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S:\tom_phd\ge\Great_Escape_Design.doc
Based on the film by John Sturges and the novel by Paul Brickhill
Version 6.3
V5.1 Added deliberate throwing of objects to make a noise 18/4/02
V5.2 Simplified strangle attack, older version in new 2nd pass design section 29/05/02
V 5.3 Stamina Bar Removed, not stamina ins game now 05/06/02
V 5.4 Final Score System Removed
V 5.5 Addition of Movie Replay Option and Time Trial 16/07/02
V 5.6 Changes to difficulty, distractions, action icon functionality and console messages. 16/07/02
V 5.7 Added xbox controls 05/08/02
V 5.8 Added button bashing design 05/08/02
V 5.9 PC & xbox controls (with alternatives and PS2 Alternatives) added 19/08/02
V6.0 Added end level design.
V6.1 Added Sitting Code
V6.2 Updated PC Keyboard Contols.
V6.3 More updated controls for PC,PS2 andxbox. 22/01/03
Version 5 (26/02/20)
Motorbikes - Addition of motorbike design.
Stooges Gone – it was felt that these did not offer enough flexibility and if given a better camera angle
would replicated the function of the camera overseeing the distraction and stealth cameras, so was
removed. Distractions still remain.
Placement of Stooges and Distractions Gone – Most levels had an optimal place that stooges and
distractions could be placed, it was felt that offering ‘dummy’ placements simply tricked the player
into placing their resources in bad positioning, so confused the game.
Fly through replacing cinematic cut-scenes for Mission Briefings – Cut scenes need to provide
more in the way of geographical information about events. Mission briefings will no longer be
cinematic events in a hut, but will feature a fly-though of the level with a voice-over explaining the
mission.
Character Choice Gone – Missions will offer more playability if tailor-made for each character.
Missions will no longer have the choice for character and will have the gameplay optimised for the
character that will be undertaking the mission.
AI Changes – The AI system has been re-designed to a more intuitive ‘character’ or unit based
modular system to improve the predictability of the AI units from the player’s perspective.
Climbing Gone – Climbing up on walls means there are too many opportunities for the player to go
into places they aren’t wanted in! This means it’s hard to funnel gameplay and makes the game less a
stealth event and more a ‘Tomb Raider’ platform game. To restore focus, this aspect has been
removed. The player will still be able to get onto roves etc, but will be done by climbing on boxes etc.
Addition of Compass/Threat Information – It was felt that the game was very difficult and the
player needs feedback on the AI, view-cone state and position of the enemy units in the game. The
addition of these systems to the interface will provide the player with this information.
Update of Visibility and Hearing – This change is to account for the changes to AI.
Contents
The Great Escape.......................................................................................................................................1
Contents_______________________________________________________________________3
Terms Used____________________________________________________________________6
Difficulty Levels________________________________________________________________6
Screens____________________________________________________________7
Front End Screen_______________________________________________________________7
Difficulty Level Menu...................................................................................................................7
Load Game Screen.........................................................................................................................7
Save Game Screen.........................................................................................................................7
Mission Screen...............................................................................................................................7
Options Screen...............................................................................................................................7
Controller Layout Screen...............................................................................................................8
Console..........................................................................................................................................8
PC...................................................................................................................................................8
In-game 3D Screen______________________________________________________________8
Equipment......................................................................................................................................8
Commands Menu...........................................................................................................................8
Player Image and Health................................................................................................................8
Context Box...................................................................................................................................9
Timer Bars......................................................................................................................................9
Action Bars....................................................................................................................................9
Compass and Threat Meter............................................................................................................9
Threat Icons..................................................................................................................................10
Strangle Attack.............................................................................................................................10
Distraction Icons..........................................................................................................................10
Console Messages........................................................................................................................10
Priority of Console Messages......................................................................................................11
In-game Map Screen____________________________________________________________11
Maps & Objectives.......................................................................................................................11
Return to Game............................................................................................................................12
Pause Menu___________________________________________________________________12
Options Screen________________________________________________________________12
Fonts_____________________________________________________________12
Interface and Controls_______________________________________________13
PS2 Generic Controller Set-up___________________________________________________13
Digital D-Pad...............................................................................................................................13
Vehicles........................................................................................................................................14
Digital D-Pad...............................................................................................................................14
Equipment Menu (Hold Triangle, release to select)....................................................................14
Left Stick Up................................................................................................................................14
Blythe Menu (Hold Square).........................................................................................................14
Left Stick Right............................................................................................................................15
In-game Map Screen....................................................................................................................15
Digital D-Pad...............................................................................................................................15
Pause Menu..................................................................................................................................15
Digital D-Pad...............................................................................................................................15
Xbox controls__________________________________________________________________16
Basic Controllers..........................................................................................................................16
Digital D-Pad...............................................................................................................................16
Vehicles........................................................................................................................................17
Digital D-Pad...............................................................................................................................17
Equipment Menu (Hold Triangle, release to select)....................................................................17
Left Stick Up................................................................................................................................17
Blythe Menu (Hold L1, release to select)....................................................................................17
Left Stick Right............................................................................................................................18
In-game Map Screen....................................................................................................................18
Digital D-Pad...............................................................................................................................18
Pause Menu..................................................................................................................................18
Digital D-Pad...............................................................................................................................18
PC Controls___________________________________________________________________19
Basic Controls..............................................................................................................................19
Left Shift +...................................................................................................................................19
Vehicles........................................................................................................................................20
Equipment Menu (release press I, to select action button or left click on mouse)......................20
Mouse/W......................................................................................................................................20
Blythe Menu (release press C, to select action button or left click on mouse)............................20
Cursor Key Right.........................................................................................................................20
In-game Map Screen & Pause Menu...........................................................................................20
PC Alternative Controls...............................................................................................................21
Vibration Controls for Console___________________________________________________21
Information Control________________________________________________21
Cut Scenes/Animations__________________________________________________________21
Cut-Scenes...................................................................................................................................21
Critical Conversations..................................................................................................................21
Non-Critical Conversations..........................................................................................................22
Characters________________________________________________________22
Generic Character Attributes____________________________________________________22
Specific Characters_____________________________________________________________22
Hilts “Cooler King” ....................................................................................................................22
Hendley “The Scrounger” ...........................................................................................................22
Sedgwick “The Manufacturer” ...................................................................................................22
MacDonald “Intelligence” ..........................................................................................................22
Ashley-Pitt...................................................................................................................................22
Attributes......................................................................................................................................23
Skills_________________________________________________________________________24
Alter Equipment ..........................................................................................................................24
Conversational German................................................................................................................24
Lock Pick.....................................................................................................................................24
Pickpocket ...................................................................................................................................24
Equipment________________________________________________________24
Player Equipment______________________________________________________________24
Enemy Equipment_____________________________________________________________24
Types of Equipment____________________________________________________________24
Stealth____________________________________________________________25
Stealth Cameras_______________________________________________________________25
Disguise______________________________________________________________________26
Stealth Movement______________________________________________________________26
Deliberate Noises_______________________________________________________________26
Detection – Visibility & Noise_________________________________________26
Visibility______________________________________________________________________26
LOS..............................................................................................................................................26
AI View Cones.............................................................................................................................27
View Cones___________________________________________________________________27
Lighting........................................................................................................................................27
Division of View Cone................................................................................................................27
Shadows.......................................................................................................................................27
AI State........................................................................................................................................27
Fogging Distance.........................................................................................................................27
View Cone Diagram.....................................................................................................................27
View Cone Table.........................................................................................................................27
Noise_________________________________________________________________________28
Sound Radius...............................................................................................................................28
Hearing a Sound...........................................................................................................................28
Weather Effects............................................................................................................................28
Warning Sounds...........................................................................................................................28
Cut Scenes_________________________________________________________28
Critical Cut Scenes_____________________________________________________________28
Non-Critical Cut Scenes_________________________________________________________28
Additional Player Actions____________________________________________29
Jumping______________________________________________________________________29
Climbing_____________________________________________________________________29
Height...........................................................................................................................................29
Push/Pull_____________________________________________________________________29
Height...........................................................................................................................................30
Button Bashing________________________________________________________________30
Distractions___________________________________________________________________30
Further Notes on Distractions:.....................................................................................................31
Vehicles___________________________________________________________31
Vehicle Attributes______________________________________________________________31
Vehicle Damage________________________________________________________________31
Vehicle Component Damage.......................................................................................................31
Motorbike____________________________________________________________________32
Basic Movement..........................................................................................................................32
Bike Combat................................................................................................................................32
Jumps...........................................................................................................................................32
Crashes.........................................................................................................................................32
Wheelie........................................................................................................................................32
Dirt...............................................................................................................................................32
Combat___________________________________________________________32
Matrix of Reactions____________________________________________________________33
Ranged Combat________________________________________________________________33
Close Combat_________________________________________________________________33
Weapons in Close Combat...........................................................................................................33
Unarmed Close Combat...............................................................................................................33
Strangle Attack.............................................................................................................................34
Punch............................................................................................................................................34
Arrest________________________________________________________________________34
Dog Arrest....................................................................................................................................34
Wounds___________________________________________________________34
Health Bar____________________________________________________________________34
Medial Kits___________________________________________________________________34
Food_________________________________________________________________________34
Enemy Units_______________________________________________________35
Generic AI____________________________________________________________________35
Specialist AI Units______________________________________________________________35
Saluting___________________________________________________________36
Sitting____________________________________________________________36
AI Sitting Units________________________________________________________________36
Overarching Structure______________________________________________37
Mission Structure______________________________________________________________38
Mission X.....................................................................................................................................38
Mission Success Screens..............................................................................................................38
Mission Character Screens...........................................................................................................38
Hilts..............................................................................................................................................38
Manual Information________________________________________________38
2nd Layer Design Ideas______________________________________________39
View Movies................................................................................................................................39
Chapter 1 Introduction.................................................................................................................39
Time Trial Escape........................................................................................................................39
Arrest: Marks on Wall..................................................................................................................39
Sound: Strangle Attack................................................................................................................39
Sound: Whistling..........................................................................................................................39
Terms Used
AI – Artificial Intelligence.
Civilian – A non-combatant, non-prisoner character.
Cooler Point – An area on the map that the player is escorted to if arrested.
Conversation – A cut-scene or animation type event with AI units speaking
Cut Scene – A sequence of narrative done using the game engine.
Distraction – This is something set-up by the prisoners to distract the Goons’ attention.
EXT. – Short for ‘External’. Used as part of a cut-scene description meaning an external location.
Feldgrau – “Field Grey”, a normal German soldier.
Ferret – A specialist German soldier trained in anti-escape methods.
Goon – Generic term for German soldiers who work in prison camps guarding Prisoners of War.
Highlight – Refers to an option that is currently the focus of the menu.
INT. – Short for ‘Internal’. Used as part of a cut-scene description meaning an internal location.
LOS – Line of Sight.
Machine – Generic term for a games machine i.e. PS2, Xbox or PC.
NPC – ‘Non-Player Character’, an AI controlled unit important to the game.
Save Game Slots – An option on a menu that stores the saving of a game.
Stealth Resources – Items that can be positioned on the map to aid completion of the level.
Stooge – A prisoner whose job is to keep an eye out for Goons.
Wehrmacht – Catch-all term for German (and their allied) land forces.
Difficulty Levels
Easy (modifier 0.5)
Medium (modifier 1)
Hard (modifier 1.5)
Modifies:
Damage taken.
Time AI spend searching after they've lost the player/heard a noise/whatever.
Time flashing icon (respond to targets) remains before fading out.
Distance at which the AI is made instantly aware of you, rather than going "What was that?"
General reaction speed of AI (time taken from "What was that?" to "ACHTUNG!")
Screens
Front End Screen
Graphic backdrop overlaid with the following options:
Load Last Saved Game This option loads the last game saved on the machine
New Game This begins a new game, go to Difficulty Level Menu
Load Game This opens the Load Game Menu
Mission Select This opens the Mission Select Menu
Options This opens the Options Screen
The default option if the machine detects no saved games is New Game. If saved games are detected
the default becomes Load Last Saved Game. If no valid load/save facilities are detected on the
machine Load Last Saved Game and Load Game are greyed out and are unselectable.
If an occupied Save Game Slot is selected by the player for saving, “Overwrite Saved Game? Yes /
No” is offered to the player. If an unoccupied Save Game Slot is selected the game is saved that and
displays the requisite information (as described above) before automatically moving the highlight to the
top ‘Return to Previous Menu’ option.
Mission Screen
This allows the player to play a selected mission in isolation.
Time Challenge Options are On/Off. This option is greyed out until the player has
completed all the levels
Below this are is a scrollable box listing all the dates and locations of the missions in the game. These
are greyed-out until the player has completed each mission. Once the player has highlighted a mission
they can be selected. From this selection the mission proceeds to the Difficulty Level Menu.
Options Screen
A graphic backdrop overlaid with the following choices:
Each menu option (except Controller Layout) displays both its current setting and its possible settings
to the right of the option. If no valid save load/save facilities are detected on the machine the Save
Settings option is greyed out, and is unselectable.
In-game 3D Screen
Equipment
The current item (or lack of it) equipped is displayed in the bottom right-hand area. Once the
equipment menu is activated it appears upwards from this item. The menu area can display five items
on screen. The highlight begins on the current item and scrolls up and down the menu according to the
player’s control. If more than five items are available, an up ‘scroll arrow’ appears at the top of the
menu to reflect the off-screen menu items’ presence. If the player scrolls up to these off-screen items,
a down arrow appears to reflect the presence of off-screen items. The maximum items listed (including
the empty hand) is 10.
Commands Menu
This option can be used for both controlling distractions and second characters. Though only one
option will be used per level. If controlling distractions, the button shows a camera perspective of the
distraction. Up/down allows the player to select which distraction camera to view. Each distraction
also has a camera, which can be selected from this list. If the player releases the button while on a
order it is activated.
Context Box
This box displays the actions the player can perform using the Action button (X Button). As this action
can vary throughout the game the Context Box constantly changes to reflect this. The box houses a
small image to reflect the current action that can be undertaken. For example if the player is carrying a
gun, this will display an image of a gun being fired. If the player was unarmed and standing directly
behind a Goon, this would display the image of a person being strangled, to indicate this action can
now be performed.
There will be times when there will be a variety of actions that can be performed at a set point with an
object. At such times a priority system takes over, for example if the player has knocked a goon
unconscious, the first use of the action button will find any objects on the body, the second will allow
the player to move the body.
Timer Bars
The game timer bars relate to actions outside of the players control where time is displayed. The
typical example would be a distraction. These timers also count down to a final point, but as the time
approaches its last 25% the bar flashes (and or changes colour to reinforce the last area of time to the
player).
Action Bars
The interface needs provision for action based of bars. This represents the effort required until an
action is completed. The time taken is dependent on player action and can include the strangling of
enemy units, cutting fences or picking locks. Only one action-based bar would ever appear at once.
These are simple timers; the total length of the action being defined by the length of the timer bar and
the bar counts down from full to empty. Once the bar reaches empty, the action is completed. The bar
remains the same colour thought. In the scripts, each action has a number associated with it to indicate
the time taken for the task. The bar on screen (always the same length) is then divided into sections
related to this figure. The player’s stat has a score that reflects their speed at depleting this bar.
The Proximity Meter is a bar that indicates the proximity of the nearest Enemy AI unit. The more the
bar fills, the closer the enemy unit is.
The Compass indicates north, indicates the direction the player must travel in to reach the next
objective object. The wedge indicates when the player has been spotted (a yellow wedge) or attacked
by (red wedge). More then 1 wedge can appear simultaneously, but each only remains for 1 second.
The needle indicates the direction of the nearest enemy indicated on the proximity meter. The bubble
indicates the direction of the next direction.
Threat Icons
There are a number of on-screen icons to convey information to the player about. These icons, unlike
the threat meter apply to any enemy AI unit getting the player within the view cone. If the player is
within multiple view cones, then the information displayed is that of the most threat (i.e. the icon
further down the table).
* Clear – temporarily displayed icon when any hunting units have timed out.
? In view-cone but not spotted. This could mean the unit is not hidden etc.
! In view-cone and spotted but not considered a threat. This can mean the player is in disguise
or has been seen in the outer view-cone.
?! In view-cone, spotted and considered a threat. This means the AI units are either going to
arrest or attack the player.
Strangle Attack
A successful attack means a timer-bar appears on screen with a quarter of its length having been
depleted. This represents the remaining strength of the trapped Enemy AI unit:
It instantly begins regenerating as he struggles to free himself. The pace of this regeneration is linked
to the guard’s stats. If it fully regenerates the guard will have freed himself:
The player can reduce the bar by pressing the attack button. Each press reduces the bar by an amount
relative to the characters strength. If the Enemy AI’s strength drops into the dark blue section, the
guard will be killed:
This bar is constructed from the current Health of the target, For example, a Goon with Health of 60 is
grabbed; a bar will appear on screen representing 45 Health in the light shaded area and 15 in the dark
shaded area.
Once the player has incapacitated a unit, it will still be held in the player’s arms. The player can move
with the body, but cannot do any other actions (such as open doors). Once the player drops a body, it
can no longer be picked up.
Distraction Icons
Once a distraction becomes available, an icon appears on-screen. Once the distraction is used, this icon
vanishes. Distractions also have an Icon to trigger them, see Additional Player Actions/Distractions.
Console Messages
These are text messages that appear on the screen. The text would need to be localized and each
message limited to 150 characters in length total, considering translation issues, English text would
need to be 80 characters max.
The right-hand side of the book contains a map of the level. The map zooms in to each objective when
that objective is selected as described above. The default for the map is to have the whole level
displayed. It also displays the position and facing of the player and any relevant allied units.
Objectives are spooled to the player in relation to one of the following criteria:
o Initially – an objective that the player begins with.
o Object – An objective that appear once a player has gained an object
o Region - An objective that appear once a player enters a boxed region
o Conversation – An objective that appears when a player talks to an individual.
Once an objective has been completed, it appears in the map screen with a line though it.
Return to Game
This option shows an animation of the book closing and return to the game. This functionality can also
be achieved using the Back Button.
Pause Menu
This is the menu that comes when the player pauses a game in-progress.
Options Screen
Accessed when the player presses the Start button. This interface section uses the same conventions as
that of the Front End Screen. It has the following options. This screen alters all the options (in relation
to the Screens/Front End Screen/Options Screen described previously):
Fonts
Two fonts will be needed thought. One normal font based on the one used in the film for general work:
The other is used for text in Ingame Screen such as the Ingame Map Screens, this should be text based
on a hand written, though preferably all in separate capitol letters for legibility.
Vehicles
Once a character has entered a vehicle the controls are altered. Some remain, some change
functionality and some are disabled.
Pause Menu
Button Control Function/s Alt A Alt B
Digital D-Pad Movement Navigates round the menu screen: As As
• Up/down – between Original Original
menu options
• Left/right, Up/down –
toggle between menu
choices as appropriate.
Left Analogue Movement As Digital D-Pad. As As
D-Pad Original Original
Right Analogue - - - -
D-Pad
X Button Activate Toggles the activation of the Back Back
highlighted option. Once
activated the D-Pad can then be
used to alter the variables, the are
selected by the second press of
the button.
Circle Button - - - -
Xbox controls
Basic Controllers
Button Control Function/s Alt A Alt B
Digital D-Pad Peek Camera As As
Up Peek Up (or Keyhole peek) Original Original
Down -
Left Peek Left
Right Peek Right
Left Analogue Character (All analogue: with walk and As Up moves
Stick Movement run) Original forwards,
Up Move Forward other
Down Move Backwards directions
Left Strafe Left change
Right Strafe Right facing
Right Analogue View As As
Stick Movement Original Original
Up Move Crosshair Up
Down Move Crosshair Down
Left Rotate Left
Right Rotate Left
Above in 1st As Above As -
Person View Original
Above in As above As -
Keyhole camera Original
Left Stick Stance Click to change stance. Hold to Zoom -
Button stand/lie prone.
Right Stick 1st Person Toggle between 1st and third Toggle 1st As
Button person view and 3rd. Original
A (Green) Blythe Commands Menu (for Blythe) Action Command
B (Red) Zoom Using a Rifle. Stance Inventory
X (Blue) Action/Strangle This is a context-sensitive Inventory Action
button that allows the character
to carry out actions.
Y (Yellow) Inventory While held down, brings up a Command Stance
toggle menu of equipment the
character is carrying. This
allows the character to toggle
between items, upon its release
the highlighted object is
equipped
Right Shoulder Attack Allows player to fire weapon or As As
Button attack with punch Original Original
Left Shoulder Stealth O/off. As As
Button Original Original
White Button - - - Zoom
Vehicles
Once a character has entered a vehicle the controls are altered. Some remain, some change
functionality and some are disabled.
Pause Menu
Button Control Function/s Alt A Alt B
Digital D-Pad Movement Navigates round the menu screen: As As
• Up/down – between Original Original
menu options
• Left/right, Up/down –
toggle between menu
choices as appropriate.
Left Analogue Movement As Digital D-Pad. As As
D-Pad Original Original
Right Analogue - - As As
D-Pad Original Original
A (Green) Activate Toggles the activation of the Back Back
highlighted option. Once
activated the D-Pad can then be
used to alter the variables, the are
selected by the second press of
the button.
B (Red) - - - -
X (Blue) - - Activate Activate
PC Controls
Basic Controls
Control Control Function/s
Left Shift + Peek Camera
W Peek Up (Keyhole peek if in front of a door)
R (no +shift) Peek Behind
A Peek Left
D Peek Right
Character
Movement
W Forwards (default is run)
S Backwards (default is run)
A Strafe Left (default is run)
D Strafe Right (default is run)
Mouse View
Movement: Movement
Up Move Crosshair Up
Down Move Crosshair Down
Left Rotate Character Left
Right Rotate Character Right
Above in 1st As Above
Person View
Above in As above
Keyhole camera
Mouse Rotate Left -
Mouse Rotate Right -
Right Mouse 1st Person Toggle between 1st and third person view
Button
E Action This is a context-sensitive button that allows the character to
carry out actions.
Space Stance Stand/Kneel/Crawl
Stand/Kneel (Hold Key Down)
C Command Blythe Control Toggle.
F Inventory Toggle. When open, the mouse control or the cursor keys can
be used to select and item.
Left Mouse Attack Allows player to fire weapon or attack with punch
Button
Left Ctrl Stealth Toggle on/off.
Q Walk/Run Toggle walk/run.
X Cancel Action Cancels strangle.
ESC Pause Pause Menu Ingame Map Screen/Pause Menu.
Left TAB Map Screen Pauses the game and brings up the Ingame Map Screen/Map
Screen.
Vehicles
Once a character has entered a vehicle the controls are altered. Some remain, some change
functionality and some are disabled.
Equipment Menu (release press I, to select action button or left click on mouse)
Blythe Menu (release press C, to select action button or left click on mouse)
PC Alternative Controls
When alternative controls are selected, the player can enter his/her own control method via the
keyboard.
Information Control
Cut Scenes/Animations
Ingame there is a need to impart information to the player. This can be done using cut-scenes/
animations a.k.a. conversations; by this the design refers to a conversation with limited animations and
of a limited length that occurs ingame. There are two forms of this action; critical and non-critical.
Cut-Scenes
These scenes exit to drive the narrative of the game. These are scenes not related to a specific mission
and not requiring a mission environment to be loaded. They are independent and non-interactive
(therefore letterboxed) sequences.
Critical Conversations
These are used to impart vital gameplay/narrative information to the player. These can only occur
when a set of criteria have been met:
• No Enemy AI units are either issuing/involved with Call Out, Arrest or Attack orders.
• No other AI unit is issuing/involved with a distraction
• The player is in the correct scripted area/event for the conversation.
• The player initiates the conversation.
If these criteria have not been met then the character ingame who would be part of the conversation
needs to say so; “Come back later when things have calmed down…”
If these criteria have been met, the conversation begins. The following things occur:
Once this event has occurred, if the gameplay requires it the conversation can be repeated; but the
onscreen information must change to reflect this. Also of note is that Critical conversation AI units are
invulnerable.
Non-Critical Conversations
These are conversations that impart information, but it’s not critical for either the unit to be alive or
impart the information. In these cases, the information does not change camera view, letterbox or
remove control from the player. These events can be triggered by scripted events such as box-regions.
Characters
Generic Character Attributes
A character is a unit, which the player controls directly. Each character has a set of statistics to
describe his interaction with the game world. While the player may only be able to access and affect a
few of these statistics, they are important in defining each character.
NB. Some of the stats and attributes listed are based on those of the Desert Storm engine and design.
Specific Characters
There are four Player controlled characters. The player only ever controls one character at a time,
though the player many be able to issue orders to other characters.
MacDonald “Intelligence”
As intelligence officer it was his job to organise lookouts, but it was also his job to root out informers
and spies whom the Germans had planted to root out escape attempts.
Ashley-Pitt
Used in mission 11 while the other characters escape.
Attributes
Name Health Moveme Strengt Skills
nt h
Hilts 80 35 15 Lock Pick
Hendley * * 0 **/4 Pickpocket
Sedgwick 70 30 12 Alter Equipment
MacDonald * * 11 Conversational German
Ashley-Pitt * * * None
* Score same as that of the Generic Character Attributes
** Special score as related to skills
Skills
Alter Equipment
This allows the player several options:
• The creation or repair of a piece of equipment from components. Holding the component (and
any tools required in the inventory or vice-versa) in the hands of the character will enable this
skill.
• The extraction of valuable components from a large piece of machinery. To use this skill the
character must have the required tool in one hand. Upon completion, the extracted component
will appear in the inventory, if there is space, or on the ground.
• Repair or sabotage of an object/piece of machinery. To use this skill the character must have
the required tool equipped.
In all cases the Context Box will show an image of what process can be achieved when the requisite
objects are held/in proximity. Once activated a timer bar will count down the length of time until the
process is completed.
Conversational German
This skill allows the player character to converse with Germans in German and so avoid suspicion.
This must be used as a ‘pre-emptive strike’ and can be used to avoid suspicion of a Goon. If the
character can engage a Goon using the skill before the Goon has spotted the player, the Goon will no
ask for ID or raise the alarm provided the player does not indulge in any forbidden activites.
Lock Pick
If the character is equipped with a lockpick tool, it allows the character to open any doors that are
tagged as vulnerable to lock picking.
Pickpocket
This replaces a Rear-Facing Attack on a Goon. The character must be unarmed for the skill to
operate. It transfers a tagged item from the person who’s pockets are being picked into the hand of the
character. If a character is discovered picking pockets it will elicit a response from the ‘victim’.
Discovery is made by the character moving into visual sight of the pick-pocket. Pick-pocketing takes a
brief amount of time to achieve, which is reflected by a timer bar onscreen.
Equipment
Player Equipment
The player can only carry a maximum of 11 items. The player, to prevent him/her from discarding
important items, cannot discard items. To keep the level of equipment in the game to a reasonable
level, the following rules apply:
• Once an item is no longer needed, it is automatically discarded. A console message informs
the player of this.
• If a player already has an item such as a weapon, duplicates cannot be taken. If the weapon
has ammo, that will be taken instead.
Enemy Equipment
All weapons carried by AI units are discarded when the unit is killed/unconscious. The only way to
obtain an item from a conscious AI unit is through the pickpocket skill and such items must be tagged
as important. Important items, when discarded, must not be allowed to fall through the 3D world. This
must be achieved through a mixture of code that allows items to bounce and land with level design to
ensure Units with important items remain in areas with good access and no objects where items can be
lost.
Types of Equipment
• Weapon – Can have ammo and/or close combat usage.
• Important Item – both pickpocketed and are discard by AI units carrying them when he/she
is killed/unconscious.
• ID Card – used in set circumstances to pass Enemy AI units.
• Key – Used to Open doors
• Broken Item – Not able to be used until fixed by character with the appropriate skill.
• Uniforms – Worn items that disguise the player, often have a built in hat.
Stealth
Stealth Cameras
There are several types of camera alterations the player can enact using the controller. Each camera
move is designed to give the player additional visual information without compromising the players
position. These camera changes can be activated anywhere in the game depending on the players
context and any buttons pressed.
Up Stealth Camera -
This allows the
character to peek
upwards above any
medium height obstacle
in front of the
character.
Stealth Keyhole
Camera- When in
front of a door, the
character can peek
through the door,
without having to open
it.
Disguise
The player can, through various means, obtains the uniforms of German troops. The players can then
use these to disguise themselves in order to enter forbidden areas or to achieve specific aims. While in
disguise the player must act as-per the soldier who’s uniform they are wearing to avoid detections –
showing the appropriate passes, saluting at senior officers and so on.
Stealth Movement
When the player uses the stealth button, the character moves slowly and without sound. If the
character is against a wall, the character will hug the side of the wall. Stealth movement can attract the
suspicious of AI units.
Deliberate Noises
Characters are able to use the grenade throwing skills to throw objects. The object would then make a
noise that would attract guards. These objects are ‘one shot’ uses of an object and are bonus items
picked up by the player. These are essentially being like a grenade that doesn’t explode, but does
make a noise.
LOS
Line of Sight is a line drawn between the viewer and the target. If this line is uninterrupted, the target
can be seen. This line is affected by the stance of any unit, for example if prone and behind an object
the LOS is blocked. If the unit then stands up, the LOS is uninterrupted.
AI View Cones
The AI units have 2 cones of view – an inner cone and
outer cone. The effects of the player being in these
cones are documented in the View Check module in
AI_Modules.doc
View Cones
Lighting
The over all length of the view cone is subject to a per level lighting modifier that dynamically cuts the
view cone relative to the current lighting on the player down to a minimum specified percentage.
Shadows
Regions of the game set with a shadow surface property mean that the player in shadow can only be
spotted either by a spotlight shining on the shadowed region, or by being within the minimum view
distance.
AI State
In a sleeping state, the AI is at 0%. In a passive state the vision cone is 100% and in aggressive state
the view cone is 200%.
Fogging Distance
Once all calculations have been done to create a view cone, it will be clipped to the fogging distance; to
ensure the AI units can never see beyond it.
Noise
Sound Radius
Every action in the game has a Sound Radius. When the action is performed the sound file will be
played at a volume relative to the Sound Radius. Some actions will have a set sound file and Sound
Radius. For example firing a rifle. Other actions will be relative to the environment such as
movement. For example a character running will make more noise than one walking. A character
running on a steel surface will make more noise than one running on snow.
Hearing a Sound
Units ‘hear’ a sound when the Sound Radius overlaps with their position. When a player-controlled
unit hears a noise, the sound file will be played with adjustments for distance from the player and
volume of the sound being re-created. When a computer-controlled unit hears a sound, it responds
according to its AI commands. See AI_Units.doc for full details.
Weather Effects
Extreme weather affects such as heavy rain and heavy snow reduce the Sound Radius by 25%.
Warning Sounds
When AI units see a player/get curious and react they make a sound (and it’s linked to subtitles) that
needs to be heard. Note; these icons are used in conjunction with:
Suspicious Sound/Object When a unit has seen something suspicious it wishes to investigate
Call Out Module:
Arresting “Alarm” for Arrests.
Attacks “Atchung” for attacks.
Time Out When hunting units have timed out.
Cut Scenes
Ingame at set points there is a need to communicate information to the player using characters for both
game objective reasons and narrative events. This is handled by the following system, where there are
two types of dialogue: critical and non-critical.
Thus a character can only jump onto an object 1m from the ground being jumped off if running or 0.5m
if walking or 1m from static.
Climbing
Certain objects can be climbed up. For this, if the player character is walked directly into a surface that
is marked as climbable and the player presses the jump button, the character will vault/climb up this
object in the direction being pushed. This action only occurs on selected items that have been marked
as such and conform to set heights and widths:
Objects that can be climbed need to look distinctive and be of the following size:
Height 1m
Width 1m
Depth n/a
Push/Pull
The character may also push or pull certain objects. These objects are pre-marked and pre-positioned
and operate on ‘rails’. The surface will need to be marked as such and the character hold down the X
button while the hands are empty to push or pull the object. The object needs to be a set size and can
only be moved along a pre-defined track.
If the character (adjacent to a marked surface) holds down the X button and moves away from the
object, he pulls the object. If the character (adjacent to a marked surface) presses the X button and
moves towards the object, he pushes the object. If the X button is released the character ceases the
action and returns to a standing position. Objects can be pushed and pull along this axis as many times
as the player wishes. An object that is enabled to be pushed/pulled cannot be climbed upon.
Objects that can be pushed or pulled need to look distinctive and be of the following size:
Height 1m
Width 1m
Depth 1m
Button Bashing
There are a number of actions that the player can do in the level that will require ‘button bashing’ to
complete; i.e. the repeated pressing of the action button. Each of these actions has a value attached and
when the player begins the action a bar of set length (same length as the strangle, but not in different
colours) divided into sections relative to the value. Each action requires a number of presses equal to
the divisions in the bar to complete.
While the buttons are being pressed, the animation and sound effect is looped over. Once the buttons
are stopped, the animation is stopped at the end of a loop.
Some actions will use a generic ‘doing things’ animation, while other will have a specialist animation.
If the player presses the Cancel button (triangle on PS2) the player breaks of from the activity. If the
player then returns to it, the activity bar will be re-set to full again.
Distractions
When a player wishes to trigger a distraction he
needs to go up to the ‘lead’ POW of the
distraction. This Lead POW will be marked in the
scripts. Once in proximity (as with dialogue) a
distraction-action icon appears (where the
Vehicles
During the course of the game, the player will encounter some vehicles that can be used. When the
player enters a vehicle they will always assume the position of a driver. When in proximity of a
vehicle, the Player can enter by pressing the Action Button (the correct proximity is displayed by an
image in the Context Box). The controls for vehicles are listed in Interface and Controls/Vehicles.
Vehicles operate in a similar manner to those in the Desert Storm engine except there is no provision
for the player being in control of weapons mounted on a vehicle.
Vehicle Attributes
Each vehicle will have the following attributes:
Attribute Definition
Hit Points How much damage the vehicle can take before it is destroyed
Armour The amount of protection the vehicle offers both its
components and any occupants
Speed The maximum speed of the vehicle
Vehicle Damage
Vehicles have a hit point rating (like Health in characters). When reduced to 0, vehicles become a
flaming wreck and cannot move. If the player is in a vehicle and is not dead or unconscious by the
vehicle’s destruction, the player is knocked down and appears at the side of the vehicle.
and so their loss will halt its movement. Other locations such as the drivers cab are not critical but may
pass damage onto the driver.
Motorbike
Basic Movement
The motorbike’s movements should be related to the normal movement of the player character and that
on any vehicles for consistency. It can turn left/right, accelerate and brake. When the bike turns it
should lean as appropriate.
Bike Combat
Jumps
Crashes
When the bike collides with a stationary object, damage needs to be given to the bike and player; the
bike needs to crash and the player to come off. The value of damage given to both needs to be a value
placed in harcoded.h.
Wheelie
When the player uses a button the bike should wheelie while the button is held.
Dirt
From it’s back wheel, the bike needs to churn dust on road type surfaces and mud from grass types
surfaces. Surfaces should be set as to what they produce in response to a bike.
Combat
Combat covers all exchanges between hostile units. This varies from lethal to non-lethal combat, from
ranged weapons to fists.
Matrix of Reactions
The actions of a unit when engaged in combat will vary depending on the weapon it is carrying, the
range of the target and the stance of the target. This table maps these reactions:
Ranged Combat
This covers any method of striking at the enemy over a distance. This includes thrown items and guns.
Players can only indulge in ranged combat when equipped with an item that will allow such combat.
Ranged weapons auto target the nearest target within their frontal attack range. A crosshair (or similar
device) will appear on screen to indicate which is the current target. The player can use the controls to
alter the current target (see Generic Controller Set-up/Jump Button). All ranged items will have a
limited usage (as dictated in Equipment/Object Information/Usage) and are described by the
following statistics:
Fire rate – Base-firing rate of the weapon.
Usage – The amount of uses or ammo the weapon has. The characters do not use separate ammo stats.
Once a gun has lost its ammo it can then be used as a club (unless equipped with a bayonet).
Close Combat
Some weapons – the knife being one, can be used for close combat strangle attacks as well as normal
attacks. If used the speed up the reduction of the timer-bar, making the incapacitation quickens, but
harder to avoid lethal attacks.
Frontal Attack occurs within the darker shaded region and will result in the Context Box showing an
image of a Punch.
Strangle Attack
When successful, the first button press will result in the target being grabbed round the neck. If the
player-character attacks an enemy unit from behind, he execute a strangle action. See Ingame 3D
Screen for more information.
Punch
Each successful punch attack delivers an amount of damage equal to the strength of the attacker. If a
target is felled by punch attacks it will only be unconscious. An AI unit incapacitated in this way will
be unconscious. If the player continues an attack after the AI unit is knocked down, two ‘stamp’
attacks are enacted that will kill the AI unit.
Arrest
AI units do not attempt to attack the player with close combat. If AI units get within a set distance (see
Difficult Levels) and has line-of-sight of the player, then the player is automatically arrested.
Once the player is arrested, all enemy AI units will cease running and point to the player with their
weapon (if any) and the camera will wide screen and jump to a chase camera view of the arresting AI
unit. It is then game over. If the arrest occurred in a camp level, a cooler animation is then played.
Dog Arrest
Player has to button bash bar to zero, if done the player is freed and the dog is stunned for 30 seconds.
Use Strangle Recovery Stat for this.
Dog is attempting to fill the bar, if done - player is arrested. Goon arresting player during this will also
end the struggle. Use Dog's Damage Stat for this. If the player is strangling an enemy unit, then this
takes priority and the player looses his grip of the guard at this point.
We’ll need to use a difference colour for the bar, but same functionality of graphics.
Wounds
Health Bar
To create an atmosphere conducive to the struggle of a POW, the Health of the players is not a simple
matter of picking up some medi-kit to replenish Health. Once the Health reaches zero the character is
dead.
Medial Kits
When used this re-activates any sections of the Health Bar that have been greyed-out.
Food
When used this will begin the process of healing. For the healing process to begin the player cannot be
active. When the player is still regeneration of Health will occur. This process will continue until all
active sections of the Health Bar have been filled in. Health regenerates at a rate of 5 Health per
second. If the player presses any buttons the regeneration is paused until the character stops moving.
Enemy Units
This proposal is for the creation of specialist AI units. The game would be populated by units who
have a few simple commands and to focus solely on these duties. The aim is two fold; first to create
recognisable units that the player can understand and predict their behaviour, second is to make the
creation, debugging and testing of the AI units simpler and more efficient though a simpler IA unit.
This document outlines the basic aims of the units, the various types of unit that would be created and
goes into detail with an example unit. Under this proposal the AI units would be specialists; limited to
a few specific tasks. The advantages of this system are as follows:
• Consistency – From a game play point of view, it will be easier for the player to understand
and predict how the units will react to his/her actions because of the simplified tasks each unit
will have. A standardised look-and-feel used for unit types would add to this advantage.
• Simplicity – It will cut down the complexity of the AI system, as each unit will not have to
worry about processing huge numbers of orders. This will also improve the AI reaction speed
due to the smaller overhead of processing per unit.
• Debugging – Ensuring the AI operates as required will be far easier as the units have tighter
operational parameters and less orders to fail with!
• Level Design – This will also improve the ability to level designers to control the AI of the
level as the can easily predict the behaviour of the units they are placing down.
Generic AI
All units, while specialists, would share a basic root AI. This would be:
• Able to route
• Able to recognise being attacked by the player
• Able to recognise the player attacking others
• Able to recognise a dead body
• Hear sounds in their immediate vicinity
However, from here the various units diverge; some units would be able to recognise other features
such as footprints or suspicious activity. Some would be able to perform tasks such as combat or
checking IDs. Some would have less need route fast; only needing to route to fixed locations, while
some would need excellent routing as their specialism is to chase the player.
Specialist AI Units
Officer Static ID Check Will check the ID of anyone Will issue alarms for units attempting
attempting to pass beyond it. to pass without valid ID or to player
Will respond to units attempting aggression.
to pass without valid ID.
Will attempt to detain the player if
issuing an alarm, but will not chase
the player.
Officer Moving ID Will check the ID of anyone Will issue alarms for units within area
Check suspicious players within a without valid ID or to player
defined area. Will respond to aggression.
units within area without valid ID.
Will attempt to detain the player if
issuing an alarm, but will not chase
the player.
Searcher Will follow footprints of Will search suspicious players and
suspicious players and follow issue alarms for player aggression.
bloodstains. Will respond to
suspicious activity. Will attempt to detain the player if
issuing an alarm, but will not chase
the player.
Dog Responds to the position and/or Will attempt to detain the player if it
scent left by the player. can.
Civilians Slightly intelligent units that can Will responds to player aggression by
be set to respond to the player issuing alarms or to talk comments by
either for conversation or to issue talking to the player.
alarms
Soldiers Combat orientated units. Move between areas of cover while
Respond to combat. attempting to target and kill the
player.
Extras Only respond to personal attacks Either get hit or duck for cover.
or gunfire.
See AI_Units.doc and AI_Modules.doc for full designs of the AI units (Nb. The flowchart program
Chartist is required to view these).
Saluting
The Player (when disguised as a German Soldier) and AI units will salute higher-ranking Officers, this
is only when the situation is normal, no alarms or alerts going off. Also there will be no saluting in
combat missions when the alertness is ramped up to another level.
In normal situations POW’s should salute the SBO in the Camp and German Soldiers and Sergeants
should salute their Officers, Colonels and the Kommandant. Officers will salute the Colonel and the
Kommandant. Ranks that are the same will not salute each other. Civilians and Gestapo ranks do not
have any saluting.
The unit doing the saluting should remember whom he last saluted to and not salute to that unit again.
N.B. Rank 8 (Coat03 Uniform) is only used as a disguised to get through a Checkpoint in Level 17, this
is a Civilian disguise so there should be no saluting.
Sitting
Both Enemy and Allied AI units will need to sit in the game. Sitting units come in two types;
incidental units who are ‘background’ fillers for a level and AI units who can begin the game sitting.
AI Sitting Units
Units can be set to start a level sitting or sitting and sleeping. This is set in the ENV editor in the
through ‘Unit Behaviours’ menu (the same way that Starting Position: Crouch or Prone is set). A unit
set sitting begins the game sitting and when aroused to action will move. A sitting unit has a waypoint
with facing set to indicate where the sitting animation should be based from.
Once standing a unit never re-sits; it will re route to it’s origin waypoint and face the direction
indicated, but stand.
Overarching Structure
The game is divided into 3 chapters. Each chapter contains a start and end cut-scene with appropriate
loading screens. Chapters 2 and 3 also contain halfway cut scenes. The layout for these is the same as
the Start/End Loading Screens/Cut Scenes.
Mission Structure
Each mission has a loading screen. This is appropriate to the mission. The mission success screen and
failure screens are appropriate to the character that under took the mission. Linked missions also have
their own loading screen, which follows on where the next mission would be, as shown below:
Manual Information
Below this is a ‘POW Glossary’. This is a list of authentic POW slang terms used in the game. When
a word is highlighted, a description of it arrears in place of the text while the button is depressed:
However, one the level is played an onscreen text timer begins and counts down. When the timer hits
zero the mission is failed:
Sound: Whistling
When a player drops from a crouch, run, crawl to walk, normal stance within proximity of an Enemy
Unit, play ‘whistling sound’ and possibly animation.