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Lapse A game by: 

Maria Kahn Nahum Silva Carlos Flores Daniel Fleming 

 Genres: Action/Adventure, Platformer, Side Scroller, Suspense   Platform: PC, Playstation 3 / 4 and Xbox 360 / One   References/Inspiration: Deadlight, Limbo, Trauma, Ninja Gaiden, Prince of Persia  Executive summary: “Lapse” is an action/adventure side scroller in which the player takes control of                             Anton, an ex­KGB agent tortured by his memories, as he struggles to discover his own identity and                                 the reasons behind his incarceration in the Aptieka Mental Institution, Latvia. As he fights against a                               corrupt system and the individuals who perpetuate it, Anton must struggle not only with his PTSD, but                                 also with different symptoms caused by an             over exposition to powerful and experimental           drugs.  Unlike other side scrollers, “Lapse”         incorporates an innovative mechanic       throughout the use of different medication that,             if combined incorrectly or abused, might cause             Anton to experiment different side effects that             alter his perception of reality.  Target audience: Casual and experienced gamers who are interested in platform­style games, with                         a healthy mixture of action and puzzle solving. The themes are dark and bleak so generally will                                 appeal to players who are interested in stories set in dystopian or other post­apocalyptic settings.                             Violence and tension are aspects of the game so the ideal player would be interested in gameplay                                 that is exciting and in environments or situations that can be gruesome or disturbing.  Intended ESRB Rating: “Lapse” is intended to have a rating of M (Mature) for players who are 17                                   years or older. “Lapse” will contain intense violence, blood and gore, strong language, crude humour,                             use of drugs, sexual themes and violence references.  Themes:  Psychological and mental health “Lapse” deals with a combination of themes, including psychological and mental health issues, as                           well as institutionalized medication and drug abuse. The amnesiac protagonist Anton is struggling to                           

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rediscover his identity, and the reason that he has been committed to this institution. Does he                               actually have mental issues, or was he put there by a group or an individual with malevolent goals?                                   Anton is clearly suffering from the effects of being medicated and imprisoned for an undeterminable                             amount of time. Has that caused his mental issues, or exasperated existing ones? The game will                               touch on ideas surrounding the out­of­sight, out­of­mind philosophy that has plagued mental health                         issues in the past, as well as the bizarre and archaic forms of curing and treating these illnesses.  Nine circles of hell As Anton goes further, he penetrates through nine different levels inspired by the                         nine circles of hell, outlined in Dante’s Inferno: limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, wrath,                         heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. This dark journey will be reflected through                       both Anton and the NPCs’ actions, and the scenarios that he encounters. For                         example in one floor that references heresy, doctors and patients might be                       burned alive by another depraved patient. Or, in the level that references gluttony,                         a huge obese inmate holds court and controls the goings on of what happens on                             that floor.     Day 1   Day 2   Day 3   Day 4   

Floor of the AMI  Section of the AMI  Circle of hell  Description  Characters 

2nd Patients' wards, Pharmacy, 

Contention rooms  1st Unbaptized and virtuous pagans. 

Anton, Jana and The Eye live in 

this floor. 

2nd Staff quarters, storage, 

elevator room  2nd  Lustful. 

Anatoly Slivko (rapist) is in this 

floor. 

3rd  Cafeteria  3rd  Gluttons. 

Zhir, a fat and violent patient, is in this floor. 

3rd  Offices and consulting rooms  4th Spenders and hoarders. 

Complete chaos, personnel fighting 

one another 

3rd  Recreation area  5th Wrathful and 

sullen. 

Veronika (fighting depression) is 

drowned by Janis Pinups (anger) 

4th  Top administrative offices  6th  Heretics. 

Top level doctors and workers burned alive 

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inside their offices 

5th  Observatory/Garden  7th  Suicides. 

Anton witnesses the suicide of Jaye (SO). 

Basement Experimental therapy and 

research  8th 

Hypocrites, thieves, corrupts, 

etc. 

Horrors of experimental therapy. 

1st  Lobby  9th  Betrayers. 

Where the game ends, Director Vasily and head of security Ervins are found here at 

the end    Malevolent autocratic bureaucracy It will also touch on ideas stemming from an out­of­control autocratic government that punishes its                             dissenters with methods of cruel and unusual punishment.    Look and Feel: The world of “Lapse” is dark, dystopian, and bleak. It is a world driven to the                                     extremes of depravity inspired by the descent into the nine circles of hell. It is a world at its breaking                                       point: where social and environmental problems meet in a place beset in chaos. The once pristine                               institution is now crumbling, its clean white tiles, padded rooms, hallways, offices, cafeterias, and                           archives are all now smeared with blood and ravaged by structural damage. Lights flicker on and off,                                 live electrical wires drop from the ceiling, rooms flood suddenly as pipes rupture, and walls and floors                                 can collapse at any moment. The glimpses outside are just as bleak: we are in a icy cold grey                                     wasteland, with a massive environmental catastrophe looming on the horizon. The only vehicles that                           seem to be going by in the distance are emergency vehicles.                     

   

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 Story: Aptieka Mental Institution (AMI). When a rare massive earthquake rips across the region, the                             whole area is thrown into disarray, and the local nuclear powerplant is sent into red alert as its                                   reactors become unstable and begin leaking. Communication and electricity to the AMI is cut off.                             While the emergency generators kick in, years of poor mechanical and electrical maintenance in lead                             to many sections in the facility to be thrown into chaos. Some cells have become unlocked,                               releasing angry and disturbed inmates onto the under equipped guards and staff. Anton Kazlov, a                             former KGB agent, is also made free from his solitary confinement and struggles in all this chaos to                                   both survive and find out the truth about his past and the reasons behind his institutionalization.                               Dealing with both his suddenly release from his cell, as well as a halt to his medication, Anton must                                     not only fight his own mental demons, but also the remaining staff and patients roaming the halls of                                   the AMI. His release could be an opportunity for him to make sense of his situation, but with all the                                       conflict around him he risks succumbing to his medication withdrawal and mental issues. There is                             also a looming but also an invisible, growing threat whose presence is felt everywhere in the facility.  Level Design The setting for “Lapse” is inside the Aptieka Mental Institution, and each level will take place within a different wing or section of the facility, including the wings where patients are housed in their cells, offices, laboratories, the clinic, the cafeteria and kitchen, archives, hallways, corridors, and the building lobby.  As the situation deteriorates in the facility, more section become available to Anton ­­ and other patients ­­ as he gets nearer and nearer to escape.

  Characters.   Player character:  Anton Kazlov. Anton is a man who has been heavily medicated for an indeterminate time ­­ months, perhaps even                                 years. He does not remember who he is or what he did in his former life. One memory of his past                                         keeps him determined that this is not the only life he has lived. Determined to escape this physical                                   and mental prison, the chaos of the earthquake has given him an opportunity to make his escape.                                 The only choice is what is more important to him, to quickly escape, or to search the facility to find                                       

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out who he really is? The secrets to his identity and past life may lie in his file archived in the                                         basement of the hospital.    Non­player characters:  The Eye. The Eye is a mysterious man who lives on the the same floor as Anton. He provides information                                   about the state of the Asylum and how can Anton get to various points around. The Eye also provides                                     valuable information about the staff of the facility. It is                   unclear to Anton what are the motivations for The Eye to                     help him, the only thing that Anton will know about him is                       that he is a political dissident and is confined in the                     most secure area of the entire asylum .   Jana Škoļina. Patient of the AMI currently living in room 406. Anton meets Jana after helping her getting out of her                                     room. Anton discovers that Jana was dumped in there by her family after many years of fighting with                                   her sleep disorder that eventually lead her to occasionally lose a grip of reality. Jana is very talented                                   with her hands and offers Anton to trade and craft weapons and other tools for him in exchange for                                     medicine and money.   Director Vasily Chuikov. Director of the AMI. Chuikov is desperately trying to regain control of the installations and evacuate                               the personnel as quickly as possible. He knows the truth about Anton’s past and has the documents                                 that might contain the reasons behind Anton’s institutionalization. He is also responsible for many of                             the experimental treatments patients receive in the AMI.  Other Non­Player Characters (NPCs): Various patients roam the hospital and Anton may encounter them. The patients may either help or                               attack Anton, but in this dangerous environment, they all have the potential to create a dangerous                               situation for Anton, intentionally or not. They might accidentally trigger an explosion, a wall, floor, or                               ceiling to collapse, or cause an electrical short out.    As the game progresses and the situation becomes more clearly desperate, NPCs will change how                             they react. During the initial chaos, NPCs might act more rationally and less violently. The staff will                                 attempt to subdue and contain instead of kill or injure. But as things worsen, NPCs will either                                 become more aggressive or violent, or will flee altogether, leaving behind the more crazed patients                             and most sadistic staff members.  NPCs may also provide contextual information that will help Anton navigate an obstacle, or hint at the                                 dangers that lie ahead, whether it is an environmental danger or a person to watch out for. They can                                     also provide narrative information about the facility or the people that might know Anton’s story.   

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 Good Patients: Some patients will help Anton in his travels throughout the asylum. Aside from The                               Eye and Jana, mentioned above, there are other patients who may occasionally provide information                           or supplies to Anton. Sometimes they may be in precarious positions and if Anton is able to solve a                                     puzzle correctly or fast enough, he can save their lives and receive a reward.    Bad Patients ­ Aggro: These patients pace back and forth                   in a certain area, muttering incomprehensibly. They are on                 edge, so Anton has to be cautious around them not to                     disturb them. Anton can fight them, but they are hard to kill                       because of their aggro state gives them high strength and                   high resistance to pain and damage. Anton would be wise                   to find a way around them instead of engaging an Aggro.  Bad Patients ­ Catatonics: These patients sit or stand                 unresponsively in rigid positions and are very             unpredictable. They can react suddenly without apparent             provocation and may attack.  Asylum Orderlies: Orderlies occasionally will appear and             will attempt to apprehend Anton or other friendly patients he is travelling with. If apprehended, Anton                               will reawaken locked into a room earlier in the level, with a huge decrease in health. Anton would be                                     wise to take these enemies out from a distance before they                     apprehend him.  Asylum Doctors: Doctors act similarly to the orderlies, they                 can be aggressive, and are trying to quell the patients who                     are running amok. They carry medication on them, so if                   they are incapacitated or killed, Anton can retrieve pills or                   health kits from them.   Asylum Guards: These guards will shoot on sight. They                 have orders to pacify any patients they encounter, and as a result, often use lethal force. They may                                   use tasers or other weapons to pacify Anton or other patients so it is advisable that Anton finds a way                                       to eliminate or incapacitate them before they get to him.    Other Asylum staff: Staff members may appear periodically through the game and can include                           handymen, janitors, cooks, or office personnel. These people are harmless to Anton, and may                           provide information or tips about where to find certain objects like health kits, medication, food, water,                               or places Anton can find information from his file.  Military Personnel: Military personnel appear later           in the game and will shoot Anton on sight. They                   

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are aggressive and carry radios, so they are able to call for backup if they are not eliminated fast                                     enough. They also carry ammunition, weapons, and health kits that Anton can collect if he kills them.                                 They wear body armour so the basic combat pistol will not be as effective against them.  Gameplay: Gameplay is side scrolling, with jumping, ducking, and the ability to pick up various items                               on the way, including tools and weapons, or power­ups in the form of sustenance, supplies, and                               various forms of medication to counteract symptoms that Anton experiences. The embedded                       narrative in the gameplay allows the player to discover more about Anton as they collects clues,                               bonus items and passes different levels. Anton starts to understand the consequences of different                           medications as the game progresses.   Medication: As his withdrawal symptoms ravage his mind and body, bottles of various pills can be found around                                 the facility to help him overcome these ailments.  Ailments might include: 

● Dizziness and confusion (backwards       controls) 

● Severe hallucinations ● Weakness and drowzyness ● Headaches (lights are much brighter and high             

pitched sounds heard) ● Elevated heart rate ● Severe bodily weakness and reduced mobility           

(slow motion and unable to lift certain objects)  The medication mechanic is a core part of the experience “Lapse” will give the player. By providing a                                   mechanic in which the player discovers and decides which medication to take at any given moment,                               “Lapse” encourage agency and significant decision making. By exploring the different effects of the                           medication, the player must figure out some effects and side effects as well as deciding how many                                 pills to take. The decisions made by the player would not only affect the perception of the reality                                   around Anton, but also Anton’s physical capabilities and memory lapses.  It is important to balance the different elements of the medication mechanic in a way that the player                                   would be able to discover and test the different medication by themselves as well as discovering the                                 positive and negative effects. On one side, “Lapse” attempt to prevent an association of pills as                               ‘powerups’ because the team believes it’s important to deliver a more realistic view of the effects of                                 medication. On the other side, the medication mechanic should be balanced so the player does not                               abuse the positive effects of the medication. Below you can find a series of charts that explain better                                   the medication mechanic and the dehydration element.  Medication and effects:     1  2  3  4  5 

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   X1  X2  Y  Z  W 

1 X1 

Pos: Decreases heart

rate (2-1) (3-1) (4-1) (5-1)

  X1 Neg: Dehydration,

Drowsiness        

2 X2 

Pos: Decrease heart

rate, slight relief from

drowsiness Pos: Relieves

Drowsiness (3-2) (4-2) (5-2)

  X2 Neg: Dehydration,

confusion Neg: Dehydration,

Photosensitivity      

3 Y 

Pos: Slight decrease

heart rate, slight relief

from dizziness 

Pos: Slgh relief to

drowsiness and

dizziness Pos: Relieves

Dizziness (4-3) (5-3)

  Y Neg: Dehydration,

weakness Neg: Severe

photosensitivity Neg: Dehydration,

Elevated heart rate    

4

Z 

Pos: slight relief high

pitch sounds and

photosensitivity, lower

heart rate 

Pos: Relieves

photosensitivity,

slight release of high

pitch sounds 

Pos: Relieves

dizziness, high pitch

sounds and

photosensitivity 

Pos: Relieves High

pitch sounds and

Photosensitivity 

(5-4)

 Z 

Neg: Severe

dehydration, severe

drowsiness Neg: Severe

dehydration 

Neg: Severe

dehydration, severe

weakness Neg: Dehydration,

Drowsiness 

 

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W 

Pos: Mayor bonus to

physical attack and

defense 

Pos: Slight bonus to

physical attacks,

relieves drowsiness 

Pos: slight relief of

weakness, slight

bonus to physical

attacks 

Pos: Relieves

weakness, slight

bonus to physical

attacks 

Pos: relieves

weakness, bonus

to physical

attacks 

 

W 

Neg: Severe

dehydration, severe

memory lapse,

confusion 

Neg: Major increase

to heart rate, major

memory lapse 

Neg: Dehydration,

memory lapse,

severe confusion 

Neg: Major

dehydration,

memory lapse 

Neg:

Dehydration,

memory lapse,

confusion Symptoms:  

Symptoms  Effect in game Dehydration  Hydration level decreases. 

Elevated heart rate  (Sound effect) Increased heart rate 

Weakness  Decreased attack damage, defense penalty 

Drowsiness  (Visual effect) Low key, unstable screen 

Dizziness  (Visual effect) Blurred vision 

Confusion  Randomized controls 

Photosensitivity  (Visual effect) High key screen 

High pitch sounds  (Sound effect) Constant high pitch sound  

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Dehydration level  Effects 

90-100%  Normal 

75-90%  Character hints the need for water (dialogue) 

50-75%  Character is thirsty (dialogue), penalties to speed 

25-50% Character is thirsty (dialogue), increased penalties to speed, 

slight/constant health decrease 

<=25% Character is thirsty (dialogue), penalties to speed, constant 

health decrease, elevated heart rate, weakness  PTSD triggers:  

      PTSD       Flashbacks    Memory lapse    Anxiety    Hallucinations 

                          

Elevated HR    Dehydration    Dehydration    Elevated HR 

Dizziness    Photosensitivity   

High pitch

sounds    Confusion 

Confusion    Weakness    Elevated HR    Drowsiness  There will be times in which the players will be unable to control the symptoms. In these particular                                   occasions, the symptoms and their effects will be activated by a trigger in the game (fire, screaming,                                 etc), this trigger will be used to advance the narrative of the game.  Information Discovery: He also periodically has opportunities to access the hospital’s computer system, if the power is on in                                 that sector. Anton can log into the system and read his file, but sometimes he might run out of time                                       when the power cuts out, a room starts flooding, or some bloodthirsty enemies start breaking down                               the door.  Hallucinations: One aspect that differentiates “Lapse” from other side­scrollers are the hallucinations that Anton periodically enters.  Due to an extended time period of being medicated and suddenly going without it, Anton’s brain sometimes lapses between reality and hallucination.  Anton will be walking down a relatively normal hospital 

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hallway and suddenly and seamlessly enter into a hallucination.  Hallucinations will be manifested by being nightmarish, surreal, or abstract environments that Anton needs to navigate.  Anton could walk from one normal patient room and go through a doorway and be in a whale’s stomach.  He needs to walk through the environment and climb or use objects in that environment to get through it.  It may also be a seemingly normal environment but where the walls are running like wet paint, it is entirely in black and white, or gravity is altered or reversed.    

Flashbacks are another form of hallucinations that             Anton will experience. An event may trigger Anton               to enter into a flashback where he is suddenly                 back working as a KGB agent interrogating             someone, or an interaction with a loved one. This                 will give us opportunities to take the player into                 some of the Anton’s backstory, as he remembers               it himself.     

Weapons: Anton can pick up various weapons throughout the asylum, although ammunition might be in short                             supply so he needs to use these weapons with calculated decisions. 

● Combat Pistol: A basic semi­automatic pistol with a 13 round magazine that will put down                             most basic enemies that Anton encounters. There are several different types of ammunition                         that Anton can find, that will increase the firepower and effectiveness of this weapon. 

● Stun Gun: A weapon that can be obtained from orderlies and guards. It operates on an                               electrical charge. Because the stun gun has an internal battery, once it has been exhausted                             Anton must discard it and find another one. 

● Shotgun: Not an official weapon that guards carry, it can be found hidden in lockers or                               offices. It is an effective weapon against enemies not sporting body armour, and can be used                               to open some locked doors. Because it is not a weapon that guards officially carry,                             ammunition may be hard to find. it is a medium range weapon, and most effective at close                                 quarters. 

● Military assault rifle: This is an automatic rifle that the military personnel carry. It can only                               be obtained by killing a soldier. Because it is automatic, it can use ammunition quickly. It is a                                   longer range weapon and is quite accurate. 

● Crow bar, baseball bat, wooden table leg, crutch, cane, shovel, knife, improvised shiv:                         These are melee weapons that Anton may find scattered through the environment. They are                           close range weapons used in hand to hand combat situations. Enemy patients may attempt                           to use them on Anton.  These can also be used to open some locked doors or vents. 

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● Poison, medication, illegal drugs: These are things that Anton may discover that he can                           use to kill, injure, or incapacitate enemies in subtler ways: i.e. putting poison into a water                               bottle. 

● Ammunition: This is rare, so if Anton is fortunate enough to find a firearm, he needs to ration                                   his bullets.  Ammo can be found on dead bodies or in locked offices. 

 Tools and Objects: There are many objects around the environment for Anton to interact with. He has an inventory that                                 he can story some of these objects, and even combine them, such as water and poison, or flashlight,                                   tape and pistol. Prisoners are known for their craftiness and building ingenious devices with limited                             means, and Anton is no different. His KGB background (even though it’s patchy) means that Anton                               can collect items and combine them. Weapons and ammunition can be scarce, so Anton needs to                               find creative ways to get around obstacles or enemies.  

● Keys: Keys are scattered around the environment and will be an item that Anton will                             constantly be looking for. They might be found in desk drawers, and on living and dead                               Asylum personnel, including Orderlies, Janitors, Guards, or Doctors. These keys will enable                       Anton to get through certain doorways so that he can advance through the facility. 

● Health kits: These are scattered throughout the world and can be found in any number of                               different locations including, but not limited to, clinics, offices, closets, and patient rooms.                         They may also be found on doctors, military personnel, other patients, or other Asylum staff                             members.   

● Food: Food can be found around the facility and can help keep Anton healthy and able. ● Water bottles: Water can be found throughout the facility, and Anton needs to stay hydrated                             

to stay healthy and alert. Water bottles are sometimes full or empty, it is up to Anton to find                                     sources of water, from faucets in bathrooms, kitchens, or janitor closets, or water jugs from                             offices. It is up to Anton to decide whether the water is safe to drink. NPCs and other                                   indicators in the area will provide clues to whether or not it is safe. 

● Fire extinguishers: These can be used for putting out small spot fires that are blocking                             Anton’s progress. These can also be used for melee fighting, although their weight prevents                           them from being as quick to use as other melee weapons. They can also be fired at enemies                                   and will slow their progress temporarily, but not kill them. 

● Wheelchairs, stretchers, gurneys, carts: These are movable objects that Anton can load                       up with heavier objects, and use as a battering ram to open a blocked door, or run down an                                     enemy or two. Anton has to put objects on top, and then push the wheelchair or stretcher to                                   give it momentum and then either release it or continue to push it, depending on the situation.  

● Boxes, crates, planters, chairs: Anton can pick up these various heavy objects and use                           them to barricade a doorway, build up a place to take defensive cover, or load onto a                                 moveable object such as a wheelchair or stretcher to make into a heavy battering ram.                             Carrying these objects will make Anton walk slower, and the lower his health is, the slower he                                 will move. 

● Backpack, plastic bags: These items are more scarce, but when they are found they                           increase the size of Anton’s inventory, allowing him to carry more objects. 

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● Pens, tape, mops, brooms, various office objects: These objects can help Anton navigate                         some of the obstacles and enemies he encounters, by putting them to effective use to help                               open doors or vents. 

● Information, papers, files, folders, notebooks, posters: Anton will find documents                   throughout the environment that will help him put together what is happening in both his                             immediate situation, the world outside, and his personal life. Posters and notices on bulletin                           boards will sometimes feature information that can help frame  

 Controls:  The main control device is the keyboard  

   Interface: The game is set in a 2D environment with 3D characters. There is a simple interface with                                   a health bar at the bottom of the screen. The health bar changes in length depending on which                                   medication the user has taken. If you take the medication to counteract the severe hallucinations,                             then Anton is weaker and more frail: i.e. more susceptible to damage. If you decide to go through                                   Anton’s hallucinations and ailments without drugs, then you are rewarded with a larger health bar, but                               face distracting and more difficult obstacles.   There is also a section for inventory where you can store items such as keys, small weapons, and                                   medication. The inventory starts small, only two items (one for each hand), but can be expanded by                                 finding things that will help Anton carry more items, such as a plastic bag or a backpack. 

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