Design Document for:
Blackened
Will your soul be eaten?
All work free for use and distribution.
Written by Mark Price
Version # 1
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 Table of Contents
Name of Game__________________________________________________________________ 1
Game Overview________________________________________________________________ 4
The Pitch______________________________________________________________________ 4
How?________________________________________________________________________ 4
Common Questions______________________________________________________________ 4
What is the game?_______________________________________________________________ 4
Why create this game?___________________________________________________________ 4
Where does the game take place?___________________________________________________ 4
What do I control?______________________________________________________________ 5
What is the main focus?__________________________________________________________ 5
What's different?_______________________________________________________________ 5
Feature Set____________________________________________________________________ 6
General Features_______________________________________________________________ 6
Multi-player Features__________________________________________________________ 6
Game play______________________________________________________________________ 6
The World_____________________________________________________________________ 7
Overview______________________________________________________________________ 7
The Environment_______________________________________________________________ 7
Lighting_______________________________________________________________________ 7
The Physical World_____________________________________________________________ 7
Overview______________________________________________________________________ 7
Key Locations__________________________________________________________________ 7
Travel________________________________________________________________________ 8
Scale_________________________________________________________________________ 8
Day and Night__________________________________________________________________ 8
Camera________________________________________________________________________ 8
Overview______________________________________________________________________ 8
Movie Camera__________________________________________________________________ 8
Game Characters______________________________________________________________ 9
Overview______________________________________________________________________ 9
Character Class Selection______________________________________________________ 9
Enemies _______________________________________________________________________ 9
User Interface________________________________________________________________ 10
Overview_____________________________________________________________________ 10
Weapons_______________________________________________________________________ 11
Overview_____________________________________________________________________ 11
DravEmit_____________________________________________________________________ 11
Drevlin Rifle _________________________________________________________________ 11
Grenade ______________________________________________________________________ 11
HanDrav______________________________________________________________________ 11
Necros Blaster________________________________________________________________ 11
Purger Rifle___________________________________________________________________ 11
Soul Seeker___________________________________________________________________ 11
Musical Scores and Sound Effects____________________________________________ 12
Overview_____________________________________________________________________ 12
Sound Design__________________________________________________________________ 12
Multi-player Game___________________________________________________________ 13
Overview_____________________________________________________________________ 13
Max Players__________________________________________________________________ 13
Servers_______________________________________________________________________ 13
Customization_________________________________________________________________ 13
Player Stats__________________________________________________________________ 13
Character Rendering_________________________________________________________ 14
Overview_____________________________________________________________________ 14
FX_____________________________________________________________________________ 14
Overview_____________________________________________________________________ 14
Extra Miscellaneous Information___________________________________________ 15
Overview_____________________________________________________________________ 15
Junk I am working on..._________________________________________________________ 15
"Assets Appendix"_____________________________________________________________ 16
Character Models_____________________________________________________________ 16
Weapon Models________________________________________________________________ 16
Player Object Models__________________________________________________________ 16
Environment Models___________________________________________________________ 16
~ Los Angeles___________________________________________________________ 16
~ The Antarctic_________________________________________________________ 16
FX Assets_____________________________________________________________________ 17
"User Interface Appendix"___________________________________________________ 18
Custom Animation Appendix"_________________________________________________ 19
Player Animations_____________________________________________________________ 19
Necros Animations_____________________________________________________________ 19
"Story Appendix"_____________________________________________________________ 20
Gameplay Appendix"__________________________________________________________ 21
The Pitch
Blackened will be a success at the Art Institute and Game-Wizards due to the delicate nature in which its' creation is being handled. Blackened is not meant to revolutionize the gaming industry as much as it is to revolutionize the way games are designed at the Art Institute. Because of the time, talent, and professional skill that will be utilized in the production of Blackened, each team member that works on this project will have the opportunity to create an outstanding portfolio, more so amazing than any portfolio piece that has been created through the production of any game in the history of Game-Wizards.
How?
Blackened will feature the work of multiple programmers, allowing features to enter the game that would normally be unavailable.
Blackened, in its' production, will incorporate an intense efficiency management structure, which will allow tasks to be completed on time, and create a more stress free work environment.
The unique story and game play design will allow Blackened to be played again and again with little repetition in its' game play.
Blackened is a third person, multiplayer, cooperative shooter that will combine a unique story line with a new and daring style of game play. Players will be able to play Blackened and feel as if they are in a movie. All game design is created around the purpose of developing an intense atmosphere in every aspect, allowing players to enjoy the adrenaline, shock, and heart pounding action that they love in their favorite movies.
One of the main purposes of Blackened is to allow students to have the opportunity to create enhanced additions to their portfolio, more so than has ever been seen in Game-Wizards before. Another main purpose of Blackened is to allow students to work in a more business-oriented environment with a chain of command structure, showing the school, the industry, and the gaming world that the students at the Art Institute are serious about the projects they work on. Lastly, another reason for the creation of Blackened is to bring forth a more advanced, fun, and professional game than has ever been witnessed at the Art Institute.
Where does the game take place?
Blackened takes place on Earth, in the aftermath of a raging and devastating war that has occurred between the human race and the Necros. In the year 2045, scientists and engineers successfully tested an invention that involved creating a black hole within a test tube. All previous knowledge and theories about a black hole were dissolved as this newly created worm hole spouted out legions of a new enemy threat, the Necros. The Necros are a ghost-like entity that entered the Earth and have waged a war with its inhabitants. Cities have been demolished and the streets are desolate. The growing Necro armies have caused the sun to disappear and have left the world in a stormy darkness. There are two different locations. The first location is set in a devastated Los Angeles. This level takes place on a dark and rainy night. The second location takes place at a Blackened spaceport and research facility in the Antarctic. This location is where the Necros have originated from. Scientists used this location with the intent of being as far away from human civilization as possible.
What do I control?
The player will play the role of a soldier, sent with a group of soldiers as a last resort, ordered to eliminate the Necros threat and rescue any survivors. Players will play online together, cooperatively. Players will have access to various items, such as weapons, rocket packs, night vision, and more. In order to survive in Blackened, players must unite and work together as a team.
There are two levels in Blackened, both having a separate game play focus. The Los Angeles level is a type of survival mode level. When the level begins, a countdown clock will start, and players will have a set amount of time to survive before they accomplish the mission. As the time passes, enemies will attack and become more difficult. If you die, you are out of the game for that round.
In the second level, which takes place in the Antarctic, players will work together to get from point A to point B, encountering various enemies and bosses along the way. In this level, the player(s) will have the opportunity to search out the source of the Necros and hopefully seal up the black hole from which they originate.
The main feature that separates Blackened from the other games that have been made not only in Game-Wizards, but in the entire gaming industry as well, is the fact that an extraordinary amount of care and detail is being put into the cinematic style of the game environment. Players will truly feel like they are participating in a movie as they experience non-linear events and a movie-convincing atmosphere.
3rd person Camera
Cooperative Gameplay
Team survival
Team quest
Interactive cinematic gameplay
Custom Characters
Custom Animations
Custom Programming
Up to 30 Players in one game
No re-spawning upon death
Team items to promote team cooperation
Cinematic interactive gameplay
Player Slider boots movement
Jet Pack flight
Player tumbling
Survival Mode
Quest Mode
Dynamic enemy spawning (never the same place twice)
Certain items destructible
Survival Expert mode
Blackened takes place here on Earth, in the aftermath of a raging and devastating war that has occurred between the human race and the Necros. The Necros are a ghost-like entity that entered the Earth through a black hole and have waged a war with its inhabitants. Cities have been demolished and streets have become barren. The growing Necros armies have caused the sun to disappear and have left the world in a stormy darkness. There are two different locations. The first location is set in a devastated Los Angeles. This level takes place on a dark and rainy night. The second location takes place at a Blackened spaceport and research facility in the Antarctic. This location takes place in the middle of a heavy blizzard.
The Environment
The Necros have seemed to not only feed on the souls of humans, but on the Earth itself. The skies have been turned to darkness and gloom. Rain funnels down from the heavens on a daily basis. Thunder and lightning are a common show. Cities like Los Angeles have been left in ruin. Plants and foliage have overcome the once busy cityscapes. The streets are still and dead silent.
Lighting
There is an overall atmosphere of darkness and death throughout the world. Much of the lighting in Blackened is generated artificially through lanterns and flashlights. Other lighting comes from the frequent short bursts of lightning that crashes down from the sky. A feeling of hopelessness, fear, and despair will be derived from the lighting.
Due to the fact that many areas in Blackened will be quite dark, this will relieve the need to create a zealous amount of normal maps.
The physical world as far as the players are concerned, is normal in size when compared to most shooter games. It will be large enough to house up to 30 players as well as enough enemies to combat against the players. A good 1 - 2 city blocks should make up the extent that the player can travel.
The Los Angeles level will be filled with buildings and other common city objects. Some of the buildings will have stairs, balconies, and roofs, allowing the players to reposition themselves.
The Antarctic level consists of glacial mountain ranges, icebergs, dark, damp tunnels, large ship hangars, bridges, and large open spaces.
Los Angeles - The key location for the player is the main square. Players should stick together in this square if they want to survive the Necros attack. Other key locations are on top of buildings and balconies.
Antarctica - There is not really a key location for the players on this map due to its' linear setup. Players must continue to move as quickly as they can, for if they don't, then a swarm of Necros will close in on them and wipe them out. There will be particular sections throughout the level that will present the players with a particular challenge or "boss" battle here and there, but when this occurs, players will have the option of seeking "higher ground" or other vantage points in order to gain an advantage in eliminating the enemy threat.
Rather than running, players will be able to slide/hover across the ground, utilizing Slider Boots. This type of movement is faster than a normal run and allows player to slip out of harms grasp in a quick manner.
Player scale is normal as that to a human being on planet earth. Most generic enemy creatures will stand approximately 7-9 feet tall, and 4-7 feet wide.
The Los Angeles level takes place just after dusk. The Antarctic level takes place during the daytime, though a severe blizzard prevents any direct sunlight from beaming down.
The camera style is a behind the shoulder, third person camera. A player will be able to observe their character in its fullness, from head to foot. There will also be a cinematic camera mode that will allow players to observe their character from a movie type perspective.
Movie Camera
Players will press a button on their keyboard, causing their character to go into Movie Camera mode. This camera will basically move around and look at the player in accordance with standard real-life movie camera shots.
Game Characters
There are two main classes of characters, the Necros and the humans.
The humans are experienced soldiers sent to Earth as the last wave of soldiers with the sole mission of eliminating the Necros threat and rescuing any survivors.
The Necros are a mindless race of deadly creatures that once existed in another world. They are vicious and do not stop killing until they die.
Character Class Selection
Players will be able to select from 1 of 4 different classes before the game starts; Blaster (Heavy Weapons), Soul Seeker (Sniper), Purifier (Purger Weapon), Blitzer (Drevlin Rifle). The player is assigned the weapon that is associated with the selected class. Each player will also be given a HandDrav, with the exception of the Purifier Class, who is given a DravEmit (shotgun) alongside the Purger weapon.
The Necros are spirit creatures that feast on the souls of the human race. There are multiple species of Necros within Blackened. The main creature is somewhat insectoid in appearance. When attacking, a Necros will typically leap at its prey and rip its soul right from its body, and then begin to devour it. They do not fly, but can move and leap at rapid speeds. Necros also have the ability to climb walls and other structures.
There will also be other various creatures and boss creatures within Blackened.
The user interface in Blackened is much like unto other similar titles in its genre.
Players will move their character with typical keyboard keys, while moving the camera with the mouse.
All weapons in Blackened have been specially designed to kill the enemy Necros. Bullets have all been previously charged with Drevlin.
There are 7 main weapons in Blackened.
They are as follows:
Drav Emit
Drevlin Rifle
Grenade
HanDrav
Necros Blaster
Purger Rifle
Sniper Rifle
DravEmit Standard shotgun
Drevlin Rifle Standard Assault Rifle
GrenadeA grenade that sends out a static charge of Drevlin, which seeks out all nearby enemy Necros
HanDravStandard Handgun - secondary weapon
Necro BlasterHeavy weapons gun that rests on the players shoulders-two separate barrels sit in front of the player and fire
Purger RifleSends out a beam of Drevlin that disintegrates enemy Necros
Soul SeekerStandard Sniper rifle
Musical Scores and Sound Effects Overview
Blackened will feature 3 different musical scores. The 1st will be played while the initial hud/user interface/main menu is displayed. Each level will feature its own musical score. The scores will be developed around the activities that take place in a typical game, to heighten the cinematic feeling at each pivotal moment.
All sound will be custom designed, from weapon sounds to thunder.
Multiplayer Game
There are two main game modes and levels for multiplayer. The first game mode takes place in the Los Angeles level. This is survival mode. Players must stay alive until the clock counts down to zero. The second game mode takes place in the Antarctic level. Players will travel from point A - B, fighting creatures and bosses along the way.
The max amount of players in a level will be 30.
Blackened games can be hosted on a client side computer.
Prior to starting a game match, players must select which class they will play for the upcoming round. Each class is accompanied with certain weapons and a different player character.
Player Stats
Player statistics will be saved on the server client computer. Stats we be shown at the end of each game. Players will also be able to view their overall game stats from the main menu. The statistics that will appear on the stat board are:
Kills
Headshots
Grenade Fatalities
Time Alive
All character models will have a high poly and a low poly version. From the high poly version, a normal map will be generated to be placed on the low poly.
FX
Overview
Blackened will feature custom FX for all needed particles.
"Assets Appendix -Work In Progress" Character Models
Male - Heavy Weapons
Male - Blitzer
Male - Sniper
Female - Purger
Necros Neodiprion (Neo Necros)
Necros #2
Necros Boss #1
Necros Boss #2
Necros Bridge Boss
Weapon Models
Necro Blaster (Heavy Weapon)
HanDrav (Handgun)
Purger (Laser Beam Gun)
Soul Seeker (Sniper Rifle)
Grenade
Drevlin Rifle (Assault Rifle)
DravEmit (Shotgun)
Player Object Models
Jet Pack
Night Vision Goggles
Slider Boots
Environment Models
Los Angeles
Vehicle #1
Vehicle #2
Vehicle #3
Vehicle #4
Vehicle #5
Mailbox #1
Steet Light #1
Stop Sign #1
Parking Meter #1
Hot Dog Stand #1
Bike Rack #1 (With bikes)
Train/Airplane Wreckage #1
Antarctic
Pillar #1
Pillar #2
Pillar #3
Pillar #4
Pillar #5
Beam #1
Beam #2
Beam #3
Beam #4
Beam #5
Beam #6 Alpha Wireframe
Crate #1
Crate #2
Crate #3
Computer Terminal #1
Computer Terminal #2
Fighter Jet
Crashed transport ship
Metal Stairs
Caution Barrier
Rubble Rocks Large
Rubble Rocks Small
Bridge Segments 1-10
Main Hangar door and doorway
Broken, fallen main hangar door
Light Fixtures on/off versions
Broken Ship Parts
Explosion mark decal
FX Assets
Exit wound trail creature hit
Muzzle Flash - Necro Blaster (Heavy Weapon)
Muzzle Flash - HanDrav (Handgun)
Muzzle Flash - Purger (Laser Beam Gun)
Muzzle Flash - Soul Seeker (Sniper Rifle)
Explosion - Grenade
Drevlin Trail - Grenade
Muzzle Flash - Drevlin Rifle (Assault Rifle)
Muzzle Flash - DravEmit (Shotgun)
"Custom Animation Appendix - Work In Progress"
Player
Crouch Throw Grenade
Crouch Necros Blaster
Switch Gun Animation (Make UT3 animation better)
Slider Run
Player Taunt
Necros
Neo Necros
Idle (head twists, legs lift up etc.)
Leap Attack
Attack1
Attack2
"Gameplay Appendix - Work In Progress"
