Wednesday 5 December 2012

Documentation

Proper documentation is absolutely crucial to ensure a project is handled efficiently and production is fixed to a schedule. Every part of the project must be outlined in detail; from the games software specifications, to the voice actors and their scripts. Everything must be documented, approved then set into motion.

In order to understand the workings of proper game documentation I shall attempt a dry run of a project brief myself. In it I will include my personal aims and objectives, platform, genre, audience, technology and software. Along with this I shall supply technical specifications for a lead character, a non-playable character, a vehicle, an environment, and any extra props or scenery objects.

Project outline: My primary objective for this particular project will be to produce a piece of game documentation to a standard to which it may be used towards an actual project. The main learning outcomes would be the knowledge I would have obtained along with the organizational skills I hope to attain in creating efficient documentation.

My platform of choice would be the current generation line-up of consoles including the PS3, Xbox360 and the Wii U. All three of these consoles have similar specifications and graphical capabilities which should allow for graphics of a fairly high standard. I also would like the game to marketed as a downloadable arcade game, since the nature of the finished product will be akin to the arcade experience.

The genre will be a variation of survival horror, in which the main focus of the game would be to escape and effectively hide from your pursuer or stalker. The main character will have a Panic metre which will fill depending on how much damage they take and how close a stalker gets to them. Once filled the character will go into a state of PANIC which will cause the player to lose control of their character. Being attacked during panic will result in death. The level is successfully completed once the character reaches a SAFE POINT or an EXIT.

The game will also include puzzle elements such traversing the environments and finding keys for doors. The game will be set across a series of levels resembling a forest-like area surrounded by tall trees and other derelict structures as well as some city-scenes. Assets may be reused and combined with others in order to save on memory and time.

Films that will be of influence are “The Amityville Horror” and “Panic Room” since both involve evading a dangerous pursuer and attempting to hide from them.


 
 

Other games that have had a similar concept are “Haunting Ground” and “Clock Tower 3”. Both took advantage of stalking enemies and a panic system. (Both games are property of Capcom)



 
 
 
 
The desired audience would be fans of the above mentioned games as well as the Resident Evil series (also by Capcom) and survival horror in general. Puzzler enthusiasts may also take interest in the game. Capcom would be the preferred publisher for said game if lucky enough to be published.

Technology and software I would utilize are:

-3DS Max: for its intricate modelling capabilities

-Photoshop: to produce diffuse, normal and specular maps

-Crazybump: to render said normal and specular maps

-UDK: an ideal engine to import the assets and build the environments within.

Note: these also happen to be the only software I know how to use… So they’ll do!

Technical Specifications:


Lead Character
Young female character, approximately 16. Her appearance will need to appear very innocent and fragile in order to make the contrast between her and the stalker that much more apparent.

-Triangle count: 3’500 triangles

-1x1024 diffuse texture sheet

-1x1024 normal map

-1x1024 specular map

Reference imagery:








Fiona Belli - Haunting Ground
Mayu Amakura -  Fatal Frame 2


Non-Playable Character

A middle-aged man, approximately 45. Grotesque in appearance, with a menacing demeanour and a manipulative personality. Attacks will be calculated yet aggressive and his stalking methods will stealth-like with bursts of chase.

-Triangle count: 3’500 triangles

-1x1024 diffuse texture sheet

-1x1024 normal map

-1x1024 specular map

Reference imagery:

Dark Man - Clock Tower 3
Debilitas - Haunting Ground
 
 

Vehicle
An old fashioned motorbike in bad condition; may be used to cross large areas before running out of petrol.

-Triangle count: 1’500 triangles

-1x512 diffuse texture sheet

-1x512 normal map

-1x512 specular map

Reference imagery:
 
Vintage Motorcycle
 

Environment

Reference imagery:
City backstreet at night
 
Forest level from 'Slender Man'
 
Belli Castle - Haunting Ground

Several different assets such as small buildings, trees and other structures. On set can resemble city buildings, another a forest of trees with log cabins and a final scene might be a castle courtyard.

-Technical specifications may vary slightly but each level should be within 10’000 triangles

-each asset will utilize its own 1x256 diffuse, normal and specular map

-All assets will be placed and arranged into UDK


Props and Scenery Objects



Evasion Weapons such gun powder or nail bombs may be thrown at a stalker to either distract them or injure them; effectively hindering their perusal temporarily.

-700 triangles per weapon

-1x256 diffuse texture map per weapon

-1x256 normal map per weapon

-1x256 specular map per weapon

- decals and planes may be used to project particle effects upon weapons rupturing

Reference imagery:





Gun Powder
 
Nail Bomb
 

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