Game Design Document

Title:  SweepingMiner (GDD)

Author: Christopher Townson
Email: christopher.townson@students.plymouth.ac.uk

URL for project:
http://www.kongregate.com/games/freak4life/sweepingminer-work-in-progress
URL for project blog: http://minesweeper-ctownson.blogspot.co.uk/

Username for project blog:
Password for project blog:

Module: AINT102
Version 0.0

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Scope
3. Target platform(s)
4. Development software

4.1 Engine software

4.2 Programming software

4.3 Artwork software

5. Specification

5.1 Concept

5.2 Story

5.3 Setting

5.4 Game structure

5.5 Players

5.6. Actions

5.7 Objectives

6. Graphics

6.1 Styles

6.2 Fonts

6.3 Colours

6.4 Influences

6.5 Look & Feel

7. Data storage

7.1 Local data

7.2 Online data

7.3. Social data

7.4 Statistical data

7.5 Legal and Ethical Considerations

8. Gameplay

8.1 World

8.2. Object types

8.3 Controls

8.4. Direct control

8.5 Indirect control

9. Supported hardware
10. Screens & menus

10.1. Splash Screen

10.2 Game Interface

10.3. Pause menu

10.4 Options

10.5 Game Over

1. Introduction

The game I originally set out to make was going to be a mix between a plat-former/digger game and the classic game minesweeper, but after I had to ditch the combination of the types and simply stick with a plat-former game after I was unable to make unique game mechanic work in the allotted time. 

2. Scope

Why is it? (document)

3. Target platform(s)

Flash based game websites to be used off of a computer/laptop with a qwerty keyboard.

4. Development Software

 - Stencyl Works

 -  Adobe Illustrator CS6

 - Adobe Photoshop CS6

5. Specification

The concept behind this game was going to be able to use the classic game “Minesweeper” in a modernized way, the character would be able to walk about on top of a screen full of dirt and numbers would appear above each block and by doing that the user can figure out which way to dig, if the user digs a block that has a mine under it the scene will reload. The win scenario would be if the user could dig down and find the cure for the virus underground. 

This has now been changed since that mechanic wouldn’t work. The idea now is that the user will navigate through an assault course type level, avoiding the enemy; “Viral clouds” and collect all the vials of the cure he can find. When all cure vials are collected on the level it will transition to the next, if the player touches a virus cloud then the level will reload. 

5.2 Story

The world has been infected with a virus, everyone you know is infected and if you cannot find all the cures in time they will die, Luckily for you someone has gone through a vast system of underground caverns hiding vials of the cure, go collect them, save your family and loved ones, avoid the virus.

5.3 Setting

The game is set in a vast system of underground caverns, the player is simply a man who is looking for the cure to save the people he loves, in a hazmat suit. 

5.4 Game structure

The level employs a beginning and an end simply like an assault course, the player must pass through the different challenges and reach the end. The obstacles include jumping puzzles, enemies and death pits. 

5.5 Players

Single Player only.

5.6 Actions

Walk, jump, dig.

(dig no longer implemented)

5.7 Objectives

To gather enough of the cure to save everyone he cares about.

6. Graphics

I have gone for a pixel style artwork combined with quite a lighter colour scheme to create something I feel is nice to look at.

6.2 Fonts

Custom fonts

6.3 Colours

Dirt: #624d3a 

Sky: #04386a

Sky2: #4478aa

Character: #e69b1b

Grass: #7bb934

Enemy: #025c02

Enemy2: #092f1a

6.4 Influences

Minesweeper: 

The whole idea of my game derived from the idea of a Minesweeper remake.

Terraria:

The digging and artwork influence came from this game.

6.5 Look & Feel

Idea: 

Character design:

Level Design:

Enemy Design:

7. Data storage

No data storage used. 

8. Gameplay

8.1 World

Underground cavers filled with jumping puzzles and enemies to avoid.

8.2 Object types

 - Enemy: kills the player on collision

 - Collectable: Win when all are picked up, disappears when player collides with object.

8.3 Controls

Arrow keys for left and right movement, Z for jump

8.4 Direct control

8.5 Indirect control

No other control used.

9. Supported hardware

No other supported hardware.

10. Screens & Menus

No start screen used.

“x/x collected” (never got implemented)

Pause screen not implemented

No options implemented.

No real game over scenario, level restarts on player death. 

Published on Kongregate!

Game is completed for now!

Still needs a lot of work doing to it, I am no where near happy with it but the work so far can be found here: http://www.kongregate.com/games/freak4life/sweepingminer-work-in-progress

Collect the Cure

Today I added a collectible item, the idea of the game is to now go through each level avoiding the enemy or "smog" and collect all the vials of the cure, when all are collected the level should end.

Smog

I have now created the virus character and given it a few different behaviors. When the player comes into contact with the virus he will die (character vanishes) but so far I am unable to figure out how to make the scene reload itself.

Now all I have to do is finish off the enemy, make sure the scene reloads when the player is killed and add a win condition.

Update / Level Design

After failing with finding out how to create the game I originally set out to create I have now opted to go for a platformer game as the deadline is getting closer and I do not see me figuring this out in the allotted time, I may continue to work on this after I hand it in as I would really like to create the game I initially wanted to. 

Since it is now only a simple platformer game I have created an assault course type level and now need to go on to add enemies and a win scenario, audio and other touch-ups may come if I have time. 

Here is my level design:

Update

After doing a ton of research and experimentation with Stencyl I still cannot figure out how to create my unique game play mechanic. The idea of having a MineSweeper mechanic to the game is starting to look unlikely.

I am still trying to find a way to have the game work like the original MineSweeper but if I cannot find out how to do this soon I'll end up having to resort to a bog standard platformer game.

Game Preview

Here is how my Tiles, Background and Idle Character all look when fitted together, this is a running version of my game and I have full movement of my character. 

Now I need to start figuring out how I can implement my unique game mechanic to really make this game my own and stand out from others.

Tile Creation

Creating a few different tiles proved to be challenging, I found it hard getting the dirt to look kind of realistic but maintain the art style I was going for. Whilst creating a Tileset I also quickly made a gradient sky blue background for my game.

Here you can see me creating the dirt with grass on the top tile:

I now needed to stick everything I had into Stencyl and see what the product so far looked like and how the different object looked together.

Stencyl Character

I have started to fiddle round with my character in Stencyl now and added in my different sprites. I have had no trouble with the basic behaviors of the character so far although I haven't yet tried to figure out how I can make the character destroy tiles.

The next step for me is to create a tile set and a background and start working on putting my level together.

Sprite Sheet

After creating the basic stance for the character I went on to create the rest of the different character positions such as; jumping left, jumping right and the different walking positions for both left and right.

Here is the sprite sheet I put together after creating all the different character positions.

The next step is to create some tiles for my game and to start implementing the different pieces of artwork into Stencyl.

Character Creation

After thinking up character ideas it was time I moved on to create them on the computer, I initially tried creating my character in Photoshop but after struggling to make something I was happy with I decided vector based software may be a better choice.

I went on to create my character in an idle position on Adobe Illustrator.

After thinking up the idea for the game I had to start thinking about character design and also art style. Stick with the virus theme I thought a character in a Bio hazard suit would be best fitting and so I drew up a couple of ideas.

I first drew up the larger character but decided he wouldn't fit in too well with a block style themed game and so went on to draw a smaller more cartoon like character. The smaller character was my preferred choice as soon as I drew him and so the next step was to recreate him on the computer.

Originally I had an idea for a game that combined a classic game with a modern twist. The classic game was minesweeper and the modern twist was making it into a platformer/digger game.

Here is my initial design for MineSweeper:

The idea was that the user would move around and dig the selected block until they reached the "cure" or win object hidden somewhere in the ground, as with true minesweeper style a mine or "virus bomb" would go off if the wrong block was chosen.