CSCI 171: project phase III option B: extended game design

Deliverables and expectations

This deliverable represents the focal design document for your planned course project. It should significantly revise and expand on your design document from phase 2.

The submission should include two components:
(i) a hardcopy, word-processed document,
(ii) a thumbnail (USB) drive containing any sample media (audio, video, animations), code samples or demos, etc.

• The drive must be submitted in an envelope with your name on it.
• The drive must not contain files or folders that are not directly related to the course project.
• The game must run either on the machines in the CS linux lab or be compatible with a PC running a typical XP or Vista setup.

If any of the requirements above are not met, then your assignment may not be accepted for grading.

Keep your own, seperate, copy of all the files you submit on the thumbnail drive! It might take some time before the instructor is able to complete grading of your submission.

Both parts are to be submitted to the course instructor by the deadline noted above.

Spelling, grammar, and overall professionalism of the document will be considered as part of the grading.

Required contents:

• Cover page
  This must include the names and email addresses of the team members (you may work individually or in pairs), your team name, and your project/game name.

• Concept document / sell sheet
  A single page, summarizing what your game is and who would buy it if you were to market it. This should be targetted as a clear summary for folks who don't see the rest of the submission.

• Skills prospectus
  This introduces your team (you, or you and a partner).

  Include your name(s), team name, logo (optional), contact information (a valid email address will suffice), and a short paragraph describing your background, your gamemaking goals and philosophies, and your skills/strengths as a game maker.

• Game design
  This describes the games features in much more detail than the overview, and needs to be carefully written and organized for clarity.

  This should (at least) include:

  • An extended overview of the game, introducing the player's objectives, the challenges they will face, how they win or lose, and what will make the game fun, and for what kind of player.
  • Detailed descriptions of all key characters and storylines, plots and subplots (as appropriate for the game genre), including any unique or significant character talents, abilities, properties, backgrounds, objectives, etc.
  • Detailed descriptions of the different types of minor or supporting characters that will appear in the game, and their role/relevance/contribution to any plot lines and game play.
  • Detailed descriptions of the game universe, including movement/travel, physics, scale, locations, interaction of items/characters/effects, etc (as appropriate for the game type).
  • Detailed descriptions and images or screen mockups for each of the gameplay screens, displays, interfaces, and controls.
  • Detailed descriptions and examples of the artistic styles used in the different game areas (covering images, animation, cut-scenes, music, special effects, etc).
  • Extended game walkthroughs - images and description walking the reader through key portions of the game experience, possibly including audio, images, and animations on the accompanying USB drive.
  • Detailed discussion of any anticipated challenges in playability and game balance, and how you plan to address them.

• User manual
  Your hardcopy submission must include a user manual for your game, covering at least the following:
  • A short description of the game premise and any necessary background - setting up the motivation and objectives for a new player.
  • A short description of the player goals, tasks, and objectives, and how you win or lose.
  • A brief list and description of any key characters (PC and NPC) the player may play or encounter, including key abilities or properties and back story.
  • A description of any other key gameplay elements (empires, artifacts, items, etc.) the player may use or encounter, again identifying their key abilities or properties and back story.
  • A list of the game's default keyboard/mouse/joystick commands, what each does, and where the player would use it.
  • A description of each of the different interface screens/panels, menus, commands, options, etc. available to the player - logically organised and supported with images or screenshots where appropriate.
  • A section on tactics and advice, aimed at the first-time player.

• Technical issues
  
  • Detailed discussion of the platforms and technologies your game targets, any anticipated challenges, and how you plan to address them.
  • Detailed discussion of the platforms, tools, software, languages, game engines, etc. you plan on using for development.
  • Detailed discussion of plans for supported player tools (e.g. level editors, model viewers, etc).
  • Detailed discussion of how game distribution would be handled, plus discussion of how patches, upgrades, and revisions will be handled and distributed.
  • Asset lists that identify all the game content that needs to be created, e.g. listing all the sound effects needed, voice-overs needed, music needed, cut-scenes needed, animations needed, player and non-player characters needed, item types that must be created (e.g. specific lists of the weapons, equipment, and other items in the game)

• Ownership rights
  This should identify who has ownership rights to each of the different game assets (images, names, trademarks, characters, code, music, tools, etc) including any materials you intend to license from other sources.

• Market analysis
  This should carefully discuss and analyze: the target audiences and markets chosen (and why), the targetted platforms chosen (and why), the current/forthcoming games that would be in direct competition with your game, including any available sales figures and reviews you can locate, along with a short commentary assessing how well your game stacks up against the competition (what advantages your game has/offers, against what advantages the competition has/offers).