Uncharted Worlds© MN Studios

v1.0, Mike Carrasco, 01/23/1313

Table of Contents1. Design History.......................................................................................................................................62. Section I – Game Overview...................................................................................................................7

2.1 Game Concept...............................................................................................................................7 2.2 Feature Set.....................................................................................................................................7 2.3 Genre.............................................................................................................................................7 2.4 Target Audience.............................................................................................................................7 2.5 Game Flow Summary....................................................................................................................7 2.6 Look and Feel................................................................................................................................7 2.7 Project Scope.................................................................................................................................7

2.7.1 Number of locations..............................................................................................................7 2.7.2 Number of levels....................................................................................................................7 2.7.3 Number of NPC's...................................................................................................................7 2.7.4 Number of weapons...............................................................................................................7 2.7.5 Etc..........................................................................................................................................7

3. Section II – Gameplay and Mechanics...................................................................................................7 3.1 Gameplay.......................................................................................................................................7

3.1.1 Game Progression..................................................................................................................7 3.1.2 Mission/challenge Structure..................................................................................................7 3.1.3 Puzzle Structure.....................................................................................................................7 3.1.4 Objectives..............................................................................................................................8 3.1.5 Play Flow...............................................................................................................................8

3.2 Mechanics......................................................................................................................................8 3.2.1 Physics...................................................................................................................................8 3.2.2 Movement..............................................................................................................................8

3.2.2.1 General Movement.........................................................................................................8 3.2.2.2 Other Movement............................................................................................................8

3.2.3 Objects...................................................................................................................................8 3.2.3.1 Picking Up Objects........................................................................................................8 3.2.3.2 Moving Objects..............................................................................................................8

3.2.4 Actions...................................................................................................................................8 3.2.4.1 Switches and Buttons.....................................................................................................8 3.2.4.2 Picking Up, Carrying and Dropping..............................................................................8 3.2.4.3 Talking...........................................................................................................................8 3.2.4.4 Reading..........................................................................................................................8

3.2.5 Combat...................................................................................................................................8 3.2.6 Economy................................................................................................................................8

3.3 Screen Flow...................................................................................................................................8 3.3.1 Screen Flow Chart.................................................................................................................8 3.3.2 Screen Descriptions...............................................................................................................9

3.3.2.1 Main Menu Screen.........................................................................................................9 3.3.2.2 Options Screen...............................................................................................................9 3.3.2.3 Etc..................................................................................................................................9

3.4 Game Options................................................................................................................................9 3.5 Replaying and Saving....................................................................................................................9 3.6 Cheats and Easter Eggs.................................................................................................................9

4. Section III – Story, Setting and Character............................................................................................10

4.1 Story and Narrative.....................................................................................................................10 4.1.1 Back story............................................................................................................................10 4.1.2 Plot Elements.......................................................................................................................10 4.1.3 Game Progression................................................................................................................10 4.1.4 License Considerations........................................................................................................10 4.1.5 Cut Scenes...........................................................................................................................10

4.1.5.1 Cut scene #1.................................................................................................................10 4.1.5.1.1 Actors...................................................................................................................10 4.1.5.1.2 Description...........................................................................................................10 4.1.5.1.3 Storyboard............................................................................................................10 4.1.5.1.4 Script....................................................................................................................10

4.1.5.2 Cut scene #2.................................................................................................................10 4.1.5.3 etc.................................................................................................................................10

4.2 Game World.................................................................................................................................10 4.2.1 General look and feel of world............................................................................................10 4.2.2 Area #1.................................................................................................................................10

4.2.2.1 General Description.....................................................................................................10 4.2.2.2 Physical Characteristics...............................................................................................10 4.2.2.3 Levels that use area......................................................................................................10 4.2.2.4 Connections to other ares.............................................................................................11

4.2.3 Area #2.................................................................................................................................11 4.2.3.1 Etc................................................................................................................................11

4.3 Characters....................................................................................................................................11 4.3.1 Character #1.........................................................................................................................11

4.3.1.1 Back story....................................................................................................................11 4.3.1.2 Personality....................................................................................................................11 4.3.1.3 Look.............................................................................................................................11

4.3.1.3.1 Physical characteristics.........................................................................................11 4.3.1.3.2 Animations............................................................................................................11 4.3.1.3.3 Special Abilities....................................................................................................11 4.3.1.3.4 Relevance to game story.......................................................................................11 4.3.1.3.5 Relationship to other characters...........................................................................11 4.3.1.3.6 Statistics................................................................................................................11

4.3.2 Character #2.........................................................................................................................11 4.3.3 Etc........................................................................................................................................11

5. Section IV – Levels..............................................................................................................................12 5.1 Level #1.......................................................................................................................................12

5.1.1 Synopsis...............................................................................................................................12 5.1.2 Introductory Material...........................................................................................................12 5.1.3 Objectives............................................................................................................................12 5.1.4 Physical Description............................................................................................................12 5.1.5 Map......................................................................................................................................12 5.1.6 Critical Path.........................................................................................................................12 5.1.7 Encounters...........................................................................................................................12 5.1.8 Level Walkthrough..............................................................................................................12 5.1.9 Closing Material..................................................................................................................12

5.2 Level #2.......................................................................................................................................12 5.3 etc................................................................................................................................................12 5.4 Training Level.............................................................................................................................12

6. Section V – Interface............................................................................................................................13 6.1 Visual System..............................................................................................................................13

6.1.1 HUD.....................................................................................................................................13 6.1.2 Menus..................................................................................................................................13 6.1.3 Rendering System................................................................................................................13 6.1.4 Camera.................................................................................................................................13 6.1.5 Lighting Models..................................................................................................................13

6.2 Control System............................................................................................................................13 6.3 Audio...........................................................................................................................................13 6.4 Music...........................................................................................................................................13 6.5 Sound Effects...............................................................................................................................13 6.6 Help System................................................................................................................................13

7. Section VI – Artificial Interface...........................................................................................................14 7.1 Opponent AI................................................................................................................................14 7.2 Enemy AI.....................................................................................................................................14 7.3 Non-combat Character................................................................................................................14 7.4 Friendly Characters.....................................................................................................................14 7.5 Support AI...................................................................................................................................14

7.5.1 Player and Collision Detection............................................................................................14 7.5.2 Pathfinding...........................................................................................................................14

8. Section VII – Technical........................................................................................................................15 8.1 Target Hardware..........................................................................................................................15 8.2 Development hardware and software..........................................................................................15 8.3 Development procedures and standards......................................................................................15 8.4 Game Engine...............................................................................................................................15 8.5 Network.......................................................................................................................................15 8.6 Scripting Language......................................................................................................................15 8.7 etc................................................................................................................................................15

9. Section VIII – Game Art......................................................................................................................16 9.1 Concept Art..................................................................................................................................16 9.2 Style Guides................................................................................................................................16 9.3 Characters....................................................................................................................................16 9.4 Environments...............................................................................................................................16 9.5 Equipment...................................................................................................................................16 9.6 Cut scenes....................................................................................................................................16 9.7 Miscellaneous..............................................................................................................................16

10. Section IX – Secondary Software......................................................................................................17 10.1 Editor.........................................................................................................................................17 10.2 Installer......................................................................................................................................17 10.3 Update software.........................................................................................................................17

11. Section X – Management...................................................................................................................18 11.1 Detailed Schedule......................................................................................................................18 11.2 Budget........................................................................................................................................18 11.3 Risk Analysis.............................................................................................................................18 11.4 Localization Plan.......................................................................................................................18 11.5 Test Plan....................................................................................................................................18

12. Appendices.........................................................................................................................................19 12.1 Asset List...................................................................................................................................19

12.1.1 Art......................................................................................................................................19

12.1.1.1 Model and Texture List..............................................................................................19 12.1.1.2 Animation List...........................................................................................................19 12.1.1.3 Effects List.................................................................................................................19 12.1.1.4 Interface Art List........................................................................................................19 12.1.1.5 Cut scene List.............................................................................................................19

12.1.2 Sound.................................................................................................................................19 12.1.2.1 Environmental Sounds...............................................................................................19 12.1.2.2 Weapon Sounds..........................................................................................................19 12.1.2.3 Interface Sounds.........................................................................................................19

12.1.3 Music.................................................................................................................................19 12.1.3.1 Ambient......................................................................................................................19 12.1.3.2 Action.........................................................................................................................19 12.1.3.3 Victory........................................................................................................................19 12.1.3.4 Defeat.........................................................................................................................19

12.1.4 Voice..................................................................................................................................19 12.1.4.1 Actor #1 lines.............................................................................................................19 12.1.4.2 Actor #2 lines.............................................................................................................19 12.1.4.3 Etc..............................................................................................................................19

1. Design HistoryThis is the first version of the document.doc design document.

2. Section I – Game Overview

2.1 Game Concept

2.2 Feature Set

2.3 Genre

2.4 Target Audience

2.5 Game Flow Summary

How does the player move through the game? Both through framing interface and the game itself.

2.6 Look and Feel

What is the basic look and feel of the game? What is the visual style?

2.7 Project Scope

2.7.1 Number of locations

2.7.2 Number of levels

2.7.3 Number of NPC's

2.7.4 Number of weapons

2.7.5 Etc.

3. Section II – Gameplay and Mechanics

3.1 Gameplay

3.1.1 Game Progression

3.1.2 Mission/challenge Structure

3.1.3 Puzzle Structure

3.1.4 Objectives

3.1.5 Play Flow

3.2 Mechanics

3.2.1 Physics

3.2.2 Movement

3.2.2.1 General Movement

3.2.2.2 Other Movement

3.2.3 Objects

3.2.3.1 Picking Up Objects

3.2.3.2 Moving Objects

3.2.4 Actions

3.2.4.1 Switches and Buttons

3.2.4.2 Picking Up, Carrying and Dropping

3.2.4.3 Talking

3.2.4.4 Reading

3.2.5 Combat

If there is combat or even conflict, how is this specifically modeled?

3.2.6 Economy

What is the economy of the game? How does it work?

3.3 Screen Flow

3.3.1 Screen Flow Chart

A graphical description of how each screen is related to every other

3.3.2 Screen Descriptions

3.3.2.1 Main Menu Screen

3.3.2.2 Options Screen

3.3.2.3 Etc.

3.4 Game Options

What are the options and how do they affect game play and mechanics?

3.5 Replaying and Saving

3.6 Cheats and Easter Eggs

4. Section III – Story, Setting and Character

4.1 Story and Narrative

4.1.1 Back story

4.1.2 Plot Elements

4.1.3 Game Progression

4.1.4 License Considerations

4.1.5 Cut Scenes

4.1.5.1 Cut scene #1

4.1.5.1.1 Actors

4.1.5.1.2 Description

4.1.5.1.3 Storyboard

4.1.5.1.4 Script

4.1.5.2 Cut scene #2

4.1.5.3 etc.

4.2 Game World

4.2.1 General look and feel of world

4.2.2 Area #1

4.2.2.1 General Description

4.2.2.2 Physical Characteristics

4.2.2.3 Levels that use area

4.2.2.4 Connections to other ares

4.2.3 Area #2

4.2.3.1 Etc.

4.3 Characters

4.3.1 Character #1

4.3.1.1 Back story

4.3.1.2 Personality

4.3.1.3 Look

4.3.1.3.1 Physical characteristics

4.3.1.3.2 Animations

4.3.1.3.3 Special Abilities

4.3.1.3.4 Relevance to game story

4.3.1.3.5 Relationship to other characters

4.3.1.3.6 Statistics

4.3.2 Character #2

4.3.3 Etc

5. Section IV – Levels

5.1 Level #1

5.1.1 Synopsis

5.1.2 Introductory Material

5.1.3 Objectives

5.1.4 Physical Description

5.1.5 Map

5.1.6 Critical Path

5.1.7 Encounters

5.1.8 Level Walkthrough

5.1.9 Closing Material

5.2 Level #2

5.3 etc.

5.4 Training Level

6. Section V – Interface

6.1 Visual System

6.1.1 HUD

6.1.2 Menus

6.1.3 Rendering System

6.1.4 Camera

6.1.5 Lighting Models

6.2 Control System

How does the game player control the game? What are the specific commands?

6.3 Audio

6.4 Music

6.5 Sound Effects

6.6 Help System

7. Section VI – Artificial Interface

7.1 Opponent AI

The active opponent that plays against the game player and therefore requires strategic decision making (example, Civilization or Chess, how is it to be designed?

7.2 Enemy AI

7.3 Non-combat Character

7.4 Friendly Characters

7.5 Support AI

7.5.1 Player and Collision Detection

7.5.2 Pathfinding

8. Section VII – Technical

8.1 Target Hardware

8.2 Development hardware and software

8.3 Development procedures and standards

8.4 Game Engine

8.5 Network

8.6 Scripting Language

8.7 etc.

9. Section VIII – Game Art

9.1 Concept Art

9.2 Style Guides

9.3 Characters

9.4 Environments

9.5 Equipment

9.6 Cut scenes

9.7 Miscellaneous

10. Section IX – Secondary Software

10.1 Editor

10.2 Installer

10.3 Update software

11. Section X – Management

11.1 Detailed Schedule

11.2 Budget

11.3 Risk Analysis

11.4 Localization Plan

11.5 Test Plan

12. Appendices

12.1 Asset List

12.1.1 Art

12.1.1.1 Model and Texture List

12.1.1.2 Animation List

12.1.1.3 Effects List

12.1.1.4 Interface Art List

12.1.1.5 Cut scene List

12.1.2 Sound

12.1.2.1 Environmental Sounds

12.1.2.2 Weapon Sounds

12.1.2.3 Interface Sounds

12.1.3 Music

12.1.3.1 Ambient

12.1.3.2 Action

12.1.3.3 Victory

12.1.3.4 Defeat

12.1.4 Voice

12.1.4.1 Actor #1 lines

12.1.4.2 Actor #2 lines

12.1.4.3 Etc.