Project Design for space

groep 1: Startefact
Silver Huber (GDD)
Tim Heessels (GDD)
Leonard Eilander (GDD)
Purna Bishas (GDD)
Edo van Klaveren (UU)

Inhoudsopgave:
Inleiding
Leve design framework
Art style
PMI

Inleiding
In het kader van het project Design for space hebben wij, Startefact de kans gekregen om een spel
te ontwerpen binnen de HKU. Het spel is genspireerd op het gebruik maken van drie dimensionale
puzzels. Wij hebben gekozen om als uitgangspunt perspectief als thema te nemen. Gedurende 12
weken hebben wij gewerkt aan de ontwikkeling van een prototype naar een eind product.
Dit document zal een impressive geven van hoe wij als team dit ontwikkelproces hebben doorlopen.
Zo zal onder andere dieper in worden gegaan op het concept van de ervaring en hoe deze is
uitgewerkt tot zijn uiteindelijke staat zoals deze op het postmortem te zien is.

Level Design Framework

Introduction
For the level design classes we had to make a level design document with a 3D-Blockout. Because
we were quite far in our design process, we chose to make this document together. We made our
design choices as a group and we all stand behind our current design.
If someone had a personal view on a matter in this document, he/she could write about it in cursive.
We hope this document will give a good insight in our design and level design process.

Player Info
Character name
Rursus
Characters size
1MX1MX1M (cube)

Walk speed
Meter /seconde

Player Info
Jump height
Does not jump
Silver: The version of Rursus that I wanted in a very early stage could climb and jump.
Control
Click-to-move
Tim: My idea was that the player could only click once and then had to wait for the cube to arive there before being able to move
again.
Leonard: If Rursus was based on a grid you could go in all directions, but only one step at the time. So youd have to wait for Rursus to
stand still until you could click again.
Purna: I think a grid where you could click anywhere on the terrain and the character would find his own way.

Level Abstract
Objective(s)
Get to the end of the level with of the least amount of clicks.
Silver: In the first design I had in mind, Rursus was trapped inside a temple. The goal was to find out why Rursus is trapped in this
temple.
Leonard: I thought the same as Silver. We formed the idea together.
Themes

Abstract, Optical illusion

Silver: I would get rid of the abstract style.
Purna: I would have liked a more concrete theme, instead of this abstract one. Maybe something with a few different art styles.
Leonard: I would to give it more color and a different theme!

Level Abstract
Environmental Info
A platform floating in the void. Everything is made up of cubes. The void is black and empty.
Silver: I would still use the void experience, but I wanted more of a landscape feel. The patterns would be replaced by more realistic
textures and obstacles would be natural phenomena, like mountains and trees.
Tim: The void is now black, but I would love to see some color in the background.

Leonard: I would keep the void feeling but use it in a more empty world style. You are alone in an environment that is based on
something in real life. Just a landscape that was sucked into the void. With more realistic textures and obstacles that are objects by
itself but can also merge together.
Purna: We could have added some random blocks to confuse the player (blocks that are totally irrelevant), or add some black spaces
so that the player could fall when touching those.

Level Abstract
Game-play Elements

The core mechanic of the game is switching the

camera angle to change the world. More
specifically, by looking at it directly from above or
the side, the world will look and act 2D. This will
allow you to pass certain obstacles, get on top of
them, move along the side by pretending the
bottom of the obstacle is a floor, or 'teleport' to
them along the x-axis.

Level Abstract
Location
The void
Silver: I would still use the void experience. The platform would be more be like floating islands, each level
with a different theme. For example one level could have a snowy theme, the other a bounty beach theme,
and so on.
Tim: My thought of the location was that it only existed because the player saw it. Everything else didnt
exist.

Purna: The black background makes it feel very lonely. I think we should add something in the background
like floating blocks or patterns.

Level Constructs
Boundaries

The platforms form the boundaries of the level. When you fall off you will fall back at the start of the same
level.
Tim: At the beginning of the project, I thought the edge of a block would be a wall so the player couldn't fall
off the world.

Leonard: If the player's movement would indeed have been grid-based, the grid would have stopped at the
edges of the platform, preventing the player to fall off of it.
Begin & End
The game contains ten levels. Within those levels you start at a predefined position and have to get to the
finish.
Goals
The abstract goal is to finish level 10.

Level Constructs
Challenges
Changing the view to overcome obstacles by aligning certain bocks with each other.
Rewards
We have two game modes. One in which you explore the world and simply progress through the levels too see
the story unfold. In the other mode you can earn medals, based on how well you performed.
Failure Handling

When the player falls off a level, he will land at the starting position of the same level. We want to avoid
putting a negative emphasis on failure, and we do this by giving it a fun twist. With our current solution,
everyone who falls in the same level again.
Silver: The falling experience we have now is very strong. I would not have not been possible in the version that
I had in mind. I think the player could not fall off the floating islands. The borders of the islands would have
had an invisible barrier.

PurnaI think the player should be able to see how many times the player did die/fall of a level. Like losing a
particle after each fall.

Level User Experience

Fun Factor
The satisfied feeling when you solve a puzzle by aligning patterns and colors.
Silver: A visually pleasing game in which you explore the hidden secrets of a temple that you can alter by
changing perspectives. Watching how your explorer (Rursus) maneuvers through the levels.
Tim: I think the fun factor in this game is mostly the point where the player says: Oohh, so thats how it
works. in every level.
Leonard: The fun factor could also be the moment when you see that you have control in the world. Youre the
god and can help Rursus. Another fun factor could be, a visual moment when you see patterns combine.
Purna: I would have loved a more narrative-based game. For example. Rursus talking to you and giving
feedback on the choices you made.
Player Ergonomics
Touch controls to make it smooth and comfortable. To make the game accessible.

Level User Experience

Game Flow

Level User Experience

Rhythm
We wanted to create an stable atmosphere without much pace changing which altogether would create a
relaxing experience.
Difficulty
Progressive over levels. 1 being easy, 10 being hard.
Wow Factor
Falling off a level will drop the player back on the level at the beginning in one flow.
When you reach the goal you will fall apart.
Tim: My wow factor would be the first time you see how the game mechanics work.

Leonard: In early design ideas, the main character would talk to the player. My wow factor would be that the
player experiences that the character talks to the him/her.

Level User Experience

Hooks
Constantly experiencing the effect of the way you change perspective. How your view can alter
the world.
Purna: I would have liked a more narrative based hook. Like creating a bond with the character.
Silver: I agree with Purna.
Leonard: A four dimensional story that gets the player hooked. The character would communicate
with the player and together they will solve every puzzle
Foreshadowing
Seeing the finish while you cant reach it. Seeing different patterns, without knowing how to
connect them.

Tim: I find the most fun example of foreshadowing to be seeing a block that seems next to you but
is actually far away due to optical illusions.
Purna: Maybe we should introduce the foreshadowing in a more obvious way. An overview of the
level and then zooming in on the goal.

Gameplay Narrative

Elements of Design (Contrast, Value, etc.)

The player and the finish are the same colorwhich

gives the feeling that the player and the finish are
connected.
Patterns on the blocks differ from each other to
form different planes. The further you progress in
the levels, the more chaotic the patterns and levels
will get.
Silver: With realistic textures, it would have been a
challenge to create enough contrast. In nature,
contrast are less strong, but you could play with it.
For example, when you take a snowy theme, you
can use a white snow texture with a black stone
texture.

Gameplay Narrative
Paradigm Shifts
There is no real paradigm shift in our game.
Gameplay Elements
The player controls the cube (Rursus) by clicking somewhere. Rursus will then move there. Also the camera, who alters the way you
can move through the levels.
Silver: The player, who is basically a guiding god and Rursus, who follows his god blindly.
Music, Sound
The music changes depending on the current camera angle. When you are in isometric view, you will hear the full spectrum. When in
top-view the lower tones will diminish. When you are in side-view the higher tones will dimish. When the player lands on the ground
a sound is player, also when he moves to another place.
Purna: Rursus would have a sound when talking, if the game was more narrative based.
Silver: More realistic, less abstract sounds. Also, Rursus would be able to talk.

Gameplay Narrative
Landmarks, Rewards, Orientation, Texts, etc.
Every level will be introduced with a line of text. This text will cryptically tell you something about the level.
You have three different views, each with their own experience and view. When playing the achievementbased game mode, you will be rewarded by efficiently switching the view
Silver: Things like treasures and other secrets would have been hidden in the levels, but we scrapped that
idea.
Human Survival Instincts

The platforms, are narrow spaces. But the levels as a whole, can feel like a prospect space.

3D Mock-Up

3D Mock-Up

3D Mock-Up

Detailed Level By Edo van Klaveren

The Concept
In the level, we do not want to make the player cover a lot of ground, since that would make the level less
clear. Instead, we will steer the player over a 'spiraling' path, which will make the entire level exist inside a
relatively small square in the middle of the screen. They can now see most of the level directly at the start
and are thus able to plan ahead.
We also want to use all of the sub-mechanics mentioned above, namely passing obstacles, getting on top of
them and moving along the x-axis. We want the chain of mechanics the player has to use to have a lot of
variation, by avoiding using the same one twice in a row and not overfilling the level with challenges.
Finally, we want the player to know from the start where they must go, while still hiding how they are going
to go there exactly.

Detailed Level By Edo van Klaveren

The Level

The Level The 3D view, at roughly the

position you start the level at.

The side view.

The top view.

Detailed Level By Edo van Klaveren

Level Abstract
This level would be placed just before the middle of the game. Nearly all of the mechanics have been
introduced before and the only one left is the 'moving along the x-axis'. The level contains a single point
where this mechanic is used and it was designed in such a way that you stumble across it almost
accidentally while doing the things you normally do. This will make sure that you do not have to tell the
player what to do directly, which will allow the player to 'discover' the solution themselves, without having
them aimlessly roam around the level because they do not yet realize what they can do.
The greater goal of the player is still unknown at this point and the only thing the player really knows it that
they should try to reach the level's exit block. The location of the levels is also unknown, since the levels are
very abstract and do not (and are not meant to) really resemble any real-life locations or surroundings.
The theme of the level is very light. We mostly use light colors, or textures with a light background and some
colored lines on top of them.
The player will be using the mechanics in the following order: obstacle pass > x-axis > x-axis (back) > get on
top > get on top > moving along side of obstacle.

Detailed Level By Edo van Klaveren

Level Constructs
The bounds of the level are simply the platforms you can see. When you move outside of them, you will fall
and be dropped again onto the starting area of the level. This starting area is one the platforms closest to
the camera when starting the level, to make sure the player knows where he is. The exit (which is also the
goal of the level) will be the only thing that is actually closer to the camera, which is to make sure the player
knows where they are supposed to go.
The challenges of the level are the points at which you need to use one of the mechanics to progress in the
game. The order in which they appear, is laid out in the level abstract. Except for the fact that two equal
textures close to one another can tell the player that 'something' can be done, no actual hints are given as
to what it is exactly that needs to be done, which will require some experimenting from the player.
The only real reward is the satisfaction you get from solving the level. Failure to complete the level is only
possible if you fall off of the platforms into the void, but this will just drop you at the starting point again,
making the only real 'punishment' the fact that you have to do parts of the level over.

Detailed Level By Edo van Klaveren

Guidelines
The fun factor of the level is the fact that each time you overcome another obstacle, you have solved a tiny puzzle inside the greater one.
When you put all of that together, you have solved the level and get an extra boost of satisfaction, which relates to the fun.
We try to limit the frustration of the player by making the penalties of failure very low. The level does not have any points that get you stuck
(unable to progress and unable to return to an earlier point) and should you fall off of the level, you are put right back on top of it, albeit at the
start. Because the level is pretty short in terms of how long it takes you to get to the end once you know how, having to redo parts of the level
do also not take too long, which limits the frustration players experience from that.
The flow of the level is a bit like a traffic light. Each time you come across a new obstacle, you would have to stop and think about how you are
going to overcome it (this, of course, does not apply when you already know the level). You can, however, choose to just experiment with the
possibilities, which will still allow you to continuously be doing something.
Rhythm is achieved through the textures of the objects. As stated before, looking for two similar textures close to each other can usually give
you a hint about what you should be doing.
The difficulty of the level gradually builds, but also drops a bit in the middle. The first 'obstacle pass' is easy and the 'moving along the x-axis'
after that requires some experimenting, but is difficult not to solve by accident. Moving back requires you to understand the mechanic that
you just learned, which make it a bit harder, although you could just get it by accident again. Then you have to get on top of an obstacle, which
is pretty easy, although the fact that the obstacle is rather thin makes it harder to figure out. Getting on top of the second obstacle after that is
a lot easier, but after that you could be mislead into thinking that you should get on top of another object, while you should actually move
alongside said object. This is the most difficult the level gets, and is also the end.
The level does not really have any wow-factor, beyond the realization that you can use the mechanic to teleport along the x-axis.

The hook of the level is the fact that you can see the goal from your starting point, which is supposed to give the player an 'eyes on the prize'
state of mind.

Detailed Level By Edo van Klaveren

Gameplay Narative

Detailed Level By Edo van Klaveren

Tension
Foreshadowing is done by placing the goal of the level right next to the start, which will tell the player where they
need to go.
The textures in the level are designed to go well together, based on their colors. This way, we try to make the level
look like every obstacle is part of a whole. We do not use any coloring or contrast to guide the player through the
level.
There are no paradigm shifts in the level.
The music and sound effects in this level are no different than the ones in the other levels. The general aim of the
audio is to enrich the experience of a 'spacey, slightly trippy abstract world'.
Each level starts with a somewhat cryptic text that describes something about the upcoming level. For this level,
that would be On a side note, you might not be where you think you are., which hints at the fact that your
position can change if you look at yourself from the side. We do not really use (or need) any landmarks or
orientation points, since the level is small enough to not lose you overview.
The level is basically one giant refuge space. The areas in which you can move without going to a different part of
the level are pretty small. Even the beam floating in midair, which actually puts you in a wide open space, feels
pretty 'snug', since you can still only move along the beam and unless you click on another platform, you cannot
even fall off of it. Furthermore, the game does not really contain any (virtual) danger, which also means that an
area can never really be perceived as dangerous, which is also not a part of our design.

Detailed Level By Edo van Klaveren

MDA Framework
The goal of the game is mostly discovery, but after the game has been completed once, we add an extra challenge
layer where you are scored based on your level design. To reach these goals, we mostly rely on the mechanics of
the game.
In the level design, we achieve the discovery aspect by having the level consist of tiny parts that are separated by
little puzzles. We try to make the levels so that they give you the feeling that you have discovered something new,
be it a new mechanic or just a new place in the level where you can go. This is not unique to this level, since it is
actually something we try to do in every level of the game.
The discovery aspect is built up over the course of the game by slowly introducing the different mechanics. In this
specific level, there is of course the introduction of the 'x-axis mechanics', which contributes to the global build-up.
Furthermore, by showing the player the goal at the very start, while the exact path to it is still hidden. Every time
you get a little further into the level, you 'discover' another part of the path to your goal. Also, on a smaller scale,
every time the player experiments a bit before they find the correct way to progress, that is considered a form of
discovery. However, these discovery elements mostly stem from the mechanics and are thus not really part of the
level design, since they do not really need to be put in there explicitly.
The achievement aspect of the game is based on making the player try to complete a level with as few camera
switches as possible. This is not something we specifically do anything about when designing the level and is thus
not part of the level design.

Art style

Art style

Art style

Art style

Art style

Art style

PMI

PMI: Groep Startefact

Plus punten:
Munten systeem werkte goed voor ons als team. Het gaf ons motivatie & een professionele houding.
Wij hebben geen levens verloren tijdens het process. Altijd was iedereen aanwezig.
Goede uitwisseling van HKU & UU.
Min punten:
We moeten voor de post mortum een presentative geven en geen booth bouwen daar hadden wij op gehoopt
en leuk gevonden
duidelijkheid waarom je een munt wel of niet heb gekregen.
Interresante punten:
We hadden jan als begeleider maar we hebben emiel er gratis bij gekregen.
Wij hebben goed kunnen samenwerken met mensen van andere diciplnes.

PMI: Silver huber

Plus punten:

Strakke planning & Goede communicatie.

mooi eindproduct.
Wekelijkse feedback is fijn.
Eigen lokaaltje waar we konden werken.
Leuk om met UU studenten samen te werken.
succesvolle samenwerking met Runic Sounds, die ons perfect aanvoelden.
Min punten:

Soms teveel Designers die elk hun eigen zegje wilden doen
Sommige dingen werden laat gecommuniceerd (post-mortem locatie)
Soms het gevoel dat we niet efficint waren
Interresante punten:

Muntensysteem
Een opdracht zonder andere game disciplines

PMI: Tim Heessels

Plus punten:
Leuk team.
Snel al een werkend project.
Min punten:
Soms wat onduidelijkheid tussen leiders.
Niet altijd feedback.
Interresante punten:

Munten systeem ging ons erg goed af.

PMI: Purna Bishas

Plus punten:
Geen stress aan het einde, goeie planning.
Ik hoefde niet in de code, de Engine was geweldig.
Leuk concept uitgewerkt.
Gezellige sfeer in de groep.
Op het laatste moment toch nog verhaal in de game kunnen stoppen.
Met Runic Sounds gewerkt, goeie ervaring met ze.

Min punten:
Soms lange dagen.
Ik heb niet gemoddeld (was niet nodig maar ik had het wel leuk gevonden)
Geen animaties kunnen toevoegen.
Interresante punten:
Simpele art gemaakt
Geleerd om te gaan met seamless textures/hoe ik ze moest maken
Amper met Unity gewerkt voor dit project

PMI: Leonard Eilander

Plus punten:
Zeer geode planning waardoor aan het eind van het project weinig stress was.
Goede ervaring met mensen van buiten af o.a. Runic sound.
Succesvolle samenwerking met UU student
Min punten:
Geen Animatie in de game.
Veel features moeten schrappen vanwege tijd te kort!

Veel tijd aan lessen kwijt op hku

Feedback van andere groepen was zeer laag! Terwijl wij veel feedback gaven aan hun.
Interresante punten:
Munten systeem was een geode motivatie om elke week goed te presteren. Daarnaast gaf het een idee dat we
voor een publisher werkte wat ik ook prettig vond!

PMI: Edo van Klaveren

Plus punten:
Min punten:
Interresante punten: