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CA195

Ian Vega

9/7/13

Level Overview – Underground Headquarters (Level 4)

 

Overview of Level: The time traveler’s time machine has malfunctioned, and has dropped the time traveler into an abandoned headquarters deep underground. The player must find their way back to the time machine to win the level, while avoiding various hazards along the way.

 

There are two physical sections to this level. One half of the level is the headquarters, and the other half is an underground cavern.

 

Conditions of Level: The headquarters is dark, dingy, and in poor maintenance. Most objects will show signs of wear and rust. The floor of the headquarters is completely flat.

The cavern is mostly ravine and rough walls, with great signs of wear and damage over an unknown period of time. The cavern floor is rough and bumpy (excluding the room with crushers [Area 3], which is a subsection of the headquarters).

The lighting in both areas is dim, with only a few light sources scattered around the area, providing little light.

 

Area Description:

AREA 1: An open area filled with damaged and derelict machinery. This is the Player’s starting point. This area has stationary platforms that the player must jump on to gain access to Area 2.

AREA 2: A small section of platforms, with an object that revolves around a small cavern wall. This object passes over the platforms at regular intervals and will knock the player into the ravine if they fail to time their passage across the platforms correctly. Getting past the revolving object grants passage to Area 3. Getting hit by the rotating object and/or falling into the ravine results in starting the area over again.

AREA 3: A subsection of the Abandoned Facility with crushers moving back and forth, slamming into the wall at regular intervals. The player must get their timing right to get past the crushers correctly. If a crusher hits the player, they must start the area over again.

Once past the crushers, a platform will begin to move past. The player must time a jump to correctly land on the moving platform and time a second jump to safely reach Area 4. If they fall into the ravine at any point, they must start this section over again.

AREA 4: This section consists of eight damaged platforms, a passage to a large door, and a lever that must be pulled in order to open the door. The player must jump across the platforms to the other side of the area to reach the lever, but each platform that is jumped on breaks after three seconds, making it impossible to backtrack.

Once the lever is pulled, the door will open, and the player must navigate the remaining platforms to reach the passage that leads to the door. Should the player fall into the ravine by boxing themselves in or making a badly aimed jump, they must start this area over again from the beginning. Getting past the big door leads to Area 5.

AREA 5: The player must simply search the general area to relocate the time machine. Once the time machine is found, the player can enter the time machine to win the level.

Cavern Reference (Note the artificial wall to the left) (en.downloadswallpapers.com)

STEP 1: Build the topography of the level (make the map in the 3d engine, without any other assets (9/10 to 9/17).

STEP 2: Locate and implement the following assets (In order of importance):

Time Traveler

Time Machine

Platforms (Normal, Moving, Breakable)

Rotating object

Crushers

Big door

Wreckage

Light source

(9/17 to 10/1, however, some of these items might be implemented in future weeks.)

 

STEP 3: Implement Time Traveler player-controlled movement AND jumping, along with basic behaviors of breakable platforms and moving platform. (10/1 to 11/5)

Playtest level with current assets.

 

STEP 4: Implement rotating object, crusher, and lever/door behavior (11/5 to 11/19)

Playtest level, check for bugs with above items.

 

STEP 5: Locate and implement the following aesthetic assets:

Broken Bridges

Locked Doors

Machinery of all types (lifters, cranes, consoles, etc.)

Misc. decorations

Playtest level, check for bugs with above items.

(Last priority. Must be completed by 11/19)