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Design Document for:

TRANSCEND"Transcend, [tran-send], verb: To overcome a problematic situation not by avoiding or

escaping it, but by becoming fully immersed in it and discovering a novel solution. Typically achieved when avoidance or escape is impossible."

All work Copyright ©2013 by Erik McLennan

Written by Erik McLennan

Version # 1.00

Thursday May 9, 2013

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Table of ContentsDesign History------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 4 Version 1.00

Game Overview-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 5 Philosophy What is Transcendence? How does it occur? Why does this matter? Common Questions------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 6 What is the game? What do I control? What is the main focus? What's different?

Feature Set-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 7 General Features

Artistic Theme------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 8 General Technical

User Interface-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 9 Controls

Audio-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 11 Overview Style comparisons Music to listen to Sounds effects-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 12 Menu Main Game

Main Game---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 13 Primary gameplay elements Other gameplay considerations Button Mapping---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 14 Saving Unlockable gameplay modes Alternate Universe Demonstrations Play Music Repetitions---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 15 Philosophy Story Hours of gameplay

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Victory conditions-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 16

Game Flow---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 17

Appendices--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 18 Menus Main menu Let the journey begin--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 19 Alternate Universe Demonstration Play Music Philosophy---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 20 Map Buttons Repetitions? Pause menu Song information--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 21 Song 1 Level 1 theme Song 2 Level 2 theme Song 3 Level 3 theme Song 4 Level 4 theme Song 5--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 22 Level 5 theme Song 6 Level 6 theme Song 7 Level 7 theme Song 8 Level 8 theme-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 23 Title menu song Credits song

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Design HistoryThis is a brief explanation of the history of this document.

Version 1.00

Initial iteration.

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Game OverviewPhilosophy

What is Transcendence?

Transcendence is a process of human existence in which a human who is actively involved in a situation (an event or series of events) that they are incapable of dealing with evolves in a manner that includes aspects of both spontaneous growth and gradual progression.

How does it occur?

As a person to exposed to the stimulus of a given situation, they are altered by it. To use a very literal and exaggerated metaphor, imagine cliffs slowly being eroded by wave after wave of water. The cliff faces slowly takes on a water-like pattern, and thus part of the essence of the water itself is transferred onto the cliff. The same is true, as an example, of a person listening to music. The sound waves impact the ear drums, and through that apparatus the information represented by the sound waves is transferred into the brain. The music changes the person in a very real and physical way, not to mention intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, etc, depending on the context of the situation. An impression is created.

As the impression becomes stronger and more pronounced, the person comes closer and closer to understanding the music (the gradual progression aspect of transcendence); the music is creating a small iteration of itself within the very being of that person, including all aspects of said being. When the information transferred (the impact of the impression) reaches a critical threshold, the understanding comes into completion all at once (the spontaneous growth aspect of transcendence). There are many ways to experience this and to describe this experience. Maybe the person has an intellectual epiphany and is now able to relate the music to something else in their life that they already understand. It just “clicks”! If they are playing the music on an instrument or in a rhythm game, maybe they all of a sudden enter a zone where they canʼt miss a note, and the song seems to practically be playing itself. If the song has lyrics, perhaps the meaning of them is laid bare, where only a few moments ago they were a mystery.

This is a basic example using two metaphors of the process of transcending.

Why does this matter? Specifically, why does this matter right now?

In our society, people struggle to feel connected with others. Why else would social networking websites be so popular? With our busy schedules and hectic lifestyles, often we forget to slow down and perceive the deeper meaning of things which is an undercurrent that permeates all aspects of life. We skim the surface of things, and often feel incapable of understanding most things that are around us, or even forget that there is something to be understood. If we slow down and take our time with things, we can all re-connect and feel relief from our struggles, knowing that we are not alone. And isnʼt that what we all want? :)

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Common Questions

What is the game?

Transcend is a music/rhythm game for the following platforms: PC, Mac. IOS and Android.

What do I control?

Gameplay consists of the player pressing mapped buttons to match the rhythm of a song.

What is the main focus?

The main focus of the game is playing through the seven levels of the game, each containing one song created uniquely for this game.

Whatʼs different?

The gameplay corresponds with the concept of Transcendence. Each song is divided into sections, which a player must play perfectly to pass. If the section is not played perfectly, it will re-start, giving the player a chance to try again. It is impossible to lose; the player can only walk away, or succeed.

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Feature SetGeneral Features

Fully integrated overall theme8 levels and an “alternate universe” mode with alternate patterns to playSongs written specifically for this gameUnique art styleLearn the philosophy behind the game as you play

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Artistic ThemeGeneral

The game will not occupy any time or place in physical reality, but will rely on images and animations, both abstract and concrete, to conjure emotional and mental reactions within the player. As an abstract example, a rainbow coloured array of "laser-like" lines and images that moves/transforms/pulses/etc to the music. A concrete example would be an animation of a simple sprite-based person walking down a path toward the sunset, or ascending the stairs of a tower. To compare it to an existing game in terms of general feel I would choose Journey for the Playstation Network. The game is meant to be a journey in its truest form, evoking a full palette of feelings and emotions, and making the player feel as though they've come "full circle" in the end.

Technical

Some or all aspects of the visual stimulus of any given level will be procedurally generated with random elements, in synch with the rhythm/and or melody of the music.

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User InterfaceControls

The core gameplay requires only 4 buttons, one for each on-screen "note lane". This is a common concept in musical games such as Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and Amplitude.

Here is a mock-up giving a visual example of this concept:

As the notes fall into the large circle near the bottom of the screen, the player presses the corresponding button to play that note. On PC and Mac, there will be three default control schemes as well as an option to customize the keys as they like. The first control scheme will involve two sets of two keys each which are on opposite sides of the keyboard (example: A,S and K,L). The second and third control schemes will involve all four keys being in an adjacent row; one right-handed option and one left-handed (example: A,S,D,F or H,J,K,L).

There will be a 5th and 6th button on PC and Mac versions to pause the game and restart the section of the song they are currently working on.

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On IOS and Android smartphones and tablets the game will be controlled using "buttons" on the touch-screen. The game will function the same, except that the player will need to touch the corresponding area of the screen to play the note. Extra care will need to be taken due to touch screen buttons being less "crisp" and responsive compared to computer keys, in order to make sure that the game controls don't hinder the experience. This could be done by allowing the player a larger tolerance in the time-frame in which they need to press the button, slowing the game by 10-20% or both.

Here is a mock-up giving a visual example of the game on a smartphone:

Pausing the game on a mobile device will be done by touching any part of the screen which is not a note button. The restart command will be accessible from the pause menu on the mobile platforms.

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AudioOverview

This game will contain 8 main game songs, plus title menu music and credits music. Each of the 8 main game songs will have an alternate version, which will be very similar. This makes for a total of 18 songs. They will all be composed by myself. There will also be ambient portions of each of the main game tracks which are partially procedurally generated with some random elements.

Style comparisons

The audio style of the game will generally have two interlacing facets: Ambient music and emotionally driven music. The purpose of the ambience is to create a calming,

balanced undertone, whereas the emotionally driven music is to create the impressive of being on a journey of importance. The music whose influence is being drawn from is too vast and various to name, but to give examples of games which contain music that contains both of these two aspects, I name Donkey Kong Country 1 and 2, Chrono

Cross, Mega Man X and Sin and Punishment: Star Successor.

Music to listen to

Donkey Kong Country 1: Aquatic Ambience

Donkey Kong Country 2: Stickerbrush Symphony

Chrono Cross: People Seized With Life/Prisoners of Fate

Mega Man X: Sigma Fortress 2

Sin and Punishment: Star Successor: Menu Theme

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Sound effects

This game will contain the following sound effects:

Menus

SelectionCancellationScrolling up/downQuit to main menu (pause menu only)

Main Game

Section clearGame pauseSection manual restart

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Main GamePrimary gameplay elements

Gameplay consists of a music track playing and the player using mapped buttons to match the rhythm precisely, in the vein of such games as Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and Amplitude. Each of the seven in game songs will be its own level, each being divided into multiple sections (sub-songs, if you will). It is impossible for the player to lose; they can only give up, or win. This is because if the player does not match the specific section of the song they are currently playing precisely, it will start over, giving the player a chance to hear and learn it again. The player will advance to the next section when the current one is played perfectly. For this reason, though the game will employ a steady difficulty increase as they move from level to level, the difficulty will never be "brutal". The point of the game is to have fun and to feel empowered, not to be frustrated. On the flip side of the coin, the game will also not be too easy, or the player will feel bored and unchallenged.

Other gameplay considerations

The repetitive nature of the game poses some challenges, which I will address here. Firstly, the songs themselves, if not composed correctly, and in full knowledge of the nature of the game, will sound "hokey". By this, I mean that it will not sound good if the end of Section X of a song doesn't only transition well into the beginning of section X +1 but also the beginning of section X. For this reason, the songs will be carefully crafted to meet this requirement. There will also be specific "interlude" sections built in, so that the player has a chance to adjust and recognize the fact that the section will be restarting. This is to avoid "frustrating deaths" wherein the player could finish a section, knowing it needs to be replayed, only to miss the very first note as it beginreplay because there was no indication of the transition.

Secondly, the game could become repetitive and end up not feeling fun, even after only a couple of repetitions of a section. This will be addressed in the following ways:

1: Some or all aspects of the visual stimulus of any given level will be procedurally generated with random elements.

2: The "story" being told by the visuals on-screen will fully encompass and integrate the very concept of "repetition". For example, if there is a person ascending the stairs of a tower, if a section is failed and needs repeating, they might be shown to trip, fall, and get back up during the interlude section between repetitions.

3: The on-screen text will be written such that each section of a song will have multiple versions of each string of text, each which relates to and is a variation on the core theme of that particular section.

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4: There will be "ambient" or "background" parts of the music which play constantly and are partially procedurally generated with random elements.

5: The player will be able to press a key on the keyboard to manually restart the section they are currently playing.

Button Mapping

On the main menu of the PC and Mac versions of the game the player can select the Map Buttons option to change between the three pre-set button maps, or create their own custom mapping.

Saving

All saving in this game will be done automatically. Because the game is relatively short, in-game progress will not be savable (i.e. if the player makes it to level 5 and shuts the game off, they will have to start back at level 1 when they turn it back on), in the vein of older games such as contra or castlevania for the NES.

Unlockable gameplay modes

The following gameplay modes and options will be unlocked upon completion of the seven level main game.

Alternate Universe

Alternate Universe mode will contain the exact same core game of seven levels in a modified state. Such modifications include a different rhythm sequence (for example, if the first 5 notes of song one were A,B,C,D,A, the alternate universe might require you to press A,C,D,A,D), differently arranged versions of each song, modified visuals, and different on-screen text. All of the modifications will be done carefully and thoughtfully, in order to create an illusion that the player has entered an alternate universe, close enough to the original to be recognizable as the same, but different enough to be surprising.

Demonstration

Demonstration mode will be an auto-play mode where the player can enjoy watching any of the seven main game songs being played through perfectly. The alternate universe versions will also be watchable upon completion of alternate universe mode. The 8th bonus song will be watchable once the player has played through that song once.

Play Music

In this section, the player can choose to listen to any of the in-game songs at their leisure. The same rules apply for unlockable songs as in Demonstration mode. Title and Credits

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music will be available as well.

Repetitions

This will allow the player to toggle repetitions on or off. When repetitions are off, songs being played will not repeat even if the player misses notes.

Philosophy

In this section the player will be exposed to my take on the philosophy and general essence and concept that this game intends to portray. There will be a text readable version, set in pages which the player can flip through like a book, and also an audio version of the same text, narrated by myself. Upon finishing either the text or audio version of this philosophical explanation, the player will be informed that the 8th bonus level has been unlocked, and it will be playable from this section. Upon completion of alternate universe mode, an alternate version of the 8th song will also become playable from this mode. Once either version has been completed once, it will respectively be unlocked in the Demonstration and Play music sections.

Story

This is a re-iteration of the Artistic Theme section of this document:

“The game will not occupy any time or place in physical reality, but will rely on images and animations, both abstract and concrete, to conjure emotional and mental reactions within the player. As an abstract example, a rainbow coloured array of "laser-like" lines and images that moves/transforms/pulses/etc to the music. A concrete example would be an animation of a simple sprite-based person walking down a path toward the sunset, or ascending the stairs of a tower. To compare it to an existing game in terms of general feel I would choose Journey for the Playstation Network. The game is meant to be a journey in its truest form, evoking a full palette of feelings and emotions, and making the player feel as though they've come "full circle" in the end.”

Hours of gameplay

Each of the seven songs in the main game will be three to five minutes long. Taken as an average of 4 minutes per song, this gives us a 28 minute long main game. Given the repetitive nature of the game, I expect the average player to take anywhere from 2 to 4 times that amount of time on their first playthrough. This gives us a 1 to 2 hours initial playthrough for the average gamer. This may sound like very little “bang” for the playersʼ buck. However, with all of the extra unlockable gameplay modes, the player could easily spend another 1 to 2 hours exploring and completing everything. The meat and potatoes of this game in my mind however is the fact that the music will be so well composed, the graphics will be so fun and attractive, the gameplay will be compelling, the story elements will be provocative and alluring, and the game will overall be executed with a high level of polish, as well as integrity (staying true to the core essence and concept). For this reason, I believe that this game will become timeless of the hearts of players and could be played over and over again, even years down the road, just like any of their other

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favourites.

Victory conditions

When the player passes all seven main game songs, the game is complete.

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Game Flow

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AppendicesMenus

This is a mock-up of the main menu on PC or Mac with everything unlocked. Isnʼt it pretty? :)

Main menu

- Let the journey begin: if the game has been beaten, sends you to the Let the journey begin menu, otherwise begins the main game.- Alternate Universe: if the game has been beaten, sends you to the Alternate Universe menu, otherwise begins Alternate Universe mode.- Demonstration - Sends you to the Demonstration menu.- Play Music - Sends you to the Play Music menu.- Philosophy - Sends you to the Philosophy menu.- Map Buttons - Sends you to the button mapping menu.- Repetitions? - Sends you to the Repetitions? menu.

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Let the journey begin

- Begin Game- Play Song 1- Play Song 2- Play Song 3- Play Song 4- Play Song 5- Play Song 6- Play Song 7

Alternate Universe

- Begin Alternate Universe- Play Song 1- Play Song 2- Play Song 3- Play Song 4- Play Song 5- Play Song 6- Play Song 7

Demonstration

- Play Song 1- Play Song 2- Play Song 3- Play Song 4- Play Song 5- Play Song 6- Play Song 7- Play Song 8 (if it has been played through once already in Philosophy section)- Play Alternate 1 (If Alternate Universe mode has been beaten)- Play Alternate 2 “ “- Play Alternate 3 “ “- Play Alternate 4 “ “- Play Alternate 5 “ “- Play Alternate 6 “ “- Play Alternate 7 “ “- Play Alternate 8 (if it has been played through once already in Philosophy section)

Play Music

- Play Song 1- Play Song 2- Play Song 3

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- Play Song 4- Play Song 5- Play Song 6- Play Song 7- Play Song 8 (if it has been played through once already in Philosophy section)- Play Alternate 1 (If Alternate Universe mode has been beaten)- Play Alternate 2 “ “- Play Alternate 3 “ “- Play Alternate 4 “ “- Play Alternate 5 “ “- Play Alternate 6 “ “- Play Alternate 7 “ “- Play Alternate 8 (if it has been played through once already in Philosophy section)- Play Title song- Play Credits song

Philosophy

- Read- Listen- Play Song 8 (if the philosophy section has been read or listened to all the way through)- Play Alternate 8 (if the philosophy section has been read or listened to all the way through and Alternate Universe mode has been beaten)

Map Buttons

- Two hand (ASKL)- Left Hand (ASDF)- Right Hand (HJKL)- Custom

Repetitions?

- On/Off?

Pause menu

- Resume- Restart Section- Restart Level- Map Buttons- Return to title screen

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Song information

Song 1

Song 1 is intended to feel like embarking on a quest.

Level 1 theme

The background of this level will show a man walking down a path away from the sunrise. As the level progresses the day will progress and the end will show the man walking toward the sunset.

Song 2

Song 2 will have a feeling of struggle and tension, similar to a boss battle in an rpg.

Level 2 theme

The background of this level will show an ancient castle on a cliff next to the sea. There will be an old wooden ship rocking in the water. It will begin raining near the beginning of the song, and a lightning storm will brew, getting progressively worse as the tension in the music is raised. At the end of the song, the tension will relieve, and a strong wind will blow the clouds away.

Song 3

Song 3 will have a slow, pensive feeling.

Level 3 theme

The background in this level will show the blackness of space with stars sparkling. A man will be sitting cross legged in the bottom middle of the screen meditating. As the song progresses, the mans chakras will progressively activate, and at the climax, a ray of light will shoot from his head.

Song 4

Song 4 will have a feeling of optimism with some bitterness mixed in, as though a problem has been overcome, but more lie on the horizon.

Level 4 theme

The background of this level will begin with rainbow vector-graphics showing passage through a black ravine at a very high speed with a white and yellow light at the end which slowly gets brighter. The climax of this song will occur in the middle of it, not toward the end, and at this point the end of the tunnel will end at the view will emerge into a field of white light with a yellow

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extra-dimensional being floating with yellow waves of energy emanating from its body.

Song 5

Song 5 will carry of a feeling of whimsy and playfulness.

Level 5 theme

The art in this level will contain a man walking up a set of black stairs with colourful exuberant graphics dancing about in the background. At first the climb will appear to be a struggle and then almost impossible for the man, and the feeling of the song will reflect this, but toward the end he will find his second wind during the climax of the song and begin to run, skip, and dance up the steps.

Song 6

Song 6 will contain the theme of a victory not quite achieved in the form of a slowly building ballad-style song.

Level 6 theme

This levelʼs background will show a man in the sea swimming toward shore. He will appear to be very tired and struggling very hard. As the song nears its finish the man will slowly show signs of giving up, and as the song completes he will let himself sink.

Song 7

This will be the most tension-filled and stylistically epic song in the game.

Level 7 theme

The background of this song will show a man in a snowy high mountain pass fighting a shadow version of himself. At first he will appear to be fighting a losing fight. As the song progresses, it will begin to show that as the man starts to gain control of the fight and land powerful blows, he is only taking more damage himself. Ultimately, the song and the level will resolve in the manʼs understanding that it was himself that he was fighting. The two halves will become one and the song will stop abruptly and leave only silence. The sun will rise strong in the sky and melt all of the snow very rapidly, and then a massive deluge will wash him away.

Song 8

This is the bonus song and will contain the theme of exuberance and joy; the journey has been made and was successful, and now the protagonist has naught left but to bask in the reward of knowing he was brave enough to have undergone it.

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Level 8 theme

The background of this level will show a bird flying over an ever-changing landscape, showing different scenery with each area that is passed over.

Title menu song

This song will have the theme of a stroll through a forest, with soft notes and subtle emotional cues.

Credits song

The credits song will be quirky and odd, perhaps seemingly meaningless. It asks you a question: what meaning do YOU apply?

Copyright (C) 2013 Erik McLennan – All rights reserved