Game Concept

Moon Summit » Devlog
24 days ago by GoldenView1
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Working Title:

Moon Summit

Concept Statement:

Two lovers, separated by the distance between the moon and lands, raise the very earth so that the player can go skywards. Traversing between 2D rising islands as well as the harsh weather plaguing every section. No matter how many times they fall, get pushed, or are crushed, they will continue ever upwards, to reunite the passionate love of these two separated soul mates!

Genre:

The game concepts main genre is Platformer, as the goal is fully realize satisfying and fluid movement in a changing but stable environment, that will challenge the player to fully understand and take advantage of these movements and hopefully curate a high skill ceiling of mastery over said movement.

Puzzler will be the second genre focus, as the environment and allowing it to change or be manipulated by the player will affect how the game feels and the quick thinking of the player themselves.

Concept creation process/area and influences.

The concept creation process will be fully grounded on the concept of movement, taking a mashup design with a core focus on instilling a fully capable and fluid “feeling” of movement. This is with the added addition of  a changing environment that will challenge this movement and allow it to be fully realized of its potential.  

Influences:

Spider-man PS4: A 3D game based on the marvel character Spider-man, the movement of swinging in this game has a fluid and pleasing effect. This smooth feeling of movement and reliability from the action taken by the player will be a focus in all movements of the game.

Swinging will be movement included in the player’s toolbox, possibly freely able to latch onto objects or set locations on objects to create consistency. It will depend on the environment.

Insomniac Games, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Marvels Spider-man, (2018, Sep 7th)

Infamous 2: A 3D game based on electric powers that expands into more creative uses and abilities, this game has a wide-ranging capacity for “Linking” movement. Whether this is jumping from a powered pole launching you into the air, then landing on a ride-able power-line, to then hovering over to another building, and then even ground slamming for a AOE attack on enemies. A interesting movement in this game is the ice jump, which creates a pillar beneath the character to launch themselves up and forwards creating a good “start” point for a possible series of links.

 With these different movements “Linking” together, this will be a core focus for this project, making every movement work in some way with each other, propelling the acceleration  and of the enjoyability of the movement even more.

Sucker Punch Productions, Sony Computer Entertainment, Infamous 2, (2011, June 7 -10)

Jusant: A 3D climbing game that involves the player to climb a large natural tower, with the use and help of environmental factors. The art style ad level design can be pleasing and calming, an element that will be considered when creating the environment and level design. This will be to give a feeling of calmness that radiates and connects itself well with the smooth feeling of movement. A little companion will accompany the player as well, a concept that could be used to convey story or usability in this game project as well.

Don’t Nod, Jusant, (2023, October 31st)

Audience and competitive analysis

The game is more focused on the casual players with the potential to go into players who want a challenge with an accessible to use movement scheme, but can be elevated with developing game skills and refining the movement. With the movement allowing itself to be used easily in the final project, the intention is to allow a skill ceiling that can be raised or take on an even more impressive display of linking movements together, pushing the bounds of what is possible and how fast the game can go. Speed will be a focus in the game for the hardcore players, while it can take a more relaxing pace for more casual players.

With a simple yet classic tale of reuniting lovers, the story-line will align itself with players who want to feel like their actions matter in the story. The story will involve various bits of lore with the interaction between these two lovers and the environmental changes caused by them.  

Competitively, speed running the game or even the addition of time trials could take on an element of a competition that would leverage itself into a fast-paced fun fest. Levels could have recorded fastest times, or mini areas could be made to test out specific movements and how best to use them or train them for those interested in testing the limits of the game’s potential.

Game treatment and Concept Art

You are a weathered wander that comes across a small being that has fallen from the sky in a blaze of fire. The small creature named Icarus will almost look like a slime in features, and will walk up to you and request that you help them reunite with the eternal love, Ophelia, who resides atop of the moon. Being the morally kind soul who endangers their own life on a whim for a cute creature you just met, you will agree to help them ascend into the sky.

But with a lack of moon tall mountains, you will be left puzzled as to how to get to the sky and go beyond. When you reach the peak of a small hill and scratch your head, Icarus will call out to Ophelia, and the ground will begin to shake. With various pieces of the earth rising upwards with Ophelia abilities, you are then able to run, jump, climb, dash, swing, slide, launch and just maybe even fly to the moon in the sky with the help of Icarus’s own abilities.

The pieces of land will raise at various speeds, alongside with nature fighting back against the unnatural way it has been ripped away from where it resides, will throw its own land back at you and Icarus. You will have to take advantage of the abilities from Icarus to make these gaps in land, the flying objects thrown at you, to survive harsh environments, and the tenacity you will push though to reach the summit and reunite these two lovers.

Ophelia will raise and move the earth for you, while Icarus will allow you to traverse these new molded lands, challenging your abilities regarding the linking of movement and thinking for the puzzles that will be formed from the floating earth. 

 

The key features of this game concept include:

  • Changing environment that can be influenced by the player (or potential for a second player to move islands)
  • A wide-ranging movement tool-set to allow creative liberty to the player in various situations.
  • Linking movements together to gather momentum or launching power.
  • Time trials that push the limits of the movement capabilities and develop unique solutions.
  • Simple art style.
  • Differing environments with unique applications to the players movements.
  • Casual yet challenging gameplay loop.

  • Ian, L. (2024, April) man runs stick figure motion, stick figure people [Image].

    Shutterstock.https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/man-runs-frame-motion-stick-figure-1297273372  


    The movement as demonstrated above will be based on a similar 2d stick person or an easy to manipulate rigging sprite. This will allow the project to focus on the transition of movements and prevent creating newer sprites for each movement.
     
    • The backgrounds and art style will be highly pixelated and reminiscent of nature and the sky, allowing a cozy but also adventurous atmosphere. (In some cases, in the atmosphere).  

Moon Summit

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utas_lindsay24 days ago

Overall a neat concept with a nicely written concept statement and plenty of interesting detail and concept art. The only bit that isn't fully fleshed out to me is what the player's abilities are and how they will operate. There is mention of a swinging mechanic but it is unclear how key this is to the game, and if there are other similarly complex features planned.

The swinging mechanic can be fun, but it does sound like the main thing that you should focus on getting right early in development. Aside from this, the rest of the concept seems very achievable.

In the interests of making your profile look great, be sure to work out why the images don't appear on itch.io

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