Space Game - Design Document

Worked with Evan Rosoff, Sara Detrik, Christian Ottorman, and Kevin O'Brien on this design document for the space game

Overview

You are a bounty hunter who takes on different bounties for alien outlaws. To obtain the highest possible bounty you have to catch the enemy ship without damaging it and as quickly as possible. The players ship has weapons that are both lethal and non-lethal. Damaging the ship slows it down making it easier to catch, but lowers the price. Game play will be in first person in the hub world and the bounty missions will take place in the spaceship.

Hub World
Something similar to Mos Cantina from star wars.
Bounty board, talk to locals for new bounties, gossip, vendors, etc
*First person

Bounty Board

Has list of all enemies currently with a bounty. Doing bounty missions unlocks other missions. After you select a mission a small cutscene of player leaving bar and launching the spaceship plays. Game switches scene to the chase sequence.

After you collect a few bounties on lesser criminals, NPC’s at the bar ask to see you. Player finds talks to these NPCS, and obtains a bounty for the leader of a gang or a dangerous creature. These are the boss levels that have high payouts and unique upgrades.

Vendors

Use money from bounties to buy new weapons or parts for your ship. Multiple vendors around the hub sell different things.

Possible Upgrades

- Laser upgrades (damage)
- engines (speed)
- hull (armor)
- homing missiles (lock on)
- Magnet pull (pulls enemy closer)
- tractor beam upgrades (capture)
- New ship colors

Bounty Mission (3 stages)

Stage 1 - level acclimation

Short segment just to get player accustomed to level, about 20 or 30 seconds long. Someone on the ships radio talks to you through text describing enemy and where to find it.

Stage 2 - Chase

Bounty is targeted. Player has to use weapons to slow down the enemy ship and capture it. Enemy is following a scripted path following a course of obstacles with asteroid fields, caves and other sorts of obstructions.

Stage 3 - Capture

To catch bounty you have to be within a certain range to lock on. When locked on you have to fire your traktor beam to capture the bounty. After this happens the mission ends. Cutscene of you bringing bounty to hub and getting paid plays. Scene switches to hub world.