Fleet Commander

1. Gameplay

Fleet Commander is Real Time Turn Based Strategy game. Now it might sound like I'm being indecisive but yes it is a Real Time Turn Based Strategy game. In this game the player takes command of a Space Fleet tasked with the destruction of an invading hostile force. Combat is in real time but in 7 second intervals. On the player's turn they can plan the movement and actions of the ships under their command just like any Turn Based Strategy game. When the planning is done the actions and movement are carried out in Real Time.

1.1 Inventory of game parts in Battle Mode

Fleet: (The player pawns and Enemy pawns) The player is a Commander of a fleet of Space Battle ships. There are various ships that the player can deploy in a Fleet; Destroyer, Battle Ship, Carrier, Picket Ship, Artillery Ship and Stealth Ship. Each of these ship costs a certain number of points to deploy into battle. The player has a point limit meaning that they can not deploy a Fleet worth more than the allotted number of points.

Fleet Commander: (Ship equipment) Each fleet that the player deploys into battle needs to have a Fleet Commander. The Fleet Commander grants special bonuses to the ships under his command and the current ship that he is aboard. Each Fleet Commander has a ship type that they excel at.

1.2 Inventory of game parts on Campaign Map

Fleet: (The player pawns and Enemy pawns ) On the Campaign Map the player can edit the make up of the ships in a Fleet. On the player's turn they can move all of their Fleets to any adjacent territories to gain control of the territory or challenge an enemy Fleet.

Territory: (Resources) Territories are how the player and the enemy gain resources to deploy more Fleets. To gain control of a Territory the player must move one of their fleets into the Territory. If the Territory is unoccupied then the player will take control of the Territory. If an enemy Fleet is in the Territory then the two Fleets will enter Battle Mode and fight. The winner of this battle will be the controller of the territory. Certain territories may have special bonuses making them worth more.

Capitol Territory: (Player and Enemy HQs) The Capitol Territory is where new Fleets are deployed. If the Capitol has been taken by the enemy player then the player can no longer deploy new fleets onto the Campaign Map.

2. Setting up the game

At the start of a Campaign the player is looking at a risk board style map containing a set number of territories. The enemy force is also on this map. With only one Territory under their control the player and the enemy are allowed to have three Fleets under their command. Each of these fleets can be used to gather up more territory.

2.1 General Course of Play

Start of a Turn (Campaign Map)

Movement Phase: The players decide where they are going to move their Fleets. Each Fleet may move to any adjacent Territory. All moves are planned before hand and both players' moves happen simultaneously. Neither player can not more two of their own fleets onto the same territory. If two opposing fleets enter the same territory Combat Mode will be activated.

Deployment Phase: If no two opposing fleets enter into the same territory the game moves to the Deployment Phase. If either Player has control of enough territories to deploy a new Fleet they do so now at their Capitol Territory in this Phase. After all deployment is completed then the game returns to the Movement Phase.

End Phase: If one player controls the opposing player's Capitol Territory and the opposing player has no Fleets left on the Campaign Map then the battle is over.

Start of a Turn (Combat Mode)

When two opposing Fleets enter into the same territory the game goes into Combat Mode. Both fleets start in positions outside of attack range.

Movement and Attack Phase: Both Players plan the move for their Fleets and attack the enemy Fleet ships. When attacking the player is trying to estimate wear the enemy ship is going to be not attacking where the enemy ship is. The movement is based off of a seven second interval. Meaning that the player can move a ship as far as it could move in seven seconds. The same applies to the attack range the player can see how far an attack would travel in seven seconds.

Results Phase: Once both moves are planned out by both players they press the play button to and watch the events that they planned out happen. Then when the results are over the Movement and Attack Phase begin again.

End Phase: When either side has lost all of their ships then the Combat Mode ends and returns to the Campaign Map. The fleet that lost is removed from the Campaign Map and the territory is claimed by the victor of this battle.

My intertubes were down.

Yesterday my Internets were not working so I was unable to post. That being said I'm not a big fan of the next post. I like the idea but I can't seem to explain it properly.

Hover Tanks

1. Gameplay

Using the tilt sensitive controller in either the PS3 or the Wii to control a Hover Tank. Since hover tanks are a frictionless craft when the main gun of the tank fires the Tank will be pushed in the opposite direction of the shot. The player will then have to adjust the controller to account for this shot. Also if the player is moving in a particular direction they will have to provide counter thrust to stop their current movement.

Hover Tanks become more powerful depending on the number of players in them. Meaning that if only one player was in a tank that player would only be able to drive the Tank and fire the main gun. However if another player on the same team enters the tank that player would be able to operate that Hover Tank's secondary weapon. What that secondary weapon is, is dependant on the tank. Possible secondary weapons are machine guns, artillery bombardment, missile turrets, or magnetic mines. Some Hover Tanks have room for 4 players. While the tank becomes stronger the trade of is that if that Hover Tank is destroyed whoever killed it gets 4 kills. Kills are based on the number of players killed not the number of Tanks killed. While this does lend it self to multiplayer gameplay in a death match there is also the possibility for co-op and counter-op style gameplay.

1.1 Inventory of game parts

Tank Driver: (The player pawn) The player is a tank driver. When the player is not in a Hover Tank they will be in a third person over the shoulder view of the world. They have a side arm but that side arm will do little damage to a Tank. The reason that they have a side arm is to shoot at any other soldiers or Tank Drivers they happen upon. If the player is killed in this mode it will count as a kill in death match. If the player feels that their Hover Tank is no longer what they want to be driving or it is about to explode they may exit the Tank but this takes a small amount of time, depending on the Tank. Hopefully they will be able to find another Hover Tank before whoever damaged their Tank kills them.

Hover Tank: (The player vehicle) These come in various speeds, sizes and armaments. Stronger Tanks may pact more of a punch but they are slower. All of the typical trades offs apply.

Buildings: (Obstacles) The buildings in the game are destructible and are physics objects. Some objectives or multiplayer victory conditions may require the player to destroy certain buildings. Buildings will also do damage to the Hover Tank if the player crashes into them. There are also other types of obstacles in the world like barricades.

Soldiers: (Enemies and Sometimes Friendlys) The player is in a war zone and that being the case will at times be attacking groups of troops defending an entrenched position. Or defending a group of troops under attack from enemy Hover Tanks.

AI Hover Tanks: (Enemies and Sometimes Friendlys) Enemy hover tanks will confront the player. Enemy Tanks may have different number of Tank Drivers in them and so being will have different abilities.

2. Setting up the game

Multiplayer will have several different modes to choose from. Death Match, Team Death Match, Capture the Flag, Control points. In Death Match it is a free for all and whoever kills the most enemy Tank Drivers will be the winner at the end of a time limit or kill count. Same goes for Team Death Match but you have players on your team that can help you kill enemy Tank Drivers. In Capture the Flag each team gets to place their flag hidden inside a building. The other team must destroy the building that your team has hidden the flag in but they don't know what building that it has been hidden in. Return the flag to your base to score a point. With Control points you'll have to exit your tank and jump out to activate a control point. This takes a small amount of time. When you've linked up a control point that connects to the enemy base you'll be able to destroy their HQ. Once the HQ is destroyed then your team has won the match.

Survivor Man

1. Gameplay

This is a survivor game kind of like Lost in Blue but taking place after the zombie mutant apocalypse. The player takes on the roll of a scientist who is in a large urban city five or so years after the zombie uprising. Survivor Man has to find food and water to stay alive. These items are in the city but in places that may be infested by zombies. Also since Survivor Man is a scientist he is looking for the cure to the zombie virus. So he needs power, equipment and medical supplies to find the cure. Survivor Man is also all alone and very lonely so the player must find things to keep him entertained. Survivor Man is looking for other survivors so broadcasting on a radio allows him to search for them. The ultimate goal in this game is to find all of the required material to create a cure for the zombie virus but all of these materials are scattered around the city. In combat the game plays similar to an action RPG but the rest is in a top down perspective.

1.1 Inventory of game parts

Survivor Man: (Player Pawn) The Player is a male scientist who is looking for the cure to zombie virus. Survivor Man is looking for various things; water, food, electrical power, medical equipment, weapons, ammo and entertainment. Survivor Man does not like to be out in the city at night time. His morale will drop slowly if out at night. Any sane person in this world stays indoors at night. Survivor Man is immune to the virus and cannot be infected by the infected.

Zombies: (Enemy NPCs) During the day there are some Zombies and they will attack if you get to close to them but if you are careful about avoiding them they will ignore you for the most part.

Dark Seekers: (Enemy NPCs) Seekers are Zombies that were changed in a different way when infected by the virus. Seekers have an aversion of sunlight and are blinded by it. However they are just as stupid as Zombies but much faster and more aggressive. Seekers hide in dark buildings during the day. That is why Survivor Man likes to be indoors at night when they feed.

Survivor Man HQ: (Location) In the city is a house that Survivor Man has fortified against the infected. This house needs power to run all of the electrical components. The house has a gym to improve his running speed and coordination, a kitchen to cook breakfast and dinner, a laboratory to research the cure, living room for watching movies or reading and a bed room for sleep. The house is also where you can store the objects that you find out in the city.

Water: (Resource) Water is consumed during breakfast and dinner. If no water is consumed then Survivor Man gets a dehydration token and if he get 6 of them then he will die. Drinking water at a meal will remove 2 dehydration tokens.

Food: (Resource) Generally food comes in cans. It is also possible to hunt animals and eat them. It is possible to find seeds to grow fruits and vegetables but a place to grow them must also be found. If Survivor Man doesn't eat at meal time he will get a hunger token. If he gets 80 hunger tokens he will die.

Medical Supplies: (Resources) Glass slides, chemicals, syringes and various things that you need to conduct research into a cure.

Medical Equipment: (Item) Microscopes, X-ray machines, computers, video cameras and various things are tools that allow you to research a cure. These items are reusable unlike Medical supplies.

Power: (Resources) Car batteries and Gasoline are the way the HQ makes things in the house work. Depending on the set up of house determines the power bill. Since Survivor Man uses Gas and batteries to run the house the bill is paid with these things.

Power Generators: (Item) In the city are portable Power Generators that can be taken back to the home to run electrical items. These Generators run on Gas.

Entertainment: (Item) Some stores or in various locations you can find books and movies. Also you can find TVs of varying quality. Books will increase your morale no matter what but a movie's morale is dependant on the quality of the TV you watch it on.

Weapons: (Equipment) In the city are various locations to get weapons. Gun shops, police stations, army armories.

Morale Meter: (Scoring) Keeping Survivor man happy is pretty simple. Watch a movie or read a book from time to time to give him a break for the stressful life get lives. If the Morale Meter gets too low Survivor Man may ignore the player's commands in combat.

Combat Mode: (Game Mechanic) Survivor man can attack enemies that are in visual range of him. Once he has fired his weapon at an enemy the player must wait until his combat readiness is again full then they may attack again. The period in-between is when the enemies are advancing on them. The player must order Survivor man to leave Combat Mode before they can effectively run away.

2. Anatomy of a day (General Course of Play)

Morning Phase:

Survivor Man wakes up fairly early and the current day count is displayed on the screen. Survivor man can work out in his gym or do lab work in the Morning Phase. When either of these activities are over he must then eat breakfast. Both of these activities use power but minimally. Doing lab work also decreases Survivor Man's morale by a bit. Working out will increase the morale by a bit.

Breakfast Phase:

Depending on what the player has on hand they can cook a meal for Survivor Man. Different meals require different ingredients. Most ingredients are canned foods. Depending on what is eaten will give Survivor Man a bonus or penalty during the Afternoon Phase. If he skips Breakfast then he will get a penalty decreasing his endurance. Also a certain amount of water will automatically be consumed during breakfast. If no water is on hand then Survivor Man will get a dehydration penalty and lose some strength. If this continues for three days then Survivor Man will die.

Afternoon Phase:

During the afternoon the player may wonder around the city looking for things that they need. Generally food is found in abandoned grocery stores. Gas stations have underground tanks that may still contain gas. It is also possible to get gas out of parked cars if they have any left. The parked cars also have batteries in them that can be taken back to the house to power it. Using some power the player can use the radio to broadcast to any other survivors. Another good place to go is hospitals or anything medical related to find a potential cure. Unlike the Morning Phase and Breakfast Phase the Afternoon Phase this Phase has an actual time limit before day turns into night. It is a good idea to be indoors before it turns to night. If it turns to night and the play is not home yet. It is possible to spend the night out doors but they player will have to contend with both Seekers and Zombies. Morale is also a factor and so is hunger. If the Survivor Man wishes to attack any Zombie or Seeker the player can press an attack button to target any valid enemies in visual range.

Evening Phase:

Once the player is back all of the items that they gathered are added to the stock pile. Now the player can watch a movie or read a book to give a significant moral bonus or go and work in the lab and take a moral minus.

Dinner Phase:

At dinner a meal must be prepared. This is similar to breakfast but this time the food eaten will permanently increase Survivor Man's stats. A set amount of water is consumed at Dinner time. If you have nothing to eat you will take a hunger penalty. When ever you

End Phase:

Go to the bed room to get some sleep and then. Day ends and starts back at breakfast.

End of the Game:

The game will end in defeat if Survivor Man is killed by lack of water or food or if he is killed by Zombies. The game ends when a cure for the virus has been found in Survivor Man's lab.

Steel Ornithopter

1. Gameplay

Gameplay consists largely of flight combat with the player performing realistic flight maneuvers. If the player wants to perform a barrel roll or a summersault they have to actually input the commands via the controller not press one button. The Game would function with simulated physics. Players will be able to design their own flying machine by gaining the parts from enemy Ornithopters. So as the game progresses a player may have set up various Ornithopters for different situations. The game is also part RTS because the player has to scout out potential base locations and paint the target if they want to start a base in that location. The using a command menu the player could issue orders to squadrons of Ornithopters and ground forces.

1.1 Inventory of game parts

Steel Ornithopter: (The player craft.) An Ornithopter is a flying craft that flies like a bird. The wings of the Ornithopter can be locked allowing the player to use the boosters on the back of the craft. The boosters could otherwise not be used for prolonged flight but can be used to quickly gain speed to catch an enemy craft. With the wings locked the player's Ornithopter would maintain a very forward movement. However with the wings unlocked and flapping the craft would be able to glide side to side and be much more maneuverable. This would allow for strafing runs but the locked wings would allow for faster movement between locations.

Enemy Ornithopter: (Enemies) These Enemy Ornithopters with various configurations will oppose the player progress through the missions. When you destroy an Enemy Ornithopter it may drop a Spare Part. This part will be added to your Hanger but can't be equipped until the end of the battle.

Spare Parts: (Experience Points) When an Enemy is destroyed it may drop a Spare Part. These will be collected after the level is over. You can only change your Ornithopter's part configuration when you are in the Hanger.

Component Ornithopter Design: (Player Weapons and abilities) An Ornithopter is made out of the following components. A Cockpit (determines armorments), Wings (determines maneuverability), Engine (determines speed), Fuselage (determines boosters). There are also Guns and Boosters but these components must be placed on a Cockpit or a Fuselage. Every component has a number of hit points add all of the hit points together and you'll have the total hit point value of the craft.

1.2 General Course of Play

Prior to the mission start the player may set up a configuration for their craft. Generally there are 3 classes of parts for an Ornithopter; a bomber class allowing the player to have less maneuverability but greater attack strength with guns, missiles and bombs, a fighter class that has medium attack power and is great for dog fighting, and a interceptor class that has lower over all hit points but is highly maneuverable and flies at high speeds. Players may save multiple different configurations in their hanger.

When the mission starts the player will have to choose what craft to pilot into battle. Depending on the configuration of the craft they will have to spend money to deploy into battle. The initial deployment funds for each mission are predetermined. The first goal that the player will have is to find resources for their side. Using a secondary weapon to 'paint' the target the player will mark where they want their forces to gather resources. Once a cluster of resources has been painted a command center will be flown in and placed near the resources to gather them. While it is being flown in the structure will have to be protected until it has arrived in the painted area. Then resources will begin to be gathered.

Now that the player's side has resources they can begin to deploy more squadrons into the battle. The squadrons that the player deploys will be from the saved inventory from their hanger.

The player can now fly in additional structures to aid them in the battle against the enemy base. These structures could be things like a radar site. A radar site would allow the player and allied forces to better see enemy movements on the radar. Or build a defensive structure to use anti aircraft guns to shoot down enemy Ornithopters. Or bring in a tank factory to deploy strong ground forces. Another possible option would be a missile silo that would allow the player to use when they are lazing a ground target. These structures would aid the player in the battle or harm the enemy forces.

Once either the player forces or enemy forces are defeated then the mission will end. At the end of the mission all of the parts that the player got for shooting down enemy Ornithopters would be added to the player's hanger.

2. Gameplay Controls

The left analog stick would steer the craft as is typical of any flight game. Pressing L3 would lock the craft's wings allowing the player to boost and barrel roll. The right analog stick would allow the craft to strafe left and right but also up and down. The huge advantage to this is that if an enemy tries to escape your guns by making a sharp right turn. To keep them in your sights you would also turn right but using the right analog stick you would strafe left keeping them in you sights. The player craft would also be able to do this with up and down. The strafe
mechanic would also allow for maneuvering in ways that are not possible in typical flight games.
Pressing the back button would put your Ornithropter under AI control and allow you to
enter the command mode. Issuing orders to squadrons, builder units, and tank ground
forces.

2.1 Gameplay Stats

The different pieces of your Ornithropter would give your overall craft different
stats. The wings of the Ornithropter determine the turn speed of the craft. The engines determine the max speed. The cockpit determines what armaments and number of them the craft can carry. The boosters determine the strafe speed and boost speed. If you equip certain types of parts like say from a bomber you may have a penalty in overall speed. The idea behind the penalty is to balance out the parts so that no set of parts becomes too powerful.

3. Multiplayer


This game would contain a set of single player missions that would allow the player to
create multiple Ornithropter designs. It would also contain multiplayer game types as well. Teams of players would command base operations and fly against the enemy team. Teams would compete for resources to build their bases and defenses while trying to destroy the enemy base. Players would need to strategize their attack plan by determining who would function as a bomber and who would protect them. There would also be a command ship game type where one team with a command ship must protect their command ship from enemy fire until the command ship is with in range of the enemy base. The other team on defense would do everything in their power to bring down the enemy command ship. Then the teams would switch. Then there are of course the have to haves like death-match and team death-match.

Temporal Tactics

1. Gameplay

This is a turn based strategy game on a grid. This game would have a single player story mode but it would be possible to play against another player. The player is the commander of a group of time traveling soldiers. The soldiers are broken up into different classes that all have different functions. There are only four soldiers allowed on the field at a time but these four soldiers can travel through time and send back a stronger version of them selves to fight in the battle. The soldier from the present is called the Alpha and this soldier can call up 3 alternate versions of them; Beta, Gamma, and Omega. Each class of soldiers have different abilities of course but some of these abilities can only be used by future versions of themselves. The Omega abilities are some of the strongest but if any of the incarnations below are killed then the Omega will be removed from the field. Also if two temporal soldiers are standing next to each other on the grid it is possible to use a combo attack. The draw back is that they are vulnerable to an attack from any artillery in range. Each side is not able to view the hit points or temporal level of the enemy units unless they use a support units ability to detect this information.

1.1 Inventory of game parts

Temporal Soldiers: (Player Pawns) These come in four classes. Each member of the Temporal squad can equip weapons and various skills that the player deems necessary for victory. Each soldier can level up. The player can have a fair number of Soldiers at the base but only four on the field at a time.

Recon: These solders are lightly armed, fast, good at hiding and get a bonus attack on artillery units.

Marines: These solders are stronger than recon, but slower in movement and get a bonus when attacking Recon.

Artillery: These soldiers are very heavily armed, slower in movement, and they get a bonus when attacking Marines. Also if multiple Artillery units are in range of the same enemy unit they can perform a combo attack with out needing to stand next to the other unit

Support: These units are able to detect hidden recon units. Support can time travel back and heal injuries of other units. They are also able to see what temporal level (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Omega) an enemy unit is. They get a penalty when attacked by any other class of unit including other Support units.

Flux Capacity: All time traveling units in the game have a Flux Capacity allowing them to manipulate time. When an Alpha wishes to travel through time and bring in a Beta it uses Flux Capacity. The Beta will come in with the same hit point and Flux Capacity as the Alpha. If the Alpha takes damage then a percentage of the damage is transferred to the Beta. Also a percentage of damage is transferred down the line to the Gamma and Omega. A Support unit using the healing ability also uses Flux Capacity and the healing will transferred down the line just like damage.

2. Game Board

The game board is a grid similar to any Tactical Strategy game. Think Final Fantasy Tactics.

2.1 General Course of Play

Starting the Game:

At the start of the game the player can name his starting Temporal Soldiers or allow the game to randomly select names for the four starting Soldiers. The player is given one unit of each class. If they want more units of the same class then it is possible to recruit them.

Phase 1: At the Base

At the Base the player can equip their Soldiers with whatever equipment they have in the inventory. The player can also go to the store and buy new weapons and armor. The player can equip skills on their Soldiers. Or the Player can Start the next mission or a side mission.

Phase 2: In Battle

Once battle has been selected then they will face a team or enemy soldiers that can be temporal or non temporal. In battle it is not possible to see the Hit Points or Temporal Level of enemy units with out the use of a Support unit. The enemy has the same restriction. The battle will end once all of the units on one side have been removed from the battle field. If the player loses all of their units the game is over. If the enemy is the one that has been defeated then the player is returned to the base.

Honest Abe

1. Gameplay

This is third person action game with a steam punk art style. The game takes place during the American Civil War in an alternate history of that nation. Well alternate technology similar history. In the game the player takes control of Abraham Lincoln who personally must destroy the seceding South. How can one small and frail man defeat the entire Southern Army? With the help of an armored steam powered mechanical suit. OH and he has a chain gun too. Disclaimer: this is not meant to be insulting to American History this is tongue and cheek and is supposed to be over the top like Metal Wolf Chaos.

1.1 Inventory of game parts

Honest Abe: (Player Pawn) The player takes control of Abraham Lincoln and his armored suit of freedom! Using his trusty chain gun Abe must kill all southern opposition and free any slaves that he comes across. Abe’s chain gun can fire rapidly but it is subject to overheating so the player will have to still their trigger finger some times. Abe’s chain gun can also be modified to shoot larger explosive rounds to deal with heaver units and bunkers. The chain can also be modified to fire mortar rounds to destroy large groups of approaching enemies before they ever get into range.

Union Repair Crew: (Friendly NPCs) These guys only job is to keep Abe’s suit in optimum repair. The player can call on them to repair your suit at any time but if helps if the player is not moving or under fire. If moving they will have to chase you down and if under fire they can die. The max number of Repair Crew you can have with you at any one time is 5. The more you have the faster your repairs will be completed. If the player frees some slaves and is short repair crew the slaves can be drafted into the Repair Crew.

Rebels: (Enemy NPCs) The grey uniformed opposition of freedom. These foot soldiers may not do a lot of damage but they attack in large groups and they say that enough Ants can kill a Spider. They are the fodder enemies.

Yanks: (Friendly NPCs) Sometimes the player will come upon friendly ground troops in their travels. These troops are more often than not pined down and need your support to break the southern lines to advance.

Secret Service Agent: (CO-OP) A friend who also owns this game can join the player at any time as a Secret Service Agent is a similar Mechanical Suit as Abe’s.

Slaves: (Friendly NPCs) There are Slaves who are being held captive by Rebel forces and Abe can free them by taking out the Rebels who guard them. Slaves will not fight but can be drafted into your repair crew if needed.

Artillery Battery: (Enemy NPCs) At times the player will find that the union troops are pinned down due to Artillery fire and they have to destroy the cannon battery or those that operate it. The Artillery Battery is best destroyed with explosive rounds.

Steam Tanks: (Heavy Enemy NPCs) The South has developed Trains that can go any where with out the need for tracks. It has given them a large tactical advantage and allowed them to break the union lines and start to win the war. These are the most difficult enemies that the player must face. They are basically mobile cannons that can destroy union fortifications.

Game Board

The Game board is a serious of battle fields. On each battle field are both Union and Rebel troops. The player must eliminate Rebel fortifications to allow Union troops to advance. However it would help the troops if Abe supported them once the fortifications are removed. Often there are multiple groups of Union and Rebel troops and if Union troops advance too quickly they can be flanked by another Rebel group. The game is over when Abe takes out Jefferson Davis at the Southern Capital in a President vs. President no holds barred battle. After that time for dinner and a show at the theater.

Pulse

1. Gameplay

Pulse is a single player living world game although you could co-op with a friend if you wanted to. In Pulse the player takes control of a racer who uses motorized roller blades in the fiercely competitive world of underground street racing. When you start out your player character has fairly substandard parts. As the player wins races they will gain money or additional parts that they can sell or equip on their own Pulse Blades. This game uses a system of movement in the vain of Assassin’s Creed allowing the player to skate up walls or wall run. There are missions in the game similar to any other living world game. Different race teams control different areas of the city. Before the player can take on these teams they must first form a team. The way to forming a team to defeat other free agents and they will join you since you are the stronger racer. Once the player has a team you’ll have to defeat other teams to gain control over areas of the city. Teams are ranked and top shelf teams will not complete with the low class teams. The goal of the game is to take control of the entire city and or complete all the story missions.

1.1 Inventory of game parts

Pulse Skater: (Player Pawn) The player gets to choose what their character looks like and if the player pawn is male or female. The player character can equip Pulse Blades basically motorized roller blades. The player also can modify the individual parts in the Pulse Blades to create more speed better turn radius and other things. The player also has the ability to Tool up existing parts provided that they have two of the same part. Parts do degrade with use so tooling will keep the player in top form. The player uses an active movement system allowing them to get around the world with speed and ease. The player also has a since of style depending on how they are dressed. The style rating will determine the speed boast they get for doing tricks.

Free Agents: (NPCs) In the world the player will find Free Agents of varying skills. If the player challenges these Free Agents to a race and wins the Free Agent can be absorbed into the player’s team. Teams are five people so the player needs to win four others before they can start a team. If the player wishes to race a Free Agent they must wager something greater or equal to the value of what the Free Agent is wagering.

Skate Shops: (Locations) In various places through out the city are legal and non legal providers of Pulse Blade parts. These parts can be purchased and of course the better the parts the higher the price. There are cloths to put on the player character to increase the style rating. The shop also carries magazines that if the player buys will increase the player character’s tool rating. Different shops carry different levels of goods. It is also possible to pay a shop keeper to repair your Pulse Blade parts. Players may buy or sell items at the shops.

Cloths: (Equipment) Clothing can increase the style rating of the player character. Higher style means that the player character gets a faster and or longer speed boast after doing a trick.

Pulse Parts: (Equipment) A Pulse Blade is made of the following parts. Boot, this controls the drift turn radius. The wheels determine the max speed and turn radius. The grind plates control how easy it is for the player to maintain a grind. The micro motor determines the max speed and acceleration. Shocks determine jump height drift turn radius and normal turn radius. These various components of a Pulse Blade depending on the quality of the item will raise or lower the stats of the final product. Some items affect multiple stats and so some will have a high benefit with a small or large penalty to the other stat.

Magazines: (Collectables) While it is possible for the player to buy magazines at Skate Shops there are however many magazines hidden through out the world as collectables. Magazines will allow the player character’s tool rating to increase letting them repair their equipment with a higher proficiency so the equipment will last longer.

Pulse Teams: (NPCs) Groups of riders control different areas of the city. Before the player can take them on they must form their own team of five riders by defeating at least 4 Free Agents. To challenge a team to a race you’ll have to travel to their area and speak to them about a race. So you have to beat them on their home turf. Their area also may give you a clue to the specialty of that team. Then you’ll have to wager something equal in value to their wager. Once a challenge is made and the race is over you can not challenge that same team again for a certain amount of game time. At any time deemed necessary by the player, they can remove characters from their team but the team can not compete with less than 5 members. To prevent the player’s team from only having a limit of five members there is space for two alternate members.

Team Rank: (Score) If a team loses 3 consecutive matches in a row to teams that are equal in rank that team’s standing will drop a rank. The highest rank is A class and the lowest is F class. If your rank drops below F class your team will chose to disband and you’ll have to form again. If your team wins three consecutive matches against teams of equal standing your team will be promoted by one rank. Also if a lower ranked team beats a higher ranked team then the lower team and the higher team will switch standings.

Team Reputation: (Score) This is also sort of a currency in the game. As your team wins races you’ll gain reputation points. The more respected you are by other racers the less you’ll have to wager in real goods to enter into a race. The catch is that if you use Reputation as a wager you won’t gain any of reputation points for winning and if you lose, you’ll lose all of the reputation points that you wagered to the benefit of the other team. Reputation also will allow you to enter some of the most exclusive Skate Shops and challenge teams above your own team’s rank. You’ll also get a discount at some shops if your reputation is high enough.

1.2 Player Movement

Active Movement: (Vault) If the player is skating and they run into an object that is waist high they will vault over the object to maintain the direction they are going. This may seem strange because it is a race but the idea is to keep them heading in the same direction. The drawback is that vaulting over an object IS slower than jumping over that same object. So if you’re to lazy to jump over the obstacle then you’re more likely to lose the race.

Active Movement: (Horizontal Wall Run) If there is a gap next to a wall it is possible to use the Pulse Blades to wall run across the gap. While in a Wall Run the player can jump perpendicularly to their current Wall Run if needed.

Active Movement: (Vertical Wall Run) If there is a high wall it is possible for the player to face the wall and run up the wall with the help of their Pulse Blades. If the wall is too high the player will jump and head in the opposite direction that they came. If the wall is shorter than the max height then the player will vault up onto the roof.

Jumping: The player can jump to avoid obstacles. While jumping it is possible to execute a trick to gain a speed boost when they hit the ground.

Drifting: If the player is in mid jump they can continue to hold the jump button and tilt the control stick in the direction (right or left) they wish to drift this allows them to take corners tighter and still maintain a good speed. While in a drift the player can steer to control their movement but steering is limited.

Grinding: If there is a hand rail or other grind-able object the player can jump onto the rail and follow the rail. You’ll have to maintain the balance so you don’t fall off the rail. It is possible to do tricks on the rail but it makes it more difficult to maintain the grind but you will gain a boost of speed when you’re off of the rail.

Vertical Grinding: If there is a vertical poll it is possible to grind up the poll. Then jump off when the player is where they want to be.

Half Pipe Jump: It is also possible to jump at the edge of a half pipe and gain momentum on the way back down. While in the air it is possible to do a trick to gain even more speed.

1.3 Game Board

The game board is a living world city. Picture the living world in skate only with really fast roller blades. Cars are a hazard and so are pedestrians.

2. Setting up the game

The player will get to pick the gender of their character and the looks of them too. Choose from some basic cloths.

2.1 General course of play

The Player starts the game with a basic pair of Pulse Blades and then has to go through tutorials about movement in the game world. Then they are free to do whatever they want. They can explore the world or compete against Free Agents or complete story missions. When they have enough free agents defeated to form a team they can then start to challenge other teams for territory, reputation and parts. In their travels through the world they will find stronger Free Agents, better equipment, better Skate Shops and higher class teams. When all of the story missions are done they can choose to stop playing or continue and defeat all of the teams in the city to gain control of all the territory in the city.

Depth Charge

1. Gameplay

This is a two player puzzle game in an underwater setting. Players have a communal piece pot from which to grab various different underwater structures to create a habitable environment. However you can drop pieces on your opponent's side of the board as well to disrupt or destroy the various structures in their underwater environment. The choice a player is faced with is whether to make their own city better or attack their opponent. The absolute greater goal of the game is to have the highest population of people living on your side of the board when time or pieces run out, either by dropping your opponent's population or increasing your own.

1. 1 Inventory of game parts
   

   
   

Population: (Scoring) The population count in the game will determine who the winner at the end of the game is. Living Quarters are what house your Population. People need air to live but if you have power as well you'll get more people. The total population count will be displayed slightly off the board.

Air Supply: (Resource) One Air Supply building will Supply air to three other buildings that require air. The total Air Supply will be displayed slightly off the board.

Power Supply: (Resource) One Power Supply building will supply power to three other buildings that require power. The total Power Supply will be displayed slightly off the board.

Piece Pool: (Game Pieces) In-between the player boards is a center divide that contains five Pieces. When a Piece is taken a new piece will appear. The only limitation you'll have is if you can get the Piece you want faster than your opponent.

1. 2 Pieces
   

   
   

Command Center: The Command Center will generate one Air Supply and one Power Supply. Also it will allow for people to habitat. Since it is so powerful it has two hit points. (Does Not Require Air or Power. Conducible.)

Living Quarters: Five Hundred people can live in the Living Quarters. However they will only start to show up if there is Air Supplied to the Living Quarters. Having Power Supplied to the Living Quarters will allow you to have the Five Hundred Max as long as you still have Air Supplied. Living Quarters have one hit point. (Requires Air and can be Powered. Conducible.)

Power Station: Power Station will supply power to three other buildings that require power. Has one hit point. (Does not Require Air or Power. Conducible.)

Air Station: Air Station will supply Air to three other buildings that require air. Has one hit point. (Does not Require Air or Power. Conducible.)

Defense Shield: A metal barricade that will block enemy attacks. Has four hit points. (Does not Require Air or Power. Conducible.)

CO2 Vent: The CO2 vent will pump out CO2 gas up toward the surface. The effect being that dropped objects above the vent will fall slower. Has one hit point. (Requires Power. Conducible.)

Junk: Junk can be used to block enemy attacks or dropped on the enemy side of the board to disrupt the enemy settlement. Has three hit points on landing one in falling. (Does not Require Air or Power. Non-conducible.)

Bridge Tube: A tube that connects settlements together. Has one hit point. (Does not Require Air or Power. Conducible.)

Submarine: A defense object that will travel back and forth across the board at a specified height. It will block Depth Charges or Torpedoes. Has two hit points.

Toxic Barrel: An attack object that will lower the population of any living quarters it lands on.

Depth Charge: A slow moving attack object that will deal one damage to any structure it hits.

Torpedo: A fast moving attack object that will deal one damage to any structure it hits. Added bonus if the structure is destroyed by the Torpedo the structure will become Junk.

1. 3 Game Board
   

   
   

The Game board is a side view of the ocean. The drop point on the board is at the top above sea level. The player can position the piece in a manner that is beneficial to their settlement's development. The board functions on a grid so all pieces will link up when dropped. When a piece is dropped it will sink toward the ocean floor.

2. Setting up the game

Before actual game starts the players will have to decide on an end condition. Three possible conditions are; number of pieces, time limit, and population count. At the start of the game the Player's side of the screen will be completely empty. The Piece Pool will be full of pieces. In the Player's hand will be a Command Center. The player has to drop the Command Center before they can move over and Pick Up a Piece that they want.

2.1 General course of play

Pick Up Phase: The two players (or the player and the AI if you don't have any friends) will complete for available pieces in this Phase. Once a piece has been claimed you can't put it back because a new piece will have already been added to the Piece Pool. The piece you've claimed then must be dropped on either side of the game boards (yours or opponent's).

Drop Phase: Once you have a piece you'll have to drop it on your board or your opponent's. When the Piece is dropped it will sink down to the bottom of the tank until it collides with another Piece or the ocean floor.

Sinking Phase: In the Sinking Phase two things could happen. The dropped piece will sink and land on the ground or another faster sinking piece will collide with it. This may be the case if I have dropped a depth charge on my opponent's side. To counter this attack my opponent would want to drop a piece of junk that would sink faster and collide with my depth charge before it landed on my opponent's settlement.

Attachment Phase: Once a piece is on the ground it will attach to the settlement. Meaning that if the piece requires Air or Power it will then draw from the Air or Power supply. If the required Air or Power is available then the dropped building will begin to function in the settlement. If not the dropped building will display a symbol saying that it needs Air or Power.

End Phase: Depending on the end condition set by the Players at the start of the game. If they chose, number of pieces the game would be over when all of the pieces in the piece pool had been dropped. Time limit once the time limit has expired the game would be over. Population count would require both players to play until the population total reaches a certain number. Whatever the case at the end count up the population in each settlement whoever has more is the winner.

Opulence

1. Gameplay

This is a one player Animal Crossing look-a-like. A player in the game Opulence waits hand and foot on a Queen of a fictitious country. By taking goods from the market place and delivering them to the appropriate person in the castle. The goods once delivered will be made into extravagant symbols of your Queen's upper class lifestyle. The more goods gathered the greater the extravagance will be. The goal is to make your monarch live in such lavish luxury that the citizenry ultimately revolt and overthrow the monarchy. "Let them eat cake!"

1. Inventory of game parts
   

Maid\Butler: (Player Pawn) The player may chose to play as a male or female servant to the Queen. This character starts out with an inventory capacity of three. Also your character has a storage chest that can hold additional goods if you wish to save an item for another day.

Queen: (Scoring) The ruler of the fictitious country in this game. The happiness of the Queen is one of the ways that the game keeps score. The happier the queen the less likely she is to chop of your head or anyone else's. The Queen won't chop off your head but if she does become angry enough she may chop of the head of another Worker.

Market Place: (Location) In the Market Place your Maid character can go to the different venders and take whatever they can carry back to the castle. In the Market Place there are various venders selling different thing but you don't have to pay for any of it! Why should you have to pay? You work for the Queen!

Venders: (NPCs) Venders in the Market Place carry various goods. There is a farmer, a fishmonger, a butcher, a seamstress, a florist, a mason, a lumber jack, and a merchant. There is also a well that provides buckets of water. Each vender will display 3 items at their shop front.

Resources: (Items) These can be taken from any vender at no cost to the player. The farmer provides Wheat. The fishmonger provides Fish. The butcher provides Meat. The seamstress provides Cloth. The florist provides Flowers. The mason provides Stone. The lumber jack provides Wood. The merchant provides random exotic good like Tea, Spices, Quail eggs, fruit and Silk but at random and only one a day.

Castle: (Location) The Castle is where you and the Queen live. Of course you don't live with the Queen! She has a very large room with enough space for 10 people but that doesn't mean you'll be staying there. You live in the Servants quarters that are smaller than the Queen's room with all the other workers, all 20 of them. The Castle contains several Locations in it. The Ballroom, the Queen's room, the Kitchen, the Workroom and the Servants quarters.

Workers: (NPCs) In the Castle there are various people who can take the items that you have gathered from the Market Place and turn them into articles of extravagance for display in the Castle or on the Queen's person. There is a Baker, a Head Chief, a Dressmaker, a Carpenter, an Artist and the Headsman. Each of these different people will make different things for the Queen when provided with the proper materials. Also the more often you use their services the better they will become and they will be able to use less items to create these articles of extravagance. The level of a worker will only go back down to the starting level if the Queen chops of their head and a new worker will assume their place at level 1.

Queen's Room: (Location) The Queen's Room must be filled with objects of luxury the happiness of the Queen depends on it!

Ballroom: (Location) The Ballroom is used for the grand Ballroom dances that occur every Saturday with all the wealthy nobles in the surrounding area in attendance. It is your job to get a center piece and make sure the Cooks prepare a grandiose meal. The Ballroom only has seating for eight guests and the tables and chairs are default. So in order to attract more guests you'll have to upgrade the quality of the tables and chairs and add more of them.

Kitchen: (Location) The Kitchen houses the Baker and the Head Chef. Players will come here when they need to get food made for an event or the queen.

Workroom:
(Location) The Workroom houses the Dressmaker, Carpenters and Artist. Players will come here when they need to get dresses made for the queen, furniture for the Queen's room or Ballroom, and centerpieces and paintings. This room also contains the Headsman who will break your unneeded furniture back down into Wood or Stone. You'll get less than you put in to get the furniture.

Servants Quarters (Location) This is the save room allowing the player to save the game at anytime during the day. Also this room contains the player character's storage box allowing them to keep items in a bank so to speak.

2. Starting the game

At the start of the game the Queen will ask you if you are a Male or a Female she isn't wearing her glasses. Once you select either you then give her glasses and she doesn't recognize you and asks for your name. The player tells her then she orders you to go to the market place chop chop and find her something to eat.

2.1 Anatomy of a day (General Course of Play)

Morning Phase:

Meet once with the Queen and she may tell you what she wants to eat. The player will have to go outside the castle to the market place and gather up all that they can carry to make the best meal possible. Additionally they will want to pick up anything that they want to save to make something for the ball room or the Queen. Once the player character leaves the Market Place they can not go back until after the Breakfast Phase. Go to Head Chef to have a meal prepared for the Queen. Depending on what you give him he will make into a meal. At the end of this Phase anything left over is automatically added to the player's storage box.

Breakfast Phase:

The Queen will eat what you've given her and depending on the success of the meal her Happiness will go up or down.

Afternoon Phase:

The Queen may inform you of several different things. She may want a new dress or a new piece of furniture for her room. She would also like to see it with her lunch. So depending on her whim you'll have to head back down to the market place and pick out as much as you can carry to satisfy her cravings. Once the player character has left the market place they can not return. When back in the castle bring the item to the appropriate worker for creation. Also at random during the afternoon phase a random guess may accompany the Queen for lunch. At the end of this Phase anything left over is automatically added to the player's storage box.

Lunch Phase:

The Queen will eat what you've given her and depending on the success of the meal her Happiness will go up or down. The Queen will also evaluate what you've shown her and her Happiness will go up or down.

Evening Phase:

The Queen will be busy admiring whatever new bobble you've given her and she will tell what she is in the mood for and to go get the supplies for Dinner. Once again the player character is sent to the Market Place to gather goods. Once the player character has left the market place they can not return. Dinner is served in the Ballroom unlike Breakfast and Lunch that is in the Queen's Room.

Dinner Phase:

If the day is not a Saturday then dinner is also served with the King present. The King will inform the Queen about the people's overall mood. The mood of the people is directly tied into how much you've taken from them that day. If the day is a Saturday then there is a Ball in the Ballroom with all the Lords and Ladies present and dancing. Some of these people will give you a more detailed description of the mood of the people. Saturday is once of the most important day for the Queen's happiness. Once finished with the meal or Ball the Queen goes back to her room and the player automatically goes back with her. The player tucks in the Queen to bed and any extra happiness is added to the player's reward meter. If the meter is full the Queen will reward the player with new cloths or a higher rank in her service. New cloths means that they player will be able to carry more items back from the Market Place. Higher rank means that you'll get more happiness points when you do things for the Queen.

End Phase:

The player character then must go down to the Servant's Quarters and sleep to end the day. If the day ends and any Vender is completely out of goods because you took them all, then the next day that vender will only have one item at their shop. This means that their shop is in shortage and if the player takes from them again when in shortage that same vender will be closed for business the next day. If a Vender is in shortage or closed it will make the mood of the people very angry. The more closed shops the more angry the people will be and you'll hear about it from the King.

End of the Game:

The Game ends when the mood of the people has become so foul that they can take it no longer and the citizens' revolt. You'll know that you're on the right track when the Master Spy tells you something like, 'The common people seem to be readying themselves for a new holiday called fortress day. I wonder what that is all about?' When the revolution finally comes you've won the game! The game will tell you how many days it took you to inspire a revolt and other stats about your progress. Then it will start over like none of it ever happened but you'll get to keep your rank and the number of items you can carry allowing you to inspire revolt faster!

Something to note and the Target Audience:

At the beginning of the game it was mentioned that this is an Animal Crossing look-a-like. The part that Opulence does not have in common with Animal Crossing is the relation to real time out side of the game. Player's do not have to wait for 12:00 in real life to activate the noon phase. Once each phase is completed you move to the next phase. The collecting of furniture and cloths is what this game shares with Animal Crossing. This game would most likely be enjoyed by players who enjoyed any Animal Crossing.

Design a Day

I suppose you could say that this is the mission statement of this blog, but I have to bore you with some back story. About two years ago I saw an article on Kotaku about a guy who wanted to make game design mechanic a day for three hundred days. I thought this was a great idea but at the time I was working at a video game company and they don’t give you a lot of time to spend on personal projects and also like to claim your ideas with out giving you anything if you come up with something awesome. Not that most companies give a damn about any idea you come up with but it is in the contract you sign when you take a job. So since I’m currently unemployed I’ve decided to spend some of my free time creating a design document a day. Mainly because loafing around your apartment gets exceedingly tiresome after a while and because if I don’t write these things down then I’ll eventually forget them.

I tried to do this last year as my new years resolution but it didn’t stick at all hopefully this year it will. Also a friend asked me if I was worried if anyone would STEAL my ideas. My response was this, “Atleast someone will use it!” While this might seem silly to people out there that someone would be willing to give away ideas for free I’ll explain it this way: in the game industry you’re NO ONE cares about your idea. And I quote “Ideas are like assholes and elbows. Everybody’s got one, sometimes two.” The people at the top are more concerned about the companies bottom line than about a good idea. While I can’t fault them for wanting to remain a profitable company I can fault them for putting out the same derivative crap year after year. So in short I give anyone out there permission to steal my ideas or modify them or whatever. I would just be happy to eventually play my game. Also if a rouge programmer wants to spend his or her time programming my idea I would also be more than willing to help them out in anyway possible. Just saying.