The Haunted Hotel
(workname)
Design Document v1.1
Teemu Huhtiniemi
18.4.2010
Producer comments added to page 18.4.2010
- Theme
As the butler in a haunted hotel your job is to keep the ghosty visitors happy!
- Backstory
Deep in the backwoods lies a small town of Wyrmavia. Despite their undeniably peculiar customs the folk of Wyrmavia are kind and peace loving people.
Life is good.
However everything is about to change when the local gravedigger finds a strange looking chest buried in dirt. A mere look at the ominous object is enough to send shivers down the gravedigger's spine yet he still can't resist the temptation to take a peek inside. Little does he know that the small chest was in fact a doorway to the Land Of the Dead!
The chest drops down on the ground and an swirling ethereal vortex appears out of thin air!
The townspeople flee as a horde of gruesome spectres leave the vortex and flow to the streets. In a matter of minutes the whole town is completely overrun by ghostly creatures!
Days pass. As people are afraid of leaving their homes Wyrmavia turns into a ghost town - in a truest sense of the word.
However all hope is not yet lost! The local hotel owner - a peculiar man named Bruno McMaggot comes up with an idea.
McMaggot: "Listen Winston, I've been thinking of this whole ghost problem..."
Winston the butler: "Yes sir?"
McMaggot: "I just might have a solution!"
McMaggot: "You do know that the hotel business hasn't exacly been flourishing these days and we are knee deep in debt, right?
Winston the butler: "Yes... I'm afraid we are, sir."
McMaggot: "And because of those ghoulish creatures outside no one dares to enter this town anymore. Which means we might not have any new customers in a long while, right?"
Winston the butler: "I'm afraid so, sir."
McMaggot: "Well I just realized something! I say we offer those ghosty creatures a bed and breakfast! Think about it! They must have been wandering around the land of the dead for a good while now. They must be dead tired, right? Ha ha!"
Somewhat surprisingly McMaggot's plan is a success and the halls of the hotel are quickly populated with all kinds of undead folk. Dreaming of the fame and wealth his undeniably brilliant plan is going to bring along to him, McMaggott grins happily.
McMaggot: "I knew even the undead couldn't resist a free buffet!"
What McMaggot didn't know is that the undead can be quite grumpy and demanding customers. Winston the butler needs to work a lot more than a few extra shifts to keep the new ghosty inhabitants happy.
Luckily he has you to help him!
>>Producer comments: Briefing screen sketch has to be made. How backstory is shown to the player? first story then dialog? animations, transitions, speoken or text? This needs action both from programmer and artist.
- Objective
The player controls Winston, McMaggot's trusted Butler on his mission to keep the ghosty hotel visitors happy. This happens by delivering certain items the ghosts wish for to the appropriate hotel room doors. All of the items must be delivered before time in the on-screen timer (2 mins in the first level) runs out. If all deliveries are made in time the ghosts are happy, the level is cleared and the player is given access to the next level. If time runs out the player fails as ghosts leave the hotel and take over town.
>>Producer comments: Certain items = bags? Door indicator = particle glow? how many bags delivered at first level? In wich order bags emerg (random? not same one in a row)?
Gameflow cycle
The simple core cycle is explained below. Even though along the way the player might have to accomplish certain tasks to reach the goal the overall flow is always the same.
- Gameplay in detail
Pre-action overlay infoscreen
Before the action starts a overlay infoscreen is shown on top of the ingame view.
Elements on pre-action infoscreen:
Level name and number
for example "Level 1 : "The adventure begins!"
Objective
Info text explaining the objective of the level (same as illustrated in "core cycle". Usually unchanged)
Keys
Info text explaining the ingame movement and action keys. The controls may also be
explained via pictures.
Best time
The highest time the level has been beaten
Pressing any key leaves the overlay infoscreen and the game is set in motion.
>>Producer comments: make sketch (check production plan)
A moment of calm
The game begins in the hotel lobby stationed bottom-left of the screen. A luggage bag appears on the reception desk. Hostile NPCs and mobile environmental objects such as the elevator start moving. Player is give ncontrol of the main character. However the timer does not begin the countdown until the player picks up the first luggage. This moment of peace is there to give the player some time to take a good look at the level, take notice of the enemies and obstacles he's about to face and plan his route a bit ahead before plunging into frantic action.
>>Producer comments: Should there be some kind of indicator to take bag to start timer? like ghost yelling where is my bags?! Don't make me angry you punk.
Picking up the luggage
The uses the movement keys to direct Winston to the luggage. As soon as Winston touches the luggage it disappears from the game environment and appears in the item slot in HUD. The player is now carrying the luggage. At the same time a big white arrow appears above the door the player is to take the item he's now carrying.
The color of the item always defines the color of the door the player is to take the item. For example if the briefcase is red the arrow appears above a red door.
>>Producer comments: Target door indicator?
The journey to the door
The player now starts his journey to deliver the luggage to the appropriate door. There are usually more than one route to the marked doorway and the player is given the freedom to choose which route to take. Some routes are slightly faster than others so there's a bit of strategy involved.
On his way he'll most likely run into obstacles such as hostile NPCs or environmental hazards. The way these obstacles affect the character is explained in further detail later in in this document.
>>Producer comments: is there really multiple routes? how does single path journey affect the game play experience? (This is major thing to think trough)
Delivering the item
When player reaches the door marked by the big arrow the item is automatically dropped down on the floor in front of the door. The arrow above the door and the item in the item slot disappear. A small animation plays to signal the delivery of the item (the door opens revealing a ghosty lookin guy in the doorway, the door closes and the item is gone).
Hooray, the item is now delivered!
The player gets rewarder with 20 additional seconds in the countdown timer.
>>Producer comments: check door indicator. These has to be added to production plan. (The end animation requires extra work from artist and programmer). To consider: All time at once and the amount of bags shown versus short time and bags to deliver (This is core game play information and has to be easily understood). I would recommend showing how much time you have and what you have to do in that time (exeptions power ups adds more time). Lets talk this in person.
Returning to lobby
After delivering the item a new item instantly appears in the lobby downstairs. The player must now hurry down to fetch it. Once again the route to take is entirely for the player to decide.
At this point the gameflow cycle starts basicly from the beginning.
>>Producer comments: What other things happen than bag appears in lobby? where in the lobby it does appear? Requires sounds, animations?
Winning the game
On each level there are three different colored luggage bags to deliver. The player wins the game when all luggage is delivered before the timer reaches zero.
>>Producer comments: Does the challenge scaling communicate well enough? Every level 3 bags to deliver? haw about bags to deliver (5xlevel: lvl 1 = 5bags, lvl 2 = 10 bags etc)
Level-end overlay infoscreen
When all deliveries are made in time the action stops and a infoscreen containing the level stats appears. Windston does a cheesy victory dance as confetti rains down.
>>Producer comments: Does winston dance in infoscreen or? in the game screen? more specific design
Level-end overlay infoscreen
This infoscreen is displayed when the player succesfully completes a level.
Elements on the infoscreen:
Large text
"Level clear!"
Level time
The time the player had left in the timer when the level ended.
Best time
If the broke the best time record there will be a text congratulating the player.
>>Producer comments: some additional scale showing the speed like rank 1 to 4 stars or nick name like speedy conzales 
etc.
Game Over-overlay
If the timer is allowed to reach zero the "game over"-overlay appears. The overlay is basicly just a large "game over" text. A player is given the choise of either retrying the level or exiting to the main menu.
Noteworthy things about items:
-The next item will not appear until the item the player currently posesses has been delivered. This way it is always a surprise which color the next item is going to be.
-Once an item has been picked up there is no way to drop it. The only way to get rid of an item is to deliver it to the appropriate door.
-There can be only one item in the item slot at a given time.
Rewarding the player
In order to uphold fun and enjoyably game experience the game rewards the player periodically for accomplishing certain tasks.
-Delivering a suitcase by a door rewards the player with 20 seconds of additional time to the timer.
-... information about other rewards to be added...
Handling damage and failure
If Winston gets touched by a hostile NPC (possessed cabinet, ghost...), an environmental hazard (falling skull, swinging chandelier...) or falls down the heights of two rooms (or more) he gets knocked out and momentarily stunned for three seconds. After Winston regains conscience the game continues as usual. There is no concept of health in the game so Winston can never die. The only way to fail the game is to allow the timer reach zero.
Noteworthy:
The wandering ghost is an exceptional NPC. Instead of knocking Winston unconscious it kicks him around the level or can even throw him all the way to the rose bush (beginning location of the level)
- Controls
To be added
- Mechanics
Game world physics
Collision handling
- The Level
Levels in the game consist of different shaped rooms (for now only two basic shapes are used for the rooms)
Rooms
Room type 1
Standard sized room. Can contain 4 doors but only one obstacle and one NPC at max.
Room type 2
A long corridor filled with different colored doors. The long corridor is usually rich with obstacles and hostile NPCs.
The Lobby
The lobby is always positioned at the bottom-left corner of the screen. The lobby is the location where the player returns time after time to fetch his next item. Thus the lobby has a central part in gameplay its significance must be underlined visually so that it always "pops out".
Level wireframe
Wireframe model of the first level. Solid foundations are white. Doorways that Winston can walk through are marked in blue.
- Game world measurements
- Means of transportation
Elevators
The elevator is positioned at the right side of the game area. The elevator moves up and down continuously much akin to the moving platforms in the Super Mario series of games.
Fire escape ladder
On some levels fire escape ladders can be seen positioned at the rightmost part of the building. The ladders provide a quick shortcut from one floor to the other.
The balcony
The balcony is positioned at the top floor and is the quickest way back down to the hotel lobby. However, after the player jumps from the balcony he must make sure he lands in the flower bush below. If the player fails to hit the bush Winston hits the ground and is momentarily stunned.
Trapdoor
A trapdoor is concealed hatch that swings open when the player walks on top of it. The trapdoors can be used as a fast way of accessing the floor below but they can also be considered as a trap. Visually a trapdoor is presented as a recessed area in the carpet or floorboards. Trapdoors only open downwards so jumping against them from below has no effect.
- Routes - freedom of choice
Most levels have multiple paths to choose from. This feature is there to give the player some freedom to choose the fastest route inside the level. Different routes also keep the game flow consistent. The elevator should never be the only tool of transportation to the upper levels. (The very first level of the game may be an exception to this rule)
- HUD
There are five significant elements in the ingame HUD:
Timer ( CORE )
Displays the time left for this level
Item slot ( CORE )
Displays the item the player is currently carrying
Amount of objects left ( CORE )
Displays the amount of objects the player has left to deliver in the current level
Level indicator
Displays the number of the level (for exaple "Level 23")
Best time
Displays the best time the level has been beaten.
The positioning of the mentioned elements is further explained in the picture below. (to be added)
9. Timer In Depth
On every level there's a timer at the bottom of the screen. The timer starts its countdown when the player picks up the first item in the lobby.
Actions that have an effect on the timer:
Delivering an item: +20 secs additional time
Picking up "the hourglass" -power-up: 30 secs additional time
10. Central Characters
Winston
The main character of the game. Winston has been McMaggot's trusted butler for many decades. Winston uses his sharp wits quick feet to get out of trouble's way.
Bruno McMaggot
The slightly peculiar but good hearted owner of the hotel. McMaggot can typically seen only in cutscenes and tutorial screens.
Baldric the Gravedigger
Badric is the one who started the whole dreaded mess. However, opposed to other townsfolk Baldric is not really bothered by the ghosts. This has allowed him to examine their behaviour of the ghost creatures more closely. He might seem dim-witted but he might have some important tips to share!
(Baldric may be encountered later in the game. He's basicly a helpful NPC that provides the player with useful gameplay tips and trivia)
- NPCs
Possessed Cabinet
Possessed cabinets are the simplest form of enemies found in the game. A possessed cabinet jumps up and down in regular intervals. The speed, regularity and height of their jumps may change from cabinet to cabinet. In the later levels the cabinets act more unexpectedly and may change their speed, jump regularity and jump height at any given time.
The Wanderer
The wanderers are grumpy ghosts that insist on pestering Winston whenever they can. A wanderer can fly anywhere in the level - even through walls and floors. The Wanderers have no advanced AI. They simply move from one screen side to the other, much akin to the "ball" in the classic Pong -game.
Wanderers can appear out of nowhere at any time. They usually fly around the screen for 20-30 seconds before fading away. In the later tougher levels the wanderers may be there from the beginning of the level and never disappear.
Ghost dog
The ghost dog runs back and forth the hotel corridors. When encountering a wall or other obstacle the ghost dog changes its direction of movement.
Jumping Ghost Dog
Similar to the regular ghost dog but can jump forward at random times.
Noteworthy:
Even though the ghost dogs can move freely along the corridors they cannot enter elevators or jump off balconies.
Crawling Zombie
A zombie with only torso and hands that crawls the back and forth. Similar to the regular ghost dog in terms of movement except for the fact that he moves a bit slower and leaves a trail of green ooze behind him. The green ooze alters the player physics the same way as icy surfaces.
- Environmental Obstacles
Envuronmental obstacles are simple shaped objects that the player may have to jump over in order to proceed. Obstacles may be square, T-shaped or L-shaped. The L-shaped obstacle is the most troublesome for the player as Winston cannot jump higher than his own height. This makes it impossible to cross the obstacle from the other side.
Square shaped obstacles: Lunch cart, rusty tricycle, small table...
T-shaped obstacles: Bookcase with bences on both sides, flower pedestals of varying size...
L-shaped obstacles: Bookcase with a bench only on one side
- Environmental Hazards
Falling skulls
Skulls fall randomly from the top of the screen.
Swinging Candelier
Certain candeliers swing continuosly from left to right. The speed and angle of the swing can differ from candelier to candelier. Winston gets knocked out if hit by the candelier.
Pool of lava
Some rooms have the floor covered up in lava. If Winston touches the lava he will fly up to a random direction to the air - accompanied by a trail of smoke.
Fire Spewing Fireplace
Fireballs fly out of the fireplace at random intervals and at random directions. If Winston gets touched by a fireball he acts much like when touching lava.
Icy floor
Running on icy surfaces makes the Winston's movement more "slippery"
- Power-ups
As soon as the player picks up the first briefcase the power-ups are allowed to appear in the game. They appear at random intervals at random locations around the game world. After appearing the power-up exists 30 seconds before it disappears.
Positive power-ups
Hourglass
Adds 30 seconds more time to the timer. This power-up is activated instantly when touched by the player.
Running Shoes
The running shoes give Winston the ability to run twice as fast opposed to his normal speed. This power-up is activated instantly when touched by the player. A power-up timer appears in the HUD to signal how much time this power-up has left before it expires. After expiration the power up is gone for good.
Negative power-ups
Inverted controls
Lights turn off
Sound Effects
To be added
16. Music
To be added
Competive analysis
To be added...
Target Group
To be added...