beyo design pitch

8/6/2019 Beyo Design Pitch

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Sky Silcox www.skysilcox.com/dev-blog

Mobile Game Concept Doc 1

Beyo

Figure 1: Gameplay Mock-up

Concept DocumentSky Silcox


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Summary

Taggedis a simple side scrolling, platformer where the plays as a female tribal member that escapesfrom her captors back to the jungle.

Platform: iPhone/iPadGenre: platformingAudience: Casual

Main character and abilities

Move to the right: VPad rightMove to the left.: VPad leftJump (Jump height = twice the character sprite height): B buttonCrouch: VPad down

OverviewThe players job is move through the environments quickly in order to leave the most time possible onthe clock.

Description

She is an exotically dressed tribal girl. Her garb has plenty of drapery to cover her body while flappingdramatically in the breeze, helping exaggerate her movements. Since she is quite agile, this draperyhelps describe her movements to the player clearly. She carries a grappling device that has twoabilities:

1. Grappling hook2. Deploy a parachute-like glider


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Setting and world

Avatar meets Apocalypto

The game world is a mix of fantastical whimsy and the jungles and ancient Mayan civilization ofGuatemala. The enemies and surface properties rely on the fantastical reference ofAvatar. Thegeneral setting and theme are lifted from Apocalypto with jungle and temple environments as well asthe overall theme of escape.

Character special abilities

1. Grappling hook (fires roughly the players jump height from the player)2. Parachute (behaves as the grapple but when holding the A button it allows the player to glide)3. The Stomp (unlocked in the first level) - The player may hold B and concentrate her momentumdownward. When she strikes an enemy, it knocks them to the ground momentarily. When she strikes ahard surface, it causes shockwaves that disorient enemies. When she strikes a trampoline or teleport

surface (both described below) it concentrates her momentum, allowing her to amplify it by 2x(important when coming out of a teleporter or hitting a trampoline).

Key references

Figure 2: Environment and Theme


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Figure 3: Fauna, Flora, and Characterization


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Figure 4: Lighting and Rendering Style

Controls

iPhone/iPad

Virtual pad and two buttons ( A and B)

Move to the right: VPad RightMove to the left: VPad Left

Jump: B button

Crouch: VPad DownSpecial 1: Grapple A buttonSpecial 2: Paraglide A button (hold)Special 3: Stomp B button + VPad down

Notes:

1. No action occurs under virtual controls (ie. No enemies appear under the players thumb)2. Detection of press and hold should be forgiving as the player cant feel button presses


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Gameplay elements

Surfaces (Ex: solid ground that the player collides with)

Special Surface Types.

Surface #1: Teleport LiquidProperties: This liquid looks like glowing water. When the player enters it she is teleported to nearestteleport stone (described below). Momentum is preserved when teleporting (e.g. Portal, Portal 2). Thissurface behaves like the blue portal in Portal.

Surface #2: TrampolineProperties: Stretched hide between poles. Momentum is increased when the player leaves thesurface. The player is propelled opposite of surface (2x)-(.5xgravity). If being propelled down gravityit would be -.5x.

If the player uses the Stomp ability while falling, it multiplies her momentum and this is preservedwhen using Trampolines.

Surface #3: TentaclesProperties: Plant tentacles that hold the player for 1 second, stealing her momentum, slowing herdown.

If the player had increased momentum from a Trampoline Surface and touched a Tentacle, she wouldlose her momentum bonus. If she were to touch another, she would begin to fall as if she had walkedoff a ledge (normal gravity).

This can slow the players pace.


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nteractive elements

Interactive element #1: Loose Stone

Gameplay: The player may use the Stomp ability to break open Loose Stones. They contain timebonuses. If the player collides with one going at least 1.75x full run speed they will also break. Thegrapple will destroy them as well.

The more difficult the Loose Stone is to get to, the bigger the time bonus.

Interactive element #2: Teleport StoneGameplay:

Teleport Stones serve as checkpoints within the level. If the checkpoint is reached the first time withina set amount of time a time bonus is given. If reached after the mini-timer, no bonus is given, timecontinues to count down as normal.

The stones also serve as destinations for the player when they fall into Teleport Liquid. The activeTeleport Stone will be the destination teleporter when the player falls into the liquid (e.g. orange portalin Portal).

Momentum is preserved from before the player enters the liquid. Falling into this liquid can be asetback in some instances but in others it serves as the only way forward as exiting the Teleport Stone

with the proper momentum allows the player to reach high ledges.

Interactive element #2: Bounce PadGameplay: This object behaves like a trampoline but it magnifies the players momentum by 2x whenlaunching from it.


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Enemies

Enemy #1: BumblerBehaviour: Bumblers have a slow, hovering flight. If the player touches one, she falls, losing allmomentum. The Bumbler also fires blue (like the Teleport Liquid) gel balls. If struck by one of theseballs, the player will teleport to the last activated Teleporter. This gel behaves exactly like the TeleportLiquid.

The player may also grapple to the Bumbler in order to cross gaps that are to traverse any other way.

Enemy #2: Rumbler

Behaviour: Rumblers are rock creatures that slam the ground with their flat fists. They cause tremorswhich can knock the player back, slowing her time. The only way that a player can jump over them isby using Stomp close to him which knocks him down, allowing the player to jump over him. Grapplingis also an option when something low enough for the player to grapple onto.

Reward system

In levelSmall numeric rewards are given throughout gameplay that serve as time bonuses, extending the timeleft bar in the upper left corner on the hud. These are given for reaching Teleport Stoneswithin alimited time or by breaking open Loose Stones.

The object of the game is to have the most time possible left on the timer bar.

Between levelsBetween levels the player is shown time which is also currency. The player may purchaseaugmentations to her abilities with time. Such as longer grapple rope, faster run speed, ect.

A score screen is displayed as well which can be shared with other players for bragging rights.

Player behaviourThis encourages the player to care about time taken to complete tasks. The player may also replay asegment of a level for a better time and to earn time as well. The player may choose to replay asegment (between two Teleport Stones or a whole Level) between levels or once the game iscompleted.

This encourages replay, practice, gloating by players which keeps people playing, wanting more, andtalking about the game.


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Game audience

Features for a broader audience1. The lack of violence is a key component. This makes the game appropriate for younger audiencesas well as those not interested in kill or be killed antics.

2. Simple, painted art style. Keeping colours bright and easy to read as well as environments free fromoverly busy scenes helps non-gamers understand the game world more quickly.

3. Lack of death as punishment. The player cannot die. The only failure is taking more time. Theplayer is shown her accomplishments between levels, never her failures, which adds confidence for

non-gamers who would normally feel frustrated at losing.

4. The fact that we have a heroine who is fully clothed not using violence as a tool for problem solvingseems like a pretty strong case already.


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The first level

Visual references

Figure 5: Level References


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Level design

The Gravity Boots are obtained when the player falls down into a pit with a Bounce Pad at the bottom.A prompt comes up on the screen informing the player to press and hold the B button to gravitate to aGravity Surface. In this case there is one above the player that is only reachable when momentumfrom the Bounce Pad as been built up.

The player must use the Gravity Boots to stick to the Gravity Surface at the top of the map in order to

progress.

Figure 6: Level Design

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