Game Design Document for: “Hear no evil, see no evil” All work Copyright ©2012 Vancouver Film School Written by Richard Harrison & Leanne Roed Version # 1.70 Tuesday, March 08, 2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Table of Contents DESIGN HISTORY ________________________________________________________________________ 6 Version 1.00 ________________________________________________________________________ 6 Version 1.10 ________________________________________________________________________ 6 Version 1.20 ________________________________________________________________________ 6 Version 1.30 ________________________________________________________________________ 6 Version 1.40 ________________________________________________________________________ 6 Version 1.50 ________________________________________________________________________ 7 Version 1.60 ________________________________________________________________________ 7 Version 1.70 ________________________________________________________________________ 7 GAME OVERVIEW _______________________________________________________________________ 8 HIGH CONCEPT __________________________________________________________________________ 8 PHILOSOPHY ___________________________________________________________________________ 9 Play with the Senses _________________________________________________________________ 9 Another Perspective __________________________________________________________________ 9 COMMON QUESTIONS ____________________________________________________________________10 FEATURE SET __________________________________________________________________________12 FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS ____________________________________________________________________12 See With Sound ____________________________________________________________________12 Ever-Threatening Boss _______________________________________________________________12 Character & Mokos _________________________________________________________________12 FEATURE DETAILS _______________________________________________________________________13 See With Sound ____________________________________________________________________13 Ever-Threatening Boss _______________________________________________________________14 The Player: Character & Mokos ________________________________________________________16 Collectibles ________________________________________________________________________18 SINGLE-PLAYER GAME __________________________________________________________________19 Echolocation _______________________________________________________________________19 Distracting Bosses __________________________________________________________________19 Story _____________________________________________________________________________19 DETAILED WALKTHROUGH _________________________________________________________________20 Level 1 Intro _______________________________________________________________________20 Level 1 P1a ________________________________________________________________________20 Level 1 P1b ________________________________________________________________________20 Level 1 P2a ________________________________________________________________________21 Level 1 P2b ________________________________________________________________________21 Level 1 P3a ________________________________________________________________________22 Level 1 P3b ________________________________________________________________________22 Level 1 Outro ______________________________________________________________________23 Hours of Gameplay _________________________________________________________________23 Victory Conditions __________________________________________________________________23 CAMERA ______________________________________________________________________________24 OVERVIEW ____________________________________________________________________________24 EFFECTS______________________________________________________________________________25 CROSSHAIR CONTEXT 1 ___________________________________________________________________26 CROSSHAIR CONTEXT 2 ___________________________________________________________________26 Team: Pixel π Page 2 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved THE GAME WORLD _____________________________________________________________________27 Perceived World ____________________________________________________________________27 Hidden From Sight __________________________________________________________________27 THE WORLD LAYOUT _____________________________________________________________________28 Overview _________________________________________________________________________28 Level 1 ___________________________________________________________________________28 THE PHYSICAL WORLD ____________________________________________________________________37 Overview _________________________________________________________________________37 Key Locations ______________________________________________________________________37 Travel ____________________________________________________________________________37 Scale _____________________________________________________________________________38 Objects ___________________________________________________________________________38 Day and Night _____________________________________________________________________38 GAME CHARACTERS ____________________________________________________________________39 NPC Characters ____________________________________________________________________40 Enemies and Monsters ______________________________________________________________42 USER INTERFACE - CONTROLS ____________________________________________________________44 OVERVIEW ____________________________________________________________________________44 GAME INTERFACE - MENUS ______________________________________________________________45 SCREEN FLOW DIAGRAMS _________________________________________________________________45 Options ___________________________________________________________________________46 Credits ___________________________________________________________________________46 HUD/ON SCREEN DISPLAYS ________________________________________________________________46 WIREFRAMES __________________________________________________________________________46 MUSICAL SCORES AND SOUND EFFECTS ____________________________________________________47 SOUND DESIGN ________________________________________________________________________47 APPENDICES ___________________________________________________________________________48 “COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS” APPENDIX __________________________________________________________48 “GAME INTERFACE – MENUS” APPENDIX _______________________________________________________50 “OBJECTS” APPENDIX ____________________________________________________________________54 Sound Sources _____________________________________________________________________54 Team: Pixel π Page 3 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Table of Figures Figure 1 - High Concept __________________________________________________________________ 8 Figure 2 - Opacity Proximity Shader _______________________________________________________ 14 Figure 3 - Moko Throw Concept Sketch ____________________________________________________ 17 Figure 4 - Camera Specifications __________________________________________________________ 24 Figure 5 - Crosshair Context 1 ____________________________________________________________ 26 Figure 6 - Crosshair Context 2 ____________________________________________________________ 26 Figure 7 - Level 1 Intro __________________________________________________________________ 29 Figure 8 - Level 1 P1a ___________________________________________________________________ 30 Figure 9 - Level 1 P1b ___________________________________________________________________ 31 Figure 10 - Level 1 P2a __________________________________________________________________ 32 Figure 11 - Level 1 P2b __________________________________________________________________ 33 Figure 12 - Level 1 P3a __________________________________________________________________ 34 Figure 13 - Level 1 P3b __________________________________________________________________ 35 Figure 14 - Level 1 Outro ________________________________________________________________ 36 Figure 15 - Character Scale Reference _____________________________________________________ 39 Figure 16 – Mokos _____________________________________________________________________ 40 Figure 17 - Fat Moko ___________________________________________________________________ 41 Figure 18 – Screamers __________________________________________________________________ 42 Figure 19 – Bostaurus __________________________________________________________________ 43 Figure 21 - Controls ____________________________________________________________________ 44 Figure 22 - Main Menu Flowchart _________________________________________________________ 45 Figure 23 - Main Menu Wireframe ________________________________________________________ 50 Figure 24 - Options Menu Wireframe ______________________________________________________ 51 Figure 25 - Level Selection Wireframe _____________________________________________________ 52 Figure 26 - Credits Screen Wireframe ______________________________________________________ 53 Team: Pixel π Page 4 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Table of Tables Table 1 - Sound Source Parameters _______________________________________________________ Table 2 - Boss States ___________________________________________________________________ Table 3 - Footstep Surface PSR ___________________________________________________________ Table 4 – Activatable Contraptions ________________________________________________________ Table 6 - Collectibles ___________________________________________________________________ Table 7 - Feature Introduction Order ______________________________________________________ Table 8 - Competitive Analysis ___________________________________________________________ Table 9 - Sound Sources _________________________________________________________________ Team: Pixel π Page 5 Pulse 13 15 16 17 18 28 48 54 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Design History This is a brief explanation of the history of this document. Each version of this document is based on when a document is released for feedback/review, or major changes/additions have been made. Version 1.00 - Initial pass at design. Version 1.10 - Added Feature Details section in full Added Competitive Analysis Setup layout for Game Characters Version 1.20 - Updated after preliminary feedback/review Reformatted The Game World Added in details for The Physical World Version 1.30 - Added additional reference images and concept art Version 1.31 - Overhaul of Feature Details and Game Characters Version 1.40 - Added Level 1 layout images Added Level 1 Detailed Walkthrough Team: Pixel π Page 6 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Version 1.41 - Added Level 1 Beat Chart Version 1.50 - Added Level 2 layout image Added Level 2 Detailed Walkthrough Added Level 2 Beat Chart Reformatted Single-Player Game Story Version 1.60 - Updated after final feedback/review Added additional images Version 1.70 - Removed Level 2 Removed Boss 2 Overhaul of Detailed Walkthrough Overhaul of Level Layouts Updated design tweaks since Alpha Team: Pixel π Page 7 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Game Overview High Concept Figure 1 - High Concept “Hear no evil, see no evil” Team: Pixel π Page 8 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Pulse, a first person survival game, takes place in an unseen world revealed only by sound. Play as Eva, the blind daughter of the tribe’s chief, in search of her brother who has not returned from his pilgrimage. Travel along the pilgrim’s path with only sound as your guide. Gather helpful but oblivious creatures called Mokos to overcome the pilgrims’ challenges and avoid being eaten while progressing toward your ultimate goal. In Pulse the player must acquire the assistance of the Mokos to reveal portions of the world and unlock the path to progress onwards. While opening these paths and navigating the player must be wary of the amount of sound produced due to the threat of tribal beasts and the environment itself. The largest of the tribal beasts pose a very significant threat as they roam around seeking sources of sound. It is difficult to escape once you have been discovered and you may need to sacrifice some of the Mokos in order to survive. Sound plays an integral part in Pulse; all creatures in the world, as well as many objects, produce sound in some form. This will ensure that the world is navigable and the player will not suffer from extensive disorientation due to the visual masking of the environment. A lack of sound is represented visually by a complete transparency of objects in the world. Proximity to sound increases the opacity of objects, making them visible to the player; likewise, enough distance from a sound will eventually make it invisible. Pulse is meant to instill a sense of constant threat and a desire to explore. The gameplay itself is inherently unsettling because of the constraint on what can be seen by the player; however it is not directly focused on being a horror game. Philosophy Play with the Senses Pulse brings a different outlook on how games can be visualized. While audio in games has always been an integral part in solidifying the immersion, Pulse takes it a step further by actually basing all sight on sound. In the absence of sound the player is blind, but with too much sound the player is vulnerable; finding a balance between these will be up to the player and will create many tense moments which play with the player’s senses. Another Perspective By significantly limiting the information gamers take for granted, Pulse gives players the opportunity to experience the world from an interpreted perspective of a blind person. Like many blind people, Eva has been told that she is incapable of the independence expected of her peers. Not only does Eva prove her capability by the end of the game, but also her creativity and bravery. Team: Pixel π Page 9 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Common Questions What is the game? Pulse is a game about a blind girl who sees her entire world through sound. The world remains masked in nothingness until a sound is present to reveal it. The player must navigate the hidden world using helpful creatures called Mokos, while avoiding shadowy tribal beasts which are attracted to sound. Why create this game? All of the members of Team Pixel π believe that games are more than just fun; they are engaging experiences. To fully immerse the player, Pulse takes full advantage of both sight and sound, and ties them together in such a way that one is dependent on the other. Where does the game take place? Geographically, Pulse takes place in a fictional forested land intertwined with caves and cliffs; the story dictates that the route is a pilgrim’s path that stretches over long distances. Aesthetically however, the world is entirely built with geometric shapes, which creates a distinct surreal look and feel for the game. What do I control? The player controls a young girl named Eva, the daughter of a tribal leader. Eva is blind, and uses a special form of echolocation to reveal her world with sound. How many characters do I control? Directly, the player only controls Eva through the world. Indirectly however, the Mokos are controlled by the player as well since they follow Eva around when within range. They are also thrown by her to reveal the world and occasionally to their deaths when necessary to distract one of the tribal beasts. What are the Goals/Objectives of the game? Players will notice that the world appears significantly different from the beginning of each level to the end. Throughout each level they use the Mokos to extend bridges, open doors, raise platforms, and for other means of progressing onwards. All of these activations produce new sounds that reveal more of the world making it easier to navigate, but also easier to be spotted by enemies. The overarching goal of the game is to continue moving onwards. To do this the player must not only reach the end of the level, but open the exit as well. Though the method for accomplishing this task varies from level to level, it usually involves the aid of the Mokos. Team: Pixel π Page 10 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved What is the main focus? Eva is traversing a pilgrim’s path to seek out her missing brother. What’s different? Pulse creates a menacing atmosphere with an unconventional approach to navigation challenges. By limiting the information gamers take for granted it gives them the opportunity to experience a world through a new perspective. Will I be disoriented? Pulse includes many constant sources of sound that will help the player get their bearings in an unfamiliar world. Additionally, wherever Eva walks her feet produce footstep sounds that resonate off all objects within a close distance. This gives the player a constant means of revealing immediate threats. That said, much of this game is about having a sense of orientation removed, so a certain amount of disorientation is to be expected. Team: Pixel π Page 11 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Feature Set Feature Highlights See With Sound View the world from the perspective of a young blind girl, Eva, by revealing your surroundings with the sounds of the environment. Everything from the sound of your footsteps below you to the birds overhead helps to unmask Eva’s hidden world. Ever-Threatening Boss Dark tribal beasts roam the land through which you progress, posing obvious threats in each encounter. Just as you track your goal with sound, so do these creatures track their prey. You must make enough sound to get your bearings, but remain cautious of alerting the beasts. Character & Mokos Eva is strong at heart, but does not have the physical capacity to confront the threats of the land. Fortunately, on her journey she has garnered the aid of Mokos: helpful forest creatures. These naïve creatures follow Eva and can be used to activate bridges and doors, as well as distractions… or perhaps snacks for the tribal beasts. Team: Pixel π Page 12 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Feature Details See With Sound In Pulse, the world is revealed to the player by means of sound. Any object in the world that emits sound (be it living or environmental) reveals a certain area around it. The effect of the reveal is determined by the type of the sound: louder sounds reveal broader areas; more ambient sounds produce a more gradual falloff. Terrain and creatures are masked in transparency by default, and only become opaque upon being revealed by sources of sound. This means that in a level void of sound, the player is unable to see anything at all. The environment itself is lit normally; revealing with sound does not affect the lighting, simply the opacity in which objects are displayed. This is accomplished by a custom-made shader called the Opacity Proximity Shader which adds opacity to objects based on their proximity to the source of sound. For more information on the OPS System, see Main Features in the Technical Design Document. In addition to the naturally occurring sounds in the environment, the player also has two distinct ways of producing sound for themselves: Footsteps and Mokos. See Character & Mokos for further details on how these features work. Table 1 - Sound Source Parameters Functions for the animation style applied to the sound source when it becomes active. “In” refers to easing into the animation; “out” refers to In/Out Functions: easing out of the animation. Functions include: Linear Scale, Linear Fade, Curve Scale and Curve Fade. Curvature can be customized using the Unity Animation Curve Editor. The time it takes (in seconds) for the In/Out functions to take place, Ramp In/Out Time respectively. Duration The duration (in seconds) of the sound source before it removes itself. Overrides the “Duration” parameter; keeps the sound source active Is Persistent until manually removed. Only plays the “in” function upon being activated. Plays the “in” function, remains idle for the specified duration, plays Is Looping the “out” function, then repeats indefinitely. Sound Vibration Applies a scalable vibration to the idle state of the sound. The radius from the center of the source to which the object applies Peak Sound Range (PSR) Min 100% opacity. Shown as “Min Dist” in Figure 2. The radius from the center of the source to the edge of the falloff at which opacity is 0%. The opacity’s gradient falloff starts at Peak Sound Peak Sound Range (PSR) Max Range Min and approaches 0% by Peak Sound Range Max. Therefore, to have any gradient falloff, Max must be greater than Min. Shown as “Max Dist” in Figure 2. Sound durations and radii for all sounds can be found in the Objects Appendix. Team: Pixel π Page 13 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Figure 2 - Opacity Proximity Shader Ever-Threatening Boss The boss plays a prominent role in the overarching unsettling feel to the game in large part due to its invulnerability. It is the primary threat in the world as is seeks out its prey via sound which is also the means of visibility for the player. The boss follows four states: Team: Pixel π Page 14 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Table 2 - Boss States State Behavior Remains motionless, further reason to move. State Change Scenarios awaiting - Roams freely around the area moving at its base movement speed. Periodically stops and becomes idle for a random duration between 1 and 6 seconds. - Chases its target at full running speed. If target is discovered to be living (player or Moko), boss will attempt to attack when within range. - Sniffs and snorts, seeking a target in the immediate vicinity. Boss always enters alerted state after leaving the chasing state for any reason. - Idle Roaming Chasing Alerted - Enters Chasing state when a sound source comes within its awareness range (10m). The strength of the sound required to activate the chasing state is less as its proximity is closer to the boss. Chases the source of the sound; if the player or a Moko is found while in chasing state it will become the new target. Enters Chasing state when a sound source comes within its awareness range. Enters Alerted state when target is discovered to be non-living, or if living target is “lost”. o Target becomes lost if it enters an area the boss cannot reach and stays there for at least 5 seconds. Boss’ sight is within any sound source that collides with the boss’ awareness range. Enters Chasing state when a player or Moko comes within its awareness range. Enters Roaming state if no additional living target is found within 10 seconds The boss uses a pathnode-based navigation system. It travels between pre-placed pathnodes to reach their destination, allowing a predetermined area of leeway around each pathnode to avoid rail-like movements. Coupled with the pathnodes is an A* pathfinding algorithm which allows the bosses to determine whether any object in the world is reachable and the shortest-distance route to reach it. More information on how this works can be found in the Technical Design Document. For detailed aesthetic and behavioral specifications, see Game Characters. Team: Pixel π Page 15 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved The Player: Character & Mokos By herself, Eva has very few innate abilities; most of what she can accomplish is by extension of the abilities of the Mokos. Her playable features consist of movement and using Mokos. Movement: Walk speed: 3m/s Run speed: 5m/s Maximum traversable incline: 45 degrees. Maximum step height: 0.3m Jump height: 1m Walk: When Eva walks, she creates footsteps wherever she goes. The camera bob animation governs the footstep placement, with a footstep appearing at the lowest point of the bob. The footstep that appears alternates between left and right, with each footstep appearing every 0.5 seconds at normal walking speed. The following table depicts the Peak Sound Range Min and Peak Sound Range Max for footsteps on each walkable surface in the world. Table 3 - Footstep Surface PSR Surface Dirt Rock Wood Leaves PSR Min 0 0 0 6 PSR Max 4.5 4.5 6 20 Sprint: Holding the run key (see User Interface - Controls) allows Eva to sprint. As long as the sprint key is held, she will continue to run instead of walk while moving. Inherently because of the movement speed increase, she can also jump further. Jump: By pressing the jump key, Eva jumps in the air to a maximum height of 1m. Upon landing on the ground, a sound source is created based on the distance fallen. The player maintains 10% movement control while in the air whether by jumping or falling. The time from jump to land is 0.7s and the total jump animation duration is 1.2 seconds, which includes the “camera recoil” of the landing. Abilities (Mokos): Mokos are little creatures that reside in the game world. They are unconditionally willing to help Eva in her journey, and will follow her around awaiting further purpose. Acquiring Mokos: By approaching Mokos, they will begin following Eva. The first Moko to start following Eva will appear in the foreground of the camera view, as if to be sitting in her arms. Every additional Moko to follow will run along the ground at her feet, keeping within a 4m radius. Their navigation is based on direct movement towards the player, jumping over small obstacles. Upon approaching a ledge, the Moko will not jump off unless there is a gap small enough to clear, or if the player is standing directly below, waiting to catch them. For more information, see the Technical Design Document. Team: Pixel π Page 16 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Throwing: While footsteps are the most commonly visible means of revealing the world, throwing Mokos can prove to be far more effective. When a Moko is being held it is available to be thrown. Throwing has no player animation and is therefore instant; the player throws with a force of 1000 Unity Force Units. By default the Mokos emit a small radius of sound for revealing, but as they collide with surfaces they “squeak” revealing those areas even further. The base collision reveal is PSR Min = 0 and PSR Max = 5, but scales greater depending on the strength of impact, as determined by the Unity Physics Engine. Figure 3 - Moko Throw Concept Sketch In addition to being used as a scouting/revealing mechanism, Mokos can also be bait, or as the case may be: food. The boss is equally attracted to the player and Mokos, and therefore if the player throws a Moko to the boss, it will take 3 seconds to stop and devour the Moko. This grants the player additional time to get away when being chased. They can be thrown as a preemptive measure as well, for example, by baiting boss out from blocking a path. If the Moko is not eaten or otherwise killed after having been thrown, it will return to Eva and continue to follow her as normal. If another Moko is following Eva after she throws one, it will be removed from following on the ground, and appear in her hands, as the next waiting to be thrown. Activation: Certain machines scattered throughout the world can be activated by placing a Moko in the hamster wheel device, or hitting a wall-button to generate power. Each machine is directly tied to a contraption in the level which can be seen in the following table: Table 4 – Activatable Contraptions Contraption Platform Elevator Bridge Door Gate Team: Pixel π Activated State Raises/lowers or otherwise relocates the platform to bridge a gap or provide passage to another area. Raises/lowers or otherwise relocates the elevator to provide passage to another area. Swings down to fill a gap Opens Opens/raises Page 17 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Fat Mokos: Fat Mokos are exactly what their name implies. They are much larger than a regular Moko and cannot be picked up, nor will they follow on their own accord. Fat Mokos can be pushed and rolled around by Eva similar to a big heavy ball. They can be used to weigh down pressure plates to activate contraptions as listed in Table 4, similarly to Moko hamster wheels or wall-buttons. Fat Mokos cannot be eaten by bosses. They have an added friction when not being pushed, such that they will not continue to roll in the same way that a sphere would. They can be nudged by throwing Mokos at them, but are otherwise immobile while not being pushed or pulled by the player. Player Death: During every encounter with a boss, the player is allotted two hits to die. The first hit knocks Eva to the ground, applying a fall and recover animation which delays her movement by 1 second. After having been hit the first time a vignette is applied to the outer edge of the camera. If the player gets hit again while this vignette persists, they will die. On death, the camera undergoes a death animation and fades to white. After 4 seconds, the player and all following Mokos are teleported to the most recently activated checkpoint, and the camera animates back to standing position (2 seconds). All activated machines remain active; the boss and remaining Mokos return to acting as normal. Checkpoints are objects in the world made to look like simple shrines with an offering bowl. By approaching the checkpoint, a fire is lit in the bowl on the model, and the checkpoint is considered “active”. The fire will remain lit forever, but the player’s respawn point will always be updated to the most recently touched checkpoint. Collectibles Scattered and hidden throughout the level are collectible items. These items are directly related to the story and reveal snippets of text for the player when they are collected. The origin of these items pertains to Eva’s brother, Tahu; they emit a musical piece in a radius around the object to emphasize their importance. Each item is a fragment of a larger item. Table 5 - Collectibles Item Necklace Team: Pixel π Description Broken into 3 pieces throughout the level. A necklace belonging to Tahu. Page 18 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Single-Player Game Overview The player moves carefully through a partially obscured space towards a goal while avoiding gaining the attention of dangerous tribal beasts. Echolocation The player throws projectiles to reveal areas of the level. When a projectile collides with an object, that object is illuminated to simulate the effect of revealing an object by bouncing sound waves off of it. Distracting Bosses Bosses can be distracted by throwing a Moko at them. The Moko will be sacrificed but the boss will stop chasing long enough for the player to escape. Story Eva is the daughter of the chief of her tribe. Every year, one of the tribes of the land is chosen to carry out the pilgrimage. By being chosen, the eldest child of one family from that tribe must walk the pilgrim’s path. Eva’s family was chosen, and she is the older of two children. However at the age of 5 she lost her sight and has been denied her opportunity to bring honor to her family. Her younger brother, Tahu, has gone in her place on the dangerous pilgrimage. Team: Pixel π Page 19 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Much time has passed since Tahu left; he has been gone much longer than would be expected for the pilgrimage. Eva decides to take it upon herself to seek him out, to save him from whatever harm may have come his way, and prove her worth to the rest of her tribe. Detailed Walkthrough Note: For level layouts, see The World Layout section. Level 1 Intro In the intro, the player is presented with an on-screen prompt to use WASD to move. Shortly ahead, a ridge is impassable without jumping, at which point the player is presented with another prompt to use spacebar to jump. A slow drip of water reveals the base of a wooden elevator ahead. Upon stepping on the elevator, the player is locked in place for the duration of the ride and credits are displayed on the screen. A small corridor at the top of the elevator leads the player into the level-load volume bringing them to Level 1 P1a. Level 1 P1a Continuing down the small corridor after the elevator, the player enters a grove-like clearing. Stepping into this grove triggers a flock of birds flying overhead which reveals the general direction for the player to progress for a short period of time. The player is introduced to their first Moko in this grove, where they are also given an on-screen prompt to indicate left-click to throw. In the middle of this grove is another Moko, as well as the first checkpoint the player comes across. Continuing across the grove the player is met with a Moko receptacle and a door. A glowing image of a Moko appears over the opening on the receptacle indicating that a Moko belongs there. By throwing a Moko into the receptacle, the door opens, allowing the player to progress into a smaller, darker area. Around the corner in this smaller area is a pressure plate. The first time the player approaches this pressure plate, two glowing feet appear on the plate showing the player that this object is meant to be stood on. Standing on the pressure plate lowers a chain of bridges in front of them for a period of time, after which they raise back up. A small island with a checkpoint and another pressure plate resides on the other side of this bridge. Upon stepping on this second pressure plate, the player is prompted with an onscreen message telling them to use Shift to sprint; this also lowers a longer chain of bridges which does not stay down long enough for the player to walk across, and therefore must sprint across. Taking an immediate right after the long bridge will take the player into the level-load volume bringing them into Level 1 P1b. Level 1 P1b The player is presented with a small corridor cluttered by trees and rocks. Walking ahead brings them to a split in the path, one going straight ahead, and the other going up a ramp to the right. By this point the player can likely either see or hear the boss’ footsteps, roaming around this area. By taking the path up to the right, the player is more likely to encounter the boss face to face, but is also rewarded with a cave containing 4 Mokos and a story collectible. The ramp wraps around eventually overlooking the other path, which the player can drop down on to. Making too much noise here will attract the boss and force the Team: Pixel π Page 20 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved player down the long hallway onto a wooden bridge which extends over a river below. The wooden bridge cracks and breaks at the end having the player fall down to a platform below, leaving the boss up on the bridge behind. On this platform below, there is a checkpoint, and another drop down to an even lower landing which contains the level-load volume bringing them into Level 1 P2a. Level 1 P2a P2a presents the player with much more wind ambience, as the terrain is closer to cliff-edges. Within the first few seconds of loading into this area, a gust of wind passes overhead revealing more of the area. This wind continues to pass overhead from random directions every 25 seconds. Two long wooden platforms extend out ahead of the player, one stretching slightly above the other but they both meet up and ultimately end up at the same place. This takes the player into a small area with a checkpoint, a pressure plate, a door, and a Fat Moko. The player must almost walk over the pressure plate to get to the door or the Fat Moko to ensure that they are aware of its presence before proceeding. By stepping on the pressure plate the door opens, but stepping off of it immediately closes the door. An on-screen prompt appears to let the player know they can use left-click to roll the Fat Moko; by rolling it onto the pressure plate it will remain down keeping the door open while the player proceeds onwards. Curving around a small bend, the player is brought into a large circular room with a smaller area in the middle. The outer ring is wide enough to accommodate the boss which roams around it, while the inner area has only two entrances both of which are too small for the boss. In the inner area are two Mokos, a pressure plate and a checkpoint. The pressure plate opens a door on the outer edge of the outer ring, in a similar fashion to the previous pressure plate such that stepping off of it will close the door. By continuing beyond the inner area out the second opening, the player can reach another small area containing a Fat Moko. The player must roll this Fat Moko past where the boss is roaming in the outer ring, into the inner area where the pressure plate resides. Once this pressure plate is active, the player can make their way to the open door which soon after brings them to the level-load volume into Level 1 P2b. Level 1 P2b The beginning of P2b is quieter and darker than the preceding area with the boss, meant to be slightly slower paced for the player. They proceed forwards, past a checkpoint, onto some rough terrain. Navigating up this rough terrain, the player is forced to make some jumps clearing small gaps onto other terrain pillars, and two wooden platforms. By falling from these first pillars, the player finds themselves in a small corridor containing another story collectible, but must then take a ground-level path back to the beginning of the rough terrain near the aforementioned checkpoint. Falling during the jump onto the wooden platforms will kill the player instantly. After making it onto the second platform, another checkpoint sits nearby and the player must navigate across this rickety catwalk. At the end of the first catwalk, a second, slightly lower catwalk resides to the right which can be visible if the player walks close enough to the edge, tosses a Moko down below, or sees it from the wind passing by. The lower platform stretches in two directions: one to the right which leads the player to 3 Mokos, and one to the left which leads the player to an elevator which must be activated by throwing a Moko at a wall-button mounted to the rock face. At the top of the elevator, the player is presented with a large circular room containing a massive tree in the middle atop a mound. In the mound are carved 3 small valleys which lead and connect underneath the tree. The boss roams around outside the tree, but is too large to get inside the small valleys. There is a Team: Pixel π Page 21 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved wall-button underneath the tree, and 3 additional wall-buttons on the outer edges of the room. These wall-buttons can be seen easier by following a circular staircase up from under the tree to a platform overlooking the whole room. On this platform there are 4 gongs which allow the player to see the entire area for short periods of time, pinpointing the location of each wall-button. Each time a wall-button is hit in this area, another slat of a bridge lowers on the far end of the room. Once all 4 slats have been lowered, the player may proceed across the bridge and up to the level-load volume which takes them into Level 1 P3a. Level 1 P3a When loading into P3a the player is immediately forced to their left by rock walls and a tree. The bridge quickly crashes behind them, further enforcing them to move onwards. Coming around the corner to the right, the player is presented with a spiral staircase bringing them up to an overhead wooden catwalk. Two Mokos sleep on the catwalk, and a pressure plate sits in the middle of the path. Stepping on the pressure plate begins to spin gears and slowly raise a gate directly ahead of the player. Stepping off the pressure plate slowly lowers the gate in the same manner. The player must continue to stand on this pressure plate until the gate has reached its peak, at which point they must sprint forward and make it through the gap before the gate closes. Jumping through the gate and down onto a lower platform crashes a plank down to the player’s right. This plank allows ease of access back up to this point should they fall down below where the boss roams. The catwalks continue to the player’s left, guarded with rails along the edge so to avoid unnecessary falls. In continuing along this path, the player passes by another raise-able gate to their right, but the corresponding pressure plate is not immediately visible. The structure of the platforms become increasingly rickety and warped, until the player finds their way onto terrain again, which wraps up a ramp. Around this ramp is the third and final story collectible in Level 1. At the top of the ramp is another pressure plate, which looks back over the same platforms they recently walked over. This pressure plate opens the gate the player had walked past in the same manner as the previous pressure plate opened its corresponding gate. After a quick sprint to get through the gate, the player crashes through a platform, down onto a landing which leads into a small corridor with a checkpoint. This small corridor leads into an elongated opening two Mokos to the immediate left, raised terrain up the mid-left which leads towards a Moko Receptacle, and slightly raised terrain up the right side which leads to a door. By taking the mid-left path towards the Moko Receptacle, the player is forced to jump around a jutting-out rock onto a stump and back onto a platform before activating the receptacle. This receptacle opens the aforementioned door, giving passage to the level-load volume which takes them into Level 1 P3b. Level 1 P3b The player finds themselves facing a checkpoint on a wooden platform with a drop ahead. By dropping down to the ground below, the player lands on a giant pressure plate approximately 5 times larger than a regular pressure plate. The gears suggest that this opens a door to the right, but no immediate indication as to how the player must activate the pressure plate. Following instead to the left, the player navigates through a wide s-shaped corridor with small cubby-holes on the sides with a Moko in each one. The player can collect these Mokos and continue onwards. Team: Pixel π Page 22 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved At the end of the wide corridor is a large wooden bridge stretching over a river below. On the other side of the bridge is a cave, which upon entering the player begins to see many white eyes opening around them. The further into the cave the player walks, the more white eyes they are presented with, until finally a screamer is triggered, revealing numerous other screamers lining the walls and a boss standing at the back of a cave ahead of the player. The boss will immediately turn to begin chasing the player back through the path they had just recently walked. Across the bridge and back through the s-shaped corridor, the player must lure the boss onto the giant pressure plate to open the final door. Walking through this door brings the player to the level-load volume which takes them into Level 1 Outro. Level 1 Outro The Outro presents the player with two Mokos ahead, up on a ledge which the player must climb a fallen tree to reach. Continuing around a corner to the left after the Mokos, some water begins to drop, revealing small portions of the world. Entering a larger clearing, total downpour begins, revealing the entire area and a totem pole in the middle of the clearing. On the far side of the clearing is an elevator which acts similarly to the elevator in the intro such that simply stepping on it activates it. This elevator brings the player to the top of a rock face, showing massive black legs step overhead as the game fades out and teases to stay tuned for Level 2. Hours of Gameplay The gameplay experience lasts 35 to 55 minutes at the longest with our focus being on the first 10 to 15 minutes. Victory Conditions The player wins the single-player game by making it to the end of the level successfully. Team: Pixel π Page 23 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Camera Overview Pulse uses a first person camera with a context sensitive crosshair center screen. The camera has freedom of movement around all axes except it is pitch limited to +/- 90 degrees. The player can look straight up over their head and down at their feet but not beyond. It has a field of view of 75 degrees and is located approximately where the eyes would be on a 1.7 meter tall person. Figure 4 - Camera Specifications Team: Pixel π Page 24 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Effects Breathing Effect When standing idle, a slow breathing effect is applied to the camera, raising 0.2m and lowering 0.2 over the course of 4 seconds total. Head Bob There is a subtle head bob on each footstep. The camera effect corresponds to audio applied to the footfalls. The head bob raises 0.2m and lowers 0.2m every 0.5 seconds. Running Head Bob When running the head bob is more frequent, pronounced and more sound is produced. The raise and lower of the camera increase to 0.3m in each direction, and happen every 0.5 seconds. The camera also shifts slightly left and right: 0.1m over the course of 1 second in each direction. Damage Effect When the player is hit by an enemy the camera shakes and a brief blur is applied to give the impression of heavy damage. Shake applied is 0.2m left and 0.2m right plus a random addition between 0m and 0.1m. This whole shake happens over the course of 0.5 seconds, and is in addition to the base animation that happens when being hit. Death Effect When the player dies the camera falls to the ground. A blurry view of the last image the player sees blinks twice slowly and then fades to black. Blur filter applied over 4 seconds simultaneously with the “blinks” which take 0.5 seconds each, and the fade to black over 3 seconds. Boss Effect When a boss is nearby and chasing, the camera will shake to indicate heavy footsteps. The only boss which causes this is Bostaurus. The shake applied is 0.1m left and 0.1m right plus a random addition between 0m and 0.05m. This whole shake happens over the course of 0.5 seconds. Team: Pixel π Page 25 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Crosshair Context 1 Figure 5 - Crosshair Context 1 The crosshair indicates to the player where objects will be aimed on throw. Crosshair Context 2 Figure 6 - Crosshair Context 2 The crosshair will glow to indicate that the object can be used when hovering over an activatable object. Team: Pixel π Page 26 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved The Game World Overview The game world in Pulse is broken into six areas. The environment is very forested and rocky with various cliff faces. Perceived World The entire world is displayed as Eva perceives it, creating certain surreal representations of objects. Although she is blind, she does hold onto fragments of memories from the past when she could see. Growing up in a forest tribe with various colorful wooden masks and sculptures has embedded some very specific images and color pallets into her mind. Likewise, her perceived detail of the world is focused more on certain objects than others, based largely on weighted importance. Due to this, the environment is displayed in sharp geometric shapes, while the masks and creatures are more detailed. Hidden From Sight Only the parts of the world near sources of sound are visible to the player. The opacity of the object revealed by sound is directly related to the strength of the sound hitting it; stronger sounds increase opacity further. For more information on the functionality of revealing the world, view See With Sound in Feature Details. Team: Pixel π Page 27 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved The World Layout Overview The progression through the world employs a gradual incline which is used as both a sense of achievement as well as a threat of setback. By “lighting” the world with sound as the player progresses through the level, they are able to look back and overlook their accomplishments. On the contrary, with the potential of falling off edges into earlier parts of the level, players stay wary of the paths they have travelled. The two levels are set in similar environments, with the first being more forested, and the second more vertical and rocky. This is done to take advantage of the second level’s boss, Goliath, which can affect the player over 8m off the ground. For a detailed walkthrough of both levels, view Detailed Walkthrough in Single-Player Game. Level 1 Level 1 provides an introduction to each of the games features one at a time. This is designed to avoid overwhelming the player early on in the game, and allowing them to become familiar with important aspects in their own time. The features can be seen in the following table, indicating the order in which they are introduced. Table 6 - Feature Introduction Order Order of Introduction Feature 1 Moko 2 Machine requiring Moko 3 Pressure Plate without Fat Moko 4 Boss 5 Pressure Plate with Fat moko 6 Wall-Button The following 8 figures represent the layout of level one in top view from the Intro, through each core part, and the Outro. The orange circle represents the start point of each area, and the purple circle represents the end point of each area. The end point of one area always matches up with the start point of the next. Scale: Hex tile = 4m across from point to point Team: Pixel π Page 28 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Figure 7 - Level 1 Intro Team: Pixel π Page 29 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Figure 8 - Level 1 P1a Team: Pixel π Page 30 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Figure 9 - Level 1 P1b Team: Pixel π Page 31 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Figure 10 - Level 1 P2a Team: Pixel π Page 32 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Figure 11 - Level 1 P2b Team: Pixel π Page 33 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Figure 12 - Level 1 P3a Team: Pixel π Page 34 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Figure 13 - Level 1 P3b Team: Pixel π Page 35 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Figure 14 - Level 1 Outro Team: Pixel π Page 36 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved The Physical World Overview Pulse is viewed through the perspective of a blind girl, so the portrayal of the world allows for a lot of freedom. The terrain and environment is mostly composed of sharp, geometric shapes as Eva imagines them. The first level is lit with sunny afternoon lighting, while the second is darker and later in the evening. Key Locations The beginning of each level is always fully revealed to the player. This is to ensure that they are not thrown into a disorienting position from the beginning, which allows the player to progress into the unknown areas at their own pace. Constant sources of sound are scattered throughout the levels, which provide perpetual points of reference for the player. These points cannot be hidden by any means. Moko nests are grove-like areas housing multiple Mokos. These nests are accessible by the player, but the entrance is too small for any boss to enter. Travel The player is able to walk, run and jump through the level. Certain paths are blocked by obstacles which must be powered or moved by placing Mokos in activatable objects. Team: Pixel π Page 37 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Scale Hex tile = 4m across from point to point Objects All objects in the world that emit sound will produce a sound source which in turn reveals a portion of the world to Eva. A full list of these objects and the amount of sound they produce can be found in the Objects Appendix. Day and Night The level takes place during the afternoon, but by the end of the level it has progressed to evening. There is no active time change during game play; the change is simply a gradual difference in lighting between each part of the level, becoming increasingly dark as the scenes go on. Team: Pixel π Page 38 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Game Characters Overview Figure 15 - Character Scale Reference Eva will come across various creatures in her journeys. Among these, the Mokos will prove to be extremely helpful, while the various tribal beasts aim to cut Eva’s quest short. Note: This image contains a concept for Goliath, a boss planned for possible future additions to the game. Team: Pixel π Page 39 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved NPC Characters Mokos Figure 16 – Mokos Plentiful, friendly and curious, the Mokos are scattered throughout each level and will follow Eva once they become aware of her. Mokos can be thrown to reveal parts of the level, used to distract hungry bosses and to activate objects by placing them in hamster wheel like contraptions. Height: 0.4m Aggression towards player: None Utility: Reveal the world, activate machines, bait for tribal beasts, comfortingly adorable. Team: Pixel π Page 40 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Fat Mokos Figure 17 - Fat Moko The Fat Mokos are the Mokos larger and surlier cousins. They can be used to hold down switches to activate areas in the game. Height: 1.25m Aggression towards player: Grumpy, but means no harm. Utility: Reveal the world, hold down switches, stepping “block”. Fat Mokos are exactly what their name implies. They are much larger than a regular Moko and cannot be picked up, nor will they follow of their own accord. Fat Mokos can be pushed and rolled around by Eva similar to a big heavy ball. They can be used as a stepping block in places that are slightly out of reach. More prominently however, they can be used to weigh down pressure plates to activate contraptions as listed in Table 4, similarly to Moko hamster wheels. Team: Pixel π Page 41 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Enemies and Monsters Screamers Figure 18 – Screamers Screamers are stationary creatures that when approached begin to scream, revealing large areas around them and attracting the boss of that level. Height: 0.7m Aggression towards player: Curiosity and hostility, but cannot directly harm the player. Utility: Alarm system to get the attention of tribal beasts. Screamers are wall-mounted creatures that act as an extra layer of threat for the player. They cannot move from their position on the wall. When the player comes within 10m of a Screamer its eyes will open, indicating to the player that there is something there. The Screamer does not act or make any noise until it is triggered. Each Screamer is linked to a trigger zone which becomes triggered when the player steps within. A triggered Screamer unleashes a piercing screech (PSR Min = 15, PSR Max = 30). If another Screamer is within range of the sound given off by a triggered Screamer, it too begins to scream. A boss caught within range of the sound of a triggered Screamer will immediately enter the chasing state with the player as its target. The Screamers will continue to scream until the player leaves the radius of the emitted sound. If the boss has not reached the player by the time the Screamers are un-triggered, the boss will proceed into alerted state. Team: Pixel π Page 42 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Bostaurus Figure 19 – Bostaurus Bostaurus makes a lot of noise as he roams around the level. His presence is made obvious through the amount of sound produced by his footsteps and breathing. Height: 4m Aggression towards player: Extreme hostility, will hunt player at all costs if she can be found. Utility: Prime source of danger in the level, moves very quickly, eats Mokos, inflicts terror. Movement: This hound-like creature roams slowly from pathnode to pathnode exhibiting movement ability similar to the player. Bostaurus stands much larger than Eva and therefore cannot enter any pathway that is smaller than 3.5m across. Bostaurus is bound to the same step height as the player (0.3m), and therefore cannot climb any ledges higher than the player can. Upon discovering the player, Bostaurus lets out a powerful roar prior to entering its chasing state. The roar produces a sound source with Peak Sound Range Min = 50m and Peak Sound Range Max = 75m. Bostaurus has no limit to how long it can run, but will eventually lose interest in the player if they manage to get into an area which the beast cannot reach. Walk speed: 4m/s Run speed: 9m/s Attacks: Bite: Lunges forward 1m and only affects the area of its mouth. The target location will always be its target prey, but a random offset (-2m to 2m) is applied to allow for variable inaccuracy. Total duration of the bite animation is 4 seconds; it stops running after the bite to chew regardless of whether the bite was successful. Team: Pixel π Page 43 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved User Interface - Controls Overview The player will be able to control their own character’s view direction and movement including the normal walking mode and a controlled sprint. The character can also throw Mokos and place or remove them from activated objects using one context sensitive button. This diagram details the specifics of the player controls on the PC. Figure 20 - Controls - W: Move Forward S: Move Backward A: Strafe Left D: Strafe Right View direction: Mouse SHIFT or ALT: Sprint Left Click: Use Moko Team: Pixel π Page 44 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Game Interface - Menus Screen Flow Diagrams VFS Presents Main Menu Quit Play Options Credits Controller Invert Level Select Toggle Microphone Level 1 Mouse Sensitivity To Game Level 2 Resolution Main Menu Main Menu Figure 21 - Main Menu Flowchart Overview Pulse has a generally light menu system, involving only the most necessary options for the player to navigate through. This allows a faster and easier experience to get the player in the game sooner. Team: Pixel π Page 45 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Options Adjust controller, microphone, mouse sensitivity and resolution here. Credits Information on the designers and their various roles in development is found here. HUD/On Screen Displays The only interface on screen during gameplay is a context sensitive crosshair. This item glows when hovering over an object which can be activated or interacted with. Wireframes Please see the Appendix for Wireframes. Team: Pixel π Page 46 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Musical Scores and Sound Effects Overview Style of music: - Tribal Drums Heavy Beat New Age Sound Design Realistic sounds using multiple ambient forest noises. Each action in the game has an accompanying sound. Sounds used will give off an eerie, unsettling feeling. Character sounds will be used to portray a sense of frailty for the young female protagonist. The loudest noises in the game (such as the roar of the beasts and the Screamers or running on metal plating) are warnings to the player of approaching danger, so the sounds themselves must have a frightening element to them. Mokos always sound happy except when in immediate danger when they become frightened. The world of Pulse uses many varying and realistic sounds to accompany all of its visuals. Every action performed in the game has its own responding sound, as well as all world-revealing sources. Every source of movement in the environment, as well as differences in surfaces, has its own unique sound. There are multiple sounds for footsteps depending on if the player is walking on dirt, gravel, wood, stone, or metal. There are variants of these sounds for when the player is running on each of these surfaces. There are environmental sounds such as blowing wind, chirping birds, rustling leaves, and running water. Machinery has sounds for when activated and deactivated, as well as a loud, looping, mechanical drone that can be used for varying lengths of time. Each creature in Pulse has its own unique footsteps, along with its own voice. Mokos have multiple happy noises as well as a frightened noise when warning of oncoming danger. The Moko also has a bounce noise to be used when thrown. The beasts, on the other hand, have menacing roars meant to add tension, while also warning the player they have been spotted. Team: Pixel π Page 47 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved APPENDICES “Competitive Analysis” Appendix The following table compares and contrasts features from Pulse with other games residing in similar genres. With play testing and additional audience research into these competitor games, this information proves that Pulse offers certain strengths over varying aspects of these games. Table 7 - Competitive Analysis Competitor Amnesia Devil’s Fork Limbo Competitor Features Pulse Strengths - Produces a constant - The immersive first-person view and feeling of tension with exploration of Pulse will appeal to a the various different wide variety of players, but the added creatures the player tension of balancing sight versus must be wary of. vulnerability will invoke an unsettling - Explorative; Amnesia’s feeling. goal is simply to reach - The resource to be able to see the the end of each area world (sound) is the same resource to and the entire which the enemies are attracted, and gameplay is based as such, players will have a certain around the experience sense of pressure. of getting there. - Pulse does not aim to frighten players, - First-Person view with though will garner some attention from no heads-up display. horror-fans by the very nature of the game. Tuning - The world is entirely - Due to the quick fade time of revealed invisible until sound is objects in the world, Devil’s Tuning present to reveal it. All Fork becomes extremely disorienting. sound is created by the To avoid this, Pulse has various player, but only lasts as perpetual sound sources to give the long as the sound player points of reference and aid them resonates. in mapping out the level. - Additionally in Devil’s Tuning Fork, the mechanic of producing sound was interesting and held initial shock value, but quickly became repetitive and simply required the player to constantly click the mouse button. Pulse steers away from this by having distinct activatable sources of sound, as well as a constant source from the player’s footsteps. - No way for the player - Similarly to Limbo, Pulse throws many to directly attack undefeatable enemies at players. This opponents, but uses adds to the aforementioned sense of Team: Pixel π Page 48 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved other means to avoid them and progress onwards Team: Pixel π Page 49 Pulse - tension that is already present due to the limited visibility. Players do, however, have a means of distracting enemies by throwing Mokos to get extra time to run to safety. This provides a more dynamic play experience than Limbo, which is constructed full of pre-scripted encounters. 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved “Game Interface – Menus” Appendix Item Specific Notes Main Menu 1 Title of the game, animated if time allows. 2 Play button takes the player to the Level Select Screen 3 Exits game 1 Logo 2 3 Play Options Credits Quit Notes A more stylized version of the in-game background. Logo may pulse to reveal the buttons upon loading. Figure 22 - Main Menu Wireframe Team: Pixel π Page 50 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Item Specific Notes Options Main Menu 6 Options 1 Invert Controller 2 Toggle Microphone 3 Mouse Sensitivity 4 Resolution 5 1 Toggle button that inverts controller 2 Toggle button that activates or deactivates the microphone, if one exists. 3 Slider Bar that changes the mouse sensitivity 4 Drop Down Menu to change the screen resolution 5 Logo pulses to reveal the options screen buttons 6 Button back to the main menu Logo Notes A more stylized version of the in-game background. Logo may pulse to reveal the buttons upon loading. Figure 23 - Options Menu Wireframe Team: Pixel π Page 51 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Item Specific Notes Level Select Screen 1 5 Main Menu 2 Level Selection 1 Closes the Level Selection screen 2 Title 3 Thumbnail pictures of a part of the level. 4 Buttons to choose the level 5 Half Opacity square to hold the level select screen 3 4 Level Two Level One Notes A pop up menu to quickly choose a level and enter the game. No delays into the game from here on out. Figure 24 - Level Selection Wireframe Team: Pixel π Page 52 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Item Specific Notes Credits Screen 1 1 Button back to the Main Menu 2 Title 3 Credits 4 Logo pulses to reveal credits Main Menu 2 Credits 3 4 Notes Figure 25 - Credits Screen Wireframe Team: Pixel π Page 53 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved “Objects” Appendix Sound Sources The following is a list of all objects in the world that produce sound, including their in and out animation times, idle duration, and reveal radius. PSR Min is the radius from the center of the source to which the sound applies 100% opacity. PSR Max is the radius from the center of the source to the edge of the falloff at which opacity is 0%. The opacity’s gradient falloff starts at Peak Sound Range Min and approaches 0% by Peak Sound Range Max. Therefore, to have any gradient falloff, Max must be greater than Min. Table 8 - Sound Sources Sound Duration (sec) Ramp In Duration (sec) Ramp Out Duration (sec) PSR Min (meters) PSR Max (meters) MOKOS Thrown 1.5 0.5 1.0 3 5 Eaten 2.0 0.1 1.0 12 13 Hit Surface 1.0 0.2 0.8 5 7 Inside Activatable Persistent 0.5 0.5 2 3 Walk 0.5 0.1 0.4 1 2 Idle (snore) Persistent 0.6 0.2 1 2 Skewered 1.0 0.1 0.9 12 14 FAT MOKO Rolled Persistent 0.5 0.5 2 3 Hit by Boss 1.0 0.4 0.4 8 10 Hit Surface 1.0 0.2 0.8 6 8 Inside Activatable Persistent 0.4 0.4 1 3 Idle (snore) Persistent 0.6 0.2 1 2 0.5 3 5 PLAYER Push Fat Moko Team: Pixel π Persistent 0.5 Page 54 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Get Hurt 2.0 0.5 0.8 5 7 Die 1.5 0.5 0.5 10 14 BOSTAURUS Attack 01 Swipe Attack 02 Bite (miss) Attack 02 Bite (hit) 1.5 0.4 1.0 8 10 1.0 0.3 0.7 4 6 1.0 0.3 0.7 10 14 Sniff/Snort 0.8 0.2 0.6 2 3 Growl 2.0 0.5 0.5 1 2 Walk Step 1.5 0.2 1.3 4 6 Heavy Run Step 1.5 0.2 1.3 8 10 Heavy Breathing Persistent 0.5 0.5 3 4 Roar 5.0 0.5 2.0 50 75 Wood Mask Noise 1.0 0.3 0.4 1 2 0.3 15 30 SCREAMERS Scream Persistent 0.1 ENVIRONMENTAL Bird Flock Flying Bird Flock Chirping 4.0 1.0 1.0 8 15 4.0 1.0 1.0 8 10 Crickets 3.0 1.0 1.0 6 7 Water Drip 1.0 0.2 0.8 2 3 Running Water Persistent 0.5 0.5 6 8 Soft Wind Persistent 1.0 1.0 2 8 Blowing Leaves 1.5 0.5 0.5 3 6 Team: Pixel π Page 55 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Tree Rustle 2.5 1.0 1.5 5 7 Creaking Trees 3.0 0.5 1.0 3 5 Wood Creak 1.5 0.5 1.0 3 5 ASSET SPECIFIC Bridge Creak 1.5 0.5 1.0 3 5 Bridge Open 2.0 1.0 0.5 3 5 Bridge Connecting Persistent 0.5 0.5 5 7 Generator Persistent 0.5 1.5 15 18 1.0 0.2 0.8 1 3 Persistent 0.5 1.0 4 6 Rope Stretch 1.0 0.2 0.8 2 3 Rope Swing 0.8 0.2 0.6 2 3 Wood Collision 0.8 0.1 0.7 5 6 Metal Collision 2.0 0.1 1.5 10 14 Wood Wind Chime Persistent 0.5 0.5 8 10 Tire Swing 2.0 1.0 1.0 3 5 Persistent 0.5 1.0 8 9 Persistent 0.5 0.5 5 7 Light Buzz Persistent 0.1 0.1 4 8 Crashing 1.8 0.2 1.6 Impact Dependent Impact Dependent 1.5 0.5 1.0 4 5 Persistent 0.5 0.5 4 5 Small Wheel Squeak Hamster Wheel Roll Pressure Plate Full Pressure Plate Slide Only Wood Falling to Ground Wood Mechanical Rolling Team: Pixel π Page 56 Pulse 3/8/2016 Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved Fans Persistent 2.0 2.0 2 5 Gong 8.0 0.2 7.0 15 18 Team: Pixel π Page 57 Pulse 3/8/2016