After discussing the nature of our idea again, we eventually decided that our initial thoughts were largely out of scope. Taking the core features that we wanted to see, we decided to try and utilize the mechanics of the game in a slightly different environment.
After a little bit of brainstorming, we were eventually able to wrap the game with a different focus. Now, instead of concentrating on the visual life, the game caters more toward its scanning potential and movement controls.
The idea surfaced when we thought about trying to process of researching to other means, beyond the scientist perspective. Originally we brought up ideas of using metal detectors at beaches, and though of ways we could tie the thrill of discovery with the theme of exploration.
Therefore, for the current moment, we thought of changing a few of the features and concentration points of our previous idea.
The player now takes the role of an employee for a somewhat questionable organization. Tasked with locating new objects in a foreign world, the player retrieves valuable items for meager pay. On the side, we thought of constructing the narrative to passively tell a story. The items you find, regardless of their worth or merit, are eventually acquired by your employer and turned into consumer products bent of profit.
Going forward with this company idea, we also though of tying in a bit of text motivation during gameplay. Your character receives communication and Intel from a correspondent. Every once in a while, a device with neon text could slide onto the screen, depicting dynamically typed text from your unknown correspondent. This entity serves to type gameplay instructions, suggestions, and respond to your various finds on the foreign planet.
At the start of the game, the correspondent is encouraging and friendly, but as the game progresses it could become evident, through environmental, collectable, and writing queues, that the entity is just acting as the face of the company. As an employee on a foreign planet, the player is an expendable resource, and there could be something to explore in terms of conveying this dark humor created by the correspondent. It was also mentioned that personality could be given to the dynamically typed text through sound and emoticons.
The main difference between this idea and the previous is the reality that the focus of this gameplay will be on the engaging nature of the movement mechanics. As the player explores the world, the detection of treasure acts as a guide, and their ability to set destinations and achieve these goals is ultimately the reward. Every sought item may have more than one route, and using all of the player's movement mechanics allows for simple traversal through puzzles.
At the moment, only a few basic movement mechanics have been brainstormed and implemented. While a number have been mentioned, it will be best to focus on the features currently built into the systems.
Double-jump was the initial mechanic created. Each jump can have varying upward forces. The second jump in mid-air can change the current velocity direction. This means that running forward, and double-jump backward, will cause the velocity to convert in that direction. This allows the player to create momentum and traverse it while aerial.
Climbing was a recently created mechanic. Any surface covered by a climbing surface allows the player to navigate in any direction on that surface. Primarily, this is utilized to climb upwards. The player can hold a grab button to attach to the climbable surface. From there, the player undergoes a climb speed in any desired direction. The player can also jump back from the climbable surface, and then continue with a double-jump to return to the surface if desired.
Another recent mechanic created was the wall-running ability. Landing against any surface and holding the grab button allows the player to run forward along that surface for a short amount of time. Afterwards, they can jump off the wall, and then double-jump again if desired. This mechanic will allow the player to use the entirety of the environment to extend jump distances, cross over gaps, and perform other unique interactions between jumps, climbable objects, and horizontal surfaces.
Although not technically a mechanic, creation of the FPS model system has also begun. This system will allow for individual hand types to be raised or lowered during gameplay. Depending on the ability or mechanic active, it is possible to easily transition between hand animations with this system. At the current moment, there are only two hand states. The right hand raises when the player is grabbing. The left hand rises when the player is scanning.
The scanning ability does not yet amount to any results. However, the purpose for scanning is implemented. Treasure objects have been created. These items provide the player with trigger colliders to detect their range.
Once the player enters into a collider a visual HUD elements conveys the distance to the treasure object within the vicinity. Furthermore, the player's control rumbles depending on how close they are to the target treasure. The player cannot collect these yet, but the basic detection system is implemented. Also, if treasure objects overlap each other, the detection will prioritize the closest treasure object at all times.
That's really all for programming at the moment. A lot of features need to be discussed, designed, and finalized before further systems can be started. However, there are a number of small bugs, fixes, and improvements to be made to the current system that I will be examining after the upcoming pitch.