Legend of The Village Idiot

GAMEDESIGNDOCUMENT
Version1.0
FirstPlayableMilestone

November4,2012

TeamMembers:

Producer
HeathStang

GameDesigner
RobertGervais

TechnicalDirector
AllanGutierrez

Programmer
ZacharyBlystone

CharacterArtist
AmandaA.J.Jones

CharacterArtist
RobynR.E.Collins

EnvironmentArtist
TaraFernon

TeamName
AwesomePossum

GAM200,FallSemester2012

Professors
BenEllinger
RachelRutherford
ChrisPeters
PatrickBulman
RichardRowan

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TableofContents
GameDescription .................................................................................................................... 3
CoreGameplay ......................................................................................................................... 3
GameFlow.................................................................................................................................. 3
GameMechanics ...................................................................................................................... 3
WinCondition.....................................................................................................................................3
LoseCondition....................................................................................................................................3
Items......................................................................................................................................................3
TimedPuzzles ....................................................................................................................................4
Physics ..................................................................................................................................................4
Intelligence..........................................................................................................................................4
IntelligenceTable .............................................................................................................................4
Hints ......................................................................................................................................................4
HintCostTable...................................................................................................................................5
GameEnvironment ................................................................................................................. 5
PlayableCharacter.................................................................................................................. 5
NonPlayableCharacter ........................................................................................................ 5
Camera ........................................................................................................................................ 6
InGamePlayerInput ............................................................................................................. 7
HUD .............................................................................................................................................. 8
HUDContent .......................................................................................................................................8
Menus .......................................................................................................................................... 9
MainMenuMockUp ........................................................................................................................9
Buttons................................................................................................................................................................. 9
InGameMenuMockUp............................................................................................................... 10
Buttons.............................................................................................................................................................. 10
StoryDesign ............................................................................................................................11
VisualDesign...........................................................................................................................11
Art........................................................................................................................................................ 11
BoothPieces ................................................................................................................................................... 11
BackgroundPieces ...................................................................................................................................... 11
CharacterPieces ........................................................................................................................................... 11
ItemPieces ...................................................................................................................................................... 11
UIPieces ........................................................................................................................................................... 12
AudioDesign ...........................................................................................................................12
PhysicsDesign ........................................................................................................................12
InterfaceFlow.........................................................................................................................13

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GameDescription

HelpTheVillageIdiotsolvechallengingandfunphysicspuzzles.TheBoothMaster
presentsplayerswithpuzzlesastheyprogressthroughlevelswithincreasingly
challengingpuzzles.Theplayersmaingoalistosolvephysicspuzzleswithitems
thataredisplayedintheirtoolkit.Theplayerwillgrowtheirintelligencemeteras
theyprogressthrougheachlevel.

CoreGameplay
SolvingphysicspuzzlesbybuildingRubeGoldbergesquecontraptionswithitemsin
theirtoolkit.Buildingintelligence,usingitemstosolvepuzzles,andlimited
dialoguewiththeBoothMaster.

GameFlow

Thegamebeginswithonlyonepuzzlepiecemissing.TheDialogueBoxwilltellthe
playerwhattheyneedtodoinordertosolvethepuzzle.Theplayerwillhavealow
intelligencemeter,butthatwontmatterduringthetutorialbecausetheHint
Systemwilltraintheplayeronhowtosolvethefirstfewpuzzles.Eachpuzzlewill
introduceadifferenttypeofphysicspuzzleanditwillhaveadistinctsolutionfor
everypuzzle.Levelsthatcomeafterthetutoriallevelswillbeginrequiretheplayer
tousethemultiplephysicselementstosolvethepuzzles,suchasusingballsand
rampstolaunchasackofflourintoanoven.

GameMechanics
WinCondition

Successfullysolvingthepuzzle.
o Theplayerwillmoveontothenextpuzzleifthisoccurs.

LoseCondition

Playerfailstosolvethepuzzle.
o Whentheplayerfailstosolvethepuzzle,theHintSystemwill
providethemahintandrestartthepuzzlefromthelastsavedstate.

Items

Itemsneededtosolvethepuzzlewillbeplacedintheplayerstoolkit.
o Itemsthataresuperfluoustosolvingthepuzzlewillpresentan
obstacleforplayerstosolvethepuzzle.

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TimedPuzzles

Atimerwillstartwhentheplayerbeginstosolvethepuzzle,andend
whentheycompletethepuzzle.
Anoptimalsolutiontimewillbeposted.
o Iftheplayerrunsovertheoptimaltime,thetimerwillkeepgoing
andamultipliereffectwilldecreasetheintelligenceovertimeat
therateof1pointpersecond.
Iftheplayerfailstosolvethepuzzle,thetimerkeepsgoing;however,the
puzzleisjustresettotheprevioussavedstate.
o Timeisamultiplierwhenrewardingtheplayerwithintelligence.

Physics

Itemsinthetoolkitwillhavethefollowingphysicalproperties:
Mass
RigidBodies
VaryingGravity
WithEulerIntegration,objectswillbecapableofsimulating:
Velocity
Acceleration
SimpleCollision&Response
StaticRotation
Friction
Somespecialphysicsobjectsinclude:
Ropes/Belts
Springs
(Formoreinformationaboutphysics,refertotheAppendix)

Intelligence

TheIntelligenceBarwillgovernhowmanytimesaplayermayaskforhelp
fromtheHintSystem.
ThehighertheIntelligence,themoreaplayermayaskforhelp.
Thefasteraplayerfinishesapuzzle,themoreintelligenceisgained.
TotalIntelligence:100points
IftheIntelligenceMeterrunsout,theplayermustrestartthepuzzlefrom
thelastsavedstate.

IntelligenceTable
GrowthRate
BelowOptimalTime
GrowthRate=(Time)*(+2Points)

DecayRate
AboveOptimalTime
DecayRate=(Time)*(1Point)

Hints
HintswillbedisplayedinaDialogueboxwithintheGameEnvironment.
Playersmayaskforhintsaslongastheyhaveenoughintelligencepoints
todoso.
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Hintswillprovideplayerswithcluesleadingtothesolutionofthe
particularpuzzletheyreworkingon.

HintCostTable
HintType
ObjectInfo
PuzzleHints

Cost(Points)
2
2*(NumberofPuzzleHintsRequestedInLevel)

GameEnvironment

Eachlevelwillpresentplayerswithanewpuzzleforplayerstosolveby
usingitemsintheirtoolkit.
Theplayerwillhavetomanagertheirintelligencemeterbylimitinghow
manyhintstheyaskforandbytryingtofinishthepuzzleasquicklyas
possible.
Iftheplayerasksforahint,theDialogueboxwilldisplayingamemessages.
Iftheplayerneedsinformationonaparticularitem,informationaboutthe
itemwillbedisplayedintheDialoguebox.
Iftheplayercannotsolveapuzzle,ahintwillbedisplayedandtheplayercan
restartfromtheirsavedstatetotryandsolvethepuzzle.

PlayableCharacter
PeppotheDwarfisthecharacterthatplayersarehelpingtosolvepuzzlesatthe
BoothMasterstable.TheBoothMasterseesPeppoasacompleteidiotabilityto
solvepuzzles.Asplayerssolvepuzzles,Pepposintelligencemeterincreasesandthe
BoothMasterwillchangehisopinionofhim.

NonPlayableCharacter
TheBoothMasterseesPeppoasacompleteidiotwhodoesnthavetheabilityto
solvepuzzles.TheBoothMasterantagonizesPeppoasplayerssolvepuzzles.If
playersneedahint,theBoothMasterwillofferthehintwithtongueincheek.

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Camera

Thecameraspositionwillbefixed.

Thecamerashouldbesetuptolooksomethinglikethis:

ThisisapicturetakenfromTheIncredibleMachineshowingatoolkit,adialogue
box,HUDelements,andthepuzzlesolvingarea.

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InGamePlayerInput

Mouseinputwillonlybeused.

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HUD

AGeneralConcept:

HUDContent

Timer:Startswhenthelevelstarts,andendswhentheplayersolvesthe
puzzle.
IntelligenceMeter:Metershouldbeemptyatthestartofthegameand
decrease/increaseastheplayerprogressesthroughthelevels.
Dialogue/TextInterfaceSystem:Thisishowplayerswillinteractwiththe
BoothMaster,whoantagonizesthemandgivesthemhintsAtacost.
ItemToolKit:Objectsneededtosolvethepuzzlearelocatedontheright.

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Menus

Thefollowingtwomenumockupsareavailable.Notethateachmenulayoutisa
generalideaofhowthemenushouldlook.

MainMenuMockUp

Buttons
Start:Beginstheselectedpuzzleinthegame.
Load:Allowstheplayertoloadasavedpuzzle.
Save:Allowsplayertosavecurrentstate.
Quit:Exitthegame.
Credits:LeadstoCreditsscreen.
Baker:Thisisthefirstthemedpuzzlethattheplayerwillsolve.
Butcher:SecondthemedPuzzlethattheplayerwillsolve.
Blacksmith:FinalthemedPuzzlethattheplayerwillsolve.
Easy:ActivatesEasyDifficultyMode.
Medium:ActivatesMediumDifficultyMode.
Hard:ActivatesHardDifficultyMode.

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InGameMenuMockUp

Buttons
Start:Beginstheselectedpuzzleinthegame.
Load:Allowstheplayertoloadasavedpuzzle.
Save:Allowsplayertosavecurrentstate.
Quit:Exitthegame.
Info:Allowsplayertogetinformationonanobject.
Hint:Allowsplayertogetahinttohelpthemsolvethepuzzle.

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StoryDesign

Thethemeofthestoryis:DontJudgeaBookbyItsCover.
Thegameissetataboothinthemidstofafestivalin16thCenturyItaly.
AcruelBoothMasterantagonizestheonlydwarfinthePiazzabytellingthe
dwarfthatheisprobablytoostupidtosolveeventhesimplestofpuzzles.
PeppotheDwarf(themainprotagonist)wantstoprovethatthereismoreto
himthanmeetstheeyeashegarnersyourhelpinsolvingtheBoothMasters
themedphysicspuzzles.

VisualDesign

Goingforamedievalfestivalfeel.
AVenetiancolorpaletteshouldbeusesasthefestivalissetinItaly.
Itemsneedtoberusticandworn;basically,itemsneedtolooklikealotof
peoplehavetriedtheirhandatsolvingthepuzzles.
Charactercostumesshouldbebasedon16thcenturyVenice.
AllUIobjectsandButtonsshouldbestylizedtofitthe16thcenturyVenetian
Festivaltheme.

Art
Thefollowingpiecesareperiodspecificandlistedforreference:
BoothPieces
Table
BoothMastersHands
BoothEnvironmentalPieces
BackgroundPieces
SpeedPaintedBoothBackgrounds
SpeedPaintedMainMenuBackground
SpeedPaintedSplashScreenBackground
SpeedPaintedCreditsScreenBackground
CharacterPieces
BoothMastersPaintedPortraits
PeppotheDwarfsPaintedPortraits
ItemPieces
Ball
Rope
Barrier(Wall)
Flat(Platform)
Incline(Platform)
Belt
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MouseinCage
WaterPipe
ExplosiveDevice
Arrow
Sword
Hammer
Anvil
Bellow
Sickle
Coins
Shield
Basket
Eggs
FlourSack
MilkJug
AleJug
Barrel
WineBottle

UIPieces
ThemedFonts
ThemedScrollBar
ThemedButton
ThemedMouseCursor

AudioDesign

Festivemedievalmusicthatimmersestheplayerintotheworld.
Theplayershouldfeelcalmwhilesolvingthepuzzles,sothemusicneedsto
beconducivetoacalmyetfestiveatmosphere.
Smallbackgroundsounds,suchascoinagespilling,birdschirping,orpeople
laughing,shouldbeincorporatedintotheaudiodesigntosimulateaboothat
afestival.

PhysicsDesign

MassItemssuchasplatforms,crates,andballswillhavemass.
RigidBodiesObjectswillhaveacenterofmassreferenceframe.
VaryingGravitySomeobjectswillnothavegravityappliedtothem.
VelocityDifferentobjectswillhavedifferentvelocityproperties
dependingontheforceapplied.
AccelerationSomeobjectswilldecelerateandaccelerate.
SimpleCollision&ResponseCircletoCircle,CircletoBox,andBoxto
BoxCollisionwillbeused.
StaticRotationSomeplatformswillbeabletorotateinplace.

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FrictionFrictionwillbeusedtoslowobjectsdown.
Ropes/BeltsThesewillbeusedtoconnectobjectstogether.
SpringsThesewillbeusedtoapplyrestitutiontoobjects.

InterfaceFlow

Notethatthefollowingflowchartonlygivesageneralideaofhowtheplayerwill
experiencetheinterface(Theinterfaceflowchartisveryhighlevel).

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