Research
Alright, old fashioned Steampunk it is, first person adventure, set in the Victorian era (not related to Spin Doctor in any way). First I'll show you the research that I've done. I want a realistic game as far as Steampunk goes, and I have done research on interesting mechanics in games like Alone In The Dark, Amnesia/Penumbra, among many others. As shown below:
The videoes above are good examples of mechanics I would like to implement into my concept/level design. I want the game to be a realistic, adrealine pumping adventure that will make you think, and with time limits to push you into solving problems quickly. I want the player to use the environment around them, with a wide choice of environmental weapons or objects that can aid them in their defense, because there WILL be enemies, but no real weapons (at least not in the level I want to present to you guys), no guns or knives, but instead, they will have to think of a way that something just infront of them can be used to either attack the enemy or defend themselves from it while escaping. I want it to be fast paced, difficult but not overcomplicated - a challenging but also enjoyable experience.
A good example of this would be Amnesia, when monsters appear out of nowhere! (Don't see it yet? Wait for it....)
Oh, and this. Being chased by, well, in this case, a giant worm and not some humanoid. This may be a little scarier and more action-packed than what I was thinking of doing, but it is still a good reference:
The idea
I've always been a big fan of Adventure games, Amnesia probably being one of my favourite ones ever. I love the idea of not being able to pull out a gun and shoot down all the enemies around you, I'd rather have to think and solve puzzles (like Portal), although I enjoy games with weapons, I believe that leaving the player feeling hopeless (to an extent) but at the same time being capable of escaping the threat they are facing, either by hiding or defending themselves as they escape, and not to mention the adrenaline that comes with it, makes for very good gameplay. I feel this is a fast paced game but it didn't quite fit into the Action Adventure genre because of the lack of real combat. I'd also like to point out that even though my description makes this game sound like an extremely fast paced game, there will be time to sit down and relax, and think, and solve puzzles in a quiet environment inbetween these fast paced occurences, they serve more as a way of pushing the player forward to the next event or level, as a way of progressing through the level so the player doesn't get entirely stuck, although thinking will be involved when it comes to puzzles. These dramatic events, so to speak, where the player will be chased or attacked, are simply there to keep things interesting and as a way of telling the story indirectly, ie, a thief is trying to get ahold of the items you possess, and you quickly learn why.
With this in mind, I decided to base my game on this type of gameplay, and come up with a reason as to why the player is in the level I am going to create, what the goal of the game is, etc. I came up with the idea that you can see below, it's not complete just yet, but it serves as a brief overview of the post-game story and why the player is there.
The general idea is that you are playing a young errand boy for an inventor who has given you some top secret blueprints for his new revolutionary invention, for his and a handful other people's eyes only. You are told to deliver it to someone, but you are not told much about why you're going or who you are going to talk to, the only clue you get is that you have to go to a certain location and order a "___" (this being the password/proof you are there to deliver these papers) and you are told to take it from there.
* Who is the character I am playing?
You're an errand boy for one of the best known inventors in the UK, who has recently finished blueprints of a revolutionary invention that has yet to be revealed to the public eye.
* What is my goal as a player?
You have to make sure the blueprints arrive safely and end up in the right hands, at the location you are told to go to, and avoid them being destroyed or stolen in the process of getting them there.
* What time period is the game set in?
To break it down, it's during the victorian era, but in a steampunk setting.
* What location is it set in?
An industrial victorian United Kingdom, with advanced technology, but still with a victorian theme, and even though it may be steam punk, some things are still very old fashioned and not as advanced as other things. If that makes any sense to you.
***Obstacles, puzzles, collectibles, etc, will be blogged in a seperate post***
No comments:
Post a Comment