A Broken Time!

SO! After I stopped working on the other project, I began working with another team which is now called ‘9-Bit Idol’. Together we have been working on a game for the Competition ‘Dare to be Digital’ and have come up with the concept for a First Person Story Driven Puzzle game, ‘A Broken Time’.

To begin with we started with just a simple mechanic, which was to take photos of things and place them somewhere in the environment. This then expanded into something much more and is now what we have today! 

My Job in the team was team leader and Designer, so I have been coming up with multiple mechanics and level designs for the game over the past few months, ready to create a pitch and send it off to the competition!

First off it was actually quite tough to come up with some unique ideas for puzzles and mechanics for the game, as it was set in World War 1 and I ended up thinking too literally about things and though that a lot of the puzzles would end up being quite boring… Most of the things I ended up coming up with we just picking things up and placing them elsewhere…originally I ended up coming up with a concept where the player had to cook some potatoes, not really difficult or rewarding eh? Though thinking of the different mechanics for taking photos and what we could do with them then lead us to change things a bit and make the game a bit more surreal; which further lead to creating the mechanics around this surreal nature. For example, a lot like the Channel 4 ‘Idents’ (which can be seen below) where the 4 is lined up with random objects in in the background, we wanted to create some puzzles based around this. 

 

From this we thought to make the environment shattered, so the player would have to line up the pieces and take a photo before they can actually explore the area.

An Example of a Shattered room (Artwork By Becky Michalak - Environment artist for the team)

Some of the mechanics that were created alongside this are the main flesh and blood of the game. Below is a list I created of the mechanics:

Mechanics

Jump

Run/walk

Climb (ladders etc.)

Crouch

Take photo/Place Photo

Take photo/Rotate

Place/Rotate (keys etc.)

Show photo/move photo (matches etc.)

Perspective change (size etc.)

Photo silhouettes/Cut-outs

Animate

Fade

Side a/side b – Possible mechanic

Take photo/Place photo – The base mechanic of the game, allowing the player to take a photo of an object, store it in their film and use it again at a later date. Only certain objects can be used as part of the puzzles, however some pictures may Fade with multiple uses.

Take/Rotate Photo – This will allow the player to take a photo, hold it above what they intend to use it against, rotate it, then place it. For example, if the player has to switch something on, they can take a picture of the switch, rotate it upside down, place it and the switch will then be on.

Place/Rotate – This will allow the player to take a photo of a key for example, Place it in a lock and then turn the placed object to allow them to open a door.

Show/Move photo – The player will hold the film out in front of them and can move it within a small vicinity. This may allow them to strike a photo of a match, to light it within the photo.

Perspective Change – This means that when a photo is taken and placed, it will be the size of however the player placed it. Some areas will mean the player cannot move once a photo has been taken meaning they will have to find the ‘sweet spot’ for the perspective.

Photo silhouettes/Cut-outs – These will be cut outs of people or possibly objects in the environment that the player will have to line up to get the proper picture. Once they take the photo, they image will then be realised in the environment. However these cut outs will only be able to be seen through the camera, meaning the player will have to look through it to see if anything is there.

Animate – Everything that can be used will be animated once the player has taken a picture and placed them in the environment. For example, normally water would be still, but if the player takes a photo and places the water where it needs to be, then the waters will then be animated.

Fade – Some photos can be used multiple times, but will fade with the multiple uses. Once the photo has faded, it cannot be used anymore.

Examples of some Mechanics (Artwork by Becky Michalak)

As well as creating the mechanics I also came up with the main level design. Seeing as there is only 9 weeks to create this game during dare, I only created one level, though also came up with a lot of narrative for the game as a whole also. Though using the research I have done earlier this year I have tried to create a fully working level using the results!  Below is the level design AND walkthrough:

The Main level design so far! (The Graveyard has recently been changed from what is seen above)

Through the level I not only wanted to give little guidance, but also I wanted to tell narrative in certain areas. The whole purpose of the level is to create a memory for the naval commander’s spirit to be tethered to, and then get laid to rest. However to do this the player need to set the right music, show people dancing, generally re-create the whole scenario. A main area I wanted to try and show a really subtle narrative is the battleship, as when the player uses the key, this suggests that the commander gave the order to fire; which in turn got the ship into combat in the first place. Furthermore, when the player takes the cannon and blows a hole in the wall, this is to also show that the ship is getting damaged from incoming fire, hinting to how the commander dies. 

What I wanted was for the narrative itself to be quite subtle, so it seems like a puzzle in its own way, as the player can piece it together at their own pace and think ‘OH! That’s what that means!!’ as I think this would add a greater sense of reward, but could also lead to discussions with others; whether it be online or in person. 

And that is 'A Broken Time' thus far! We are currently waiting to know if we have made it to the interview stages of the competition! If you ahvent already then check out our Pitch here ---> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQX4mcHcYxc and show us some love!

Untill next time

laters taters!