Games Development - Task 1 : Game Design Document

- May 13, 2024

22.4.2024 - 19.5.2024 (Week 1 - Week 4)
Tan Yi-Tyng (0353327)
Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Games Development
Task 1: Game Design Document

INSTRUCTIONS

TASK 1

Game Design Document

Instruction

There will be exercises or projects due each week so it will be critical to maintain the schedule, or you will fall behind quite quickly. Students are required to design and create their own 2D side scrolling/platformer game. The game design document serves as a blueprint for their game and will contain all the necessary information and visual references to develop the game. Sample GDD will be provided as a reference, but students are expected to research more on matter to determine the necessary content items for their own GDD.

Ideation & Brainstorming Process

As someone who doesn't play games that much, I had no clue how to begin my game creation. Hence, during the first few weeks, I tried to play as many games as I could to observe and get inspiration from the gameplay, game mechanisms, and environments to search for an exciting idea for my own game project.

When playing one of our senior's games, "Sneak Out to Snack" by Katarina Indira, I discovered that I was interested in the puzzle-strategy genre. I liked that the game had a clear goal and straightforward, easy-to-understand rules, which stimulated my own game creation ideas. So, I have an idea to create a game that is easy to learn but hard to master, with an interesting storyline to attract the audience and improve their gaming experience.

Game Title: The Ultimate Heist

Story overview:

Players take on the role of a well-known master thief renowned for his daring heists, theft, and unparalleled ability to avoid law enforcement. With a reputation for stealing priceless artifacts from highly secure locations, the thief finds himself facing the ultimate challenge when he's caught mid-heist and imprisoned in an elite maximum-security facility.

Within the prison walls, the thief overhears whispers about an ancient artifact of immense value housed in the city's prestigious museum. Guarded by state-of-the-art security systems, the artifact is heavily guarded and supposedly impossible to steal unless you're a super skilled thief. Driven by the temptation of the ultimate prize and the chance to cement his legacy, the thief plans a daring escape from prison, aims for the heist of a lifetime to steal the artifact, and then plans to escape the city.

Genre:

Action-Adventure, Puzzle-Strategy, 2D Platformer.

Theme & Settings:

The game revolves around trickery, risk-taking, and the allure of treasures. Players step into the shoes of an anti-hero, navigating a morally gray world filled with danger, intrigue, and unexpected twists.

Target Audience:

Mature teens and adults who enjoy challenging platformers, stealth gameplay, and immersive storytelling with a focus on daring heists and high-stakes action.

Objectives:

The objective of the game is for players to guide the master thief through a series of challenging levels and missions with the ultimate goal of cementing his legacy by pulling off a daring heist without being caught.

Flowchart:
Miro Link: https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVKIlPmKo=/?share_link_id=581005507857

Scene Inspiration:

Character Inspiration:

FINAL SUBMISSION

Game Design Document:

Link to Google Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n_SFTzh37fiXFCh9OC-8PzUP8jQ6cZ5xleAGA8lCvWw/edit?usp=sharing

Fig. 3.1 - Game Design Document (PDF)

Presentation Slides:

Link to Canva: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGFsSMoQns/uAkjX2ftrbsaiSft2c9YPA/edit?utm_content=DAGFsSMoQns&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

Presentation Video:

Link to YouTube: https://youtu.be/hJdBv3mc7g4?si=36nYqw_b4FtMtH9-

FEEDBACK

13.5.2024- Week 4

The game concept and direction are okay.
There are too many game mechanics. I recommend removing the wall climbing, sliding, and moving platforms in order to reduce your workload, as too many different actions require you to design different poses for the character.
Based on the scene inspiration, consider designing the scene in a whole building with different floors. You can use the same layout scene for all level and just change the background design.
A good example for the scene design is:

REFLECTION

As a non-gamer, creating a new game will be difficult for me, but I will try my best to play as many games as possible during the first few weeks to get familiar with and observe game structures. I understand that building the prototype in Unity will be a challenging process, so I aim to come up with a game story and gameplay that are as simple as possible to ease my future workload. Throughout this process, I believe that coming up with a game theme, idea, and preparation, and finalizing the idea, need to be decided critically in order to thoughtfully consider how the whole project will work for the module. However, I am determined to learn and overcome the obstacles that I will encounter along the way. I know it will be a learning experience, and I am ready to embrace the journey with enthusiasm and perseverance.

TAN YI-TYNG (0353327)