Game Jam

Sky Dancer

Contents

Introduction – Game Idea ....................................................................................................................... 3

Target Analysis ........................................................................................................................................ 3

Game flow and progression .................................................................................................................... 3

Educational aspects ................................................................................................................................ 4

Missions .................................................................................................................................................. 4

Bonus sky dancing mission...................................................................................................................... 5

Game world............................................................................................................................................. 5

Characters ............................................................................................................................................... 6

Controls ................................................................................................................................................... 6

Camera .................................................................................................................................................... 6

Score ....................................................................................................................................................... 7

Menu ....................................................................................................................................................... 7

Items ....................................................................................................................................................... 9

Concept Art ........................................................................................................................................... 12

Introduction – Game Idea

This game is a 3D plat-former in, 3rd person camera perspective, allowing vision of the map. The

player will have control over a Hen Harrier and will start by flying through the map. The hen harrier

will continuously move forwards and downwards to the floor, where the player can move left and

right and up to control the hen harrier around the map, collecting items. If the Hen Harrier hits the

top of the screen or the bottom or crashes into an obstacle, the game will end. The Hen Harrier will

use prey from its diet as a source of fuel to maintain flight, if the fuel meter is depleted the Hen

Harrier will slow down and crash. The game will be created using Unity and will therefore run on

unity web player, making it online compatible. Using unity allows a greater appearance to the

concepts, greater gameplay and a better view to play from.

Target Analysis

We have chosen to build our game in 3D instead of 2D to have better graphics and aesthetics, giving

the player more realistic and appealing gameplay.

The concept and controls of the game will be simple and easy to learn for children. The high score

board, customisable birds and the possibility to buy virtual items will make the game addictive,

entertaining and fun. The players will have the choice between the male and female Hen Harrier

which will show them the difference in colours on the male and female bird. The game area

resembles moorlands and grasslands which teach the player about the hen harriers habitat. The Hen

Harriers pray, the grouse, will be hunted in the game as it is in nature. This teaches the player about

the bird’s prey and feeding habits. The sky Dance bonus mode shows the player why the Hen Harrier

is called the Sky dancer, and adds an entertaining challenge that varies from the normal mode,

adding to the addictiveness of the game.

Game flow and progression The game will start up with a user friendly Menu, displaying different options for the player to

choose from, primarily being start game. The game begins after a cut-scene of the hen harrier flying

from its nest and into the air. This will not be included in the game demo. After the cut-scene the

game will start and the player will have to make their way through the level, passing obstacles,

collecting grouse, twigs, leaves and power-ups, for as long as they can last. There are missions in the

game where the player must reach a target before failing e.g. collecting 100 grouse. Completing

missions will contribute points towards the end score.

The game will then give the player a score, following the score which is constantly recording how

many items the player has collected before dying. The end score enhances the game play by showing

the player how well they have done, also giving a sense of competition and addictiveness, allowing

them to beat their previous score.

Educational aspects

The educational aspects will teach the player about the hen harrier, its prey, habitat and lifestyle.

The game will convey this through many different ways. For example, there will be cut-scenes

including information on the bird, also giving an entertaining and humorous sense to the game. The

game will also display facts on the bird after the player fails.

The hen harrier which is controlled by the player will also collide with grouse. When the grouse is hit

by the hen harrier, the grouse disappears and the players score will increase. This conveys the hen

harriers prey in a friendly way, educating the age range about the lifestyle of the bird.

Missions

Objective Bonus Points

Collect 3 eggs 1500 Collect 100 coins 300 Collect 200 coins 500 Collect 400 coins 800 Collect 800 coins 1200 Collect 1 power up 200 Collect 3 power ups 800 Survive 1 minutes 500

Feed on 30 grouse 1000

Collect 50 consecutive coins 1500 Have a near miss with 10 obstacles 400 Survive 2 minutes 1000 Don’t use a power for 2 minutes 500 Collect 30 consecutive coins 1000

Bonus sky dancing mission

When the player collects 25 grouse the player will be taken into a mini game, shooting up and

entering into a new world, the player can control the hen harrier, flying through hoops to gain bonus

score points. Twigs and leaves can still be collected for bonus coins. Whilst in this game mode, the

player cannot crash or collide. The bonus mission has a time limit of 15 seconds, giving the player an

opportunity to change game mode as well as scoring bonus points and coins. When the bonus

mission is complete, the bird will fly back down to the position the hen harrier was before the bonus

mission started. The game will then continue as normal, unless the player collects a further 25

grouse.

This Diagram shows the

gameplay view in the sky

dancing mode. The

numbers represent the

number of seconds in

which the player will

reach the hoop.

Game world

The map allows conveys an attractive landscape while playing the game. The player can move

through the map, also showing background scenery such as a bright blue sky, rocky mountains and

grassy planes. This also gives a good educational representation of the habitat of which the hen

harrier lives.

The map contains hills and bumps, creating obstacles for the player. The player has to avoid hitting

the floor by moving up above the hills.

Characters

The only character in the game is the hen harrier. The hen harrier is modelled into the shape of a

real life hen harrier, also textured with realistic hen harrier feathers. This gives the player a good

representation of what hen harriers look like, teaching the age range about the appearance of hen

harriers.

Hen Harrier

As you can imagine the Hen Hunter will be the main character in this game. We will give the player

the option to choose which sex of Hen Harrier they want to be, this will show them the difference in

appearance between them. For the female we will use the brown feathers with the speckled

underbelly. For the male we will use a full white with black feather tips. This gives a realistic and

educational appearance to the hen harriers.

Controls

The controls of the game will be basic due to the age range of the game, making it simplistic and

easy to learn. This gives the game a quick learning curve. The controls set will be set close together,

ensuring that the keys are not far out of reach, making it difficult to control. Because the game flow

is based on up and down motion the space bar is the most appropriate control to use for the up

motion, being a large key to press, the space bar cannot be miss-pressed.

Space – Move Up

Up Arrow – Move Up Left

Arrow – Move Left Right

Arrow – Move Right Enter

– Activate Power Escape –

Pause Game

Camera

The game is set as a third person camera. This allows the player to see the flow of the game directly,

conveying the motion path and the future of the path. The camera also allows the player to see the

boundaries of the game, being the top and bottom which collided with, will end the game. The

camera conveys all features of the game clearly, including the character, items and depth

perception. Because the game is 3D, the player can also see the depth of the terrain, allowing them

to avoid hitting the ground easier.

Score

The score is affected by many different features such as grouse, twigs, leaves and missions. The

player will earn points for each different item. Grouse will be the main source of score points as they

are the most common items on the map. Twigs and leaves are collected for extra points which are

less commonly found on the map. The use of twigs and leaves convey what the hen harriers nest is

made out of. Eggs can also be collected for bonus points. The eggs have been stolen from the hen

harrier and it is up to the player to get them back. Eggs will earn bonus points when collected.

Mission points

When the player completes a mission they will earn score points. When the player has completed a

mission, they are given another mission. This means that the player can earn many score points from

completing missions, each giving their own score points. Although missions aren’t the primary

source of points, they give the player something to aim for, making the game addictive and

competitive.

Menu

The menu will use bright colours to enhance the players perception of the game, before and after

playing. The bright colours will fit to the age-range, making the game attractive and user friendly. As

well as bright colours, the main menu contains an image of the hen harrier, giving greater

appearance and visionary evidence of what hen harriers look like.

Main menu

The main menu allows the player to access all features of the game, including the start game button,

shop and options. The main menu is user friendly, meaning that there are no complexities when

using the menu, giving quick, clear and easy control.

Start Game

The start game button will allow the player to go straight into the game.

Shop

The shop button allows the player to see the items in the shop, conveying the item, prices and

information on the item.

Options

The options menu allows the player to modify brightness, sound settings and sub-titles.

Quit

The quit button exits the game completely.

Shop menu

When the player clicks on the shop button they will be able to see the power-ups and customisable

items.

Power Ups

There are many power-ups on display for the user to purchase. The player can collect coins to buy

new power-ups from collecting twigs and leaves.

Customizable items

The player can buy customisable items such as patterned trails which follow the hen harrier when

moving and colour of feathers.

Options menu

The player can user slider bars to modify the settings below.

Sound on/off – The slider bar changes from mute to maximum volume.

Brightness bar - The brightness can be changed using the slider bar, potentially assisting the visually

impaired.

Sub-titles – Subtitles can be switched on and off, also using a slider bar. This will display all speech

and actions happening on screen.

Items

In Game Items -

The Grouse –

The grouse in the game are collectable objects, where if the player collides with the grouse, the

player gains score points. The grouse will be randomly spawned within the map, making it

interesting for the player to collect. When the player collects 25 grouse, they will be taken into a

mini-game to score more points for a short period of time.

Leaves and Twigs play the role of coins in the game. The player will have to collect leaves and twigs

during the game, to then use them in the shop to purchase power ups and skins which customize

their Hen Harrier.

Eggs – The player can collect the Hen Harrier’s eggs that have been stole by the Grouse. Each

collected egg gives a bonus of 400 points.

Power Ups – The player can either activate a power up by flying into it during the game or by buying

it before the game and activating it with the Enter Key during the game.

Invincibility – The player will be invisible for five second.

Cost in shop - 15000

Double leaves and twigs- for each leaf and twig the player will receive double coins for ten seconds.

Cost in shop - 15000

Revive – If the player crashes, he/she can choose to use revive to continue their current game.

Cost in shop -20000

Customise – The player will be able to buy different items to add onto their Hen Harrier to customise

them to their liking.

Feathers- Different coloured feathers – Red, Blue, Purple, Yellow, Orange, Green, Pink and Rainbow

Cost in shop of coloured feather skins – 15000

Cost in shop of Rainbow feather skin - 25000

Wings- The player will be able to buy different size and shape wings

Cost of each wing – 20000

Patterns – Adds a pattern on the Hen Harrier’s body and wings

Cost of each pattern - 15000

Trails behind the bird – The Hen Harrier leaves a colourful trail behind it - Red, Blue, Purple, Yellow,

Orange, Green, Pink and Rainbow

Cost in shop of coloured trails – 15000

Cost in shop of Rainbow trail - 25000

Hen Harrier Feather Skins

Obstacles

There will be obstacles in the game such as tree’s, aeroplanes and rocks. These obstacles will make it

harder for the player, provoking the player into dodging all obstacles in order to collect items. When

the player collides with the obstacles, the game will be over and the players score will stop.

Obstacles are all different in shape and sizes and are scattered across the map, challenging the

player. Obstacles will be placed to make sure the game is not too easy, making it less interesting to

play.

Concept Art