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Saturday, May 27, 2023

Table of Contents

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T5 Game StudioGame Design Document

Pac ManTurn Based Strategy Game

1. Pac-Man______________________________________________________________________03

2. Design History_________________________________________________________________ 03Version 1.0____________________________________________________________________ 03Version 1.1____________________________________________________________________ 03Version 1.2____________________________________________________________________ 03Version 1.3____________________________________________________________________ 03

2.1. Ideation Process___________________________________________________________04

2.2. Iteration___________________________________________________________________04

3. Game Overview_______________________________________________________________053.1. Game

Concept___________________________________________________________ 05 3.2. Asset

List__________________________________________________________________ 053.3. Target Audience and

Rationale_____________________________________________074. Gameplay and Mechanics____________________________________________________

084.1. Gamepla

y________________________________________________________________ 084.1.1.Objectives__________________________________________________________

084.1.2.Play

Flow____________________________________________________________08 4.2. Mechanic

s_______________________________________________________________ 094.2.1.Rule

s________________________________________________________________094.2.2.Terrain

Rules_________________________________________________________115. Level

s_________________________________________________________________________13References__________________________________________________________________ 14

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1. Pac-Man

Is an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games, and an icon of 1980s popular culture. In this game, we try to create Pac-Man into a analog game.

2. Design History

Version 1.0

We try to emulate the characteristics of the 4 ghosts and Pac-Man on the board to make it as similar as possible to the arcade game. Also, we gave the Pac-Man and the ghosts fixed sets of steps for their movements and found out that it is very complex for players to remember the individual ghost and the kind of steps they should be taking base according to the ghost characteristics. Also the game is just race to the end for Pac-Man to collect all the pacdots but the ghosts had literally not much objectives besides hunting down Pac-Man. Therefore we dropped the idea.

Version 1.1

This was the improved version of the previous. We give the pac-man and the ghosts some power-ups to balance the game play but having done that, it seems that it is more of a positive feedback loop that we had created which in a way speed up the game quite a bit. Through our play test, we fine tune further but realized that there are just too much players involved and is quite a drag for players to wait for their turn. Therefore we modified further.

Version 1.2

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In this version, we tried to create Pac-Man for the boys between 7-9 years old. To cater for this demographic, we narrow down to a 2 player game having in mind to make it portable for any occasions, we thought of a Pac-Man card game. The idea derives from Pokémon card and ‘Magic the Gathering’. So in this game we try to introduce simple card battle system for the children to play. But after some play test, we realized that the core mechanics of Pac-Man had totally changed and it becomes a totally different game.

Version 1.3

After going round and having tested different variations of Pac-Man, our team has finally come up an improved of it. The game will be based on 2 players and targeting 7-9 years old Elementary School Students but with the core mechanics unchanged. This time round we modified the fixed board into a modular board game and add different terrain into the game that challenges the player too.

2.1.1 Ideation Process

We started making this game having in mind not to change too much of the game. Having said that, we researched on how the game was designed in the first place. Based on our findings, we brainstormed on how to replicate the whole game play from a digital game to analog. After having thorough understanding of Pac-Man, we try to keep all the ghosts and Pac-Man characteristics intact. Our team went further to find out how to keep the same behaviour that is in the arcade game and tries to duplicate it into the board game.

2.1.2 Iteration

After making our first prototype, we try playing the game many times and found out many flaws in it and thus lead us to scrap it. In the process of iteration we developed new ideas upon it and found new ways playing the game like turning into card game as well as modular board Pac-Man.

2.2.1 Iteration Process

In the process of doing so, we found out it is impossible to copy as digital Pac-Man react instantaneously while board game are pretty much turn based. Besides, the simulated behaviours that we created are not easy for the players who play tested our game to understand it. Many are caught in the situations of not being able to understand the instructions and thus gave up playing instead. Through this, we brainstormed further to make it better.

This time round we simplified the rules and add some positive feedback loops like power ups to help Pac-Man and the ghosts to advance into the game faster. But with that, we faced another problem that is the game become imbalanced and the waiting time for each turn of the players also increases. Therefore idea was scrapped.

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On the third version, we turn it into a card game but we somehow stripped all the core mechanics of the original game and try out this new idea. The target audience was selected to be in the 7-9 years old male. With that, we turn Pac-Man into a mechanized machine that battles the ghosts. This time we also reduced the number of players to two instead. Through iteration mentally, we also realized that it becomes a new game with no identity to its predecessor.

Through the abovementioned iteration, we finally came up with this idea of retaining the core mechanics of the old and add some of our new ideas into it. We had made some changes to the board. Instead of a fixed board, we modified it and turn it into a modular board so that more challenges can be added into the game.

3. Game Overview

Pac-Man board game is about turn based strategy which the players will have to plan their moves carefully and tries to beat their opponents with their wits.

To start, each player has to role a die to determine who are the Pac-Man and the other player the ghost. After which, they will start by collecting pacdots on the board and the player with most pacdots wins.

But in this game there’s a twist, either player will become Pac-Man or the ghost during the game. This is to make it fair for both players to achieve the objectives of the game.

And to bring to a whole new level, we added boards that can be combined with the existing layout based on the difficulty level that the players chose to have.

On top of that, we give our players a more real life experience. We introduced different terrains so that players have more choices to consider and plan their moves carefully before committing their moves.

3.1 Game Concept

The game is about collecting and beating your opponents with the most collection of pacdots during game play. During the game play, players need to think and strategized their moves so to benefit from it like most chess game does. This game allows player to train their mind while having fun.

3.2 Assets List

Modular Board

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Combine Board

Terrain Board

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Die

Pac-Man

Ghost

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Pac Dot

3.3 Target Audience and Rationale

Our target audience is Elementary School Students of age between 7-9 years old regardless of gender. These children at this age are learning, forming their own thoughts and reasoning are developing to differentiate many things. Therefore this Pac-Man board game can helped developed their thinking minds as well as building rationale thinking.

4. Gameplay and Mechanics

4.1 Gameplay

Before starting the game, two players are required to set up the modular board to their desired scenarios. After that, pacdots will have to be placed on the modular board that marks with an ‘X’.

Once done, both players need to roll a die to determine the character they are playing. Higher number will have the advantage of playing Pac-Man while lower number will play the ghost.

Upon decided, Pac-Man will roll a die to determine the amount of steps to take. When Pac-Man collected two pacdots more than the opponent, there will be a pacmandigm shift which literally means both characters will now switched and the role of the players changed.

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If the ghost managed to capture Pac-Man, then Pac-Man will have to surrender one pacdot to the ghost and both will respawn to their starting position. And this will continue until all the pacdots on the board are totally cleared.

4.1.1 Objectives

The objectives of the game are plan and strategize your moves to benefit yourself with the best advantages in order to beat your opponent. Doing your best to acquire maximum pacdots will help you win the game.

4.1.2 Play Flow

4.2 Mechanics

4.2.1. Rules

Number of Players, Age TWO Player Game in which ONE player controls Pac Man and the other ONE control

the Ghost. This game is targeted for 7 to 9 years old Elementary School students.

Preparation and Setting up the game Put the long 22 by 7 rectangular board on a table. Connect any Four 11 by 7 Rectangular board to the long rectangular board as shown

below:

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Roll a D-6 Dice Follow the terrain rules

Pac Man collects a Pac Dot

If Pac Man has collected more than 2 Pac Dots than

the Ghost, Pacmandigm Shift on the spot.

Ghost captures Pac ManBoth player goes back to

their starting position and execute Pacmandigm Shift.

Put one Pac Dot on all the grids that are marked by an ‘X’ that are found on the connected pieces as shown below:

Put both the Player Pieces on the squares that denotes their colour piece as shown below:

Legend: Pac Man

Ghost

Pac Dots

Objective of the game The objective of the game is to collect more Pac Dots than your opponent by the end

of the game.

Before starting to play, there are rules that the players must follow. They are listed below:1. Before playing, each player rolls the D-6 die. The player with the higher number

becomes the Pac Man while the player with the lower number becomes the Ghost. If both player gets the same number, they must re-roll the dice till one player gets a higher number than the other.

2. The player who controls Pac Man has to collect the Pac Dots around the map while the player who controls the Ghost has to capture the Pac Man and prevent it from collecting the Pac Dots.

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3. The player who plays as the Pac Man starts moving first (only if it starts from the Pac Man’s starting position), followed by the Ghost. Else, the player whose turn it is on, starts moving first, regardless whether he or she is the Pac Man or the Ghost.

Player playing as the…

How to they move around the board?

Pac Man Roll a D-6 then move that exact number of spaces as shown on the die unless stated otherwise.

Ghost Roll a D-6 then move that exact number of spaces as shown on the die unless stated otherwise.

4. When a piece enters the teleport grid or is on it, it can exit the board and enters from the other side (I.e, the other teleport grid).

5. If the Pac Man passes through or lands on a grid with the Pac Dot, it collects that Pac Dot. The Pac Dot is then removed from the board and kept by the player who collects it.

6. If the Ghost passes through Pac Man or vice versa, the Ghost is then said to have captured the Pac Man. In this case, the Pac Man has to give one of his Pac Dots which he has collected (if any) to the player who controls the Ghost. Then, both the Pac Man and the Ghost goes back to their starting positions (restarting).

Player If it passes through or lands on the grid with a Pac Dot

If it passes through or lands on the other player’s piece.

Pac Man The Pac Dot is collected by the player. The player who controls the Pac Man gives one of his Pac Dots (if any) to the player controlling the Ghost and both player restarts from their starting positions (restarting).

Ghost Nothing happens.

7. Upon restarting , both players change their roles by flipping their own player piece; Pac Man now becomes the Ghost and vice versa, regardless of who has more Pac Dots than the other. This is known as Pacmandigm Shift.

Pacmandigm Shift

When the Pac Man becomes the Ghost and the Ghost becomes the Pac Man.

8. When a Pac Man collects a Pac Dot, if the player currently controlling Pac Man has collected more than 2 Pac Dots than the player who currently controls the Ghost, Pacmandigm Shift is executed without a restart.

What is the situation? What should players do? What is the result?Pac Man got captured by the Ghost

1. Pac Man gives one of his Pac Dots to the Ghost (if any).

Pac Man becomes the Ghost and vice versa with both players at

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2. Both players go back to their starting positions and Pacmandigm Shift is executed.

their starting positions.

Pac Man has 2 more Pac Dots than the Ghost after collecting a Pac Dot

Pacmandigm Shift is executed. Pac Man becomes the Ghost and vice versa with both players at their current player position.

9. If there are no more Pac Dots on the board, the game ends. Both players count the number of Pac Dots that they have collected during the game and the player with the most Pac Dots wins.

4.2.2. Terrain Rules

In addition to the rules above, there are also additional rules to follow. As you can see, the extending board pieces come with various coloured walls. These colours represent the terrain on that board piece. There are various rules that are applied only when the Player has his piece on the terrain and he rolls the dice.

Terrain Colour

Terrain Name Terrain Rules

Black Normal Terrain Player pieces move exactly according to the number shown on the dice after it is rolled.

Brown Mountains Player pieces must move 1 less than what is stated on the dice after it is rolled. If the number on the dice shows a 1, the player cannot move for that turn.

Light Grey Ice Player pieces must move 2 more steps than what is stated on the dice after it is rolled.

Blue Water Player pieces move the number of steps that is shown on the dice after it is rolled but then they have to move back 1 step in the way that they come from before they end their current turn.

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Dark Grey Space Pac Man cannot pass through the Pac Dot and collect it and it has to land on the absolute grid that the Pac Dot is on to collect it.

Ghost cannot capture the Pac man by passing through it and it has to land on the absolute grid that the Pac Man is on to capture it.

In addition, the player has to move an additional 3 step inclusive of the number shown on the dice roll.

Walkthrough

5. Level

The level that is in the Pac-Man board game is somewhat similar to the digital games or arcade games. The way to do it is to add modular boards to the already basic set-up of one main board and four smaller modular boards. This ensures more challenges and if that is not enough, the players can add-on terrain boards to further enhance that experience. In this way, it is more of a D-I-Y level that gives player flexibilities to customize to their needs.

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Roll a D-6 Dice Follow the terrain rules

Pac Man collects a Pac Dot

If Pac Man has collected more than 2 Pac Dots than

the Ghost, Pacmandigm Shift on the spot.

Ghost captures Pac ManBoth player goes back to

their starting position and execute Pacmandigm Shift.

References:

http://www-personal.engin.umd.umich.edu/~bmaxim/cis488/BaldwinGameDesignDocumentTemplate.doc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_design

http://digitalworlds.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/an-example-game-design-document-template/

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3384/the_anatomy_of_a_design_document_.php

http://www.runawaystudios.com/articles/chris_taylor_gdd.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pac-Man

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http://www.google.com.sg/imglanding?q=pac+man&hl=en&biw=1916&bih=897&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1&tbnid=06B0O_6RKQBxCM:&imgrefurl=http://www.pocketberry.com/2009/02/17/pacman-game-for-blackberry-free-ota-download/&imgurl=http://www.pocketberry.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/pacman_1.gif&zoom=1&w=640&h=480&iact=hc&ei=nXQpTbvnN8PxrQePmIS5Cw&oei=nXQpTbvnN8PxrQePmIS5Cw&esq=1&page=1&tbnh=125&tbnw=168&start=0&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:0

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