Making a VR Game From Scratch #4: A Quick Game Design Doc
My name is Kirill, and I am making a VR game hand-in-hand with a community. You can take part in the process by choosing features, trying new versions or sharing ideas. Leave your mark in the VR industry. Or learn from my mistakes. Everyone involved will be mentioned in the main menu, game environment or even get exclusive in-game items. Let’s see where it goes.
The idea has been chosen! Thanks to your votes. Next five months I’ll spend on a Priest vs. Poltergeist multiplayer VR game.
Actually, I’ve already started working on a prototype. But before I go too far, I’d like to share my vision with you. I molded it in a Game Design document — a paper that contains details about almost all the aspects of the game. You can find it below.
This is a living breathing document. That means every time when something is changing in the concept(like you suggested a new feature or voted for a new game item) I will update this document. Thank God Medium allows that.
The current version is 1.0.
By the way, you can suggest or add anything to this paper. To do so, you need to highlight the text you want to quote and click on a speech bubble icon. Thus you will leave a response to that specific part.
Also, you can leave a general response at the bottom of this document.
Priest vs. Poltergeist Game Design Doc ver. 1.0
High-Level Concept
Working title: Priest vs. Poltergeist
Pitch: A Priest fights a Poltergeist in a close quarters duel combat multiplayer VR game. One player is in VR, the other one is behind the monitor.
Genre: Tactical 1 vs. 1 fantasy VR FPS
Game engine: Unreal Engine 4
Target audience: All genders/14+(no blood), tactical FPS lovers, superhero lovers, VR-owners, Constantine movie fans
Unique Selling Points:
— Local asymmetrical multiplayer(one player is in VR, the other one uses a mouse and a keyboard) games are rare but in great demand
— Action-packed gameplay due to the close quarters
— Unique badass art style combining the Constantine movie priest with Deus Ex augmentations and a charismatic demon-Poltergeist
— Interactive VR environment(all objects are physical, interactive and can be used in a fight) add infinite variability and replayability
Concept: Old mansion, present days. A Priest enters the mansion to defeat the Poltergeist. The only way to do it is to destroy all five Altars — the sources of Poltergeist’s life. A Priest has to find and destroy them before the Poltergeist knocks him out.
The Priest has two items(more in the future): a Bible(creates a shield — Protection gadget) and a Cross(destroys Altars and repels the Poltergeist — Weapon). The Poltergeist can grab and throw objects(furniture, statues, knives), create traps using those objects, use environment, but can’t hurt the Priest directly. The Priest can’t damage the Poltergeist(it has no health obviously), but can push it back or block its attacks.
Both characters have in-match progression. A Poltergeist becomes angrier through time — accumulates more power. It can throw heavier objects, interact with new items. Priest, on the contrary, uses his weapons/gadgets in the battle, so his supplies are being depleted throughout the match. Also, Priest’s weapons can delay Poltergeist getting new powers. So, it becomes a risk/opportunity calculation game.
Gameplay Design
Gameplay objectives:
Priest’s goal is to destroy all five Altars as soon as possible.
Poltergeist’s goal is to knock out the Priest before he destroys the last Altar.
Gameplay: Priest spawns near the entrance door. Poltergeist spawns on the other side of the mansion. Five Altars spawn randomly on the level.
The Priest starts looking for the Altars, checking every corner. Poltergeist knows where the Altars are and also blocks access to them making piles of objects or blocks doors with objects nearby. When Poltergeist meets the Priest, it grabs and throws nearby objects at a Priest. Priest defends with a Bible shield and attacks with a Cross delaying Poltergeist get more power. Repeat.
Average match duration is 15 minutes. VR player won’t get tired.
Core loops:
Poltergeist:
Fly
Find an object
Grab an object
Pick the right spot to throw an object
Throw object
Knock out the Priest
Throughout the level progression Poltergeist gains enough power to grab heavy objects. So, “make traps” and “block paths” are added to Poltergeist’s core gameplay loop.
Priest:
Run
Think of a spot of possible Poltergeist’s attack
Defend with a shield
Attack with a cross
Destroy an Altar
Obviously, the ultimate challenge for the Priest is to guess the next Poltergeist’s attack spot. For the Poltergeist it’s a challenge to create or wait for the moment when the Priest is in the most vulnerable position. However, the Poltergeist should not wait too long, because the Priest can destroy all the Altars.
Player experience: Both players feel power like being badass superheroes.
The Priest player doesn’t feel fear, nor there are any jumpscares. The mansion is bright almost everywhere. However, the overall experience is getting more and more intense since the Poltergeist gains more power and fewer and fewer Altars are left.
Features — Priest:
— The Priest can be knocked out so the match is over and the Poltergeist wins;
— Priest has three types of gadgets: weapons, protection gadgets, and traps(in the future);
— Weapons push back the Poltergeist and delay gaining new powers, protection gadgets create shields protecting from flying objects, traps freeze the Poltergeist.
Features —Poltergeist:
— Poltergeist can’t die
— Poltergeist can fly through walls
— Poltergeist sees the Priest and all the Altars through walls
— Poltergeist is invisible unless hit by Priest’s weapon
— Poltergeist can grab and throw objects
— Poltergeist has 3 levels of powers, which unlock through time: 1 — can grab and throw small objects, 2 — can grab and throw small and medium-size objects, 3 — can grab and throw small and medium size objects and also can grab and release big objects.
Level: An old mansion has different zones. Each zone has a unique set of interactive objects and design to make gameplay diverse.
— Library — huge spaces
— Armory — lots of sharp objects
— Dungeon — dark
— Rooms — no room for maneuver
— Dining room — lots of small objects
— Halls — lots of heavy objects and blocks
— Kitchen — lots of small objects
etc.
Product Design
World fiction: Present days. The Vatican sends a hard blooded exorcist to an old mansion to stop the Poltergeist from gaining its strength.
Priest: tired face, scars, tattoos, suit, jewelry, sleeves rolled up.
Poltergeist: flying, smoke, transparent, glowing eyes, changes the size of arms.
Priest’s Weapons: ancient holy devices and objects, look like regular objects(e.g a lighter), but with holy magic qualities, engraved.
Fight effects: bright, mostly consist of white light.
Mansion: wood, carpets, well lit with yellow light.
That’s it!
Please, don’t be afraid to share your feedback here or on the Priest vs. Poltergeist’s Facebook page. Would you play such a game? Why? Do you find the gameplay exciting or boring? Does this doc lack something crucial? Any thoughts are appreciated.
Priest vs. Poltergeist ver. 0.002 is already released! Join the forces on Discord to play it and take part in the dev process.
