Design Document
IT 3001: Introduction to Game Design
University of Missouri-Columbia
Fall 2006
The Searchers
“We make games...and stuff.”
Present:
Meth-head Man
A game about family, fireworks and the delicious
consequences of meth addiction.
Or
A story about a man fighting his own personal war on
drugs without the paperwork.
Matt Alvino, Jeff Parker, Brian Grinstead
Version 4.0
12/13/06
Table of Contents
1. Design History
Page 4-5
2. Hardware & Software Requirements
Page 6
3. Common Questions
Page 7-8
4. Story
Page 9-14
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5. Game Play Features
Page 15
6. Game World
Page 16-18
7. Graphics & Effects
Page 19
8. Camera
Page 20
9. Lighting
Page 21
10.Artificial Intelligence
Page 22
11.Physics and Simulation
Page 23
12.Weapons or Inventory
Page 24-26
13.Characters
Page 27-30
14.Graphical User Interface
Page 31
15.Hardware User Interface
Page 32
16.Music and Sound Effects
Page 33
17.Level(s)
Page 34-38
Miscellaneous
Page
Design History
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Overview
This goal of this document is to serve as a record of the history of the game
modification we are developing using the Source engine. Herein we will outline our goals
and specifications for the game.
Version 1 (Semester Project Phase 1)
3
We added as much information to the various sections as we possibly could. At
this point, we are unsure of the capabilities of the Source engine, so many of the technical
considerations covered by this document are incomplete and contain the default text.
9/18/06 – Edited and formatted text. Filled out table of contents. Updated AI
section. Removed example text from sections. Replaced previous level map with a new
map. Added details about physics simulations. Added Hardware User Interface
information. Added conceptual images to Game World section. Added images to
Lighting section. We no longer “makes” games (corrected to “make”).
Version 2 (Semester Project Phase 2)
Version 2 includes only minor changes since we have been busy mapmaking.
1. I rewrote the section on Hardware & Software requirements.
2. Added some information about custom shaders to the Graphics & Effects
overview section.
Version 3 (Semester Project Phase 3)
4
Version 3 includes significant changes due to a sudden realization that we will not have
time to implement all the features we want.
3. I rewrote the section on Hardware & Software requirements.
4. Added some information about custom shaders to the Graphics & Effects
overview section.
Version 4 (Semester Project Phase 4)
Version 4 includes builds upon the significant changes introduced by Phase 3. We
removed more sections to reflect the things we were unable to get into the game.
5. Updates to Camera, Game World, Physics & Simulation, GUI, and Music &
Sound Effects – all modified to remove concepts we did not get to due to lack of
time.
Hardware & Software Requirements
Overview
The game will run fine on either an ATI or NVIDIA video card. The game is
obviously intended for Windows machines with Valve’s Source engine installed.
Common Questions
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1. What is the game?
A classic tale about a man trying to find a woman he loves, but has to quit meth and
blowup methlabs along the way.
2. What is the game genre?
The genre is a gimmick first person shooter. The weapons will not just be assorted
firearms and military explosives, but objects that can be found anywhere in the
Midwest.
3. Why create this game?
This game will definitely be a niche game that will try to appeal to a part of the video
game market that your typical first person shooter would not. The game will be based
more on story and comedic value than violence and drama.
4. Where does the game take place?
The game takes place in Southeast Missouri, starting out in Stoddard County and
ending in the residential sprawl of Arnold, Missouri.
5. What do I control?
You control the main character, Billy Joe Buck, as he tries to piece together the story
of what happened to his young niece when she disappeared from the family trailer.
You chose what weapons to use, what paths to take, and what methods to get the
information you want from the level bosses.
6. How many characters do I control?
You control only one character throughout the game and that is just Billy Joe Buck.
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7. What is the main focus?
The main focus is to “save” your missing niece. You have no real idea what
happened and you are the only one with the guts and the mental capacity to go after
her.
8. How is this game different from others out there?
First person shooter titles you find today all tend to be very dark and dramatic. You
are always out to save the world from either aliens, the undead, or Nazis. This game
is much simpler and a lot more light-hearted. This game should make players laugh
and give them a break from the same old theme of changing the outcome of the entire
universe through one man’s efforts.
Story
Overview
The story is about a grizzled old Meth-head by the name of Robert Joseph
Buckingham (Billy-Joe-Buck). Billy Joe's poor young niece disappears and is believed to
be with a group of hardcore meth chemists but no one knows where she has gone or if she
was taken. Upset by the loss and also due to the fact that Billy Joe has always loved his
brother's wife he quits meth cold turkey and goes on a search for Jenny throughout
Southeastern Missouri.
Background
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Robert Joseph Buckingham (or “Billy Joe Buck” for short) is a good ol' boy from
the Missouri boot heel. He has struggled with a methamphetamine addiction for several
years but is truly good at heart. Before his addiction he was a respectable army Captain
that did a tour of duty in the Persian Gulf War and learned a thing or two about craftiness
with weapons that are available to him. When he realizes that his niece is missing he
tries to rally support to find/rescue her but no one else will even listen because of their
meth addictions. This causes Billy Joe to shun meth and get his head right as he tries to
find his niece Jenny.
Jethro Jack Qwik: or Double J Qwik or DJ Qwik for short is the local meth lab
boss in the Jackson’s Pass Trailer Park in Stoddard County Missouri. He is the privileged
owner of a double wide trailer that over looks the park’s pool and shuffle board court. He
runs the trailer park with an iron fist and thus the park is half abandoned and dilapidated.
He has an army of dedicated meth addicts that will defend his lab until their next fix.
However, due to his harsh rule maybe there is a way to get some of the parks “classier”
residents to help you defeat him.
Elijah Johnson: also known as the Messiah of Meth, Mr. Amphetamine, the King
of Krystal, and The Mad Meth Scientist. You discover that he is the one that Jenny
disappeared with, but you do not quite know where to find him. He runs the biggest meth
lab syndicate in the known world that operates throughout Southeast Missouri. Although
dozens of labs are under his control his uber-lab’s whereabouts are unknown to the
general meth-addicted public. So the player must piece together the path to Eli Johnson’s
home base by “talking” to lab bosses along the way.
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Pre-game Events: Billy Joe lives in the rural boot heel of Missouri with some of
his extended family in a two bedroom one and a half bath trailer. His brother Timothy
Buckingham Jr. or Tim Buck II, his sister-in-law Annabel Buckingham, and his niece
Jennifer Buckingham all live with Billy Joe. Before Billy Joe left for the Persian Gulf in
'91 he and Annabel were talking about getting hitched when he returned. However, when
he got back he learned that Tim and Anna had hooked up and gotten pregnant. Tim did
the respectable thing and married Anna, much to Billy Joe’s chagrin. This is what drives
Billy Joe to meth and each of his family members has their own vices. Tim prefers rock
meth, Anna prefers powder meth, Billy Joe, and Jenny prefer crystal meth, which has
given them a common bond.
Opening
After Jenny has been gone for three days, Billy Joe finally realizes that she is not
there. Another couple of days pass and now Billy Joe thinks that maybe something bad
has happened. Then a day later it finally clicks that he has to do something about this and
go search for Jenny. He tries to get Tim to help, but he is too far gone most of the time to
be of any help at all, except for the fact that he knows Jenny had been hit on at the local
meth lab by Eli Johnson the night before she disappeared. This is all the information
Billy Joe has to go on from the onset of the story. Because Billy Joe secretly loves
Annabel so he does not want her to get hurt going after Jenny. He realizes that he cannot
perform these epic tasks while on meth so he drops it like it's hot and has to go through
the withdrawals after years of habitual use.
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Due to the fact that Billy Joe doesn't have much information about where to find
Eli Johnson, he decides the only way he is going to get close to him is by destroying as
many of Johnson’s meth labs as he can find, all the while extracting as much intelligence
on where to find the King of Krystal. He knows that his first target will be the local lab
owned and funded by the Messiah of Meth. From there he gets the info he needs to find
the next lab in the web of amphetamine produces throughout the area. This will
eventually lead him to a lab in Stoddard County in the Jackson’s Pass trailer park. He
finds himself at the entrance to the park and now must find what he is looking for, the lab
of DJ Qwik located near the cement pond.
Game Story
The game starts out with a cutscene of the background story followed by the hero
walking into Jackson's Pass, a rundown trailer park. The player then gains control of the
Billy and gets a mission: Get the key to DJ Qwik's trailer. There is a manager's office
ahead, so the player will try to retrieve the key from the manager, but he refuses to give
Billy the key. He says, “The only way you are gonna get that key is if I leave, and that
ain't happening unless if my momma dies or if something blows up.” Next objective
states: “Well, his momma don't live here...” The player must get to the shed close by and
blow it up using a roman candle and a propane tank. Then the manager runs out of his
office screaming, and the player can run in and grab the key. The player will go down
the path to find police cars blocking the way and a voiceover will indicate that Billy
doesn't like cops; and a new objective will appear: “Find another way around.” The only
way around is through a trailer that an old lady is in. She doesn't let the player through
untl he gets her husband for her. The player finds her husband, a grumpy old man, and
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he makes his way back to the trailer. The lady agrees to let the player through, and gives
him a weapon, telling him that the people on this next block aren't as nice as the people
on this one.
This puts the player into the second area, which is even more beaten down. The
player sees the path to the third area right away, but it is blocked by junk. Then, a new
objective appears: “Find something to blow this mess up.” The player will search for
explosives, and will be attacked on the way by crazed trailer people. Eventually, the
player finds a shed with more propane, grabs it, and takes it back to the entrance. Goes to
a cutscene of Billy lighting the propane tank and not moving; and him getting blasted
through the air.
He falls through the roof of a trailer in the third area. Luckily, the hero falls into
the trailer of a man who is not a crazed meth head. The man tells Billy to be careful and
gives you a potato gun. The player leaves the trailer then has to make it to the meth lab.
This can be done by either sneaking past guards or attacking them to get past them. Right
as you get to the meth house, you are attacked by a mob of junkies who are trying to
protect their next fix. After the player defeats them, he can enter the house and find DJ
Qwik. A battle ensues and, after victory, the DJ tells him where to find the next dealer
and then passes out. Billy drags DJ out of the house, then blows it up and a phenomenal
explosion ensues.
Future
After DJ Qwik is vanquished and you know the whereabouts of the next lab you
will continue your goal of bringing Jenny home. As the levels progress you find out
small bits of information referring to Jenny herself. From this knowledge you get the
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feeling that Jenny was not kidnapped after all and went off with Eli Johnson to live on his
compound and be a part of his court. Reason being because she is provided all the meth
she could ever want. This makes Billy Joe increasingly upset and you begin to get the
feeling that maybe Billy Joe is going to harm Jenny if he ever gets his hands on her again.
Jenny thought that no one would even care or notice that she disappeared, but had
no real ill feeling towards her true family. When she over hears Eli Johnson talking to his
men about a man that is devastating all the Kings labs, she then finds out that the man
doing it is her very own Uncle Billy Joe. She has a chance encounter with him a few
levels before the end and she tells him to stop what he is doing and return home, that Eli
Johnson is going to kill him if he keeps going. She then runs off and infuriates Billy Joe
even more.
Also during this crucial time Billy Joe starts getting calls from Annabel telling
him things that had been secrets to him before. She starts out discreet saying things like
Jenny always had your eyes or Jenny has your temper. Eventually you find out that Anna
gave birth to Jenny only eight months after Billy Joe left for the army making it a real
possibility that Jenny is actually your daughter and you bond has been more than
coincidental.
In the end Billy Joe does not harm Jenny and takes her home. He then realizes
that there is nothing for him back home and wants to take Jenny with him to start a new
meth free life for the both of them. During the end credits of the game you see Billy Joe,
Annabel, Tim, and Jenny all on an episode of Maury Povich show doing a classic
paternity test episode. Here the player will find out that “In the case of 16 year old Jenny,
Billy Joe, you are the father!”
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Game Play Features
General Features
Our game is sort of a first-person shooter with a lighthearted storyline.
Feature 1
Our game will combine action, and exploration in each level. In order to progress
through the levels, the player must accomplish tasks given by NPC's.
Game World
Overview
The game takes place in a run-down trailer park called Jackson's Pass located in
Stoddard County in Southeast Missouri. The trailer park has three areas. The first is the
nicest of the three. Here people do not attack you and are generally polite. The music
and sound effects will be light and ambient to set a easy going mood. The second area
shows more signs of deterioration and the NPCs are becoming hostile. The music and
sound is more up tempo and harder. The third area is complete hell with the exception of
the level boss's double wide trailer next to the pool. Here every NPC attacks you and the
music and sounds affects are loud and in your face.
Environment Progression
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This element of the game gives the level all its depth. As you work your way
through the level it becomes increasingly less appealing and hostile. Instead of being
immediately bum-rushed by bots you are given time to let the level mature in front of
you. Although in the end the player will have all the enemies he can handle, we feel that
giving a player time to breath early on will make them appreciate the game more.
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Graphics & Effects
Overview
15
We will be using the standard toolset available within Hammer although some characters
have been re-skinned.
Camera
Overview
The camera will be first person shooter style. All you see is the characters
weapons currently being used.. The reason for staying in first person is because we not
only feel that it is the best way to go for this game, but also that we would like to spend
our time making other changes and improvements to the game engine.
Cut Scene Feature
Anytime the player is controlling the action the game will be first person.
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Lighting
Overview
Meth-head Man will be well lit and not have many, if any, dark rooms or
passages. Because this is meant to be a more comedic game we think that making a
particular level dark and dreary would hurt that goal. Also most levels will be outside,
during the day and thus have the “sun” as a light source for the most part
Normal
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Artificial Intelligence
Overview
The in-game AI is going to be fairly simple. Enemies are going to attack you on
sight and friendly NPCs are going to leave you alone or possible even communicate with
you. We are going to try our hardest to use the stock NPCs already embedded in the
game engine as much as possible. The only foreseeable problem would be for main
character type designs, which are somewhat important to the story.
Feature 1
Using AI relationships, our game features several characters that are friendly to
the player.
.
Physics and Simulation
Overview
The physics in the game will be basic fire and smoke. The explosions caused by
the player will lead to fire and smoke. The physics will not be too over the top.
Fire
The fire effect will be used when a player blows up something in the level. The
shed in the beginning, then the ruble in the middle, and finally the lab at the end will all
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need fire to add to the realism and effect. All three of these events will start with a large
explosion and then are followed by a slow roaring fire that ensues.
Smoke
Smoke will follow after the explosions and compliment the fire. I am not aware
of any trailers having a fireplace so there should be no other need for smoke in the scene
than for when a fire breaks out.
Weapons or Inventory
Overview
The weapons used in this game are meant to be funny and likely to be found
readily available in the Midwest. The list of weapons used in this game may include, but
are not limited to: Roman candles, sticks, potato guns, propane tanks, paintball gun, spray
paint with Zippo. There will be no other inventory besides offensive weapons in the
game.
Roman Candle
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The Roman candle is the basic missile weapon you find in the game. It will fire
with a four round burst of randomly selected colors found in the average Roman candle.
This is an antipersonnel weapon used to knock out your enemies. They will be readily
available and easy to stockpile. Any gun with a set round burst will be easily convertible.
Sticks
The stick weapon will be the basic melee weapon and can be found anywhere
though out the game. They would only be used in the most dire of situations when
fighting hostile NPCs.
Potato Gun
The potato gun will be the uber gun of the game. This will be what every player
wants, but only the skilled player gets. Because our game is only one level you will get
the potato gun towards the end of the level and its main use will be the highest
antipersonnel weapon available. This gun will be a conversion from either a rocket or
grenade launcher.
Propane Tank
The propane tank will be the demolition weapon of the game. It will be used to
blow stuff up or clear a path. They will only be found when they are necessary so they
are cherished once they are found. Converting the mines from HL2 to propane would be
the obvious means to creating them.
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Paintball Gun
The paintball gun will be the medium level antipersonnel missile weapon
available to the player. It will be used to hit enemies at long distances with more force
and accuracy then the Roman candle. In this level you will be given the paintball gun by
a friendly NPC and will have a sizable but limited amount of ammo in your stockpile.
Any typical gun can be skinned to give us a paintball gun. Modifying the projectiles will
probably be the tougher part.
Spray Paint with Zippo
Billy Joe will always be carrying his trusty Zippo lighter with him throughout the game.
But it is when you find some spray paint that it becomes a great asset. Spray paint will be
found by players exploring some of the secondary paths. In this particular level if the
player checks out the pool shed he will find a few cans of spray paint to use with the
lighter as a pseudo flamethrower. This weapon excels at close range when the player is
overwhelmed with enemies. Converting a preexisting flamethrower will make this
weapon attainable for us.
Characters
Overview
As far as game play goes the only characters the user will encounter in this level
are the main character Billy Joe, the level boss DJ Qwik, hostile NPCs, and friendly
NPCs. All other characters such as his family and Eli Johnson will only be in cut scenes
to set up and end the story.
Billy Joe Buck
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Physical Character
We plan on using a default character for Billy Joe, but at this time we are unsure
what characters are available and what best fits our desired appearance for him. We
would be willing to make minor modifications to the character to make him fit our plans.
Billy Joe will be a big guy between 6'2” and 6'5” weighing around 250 lbs. with a
grizzled looking face. Preferably he will be wearing a flannel shirt of some type, with
tattered blue jeans, and some type of boots.
Sociological Character
Billy Joe grew up a country boy so he has a little bit a twang in his voice and
whiskey on his breath. He was in the army during the Persian Gulf and knows how to
win a bar fight. Billy Joe never real had much in the way of possessions as a child but his
parents were good to him. Growing up in a trailer he really is the salt of the earth. He
started doing meth just after he got back from Iraq and quit just as this game begins.
Psychological Character
Billy Joe is kind of a wise guy and always has a good one liner when the moment
presents itself. His overall attitude is positive even though he is in a world of trouble.
His only real opinion is that Missouri is the greatest state in the union and the USA rocks
your face off. Billy Joe will not do meth at any point in the story.
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Character Progression
As the game goes on the physical characteristics of Billy Joe do not change. All
that changes is his motivation on what to do when he finds Jenny, going from good, to
bad, to worse, to good again. However, in the playable level itself the character has
almost zero progression.
Skill and Downfalls
Billy Joe's only special skill is his ability to kick people's butts. His one downfall
is that due to just dropping meth he goes through withdrawals from time to time causing
him to lose focus and have to fight extra hard.
Friends
In this particular level there will only be three friends.
Landlord
The first can hardly be considered a friend but he will be invulnerable. He
will be the trailer parks landlord and will be found in the front office when you first enter
the game world. The player needs to find a way to get the key to the level boss's trailer
because the landlord refuses to give it to you. His appearance will be drawn from what is
already available to us in the character list. He will start out nice enough but once he
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realizes why you are in his park he will become more hostile towards the character. His
downfall is that you can get him out of the front office if you blown something up.
Old Lady
The old lady will be the one who gets you past the police road block by
allowing you passage through her trailer. To get the privilege though you must bring
back her husband from a neighbors house. Shes kind of snappy but good at heart and will
provide you with her grandsons paintball gun to continue the level better equipped.
Kind Stranger
After being thrown across the map and through the room of a park
inhabitant you wake up and realize that you landed in the right place. He is a kind
middle-aged man who tells you that things are only going to get tougher and he will find
no other friends throughout the rest of the level. He gives you the potato gun and now
you should be armed and ready to meet the level boss with maximum force.
Enemies
The NPCs enemies will be your run of the mill bad guys. Due to the fact that they
are in a dirty trailer park they will be a rough looking bunch. As you get deeper into the
level thier numbers and difficulty will increase.
DJ Qwik
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He is the “King of Jackson's Pass.” Nothing happens in the park without
his approval, although in the meth world, he is only a peon. Nobody in Jackson's Pass
realizes this, though, and he rules his domain with an iron fist. He has minions who fight
for him in exchange for a quick fix. He has very few redeeming characteristics. He is
such a bad guy that he even fled to Canada for 3 years to avoid the draft.
Graphical User Interface
Overview
Our user interface is lifted directly from Half-Life 2.
Hardware User Interface
Overview
Our game conforms to the typical Half-Life 2 Standard – WASD keys for
movement with the left mouse button mapped to attack and scrolling through weapons
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accomplished by using either the number keys or scrolling the mouse wheel. By default,
the E key will perform actions and pick up objects. Sprinting will be achieved via the
SHIFT key.
Music and Sound Effects
Overview
For our game, sound is used to set the mood, but not specifically to move the
story along except in the case of dialogue.
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Sound Effects
Our sound effects will be consistent with most other games. We use the default sound set.
Level(s)
Building Blocks
Concept
The first level introduces the player to the game world and acquaints them with
the style of play.
Environment Description
The first environment is an expansive trailer park in Southeast Missouri. The map
is divided into three areas, with the player starting in a relatively well-maintained area but
eventually progression to dangerous areas that are more dilapidated.
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Beginning
The player begins at the Front Office of the trailer park.
Ending
The level ends after defeating the level boss in a meth lab on the other side of the
map.
Goal(s)
The player's goal is to reach the meth lab on the other side of the map.
Challenges and Events
The map features roadblocks that hinder the player's progress, encouraging
him/her to complete certain tasks to move forward in the game.
Reward
The NPC's in the first and second areas of the game will give the player new
weapons and allow them to proceed to the next area.
Way of handling failure
Upon death, the player begins at the start of the last checkpoint they passed.
Checkpoints occur at the beginning of each area.
Storytelling Model
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We are going with a linear model. However, the player will never really feel that
they were forced to accomplish tasks in a certain manner. The reason for the linear model
is partially due to time constraints and because this is the first level in the game and
therefore everyone playing it needs to have a common set of experiences in order to
understand the idea behind the rest of the game.
Storytelling Level Block Diagram
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