Game Design Document
1. Vision, Scope And Goal of Project
2. Team Goals / Participations / Contributions
5. Target Audience / Market Analysis
8. Feedback and Internal Economy Worksheet and Checklist
9. Feedback and Balance Worksheet and Checklist
10. Art Design (Visual and Audio)
11. User Interface Design for the target platform
12. Detail of the Technical Design
EcoSculptor is a new 3D ecosystem simulation game inspired by successful titles like World Box, Black & White, and Pixel Survivors. The goal is to provide players with a realistic ecosystem experience by building a virtual world where they can interact with an advanced creature ecosystem using machine learning.
Much like its simulation gaming counterparts, EcoSculptor empowers players to explore a dynamic ecosystem, fostering freedom to interact with objects, strive for system balance, and observe its evolution. The project's scope extends to crafting a comprehensive and interactive 3D ecosystem, offering players the opportunity to actively participate in shaping and understanding the delicate balance of nature.
EcoSculptor's purpose is to maintain a balanced 3D ecosystem by integrating interactive elements and challenges. The project aims to maintain balance in the ecosystem. The player must solve difficult scenarios that arise due to the imbalance created by the population over time and maintain balance.
Creating a Game Design Document is crucial for a successful game project. It helps team members communicate better, stay organized, and make decisions effectively during development. Many successful game companies use this document, making it widely accepted in the industry. Therefore, we decided to go with a Game Design Document (GDD) instead of a Software Design Document (SDD).
| Team Members | Student ID | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Ege Özçelik | 201911049 | Game Developer |
| Emre Erişen | 202011069 | Game Developer |
| Doğa Melis Erke | 201911026 | Game Developer |
| Özgün Doğan | 201911024 | Game Developer |
To create the best design for our game, we need to explore existing games to gather ideas. Once we have this background, we can start forming our own design concept. By combining insights from our research and game pitch, we'll craft concept art and then move on to the prototype phase. During development, regular playtesting will be conducted to confirm that the game is functioning correctly and progressing according to our plan.
For our game development, we'll be utilizing Unity, a powerful software known for its versatility. Unity is well-suited for coding a 3D simulation game with machine learning elements. It employs the C# programming language and offers a user-friendly interface.
We are operating within a two-semester time frame for our project, collaborating as students under the guidance of a teacher. The initial semester is designated for foundational tasks such as literature writing, creating the Software Requirements Specification (SRS), developing the Game Design Document (GDD), and setting up project-related websites. This phase involves thorough research and planning to establish a solid groundwork.
Moving into the second semester, our focus shifts towards the actual implementation of the project. During this period, we will be actively engaged in building the game using the Unity platform. This involves coding, integrating machine learning elements, and bringing together all necessary components. The last part of the second semester will be dedicated to comprehensive playtesting, ensuring that the game meets our expectations and functions seamlessly.
"EcoSculptor" introduces a 3D ecosystem simulation where players actively shape and evolve their environment. The gameplay centers on exploring the dynamic ecosystem, interacting with autonomous entities, and striving for system balance. Engaging in creative endeavors, players experiment with elements and observe the evolution of their crafted ecosystem.
Categorized as an simulation/strategy/educational/exploration/management/artificial intelligence, "EcoSculptor" seamlessly integrates the genre with its central theme. The game invites players to actively participate in shaping and understanding the delicate balance of nature within the virtual ecosystem.
Designed for PC, "EcoSculptor" is a student project and won't be available on any commercial store.
The EcoSculptor Game targets a diverse audience that includes gamers of all ages, simulation enthusiasts, nature lovers, developers, and individuals interested in the intersection of technology and environmental education.
The game's environment takes place in a fully simulated region where artificial intelligence makes its own decisions. Since the ecosystem has a perishable structure, it must be constantly observed and controlled. The player tries to interact with the system and maintain order. The main thing is to keep the ecosystem alive despite everything.
In EcoSculptor, players must manage the stability of the ecosystem with two primary resources: Elemental Essence. Elemental Essence represents the raw power of the elements and is collected from dead animals becoming fossilized and past natural disasters. The mechanics in "EcoSculptor" involve using Elemental Essence to shape the land, creating lakes, rivers, forests, and mountains.
"EcoSculptor" features a single gameplay mode suitable for all players. This mode provides a balanced experience with a moderate level of challenges, including managing animal populations, shaping the environment, and responding to random calamities.
In EcoSculptor, the reward system centers around the collection of Essence. Elemental Essence is collected from the remains of dead animals and past natural disasters. As players progress, they use Elemental Essence to shape the environment. Successfully managing the ecosystem and overcoming challenges leads to achievements, reinforcing the player's ability to maintain balance and vitality in the evolving ecosystem.
In EcoSculptor, Elemental Essence serve as primary resources within the internal economy. The resource provide a mix of positive and negative feedback, contributing to the game's balance and engagement. Elemental Essence offer positive feedback, enabling players to shape the ecosystem. In contrast, maintaining ecosystem stability functions more like a counter, representing negative feedback. Players must actively manage population levels to prevent instability and potential collapse.
The feedback loop in EcoSculptor ensures a balanced gameplay experience. Positive feedback arises from utilizing Elemental Essence to shape the ecosystem. Negative feedback, represented by the ecosystem stability counter, highlights the need for players to manage population levels. Successfully balancing these elements allows players to progress positively in the game, avoiding negative states such as ecosystem collapse due to imbalances in population dynamics.
The envisioned visual direction for our game leans towards a rustic and natural theme. This design choice aligns with the gameplay seamlessly. Our intention is to steer clear of artificial elements and focus solely on natural aesthetics. While there is a singular level in the game, we plan to introduce diverse environmental designs within this natural context. For instance, the level may incorporate variations such as different types of landscapes, enhancing the overall visual richness.
Figure 1: The Source of Inspiration for EcoSculptor [1]
This picture shows that we will be looking at the map from above and indicates our desire to use a structure similar to the buttons at the bottom(can be seen in figure 1).
Figure 2: The Source of Inspiration for EcoSculptor [2]
This picture is an example of how we can play the game from which perspective(can be seen in figure 2).
The environment and art in EcoSculptor were crafted within Unity, with a focus on natural elements. Essential assets were created to seamlessly blend into the environment, drawing inspiration from similar games with shared goals. The design revolves around engaging the target audience and sustaining interest throughout the gameplay.
The environmental elements include landscape materials tailored for a dynamic and evolving ecosystem. Diverse textures and assets are integrated to introduce challenges and maintain a captivating experience. Elements such as rocks, lakes, trees, and other natural features are strategically placed to enhance the immersive context of the game and provide a visually pleasing experience. Given the nature-inspired concept of the game, the settings aim to create an ideal and appealing atmosphere for our target audience.
In EcoSculptor, players assume the role of a god overseeing the ecosystem. There are no traditional main characters in the game, but players interact with various entities within the ecosystem, including prey and predators.
The player, embodying the role of a god, has the ability to influence and shape the ecosystem by creating and managing different species. These entities range from smaller prey animals to larger predators, each contributing to the balance of the ecosystem. The diversity of entities provides a dynamic and engaging experience as players observe how different species interact and evolve within the virtual world.
The elements that can be managed within the game are easily accessible and harmonize in terms of function and visuals. They are exciting and visually appealing. Interactive and non-interactive elements are situated in separate areas. Clickable elements are strategically positioned where the player interacts most frequently. On the screen, there are resources, map, time indicator, live counts, and clickable elements. Resources are positioned at the top of the screen and serve an informative purpose. The map and time elements reside in the lower left corner of the screen with less interaction. Clickable elements are centered at the bottom of the screen, where they are interacted with more frequently. The live count is located at the bottom right (can be seen in figure 3).
Figure 3: User Interface of EcoSculptor [3]
Out of Game UI Design has four main options available on the menu: "New Game" for initiating a new session, "Load Game" for resuming from a previous save, "Settings" for customization, and "Exit Game" for closure. Within the Settings menu, adjustments can be made to the "Music Volume" and the preferred screen "Resolution" can be selected. Changes can be preserved by clicking "Save" or discarded by choosing "Cancel" (can be seen in figure 4, 5 and 6).
Figure 4: Main Menu of EcoSculptor [3]
Figure 5: In-Game Settings Menu of EcoSculptor [3]
Figure 6: Settings Menu of EcoSculptor [3]
The game controls are designed for both mouse and keyboard interaction. For camera movement, players can utilize the WASD keys on the keyboard or the middle button of the mouse. The WASD keys enable fluid camera navigation, while the middle mouse button can also be employed for the same purpose. Selection is facilitated by using the left-click, allowing players to interact with in-game elements. To cancel a selected operation, players can simply use the right-click function, providing an intuitive and responsive control scheme for a seamless gaming experience.
This game is primarily designed to be played on PC and requires two important hardware components, CPU and GPU. These components play an important role in ensuring smooth gameplay. Considering that our game is an ecosystem simulation, a mid-range CPU and GPU will be sufficient for optimal performance.
The game will be developed using Unity game engine, a highly greate choice among game developers. Unity provides a comprehensive set of features for both 2D and 3D gameplay, supporting game development on both mobile and PC platforms. The game will be coded using the C# programming language.
This game integrates artificial intelligence and employs machine learning for the animals within the EcoSculptor environment using Unity. The AI libraries in Unity facilitate the development of intelligent animal entities, showcasing logical movements in designated areas. These artificially intelligent animals will demonstrate behaviors such as feeding when hungry, attacking other species, fleeing, and chasing.
The game includes a save option that allows players to preserve any ongoing progress. This feature enables players to pick up the game from their last point when they return, ensuring a seamless continuation of their gameplay.
We chose for 3D graphics in the game as they are better suited for simulation, providing a more realistic portrait of ecosystem life. Additionally, the use of 3D graphics improves the visual appeal of the game, creating a stunning and exciting environment. This decision aims to attract players and immerse them more deeply into the gaming experience.
Unity offers a user-friendly and intuitive animation system for character animation, making it easy to understand and implement animations seamlessly. Furthermore, Unity provides the flexibility to create cutscenes, offering the potential for their incorporation in future updates to enhance the overall gaming experience.
[1] WorldBox, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://vids.superworldbox.com/img/screenshots2/06.png. [Accessed 29 December 2023].
[2] Ecosim. [Online]. Available: https://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvODMxNTIxLzQ2NTk3NjAucG5n/original/VunT3M.png. [Accessed 29 December 2023].
[3] Canva, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.canva.com [Accessed 15 November 2023].