Name: Joseph Wharton-Brown

Mob: 07711193271

Address:

126 Park Lane

Cottingham

East Yorkshire

HU16 5RX

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Project Design Proposal Document:

CONTENTS:ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3,

GOALS ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4

USER EXPERIENCE…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4

AUDIENCE …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5

PROJECT CONTENT ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6

CONTENT …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 6

FUNCTIONAL REQUIERMENTS ………………………………………………………………………………………..… 6

PROJECT STRUCTURE……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 8

VISUAL DESIGN ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 11

DESIGN SKETCHES ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 12 - 30

PROTOYPES ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 31

DEVELOPMENTAL SCHEDUAL ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 31

APENDIX ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 32

DEVELOPMENTAL BLOG ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 32

Abstract:

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The game is a 2D medieval fighting casual game, where inspiration came from games like Mortal Kombat, Soul Calibre and Medievil (PS1 game in the 1990s), where the game’s genre is formed of a fighting game and a horror game.

The style of the game is themed around medieval torture devices and methods found in this period, where the characters are influenced by these methods and use them on others as a means of either settling arguments or seeking revenge on the living or the fallen between worlds. These weapons are: spike coffins, catapults, swords, maces, axes, triple blade spring loaded swords, flinch maces, and the mythical magic that was possessed by the people who were jesters, fools, or magicians /wizards around that area of mythical history.

The game takes place in a city where a castle is found that holds the ruler of the entire kingdom. The locations for each of the fighting areas take place within all nooks and crannies of the entire kingdom; from the high end of the king’s throne room, to the smallest cave within all the lands.

The story is based on the chaos that was in existence within the medieval age that was sacrificing he living to satisfy and/or protect the people in the kingdom by the name of the king himself, and punishing the wicked.

The name: Medieval Meddlers, was influenced by the fact that the clowns are a fan of tomfoolery and the knights try to ban this behaviour and make the kingdom a haven, instead of a living hell.

The theme: Medieval Horror was influenced by the terror that the torture devices delivered, by which lead to the theme of having the entire world engulfed by this scary and twisted hell.

The gameplay style is viewed within a side view of the fighters in question, where it feels like Mortal Combat in the Medievil (the game) universe. The gameplay is structured to not just killing the other opponent, but to earn a high-score that resembles the rank and level of play of the player.

The scoring system is based upon the brutality level of the player: what combinations of button sequences are used and at what times they are performed and where on the human anatomy. But, not just attacking the opponent directly, both players have the ability to use the torture devices within the environment, to earn a higher score by unlocking the torture methods mode that enables a double points system. The points system also comes within it own mode of play, where the objective is to win by the brutality points of the player instead of the fighting skill of the player. This relates back to the Medieval Horror theme; using medieval tortures as means of self-fulfilment and pleasure or for the just cause of the kingdom.

The casual game side is, shown by automatic saving, between battle rounds.

Rewards are also featured within the game: if the player fights well, new areas and characters are unlocked

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Goals:

From a professional/commercial perspective, I hope to create a game that benefits from two genres: arcade and beat-em-up. Because the game uses a points system and because they are measured by the brutality of a player to raise a player’s rank, it gives a more in depth direction to take this genre by merging it with another to create ( in my opinion only at this stage) a great combination; that is addictive and fun to play. This is instead of a player being judged by others for his/her fighting skills, but how much of a dirty fighter he/she can be during fighting. So, if that player is a rubbish fighter, the point’s system makes up for that and shows the player has some skill in this type of game. Putting it this way, it promotes two different types of players: ones who go for the fighting and fun with pummelling the opponent to a pulp and those who love to earn rewards, such as points to make the player have a feeling of achievement .But also, the combination of both stereotypes have both benefits, which makes this game and advantage for those players alike.

The game would do well within the commercial side, as the gameplay style hasn’t been used in 2D fighters before. And, the fact of the visual side, being like Mortal Kombat, should show the same (if not identical) beautiful animation and visuals as an end product.

From a personal view, I would imagine the game would do well, because I have implemented a unique game mechanic, where would give players a new challenge, other than just to fight their way through the game. The point’s system is in existence to give that extra mile and ive the player something more to aim for. This offering, I believe, would improve the way of fighting games, especially within the 2D fighting games, as the point’s system has already been benefited in 3D beat-em-ups.

User Experience:

Audience:

From my thorough researching into the target audience for my game, I studied the games that people 30 years and over, by going out and asking what games are their favourites of all time.

Link to research evidence: https://universityworkblog.wordpress.com/2015/11/25/causal-game-research-target-market-demographic/?preview_id=851&preview_nonce=7fe0f16ef6&post_format=standard&preview=true

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Competitive Analysis:

Due to the fact of the game being based on Mortal Kombat and Medievil, The visual style shows a similar visual style, meaning part unrealistic and the other more like like; as Mortal Kombat relies on pure realism and gore, whether Medievil shows a cartoony visual representation of a human skeleton and humanoids. Even though the gameplay is similar to Mortal Kombat where the game shows signs of gore, the game is different by paying attention to that the aim of the game is not to show gore and blood scenes, but to show how evil the player can be by inflicting pain – non life threatening. However, it is similar to the “torturing the player” gameplay storyline. The game differentiates from Mortal Kombat by showing a points system to represent the capacity violence, instead of showing all of the gory scenes and upsetting visuals.

When a player gains points after a fighting move, an animation would show on the screen revealing within those short ending of a move cutscenes a symbol symbolising the image representation of the icon – indicating points being added up and placed next to that player character’s health bar.

The game differentiates from Medieval by moving between the cartoony and realistic look to be more identical to either cel shading or a comic book visual style.

Project Contents:

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Content:

As the game has the potential of being located in markets, castles, dungeons, throne rooms, forests, etc. I will be undergoing a series of sketches and 3D models of all the background elements, to set the scene for each world.

For the Town Market, I decided to attempt to make market stalls, large, but few detail buildings (giving more immersion and make the player feel like he/she is in a large world), rocks (for the ground’s variation, baskets; vases; barrels (all shop items) small houses; money (for more ground variety and immersion) and possibly model representations of humans (for the shopkeepers).

For the Castle, i.e. throne room, I seek to implement: a throne or two, a carpet, tapestries, crumbled bricks, wrecked building representation in the 3D model, (possible animation), pews, and tables.

Functional Requirements:

3DS Max (for 3D models), Photoshop (for the imagery within the game’s visual pictures, tapestries and designs), and Unreal Engine 4 (for putting the whole game together for the finished product) will all be essential to aid the development of the project.

The console system this game will be developed for is designed to promote the intuitive control system of the computer device. The keyboard’s design suits the overall commands of the executable combinations used within game play. The mouse accessory is utilised in a way that the character functions (walk forward, back, jump, crouch, etc.) in succession with the sideways motion of the mouse, for fluid navigation, instead of pressing buttons down on the keyboard, and cancels out button confusion when playing. The combat system is handles via the numerical keys for basic punches and kicks, and the more obscure moves are executed via: W, A, S, D, Q, E, R, and F. Having all of the functionalities within close relation to the standard controller navigational systems, benefits the player because it facilitates hand gestures and its physical appearance.

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Fig 1

PC Console Control System of Medieval Meddlers Game

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Project Structure:

Game Mechanics:

The main game mechanics the game utilises are the following:

Combination – Combination of fighting moves recognised through a series of button combinations

Exploration – Enabling the players to take opportunity breaks from battle and turn the 2V2 fight into a chase scene, where the player with the opportunity mechanism active, is able to run away from the opponent and lure him/her into a brutal attack.

Discovery – Enabling players to discover powers they didn’t know they could perform, in succession with the exploration mechanic.

Point System – The game measures the player’s statistics through ‘Brutality Point’, the more brutal the player is to the opposing player, the higher the score.

Menus:

The initial concept of the on screen navigation, when the game’s main menu appears, includes: cycling through the on screen modes named after Medieval punishments and their rooms where they take place, for instance: torture chamber – Iron Maiden (game mode).

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Fig 2 – Game Mode Selection Screen with Game Title

Once the mode has been selected and the game mode preferences come into view, the character select ion screen shoes the character highlighted displayed in chains until that character has been chosen for the specific fight (this is only within versus mode and not within the story category).

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Fig 3 Character Selection Screen

The area selection screen presents itself as large map of the main city, where players are given the choice which area to fight in on a global navigational map property.

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Fig 4

Map Selection Screen

Visual Design:

HUD

The head up display shows the players health bar and brutality points metre. The health bar shows relative to the specific player, facilitating recognition of own character health indicator.

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Fig 5

HUD Iterations

Fig 6

Final HUD Design

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Design Sketches:

Characters:

Fig 7

Jester Character Sillhoettes

Fig 8

Preliminary Design of Jester Character

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Fig 8

Final iterations of Jester Character

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Fig 9

Final Design of Jester Character

Fig 9

Knight Character Silhouettes

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Fig 11

Final Iterations of Knight Character

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Fig 12

Final Design of Knight Character

Fig 13

Peasant Character Silhouettes

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Fig 14

Final Goblin Peasant Character Iterations

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Fig 15

Final Design of Goblin Peasant Character

Fig 16

Physician Character Silhouettes

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Fig 17

Final Physician Character Iterations

Fig 18

Ruler Character Silhouettes

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Fig 19

Final Iterations of Ruler Character

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Fig 20

Final Design of Ruler Character

Fig 22

Witch Character Silhouettes

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Fig 21

Final Iterations of Witch Character

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Fig 23

Final Design of Witch Character

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Environments:

Fig 24

Churchyard and Dungeon Arena Environment Designs

Fig 25

Market Place Arena Environment

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Fig 26

Castle Stairway Arena Environment

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Props and Objects:

Fig 27

Road Side Objects

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Fig 28

Town Clock – Environment Object

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Fig 29

Side Road Objects 2

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Fig 30

Leaf Shaped Tree Environment Object Design

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Development Schedule:

Fig 35

Gantt Chart

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Appendix:

Inspirations and Influences:

http://www.worldofleveldesign.net/forums/showthread.php?11386-UDK-Medieval-Horror-Environment

http://www.worldofleveldesign.net/forums/showthread.php?11386-UDK-Medieval-Horror-Environment

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/462463455467643090/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/568649890429507145/

https://www.pinterest.com/ginamaye/digital-art-fantasy-concept-art/

https://minomi.artstation.com/

https://universityworkblog.wordpress.com/2015/11/25/causal-game-research-target-market-demographic/?preview_id=851&preview_nonce=7fe0f16ef6&post_format=standard&preview=true

Development Blog:

https://universityworkblog.wordpress.com/

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