Alchemica Design Document© Retora Game Studios, 2013

Table of Contents

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Focus StatementGame OverviewBackground ResearchGame Elements

FeaturesChallenges (Extra stuff)

Background SystemsTimersGame Manager

Game ProgressionFlow

System Menus and GUIMenu InterfacesGameplay Interfaces

MarketTarget AudienceMarketingDistribution

FAQ

Focus StatementAlchemica is a puzzle-strategy game for mobile devices. Players take the role of Tribal

Character as they sneak, deceive, and trick their way past enemies on there way to finding the ultimate herb. Gameplay consists of . (Emphasis on cunning over combat). The end goal is to (goal).

Game Overview● Camera

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○ Pan Camera

This camera will zoom in and out (pinch) to show the player the part of the level that doesn't fit on their device. The player will control where the camera is by click-and-dragging across the screen. A 3 second delay will allow the player to view the path in front of him before the camera starts to pan back over the player.

○ Player Character Camera

As the player moves left,right,up, and down the camera will follow the player character.

● Level Style

Levels are puzzle based with primary and secondary player paths. The story of this game will progress through each level. Levels will be built on a grid base of (100m x 100m), each individual grid will be (1m x 1m). This will be used for modular designing of levels to limit art assets and increase the number of different and unique levels we can create.

CAMERON’s art explanation…..

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The vial looking object is simply a representation of an item. The blocks with trees represent each tree or trees that will take up a number of square grids on the level.

● Gameplay

The gameplay is focused on the collection and use of herbs in order to get past enemies. The way the herbs are used is up to the player, dynamically changing game play through player perspectives. There are two, and each spell requires a different combination of them to increase the strategy used by the player to complete a level. Players don’t fight or kill the monsters, instead the player uses his wit and knowledge of alchemy to create spells to otherwise confuse and avoid enemies. Each level also has limited amount of herbs making the sure player understands he will only have a few chances at escaping with their life.

● Player Controls

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The player character (PC) controls will be relatively simple:● If the player taps a location on-screen where the PC can move, he will use

pathfinding to find a way there.● If the player taps a location on-sceen where the PC cannot move, such as the

top of a tree or behind a rock wall, the player will remain stationary and a tone will be played that lets the player know that they cannot do that.

● If the player taps a ladder, the PC will walk up to the ladder, and the climbing animation will play as he automatically moves down or up depending on which level he’s going to.

● “Combat” System

Stealth is the main focus of the game, for if a creature touches you you’re dead. Other than the spells interacting with enemies there is no combat system.

● Tips/Hints-○ This game is for a casual audience, and the nature of the game is that it may not

be immediately evident how to play or effectively use the herbs. Because of this, we’ll implement a ‘tips’ system that will cause small textboxes to display helpful hints on-screen about how to play the game. These tips will be shown in three places:

● During loading screens, with concept art as a background● Through a ‘tips’ option on the menu screen● At certain places throughout gameplay, for example a simple trigger in the

area where the player gets his second control herb briefly explaining how to use control.

● Art Direction (brief)● Technical Design (brief)

Background Research

Diablo - single click PC movement

Jungle Heat - grid based levels/modular design

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Content.

Game ElementsSystems Breakdown

Overview:Alchemica uses multiple systems that interact with each other to create a working game. Each of the categories listed below describe all of the systems that exist in our game.

● Player character health (Dead or Alive)● Player interaction with level (Environment)● Player interaction with enemies● Enemies health (Dead or Alive)● Enemies Path(s) (AI/Animations)● Enemy interaction with other enemies (Battle results)● Enemy interaction with player (Line of sight, detection)● Enemy interaction with level (Environment) ● Herbs (Placement and collection)● Background systems(Points, timer, GUI)

Technical Breakdown of Each System:● PC health

○ The player doesn’t have a health bar, but rather dies upon contact with enemy. No GUI required.

● Player interaction with level ○ The player has the ability to cast the “Construct” spell on either rock or

gravel piles (which are immobile, non-impeding objects placed in specific locations throughout the level). This will turn the piles into a wall, which can be used to traverse gaps in the secondary floor and block enemy paths. Gravel walls will be impermanent, and crumble after a certain amount of time, whereas rock walls will stay constructed unless the player casts construct on them again, at which time they will crumble back to a pile.

○ The player character can walk around the level.

○ The player character can climb vines to the secondary floor (treetops, higher terrain, etc.). The player can only get back down using vines (no jumping down). The player has to click the vines to climb them.

○ The player character will be able to pick up herbs scattered throughout the

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level by walking over the herbs.

● Player interaction with enemy ○ The player will die instantly if he touches or gets touched by an enemy.

○ The player can cast spells on enemy (these effects are located under the “Spells” heading).

Enemies

● Large Enemy○ Huge (1.5 - 2 x Human Size)○ Small Sight Radius (2m x 2m)??○ .5 x Speed of Player at Walk○ Slightly slower than the player at run○ Can patrol, but is often stationary

● Medium Enemy○ Average Size (Human Size)○ Average sight radius (3m x 3m)??○ 1 x Speed of Player at Walk○ 1.5 x Faster than Player at Run○ Patrols Along Paths

● Small Enemy○ Small (¾ - ½ Human Size)○ Large sight radius (5m x 5m)??○ 1.2 x Speed of Player at Walk○ 2 x Faster Than Player at Run

■ Stays Localized■ Changes Direction A lot

● Hard to Sneak by○ Patrols Sporadically

Spells

● Construct ○ Transforms piles of Rocks or Gravel into a wall

■ Used to traverse gaps between treetops■ Used to block enemy movement and line of sight

○ Gravel crumbles after a certain amount of time○ Rock walls will not break, disappear, or diminish

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○ Construct can be used again to disassemble the wall ○ Requires: 1 Control herb

● Invisibility ○ Makes the player character turn invisible for a certain amount of

time (10s)○ Timer only ticks while the player is moving, if he is still, the timer

stops○ Note: does not make the player invulnerable, he is still eaten if he

touches an enemy○ Requires: 2 Illusion herbs

● Control ○ Gives the player the ability to control an enemy’s movements○ Single click...content○ Note: Cannot make the enemy attack other enemies○ Requires: 2 Control herbs○ Affects 1 Enemy

● Rage ○ Creates taunting enemy image which causes other enemies to

become enraged and charge at it○ When this spell is cast, a radius will be shown briefly which will

highlight the area of the spell effect○ If two enemies collide and one or both are enraged, they will fight,

which will always cause the weaker one to die (if two are the same strength, a random one will be chosen to die)

○ Requires: 1 Illusion, 1 Control herb○ Affects 4X4 Grid○ Affects 2 Enemies

● Distraction ○ Creates a doppelganger of a whimpering animal, which distracts

certain enemies for a certain amount of time○ When this spell is cast, a radius will be shown briefly which will

highlight the area of the spell effect○ Enemies turn towards area of effect and remain ‘staring’ at that

location for a certain amount of time (depending on enemy)○ Requires: 1 Illusion herb○ Affects 4X4 Grid○ Affects Multiple Enemies

Graphical Representation of Spell Effects

Enemy Construct Invisibility Control Rage Distraction

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Small Enemy Can be trapped by constructed walls and have its movements limited

Fooled by Invisibility (still kills character upon collision)

Can be controlled

Can be enraged (can be eaten by larger enemy or same enemy)

Doesn't stay distracted Long

Time N/A N/A Duration of Interface

Duration of Spell

1 Second

Medium Enemy

Can be trapped by constructed walls and have its movements limited

Fooled by Invisibility (still kills character upon collision)

Can be controlled

Can be enraged (can be eaten by larger enemy or same Enemy)

Stays Distracted longer

Time N/A N/A 2 Seconds + Interface

Duration of Spell

4 Seconds

Large Enemy

Can break through Gravel walls just by walking through them, still stopped by rock walls

Not fooled by Invisibility

Can be controlled

Cannot be enraged (can eat same size or smaller enemies if they run into it while enraged)

Stays Distracted

Time N/A N/A 5/6 Seconds + Interface

N/A 5 Seconds

● Enemies Health ○ The enemy doesn’t have a health bar. If two enemies collide and one or

both are enraged, they will fight, which will always cause the weaker one to die (if two are the same strength, a random one will be chosen to die). If enraged, it will die upon contact with another larger or same sized enemy. The player can’t kill enemies directly. When an enemy dies they simply are defeated and a death animation plays, (Run off the screen or petrified and falls on back).

● Enemy Pathfinding ○ See technical design doc for more information on pathfinding. ○ Pathfinding

■ Using Unity’s Navmesh○ Changes in Movement (ie patrolling to distracted state)

■ Accomplished using state machine

● Enemy Animations

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○ AI and animations for every character. Each character will have the same animations, walking, running and idle.

● Enemy interaction with other enemies (Battle results) ○ The larger of the two enemies wins the battle every time. In the event that

both are the same size, one of them will randomly be chosen to die.

● Enemy interaction with PC (Line of sight, detection) ○ The player can only be seen by enemies on the same plane as him (i.e.

enemies can’t see the player from the ground while he’s in the trees). Each enemy has different attributes…(see table above). Enemies have three different states.

○ Idle - stationery○ Walk - on patrol no worries○ Run - enemy is aware of your presence and charges after the player, or

has been effected by a certain spell (ie...Rage).

● Enemy interaction with level ○ Enemies can only move about the bottom section/layer of the level.

Enemies can’t break the Rock walls. Only the large enemy can break the Gravel wall. The walls act as a line of sight barrier as well as block their path for a delayed chase or simply traps the enemy in one spot.

○ Enemies can not climb vines

● Herbs (Placement and collection)

○ Herbs will be collected when the player taps one on the screen, at which point the player character will walk to it and pick it up. In each level, the player starts with no herbs and must collect new ones. There will be relative scarcity of herbs- since they will not always be abundant, the player will have to think about the puzzles before he uses his herbs to cast a spell.

○ collects through collision

● Background systems(Points, timer, GUI) ○ Background systems consist of mechanics that the player won't be able to

interact with. This can include things like a timer to rush the player into finishing a level or a score counter to save the player’s highscores. There will also be an herb counter on the main playscreen, which will show how many of each herb the player has. This counter is non-interactable.

Interactables

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● Herbs○ Illusion Herbs - are blue herbs○ Control herbs - are red herbs

● Rocks○ An object from which to Construct rock walls○ Graphical Representation is that of a collection of dark rocks just sticking

up out of the earth (mostly flush with ground, make it evident that it can be walked over)

○ No NPC or PC effects○ Construct can be used on it to make a Rock wall

● Gravel○ An object from which to Construct gravel walls○ Graphical Representation is that of a flat brown pile of gravel on path

(mostly flush with ground, make it evident that it can be walked over)○ No NPC of PC effects○ Construct can be used on it to make a Gravel wall

● Rock Wall○ Graphical Representation is that of a dark, stone-made wall ○ NPC and PC effects

■ From primary floor (ground)● Blocks all PC movement ● Blocks all NPC movement

■ From secondary floor (treetops)● PC can move across like bridge● No NPC action

○ PC can cast Construct to turn this back into a rock pile

● Gravel Wall○ Graphical Representation is that of a brown gravel wall ○ NPC and PC effects

■ From primary floor (ground)● Blocks all PC movement ● Blocks most NPC movement

○ Large Enemy destroys, collapses back into a pile if it walks through

■ From secondary floor (treetops)● PC can move across like bridge● No NPC action

○ Crumble timer- After a certain amount of time, will collapse back into a pile of gravel (30s)

○ PC can cast Construct to turn this back into a gravel pile

● Vines

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○ Graphical Representation is that of vines draping from Secondary floor to Primary floor (hanging down from tree canopy, etc.)

○ NPC and PC effects■ PC uses to move from treetop to ground and vice-versa■ No NPC action

Graphical Representation of Interactive Objects

Object Use 1 Use 2

Pile of Rocks Constructs into Rock Wall N/A

Conditions See Wall ---

Gravel Constructs into Gravel Wall N/A

Conditions See Wall ---

Rock Wall Can Be Bridge Can Block Enemies

Conditions On Primary Floor Indestructible

Gravel Wall Can be Bridge Can Block Enemies

Conditions On Primary Floor Breakable by large enemy

Vines Allows movement between ground and treetop

Quick escape from enemy

Conditions Only PC Only PC

Interactions between systems:

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Chart breakdown● 1. Player casting a spell● 2. Construct a wall in the level during game play● 3. Spell effects an enemy● 4. Enemy can break wall or may be immuned to spell● 5. Enemy interacting with another enemy● 6. Less enemies in the level● 7. Enemy interacting with the player● 8. Player roaming the level, climbing vines

Risk and Analysis:

Risks that are possible through our systems interacting with one another:● Constructed obstacles on the level● Casting spells on the wrong platform● Too many enemies in area effect of spell casting● Objects hidden behind modular tree pieces● Content...

Features○ Content...

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Challenges (Extra stuff)○ Achievements?

■ Allows for simple True False statements that are used to award the player● ex. Killing Your First Enemy

■ Adds to playability and game life○

Background Systems

● Timers○ Invisibility timer○ Gravel wall crumble timer○ Score○ Content...

● Game ManagerTransitions between levels and systems...content

Game Progression

● Flow Linear segmented levels. The goal is to get through each level using the herbs provided to evade,outwit, and or distract enemies. The beginning levels will have multiple ways of completing the level will slowly introduce the other spells to the player through story progression. Levels are set up in a selection based format (example being Angry Birds) allowing for an easy going pick up and play style. This format will allow for easy maintenance but more importantly it makes adding more content to this game in the future much easier.

Herbs do not carry over from level to level, (no need for ‘saving’) requiring the player to use what is available on each level to progress to the next level.

EXTRA STUFF:A possible addition to this is a spell that kills which can be bought in the store

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(similar style to that of the eagle in Angry Birds.)

Standard Level

● Find herbs to cast spells○ This limits use of spells; think before you cast

● Use spells to trap, confuse, sneak past, or otherwise outwit the monsters of the jungle

○ Emphasis on strategy

System Menus and GUI

Menu Interfaces● Options

○ Volume○ Credits if we have time

Gameplay Interfaces

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Selected spell GUI

A button located (somewhere) will trigger a pop up menu where the player can select the desired spell. Once a spell is selected the menu closes and the player is free to move around the level. To cast the spell the player has to press the activation button and select the location where he wants the spell to be cast. This button should be on the opposite side of the drop down menu for selecting spells.

Plant Collection GUI

(Somewhere) on the screen displays herb count (symbolized by herb color and image with a x and Number display (figure 2 Gameplay Interfaces.) Plant Collection GUI is non-interactable and is solely a count system used to inform the player of their herb count.

Market

Target Audience

● Selling Points:○ Bright, clear, colorful art style○ Simple controls○ Easy to pick up and put down○ Strategy and puzzle-centric gameplay

● Age and Orientation:○ 10 and older○ Family friendly

MarketingContent.

DistributionMobile market

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● Apple Store● Android Market● Google Play Store

FAQ

Q: Content.

A: Content.

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