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Game Design Document
RogueWave is a first person roguelike wave shooter using greybox art. As a roguelike players will need to build on-the-fly strategies on each playthrough.
- FPS Roguelike Wave Shooter
- Nanobots upgrade the player over time
- Ever increasing wave difficulty
- Permadeath forces a restart in a new procedurally generated level
"RogueWave" is played from a first-person perspective. As a roguelike it should have a high level of replayability through procedurally generated environments. Each run will not only changes the physical layout of the game but also the placement and type of enemies and power-ups. Consequently, players will need to adapt their strategies on each run, selecting their powerups carefully.
The wave shooter aspect of the game means the player must survive wave after wave of enemies. Each wave is more difficult than the last, with more varieties of enemies in ever increasing numbers. This escalating difficulty keeps the game challenging and engaging, as the player must constantly adapt their strategies and tactics to survive. Fortunately, the player is imbued with Nanobots that can assist the player by gradually upgrading them as they fight.
The world in which the game is set is both mysterious and enigmatic, it is a world of abstract shapes and forms. The world is a silicon-based world in which the primary lifeforms are more like computers/robots than biological creatures. This enables the use of minimalist, abstract greybox art that gives the game a unique visual identity, and also allows for a focus on gameplay mechanics and strategy rather than detailed graphics.
The player's goal in "RogueWave" is not just to survive, but to find an exit from this world back to their own. But does such an exit even exist? This introduces a competitive element, as players can strive to beat their own best times or compete with others on leaderboards. The game's permadeath feature means that every decision counts, adding a high level of tension and excitement to the gameplay.
- Player is stranded in a silicon-based world
- Player is imbued with Nanobots that can upgrade the player and keep them alive
- Native life forms perceive the Nanobots as a virus
- Enemies will seek to destroy the player to eradicate the perceived virus
The player is the last surviving member of a human exploration team on a peculiar alien world. This world is inhabited by silicon-based lifeforms that manifest as geometric shapes. The player, equipped with advanced nanotechnology, must navigate this hostile environment in a desperate bid to return home.
The player's nanobots serve three primary functions. They can heal injuries, ensuring the player's survival in this dangerous world. They can also craft ammunition, weapons, armor, and other essential items from resources scavenged in the world. Finally, they are responsible for ensuring the player never actually dies and can respawn, without any equipment collected, to allow another attempt to escape.
However, this nanotechnology is also the source of the player's predicament. The native inhabitants perceive the nanobots as a virus, a threat to their silicon-based life. This has led to their hostile reaction towards the human explorers. They need to eradicate the virus and those carrying it. This has resulted in the death of the player's colleagues and the ongoing attacks on the player.
In a twist of fate, when the player's colleagues met their untimely end, their nanobots transferred to the player, imbuing them with extraordinary abilities. One such ability is a form of invincibility. When the player is on the brink of death, the nanobots spring into action, disassembling the player's organic matter into individual cells. They then transport these cells to a safe location and reassemble the player.
This process, while saving the player's life, leaves behind any non-organic matter, including weapons and equipment. Furthermore, the player wakes up in an unfamiliar location, disoriented and without any knowledge of their whereabouts. Fortunately, the nanobots will have scavenged some starting resources and create a small inventory that will give the player a start on another attempt at escape.
This adds an element of unpredictability to the gameplay, as the player must quickly adapt to their new surroundings and find additional resources to survive. Given time, the nanobots can augment the player with additional equipment and skills. This allows the player to both craft equipment and personal upgrades such as grapple guns, weapons and abilities such as wall running.
- Tactical and run and gun FPS shooter fans
"RogueWave" will appeal to a player who appreciates the unpredictability and replayability of roguelike games. They enjoy the challenge of having to adapt to new environments and enemy configurations, and the satisfaction of improving their skills and strategies over time.
The shooter element is fast-paced and action-packed. However, unlike many shooters players who focus less on quick reflexes and precision will be able to select upgrades that reduce the need for FPS skills, e.g. aim assist, area of effect weaponry and self-healing. While those who excel at fast-pased shooters may choose to focus more on tactical upgrades such as blink abilities and parkour.
- Fight through waves of enemies in procedurally generated levels
- Strategic players can choose upgrades that assist in the shooter elements resulting in a more tactical gameplay
- Shooter fans can choose upgrades that enhance the shooter elements resulting in a more run and gun style of game
The game's core mechanics revolve around navigating through procedurally generated environments, combating waves of enemies. Each playthrough presents a unique layout, offering a fresh set of challenges and experiences.
Combat is intense, with the player having to fend off multiple enemies simultaneously. The enemies, generated in waves, increase in difficulty as the game progresses. Quick reflexes, strategic thinking, and effective use of weapons and upgrades are key to survival.
The player's nanotechnology not only serves as a tool for survival but also bestows them with superhuman abilities that significantly enhance the gameplay experience. These abilities, fueled by the nanobots, allow the player to perform feats beyond the capabilities of an ordinary human.
These superhuman abilities add a layer of depth and strategy to the gameplay. They provide the player with a range of options for navigating the environment and combating enemies, encouraging creative problem-solving and tactical thinking. However, these abilities also consume energy, which must be managed carefully to ensure the player's survival. Balancing the use of these abilities with the need to conserve energy adds an element of challenge and tension to the game, making each decision and action carry weight.
Enemies are clearly distinguishable from their silhouettes and colours. Each enemy has a clearly recognizable attack pattern enabling players to plan their responses.
Flight: The player can activate their nanobots to lift them off the ground and soar through the alien landscape. This ability can be used to evade enemies, reach high platforms, or simply traverse the environment more quickly. However, flight consumes energy, which must be managed carefully to avoid running out at a critical moment.
Wall running: This ability allows the player to defy gravity and run along walls for a short period. Wall running can be used to navigate complex terrain, bypass obstacles, or gain a tactical advantage in combat.
Automatic Weapons: Increase the rate of fire of weapons allowing for more destructive carnage.
Grappling Hook: Less controllable than flight, but consuming less energy. Players can use the grappling hook to move through the environment while staying off the ground.
Here's a bunch of possible enemies to build for the game.
- Description: The Pyramid is a small, fast-moving enemy that charges directly at the player. Its distinctive triangular silhouette and rapid, darting movements make it easily identifiable, even in the heat of combat.
- Abilities: It attacks by charging directly at the player, causing damage upon impact.
- AI Behavior: The Pyramid's AI is aggressive and relentless, always seeking the shortest path to the player.
- Strategy: Players should keep moving and anticipate the Pyramid's charges, dodging and counterattacking when possible.
- Description: The Cube is larger and slower than the Pyramid, but it is also more durable. Its square silhouette and deliberate, measured movements set it apart from the other enemies.
- Abilities: It attacks by launching projectiles at the player from a distance.
- AI Behavior: The Cube's AI is more cautious, often seeking cover and avoiding direct confrontation.
- Strategy: Players should keep their distance and dodge the Cube's projectiles, attacking when it's seeking cover.
- Description: The Sphere is a unique enemy that hovers above the ground and moves in unpredictable patterns. Its round silhouette and hovering movement make it a distinctive presence on the battlefield.
- Abilities: It attacks by emitting a damaging pulse of energy that affects a wide area.
- AI Behavior: The Sphere's AI is erratic and unpredictable, making it a challenging opponent.
- Strategy: Players should keep their distance and move unpredictably to dodge the Sphere's energy pulses.
- Description: The Cylinder is a medium-sized enemy that moves at a moderate pace. Its cylindrical shape and rolling movement make it a unique and challenging enemy to combat.
- Abilities: Its primary mode of attack is to roll towards the player at high speed, causing significant damage upon impact.
- AI Behavior: The Cylinder's AI is programmed to calculate the optimal path towards the player, taking into account the terrain and obstacles in its path.
- Strategy: Players should keep moving and use the terrain to their advantage, dodging the Cylinder's rolling attacks.
- Description: The Tetrahedron is a small, agile enemy that excels in evasion. Its small size and ability to multiply make the Tetrahedron a persistent threat that can quickly overwhelm unprepared players.
- Abilities: It doesn't directly attack the player but instead deploys smaller, triangular minions that swarm the player.
- AI Behavior: The Tetrahedron's AI is designed to maintain a safe distance from the player while continuously spawning its minions.
- Strategy: Players should focus on eliminating the Tetrahedron's minions quickly and then focus their attacks on the Tetrahedron itself.
- Description: The Octahedron is a large, slow-moving enemy with a high amount of health. Its large size, slow movement, and devastating attack make the Octahedron a formidable adversary that players must approach with caution.
- Abilities: It attacks by emitting a powerful beam of energy that can cause massive damage if the player is caught in its path.
- AI Behavior: The Octahedron's AI is programmed to predict the player's movements and aim its beam accordingly.
- Strategy: Players should keep moving unpredictably to dodge the Octahedron's energy beam, attacking from a distance when possible.
- Description: The Dodecahedron is a medium-sized, floating enemy that moves at a slow pace. Its unique twelve-faced shape and levitating movement make it a distinctive enemy.
- Abilities: It attacks by launching a series of energy projectiles in all directions, making it dangerous at close range.
- AI Behavior: The Dodecahedron's AI is programmed to maintain a moderate distance from the player, positioning itself to launch its radial attacks effectively.
- Strategy: Players should keep their distance and attack from afar, dodging the radial projectiles.
- Description: The Icosahedron is a large, slow-moving enemy with a high amount of health. Its twenty-faced shape and slow, lumbering movement make it a formidable presence.
- Abilities: It attacks by generating a damaging aura around itself, causing continuous damage to players within its vicinity.
- AI Behavior: The Icosahedron's AI is programmed to move towards the player steadily, aiming to keep the player within its damaging aura.
- Strategy: Players should keep moving to avoid staying within the Icosahedron's aura for too long, attacking from a distance when possible.
- Description: The Hexahedron is a small, fast-moving enemy that excels in evasion. Its six-faced, cube-like shape and rapid, erratic movements make it a challenging target.
- Abilities: It attacks by charging at the player, causing damage upon impact.
- AI Behavior: The Hexahedron's AI is aggressive, always seeking the shortest path to the player and charging frequently.
- Strategy: Players should anticipate the Hexahedron's charges and dodge, counterattacking when it's recovering from a charge.
- Greybox art throughout
- Procedurally placed prebuilt structures
- Focus is on the creation of challenging environments leading to engrossing gameplay
Utilizing greybox art, the game presents a minimalist, abstract aesthetic. This style is not just visually distinctive, but also serves a functional purpose. The simplicity of the greybox art allows players to focus on the gameplay mechanics and strategy, without being distracted by detailed graphics.
The environment is made up of simple geometric shapes designed to encouraged particular play styles, which can be arranged in countless different configurations to create a wide variety of unique levels.
The enemies in the game are also represented by simple geometric shapes, each with their own distinct behaviors and attack patterns. The simplicity of the enemy designs allows for a focus on their behaviors and patterns, rather than their visual details. This makes it easier for players to quickly identify different types of enemies and react accordingly. The greybox art style also gives the enemies a mysterious and enigmatic quality, adding to the game's overall atmosphere.
- Levels constructed from pre-made structures
- Combination of open exterior spaces and close quarter interiors
- Placement of spawners defines the gameplay style
Levels are dynamically constructed from a pool of pre-made structures, some of which have navigable interiors. These buildings are procedurally arranged within a "city" environment, creating a series of unique layouts for each playthrough. The setting provides a variety of strategic opportunities and challenges, from the high vantage points of rooftops to the confined spaces of building interiors.
The placement of wave spawners is a critical aspect of the level design. This encourages exploration and adds a layer of strategy, as the player must seek out and destroy these spawners to complete the level. Until the spawners are destroyed, they will continue to generate enemies, adding a sense of urgency to the gameplay. In the early stages, a small number of spawners will be located in open areas, making them relatively easy to find and destroy. However, in later levels, there will be many more and will typically be found within buildings, forcing exploration and creating choke points through which the player will need to fight.
The level design plays a significant role in the combat. The layout of the city, the placement of buildings, and the location of wave spawners all affect the difficulty and strategy of each wave. For instance, a level with many tall buildings may provide opportunities for sniping from high ground, while a level with many small buildings may lead to more close-quarters combat. The player must adapt their strategy to the layout of each level, adding a depth of strategy to the gameplay.
- enemies simply attack, no dialogue
- Focus is on predictable patterns of attack
The player character navigates through an alien silicon-based world as a determined survivor. The enemies in the game, represented by simple geometric shapes, each exhibit distinct behaviors and attack patterns. Despite their minimalist design, these enemies present a diverse range of challenges. Some may aggressively charge at the player, while others might adopt a more defensive stance. This variety in enemy behavior requires the player to continually adapt their strategy, adding to the game's dynamic and fast-paced nature.
- Simple and unotrusive
- Critical to display number of enemies left in the current wave
- Critical to display time to start of the next wave
The user interface (UI) in "RogueWave" is designed to be minimalist and unobtrusive, complementing the game's greybox art style. It provides the player with essential information without cluttering the screen or distracting from the gameplay.
One of the key elements displayed on the UI is the player's health. This is represented by a simple bar or number at the corner of the screen, allowing the player to easily monitor their health status during combat. The UI also shows the player's current weapon, which can be useful when switching between weapons or deciding on a combat strategy.
Another important element on the UI is the number of enemies remaining in the current wave and the time to the start of the next wave. This information can help the player gauge their progress and plan their strategy. For example, if there are only a few enemies left, the player might decide to be more aggressive, while a large number of enemies might call for a more defensive strategy.
The UI also includes indicators for the location and status of other survivors in later levels. These indicators can help the player keep track of their allies and coordinate their actions. For example, if an ally's health is low, the player might need to provide assistance or adjust their strategy.
Overall, the UI in "RogueWave" is designed to enhance the gameplay by providing essential information in a clear and concise manner. It is a key part of the player's experience, helping them navigate the game's challenges and make strategic decisions.
- NeoFPS is the only paid asset
- Probuilder constructed Greybox assets for the environment and enemies
- Customer particle effects and sounds
In "RogueWave", the game assets are a blend of pre-built and custom elements, designed to create a unique and engaging gameplay experience. The user interface, player, and weapon prefabs are provided by the NeoFPS asset. This asset offers a robust and flexible framework for first-person shooter games, and its use in "RogueWave" ensures a smooth and responsive gameplay experience.
The characters in the game, including the enemies, are represented by simple geometric shapes. This design choice aligns with the game's minimalist aesthetic and also minimizes the need for complex animations. Despite their simplicity, these geometric shapes are used in a variety of ways to represent different types of enemies, each with their own distinct behaviors and attack patterns.
The use of the NeoFPS asset for the player and weapon prefabs allows for a wide range of movement and combat options, enhancing the game's dynamic and fast-paced nature. The geometric shapes used for the enemies, on the other hand, add a layer of strategy and unpredictability to the gameplay, as the player must quickly identify and react to different enemy types.
Overall, the assets in "RogueWave" are designed to support and enhance the game's core mechanics, providing a seamless and engaging gameplay experience.