GDD: Game Design Doc
[pic]
Game Design Document for:
Real Fighter
You are the fighter. You fight against anyone, and anywhere.
All work Copyright ©2012 Vancouver Film School
Written by Tom Huang
Version # 1.10
Friday March 6, 2012
Table of Contents
Design History 4
Version 1.00 4
Game Overview 5
High Concept 5
Philosophy 5
Philosophical point #1 5
Philosophical point #2 5
Philosophical point #3 5
Common Questions 6
Feature Set 8
Feature Highlights 8
Feature #1: User-Created Contents 8
Feature #2: Online VS Mode 8
Feature #3: Combo/Special Attack Selection 8
Feature Details 9
Editor 9
Online VS Mode 9
Gameplay 10
Single-Player Game 11
Single Player Game Detail #1: Practicing Skills 11
Single Player Game Detail #2: User-Created Content 11
Story 11
Detailed Walkthrough 11
Beat Chart 12
Hours of Gameplay 12
Victory Conditions 12
Multiplayer Game 13
Max Players 13
Servers 13
Customization 13
Internet & Gaming Sites 13
Persistence 13
Saving and Loading 13
Camera 14
Overview 14
The Game World 15
World Feature #1: Realistic 15
World Feature #2: User-Created Contents 15
The World Layout 15
Overview 15
The Physical World 15
Overview 15
Key Locations 16
Travel 16
Scale 16
Objects 16
Weather 16
Day and Night 16
Time 16
World Editing 17
Game Characters 18
Default Character 1-Liu 18
Default Character 2-Obaba 19
Creating a Character 20
NPC Characters 20
Enemies: Hu, JinJin 20
Weapons 21
Special Attack 1: Chi-Kung Pao (a.k.a. fireball) 21
Special Attack 2: Jumping Upper-Cut (a.k.a. Shoryuken) 22
Special Attack 3: Sling-Shot 22
Special Attack 4: Overhead Kick 23
Vehicles 24
User Interface - Controls 25
Game Interface - Menus 26
Screen Flow Diagrams 26
User Interface Detail #1: Difficulty Setting 27
User Interface Detail #2: Multiplayer Mode 27
User Interface Detail #3: Ending Condition 27
HUD/On Screen Displays 28
Musical Scores and Sound Effects 29
Sound Design 29
Extra Miscellaneous Stuff 30
APPENDICES 31
“Competitive Analysis” Appendix 31
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 - Dec/04/2011
Initial pass
Version 1.10 - Mar/09/2012
Update the following sections:
• High Concept: change contents according to the features completed as of Mar/9
• Common question:
o Where does game take place: Add two more game locations
o What do I control: Update and add two more default characters
o Goal/Objectives of the game: Slash the game mode to “1P vs 2P” only
o What is different: Add 3rd comparable game and its competitive analysis
• Feature Highlight: cut all other features except the “user-created assets”
• Editor: update picture and steps of using the editor
• Online VS mode: this feature has been cut
• Single Player Mode: update and reword the contents
• Multiplayer Mode: update and reword the contents
• The world layout: update new picture and contents
• Game Character: add two more default characters
• Weapon: update the normal attack and special attack
• User-Control: add the picture of keyboard control
• Game Interface: update the flowchart
• Music: add two more default music
• Appendix: Comparative Analysis: add three more comparable games
Game Overview
High Concept
In Real Fighter, you are the fighter and you can fight anyone, and anywhere.
Real Fighter is a 2D fighting game similar to Street Fighter. The unique feature of this fighting game is that the players can create their own art assets by swapping the pictures of the characters with the in-game editor. The editor allows players to insert any pictures in any format (JPG, BMP, GIF and PNG) and it would also resize those pictures to the standard size. The final deliverable will be playable in Windows PC.
Philosophy
Philosophical point #1
Since it is a solo-project, the major purpose and design of Real Fighter is to allow me to concentrate on programming. That is why the creation of characters, level design and audio assets are shifted to the players and the default art assets are deduced to minimum. Besides, I believe the user-created content is a major trend in the game industry now because it allows the game to be played longer in more creative ways by the general public.
Philosophical point #2
The second purpose of the design is to recreate the ancient Shadow Puppetry in a video game. I want to combine the old art style with the new technology and see if the new blend would be accepted by the market.
Philosophical point #3
The third purpose is to give myself a chance to develop a game from the initial concept to final shipping all by myself. It requires me to do every step to develop a game and hence I won’t miss any piece of information I should know to make a game. As I may become an indie game developer some day in my career, I think it is a good learning opportunity.
Common Questions
What is the game?
Real Fighter is a 2D fighting game with user-created contents. The closest comparable game is MUGEN fighting game engine/editor in PC. However, MUGEN is a complex game engine which requires players to know basic to medium level of programming knowledge in order to implement any changes. Hence, I want to create a simple version of MUGEN which allows causal gamers to insert their assets with simple User-Interface.
Why create this game?
As per explanation in the Philosophy section, the reasons to create this game are:
1. Simplified the game-design process and create a game with user-created contents.
2. Represent the ancient Shadow Play with the new technology
3. I love fighting game and I want to promote a simple and funny fighting game to the casual gamer market.
Where does the game take place?
Since the game focus on user-created contents, there is no major story or world in this game. However, I do create four default characters to allow players experience the game easily without creating any art assets.
The world of the “default characters” takes place in USA, China and Canada. The fighting stages are: (for details, please refer to the game world section)
1. White House/USA.
2. People’s Square/China.
3. China Town/Vancouver/Canada
4. Roger Arena/Vancouver/Canada
What do I control?
The four default characters:
1. Hu, JinJin: A rich stage manager who try to protect his stage and assets.
2. Obaba is a stand-up comedian who enjoys talking and entertaining people.
3. Tommy: A Chinese-Canadian who like martial art
4. Neo: A crazy hockey fan who lose temper easily if the hockey team doesn’t perform well.
How many characters do I control?
You control only one character
What are the Goals/Objectives of the game?
The goal of this game is to beat your opponent in the 1P VS 2P mode.
What is the main focus?
The focus is to have fun seeing and controlling your “puppet/character” to fight on your customized stage. For example, you can put pictures of yourself as your character and play 1P VS 2P against your friends who also put a picture of himself as his character. Then you put your school playground as the background and now you two are fighting in the school without feeling any real pain or worrying of being caught by the vice-principle.
What’s different?
I have done extensive comparative analysis and the three close games are:
1. MUGEN fighting game engine in PC: As mentioned in the “What is the game” section, MUGEN’s editor is not user-friendly for general players so I want to create a simplified version with GUI/Graphic User Interface.
2. Photo Dojo in Nintendo DSi: Not all the players have a DSi, so I want to create a PC version. Besides, Photo Dojo requires players to take still image of a human body in fixed gestures, and hence the character image and animation are somewhat limited. Real Fighter allows you to mix all five body parts of head, body, two hands and two legs. You can practically create a centaur with a human body and horse’s legs. That is to say, the character creation in Real Fighter is unlimited.
3. Reality Fighters/PSP Vista: It is one of the latest PSP Vista game in Feb/2012. It has some art assets for players to customize their body and clothes. Player can also use the Vista camera to take a picture of his head and the game will create a simple 3D model for him. Also with the build-in camera, player can set whatever scene/view captured by the camera as the fighting stage background.
Although there are many similar features and concepts as my game has, PSP Vista is not a common platform to most of the gamer. Besides, 2D gives different feeling from 3D presentation. Last but not least, the launch of Reality Fighters shows and proves that my design concept is the latest trend and it has some commercial value.
Feature Set
Feature Highlights
The features of Real Fighter is: :
Feature #1: User-Created Contents
Players can create their own characters and stages by inserting any picture files, whether in JPEG, GIF, PNG or BMP format, into the game editor. Then, players can control their customized character and fight in their customized stage. For example, you can insert the image of Sponge Bob and an image of Sea World. Then, you can see your Sponge Bob fighting in the Sea World.
Feature Details
Editor
The details process of using the editors is:
|[pic] |Step 1: |
| | |
| |Click the “open file” button on the top of each body part. (The |
| |current body pictures are shown on the picture boxes) |
|[pic] |Step 2: |
| | |
| |Choose the image file you want to open with by using the window |
| |dialog box/browser. After making all the changes you want, click |
| |the “Save all” button in the bottom-right corner to save your new |
| |setting. Then exit and restart the program to allow XNA reload your|
| |new assets. No matter what size of your original pictures are, the |
| |editor will automatically resize with the pre-defined aspect ratio |
| |to: |
| |Head: W:120pixel x H:150pixel |
| |Body: W:120pixel x H:180pixel |
| |Left Arm: W:120pixel x H:60pixel |
| |Right Arm: W:120pixel x H:60pixel |
| |Left Leg: W:60pixel x H:120pixel |
| |Right Leg: W:60pixel x H:120pixel |
| |Background/Yellow Box: W:1600pixel x H:1200pixel. |
|[pic] |Optional Step: |
| | |
| |If you need to crop, draw, paint…etc. on your pictures, you can use|
| |the Window Paint to edit your picture first and then save it as a |
| |BMP file. Then go back to step 1. |
Gameplay
As mentioned in the “What is the main focus?” section, the key of the gameplay is to provide a funny, comic and goofy entertaining experience. The following are some reference images which explains why they are fun to players:
|[pic] |[pic] |
|Toys: Fight with your favorite toys in an imaginary space |Doll: Play with your colleague in the office |
|[pic] |[pic] |
|Friends: Fight against your buddy in the classroom |Movie Characters: Use characters in any movies to fight as if you |
| |are the movie character |
Single-Player Game
Overview
Single player mode is actually a “1P vs 2P” mode without the control from the 2nd player. That is to say, you are fighting a dummy character (a sandbag) on the stage. Here is a breakdown of the key components of the single player game.
Since Real Fighter is more like a game editor instead of a game, the story section is more like an explanation why I choose and create those four default characters.
Single Player Game Detail #1: Practicing Skills
Practice your fighting skill by playing alone.
Single Player Game Detail #2: User-Created Content
Create your own characters and see one beat-up the other. Put the photo of someone you don’t like as 2P, and then you can “practice your skill” and have fun!
Story
• Obaba is a stand-up comedian who enjoys talking and entertaining people. He got into fighting because some audiences don’t like what he said and they actually fight him outside of the stage after his show. But Obaba is not afraid of them and he is prepared to fight them back! His home stage is White House.
• Hu, JinJin is a stage manager who gives jobs to many dancers, comedians and Obaba is one of his contracted performers. He is a rich but conservative person. He personally lent lots money to Obaba but he has not got a penny back in the past few years. Hu is really pissed-off and he worries if Obaba is ever going to pay back the debt. His home stage is People’s Square.
• Tommy is a Chinese-Canadian. He is a college student who lives in the Chinatown area in Vancouver. He likes to play fighting game and his favorite idol is Bruce Lee. His home stage is China Town.
• Neo is a devoted hockey fan who has supported the Vancouver Canuck for a long time. He can’t control his temper and he would attack strangers if he sees Canuck lose a game. His home stage is Roger’s Arena.
Detailed Walkthrough
You firstly choose either single-player mode or multiplayer mode. Then you decide if you want to create a character or use the default character. Finally, you fight your opponent and try to beat him down within 60 sec.
Beat Chart
[pic]
Hours of Gameplay
The single-player game experience is supposed to last less than four minutes as the beat chart shown above. This game is designed to be short, easy and fun.
Victory Conditions
Beat down your opponent by depleting his HP bar within 60 sec. Or when the timer reach zero, you have more HP than your opponent.
Multiplayer Game
Overview
The Multiplayer mode allows players fight each other and compare their fighting skills. 1P VS 2P mode allows two players using the same console with different controllers.
Max Players
There are two players fighting on the stage. No more and no less.
Servers
Online VS feature is not available.
Customization
The multiplayer experience can be customized by setting the fighting time limit, HP limit, the user-created characters and the stages. For example, you can host a game with 30 sec time limit and 50% of regular HP in order to experience a rush battle.
Internet & Gaming Sites
As mentioned in the Servers section, the online connection feature is not available.
Persistence
The world is not persistent as the players can always create their preferred stage image as the background.
Saving and Loading
Player can save his favorite setting in the XML file provided in the editor. He can load his setting at any time.
Camera
Overview
The camera in this 2D fighting game is always fixed in the center on the stage.
[pic]
The Game World
Overview
The game world in the store mode happens in modern earth. There are four major locations: The grassland in front of the White House in Washington DC, USA; The People’s Square, Beijing, China; The gate of China Town in Vancouver, BC, Canada; The ice field in Roger’s Arena in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
World Feature #1: Realistic
As the game title “Real Fighter” indicates, the game happens in real world. It creates an immersing feeling to the players.
World Feature #2: User-Created Contents
If you choose to create your own stage image, then you are creating a new world to the game. , Undersea world, heavens, TV Screen…you name it. Feel free to insert any picture you want
The World Layout
Overview
[pic]
The Physical World
Overview
Similar to the features mentioned in the Game World Overview, the physical world is the same as the real earth.
Key Locations
• White House: The president’s office in USA.
• People’s Square: An big and open square in the capital of China.
• China Town: The traditional China town near downtown Vancouver.
• Roger Arena: The indoor stadium for various professional sports and singers.
Travel
The player moves automatically and instantly from one key location to another should he choose to in different location. A short 3 sec animation showing an airplane flies from the start location to the destination will be displayed between player’s choice.
[pic]
Scale
The scale of the world in the story mode is 1:200. A 1200 width pixel or a 60cm picture represents 120 meter of the real place.
Objects
There are no objects that can be found in the world. I want to create a pure and easy environment for players to fight on their own fists without using any pick-up items.
Weather
There is no weather effect in the game.
Day and Night
There is no Day and Night effect in the game.
Time
There is no Time specified in the game.
World Editing
Overview
You can create your own world by inserting the pictures you want. Please see the Editor section for details.
Game Characters
Overview
The main feature of Real Fighter is the user-created contents. However, some players may not want to create any game assets at all. To help those players, the following four default characters are created.
Default Character 1-Obaba
Obaba is a stand-up comedian who enjoys talking and entertaining people. He got into fighting because some audiences don’t like what he said and they actually hate him when he is on the stage. But Obaba is not afraid of them and he is prepared to fight them back!
Default Character 2- Hu, JinJin
|[pic] |Hu, JinJin is a stage manager who gives jobs to many artists and comedians. He is a |
| |rich but conservative person and he personally lent lots money to Obaba but Obaba has |
| |never returned a penny back to him. Hu is really pissed-off and worry if Obaba is ever|
| |going to pay back the debt. |
| |Hu wears glasses and he likes to wear dark-color suit or Chinese-style jacket. |
| | |
|Default Character 3- Tommy | |
| | |
|[pic] |Tommy is a Chinese Canadian who lives in the Chinatown area in Vancouver BC. He likes |
|Hu, JinJin is a stage manager who gives jobs |to watch kung-fu movie and play fighting video game. |
|to many artists and comedians. He is a rich | |
|but conservative person and he personally | |
|lent lots money to Obaba but Obaba has never | |
|returned a penny back to him. Hu is really | |
|pissed-off and worry if Obaba is ever going | |
|to pay back the debt. | |
|Hu wears glasses and he likes to wear | |
|dark-color suit or Chinese-style jacket. | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|Default Character 4- Neo | |
| | |
|[pic] |Neo is a hardcore hockey fan who has been rooting Canuck for a long time. He can’t |
|Hu, JinJin is a stage manager who gives jobs |control his temper if he sees Canuck lose in the home court. When he loses temper, he |
|to many artists and comedians. He is a rich |attack people randomly. |
|but conservative person and he personally | |
|lent lots money to Obaba but Obaba has never | |
|returned a penny back to him. Hu is really | |
|pissed-off and worry if Obaba is ever going | |
|to pay back the debt. | |
|Hu wears glasses and he likes to wear | |
|dark-color suit or Chinese-style jacket. | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
Creating a Character
See details in the “Feature Details” section.
NPC Characters
There are no NPC characters in the game.
Enemies:
In the fighting game, each other character is your enemy.
Weapons
Overview
The weapons in Real Fighter are the martial art attacks and combos. The following charts/animation break-down will demonstrate each attack.
Normal Attack 1: Punch
When player hit the punch button, both of the character’s hand will raise 60 degree.
Normal Attack 2: Kick
When player hit the kick button, both of the character’s leg will raise 90 degree. (it is a goofy game so we allow both legs to leave the ground when a character attack)
Normal Attack 3: Jumping Punch or Jumping Kick
When player hit the jump button (if the character is on the ground), and then hit either punch or kick button while the character is on the air, the jumping punch or jumping kick is performed.
Special Attack 1: Chi-Kung Pao (a.k.a. fireball)
[pic]
Chi-Kung Pao is a long-range attack. Player firstly concentrates his body energy into his hands and then pushes the energy (or fireball) toward his enemy. It travels till the end of the stage and then disappears.
|[pic] |[pic] |[pic] |
|Step 1 |Step 2 |Step 3 |
Special Attack 3: Sling-Shot
Sling-shot is a long-range attack. Player throws the sling toward his enemy. It travels to the end of the stage and then fall on the ground. Enemy hit by sling-shot will be paralyzed for one second.
[pic]
Special Attack 4: Heal
[pic]
Heal is not really an “attack”. When player hit the heal button, the characters put both of his hands in front of his face and form an X posture. Plus the player’s HP will recover by 20 (max. 400) per hit of the button.
Vehicles
Overview
There are no vehicles in the game. The airplane introduced in the World section is just an animation and it can’t be used by the player.
User Interface - Controls
Overview
The game support 1P VS 2P mode and the second player can use the 2nd Xbox Controller to play against the 1st player.
|Action |Xbox Controller |Keyboard |
|Move left |D-pad left |Left arrow |
|Move right |D-pad right |Right arrow |
|Jump |D-pad up |Up arrow |
|Crouch |D-pad down |Down arrow |
|Punch |A button |A Key |
|Kick |B button |S Key |
|Special Attack 1 or 2 |X button |F Key |
|Heal |Y button |D Key |
|Exit Game |Back button |Esc Key |
[pic]
[pic]
Game Interface - Menus
Screen Flow Diagrams
[pic]
Overview
As the flowchart above indicates, the main menu provides four basic options. Other than Credit and Quit options, you can choose “Play” to start playing with the default character or choose “Editor” to create your own character.
User Interface Detail #1: Play
• Single Player: You play against a non-moving dummy character (a sandbag). It is like a practice or tutorial.
• 1P VS 2P: Two players can play on the same PC. They use separate controllers (or one can use keyboard)
User Interface Detail #2: Winning, Losing and Drawing
If you lose the game, you will be brought back to the main menu. If you win the game, you will see a 5 sec credit roll and a thank you message, and then go back to the main menu. If the game is tie, you will be prompted to have a 2nd match with the same opponent.
User Interface Detail #3: Editor
See the Editor feature section.
HUD/On Screen Displays
[pic]
As the above screen shows, there is a 60 sec. count-down timer in the top center of the screen, two HP bars beside the timer, and the characters’ name above the HP bars.
Musical Scores and Sound Effects
Overview
The background music can also be created in the game editor. The default background music is:
• Obaba’s stage: USA Nation Anthem
• Hu, JinJin’s stage: China Nation Anthem
• Tommy’ stage: Kung-Fu Fighting
• Neo’ stage: Canada Nation Anthem
Sound Design
The sound effect focuses on different types of special attack and hit. I will use the sound effect or create folly similar to Street Fighter.
Extra Miscellaneous Stuff
Overview
Not available at current moment.
APPENDICES
“Competitive Analysis” Appendix
|Competitors |Competitor Features |Real Fighter Features and Comparison |
|Little Big Planet |+ user-created content with the |+ Simplified user-created content. Player |
|[pic] |level editor |just needs to input one picture for the |
| | |level and pictures for the character. |
| | |+ Create your assets on Windows PC and Xbox |
| | |Live. |
|Street Fighter |+ classic fighting combo and |+ Player can choose which combo and special |
|[pic] |unique characters |attack to use from the same classic fighting|
| | |combo database |
| | |+ simplified four-button play: light punch, |
| | |heavy punch, light kick and heavy kick |
|Mortal Kombat |+ realistic digitized sprites |+ Players can use any realistic photo or |
|[pic] | |drawn pictures as your characters and |
| | |stages. |
| | |+ the art and visual style is more |
| | |appropriate to most of the people |
|Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix |+ super deformed character |+ Players can use any realistic photo or |
|[pic] |designs |drawn pictures as your characters and |
| | |stages. |
|Mugen |+ Various customization options,|+ Easy user-interface to allow players |
|[pic] |including character, animation, |creating their characters without writing |
| |attack and combo. |any computer codes in the editor. |
|Photo Dojo |+ Nintendo DS cameras allow |+ Not everyone has a Nintendo DS, but almost|
|[pic] |players to take a picture of |everyone has a PC. PC Camera may be used in |
| |themselves or background and use|the next iteration of Real Fighter. |
| |the picture in game right away. | |
|Reality Fighters |+ PSP Vista cameras allow |+ Not everyone has a PSP Vista and bought |
|[pic] |players to capture the motion of|the game. Some players may prefer the |
| |the background in real-time |traditional 2D style of fighting game. |
| |(augment reality). Besides, | |
| |players can take a picture of | |
| |themselves as the icon on the | |
| |HUD. | |
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