Gameplay Structure

A full structure of the gameplay is important to establish in order to make sure the game make sense, has a compelling and interesting experience from start to finish that remains seamless but also exciting.

The game objective: Restore beauty by lighting up the region, clearing the skies and establishing peace among habitants of the spirit world. Successfully completing puzzles in order to turn on lanterns and clearing the sky of clouds as you go, lights up the region, restoring and revealing the immense natural beauty.

I have split the experience into 8 main parts and therefore 8 connecting scenes that will need to be developed. This includes an introduction scene, the six puzzles that need to be completed and the final scene to end the game. After each puzzle is solved, a lantern will be lit to show the achievement. The game cannot be completed until every lantern has been lit after the completion of each puzzle. Therefore the player will not be able to progress to the next region.

Note: Perhaps there should be a progress bar so it is obvious to the player that they must complete every puzzle and light up each lantern. While the ignition of the lantern will be a clear sign to the player that they have done something right and completed an objective of sorts, there is nothing to explain to them that this task is essential for the level completion.

The structure in parts:

The main menu screen. Click "Play" to begin. The main menu screen will also have options to view the controls or restart the game. Then into the game…

1. Introduction to the game. Who is the Shaman and what is his purpose? An eagle that will be present throughout the game will swoop down at the beginning of the game and their will be a brief interaction with the Shaman discussing who he is and why he is there – the objective, supplying the player with all the information they need. The eagle will then return to the skies.

The player will then be able to explore the movement. Moving from left and right on the screen and jumping. There will be prompts on the screen. There should be a simple obstacle to allow the player to practice the jump showing them how high and far the character is able to reach.

2. First boulder puzzle. Using a boulder to fill a gap in a path. A prompt will show up to guide the player on how to use the Boulder Throw ability. This scene involves a broken bridge that the player will have to repair/rebuild using the boulder throw ability.

3. Second puzzle - using the gust ability to clear clouds in order to reveal the path. Again, guidance on how to use the ability will appear on screen. This scene will be a series of islands that need to be traversed but they will not be visible until the clouds are cleared.

4. Third Puzzle featuring a waterfall. The player will need to smash through some debris using the boulder throw in order to redirect water flow to progress further into the game.

5. Fourth puzzle. Use the gust ability to restore a wilting, dying tree that is falling onto the path, by redirecting rain clouds.

6. Fifth puzzle. Use the gust ability to help spin a windmill, supplying power to higher up lantern.

7. Sixth puzzle, the penultimate scene. Pan flutes. Play a tune on the pan flutes that will distract a swooping eagle blocking your path. The tune that needs to be played will be clued further back in the game by another spirit - a bird singing the tune that is needed to play.

8. The player has reached the end of the region, the edge of a final island and below it nothing but clouds. The player has no option but to take a courageous jump. The game ends with the short animation of the player falling into darkness and on the screen, the words "to be continued" will appear before resetting back to the main menu.

Before the payer is taken back to the main menu, the game can give the player the time it took them to finish the level which will inspire competition between other players at the arcade event.

Each part of the structure explained above will be split into scenes in unity so that if the player dies between puzzles. They will not be reset all the way back to the start. Restarting the level as a punishment for death is far too harsh for a game of this type which has focus themes of beauty and peace. Therefore player forgiveness in this game is very important.

The only way to die in this game is by falling from one of the floating islands in the air region. There are no enemy AI's. The only opportunity for death and re-spawn is if the player falls from one of the floating island in the air region.