The Lighthouse KidLevel Design Doc

David Ly

Final version – 12.10.2011

Version HistoryVersion Date Author Notes

1 03.10.2011 David Ly Design template

2 06.10.2011 David Ly Revised version of the level design

3 (Final) 12.10.2011 David Ly Finalised version of the level design

OverviewThe Lighthouse kid is a first person puzzle game that will draw the player into a world of mystery

and darkness

This game is set in a mysterious lighthouse in which the player has to solve a variety of puzzles to get to the top. The player is equipped with a lantern to clear the path of darkness and help solve obstacles such as opening locked doors, reveal hidden paths and dispel the shadows lurking in the tower.

Target audience: All agesGenre: PuzzleMode: Single player

Production Info

GoalsPrimary Goal:The main goal in the game is to solve puzzles and to advance to the next floor. The puzzles will increase in challenge as the player proceeds up the lighthouse. These puzzles vary from lighting up all the torches in the rooms, defeating all the enemies and to collected items such as keys and books.

Secondary Goal:Throughout the game, the player will encounter a number of books in which they can collect to reveal more of the story. It is not compulsory to collect them all but it will give the player a deeper understanding of the story, they also act as checkpoints so it is important to find them in the level.

Developer Goal:-My goal is to create compelling puzzles and having a unique approach to solving them instead of flipping switches and pressing buttons. Also I want to focus on sound which draws the player into a different gamespace.

Resources-Unity to create my 3D level-3D models created using 3D Studio Max-Logic Pro to edit sound-A good sound recording device-Soundtrack pro to edit and add effects to my sound recordings-Sibelius for music composition-Photoshop for texture editing and photos-Internet access for resources and coding help

Limitations & Challenges-One of the challenges is to find ways to show the player that they are in a lighthouse. What sort of objects would be in a lighthouse? What is the architecture like? What types of rooms should there be in a lighthouse? These questions will need to be researched.

-I have limited time so I have to be realistic on the choices I make such as character and enemy modelling and not having too many complex coding for items and enemies.-Ambient sound should not overpower the sound of the player and is important to balance the two.-To get the difficulty correct. Not to make it too simple or too hard and to gradually increase in challenge.-The controls should be easily memorable and fluid with the first person camera.

MilestonesMilestone Date Deliverables

Pitch Week 2 Idea pitch

Planning tool Week 3 Level Design Document (Pre-production doc)

Assets Week 5 Creation of main assets(3D models, interface and main menu)

Alpha Week8 Core gameplay mechanics implemented. Player controls, enemy AI and item mechanics should all be working.

Focus group testing Week 9 Gain feedback on gameplay, story and graphics.To find any bugs or glitches.

Beta Week10 Add all assets to the game.Fix any bug/glitches as well as implement any changes to the game from focus group testing.

Final version Week 11 Ready for submission

Risks-Due to time restraints and my lack of programming skills in Unity. The quality of my game will drop as I feel that I am being too ambitious in terms of content and mechanics. I have devised a list of all the core objects and mechanics needed to run the game and be ready for Alpha testing.

AssessmentIn week 2, I pitched my game idea to a small focus group and was given feedback. I took some feedback into consideration and made changes to some elements of the game.

Feedback Changes made

Lack of storyline Included books in levels in which the player can learn more of the story as the game progresses

Focus on ambient sounds rather than adding music

Add sounds of the sea to indicate the location

Well thought out puzzles, make sure it isn’t too complicated for the player

I will provide a hint to the player at the start of each new puzzle

Instead of making the controls for a controller, focus on the computer controls

Added controls to the mouse and keyboard

There will be another focus group testing in week 9 where I can get feedback on the gameplay.

Level SpecsSingle / multiplayer: Single

Game type: Puzzle

Main Mechanics: -The player can walk, look around and interact with game objects.-The lantern is used to get rid of enemies, reveal paths and light torches to clear objectives.-Enemies come towards the player or stay in one position.

Game controls: (On keyboard & mouse)WASD keys: Move the characterMoving the mouse: Look aroundE: Hold to light candles using the lanternLeft-button on mouse: Interact with doors and objectsRight-button on mouse: Hold to use lantern

Gameplay time: Time will vary between 1 to 3 minutes for the first level and 3 to 6 minutes for the second level. This is due to the player not having a specific objective. Tips will be given to the player to help them solve the puzzle and advance to the next level.

Asset design and organisation: All assets are organised into folders to easily import to Unity. These assets will include:-3D models with textures which are created in 3DS Max.-Audio files-Files related to the main menu eg. Buttons and title.-Text which will be used in the game.

List of characters: The player will play as ‘The lighthouse kid’.

List of NPCs: None in the first two levels.

List of enemy types: Shadows: The basic enemies of the game, they wander aimlessly around the level and will hurt the player on contact. Use the lantern to make them disappear. They may reappear after a set time.

List of pick-ups: Books: There are a number of books scattered around the game. By reading them it will automatically save the player. So whenever a player dies they will start on the last book

visited.Keys: Some levels require a key in which is needed to open a locked door.

List of obstacles: Barriers appear in the game blocking the player from proceeding. It will disappear once the player clears the objective.

Number and timing of scripted events: -Torches will take two seconds to light.-Enemies will travel at a slow steady pace.

Number and timing of cutscenes: There are currently no cutscenes in the game.

Gold / money in level: There is no money or scoring system in the game.

Game / player progression details: Throughout the game new features and puzzle-solving mechanics will be unlocked for the player. If time, I could implement a feature to allow the player to replay previous levels.

Tutorial / hint scripts: There will be a number of tips to guide the player throughout the game. They will come in the form of text boxes which appear on the screen.

Story[Creaking door]Text: Ground floor: It’s too darkThe player game begins on the ground floor of the abandoned lighthouse.It is dark but the player can just about make out an object on the table.Text: There’s a lantern here, I wonder if it works?(Tip: Left click to interact with objects and doors.)(Tip: Hold right mouse button to use the lantern.)The room is brighter and the player can explore the room. Text: A barrier blocks the stairway.There are torches on the walls of the room. The player approaches one of the torches(Tip: Hold ‘E’ to light torches)When all the torches are lit the barrier disappeared.Text: The barrier vanished.

Text: First floor: The shadowsThe player walks up the stairs and sees a shadowy figure approaching.Text: A ghost?! It’s coming for me, what should I do?(Tip: Use the lantern)Text: I see a key, I wonder what that opens.The player enters the nearest room and finds a strange book on the desk.[Creaking door]Text: The book reads: ...This lighthouse provided a safe entry to marina harbour until... (Tip: Interacting with books can save your life when you die...)The player leaves the room and goes to the next roomText: Its locked, maybe this key might open it.

The player inserts the key and the door opens to find another shadow enemy.[Creaking door]Text: Ah, another one!After the player gets rid of the enemy, the barrier for the room disappears.Text: The barrier vanished.

Floorplan

GameplayThe gameplay focuses on exploration and solving puzzles. There are goals the player has to fulfil in each level to proceed to the next. The player only has one life and if they die, they will restart the puzzle again or return to the nearest checkpoint.

The lantern is a multipurpose weapon, it is used as a light source but it is also used to light torches around the room and defeat enemies. I want to adapt the controls to the similar way a player would react in reality by having the player hold the right mouse button for the lantern to be used.

Gameplay will increase in difficulty as levels become larger and objectives become harder to accomplish. At the beginning of each level there will be a hint on what is needed to solve the puzzle. For example, the first puzzle is titled “It’s too dark”. When the puzzle is solved, the player will advance to the next floor by going up the stairs.

The layout of the menu

The games perspective

The stairs take the player to the next floor

The main objective for each level.

The player begins at the entrance here and picks up the lantern on the table

How to clear the first puzzle

VisualsThe Lighthouse Kid focuses on the theme of light and dark. The lantern is used to brighten dark passages and rooms. The overall game will be very dark with hues of dark blue to show that the lighthouse is dark and abandoned. The torches and lantern will let off a warm, orange glow around the room (Point light). I chose blue and orange as my main colours in the game because they are harmonious colours and will give the player the feeling of warmth and cold in the game atmosphere.

1. The player begins here.

2. Head to the table and left click to interact with the lantern.

3. Holding the right button on the mouse, use the lantern to light your way around the room. Hold ‘E’ to light the torches.

4. When all five torches are lit, the barrier will disappear and the player can move to the next floor.

I will be making my game objects in 3D Studio Max and will be imported into Unity. The main assets I will be modelling are:-Players right arm holding the lantern-Lantern-Torches hanging from the wall (One before and after it is lit)-Tattered stairs-Wooden door-Rusty key-The shadows (enemies) will be a ghost-like cloth. (Alternative would be to use the particle effects in Unity)

Textures

SoundThe sound will be mostly ambient sound to preserve the eerie and dark atmosphere. The sounds I will be using in the game are:

Environment-Sounds of the sea with waves crashing against the coastline.-Creaking sound for the doors-Sound for lighting the torches and the crackling of the fire

Character-Breathing sounds to create a sense of realism and anxiety. If time I can incorporate a faster breathing sound to indicate low health.-The sound of footsteps will help show the player what type of surface the floor is and to immerse the player in the environment around them. The three main surfaces will be stone, wooden floorboards and carpet. -If possible, I can add an echo effect as the player makes his/her way down a corridor.

Enemies-Enemies will make a faint sighing sound when the player is near them.

Appendices/InfluencesBelow are some of the games which gave me ideas for my game.

Minecraft by MojangI like the idea of exploring caves and using torches to light the way. Also, I like how Minecraft uses ambient sounds such as running water and footsteps which I will incorporate in my game. All these factors as well as designing my game in first person view will immerse the player as much as I can.

Limbo by PlaydeadI like Limbos simple controls and the puzzle solving levels. Also, the unique visual styles which create a dark atmosphere. There is no text in this game to provide hints or the controls.