New approach for environment

Although it is something i should of looked at first as well as referenced first is the environment and the new approach which im hoping i can do!

After asking a few of my peers...ok just Todd i was able to find a suitable style for the environment!

Todd told me about the 92/93 LucasArts Day of the Tentacle! which i have played way back when. Not only do the environments look great with their warped, stretched and loopy asthetic it also allows me to rethink the movement of the character as well as the scolling of the environment :) so i shal be updating the blog as i go (better than i have lately) with the developing environment!

Layout of Cinema.

So far...

So Far with this project i feel as if it has kind of slowed down, so i need to really work hard at pushing it in the direction i want it to go in. When i first started the project the idea was to have the classic Hollywood monsters burst through the cinema screens and wreak comical havoc upon the tiny cinema that they inhabit.

I want to see them interacting with the world in the only way they know how to, now i feel as if i need to go further with this idea, i need to make it more inherently charming! At times i really feel as if i hit a wall with this project, at times i struggle to see where its going and what the message is...after thinking about it for sometime i've come to the conclusion that the message can at times seem so very simple or upon other occasions feel very confusing.

All i want to show in this project is how classical monsters from the early film reels of cinema can still fit into the ordinary of today with the comical consequences of their actions.
What the project now needs is to take this simply fact and iterate the defining ideals that need to be presented in the final outcome. This means that myself and Lewis really need to make the effort to put all our time and energy in forming this idea and carrying it on for possible future projects, while at the same time nothing is jumbled up and confused.

New character sketches

Some nice little picture i thought up for two of the three characters ^^ got the style nailed with Frank but Patches is a little sketchy at the moment, however Lewis is taking on characters while i focus my creative learnings on environments!

Sketches of Environment.

Some quick perspective drawings of two generic corridors, snack stand area and a view of one of the cinema screens from the balcony. I'll be putting these drawings into photoshop and then with a little time and patience they should suit the colour palette im looking for.

If they work then i'll make more so i can import them into Adventure Game Studio's for the Point and Click perspective :D

Regards to posting Game Document.

Couldnt copy the document straight from word to the blog didnt like etc etc so had to post quite unprofessionally! >< more to come and sorry for the delay! just getting drawings of characters pinned and style along with environment.

First Game Design Document.

Project Year 3.


Hollywood Monsters.


Aliks Hatherall & Lewis Ashill.










Contents
Introduction 2
Game Structure. 3
Controls. 3
Actions and Movement. 3
Health Points. 4
Tasks and Characters. 4
Tasks relating to Frank. 4
Tasks relating to Patches. 5
Tasks relating to Dog. 6
Terrain/Environment. 6

Introduction
This Point and Click adventure places the player in the position of the Projectionist, who is the only member of the run-down and near abandoned cinema. The only thing we know about this character is that he works alone and that he has a huge love for film, especially Classic Horror of the 1920’s and 1930’s. After a freak accident resulting in three of the most acclaimed horror monsters coming to life and ripping through the cinema screens, as well as too many toilet rolls, the Projectionist must take it upon himself to bring order from chaos as each one of the newly resurrected characters casts comical mayhem upon the unexpected world.

The game will be created as a 2D Flash Point and Click adventure with elements of interaction ranging from fighting, investigation and problem solving in a traditional point and click genre.

Game Structure.
Controls.

The player experiences the world as the Projectionist in a side scroller as well as a first person perspective. When travelling around the instance, the Projectionist will interact with the world via side scrolling through the environment. As moments of interactivity appear, it will switch to the first person perspective so the player has a more immediate sense of control over what he can see.
The game is organised in one large level, which has several instances set up regarding the different areas within the cinema as well as outside of the cinema i.e. Screens 1, 2 and 3, Snack Stand, Projection room, equipment room and so on. Each instance will correspond to each of the characters who are interacting with the newly discovered world in all manners of charming comedy. All of the levels will contain interaction in one way or another, whether it is pieces of a clue that needs to be put back together, a weapon or form of defence or just a way of trying to communicate with each of the characters in their own little way.
The player must use the mouse to click, drag and hover over items that may come in handy in the instances. A small menu will allow the player to carry several items along with them, however the menu is limited in space, so only the most necessary items can be taken.

Actions and Movement.
The player can control the movement of the Projectionist by simply clicking on the directional arrows with the mouse; these arrows will be placed in the bottom centre of the screen.
Health Points.
Throughout the game health points will be lost and rejuvenated. In instances where the Projectionist must react with the horror characters, there will be a choice of whether to fight, communicate or ignore the characters. If the Projectionist hasn’t picked up the right equipment or piece of the puzzle that will unlock the next instance health points will be lost. On screen the health points will be represented by three film reels in the top right hand corner. The Projectionist has three chances within that instance to figure out the next turn of play i.e. Frank may only ignore you once you distract him with a wrench so he can tighten his neck bolts, allowing you to sneak past.
If all health points are lost then its game over, however if you only loose 1 or 2 points, the Projectionist will be able to rejuvenate their health via the snack stand or snacks that have been left around the cinema.

Tasks and Characters.
Throughout the game the Projectionist will have a collection of tasks that will help him progress through each instance. All of the tasks will relate to each of the horror characters image/stereotype/factual information. This means that the Projectionist is in his element, he thrives on the knowledge he has collected from Films over the years, he will know how to deal with each and every one of them, yet this will take a little time and patience, if he rushes to beat any one of them it could result in his own downfall within the cinema he so truly loves.
Tasks relating to Frank.
As we all know the character known as Frank is in no way the most intelligent of the Monsters, he prides himself on trying to fit into a world that rejects him and everything he stands for....which is mainly his unintelligible grunts and roars that frighten everybody off.
After breaking through the screen Frank managed to smash his way into the Projectionists equipment room, looking mainly for some sort of instrument to tighten the pesky bolts in his neck, but there isn’t the right one for the job. It can only be found on the Projectionist himself, yet the Projectionist doesn’t realise this. It is only until the Projectionist himself notices Frank trying to use all manner of items does he understand why he’s been chased all this time.
The Projectionist must scour around the Cinema for spare parts and equipment that will he can use to lure Frank into a trap that will bind him in place, allowing the Projectionist to throw Frank back into the Cinema screen, trapping him back in his own world of Film.

Tasks relating to Patches.
Patches entered this world hoping to get a new look! His old mummy rags were out dated and totally out of fashion! After causing a stir by forcing his way into our world via the cinema screen this first thing he went looking for was a new look and he found it. By entering the restroom and causing quite a stir, Patches found himself alone and was able to patch himself back up with gratuitous amounts of toilet paper. However, as we all know it doesn’t make the best of Halloween costumes, and, after using all available toilet paper within the vicinity Patches now scours the Cinema lobby hoping to find more paper towels to add to his ever drastic situation that’s continuing to fall apart.
In this instance, the Projectionist finds himself once again confronted with one of his favourite characters. Although it breaks his heart to do it, he must send Patches back through the cinema screen...no matter what the cost. He’s noticed how Patches has grown fond of the paper towels that he finds around the cinema...or indeed anything he can wrap around himself to make himself more presentable.
If the Projectionist can distract Patches long enough, he might be able to take one end of his ever growing “garments” and place it within either the revolving door, hot dog machine or the slushy machine. Once switched on, any one of these items will pull Patches into a trap, tying him up in many difficult knots that will take him a long time to escape from.

Tasks relating to Dog.
Dog isn’t the best behaved of wolf-men, he does let his curiosity get the best of him, especially when it comes to food. Since running wild in our world, he hasn’t stopped snacking on our sugary treats and mechanically recovered processed hot dogs! After getting himself stuck in too the snack stand a bit too much, Dog is a bit to wary to go back...unless something a tad more enticing is placed upon the snack stand.
The Projectionist has been too busy keeping the film reels running like clockwork, and before the Monsters broke into our world he didn’t have the time to re-fill the cotton candy machine. If he can find the mixing ingredients, and the air vent switch he may be able to lure Dog into a sticky trap that he just can’t resist.


Terrain/Environment.

All the events will happen both inside the cinema as well as outside the cinema. The interior environment will contain the three cinema screens, leading to the lobby/Snack Stand. These will lead to the streets outside which will have two paths, one around the back to the alley and another that branches off into a small section of the City. It is essential that the most interaction we see regarding the Monsters is of their own doing. Almost a film in itself as they comically try and interact with this new found freedom in the only way they know how, by being Monsters in their own right!
The interior will have the look of a near abandoned cinema that has fallen from its popularity. It’s badly looked after even now, with old posters peeling from the walls, old red faded carpet, messy halls full of boxes of cinema equipment and cardboard cut outs. The carpet is lined full of pop corn that has been dropped and flattened into the floor by repeated foot falls. Yet it still has character, or the echo of character, with its elongated rows of seats, its curtains draped either side of the screen full of dust and moths balls with their fading golden tassels. The ceiling faults up and over, all the way to the back of the second tier.
The environment can be explored on several different paths, all leading back to the original route.

First Game Design Document.

This is just the first document so when anything changes it'll be updated accordingly!

file:///C:/Users/Aliks/Desktop/Project%20Year%203/Project%20Year%203%20Game%20Design%20Document..docx

Quick sketches.

They haven't come out great but i do like the look I'm going for and so i shall endeavour t0 continue to go with that style! =)

Brief Summary of new ideas and challenges.

Just a quick update on what I hoping to get put into the game itself:

• An easier mechanic such as point-click.
• Keeping just three of the Classic Hollywood Monster, focusing on the Boris Karloff era mainly
• Expand on the environment, dont want to just stick to the cinema plex. Want to show chaos and interaction because of the Monsters sudden burst into reality.
• Playful, comical and charming instances where the Monsters interact with their surroundings i.e. The Mummy in the restroom, pulling toilet paper furiously from the roll and trying to wrap it around himself, Wolf Man jumping around the Snack stand getting popcorn stuck in his fur, getting caught in the Cotton Candy machine.
  
• Because its a point-click game, we'll rely heavily on the environment to give us clues on how to how to communicate with the characters within that instance.

These are just a few simple ideas that i want to implement into the game concept.

After Pitch on 10/11/2009

So Lewis and I did our revised plan for our game on Tuesday and althought it wasn't the greatest day for me to use words i managed to get it done! Our new pitch presented the idea of a 2D Flash side scroller in which you had to re capture Classic Hollywood monsters using a 35 mm projecter and camera to re shoot them and in a 'Ghostbusters'esk way trap them within the film reels.

After our analysis with Dave however it came to the conclusion that what we needed instead was a point and click adventure where the Monsters where running riot around the cinema and external areas, interacting with the world itself in the only way they know how...by being Monsters.

The direction that we will now need to push is going to be slightly tricky, but with enough time and energy a brand new game concept document will arrive for next weeks lecture. In the next week, I myself will look into Adventure Game Ltd and they're aspect of point and click games whilst Lewis will look into the coding and production we require regarding Flash. We're also hoping to hire one of Lewis' friends to aid us in producing a strong visual style that we can implement coherently into our concept.

More soon!

Direction of ideas

So its been a bit too long with this next update, but at least im starting to get back on track!

So the core concept and saving throw of the game concept are the Hollywood monsters from the hey-day of 1920's cinema with a dash of cult horror hits from the 1970's-80's. I've chosen both of these periods in time because at these points in time, film as a medium was either new or in desperate need of a new direction, hence the chosen characters from chosen segments in film history.

What I really love about these Monsters is the way that we, as movie goers, can in some way relate to them and give them a human personality or impression as they struggle to compensate for their alien existence within such a harsh world that doesnt accept them. In some ways they are the victims which is why i wanted to bring them into the real world, or game world, as a form of escape from their imprisonment within film. Literally.

In some sort of twist I want them to come to life and rip through the cinema screens as they tear through the 'real' world hoping to gain some sort of freedom. However, at the same time I want to tinker with the comical satire of such an event happening, so I'd like to lend a hand from the movie ' The Last Action Hero'. This really helps to summarise the idea, and allows it to anchor itself more and more so I can then build upon it, and if needs be take out anything that doesnt work. All I have to do now is draw up and more detailed game concept document which i can happily show to Dave as well as a presentation including a picture that will help to summarise the direction of the game.

Kicking off the project

So after 5 weeks of being back at Uni, and a pitch that helped myself and Lewis revamp our original idea i am know able to really tease out what i want from this years project.

• The idea that we are playing about with is the fall of Golden Age Horror movies, mainly the early 20th century film such as
  
• The Mummy
  
• Boris Karloffs Frankenstein
  
• Then jumping to later 20th century cult hit movies, preferably Nightmare on Elm Street.

What i want to do with these characters is use them as comical references to what they represent, and how players can recognise them through the use of comedy and satire.

So the story, althougth in its early stages has been decided between myself and Lewis.