GA3312 ASSIGNMENT 01: Favorite Game Level Presentation & My Game Level: Initial Concept

GA3312 ASSIGNMENT 01: Favorite Game Level Presentation & My Game Level: Initial Concept 

1- Prepare a short presentation about a level from your favorite game. Draw an overhead diagram and explain the game play and list the items asked for below. Use Download Helper to save and bring in the video clips of the game play. Be sure to put links to these video clips with your blog post as well.

What is the level? At what point are you in the game?

Samus, the player controlled character is spawned after you press the start button.  From there you will start off on a raised area.

Level 1 Walkthrough http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KDEWJyQEdk

Boss    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=iZdv9FPrV9g&NR=1

i-where/when- location? 

This game takes place at the caverns of the planet Zebes.  Metroid takes place at 20X5 of the history of the cosmos.

ii-Objective- what do you have to do?  Samus travels through the caverns of the planet Zebes to stop the Space Pirates from exploiting the Metroid species for galactic domination. She confronts the cybernetic lifeform Mother Brain, as well as its guardians, Kraid and Ridley.  Samus’s mission is to destroy the Mother Brain in the planet’s central base.

ii-Items-  what new items or skills can you gain?

Samus gains energy from gathering energy balls that she gets from killing enemies.  Boosting Samus’s power gives her new ways to attack.  Some of the skills she can include are the long beam, ice beam, wave beam, screw attack, high jump, varia, maru mari, bomb, energy tank, missile rocket.  There are 10 power items in total. 

iv-Obstacles- can be actual characters or even elements of the environment itself.

The interior of the planet Zebes is a winding, complicated maze.  Three kinds of gates will block your way from moving into separate rooms.  The enemies early in the game are easier to defeat and either move on the ground or fly.  Also, if you fall into the water you will lose energy.  Once you’ve gotten rid of two of the Mini-Bosses (Kraid and Ridley, you must hit the Mini-Boss statues.  Also Zeebetite is the energy source vital to keep the final boss alive. 

v-Actions- What do you actually get to do in this level?

Besides attacking enemies, Samus must attack the walls with beams and bombs while searching for the secret passageway through which she can advance.  Within the rooms you must blast blue and red gates open.  The blue gates require the standard weapon, while the red gate requires missile blasts.  You must roam from room to room until you find the boss.

vi- End Goal- What is the end goal of the level? what do you have to do to reach the end of the level and move on to the next?

The three zones inside the fortress are called, Brinstar (rocky zone), Norfair (fire zone) and Tourian (central base).  You have to clear the first two zones before you can reach Tourian.  The minibosses have their hideouts in Brinstar and Norfair.  Zap them to clear the area and build a bridge from the corridor that leads into Tourian and get to the Central base containing Mother Brain.  When they are both down, you can make a bridge that will take you to the Tourian.  The only way you can kill the Metroid is to freeze it with your ice-beam and attack it with missiles. 

2- Start designing your own concept for a game level you would like to create in this class. Come up with 3 different ideas to pitch to the class. If I've already approved your idea you may focus on the one you intend to create.

TITLE: Paco the Programmer

Players:  2 player

Platform:  2D Unity

Genre:  Sidescrolling Platformer

What is the level? At what point are you in the game?

The character will spawn in a standing position on a level platform (Computer Chip).

When does the game take place?

The game takes place in year 2050.

Gameplay:   Main character – Paco (player) will navigate through PC Paradise in order to save it from the dreaded computer bugs. 

vi- End Goal- What is the end goal of the level? what do you have to do to reach the end of the level and move on to the next?

Main Objective -- To maneuver through PC Paradise you must first get past many enemies and time your jumps correctly before reaching the boss for that level.  After beating that boss you will go to the next level and pass additional enemies which are more difficult to defeat.  At the end of the 2^nd level you must survive the main enemy (Mama Bug), and save PC Paradise from doom. PC Paradise is inside of a computer.

Actions- What do you actually get to do in this level?

Player Movement --The player moves from the left side of the screen to the right side in order to get to Mama Bug at the end of the level.  He has to jump from one piece of land (computer chip) to another.  Paco can shoot at and evade the enemies en route to the boss which he must cause damage to and kill.

Items- what new items or skills can you gain?

Powerups --The game world has Computer Screwdrivers placed throughout the world for Paco to get.  After Paco collects 50 Screwdrivers, he will receive an extra life.  Also there are special boxes that Paco can hit which may drop the following items: Computer Screwdrivers, Bug Spray or a Bug Swatter.

Weapons --Paco can use the Bug Spray or the Bug Swatter to kill the bugs.  The Bug Spray is a projectile weapon and the Bug Swatter is a melee type weapon.

Player Lives --Paco will start the game with three lives and loses energy each time a bug touches him.  He will also lose energy if he touches a Computer Short and getting shocked.  After being touched 3 times, Paco will die and have to restart the level.  Paco will die instantly if he falls into a hole or if time runs out.

Level Layout --The game consists of one level in which Paco must defeat the bugs until he reaches Mama Bug. Mama Bug (Big Boss Fight) is hatching bugs that Paco must fight as he attempts to defeat her. Mama bug uses a long stinger to attack Paco with.  After Paco kills Mama Bug, PC Paradise is saved.

Input Mechanic: Keyboard/mouse

Obstacles- can be actual characters or even elements of the environment itself

Mama Bug--Mama Bug is the main antagonist.   She is a host bug that has infected PC Paradise and is using her army of bugs that she hatches to help in her evil goal.  She has already destroyed numerous computer cities and PC Paradise is the next city to be destroyed unless Paco can save it. Mama Bug is a large hairy bug with spots and she uses a stinger to shoot out mini stingers.

Animation--The animation will be 2D.

Bug types--The bugs come in different colors and sizes. Each kind of bug flies around at different speeds.  Some bugs mirror the activity of Paco.

Background effects--There are sparks that come out from the ground through various parts of the world which protrude from the background and cause harm to Paco.

Paco Energy Gauge:  Keeps track of Paco’s energy levels. If time runs out he will die.

Mama Bug Energy Gauge: Keeps track of the amount of energy that Mama Bug has remaining.

The programmer will have to create a timer which will keep track of the amount of time that Paco has to get through the game.

Player controls include moving Paco left and right; pushing a separate button to engage the Bug Spray or Bug Swatter; pause, restart, play, and end game.

Optional:  Another button might be created as a turbo button to make Paco run faster when it’s pressed.