________________________________________________ 15
Game Overview
Philosophy, Game Design Goals
Philosophical point #1
This game is trying to give the iPhone and users a game that you can jump in and have some quick survival action. I’m trying to achieve a game with plenty of on and off play value where you can play a round or match and leave your progress and comeback very easily. You can play for hours and have fun, or play for a few minutes in a single round if you have a limited amount of spare time. Fun gameplay with a visually enjoyable experience, make for a happy gamer.
Philosophical point #2
The game will run on iPhone. This is for the game is a small action game starting off and able to reach an audience much easier as a phone application. The game is to be easily accessible to users.
Philosophical point #3
Soft graphics and visuals easy on the eye that looks attractive to the player that doesn’t give them a headache at the same time!
Common Questions
What is the game?
Run and gun live action survival game. It is set on various planets and different locations giving different visual environments. The game will get longevity from character customisation and building, level-up systems, wave by wave game modes, and multiplayer modes.
Why create this game?
There are other games that only touches on what I’m trying give. Collaborating what others have done, and putting all the good parts together with a bit of my own touch, I believe a very entertaining fun game can be made. I’ve always had a lot of fun playing similar game modes to this, and have a lot of fun doing co-operative survival.
Where does the game take place?
The game takes place in a fictional galaxy that is full of planets with different assorted forms of dangerous life forms and precious resources and minerals. Each planet will have different characteristics, such as jungles, deserts, swamps, snow, rocks and lava.
Describe the world that your game takes place in. Simple as that. Help frame it in the reader’s mind by spending a few sentences on it here. You can go into lengthy detail later in a section solely dedicated to describing the world. Remember that we want to keep this part of the design light and readable.
What do I control?
The player is in control of a single action hero. This hero can plant AI targeting objects such as artillery turrets but is mostly focused on the main hero and archetype chosen.
How many characters do I control?
One character is controlled per player.
What is the main focus?
The main objective is to travel from planet to planet and gather resources needed to survive and rebuild and power a new civilization. This is all the while combating the planet’s environment, creatures, and others trying to take resources.
What’s different?
This takes a run and gun gameplay and pairs it with survival and RPG mechanics while also incorporating strategy, tactics and multiplayer gameplay. Level-up mechanic and customisation is there, with depth, but not so much that it is troublesome and confusing to the player, just enough to keep each player somewhat different and to suit a play style a player may choose. A player can do customisation or if they just want to play, can stick with the standard layouts and character builds. This gives a choice of more in-depth gameplay or quick simple action.
Feature Set
General Features
Different Planets and Environments to explore
Customisable Characters
Role-playing Life action shooter
Retina graphics
Multiplayer Features
Competitive or Team play
Easy to find a game
Easy to find your friends and set up quick games
Can chat over Instant Messenger system
Downloadable Content
Get bonus levels
Get bonus visual character customisation
Gameplay
Survival Action Run and Gun
Strategy and Tactics to Survive
Base Defense
Level-up customisation system
Visual character customisation system
Play single-player mode or skirmish multiplayer with friends
The Game World
Overview
The game worlds are different to each planet and have different characteristics for each. Therefore a player must adjust to each environment and decide on tactics depending on where they are and what enemies that might combat on that terrain.
Environments and Monsters
Each planet will have its own environment and monsters with different characteristics. For the environment, for example snow terrain will slow movement speed and hot molten rock planets will have terrain that deals damage to the player from extreme heat. Monsters will have different advantages depending where the player is and has to play smart to combat the enemy.
The Physical World
Overview
Describe an overview of the physical world. Then start talking about the components of the physical world below in each paragraph.
The following describes the key components of the physical world.
Key Locations
There is the main harvesting point the players are looking for on each planet, and other small enemy camps while in the exploring phase.
Travel
The player traverses the planet on foot with fellow marines.
Scale
Exploration is more of a small maze. Sections of the map just have a small group of enemies and one is the main harvest point. Otherwise there are a few winding paths and directions to take but map is still relatively small being an iPhone application.
Weather
Weather in the game is depending on the planet, other than visuals, snow and sandstorm can slow players, while hot molten rock can damage players.
Camera
Overview
The camera will be of a top view and follow the player while they explore looking for a harvest point. Once a harvest point is found and harvesting has begun, the camera will be locked onto the main location while a player stays and defends. The player then moves freely around the screen while the camera is stationary.
Camera Detail #1
The camera will be locked onto the player while exploring, with the player’s character locked in the center.
Camera Detail #2
When harvesting and defending the camera is locked onto location and the player moves freely within those bounds defending the harvest site.
The World Layout
Example Map Layout #1
Players start at the landing zone and explore to find the harvest zone. Map is dynamic and layouts change when visiting different planets. After explore phase, action is focused on the harvest zone.
Game Characters
Overview
Space Marines trained to endure harsh environments and combat various creatures and monsters.
Enemies are creatures found on the various planets within the game. Depending on what environment they are native to, they will have different ways on combating the player.
Creating a Character
Characters are created by first choosing a type whether it be Strength, Agility or Intelligence. From then on, characters get experience from completing levels and completing objects and taking out enemies. Experience can then be used to add bonus abilities and stat points to the character depending on what type attribute is first chosen. With gold earned also from killing enemies and completing objectives, players can buy weapons and items to use during missions.
Enemies and Monsters
Players try to defeat incoming waves of enemies that have different abilities and attributes depending on the planet the player is in. Enemies may be agile but with less health, or slower but do a lot more damage and have a large amount of health. Certain waves may also have single special boss enemies that are a lot more difficult than the normal enemies from the standard waves.
User Interface
Overview
Example interface designs of menu and gameplay below.
Menu Interface
Gameplay Interface
In the top left is character class symbol, eg fist for strength, along with green health bar and blue energy bar. Gold and Aranium gathered is shown top right.
Bottom left is character movement touch circle, right red circle is action button for interaction, and right bigger circle aims and fires in the direction pointing.
Weapons
Overview
Weapons have base starting attributes that with character customisation can be modified to give eg. Faster firing rates, better accuracy, more ammo, better reload times.
Primary Weapons:
Strong Slow Close Range Shotgun
Average Fast Medium Range Machine Gun
Single-Shot Slow Long Range SniperRifle
Secondary Weapons:
Strong Slow Medium Range Handgun
Weak Fast Medium Range Handgun
Single-Shot Ice slowing grenade
Single-Shot Fire damage over time grenade
Upgrades:
Weapon upgrades start from rank 1 going onto rank 5. As a user gets more experience using a weapon, their specialty for that weapon increases and increases the rank. Rank up provides players with bonus stats like accuracy, faster reload, and faster fire.
Single-Player Game
Overview
The player decides which planet to go to depending on what is unlocked, more unlock from completing objectives. The player lands on selected planet and searches for a harvest point. Once the harvest point is found, a machine is setup that the player has to defend while it harvests and attracts waves of incoming enemies.
In this mode, NPCs will replace what could be other players controlling a similar character as you. NPCs will follow and assist the player depending on what actions they perform and decisions they make. They will automatically position themselves at a harvest site and help the player defend and fend off enemies with gun fire.
Story
In a fictional galaxy where after great wars resources are scarce, advanced technology is used to travel to different planets to gather resources to hopefully one day rebuild a broken civilization. Space Marines are sent on missions to combat the environments and enemies they provoke while trying to gather the powerful resource of the galaxy, crystal minerals called Ars Aranium. Story plays a small part in this game; it is more focused towards gameplay and action.
Hours of Gameplay
Because gameplay is split into rounds of missions, players can go on end traversing different planets or play single rounds for a short amount of time. Gameplay hours is made to be really flexible so players can play when they want and how much they want.
Victory Conditions
Successfully complete the objective of gathering resources and surviving from waves of enemies trying to stop you. Be the last ones standing after a harvest.
Multiplayer Game
Overview
Multiplayer works a lot the same as single player. In this mode other players will replace NPCs and players can co-ordinate and strategize on how to tackle each mission.
Max Players
A max of 4 players can be on a team on a mission co-operating at one time and a maximum of 2 teams versing each other in competitive play.
Servers
Client-server is used to play multiplayer. This way no players get advantages from things such as from latency by being the host of a game.
Customization
With character customisation, teams can decide what approach to take for each mission depending on character builds, what can work effectively as a team. For example, what weapons to use as a primary/secondary, and player archetypes, strength, agility and intelligence.
Internet
Phone internet connection or from WiFi connected to an internet accessible network.
Saving and Loading
Characters and rewards are saved between each mission after successfully completing a mission or from defeat. Loading of characters will be chosen while first entering the game mode before finding other players to play with.
Character Design
Overview
Example of how character is looking as a layout.
Character
Character colour can be customised.
Musical Scores and Sound Effects
Overview
Background music is to be played without lyrics. During gameplay it is try to get players pumped up for fast paced action. In interface menus music is to be slow paced and encourage players to think and relax between the action sequences.
Sound effects from weapon fire to creature noise is to be crisp and let the player know what is happening and give an action feel.
Sound effects from weapon fire to creature noise is to be crisp and let the player know what is happening and give an action feel.
