On Design Challenge, Part 1
Wednesday, 6. August 2008, 07:47:43
Here is a basic design I submitted for the EDGE Design Challenge #4.
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Space-Time: Possibilities
-Outline-
Space-Time: Possibilities splits the screen in half. The top screen will have the character moving through space (Space-World), while the bottom screen has the character moving through time (Time-World). The game would allow players to experience a single player adventure to explore both space and time to find events, locations, and clues as to how this ability was formed and how it might be extended (more dimensions of time possibly) for the race that controls it.
At the same time the game will offer 4 player wireless competition, allowing for fast paced multiplayer that allows the players to use cerebral methods to trap and take out other players in both space and time. The use of the music in a player’s library to set the time limit for matches (and add background music) is possible, while calendar events can be use to cause automatic Time-Walls to be erected on other players. The iPhone can be used for chat during game sessions with team-mates or in the lobby, but limited to converse battery, also phone can be used to leave messages – both spoken and SMS - in both Space-World and Time-World for others, such as advising a partner to plant a Time-Bomb at a certain point in time.
-iPhone screen representation of design-
-Concept-
The player will control the action on two planes. The upper plane would be a 3D representation of the world. The bottom screen would be a 2D representation of time (the people in the world of this game only know how to use the 2D realm of time . . . for now).
Upper Screen, Space-World:
The upper screen utilizes the multi-touch to control the speed of the character, click on locations in the 3D world to move to them, pick up items, attack enemies, etc. By combining movements of both thumbs (or other fingers), players can also activate tools and other features.
Lower Screen, Time-World:
Utilizing multi-touch, the accelerometer, and the six axis, the player navigates the ball, known as Time, through the level on the lower screen. The player can flick any part of the lower screen up to make Time jump, while tilting the phone side to side will move Time forward and back. The accelerometer can alternately be used for the flick feature, by flicking the iPhone upwards.
In Time-World the player does not have to progress to the end in a linear manner as is the usual case with time, and the obstacles in Time-World represent events in Space-World. Players can make events pass in Space-World without actually being in the correct place by utilizing the objects in Time-World.
-Goals/Objectives-
Single Player:
There will be a general story exploring how this race of beings came to hold the power to move about in both time and space. Then you will attempt to move forward and back, up and down in Time-World in an attempt to find events while in Space-World you will try to find clues around those particular events and around different locations.
Multiplayer:
Four player, wireless multiplayer between iPhones. The music in each players iPhone can be used to set the time limit (average of all players music selected) if wanted, and that music will play in the background. Players can move about the map (due to memory constraints not the whole world like in single player) in both Space-World and Time-World.
The purpose will be to find and eliminate the other players. The main mode will be Deathmatch or Team Deathmatch, with other modes like Puzzle, Speed Run available.
-Multiplayer Tools-
These are either powerups or features that are part of the multiplayer.
*Time-Wall: The ability to erect walls or barriers in Time-World around other players, either in the future or the past, trapping the player in time and effectively placing time limits on what other players can do before they have to do the opposite direction in time.
*Time-Bomb: Plant this bomb in Time-World to have other player run into in either world, depending if they are in the right time. Example, if a player wanders around Space-World and ignores Time-World, they can run into the bomb regardless of location in Space-World due to time continuing to pass in Time-World.
*Time-Mine: Other players cannot see the weapon, can only feel how close it is by the strength of the iPhone vibration. Works the same as a Time-Bomb otherwise.
*Space-Bomb: Plant this bomb in Space-World to have other player run into in either world, depending if they are in the right location in Space-World.
*Time-Event: Play someone right before they have an appointment scheduled on the calendar (whether they have to go or not), so this creates Time-Walls in effect for the opposing player. Allows other players time to hide and rest in the future, during the event.
*Space-Time: Switches for the opposing players for a time which screen is Space-World and which is Time-World, e.g. Space-World now controls like Time-World and vis-versa.
*Space-Time, Message: Utilizes iPhone’s mic to leave a message either in Time-World or in Space-World or utilizing a combination of both to make it harder to find for people who are not your partners.
*Space-Time, Rewind/Fast-forward: This allows the player to move back or forward in Time-World and have their Space-World avatar retrace their exact steps (including jumps, gun fire, etc.).
-Other tools planned, not enough space to detail them all. Most of these tools will be available in the single player mode as well.
---
Space-Time: Possibilities
-Outline-
Space-Time: Possibilities splits the screen in half. The top screen will have the character moving through space (Space-World), while the bottom screen has the character moving through time (Time-World). The game would allow players to experience a single player adventure to explore both space and time to find events, locations, and clues as to how this ability was formed and how it might be extended (more dimensions of time possibly) for the race that controls it.
At the same time the game will offer 4 player wireless competition, allowing for fast paced multiplayer that allows the players to use cerebral methods to trap and take out other players in both space and time. The use of the music in a player’s library to set the time limit for matches (and add background music) is possible, while calendar events can be use to cause automatic Time-Walls to be erected on other players. The iPhone can be used for chat during game sessions with team-mates or in the lobby, but limited to converse battery, also phone can be used to leave messages – both spoken and SMS - in both Space-World and Time-World for others, such as advising a partner to plant a Time-Bomb at a certain point in time.
-iPhone screen representation of design-
-Concept-
The player will control the action on two planes. The upper plane would be a 3D representation of the world. The bottom screen would be a 2D representation of time (the people in the world of this game only know how to use the 2D realm of time . . . for now).
Upper Screen, Space-World:
The upper screen utilizes the multi-touch to control the speed of the character, click on locations in the 3D world to move to them, pick up items, attack enemies, etc. By combining movements of both thumbs (or other fingers), players can also activate tools and other features.
Lower Screen, Time-World:
Utilizing multi-touch, the accelerometer, and the six axis, the player navigates the ball, known as Time, through the level on the lower screen. The player can flick any part of the lower screen up to make Time jump, while tilting the phone side to side will move Time forward and back. The accelerometer can alternately be used for the flick feature, by flicking the iPhone upwards.
In Time-World the player does not have to progress to the end in a linear manner as is the usual case with time, and the obstacles in Time-World represent events in Space-World. Players can make events pass in Space-World without actually being in the correct place by utilizing the objects in Time-World.
-Goals/Objectives-
Single Player:
There will be a general story exploring how this race of beings came to hold the power to move about in both time and space. Then you will attempt to move forward and back, up and down in Time-World in an attempt to find events while in Space-World you will try to find clues around those particular events and around different locations.
Multiplayer:
Four player, wireless multiplayer between iPhones. The music in each players iPhone can be used to set the time limit (average of all players music selected) if wanted, and that music will play in the background. Players can move about the map (due to memory constraints not the whole world like in single player) in both Space-World and Time-World.
The purpose will be to find and eliminate the other players. The main mode will be Deathmatch or Team Deathmatch, with other modes like Puzzle, Speed Run available.
-Multiplayer Tools-
These are either powerups or features that are part of the multiplayer.
*Time-Wall: The ability to erect walls or barriers in Time-World around other players, either in the future or the past, trapping the player in time and effectively placing time limits on what other players can do before they have to do the opposite direction in time.
*Time-Bomb: Plant this bomb in Time-World to have other player run into in either world, depending if they are in the right time. Example, if a player wanders around Space-World and ignores Time-World, they can run into the bomb regardless of location in Space-World due to time continuing to pass in Time-World.
*Time-Mine: Other players cannot see the weapon, can only feel how close it is by the strength of the iPhone vibration. Works the same as a Time-Bomb otherwise.
*Space-Bomb: Plant this bomb in Space-World to have other player run into in either world, depending if they are in the right location in Space-World.
*Time-Event: Play someone right before they have an appointment scheduled on the calendar (whether they have to go or not), so this creates Time-Walls in effect for the opposing player. Allows other players time to hide and rest in the future, during the event.
*Space-Time: Switches for the opposing players for a time which screen is Space-World and which is Time-World, e.g. Space-World now controls like Time-World and vis-versa.
*Space-Time, Message: Utilizes iPhone’s mic to leave a message either in Time-World or in Space-World or utilizing a combination of both to make it harder to find for people who are not your partners.
*Space-Time, Rewind/Fast-forward: This allows the player to move back or forward in Time-World and have their Space-World avatar retrace their exact steps (including jumps, gun fire, etc.).
-Other tools planned, not enough space to detail them all. Most of these tools will be available in the single player mode as well.
