Dan Fischbach & Michael Macleod
Cohort 5 – Main Game Pitches
December 11th 2008
Game Mechanics
Our 90%...
• Platformer
– Traverse Environment, defeat enemies
• Cooperative
– Two Players, communication, teamwork
• On the PC
– Networked with voice chat
Our 10%
Add a chain!
Why?
– Completely transforms your typical platformer
– Unending list of possible moves and abilities
– Fosters constant teamwork;
• Must work in unison to navigate the world
• Combat enemies
• Traverse dangerous obstacles and traps
Examples
(Animation 1)
Other Possible Abilities
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Grind through rusty pipes / girders with chain
Use chain to ride zip wires
One player carries large object as other defends
Lots of switch / pressure pad based scenario’s
Conduct electricity / magnetism through chain
Situations where players could fight each other
(Animation 2)
Development
Scalability
Easy
Medium
Hard
Complexity of Chain
Physics
Chain represented by a single vector
line between characters of
shimmering energy
Animations are context sensitive
with chain movement itself
otherwise faked
Full procedurally generated
animations and realistic physical
chain properties
Number of
Chain Abilities
Handful of the simpler basic moves.
No chain bending / twisting /
wrapping
Greater number of moves including
more complex theatrical ones such
as the Garrote
Manipulate chain properties,
elasticity, light saber, electrocution
Extent of Networking
No networking at all, two players
use same computer sharing
keyboard or peripherals
Two players can play online using
basic networking and separate
computers
Full network support allowing
multiple pairs to fight in multiplayer
mode
Level of Immergence
No NPC AI, little environmental
interaction
Greater NPC AI, higher level of
environmental interactions
Highly interactive and dynamic
environment with the players able to
handle almost all objects
For the Artists
– Total freedom to define environment,
characters and style according to strengths
– Large focus on both characters and
animation, also potential for extremely
impressive motion capture work
– Close up perspective will allow for maximum
possible environment and character detail to
be seen
For the Programmers
– Again freedom to pull the talents of the initial
team and concentrate on what can be done
well
– Immediately recognizable core challenge
– Complexity of the chain feature and other
programmatic hurdles can be scaled down
without adversely affecting game play
For the Producers
– Untried game mechanic offers great deal of
fresh decision making and production
experience
– Great deal of balancing and pacing would be
required in order to ensure a strong ‘fun’
factor
– Implementing tutorials tactfully would be a
major challenge
…and for FIEA
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Unique Premise
Built upon proven formula
Complete package while short enough to demo
Mechanics remain fictionally independent
An ambitious portfolio piece drawing equally
from all three tracks
• Strong framework for further development