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Side Show Studio – Team 2 By: Patrick Casey, Jessica Dolan, Robert Miller, Derrek Powell, Alex Rowland, and Paul Winegardner Side Show Studio 1

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Page 1: Ostentarium Proposal  · Web viewfollows Scott Gray, a mild-mannered archaeologist, who loves piecing together mystery through history. Scott is thrust into an expedition of unforeseen

Side Show Studio – Team 2

By: Patrick Casey, Jessica Dolan, Robert Miller, Derrek Powell, Alex Rowland, and Paul

WinegardnerSide Show Studio

1

Ostentarium Proposal

Page 2: Ostentarium Proposal  · Web viewfollows Scott Gray, a mild-mannered archaeologist, who loves piecing together mystery through history. Scott is thrust into an expedition of unforeseen

Ostentarium

Interpretations of the Past, Present, & Future

OOSTENTARIUMSTENTARIUM

IINTERPRETATIONSNTERPRETATIONS OFOF THETHE P PASTAST, P, PRESENTRESENT, & F, & FUTUREUTURE

Ostentarium: Interruptions of Past, Present, & Future is a third person shooter action adventure game with emphasis on narrative, puzzle design, and action. The Ostentarium universe is an open exploration of intrigue and danger. The player’s confusion about the universe and its interactions are pivotal to the story’s progression and the player’s immersion. Ostentarium follows Scott Gray, a mild-mannered archaeologist, who loves

piecing together mystery through history. Scott is thrust into an expedition of unforeseen complexity when his brother, Clint, comes to him with the discovery of a clue that leads to the first piece of a priceless relic This item leads Scott to the most profound mysteries of his career. Unraveling the antecedents of the relic and its pieces unearths some of the greatest discoveries in human history, when it is discovered that they find two way conduit-like passages through space and time that connect to other worlds, with Earth at their hub.

Along his winding journey to worlds unknown and back, Scott has the companionship of Clint and his girlfriend Kristin Taylor, a photojournalist. Along the way, they meet Beth Hunter, a medical doctor who is after the relic for her own purpose. Relationships are tested and

strained as Scott ascertains the power of each fragment of the relic. Uncontrollable side effects are cast upon the user of a fragment. Overexposure to the side effects of the relic pieces can cause irreversible consequences. Episodic decisions will be made that have a chance to alter the course of future events. Soon after excavating the first piece of the relic, it becomes clear to Scott that his team is not the only one after the relic pieces. A number of agencies from organizations representing countries around the world, pirate and freelance mercenaries, and an anthropologist with an expertise in the mystical, Kevin Baxter, also seek the relic’s secrets. Mystery, intrigue, suspense, and action are woven into a universe that will arrest the audience, compelling their instincts for answers to fundamental questions like, “What’s behind door number one?”

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Overview

Genre: Action AdventureOrientation: Third-person

Players: OneOnline Play: NoESRB: MatureConsole: Xbox 360Focus: 17+ Males

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Ostentarium - Interpretations of the Past, Present, & Future

Market Comparison

. Where Ostentarium differs from its counterparts is in freedom of exploration and emphasis on puzzles rather than action. It also allows the player to choose perspectives. The puzzle’s complexity and style of gameplay in Ostentarium is like such games as the Myst series, Deus Ex or the Uncharted series. One major difference that sets Ostentarium apart from its competitors is that combat will depend on weapons of opportunity. As a

result, the player may need to master the art of flight.

In recent years, the industry has lost sight of this particular market segment in favor of more visceral action oriented product lines. However, sales of past titles like the Myst series at 12 million copies and Deus Ex series at just over 3 million copies show the historical dominance shared within their respective genres. In addition, both Myst and Deus Ex made Gamastura’s top 100 games of all-time list. More recently is the success of the Uncharted series with sales nearing 8 million copies, which highlights potential significance for titles that rely on strong narratives, problem-solving, and unforgettable characters.

In a climate dominated by first person shooter clones there is a refreshing new perspective in Ostentarium, whose foundation is laid by grandfather

titles like Myst & Deus Ex. Using the explorative puzzles proven successful by its predecessors, Ostentarium will provide industry confidence with a mix of third-person perspective and action adventure gameplay. This is further reinforced through the overwhelming success demonstrated by more contemporary titles, like the Gears of War series. Ostentarium intends on following in the footsteps of its predecessors to eventually emerge from their shadows and become the next genre-leading series. A possible marketing strategy would be to imply the relationships with the pioneers of the action adventure genre, thereby, placing Ostentarium on the lips of the review community alongside other such genre champions.

Console

Initial launch of Ostentarium will be released on Microsoft XBox360 with consideration of additional platforms such as, PC, PS3, and Nintendo Wii. Priority will be based on initial sales of first run production. A six-month exclusivity contract with Microsoft is one of two key strategies incorporated to fortify sales. The second is a bundling deal tied to the sale of new XBox360 & PS3 hardware after the first 12 months of release.

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ESRB Rating

The ESRB Rating for Ostentarium is expected to be M(Mature) due to graphic violence and strong language.

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Ostentarium - Interpretations of the Past, Present, & Future

Controller Map

Xbox360 controllers are programmable by the user through the options menu within the game. Below are the default button assignments:

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Left Analog – Move Right Analog – Look

Left Analog Click – Crouch Right Analog Click – Digital Binoculars

D-Pad – Quick Inventory Select

X Button – Flip/Roll Y Button – Photograph

A Button – Interact/Select B Button – Search

Left Trigger – Kick Right Trigger – Punch

Left Bumper – Jump Right Bumper – Grab/Throw

Back Button – Photos/Hints Start Button – Menu

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Ostentarium - Interpretations of the Past, Present, & Future

Story

When Scott’s brother, Clint, discovers an ancient relic and scroll during one of his wilderness adventures. Scott recognizes the scroll as the Ostentarium, an ancient text usually regarded as myth by most historians. The relic that was found with the scroll is a scepter with seven empty slots. According to the Ostentarium, seven mystical jewels once

resided on the scepter. When all the jewels are placed in the scepter, the scepter is said to make the bearer all-powerful and able to bend the will of others to his or her bidding. Sparked with curiosity, Scott agrees to join his brother on his journey to complete the relic. Kristin Taylor, Clint’s girlfriend and a photojournalist with an interest in the expedition, accompanies them on the journey.

Scott uses clues from the Ostentarium to find a portal, a conduit that connects Earth to a distant world called Maak. According to the Ostentarium, the location of the first jewel of the relic is at the base of a volcano in the heart of Maak. Scott, Clint, and Kristin use the portal to travel to the faraway world. Once Scott and the others reach the volcano, they realize that the path to the relic is guarded by puzzles and traps. Clint and Kristin rely on Scott’s expertise every step of the way. As he works through the puzzles, Scott begins to suspect they are not the only people following the trail of the relic. There is evidence of others who have gone before them.

As they get closer to the first jewel, the puzzles become more dangerous and almost deadly. Just as Scott solves the puzzle for the first jewel, a man appears with a crew of bodyguards. This is Kevin Baxter, an anthropologist obsessed with completing the relic. A fight ensues. In the middle of the fight, one of the goons throws a grenade, and it knocks out part of the cave wall. Lava pours from the hole in the wall and into the cave. Clint gets stranded on an island of rock. Scott can’t reach him with any of his resources, but according to the Ostentarium, the first jewel has teleportation abilities. Scott places the jewel into the scepter and uses it to transport Clint to safety.

After using the power of the relic, something bizarre happens. Scott loses control of his actions and unexpectedly almost slits Kevin Baxter’s throat. Clint and Kristin stop Scott from killing Baxter in cold blood. Scott discovers the consequence of using the power of the

scepter – he loses control over his actions, and he finds himself doing something terrible that he normally would not do. At this point, Scott learns the beginning of the mechanics behind the jewels of the scepter. Each jewel contains a certain power such as teleportation. Along the journey, Scott will be faced with story choices that will tempt him to use the scepter. There will be a consumption meter in the backend of the game that keeps track of how many times the player chooses to use a scepter. That meter will then be used to determine consequences that play out in certain story places during the game. The more a player uses the scepter, the more the scepter will consume the player. The player will lose control of Scott, and Scott will give in to his darkest instincts. For

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Characters

Scott Gray (Player Character) – Well-respected archeologist with an overpowering curiosity for ancient texts and relics

Clint Gray (NPC) – Wilderness adventurer and nomad, recently decided he needs to be financially secure to keep his girlfriend

Kristin Taylor (NPC) – Attractive, charismatic photojournalist and girlfriend of Clint, errs on the side of being self-absorbed

Beth Hunter (NPC) – Cute, intelligent medical doctor who seeks the scepter to heal her father

Kevin Baxter (NPC) – a bitter, self-absorbed anthropologist who seeks the power of the scepter for his own gain

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Ostentarium - Interpretations of the Past, Present, & Future

example, at one point along the way, if the player’s consumption meter is high enough, then the player will lose control, and Scott will try to steal his brother’s girlfriend, attack his brother, or frighten his love interest, etc.

The player gets to decide what kind of person Scott should be. The player can completely pursue the good path and dogmatically refuse for Scott to use the scepter. Or, they can actively pursue the dark path or something in between. Each path will have a way for the player to win. On the light path, the player will find the jewels and destroy the scepter once and for all. On the dark path, the player will find the jewels and become all-powerful and be able to bend the will of everyone around him.

It will not be easy to choose not to use the scepter. When Scott is faced with story choices, the choices will be between sacrificing something and using the relic. The sacrifices will be either story-driven sacrifices or they will be resource-driven.

Here is an example of a story-driven sacrifice. Scott will meet a love interest along the way, Beth Hunter. Beth seeks one of the powers of the scepter to heal her father. When they find that jewel, Scott will need to decide if he is willing to use scepter to heal the girl’s father. If he does not, he risks losing the girl forever. But if he does use the scepter, he cannot be sure what consequences it might have afterwards. If he has used the scepter enough times, he may lose control and hurt the girl in a different manner.

Here is an example of a resource sacrifice. Scott comes across a situation where he needs to use a piece of rope, but Scott is on his last piece of rope. Rope is an important resource in the game. Scott must decide whether or not he wants to give up his last piece of rope or use the scepter instead. Each time Scott makes one of these choices there are consequences down the line for either option.

The story is about making difficult choices and trying to overcome the power of the scepter. By forcing the player to make difficult choices, the story becomes its own puzzle that the player must figure out in addition to the regular gameplay.

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Ostentarium - Interpretations of the Past, Present, & Future

Gameplay Elements

Ostentarium is a real-time third-person action-adventure game with the focus of the game being exploration and puzzle solving. It takes place in temples that contain pieces of a relic. The environments change in real-time as the player makes choices on how they want to solve the puzzles contained in the temples. The player’s choices on how they want to solve the puzzles directly affect the outcome of the story and the subsequent solutions to later puzzles.

Interface

The third person perspective allows the player to have easier navigation of the temple, but the player can also switch to first person perspective for a more immersive experience. The user interface is clean to allow the player to quickly view important information without obstructing the view of the expansive landscapes and cavernous temples. The user interface contains a health meter, scepter pollution meter, quick inventory select menu, progress points, mini map, and communication device.

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The HUD

a) Health Meterb) Scepter Pollution

Meterc) Quick Inventory

Menud) Progress Pointse) Mini Mapf) Communication

Device

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Ostentarium - Interpretations of the Past, Present, & Future

Campaign Elements

In campaign mode, the protagonist explores a series of temples to unlock the power of the Ostentarium by collecting pieces of the relic. The temples are accessed through a series of portals that the player discovers after completing the first temple.

Cutscenes are used to tie the temples and story together, and the content of the cutscenes will change depending on the choices of the player within the temple. The choice of the player in the temple could affect which characters continue on the journey, which items carry through to the next temple, and the difficulty of subsequent temples.

Core Mechanics

Decision-making:

Ostentarium is a game of choices and vital player decision-making. The player will be presented with puzzles that can be solved in multiple ways. The player must either use the scepter to solve the puzzle they are faced with or use their own wits to solve the puzzle. This will involve the player using items found throughout the game to assist him or her. At some point, the player may find him or herself without the proper items to solve the puzzle. At this point a decision needs to be made; should the player (a) risk using the scepter and have to deal with the negative effects it causes or (b) back track and find more items in the game that may help him or her solve the puzzle. If the player is stuck and needs help, there is a walkie-talkie that can be used to call one of the in game characters. This will give a clue that will give the player some kind of insight as to what needs to be done to solve the puzzle.

Combat:Though the game is puzzle-based, at some point the player will be faced with rival archeologists that seek the same fragments the player is pursuing. Players will not have a predetermined weapon, but rather will be able to use weapons of opportunity to smash rivals. A weapon of opportunity is anything the player is able to pick up and use in combat or some items the player has in his or her inventory. An example is the player has a crowbar in the inventory and encounters an enemy. The player can use the crowbar to defeat the rival. The crowbar is a tool that is used as puzzle solving equipment normally, but in this case can be

used as a weapon. Here is an example of a weapon of opportunity not in the player’s inventory. The player sees a steel pipe lying on the ground. Quick thinking will allow the player to get the pipe and use it to defeat the rival that stands in his or her way. If the

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Equipment List

Spike Gun- Multi-use tool that could be the player's bread and butter. Can be used to hit distant targets, drive anchor points for rope.Rope- By the foot, each foot has a set weight. Rope can be tied with a variety of knots for its various uses. Useful for spanning gaps, climbing, rappelling, etc.Backpack- Can be used for holding things, covering things, or any other situation where a bag or piece of cloth is needed.Flashlight- ObviouslyDigital Binoculars- Three spectrums: normal light, infrared, and x-ray. Fully adjustable with zoom capabilities, can also capture photo and video.Basic Toolkit- Hammer, duct tape, screwdriverFolding Shovel- Your basic, military-issue field shovel. Pry Bar- Open stuck doors, pry open chestsExplosives- Smokeless blasting explosive used for mining. Can be used to blast through rubble, doors.

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Ostentarium - Interpretations of the Past, Present, & Future

player does not have any type of weapon, combat will be done via punching, kicking and throwing the enemy.

Viewpoint:Ostentarium will be in a third-person perspective by default but offers the player a choice of viewpoint with first-person perspective. Offering these choices will ensure the player is playing the game in a view that suits their gameplay, best allowing for a more enjoyable and immersive experience.

Player interaction:

Players will engage the game world in several ways while playing Ostentarium. Puzzles will require the player to search for items needed in solving them. Searching will involve moving objects and searching the ground to reveal goodies. Solving puzzles will require the player to move objects around to fashion them in a way so that the player can be successful. This will require placing items in appropriate places to solve the puzzle. Players will also have to interact with the in game characters to be successful in Ostentarium.

Campaign Mechanics

Exploration:

Exploration is a major component of Ostentarium. Scott Gray is an explorer by nature, whether he is researching ancient texts or navigating an expedition through unchartered territory. After completing the first level, the player has freedom within the remaining levels to explore each area and solve puzzles in the order the player chooses. Completion of some puzzles will require resources that the player will receive upon completing other puzzles. This will encourage the player to thoroughly explore a level before completing it.

Missions:

Scott’s missions focus on retrieving pieces of the relic with or without calling upon the power of the relic. Whether or not the player decides to use the relic is at the discretion of the player. There are always multiple ways to deal with situations – using brute force, stealth, wits, etc. Occasionally, the player will be faced with difficult story choices that involve either using the relic or sacrificing a personal story element such as a friendship with a companion character or a resource such as rope. There will be great consequences for these story decisions. If the player chooses to use the relic, Scott will lose control over himself and his actions– very possibly resulting in negative story consequences. If the player chooses not to use the relic, Scott will have to make a sacrifice. This sacrifice may have negative consequences for the player in future gameplay or story choices.

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Ostentarium - Interpretations of the Past, Present, & Future

Summary

Ostentarium is an exploration first, a narrative second, and an exercise in critical decision-making third, all wrapped up in an action adventure. Powered by next-generation graphics, Scott Gray and his team embark on an expedition held secret by the past, coveted by the present, and one which will shape the future. Ostentarium will be developed with intense and passionate attention to what made its mentors (Myst Deus Ex, and 7th Guest) memorable titles in the hearts and minds of gamers. In doing so, Ostentarium will one day be the newest addition to a growing alumni of action adventure titles to which all others are judged.

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Ostentarium - Interpretations of the Past, Present, & Future

TTHEHE C CALDERAALDERA

The game opens on a cutscene with Scott and his crew walking through a jungle at the base of a dormant volcano. There is some dialogue, then everyone stops when they see the very thing they have been seeking. Through the dim light, they can see the entrance to a cave. The cave is the first level in Ostentarium, and can be considered a prologue to the

primary storyline.

Clint approaches Scott about an artifact that would rewrite our history books. However, he only overheard general descriptions of the object and a vague location. After extensive research, they managed to track the relic's hiding place to a dormant volcano and plan a voyage to find a route to its heart. This artifact is considered extremely valuable; a fact that leads one to the obvious conclusion that it will be well-hidden and well-protected. The player will need to solve a variety of puzzles and overcome many obstacles to complete their mission.

Mission Overview

Being the first level in the game, The Caldera is essentially a tutorial, and the player will receive slightly more hand-holding than they would in future endeavors. That is not to say the puzzles themselves will not be challenging. The Cave is comprised of seven major puzzles and a few side-adventures. It begins as mostly a gauntlet and gradually evolves to a more mental challenge. It will require all of the tools and abilities at the character's disposal to successfully navigate this enigma.

Goal:

The goal is to complete all seven major puzzles and succeed in capturing the treasure. There are also many useful items hidden throughout the maze, most of which are optional and won't affect completion of the quest.

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The Scene

The scene opens on a beautiful view of the base of a volcano, looking through the forest. Scott Gray and his team are in search of an ancient relic. Due to the very nature of the treasure the team knows they are in for a dangerous, uncertain quest. As they traverse the interior of the volcano they begin to realize their true potential. This helps Scott in his new found quest, but only if he can make it to the caldera of the volcano alive.

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Ostentarium - Interpretations of the Past, Present, & Future

Walkthrough

Upon entering the cave, players take a walk down a short hallway. The hallways in this section are worn and the walls contain pictographs displaying the history of the ancient artifact. At the end of the hall, the player comes to a set of stairs that winds its way downward in a slow spiral. At the bottom of the stairs, they are confronted by the very first puzzle.

Sliders

Requirements: Precise & Well-timed Movement

Goal: Reach the end of the hallway

Description: The player rounds a corner to discover a hallway containing a series of barriers that slide in from a variety of angles. Each barrier has an opening that the player must scramble through. All of the basic movement controls will have to be employed to navigate the area. It starts with lateral movement, tests jumping and ducking, and forces players to employ precision timing.

Possible Outcomes: The player makes it to the end of the hall, death by crushing…

Just a quick trip down the hall and down a flight of stairs lays the second obstacle in the brave adventurer's way.

Bottomless

Requirements: Equipment & Decent Grasp on Controls

Goal: Navigate from one end of a room to the other using equipment.

Description: Our hero finds himself in a cavernous room with no apparent floor. A deep void can be seen looming below, but it is impossible to gauge how far down it goes. If the player uses the digital binoculars, in any mode, only blackness will be seen. Walls, ceiling, or any other apparent method may be used to cross the chasm. Most likely, the player will need to use rope and the spike gun to plant anchor points and move bit by bit across the wall.

Possible Outcomes: Reaching the other side, death by falling…

Between puzzles two and three there waits a network of catacombs. While not a terribly complex maze, there are a

variety of traditional traps (pressure-sensitive plates, tripwires, etc.) that the player will have to disarm or avoid. There are also some collectible items that can be found in some

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Ostentarium - Interpretations of the Past, Present, & Future

of the more isolated nooks. After clearing the catacombs, the player stumbles upon puzzle three.

Tightrope

Requirements: Help from the Environment & Precise Movement

Goal: Reach the other side

Description: The player descends another flight of stairs and passes between a series of armored statues. Past these, the wall on the right side falls away to reveal another gaping void, and the walkway tapers to only a few feet wide. Once a certain threshold is crossed, the players are assaulted by energy, which disrupts their balance, and they are unable to continue without a heavy risk of falling. To overcome this hurdle the player can seek help from the environment. One of the statues has fallen over and its helmet has fallen to the ground. The player can temporarily equip the helmet and this will allow him or her to cross the room safely.

Other more creative methods will also be possible. The energy is a frequency of sound that is inaudible but causes

disruption of the fluid in the inner ear. Any sort of headphone or earmuff would greatly reduce this effect.

Possible Outcomes: Crossing the room, death by falling…

Key Item Acquired: Ancient Battle Helmet (if the player does not pick up the helmet before defeating the puzzle, he or she will need to create or find something that can match the role it would have to play in the final puzzle)

Bowling for Freedom

Requirements: Critical Thinking & Precise Movement

Goal: Open the door

Description: Immediately after the player passes Tightrope, there is a medium-sized room, and the door slams shut behind them. The other door is locked and has no markings of any kind. The only other features in the room are a group of perfectly round boulders of different sizes and a giant stone bowl. Each of the stones has a number between one and ten carved into it. Players must push boulders into the bowl totaling the correct amount of weight. The only feedback for the player is the rising and falling of the bowl and the sound it makes when it is overloaded. While it is possible to complete this puzzle with nothing but that solution, there is another one. There is a group of stagnant

puddles in the corner of the room. All of these puddles are deep,

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Ostentarium - Interpretations of the Past, Present, & Future

but one of them is actually a tunnel. Players must swim through this tunnel and emerge from the other side. This side contains the balance for the bowl in the other room so players can view the correct configuration and copy it on the other side. The 8 ball (the only ball that can be carried comfortably) will automatically be picked up by the main character after clearing the puzzle.

Possible Outcomes: Door opened, death by drowning…

Key Items Acquired: 8 Ball

Players are treated to a wonderful view as they emerge from the hallway beyond the Tightrope. The wall falls away to the right and the adventurer is treated to a breathtaking view of an underground canyon. The path comes to a dead end hanging precipitously over empty space and the player is now face to face with the fifth puzzle.

The Drop

Requirements: General Knowledge of Game Mechanics & Critical Thinking

Goal: Open the door on the far end of the room

Description: The player rounds a bend to find another bottomless room. This time however, there are a series of giant stone columns suspended from the ceiling. These columns are exactly at floor height and the player can hop between them. The metal piece connecting the columns to their suspending chain contains a pin with a looped end. Naturally, if these pins are pulled, the column goes crashing to the floor. In addition, some of the chains will quickly retract into the ceiling causing the player to ultimately fall to their death if they were holding it. On the far side of the room, there is a door with a lock that cannot be picked. The correct columns must be dropped (no

particular order) for the player to move on. The easiest solution for the player is to look down into the void with the digital binoculars and tune it to the infrared spectrum. If they zoom in as far as they can, they will see a series of platforms arrayed in a grid below the pillars that need to be dropped. If the player is wise enough to snap a picture, they will have an easy map to follow about which columns to drop. Again, choosing the wrong column means the player falls to a gruesome death. A more creative solution would be for the player to tie a rope around all of the pins of the columns that need to be pulled, stand on another platform, and yank the rope.

Possible Outcomes: The door opens, death by falling…

Key Items Acquired: Column pins

Upon passing through the door, players follow a hallway winding upward until it opens into an ancient caldera. The previous volcanic cone collapsed in on itself to form the caldera. A new volcano came into being right next to it, so it was covered up. A large rock overhang created a bubble in the rock, and in this bubble lays the sixth puzzle.

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Ostentarium - Interpretations of the Past, Present, & Future

Voodoo

Requirements: Equipment & Critical Thinking

Goal: Create a bridge to the center of the room

Description: From the center of the large room hangs a huge metallic box. Just in front of the player, there is a miniature version of the same box hanging suspended from a miniature version of the room. If the player manipulates the miniature, it affects the larger version. The only visible exit to the room is a hole in the top center of the room. Players must manipulate the miniature in such a way that it creates a route they can take to escape the room. However, if no changes are made to the miniature within one minute, the box begins to contract back to its original shape. Players must either figure out a way to change the shape of

the box as they are climbing the escape route or create such a route that they can reach the top within one minute.

Possible Outcomes: Reach the escape hatch, death by falling, death by crushing…

Key Items Acquired: There is a key in the escape hatch that the player keeps after opening it

After completing Voodoo, the player only has a short walk until another door is reached. This one, however, opens with a slight touch. The room beyond looks like a lake of fire with a giant column in the middle, and that is the final puzzle to overcome.

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Ostentarium - Interpretations of the Past, Present, & Future

Finale

Requirements: All Key Items from Previous Puzzles

Goal: Reach the treasure

Description: Players are confronted with an apparatus with four slots in it of varying shapes. This apparatus sits on a raised stone ledge overlooking a room with a floor made of molten rock resting more than one hundred feet below the player. In the center of the room is a platform with a giant stone column attached to the ceiling with a locked door facing the player. To the left and right of the platform are large pillars at the same height as the ledge where the apparatus rests. On the far side of the room, only visible with close inspection, is another platform at a slightly shorter height than the apparatus. On this platform rests a device that appears to be made of glass. To

complete this puzzle, players may use the key items received in previous puzzles to operate the apparatus. One slot raises the height

of the lava, another lowers it, one moves the pillar to the left around the room, and the final slot moves the other pillar. When an item is added to a slot, it becomes active. The goal is to position the platforms so they can be crossed, raise the lava to the level that it melts the glassine object, and to walk through the now open door. Players must time pulling the item out of the slot well. If the player waits too long while raising the level of lava, it will rise above the ledge and Scott will be consumed. Some items will fit in more than one slot and there are some pieces of treasure or equipment that can be found this way. Also, one configuration of items will open an alternate route to the treasure.

Possible Outcomes: player gains access to some hidden items, successfully opens and reaches the door, death by burning or falling

Conclusion:

Upon completion of the puzzle, the player is able to cross through the open door. The interior of the column is revealed to contain a staircase spiraling into the ceiling. At the top there is a short hallway ending with the entrance to the jewel’s resting place. Once the player reaches the artifact, he or she is teleported back to Scott’s party.

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Page 17: Ostentarium Proposal  · Web viewfollows Scott Gray, a mild-mannered archaeologist, who loves piecing together mystery through history. Scott is thrust into an expedition of unforeseen

Ostentarium - Interpretations of the Past, Present, & Future

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