Initially, the player has to search the house in order to find a hidden cache of jewels. However, terrible events start happening and dead bodies (of the other people begin appearing. It becomes obvious that there is a murderer on the loose in the house, and the player must discover who it is or become the next victim
My thoughts on Mystery House:
Horror
Mystery
adventure
sidescroller
point and click
3rd person shooter
1st person puzzle
text driven
Brainstorming:
A 2d arcade style sidescroller taking place in a blank mansion, Instead of there being 7 people in the mansion the building holds 7 ghosts all with a different backstory/personality, there would be 7 worlds/stages and each time you progress onto another ghost the mansions layout, style and shape changes depending on the personality of the ghost you're up against for example. A ghost could be psychotic therefore the mansion is more of a crazy looking tim burton style mansion with a lot of crazy enemies or obstacles in your way etc, The game would play like a standard sidescroller at heart, avoiding obstacles and killing enemies by jumping over them or with a weapon your character has equipped. You could perhaps have a different weapon depending on what stage of the mansion you're in or what ghost is after you.
A 2d arcade style sidescroller taking place in a blank mansion, Instead of there being 7 people in the mansion the building holds 7 ghosts all with a different backstory/personality, there would be 7 worlds/stages and each time you progress onto another ghost the mansions layout, style and shape changes depending on the personality of the ghost you're up against for example. A ghost could be psychotic therefore the mansion is more of a crazy looking tim burton style mansion with a lot of crazy enemies or obstacles in your way etc, The game would play like a standard sidescroller at heart, avoiding obstacles and killing enemies by jumping over them or with a weapon your character has equipped. You could perhaps have a different weapon depending on what stage of the mansion you're in or what ghost is after you.
A 1st or 3rd person horror taking place in an old manor, could be set in the regal days or could be set in a more modern setting but have the same regal feel to it due to the layout of the manor. The game could follow a treasure you're after within the manor and you're chased by 7 different monsters throughout the game, the monsters would be 7 guests who previously searched for said treasure for their own selfish reasons. The treasure (or manor, or force within the manor) had changed them into hideous versions of themselves, their appearance being a metaphor for the reason they wanted the treasure in the first place. The monsters would be chasing and hunting you because you too are after this treasure and the monsters have this false hope that if they eliminated you and found the treasure themselves they'd be changed back. You would have to navigate this manor solving puzzles and unlocking certain areas as you went along, each new area would unlock a new monster for you to evade.
A difficulty i think i'll find in this project is that i don't know what sort of 3d stuff i can do here, I could make some furniture to go with my second idea but part of me wants to stay away from horror as it's the obvious choice. That said i feel the second idea really has potential to be developed.
I also wasn't sure if i wanted to go with a run of the mill house/mansion for the game to be set in, again it seems too easy, too predictable so i thought i should research some other buildings too that could perhaps work the same way.
Games/Films that have inspired my design and choice:
Potential Buildings for Mystery House:
Mansion
Games like Resident Evil and Alone in the dark have proved that mansions and video games can be scary and successful, however the main reason i want to steer clear of these is because they've already been done before and there isn't much i can do in terms of creativity that'll really take anyone by surprise. That said i have some ideas but at the moment they're not particularly strong enough to justify going with the generic option.
Castle
A difficulty i think i'll find in this project is that i don't know what sort of 3d stuff i can do here, I could make some furniture to go with my second idea but part of me wants to stay away from horror as it's the obvious choice. That said i feel the second idea really has potential to be developed.
I also wasn't sure if i wanted to go with a run of the mill house/mansion for the game to be set in, again it seems too easy, too predictable so i thought i should research some other buildings too that could perhaps work the same way.
Games/Films that have inspired my design and choice:
Potential Buildings for Mystery House:
Mansion
Games like Resident Evil and Alone in the dark have proved that mansions and video games can be scary and successful, however the main reason i want to steer clear of these is because they've already been done before and there isn't much i can do in terms of creativity that'll really take anyone by surprise. That said i have some ideas but at the moment they're not particularly strong enough to justify going with the generic option.
Castle
A castle could be a good setting to hold a game like this in, The areas are many, you can go from small areas to large open spaces very quickly and you have a lot of old architectural objects to work with. However with the recent mass success of indie horror game "Amnesia, The Dark Descent" i believe it may be too soon to go for a layout like this, unless i either change the time period or i change the country the castle is located to make sure the layout and environments are completely different. The problem with that is i may need to come up with some area specific Ghosts/Monsters depending on what country you're in, On the other hand i could have the enemies having traveled in from all over the world which could be interesting. I will need to make my mind up before i consider using a castle.
A Hotel
A hotel would be a good way of explaining why all the monsters are there in the first place, however i don't think i like the idea of using a hotel too much mainly due to it's construction. In comparison to other buildings i could use a hotel feels less interesting. I could always have the game also taking place outside the hotel but i don't think i'd want to give the player much room to breathe in my game, The outside of a hotel could be a bit too open for what i'm looking for. Unless i hold the hotel in the middle of the woods or something.
Church
At first i wanted to set the game in some sort of church/religious building because of the way it looks, the statues and stained glass would work really well, However i don't think i would want religion/cult ideas to have much to do with my game so although it's tempting to use a church to hold the game in i think i'll stay clear, i think the furthest i'd go is to have a religious monster.
Theater
Setting the entire game around a performing arts theater would be interesting, I could go with some interesting characters who want to get somewhere in their acting career however i think i want to have a more vast variety of monsters after you, I could always have some of them as guests but a certain object or a treasure may be hard to fill into a theater. Unless i research old style theaters and look at how they're built.
Cruise ship
I really like the idea of using a cruise ship as the setting of my game, It would make sense as to why so many different characters are there, it makes sense that theres something within the ship everyone is there for and it would be set in the middle of the ocean so if i wanted to i could take it anywhere. My only problem is that a cruise ship may be hard to give variety to, a really important thing with horror i find is to keep it fresh throughout the game. As the player will be look at similar environments trying to fix puzzles the player wil need to have fresh new areas to look at. It would be difficult to keep things looking new in a cruiseship for the most part.
Cathedral
I like the idea of a cathedral being a form of community area, If i ever went with a cathedral it has this really old style architecture yet at the same time it's not just one building. It's a collection of buildings all of which could be designed differently depending on what monster is chasing you. But the same problem i have with churches remains here, I wouldn't want my game to be too religion based and if i went with a cathedral it's somewhat inevitable.
I was browsing the internet for research and i came across this, i think this style of dilapidated outhouses would be quite effective in my game for other areas to explore.
Not necessarily the same buildings but if there are other buildings within the game like a greenhouse or outhouse this style would be the most effective.
Potential castle designs:
http://www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com/english-castles.html Useful site with lists of castles throughout Europe, i'm going to pick out a select few from each country and decide which layout i like the most or feel would be the most effective for the game i want.
English castles
Warwick Castle
Anglo Saxon. "can boast a truly gruesome past. It has witnessed murder and violence, suffered attack, experienced wars, and been involved in royal and political treachery." A castle that was once dilapidated but was then revived into a luxurious palace, This could work well in my game if i were to set it in a castle that was half way through being renovated but was ceased for whatever reason, I could have some areas as being beautiful to look at and other areas being worn and dark.
Bodiam Castle
"Bodiam Castle was constructed in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge (a veteran of the wars with France) after receiving permission from the king. As well as constructing the castle, Sir Edward also built an oversized moat, a mill and millpond that were located next to the river, near the harbour." I picked this castle due to it being located near a harbour, due to this i love how the entire castle is surrounded by water, If i were to use an idea like this it could help the player feel isolated knowing that escape would be next to impossible.
Italian Castles:
Lari Castle
"The castle became the property of the Archbishops of Pisa during the 12th century and by 1230 the Upezzinghi family who originated from Pisa used Lari as their home." Personally i think this type of castle wouldn't work for horror, i like how it's situated right in the middle of a city but that may make the layout difficult to create, feeling isolated would also be hard as there isn't much of a barrier between the castle and the main city.
German castles:
Neuschwanstein Castle
Not much behind this castle from what i've read, It was mainly a king who wanted to create an extravagant castle For himself. "Christian Jank, the scenery designer at the Court Theatre, painted the designs for the castle, and these initial designs were then translated into architectural plans by Eduard Riedel." I used this in my research as it looks like such an interesting building. The height of it, the fact that it's surrounded in forest and water which again could be turned into horror. I may use some of the architecture here in my own design.
Plot:
After researching mythical items throughout history i found one in particular which would tie in nicely with the plot of my game and would somewhat stay true to the original story of jewels.
Andvarinaut or "Andvaris Gift" was a ring created By Andavri is a magical ring capable of producing gold, A god named Loki tricked Andavri into giving the ring to him and in revenge it was cursed to bring destruction to whoever possessed it.
This ring was known within the Norse Mythology and ties in with German myths. This is Why i think it will go with my games story well for the following reasons.
In Norse Mythology there was a ring named Andvarinaut, It was said to produce gold but was cursed to "destroy whoever possessed it" The ring has been rumored to be situated in an abandoned castle within a dark forest in Germany.
The player explores this castle in search for Advarinaut, you must survive being hunted by 7 different monsters, all with a different personality and means of hunting you. Puzzle solving and following diary entrants, journals and notes to navigate the depths of the castle but be careful where you tread, You may fall victim to a trap if you trust false information. The outcome of the game will change depending on the personality of the player and the choices you make, If you act selfishly you may pay for these actions later.
the game will take you all over the castle grounds, The challenge is not to find the ring, but to leave with Advarinaut alive.
Monsters
the creatures hunting you were once human, However these people were wicked and wanted the ring for their own selfish reasons. Once they fell victim they were turned inside out . Matching their dark desires and ugliness of their needs with their physical appearance.
These creatures now hunt new explorers with the vein hope of being revitalized if they prove successful.
I decided the put regular enemies in the game to make sure the player would still have fun throughout the game. It's true that being scared is part of the fun and that hasn't been lost. However to keep the player on their feet with more enemies the player would feel more insecure.
They would attack you like zombies, not knowing fully what they're doing and attacking you in a slow mindless manor. Here is a photoshopped sketch of what the regular enemies look like.
In terms of story the regular enemies could be normal people. Travelers or explorers searching for Andvarinaut but fell victim to the dangers within the castle. Now they wander the castle walls without objective. Their only instinct to destroy unsuspecting wanderers.
The protagonist i decided should be a male during the war. He would have abandoned his unit in Germany to go off on his own to search for this castle for a reason of his own. As the game would progress and the player made certain decisions this reason would change.
In terms of architecture i did a number of castle designs using autodesk sketchbook pro.
I wanted to stick to the theme of the castles having long pointy towers as most castles in Germany seem to have them. Although some of them didn't look european enough and some of them looked too round to be considered threatening i narrowed my designs down to the sketches that had long straight lines.
After taking the castle i liked the look of i did some closer touchups in sketchbook pro and then brought it into photoshop for colouring.
In terms of interior i decided the castle should have a large amount of viking style ornaments. Such as armour, weaponry, tables etc as the original owner was a collector of sorts. This could make for some interesting design choices in terms of furniture etc. From there i decided to sketch some gargoyle designs.
From there i repeated the castle process of touching up in sketchbook and adding texture/coloring in photoshop.
For the purpose of the design document i did an environment sketch for the room which holds Andvarinaut. A number of potential statues/holders for this ring were sketched in sketchbook pro and the final one of choice was taken into photoshop. Using Maya for shape reference i then sketched this environment up.
Further environment art was then sketched up and then touched up in photoshop.
I want this game to be heavily focused on close in, one to one horror. Images like this represent how i want the player to feel this impending danger that is always close to them. This a reason i included a Threat indicator in the game mechanics. Although it's helpful to hear how close an enemy is to you this also increases the tension and adds to the horror.
The threat indicator is a tool within the game that allows the player to know how close an enemy is to them. This is represented as a heartbeat sound that increases in speed the closer you are to danger. This is a useful tool, However some enemies within the game don't have a heart rate to track. Again adding to the horror yet being useful at the same time.
the significant enemies stated earlier have their own personalities and are a solid set of characters within the game. They control the story elements and direct where the player is to go next. This could mean the player is chased into certain areas, hinted in the forms of journals where to go or simply by being lead there via item pickups. I want the characters to be really in your face in forms of personality. For example the Gemini Killer in The exorcist III, A strong villain, a loud booming poetic voice yet at the same time being absolutely terrifying
I took the design of the finished castle and decided to make it in 3d. Unfortunately due to time reasons i didn't have time to texture it or add any form or sculpting elements to it. In futire projects i would certainly like to give myself more time to do these things.
Instead for the purpose of presentation i gave the castle an ambient occlusion map instead.
This is not what the final castle would look like in 3d, of course it would have much more of a dark brick set look to it. This is to show roughly what the shape would be like.
In terms of reflective Journal i would have liked to have set myself more time to do all of my work, I feel like if i'd have managed my time more productively i would have a more complete document or just work in general. For this reason i seriously plan to spend more lab time on the next unit. As a 3d based person i hope to do more 3d in terms of final work next time also. Although i'm happy with the 2d work i produced i feel like i should have more 3d stuff to show for submission, I would like to try and use programs like zbrush to add normal maps and texture to my future models and make them game engine ready.
A Hotel
A hotel would be a good way of explaining why all the monsters are there in the first place, however i don't think i like the idea of using a hotel too much mainly due to it's construction. In comparison to other buildings i could use a hotel feels less interesting. I could always have the game also taking place outside the hotel but i don't think i'd want to give the player much room to breathe in my game, The outside of a hotel could be a bit too open for what i'm looking for. Unless i hold the hotel in the middle of the woods or something.
Church
At first i wanted to set the game in some sort of church/religious building because of the way it looks, the statues and stained glass would work really well, However i don't think i would want religion/cult ideas to have much to do with my game so although it's tempting to use a church to hold the game in i think i'll stay clear, i think the furthest i'd go is to have a religious monster.
Theater
Setting the entire game around a performing arts theater would be interesting, I could go with some interesting characters who want to get somewhere in their acting career however i think i want to have a more vast variety of monsters after you, I could always have some of them as guests but a certain object or a treasure may be hard to fill into a theater. Unless i research old style theaters and look at how they're built.
Cruise ship
I really like the idea of using a cruise ship as the setting of my game, It would make sense as to why so many different characters are there, it makes sense that theres something within the ship everyone is there for and it would be set in the middle of the ocean so if i wanted to i could take it anywhere. My only problem is that a cruise ship may be hard to give variety to, a really important thing with horror i find is to keep it fresh throughout the game. As the player will be look at similar environments trying to fix puzzles the player wil need to have fresh new areas to look at. It would be difficult to keep things looking new in a cruiseship for the most part.
Cathedral
I like the idea of a cathedral being a form of community area, If i ever went with a cathedral it has this really old style architecture yet at the same time it's not just one building. It's a collection of buildings all of which could be designed differently depending on what monster is chasing you. But the same problem i have with churches remains here, I wouldn't want my game to be too religion based and if i went with a cathedral it's somewhat inevitable.
I was browsing the internet for research and i came across this, i think this style of dilapidated outhouses would be quite effective in my game for other areas to explore.
Not necessarily the same buildings but if there are other buildings within the game like a greenhouse or outhouse this style would be the most effective.
Potential castle designs:
http://www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com/english-castles.html Useful site with lists of castles throughout Europe, i'm going to pick out a select few from each country and decide which layout i like the most or feel would be the most effective for the game i want.
English castles
Warwick Castle
Anglo Saxon. "can boast a truly gruesome past. It has witnessed murder and violence, suffered attack, experienced wars, and been involved in royal and political treachery." A castle that was once dilapidated but was then revived into a luxurious palace, This could work well in my game if i were to set it in a castle that was half way through being renovated but was ceased for whatever reason, I could have some areas as being beautiful to look at and other areas being worn and dark.
Bodiam Castle
"Bodiam Castle was constructed in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge (a veteran of the wars with France) after receiving permission from the king. As well as constructing the castle, Sir Edward also built an oversized moat, a mill and millpond that were located next to the river, near the harbour." I picked this castle due to it being located near a harbour, due to this i love how the entire castle is surrounded by water, If i were to use an idea like this it could help the player feel isolated knowing that escape would be next to impossible.
Italian Castles:
Lari Castle
"The castle became the property of the Archbishops of Pisa during the 12th century and by 1230 the Upezzinghi family who originated from Pisa used Lari as their home." Personally i think this type of castle wouldn't work for horror, i like how it's situated right in the middle of a city but that may make the layout difficult to create, feeling isolated would also be hard as there isn't much of a barrier between the castle and the main city.
German castles:
Neuschwanstein Castle
Not much behind this castle from what i've read, It was mainly a king who wanted to create an extravagant castle For himself. "Christian Jank, the scenery designer at the Court Theatre, painted the designs for the castle, and these initial designs were then translated into architectural plans by Eduard Riedel." I used this in my research as it looks like such an interesting building. The height of it, the fact that it's surrounded in forest and water which again could be turned into horror. I may use some of the architecture here in my own design.
Plot:
After researching mythical items throughout history i found one in particular which would tie in nicely with the plot of my game and would somewhat stay true to the original story of jewels.
Andvarinaut or "Andvaris Gift" was a ring created By Andavri is a magical ring capable of producing gold, A god named Loki tricked Andavri into giving the ring to him and in revenge it was cursed to bring destruction to whoever possessed it.
This ring was known within the Norse Mythology and ties in with German myths. This is Why i think it will go with my games story well for the following reasons.
- The country and object within the myth are the same
- Norse Mythology could lead for some interesting enemy designs or decorations
- The ring produces gold which would tie in with an old time period as gold is considered the worlds most valuable resource
- The monsters were once greedy humans, which would make the idea of them going after a ring that produces gold work nicely together with their personalities.
- In the original Mystery House not only are you trying to find the killer but you are also searching for jewels, as everyone else in the house is as well, a ring would make sense in the re imagined version.
While listening to music to inspire me or perhaps help me to come up with ideas i stumbled upon the resident evil OST from the gamecube. This style of ambient music creating a claustrophobic atmosphere is something i would want to create in mystery house.
What my game is about:
Genre
Survival horror/3rd person
Location
A half regal, half dilapidated castle within the woods of Germany, surrounded by a large moat. The castle was half way being renovated but the owner and the workers mysteriously died.
Plot
Genre
Survival horror/3rd person
Location
A half regal, half dilapidated castle within the woods of Germany, surrounded by a large moat. The castle was half way being renovated but the owner and the workers mysteriously died.
Plot
In Norse Mythology there was a ring named Andvarinaut, It was said to produce gold but was cursed to "destroy whoever possessed it" The ring has been rumored to be situated in an abandoned castle within a dark forest in Germany.
The player explores this castle in search for Advarinaut, you must survive being hunted by 7 different monsters, all with a different personality and means of hunting you. Puzzle solving and following diary entrants, journals and notes to navigate the depths of the castle but be careful where you tread, You may fall victim to a trap if you trust false information. The outcome of the game will change depending on the personality of the player and the choices you make, If you act selfishly you may pay for these actions later.
the game will take you all over the castle grounds, The challenge is not to find the ring, but to leave with Advarinaut alive.
Monsters
These creatures now hunt new explorers with the vein hope of being revitalized if they prove successful.
I decided the put regular enemies in the game to make sure the player would still have fun throughout the game. It's true that being scared is part of the fun and that hasn't been lost. However to keep the player on their feet with more enemies the player would feel more insecure.
They would attack you like zombies, not knowing fully what they're doing and attacking you in a slow mindless manor. Here is a photoshopped sketch of what the regular enemies look like.
In terms of story the regular enemies could be normal people. Travelers or explorers searching for Andvarinaut but fell victim to the dangers within the castle. Now they wander the castle walls without objective. Their only instinct to destroy unsuspecting wanderers.
The protagonist i decided should be a male during the war. He would have abandoned his unit in Germany to go off on his own to search for this castle for a reason of his own. As the game would progress and the player made certain decisions this reason would change.
In terms of architecture i did a number of castle designs using autodesk sketchbook pro.
In terms of interior i decided the castle should have a large amount of viking style ornaments. Such as armour, weaponry, tables etc as the original owner was a collector of sorts. This could make for some interesting design choices in terms of furniture etc. From there i decided to sketch some gargoyle designs.
From there i repeated the castle process of touching up in sketchbook and adding texture/coloring in photoshop.
For the purpose of the design document i did an environment sketch for the room which holds Andvarinaut. A number of potential statues/holders for this ring were sketched in sketchbook pro and the final one of choice was taken into photoshop. Using Maya for shape reference i then sketched this environment up.
Further environment art was then sketched up and then touched up in photoshop.
I want this game to be heavily focused on close in, one to one horror. Images like this represent how i want the player to feel this impending danger that is always close to them. This a reason i included a Threat indicator in the game mechanics. Although it's helpful to hear how close an enemy is to you this also increases the tension and adds to the horror.
The threat indicator is a tool within the game that allows the player to know how close an enemy is to them. This is represented as a heartbeat sound that increases in speed the closer you are to danger. This is a useful tool, However some enemies within the game don't have a heart rate to track. Again adding to the horror yet being useful at the same time.
the significant enemies stated earlier have their own personalities and are a solid set of characters within the game. They control the story elements and direct where the player is to go next. This could mean the player is chased into certain areas, hinted in the forms of journals where to go or simply by being lead there via item pickups. I want the characters to be really in your face in forms of personality. For example the Gemini Killer in The exorcist III, A strong villain, a loud booming poetic voice yet at the same time being absolutely terrifying
I took the design of the finished castle and decided to make it in 3d. Unfortunately due to time reasons i didn't have time to texture it or add any form or sculpting elements to it. In futire projects i would certainly like to give myself more time to do these things.
Instead for the purpose of presentation i gave the castle an ambient occlusion map instead.
In terms of reflective Journal i would have liked to have set myself more time to do all of my work, I feel like if i'd have managed my time more productively i would have a more complete document or just work in general. For this reason i seriously plan to spend more lab time on the next unit. As a 3d based person i hope to do more 3d in terms of final work next time also. Although i'm happy with the 2d work i produced i feel like i should have more 3d stuff to show for submission, I would like to try and use programs like zbrush to add normal maps and texture to my future models and make them game engine ready.
No comments:
Post a Comment