Stick Ninja. • a game idea and conceptual design • by Cody Sawatsky.
Overview. Stick Ninja. Persuasive Purpose - Remember when you were young and would doodle inside your notebooks at school? Wouldn’t it be awesome if those drawings came to life??
Overview. Stick Ninja. Industrial Design -> All art is done in sketch fashion
User Description. • Anyone willing to spend a couple minutes playing games, not intended as a long-form game • People who would draw in their books at school, so anyone with an active imagination. • Comfortable with Video Games and Digital Media • Likely in the 10-35 age range • Enjoy playing games as entertainment
Description of Gameplay Mechanics • Each Level has one Boss/Enemy/Inhabitant • Multiple encounters with that enemy (~3) • During fights, the player gets clues as to what the Enemy’s weakness is • Player searches level for the item, uses it on Enemy in next encounter • After Enemy is defeated, Player advances to next level
Storyboard.
Prototype. • Would lend itself to paper prototype, as it is based on paper anyway • 2D Side Scrolling Adventure Platformer • Turn-Based Combat • Very Simple, maintains whimsical motif
Features + Functionality. • One enemy per level (Shadow of the Colossus style) • Each level has a distinct art style (look+feel) • As if the main character were traveling through the different notebooks in a classroom. • Weapons, Power ups, and Enemies are consistent with the level
Justifications for Design. • Emphasis on Exploration • Few, but unique enemies • makes encounters more meaningful, and gives the enemies more gravitas • allows player to interact more with and appreciate the environment
Justifications for Design. • Each level being visually different • Differentiates levels, making the game that is decidedly plain, more aesthetically interesting • Gives a feeling of imagination to an environment that almost everyone is familiar with, lined paper. • Going for a simple art style allows us to concentrate on gameplay and polish, as opposed to fighting with graphics
User Testing. • As per the course, we will be paper prototyping and testing on no fewer than 3 participants. • When we advance to the digital prototype phase, we will have at least 5 people play test. • Of course, we will be playtesting and refining throughout the development process
Shortcomings of Design. • Some users may find the lack of combat boring. • Design may not appeal to everyone • May be too whimsical/imaginative • could be difficult to get animation right • Requires a high amount of artistic input
Possibilities for expansion. • Different characters with different abilities • More Mature elements (Guns, blood, etc...) • Themes based on school classes (Biology, Chem, English, etc...) • User-designed levels (LittleBigPlanet) • Character Creation tools???
Next Steps. • Select team, and evaluate artistic talent • Finalize Character design(s) and paper prototype a level • Decide on Engine (Power Game Factory, Torque, XNA) • Rough playable prototype soon, and commence playtesting asap -> ITERATE • Would like to develop using XNA framework • submission to Xbox Live
Summary. • 2D Sidescrolling Adventure/Platformer • Exploring unique, artistically intriguing levels • Turn based combat with the inhabitant of that level • Simplicity of art allows us freedom • Not tied to one style • Will be able to prototype early and focus on gameplay
STICK NINJA!!
