INDEX 1. STORY 1.1 Backstory 1.2 Goal 1.2.1 Start state 1.2.2 End state (main goal) 1.3 Sub goals 2. WORLD 2.1 Setting 2.2 Theme & style 2.3 View, interface & feedback 2.3.1 View 2.3.2 Interface and feedback 2.3.3 Sound 2.4 Level 2.4.1 Map 2.4.2 Main focal point 2.4.3 Other focal points 3. GAMEPLAY 3.1 Game type 3.2 Flow 3.3 Achievements (rewards), statistics and leveling (divisions) 3.3.1 Achievements 3.3.2 Statistics and leveling 3.4 Character 3.4.1 Main character 3.4.2 Enemies 3.5 Pick-ups 4. MECHANICS 4.1 Crafting 4.2 Controls 4.3 Speech 5. STRATEGY AND CHALLENGES 5.1 Fighting 5.2 Surviving 5.3 Environment
INTRODUCTION This level design document will be about the ins and outs of the game “Be Prepared�. Be Prepared is a first person adventure and survival game that is based on the skills used in Scouting. In this document I will describe the gameplay, mechanics, maps and all the other relevant information to give you a vision of a game concept with real potential. Enjoy!
1.1 BACKSTORY
Dean and Sealey are best friends since as long as they can remember. They’re both eagle scouts and are leading a troop of 4 scouts. This summer their troop set out for a special expedition in the jungle of Asia. The first night their campsite is raided and Dean is the first attacked and knocked unconscious immediately. When he wakes up it’s already getting lighter and he sees that the camp has been destroyed. He also sees blood smeared on canvas and fears for the worst as he noticed Sealey and the rest of the troop are gone. Dean sets out into the jungle, armed with only his grandfather’s knife, compass and firesteel to find Sealey and his troop. During your journey you’ll get the chance to develop your skills which could safe your and your troop’s life. High Concept Statement You have to track and safe your troop, armed with only your knife, compass, firesteel and your skills.
1.2 GOAL
1.2.1 START STATE The game starts from the moment you set out into the jungle to find your troop. You’re health is 90% since you’re still recovering from the blow that knocked you unconscious. 1.2.2 END STATE (MAIN GOAL) You either rescue your troop and Sealey or get killed trying. The method of the rescue will depend on your personal approach. You can disguise yourself and infiltrate the camp to poison, shoot or stab the enemies or you can try to attack the camp with traps set for them of improvised weapons. This will be determent by the skills you choose to learn during the game.
1.3 SUB GOALS
There are other things to do during the game apart from your main mission to save Sealey and your troop. You can explore the jungle and come across certain characters, situations or challenges that will (force you to) learn certain skills or will get you objects of knowledge that’ll come in handy later on. New learned skills will be rewarded in the form of badges (achievement unlocked).
2.1 SETTING
The story takes place in the jungle of Asia. This means lots of big exotic plants and a yellowish lighting. There’s a big lake and an area that includes caves and a mountain river leading to a waterfall that is connected in the lake. There’ll be also mangroves at the riverside. You also have to keep track of time for there’s night and day. Not only will these two be divided by light and dark but also by the creatures that come with either. Both day and night will come with different advantages and threats to which you must adapt.
2.2 THEME & STYLE
The theme of the surroundings is a exotic jungle, cut off from civilization. The graphics must be realistic for you can use certain plants and materials you find, so they have to be recognizable. You can easily kill yourself by eating the wrong plants for example. There are also different kinds of animals present in the jungle that can be considered food or a threat.
2.3 VIEW, INTERFACE & FEEDBACK
2.3.1 VIEW It’s a first person adventure game so you’ll see what your character sees. This gives you the sense of being really involved in the game. This will also make it a lot more difficult to watch your back. You can’t see behind you without turning around. This is more realistic and will add up to the tension in risky situation. You’ll have to rely more on surrounding noises than just vision. 2.3.2 INTERFACE & FEEDBACK One of the most important aspects in a game is getting feedback. In order to keep the game experience as realistic as possible we’ll be making more use of in-game feedback then onscreen feedback.
HEALTH Your health will be displayed by an image of your characters face. At 100% you look good, 50% slightly bruised/scratched and near 0% you look really bad. Also will there be a little bar under the avatar showing your health percentage. You’ll gain health by eating food. Meet will heal you the quickest but this takes more skills, time and material to both catch and prepare your food. You can also eat certain plants and fruits. No food for a long time will also decrease your health.
TAKE A HIT When you’re hit hard, either by enemy or animal, your vision will lose saturation and there will be a dark vignette surround your vision for a moment. This will also occur when you jump from too high or stay under water for too long. Your health will decrease drastically when this happens. DAMAGE TO OTHERS When you attack a person, the feedback will depend on your method. If you hit someone with your fist or a stick, this person will budge and eventually fall to the ground. If you use your knife, there will be blood and the person will fall to the floor. You can only kill animals with a weapon, either your knife or another self made weapon like a bow. BACKPACK You can open your backpack using de LB button. Here you can view your inventory. You can also safe spare food in your backpack but the space is limited so you’ll have to sort out your priorities at times.
TOOL In the right corner will be a semi transparent icon reminding you which tool you are holding. You can change this by putting tools back in your backpack and switching to your knife (default). 2.3.3 SOUND Sound is very important. It doesn’t only set the mood it can also be a warning. When the music becomes darker or more intense it indicates danger coming. Also noises like breaking sticks behind you or talking behind a vast bush can safe your life if you listen carefully. Sound often makes or breaks the product.
2.4 LEVEL
The game takes place in one big map. This chapter will explain the maps and locations of specific assets and locations in this map. 2.4.1 MAP On the following pages you’ll find three different versions of the map. The first is just the landscaping including altitude lines. The second one will be more focused on area’s specifics like inhabitants and wildlife. The third map is the map the player will use. It’s an extremely simplified map for this is a map drawn by the old women you’ll meet in the start of the game. It’ll just give the player an global idea of water, mountains and a few locations. This should trigger the player more to explore the unidentified places on the map. 2.4.2 Main focal point To get the player to move to the enemy’s camp, we make use of a Focal Point. This Focal Point will be in the form of an old military watchtower. This tower will be above the tree line and be easily spotted from the lookout spots higher up scattered throughout the field. This means it won’t be visible at all times but this is where you’ll have to rely on a scouts feeling for direction and map and compass reading. 2.4.3 Other focal points At times, smoke can be seen emerging above the trees or from higher lookout spots. This smoke is an indicator for houses, small villages or enemy posts.
2.4.2 Main focal point To get the player to move to the enemy’s camp, we make use of a Focal Point. This Focal Point will be in the form of an old military watchtower. This tower will be above the tree line and be easily spotted from the lookout spots higher up scattered throughout the field. This means it won’t be visible at all times but this is where you’ll have to rely on a scouts feeling for direction and map and compass reading.
2.4.3 Other focal points At times, smoke can be seen emerging above the trees or from higher lookout spots. This smoke is an indicator for houses, small villages or enemy posts.
3.1 GAME TYPE
The game is mainly an adventure and survival game played from the first person perspective. It’s not about shooting as many people as you can but you have to develop your skills and adapt to the surroundings and situations. Approaching the right people may help you develop your skills and/or knowledge and avoiding or defeating some will keep you alive but you’ll be on your own throughout the game. Be Prepared is a single player game.
3.2 FLOW
The flow of the game is mainly up to the player due to the freedom given in the game. All of the map is available and there isn’t a specific path to be followed. There is a kind of main road to follow but we want the player to explore the map and not just rushes to the enemies’ camp. Some players will want to spend time learning all the skills, collect all the badges, hunt a lot or just want to rescue their troop as quick as possible. There are certain elements that will influence the flow of the game. SOUND Sound will give the player hint of elements nearby. Streaming water for example, or grazing goats. Also voices, which can be distinguished between a friendly village or a group of enemies, can influence the players decision. LIGHT/DARK Highlights in the form of fire’s or sunrays will be indicating sport worth checking out. Dark pieces of jungle are supposed to make the player walk the other way.
FOCAL POINTS There are various focal points. The main one is an old military watch post used on the enemy’s main camp. Other ones are ribbons of smoke emerging from the trees indicating life there, villages and such.
ENEMIES Enemies will be places at certain points in the map to make it both harder to progress and also prepare the player for the enemies’ main camp in the end.
3.3 ACHIEVEMENTS (REWARDS), STATISTICS & LEVELING (DIVISIONS)
The main goal of the game is to rescue Sealey and the troop. But before you’ll get to that part you have to develop your skills, survive the jungle and have a strategy to overcome the enemy. 3.3.1 ACHIEVEMNETS You can unlock achievements during the game by learning, using or developing your skills. The achievements will be handed out in the form of scout badges. If you learn a skill, you get a level 1 badge, use the skill a level 2 badge and (in some cases) develop the skill a level 3 badge. The badges can be reviewed in the menu under “Badges”
3.3.2 STATISTICS & LEVELING The only form of leveling within the game is trough the badges. For example, you can become a level 3 fire starter or a level 2 huntsmen. This is to be seen in the menu “badges” and high-level skills can make your survival easier. Statistics will be shown after finishing the game. Statistics as time spend playing, kills and badges unlocked.
3.4 CHARACTER
3.4.1 MAIN CHARACTER You’ll be playing the role of Nick during the game. Dean (age 22) is the first of three children, his brother Dominic (age 19) and sister Lara (age 16). His mom and dad are, unlike most of his friends’ parents, still together and happily married. The Brouwer family has always lived in a little town, called Ooy. The big house they live in is the same house Dean’s dad was born in. it has a few acker of fields of it’s own and a forest nearby. Perfect for Dean’s need to be in the outdoors. Dean’s parents were always proud and supportive of everything he and his siblings do. Even though Dean has lots of friends, he had never had a girlfriend. Ever since Dean was little, he liked the outdoors. No wonder he joined the boy scouts, started an education in Outdoor Adventure and likes to go on adventures with his best friend, Sealey (age 23) also a scout. They like to kayak, shoot with arrow and bow, rock climbing and primitive camping. Due to his outdoor lifestyle, Dean is interested in primitive cooking as well. He’s gotten his own Dutch Oven kettle for his last birthday and he loves to cook all kinds of stews in it together with his sister. She want’s to be a cook so he can learn a lot from her. Dean’s most prized possession is his Mora Companion knife. It isn’t that the knife itself is that good or expensive, but Dean got it from his grandpa 2 years ago. His grandpa was his hero, his role model. Last autumn he fell sick and passed away. Dean was really heartbroken but cooped, due to his family and Sealey, with his grandpa’s passing.
3.4.2 ENEMIES The people responsible for attack and kidnapping of Sealey and the troop are part of the Aeron tribe, an armed group of people with Kali as their leader. Kali is a man, approximately 28 years old, who is born and raised within Aeron. Due to this rough life within the tribe, Kali feels the need to prove he’s a worthy Aeron warrior. This need got fuelled over the years with hatred towards his biological father, a white man. This hatred drives him and his men to terrorise the white western population who intrudes “his” territory.
3.5 PICK-UPS
To keep the realistic feel of survival to the game, we won’t make use of health packages or energy boosts just lying around. Things that can be found will be there with a reason and can be very valuable later on. STICKS/WOOD Sticks can be gathered. These can be used for building a fire, crafting arrows, making torches of fashion a trap. MEAT Hunt goats, hogs and birds in order to get meat. You can prepare them over the fire build with the gathered wood. PLANTS Some of the plants can be collected and used as food or to trick an enemy in eating a poisoned one. ROPE This can only be found at villages and used as fastening for traps or torches. CLOTH Pieces of cloth can be used to fashion torches and can only be found around villages. Also can a combination of specific cloths being used as a disguise. ENERGY You lose energy in action, no food for a long period and resting. Resting and eating can restore energy. Gathered assets can be stored inside the backpack as long as there is free space.
4.1 CRAFTING
There are different actions the player can engage in due to the survival aspect. These actions take time though and it’s up to the player is he/she had that kind of time at hand. Duration decreases as the skill level gets higher. Also the number of tries before you succeed in an action decreases as the skill level gets higher.
4.2 CONTROLS
You can just navigate trough the game with the usual controls; look up, down, left, right or walk straight/back or turn left or right. There are also buttons to immediately show you your map and inventory. There is an “use gear” button which will allow you to use whatever you’re holding. Is it your knife, stab or cut. Is it your firesteel, fire etc. Your flashlight is always on your head and you can always turn it on. Turning it on at night can get you in trouble with tribe warriors and/or wild animals. You can switch whatever you are holding in “inventory”. You can store new found/earned items here as well.
4.3 SPEECH
There will be a few dialog moments in the game. These moments will be in animation. The gameplay is paused and the animation plays. This is to prevent the player from wandering off during the dialog and not paying attention for the dialog contains important information. Dialog is being used for skill learning or explaining., especially in the beginning of the game. There is no interaction with the characters talking who are to you.
5.1 FIGHTING
The weapons you can use are very limited due to the idea of surviving unprepared in a dangerous place without many resources. This means you are limited to your pocketknife, ability of setting traps and poisoning the enemy. You can also punch and kick the enemy but chances of surviving that kind of attack is rather small. There is a spot there the villagers help you fashion a bow and arrows which you can use throughout the game, if you remember to make new arrows once in a while.
5.2 SURVIVING
Surviving is the biggest challenge during Be Prepared. There are many dangerous situations to overcome during the game and it is your job to react accordingly to them in order to stay alive. The dangers will be small at the beginning but there is a build up towards the end to slowly prepare the player for dangers ahead. These dangers can take the form of humans, animals and even nature itself. And even if you survive the jungle and it’s dangers, will you be able to free Bastian and your troop?
5.3 ENVOIRENMENT
Are you able to overcome the forces of nature? Cross rivers, fight wild animals and find your way trough the jungle?