GDD: Game Design Doc

Game Design Document for:

Change the world with every Bounce!

Written by Team Wakeless Christopher Franklin Joseph

Nicholas Yonge Jennifer Chuu

Ryan Pelcz Lisa Trac

All work Copyright ©2010 Vancouver Film School

Version # 3.00 Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Copyright (C) 2010 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved

Team Wakeless Page 2 9/22/2010 Ginkgo

Table of Contents DESIGN HISTORY ______________________________________________________________________ 5

Version 3.00 (Latest Version) ______________________________________________________ 5 Version 2.10 ______________________________________________________________________ 5 Version 2.00 ______________________________________________________________________ 5 Version 1.20 ______________________________________________________________________ 5 Version 1.10 ______________________________________________________________________ 5 Version 1.00 ______________________________________________________________________ 5

GAME OVERVIEW ______________________________________________________________________ 6

HIGH CONCEPT ________________________________________________________________________ 6 PHILOSOPHY __________________________________________________________________________ 7

Simple but Effective, Like a Bouncy Ball _________________________________________________ 7 Reflection of Our World _____________________________________________________________ 7 Bringing Hand-Drawn Paintings to Interactivity __________________________________________ 8 Unspoken in a Universal Language ____________________________________________________ 8

COMMON QUESTIONS ___________________________________________________________________ 9 What is the game? _________________________________________________________________ 9 Why create this game? ______________________________________________________________ 9 Where does the game take place? _____________________________________________________ 9 What do I control? _________________________________________________________________ 9 How many characters do I control? ____________________________________________________ 9 What are the Goals/Objectives of the game? ___________________________________________ 10 What is the main focus? ____________________________________________________________ 10 What’s different? _________________________________________________________________ 10 Where did the word “Ginkgo” come from? _____________________________________________ 10 Why a One Button Gaming Experience? _______________________________________________ 10

USER INTERFACE - CONTROLS ___________________________________________________________ 11

In-Game Controls _________________________________________________________________ 11 Menu Navigation _________________________________________________________________ 11

DETAILED MOVEMENTS & NAVIGATION __________________________________________________ 12

FEATURE SET _________________________________________________________________________ 13

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS ___________________________________________________________________ 13 FEATURE DETAILS _____________________________________________________________________ 14

Bounce As You Go _______________________________________________________________ 14 One Button Game ________________________________________________________________ 16 Environmental Transitions __________________________________________________________ 18 Infected Enemies __________________________________________________________________ 21

SINGLE-PLAYER GAME _________________________________________________________________ 27

OVERVIEW __________________________________________________________________________ 27 Making a Difference, One Bounce at a Time ____________________________________________ 27



Bouncy Ball Mayhem ______________________________________________________________ 27 Story ___________________________________________________________________________ 28

DETAILED WALKTHROUGH _______________________________________________________________ 30 Level 1 __________________________________________________________________________ 30 Level 2 (Part 1) ___________________________________________________________________ 31 Level 2 (Part 2) ___________________________________________________________________ 32 Beat Chart _______________________________________________________________________ 33 Minutes of Gameplay ______________________________________________________________ 33 Victory Conditions _________________________________________________________________ 33

VISUAL STYLE ________________________________________________________________________ 34

CAMERA ____________________________________________________________________________ 35

THE GAME WORLD ____________________________________________________________________ 36

OVERVIEW __________________________________________________________________________ 36 Optimizing the Bounce _____________________________________________________________ 36

THE WORLD LAYOUT ___________________________________________________________________ 37 Level Division ____________________________________________________________________ 37

THE PHYSICAL WORLD __________________________________________________________________ 38 Key Locations ____________________________________________________________________ 38 Travel __________________________________________________________________________ 38 Scale ___________________________________________________________________________ 38 Objects _________________________________________________________________________ 39

GAME CHARACTERS ___________________________________________________________________ 40

OVERVIEW __________________________________________________________________________ 40 Main Character ___________________________________________________________________ 40 NPC Characters ___________________________________________________________________ 41 Enemies _________________________________________________________________________ 41

GAME INTERFACE - MENUS _____________________________________________________________ 42

SCREEN FLOW DIAGRAM _________________________________________________________________ 42 HUD/ON SCREEN DISPLAYS ______________________________________________________________ 43

Main Menu ______________________________________________________________________ 43 Options Screen ___________________________________________________________________ 43 Chapter Select Screen ______________________________________________________________ 44 Credits Screen ____________________________________________________________________ 44 Stat Screen ______________________________________________________________________ 45 HUD ____________________________________________________________________________ 45

WIREFRAMES ________________________________________________________________________ 46 Main Menu ______________________________________________________________________ 46 Options Menu ____________________________________________________________________ 47 Chapters ________________________________________________________________________ 48 Credits __________________________________________________________________________ 49 Stat Screen ______________________________________________________________________ 50 Loading Screen ___________________________________________________________________ 51



HUD ____________________________________________________________________________ 51

MUSICAL SCORES AND SOUND EFFECTS ___________________________________________________ 52

MUSIC _____________________________________________________________________________ 52 SOUND DESIGN _______________________________________________________________________ 52

APPENDICES _________________________________________________________________________ 53

OBJECTS APPENDIX ____________________________________________________________________ 53 PREVIOUS LEVEL PLANS APPENDIX __________________________________________________________ 60 COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS APPENDIX _________________________________________________________ 62



Design History Below is a list of the different versions of this detailed design document, where it states what major components of the document have been completed. Further versions were integrated as changes were made from reviewing and revising.

Note: The list begins with the newest updated version to the very first draft at the end.

Version 3.00 (Latest Version) • Updated Version of document after Production & NO more changes made in the design:

o Created new diagrams & updated entire document on final design o Revised feature details

Version 2.10

• Document Complete for Pre-Pro: o Added details to Game World and Level Layout o Added details for Bounce and Stomp Features o Wireframes integrated o Revised Side Camera

Version 2.00

• Revision of Scope: o 3 Enemies reduced to 1 (see Revised Section under Decaying Enemies) o Deflated and Inflated States have been combined o Navigation diagrams redone to match revised concept

Version 1.20

• Added major components consisting of: o Filled out Boss section under Decaying Enemies Feature Details o Main Menu flowchart added

Version 1.10

• Added major components consisting of: o Diagrams under User Controls for further details o Added Decaying Enemies under Feature details, with diagrams & variables tables o Filled out Single Player Game section o Visual Style section added

Version 1.00 • First Draft including:

o Game Overview completed o User Controls done o Revised Feature Set



Game Overview

High Concept

Change the world with every Bounce! Ginkgo is a 2.5D platformer one-button game, where you play as Ginkgo the cute fuzzy rodent who has to save the Tree of Eternity and all that dwell in the valley from the evil pollen that has fallen there, using its bouncing ability. Upon activating Ginkgo's kickbounce by kicking off when they contact a surface, the player can reach inaccessible areas, break barriers and defeat enemies. Infected enemies will try to inflict damage in order to stop Ginkgo, but can be defeated by bouncing or kickbouncing on the enemy's tar tattoo. On defeating enemies, saving revival flowers, and shatter infected breakable blocks, the world will transform back to life around Ginkgo. The game is set in Acoulia, which has been infected by a sinister pollen leading to decay. The player has to utilize their bouncing ability to shatter tar shells containing revival flowers, defeat enemies and break infected stone blocks to restore life to the Tree of Seasons, mother creator of all that live in the valley.



Philosophy

Simple but Effective, Like a Bouncy Ball

The concept of Ginkgo formed by constructing our game around a fun mechanic that could be used endlessly, which can create infinite scenarios that would implement the mechanic for further development. The core mechanic had to have an unpredictable quality to it as well as some aspect that would allow the player to further improve their skills as they gain experience. We tossed many ideas revolving around how we could make the standard jump mechanic, overused in so many games since it is so much fun, into something with more depth which came to the concept of bouncing. Giving the player the control of a bouncy main character opened a lot of opportunities to design concepts to utilize that mechanic.

The bounce mechanic has similar properties of a bouncy ball, such as being able to bounce off any surface (whether it be the ceiling, floor or walls). We added a meta-game within it so that the player would have a chance to gain additional altitude, if they timed their button presses correctly.

Reflection of Our World

As in many games, there is always some sort of hidden message that players pick up, whether it was intended by the developers or just by accident. Our game is implying that even the smallest thing can make a big difference in the world. Ginkgo is but a small insignificant being compared to the sheer size of the Tree of Seasons, which the world they live in revolves around.

The Ginkgo world is infected by this evil pollen making everything decay and leaving tar residue everywhere, representing the air and water pollution as well as the recent oil spill in the ocean. Although Ginkgo is small, it is determined to restore the valley back to its former glory from the infectious decay coming from an evil pollen invasion. The player must collect seeds (implying planting trees) and rescue revival flowers (representing spreading pollen to create new plants) to save the Tree (mother Earth), implying the pollution in the human world can be dealt with by any one of us to clean up our world alongside with Ginkgo’s world.



Bringing Hand-Drawn Paintings to Interactivity

Ever imagined what it would be like to jump into a painting and interact with everything in it? In our game, we had a very distinct visual style we wanted to create, which was inspired by the amazing artwork coming from our Lead Artist. The visuals were similar to acrylic paintings, where each brush stroke has its place in the overall painting to create the entire masterpiece. It is a very unique art style that we wanted our fantastical Ginkgo world to have, especially since our Artist is drawing up all the character concepts and everything else that lives in this realm.

Unspoken in a Universal Language

We wanted to develop a game where there were no associations with humans at all, so it ensured that the world we created remained fantastical in its own realm far from ours. This exterminates any use of dialogue and prevents any language barriers for the game. Our team wanted the emotions of our characters to be seen on their expressions and behaviors, so they would feel creature-like with a soul of its own. Some things do not need words to be understood, such as a look in the eyes. The simplest of gestures that the creatures make can say a lot more than uttering out a whole dialogue. It is a way of communicating on the most primitive level that makes it a universal language.



Common Questions

What is the game?

Play as a bouncy furry rodent named Ginkgo to cleanse the world from an evil pollen that has fallen upon the land by using its bouncing abilities. Ginkgo must utilize its bouncing ability to platform through the intricate environment layout and reach where infected enemies are located. Defeating enemies by bouncing onto their tar-stained tattoo, or shattering tar shells containing revival flowers, or breaking infected stone blockades will revive the area around it, and in turn the world.

Why create this game?

We wanted to create a game that is fun and memorable, while easy to pick up and play with its simple controls. The platforming aspect of Ginkgo is laid out in a way to work intricately with the bounce mechanic that would allow players the freedom to bounce around, with similar-like properties of a bouncy ball. The visuals have a huge impact on drawing the audience in to play because of its painted art style that gives the incentive of interacting within a dynamic artistic masterpiece. The Ginkgo world represented how small things can have a huge impact on reawakening the world, since the main character is bringing the decayed and decrepit land back into its flourishing glorious self.

Where does the game take place?

The game revolves around the base of a spiraling hill, where a Ginkgo tree sits on top. The surroundings are very organic and appear decaying because of the sinister pollen that has infected the land. There are tangling tree roots, small rocky ledges, and cavern-like burrows that encompass the pathway to the tree, which the player must overcome to get to their final destination. As the player cleanses the land, the environments will return to its former vibrantly luscious state.

What do I control?

The player takes control of a bouncy furry rodent named Ginkgo, who has the ability to bounce as its primary navigation. While contacting a solid surface, the player can activate their kickbounce ability which helps propel them across the many well-laid out platforms and defeat their foes to get to their final goal.

How many characters do I control?

Ginkgo is the only character that the player takes control of, hence the name of the game. This is primarily a single player game where we intend the player to learn the power of Ginkgo’s bounce ability and utilize that to its fullest potential to achieve its goals. There will be NPCs that they can interact with, once enemies are reverted back to their friendly states.



What are the Goals/Objectives of the game? The overall objective of Ginkgo is to save the Tree of Seasons, which is the mother creator of all the living beings in the world including the main character. The way to save the Tree is to save revival flowers, break blockades, and by defeating decaying enemies who have been infected by the evil pollen. Ginkgo must use their bounce or kickbounce ability on the enemy's tattoo to defeat them, kickbouncing on the tar-stained tattoo on blockades, and bounce onto tar shells containing revival flowers, which revives a section of the world. While maneuvering through the world, Ginkgo is guided by hovering seeds.

What is the main focus? Our bouncy furry rodent must make full use of their bounce ability to maneuver through the decaying lifeless environments and bring it all back to life. Ginkgo must gain height by executing a kickbounce to platform higher to their final goal of ridding the world of the infectious sinister pollen. This reflects the world we live in and the contamination that has been inflicted on it, but can be dealt with.

What’s different? Many games use the jump ability to perform platforming, but in our game we are using a bouncing mechanic which has a meta-game within itself that allows the player to regain their bounce height. Bouncing is like continuously jumping but has less air control than regular jumping. Allowing the player the opportunity to have more air control by repeatedly tapping the one button, adds a fun tension when players are trying to get that last inch to reach the next platform.

Where did the word “Ginkgo” come from? Our main character got its name from the Tree it was born from, the Ginkgo Tree. The leaves growing from the protagonist’s ears and tail are the same leaves that grow on that tree. It is a visually representation that shows the connection that the character has with the Ginkgo Tree and why they would go to such lengths to save it from the sinister pollen.

Why a One Button Gaming Experience? We wanted our game to be simple in the control scheme so as to appeal to a bigger audience, as well as a quick learning experience. This allows us to further tweak the bouncing movement so it's fun and feels natural to the player. More ideas were tossed around for laying out various scenarios to challenge the player and ultimately develop their reaction skills.



User Interface - Controls In-Game Controls

Below is a diagram layout of how the control scheme works for an in-game session. We wanted to keep the controls to a minimum for an easy pick up and play.

Button Input Affect on Character Left Analog Stick Moves Ginkgo Left or Right

Special Case – Pulling Down will make Ginkgo come to a standstill (for players who want a break from Bouncing)

A Button Press to make Ginkgo perform a KickBounce - only when contacting a solid surface Special Case – While in mid-air, tap repeatedly to get more air control.

Start button Brings up the Pause Menu

Menu Navigation

Our menu system will be interactive with dynamic images in place of static buttons, which helps guide the player between each screen. It will have quick easy access to a new game, within one button press. Button Input Navigation Left Analog Stick Navigation A Accept B Back



Detailed Movements & Navigation



Feature Set

Feature Highlights

• Bounce As You Go – Forget walking everywhere! Navigate through the world with

Ginkgo's constant bouncing ability. It's like constantly jumping, but you can bounce off any solid surface. Dribble Ginkgo through hollowed out trees and low ceilinged tunnels. Use this ability to maneuver through the decrepit world and bring it back to life.

• One Button Game – Simple controls for easy pick up and play. Other than the use of the analog stick to move Ginkgo left or right, the game only uses one button for player interaction. The (A) button is all you need to know!

o KickBounce – Can't reach a platform? No worries, pressing the (A) button when Ginkgo comes into contact with any solid surface, will make Ginkgo perform a KickBounce which will make them bounce higher to cover more distance as well as platform to inaccessible areas. This ability will allow Ginkgo to defeat enemies in one shot by kickbouncing off their tar-stained tattoo.

o Air Control - Having second thoughts on whether to make that landing? Can't seem to turn back quick enough? Repeatedly tap the (A) button when Ginkgo is in mid-air, to make Ginkgo puff-up and gain more air control while slowing the pace of the game.

• Environmental Transformations – The once vibrant and lush valley is now reduced to a dark and brooding land. In the quest to revive the Tree of Seasons, Ginkgo will need to rescue revival flowers, break blockades, and defeat enemies to rid the tar pollen out of the world.

o Revival Flowers – You don't need Claratin for this! Shatter tar shells holding these revival flowers captive by bouncing onto them, which will let these flowers spread good pollen to revive the surrounding flora.

o Infected Blockades – Stone blocks infected with the tar pollen have a tar-stained tattoo on them. Breaking these with your kickbounce ability will open the pathway for advancement.

• Infected Enemies – The evil pollen has affected all creatures of the valley and they now

stand in your path while you try to restore the Tree of Seasons. Each enemy has a specific attack that it uses and affects the way you play. Avoid the sharp horns of the rams, dodge the explosive tar bombs thrown by the scorpions, and watch out for the spiked shell of the turtles. There is a tar-stained tattoo on every enemy to indicate its weak spot that Ginkgo must bounce or kickbounce onto to relieve the creature from the evil pollen infecting it.



Feature Details

Note: Variables that are tunable are outlined in square brackets “[ x ]” for future balancing.

Bounce As You Go

Overview

• Ginkgo has the ability to bounce off of any solid surface in the game world.

• They cannot bounce off of or in water, but will immediately drown.

• Our protagonist is constantly bouncing at a set minimum height.

• There is a maximum bounce height that the player will not be able to exceed.

True Angles

• When coming into contact with any solid surface, Ginkgo will bounce off in the direction of the angle of reflection.

Wall Bouncing

• When encountering two walls closely placed together, Ginkgo can bounce back and forth between surfaces, which help them bounce through vertical tunnels.

• Pressing the (A) button when colliding with the wall, will send them bouncing off in the direction of the angle of reflection.



• This also applies to horizontal low-ceilinged tunnels, where Ginkgo is dribbled through and also makes them gain velocity, which can launch Ginkgo higher when they reach the tunnel exit.

Need a Break from Bouncing?

• Pulling down on the left analog stick, will make Ginkgo's bouncing gradually decay and skid to a stop within [1.5] seconds.

• If Ginkgo is moving left or right while the analog stick is pulled down, they will continue skidding in that direction until they come to a complete stop.

• They will remain sitting down until the player presses the (A) button, which will make them resume their bouncing at their minimum bounce height.

Adjustable Variables for further Balancing Bounce

Minimum Bounce Height Maximum Bounce Height Bounce Height Increase Increments [160] units [560] units [150] units



One Button Game

Overview

• We wanted a simple control scheme that would allow anybody to pick up and play.

• The use of one button for the player to use, enables a fast learning experience and challenges the player to time their button presses at the right moments.

• Layering multiple uses on the one button adds more depth to the button, which in turn adds more depth to the abilities that Ginkgo has.

KickBouncing

• The main mechanic of the game is Ginkgo's ability to kickbounce by pressing the (A) button when they are coming into contact with a solid surface, which increases the bounce height for that bounce.

• Pressing the (A) button when Ginkgo is within [50] units to a solid surface, will make them perform a kickbounce. Pressing the button when not within the window, will not make Ginkgo perform a kickbounce.

• If kickbounces are performed in succession, the additional height is increased by [150] units added to their last bounce height.

• There is no limit to the amount of kickbounces that can be performed, but there is a maximum bounce height.

• If the player continues performing kickbounces when they have already reached the max height, they will retain the same height until they miss a kickbounce.

• When a kickbounce has been performed and the player fails to successfully perform another kickbounce, Ginkgo will lose altitude in their height until they reach their minimum bounce height or perform another kickbounce.

• Uses for KickBouncing:

o Kickbouncing off of the tattoo of an enemy will instantly defeat them.

o Kickbouncing off of breakable blockades will shatter them, allowing advancement.

o Gain height to reach higher platforms as well as wall bounce vertical tunnels.



Air Control

• Repeatedly Tapping the (A) button in quick succession while Ginkgo is in mid-air, will give them more air control as well as slow down time during the repetitive tapping.

• Ginkgo puffs up every time the (A) button is repetitively tapped to indicate they are in this state.

• If the player stops tapping the button, Ginkgo will normally proceed to bounce in real time.

Adjustable Variables for further Balancing KickBounce & Air Control

X-axis Velocity Overall Max Height KickBounce Window Air Control > [500] units/s [1500] units in altitude

from last landing position within [50] units to solid surface [10] %



Environmental Transitions

Overview

• The game world of Ginkgo is designed around two ultimate goals:

o Utilizing the game's gameplay mechanics in unique, fun and challenging ways.

o Visually delivering the game's artistic style in a fantastic and immersive style.

• Though level design will be fairly linear in terms of gameplay, exploration will be emphasized through small side-passages and hard-to-reach platforms, giving the world variety.

• Finally, the level transformations that occur when the player defeats enemies will have the world itself show the player the progress they are making.

Level Design for Gameplay

• Ginkgo's main game mechanic is the player's ability to bounce. The game's level design will reflect this mechanic by giving the player several unique and challenging situations in which to use it.

• Verticality and moving from different level s of height will be a large part of the world's design.

• The player will develop skills in properly using his bouncing ability to best obstacles such as wide gaps, steep hills and thin platforms while exploring the world.

Implementing the Artistic Style

• As the visuals of Ginkgo are one of the game's key elements, the level designer will have to work closely with the artist and 3D modeler to ensure that the game's assets are properly created to maximize the game's visual appeal.

• Highest priority will be in main player-interaction objects like ramps, walls, ceilings and other objects that would directly affect the player.

• Lower priorities would belong to objects like ambient flowers and grass, and would be implemented into the world on the second pass, after all high-priority objects have been inserted and tested.



Transitions

• The world of Ginkgo takes place in two states: dying and living.

• The goal of the player is to convert the world from dying to living.

• As the player does this, the player will visually see, real-time, the world around them revert from a decrepit rotting forest to a lush, vibrant jungle.

• This will be attained by two major methods:

Material instance changing. The materials on most flora and creatures in the world will be swapped for a substitute. Initially, they will be mostly gray, brown and other bleak colors and tones. Once the world transforms, the materials will be swapped for other instances of materials that apply to the same static mesh, but are much more vibrant and colorful. This will represent the return of "life" to the static mesh.

Particle Systems. Glowing particles systems will appear at the base of objects as they begin to transform, covering the object in an angelic glow while the material is changing.

• These, coupled with audio cues, will give the player clear indication when a transition is occurring.



Revival Flowers

• These flowers are trapped within a tar web-like shell, containing the good pollen from spreading.

• Ginkgo can break these shells by bouncing into it, which shatters it and frees the revival flower.

• The immediate surrounding area will transform back to its lush flourishing state.

• Most of these are placed in the direct path of the player, but others are placed in hidden areas.

• The current count of revival flowers that the player rescues will be displayed on the HUD, and later on the end game screen that shows the completion rate of the level.

Breakable Blockades

• These infected blocks of stone will have a similar tattoo visible on the enemies weak points.

• This helps indicate that the player can kickbounce on this spot to interact with it, which will break it apart.

• Upon breaking the blockade, the immediate area will be revived back to life.

• These will not be displayed on the HUD, but featured on the end game screen.



Infected Enemies

Overview

• These infected creatures are the main threats that are causing the world to wither under the infectious pollen that has befallen the valley.

• There are three main enemies that the player will encounter, which include: a melee ram, a ranged scorpion, and a spiky turtle.

• The enemies are spread out across the level, strategically placed so as to guide the player through the level since Ginkgo must defeat them to advance further in the level.

• Each enemy has its own type of attack coherent with their creature attributes.

• To defeat them, Ginkgo must bounce on top of their tattoo a set number of times or perform a kickbounce to instantly defeat them.

Ram (Melee - Horizontal)

Introduction to Ram • Enemy charges and breaks down breakable block when the player bounces close to the block,

they see firsthand that this creature is dangerous.

• Infected root barrier grows up behind the ram, showing the path is blocked off until the ram is defeated. Gates the player until they rid the evil pollen infecting this creature.

Ram's Attack Cycle • Whenever player is in the ram's line of sight around [800] units in front of it, the ram will reel

back on its hind legs to warn the player that it will begin its attack cycle.

• Then the ram charges forward until it reaches the edge of its boundary, which is represented by the walls of the small ditch that it runs in.

• The enemy stops at the border, stamps its front feet and shakes its head for a duration of [2] seconds to indicate it has been slightly stunned.

• After it turns around and charges back to its initial position, at which point will play this stun animation again before turning around and remaining stationary.

• This will activate its line of sight trigger again. So if the player is in its line of sight at this point, the ram will begin its attack cycle again.

• The ram is a horizontal moving enemy that must be avoided on the horizontal plane.



Player's Death • If the player collides with the tips of the ram's horns when the enemy is at the peak of its reeling

up animation, Ginkgo dies.

• If the player collides with the tips of the ram's horn when the enemy is charging, Ginkgo dies.

• Any other collision with the horns when the ram is not in these states, will not affect Ginkgo.

Defeating Ram • A tattoo is shown on the enemy's back to indicate its weak point.

• The player must bounce [6] times or kickbounce once on this tattoo to defeat them.

• A kickbounce performed after regularly bouncing on the ram's weak point will still defeat it, but will not have any benefits.

• Having 2 variations on how to defeat the enemy, allows both beginners and advanced players to progress through without changing much of the initial enemy design.

• Once defeated, the root barrier will be restored with life and retreat back into the ground, opening up the path to continue.

Tunable Variables for Balancing Ram

Health Charge Distance Charge Speed Line of Sight Duration between Switching Charging Directions

[6] bounces OR [1] kickbounce

[1000] units [250] units/s [800] units [2] seconds



Scorpion (Range - Vertical)

Introduction to Scorpion • When the player approaches the giant hollow tree where the scorpion is perched, the enemy

unburies from its burrowed state on the tree's side facing the player.

• An infected root barricade grows up from the ground right below the scorpion enemy, blocking advancement until the scorpion is defeated.

Scorpion's Attack Cycle • There are [2] target points that the enemy will attack in a sequence, indicated by tar puddles

marked on the ground.

• The scorpion will begin by spawning a spiky tar bomb on its tail, which it will throw at the first target point furthest from them. Then continue with spawning another tar bomb to toss at the second target point.

• The spiky tar bomb projectile will travel in an arc pattern, around [400] units/second. When the bomb collides with a solid surface, it will explode on impact. Each bomb can only either collide with the tar puddle on the ground or the player if they get in the way, since they will not fly off-course.

• After each bomb is tossed, they burrow back into the wall regardless whether their bombs hit their target points.

• They stay burrowed for a duration of [2.5] seconds before they unburrow and start their attack sequence again.

• The scorpion is a vertical ranged enemy, which challenges them to dodge the incoming bombs.

Player's Death • If the player collides with a thrown tar bomb, Ginkgo dies.

• If the player collides with a spiky tar bomb in the process of spawning on the scorpion's tail, Ginkgo dies.

• Collision with any other part of the scorpion or the tar puddles, will not affect Ginkgo.



Defeating Scorpion • A tar-stained tattoo is shown on the back of the scorpion.

• The player must bounce [3] times or kickbounce once on this tattoo to defeat them. In order to do this, they must wall bounce to collide with the wall-perched scorpion.

• A kickbounce performed after regularly bouncing on the scorpion's weak point will still defeat it, but will not have any benefits.

• Having 2 variations on how to defeat the enemy, allows both beginners and advanced players to progress through without changing much of the initial enemy design.

• Once defeated, the root barrier will be restored with life and retreat back into the ground, opening up the path to continue.

Tunable Variables for Balancing Scorpion

Health Tar Bomb Speed Duration during Burrowed State before Next Attack Sequence

Number of Target Points

[3] bounces OR [1] kickbounce

[400] units/s [2.5] seconds [2]



Turtle (Melee - Static)

Introduction to Turtle • When the player encounters the first water area, they will see the turtle's spiky-shell floating on

the surface, displaying the dangerous part of the enemy to the player first so they are aware of it.

• In order to platform across the water area since Ginkgo cannot swim, they will need to defeat the turtle to advance.

Turtle's Attack Cycle • The turtle will begin in its vulnerable state with its belly facing up (exception for the first

encounter), and will play a waddle animation after a set delay from when the player first sees the turtle on screen.

• After the [0.5] second waddle warning, the turtle will flip over into its dangerous state with its spikes facing up.

• After being in this dangerous state for around [2] seconds, the turtle will waddle and flip over into its vulnerable state again. This process will keep resuming until the turtle is defeated.

• This turtle enemy is a static rotating danger, which challenges the player to time and aim their kickbounce right to platform safely off the vulnerable side of the turtle. Having a slight delay before flipping over onto its dangerous side when encountering a turtle enemy, allows only advanced players, who do not hesitate, to speed bounce their way through. If the player hesitates to make that bounce, they will have to wait until the turtles flips over into its vulnerable state again.

Player's Death • If the player collides with the spiky shell part of the turtle, Ginkgo dies.

• If the player ends up in the water, they will immediate die.

• If the player collides with the side of the shell while it's in the flipping over state, Ginkgo dies.



Defeating Turtle • A tar-stained tattoo is shown on the belly of the turtle.

• The player must bounce [1] time or kickbounce once on this tattoo to defeat them.

• This is the only enemy that can be defeated in just one bounce, since there is enough danger with its water environment already. The turtle serves as a platform once defeated.

Tunable Variables for Balancing Turtle

Health Duration in Dangerous State

Duration in Vulnerable State

Duration of Waddle Warning before Flipping Over

[1] bounce OR [1] kickbounce

[2] seconds [1.5] seconds [0.5] seconds

Transitioning out of Decay

• Upon being defeated, the immediate surrounding area is reverted back to life.

• Each enemy will transition from their dark sinister look to a vibrant friendly appearance and become alive again.

• Upon being revived, these creatures will be the NPCs that the player can interact with. Kickbouncing off of them at this point, will make them play a surprised animation.

Ram

Scorpion

Turtle



Single-Player Game

Overview

Ginkgo is a single player game experience, where the player will feel they are having an impact on this world no matter how small they are. Every region will transition from its decaying state back to its vibrant liveliness whenever the player rids it from the decaying enemies. This game will also give the player the experience of how it would feel to be a bouncy ball, with a few add-on qualities for continuous bouncing. Even the story of how the Ginkgo world came to be drives the audience to keep playing.

Making a Difference, One Bounce at a Time Making this a single player experience, allows the player to feel they are empowered to make a difference in this game world, no matter their size or number. The player will feel they are controlling a special character that was blessed with this ability to bounce around. Every bounce makes a difference in the world. It's as simple as that.

Bouncy Ball Mayhem We avoided using any co-op experience for this vertical slice section, with the fact that having multiple bouncy-ball-characters colliding with each other would add a ton more work to implement that. The physics required for two or more bouncy-ball-like characters would be too much to incorporate for this vertical slice of a game. Besides, having just one character with bouncy ball qualities to it is fun experimenting all the different things they can do with this ability.



Story

Acoulia, the legendary land of the east is a beautiful forest full of life where the seasons are controlled by the Tree of Seasons.

A little Ginkgo growing on the Ginkgo Tree is almost ripe and has been watching the land, unable to wait to enter and live in the beautiful forest of

Acoulia.

Ginkgo is woken up by a melancholy tune. This tune comes from a gigantic flying Ocarina creature that has a dark pollen forest on its back.

The Ocarina creature then flies into a rain cloud and the pollen from its back turns the rain black. All of Acoulia then gets infected because of this rain. Forests decay, animals become hostile and begin to attack each other.

Ginkgo witnesses all of this while the Ginkgo tree begins to decay. Ginkgo then wiggles out from the fruit and is the only survivor from the Ginkgo Tree.

Ginkgo enters the infected world and finds a way to restore the world using its bouncing ability. At this moment Ocarina is building a nest on the Tree of

Seasons located at the center of Acoulia.

Ginkgo travels through the forest to the pond and across the pond to the mountains. Ginkgo brings life back not just to the land, but also cures the

infected forest snake king, water guardian and the mountain builder.



On Ginkgo’s way, the song that comes from the Ocarina becomes more sad and more emotional.

Ginkgo finally arrives at the Tree of Seasons and bounces its way up to the Ocarina’s nest.

Ocarina comes from the far West and is now ready to lay her eggs here, since there’s no more trees in the West world for Ocarina to build a nest

there. The trees had all burned down because of the Flaming Bugs.

Ocarina’s pollen has all been washed off in the rain, rendering her weak and tired from flying over this foreign land. After she gives birth to a single egg,

she dies and the song of the Ocarina slowly fades away.

When Ginkgo rids the evil pollen on the Tree of Seasons, Acoulia has been fully cured. Then arrives where Ocarina’s nest is.

Ginkgo falls asleep while watching the small Ocarina hatch. When Ginkgo wakes up, it looks down and sees its in the sky, floating over the West world

of Banslenut. Ginkgo is being carried by the small Ocarina.

Ginkgo sees bright dancing lights in the sky. As they approach closer, they see there are many Ocarinas in the sky fighting the hazard threatening their

world, the Flaming Bugs!



Detailed Walkthrough Level 1

1. The player begins by traversing on small heighted platforms, which then proceeds into angled slopes to teach the player angle bouncing.

2. This then ascends slightly higher staircase platforms that are split by a river flowing through, but the water is blocked off by a piece of driftwood so the player does not die. This introduces that water is dangerous by blocking it off from the player by the driftwood.

3. The first revival flower the player encounters, which is in their direct path so they bounce into it and causes the reviving of their surroundings.

4. More angle bouncing with higher heighted platforms, rewarded with another revival flower. A standing hollowed out tree introduces the player to wall bouncing to get to the next ledge.

5. At this point, there are a whole bunch of stacked-up mushrooms that provide several ways to get to the next ledge. This tests the players skills on wall bouncing and aiming their kickbounce right. If they decide to go left, they are rewarded with a revival flower. Otherwise, they can just continue on to the next portion.

6. Entering rocky terrain, there is a breakable blockade wedged between the rock faces. Upon breaking this with a kickbounce on its tattoo, the immediate area around is revived.

7. Bouncing down cavernous tunnels and reaching an underground room with another revival flower. After the surrounding mushrooms are revived and providing light with their luminescent glow, the level ends with a stat screen transitioning in.



Level 2 (Part 1) 1. The player starts off under the roots of a tree and bounce their way up a narrow staircase to

their first encounter with a ram enemy, which breaks through a fallen statue when the player is close to it.

2. After defeating the ram, they see the infected roots revert and retreat into the ground enabling the path to their encounter with the turtle enemy.

3. Upon defeating the turtle, the player is able to hop across the water area and discover a spinning cube with a ram running inside, chasing a fruit. When kickbouncing off the cube to maneuver up to the next platform, they witness a fruit falling onto the tattoo of the ram running inside which reverts it back to a docile creature.

4. The player is rewarded with a revival flower and bounces along to a small water section that requires them to platform on a lily pad to get across.

5. This is where the player sees something on the side of a giant hollow tree as they approach it. Suddenly, their path is blocked off by infected roots growing up as a scorpion unburies itself from the side of the tree.

6. Avoiding the tar bombs tossed down and bouncing into its tattoo, defeats the scorpion and opens up their path to wall bouncing up the giant hollow tree.

7. The player can continue wall bouncing up to collect more seeds OR they can continue on to the right. Taking the right path, leads the player to giant leaves they can platform off of and rewards the player with a revival flower.

8. After bouncing back up to terrain, they encounter another ram. Upon defeat, a leaf platform uncurls into the foreground allowing the player to platform on it, which will then have a large piece of driftwood fall down and held up by dangling vines attached to it.

9. Platforming up onto more leaf platforms will lead the player to another scorpion enemy. Defeating it will allow them to wall bounce up to a revival flower and leading them to a leap of faith off of a goat waterfall.



Level 2 (Part 2)

1. After following a trail of seeds in the leap of faith, the player lands on a bunch of lily pads that break their fall. They can go left to find more seeds or continue right to face turtle enemies.

2. Timing their kickbounces to defeat the turtles and platforming across lily pad platforms, all the while avoiding falling into the water. They will eventually reach land and a revival flower.

3. Facing two spinning cubes now, and testing the skills of the player to get across these moving platforms.

4. After they encounter a broken rotating sunwheel and another spinning cube, yet again testing their advanced platforming skills and rewarded with a revival flower when accomplished.

5. Bouncing down to a giant cavernous area with a breakable block wedged between 2 rock faces.

6. Breaking this will make the water below rise from the water pouring in from the dragon head statues that were holding the blockade.

7. The player must now use all their skills they learned and platform their way up the crystal cave before the water level reaches them.

8. Upon bursting through the opening to land again, their surroundings are immediately reviving back to life and the level ends.



Beat Chart

Minutes of Gameplay We are aiming for a game experience of a maximum of 5 minutes for our industry presentation. However, for the full game experience we are planning to have approximately 15 minutes for the player to play through from the beginning and learning all the mechanics that make up the game, to encountering enemies and overcoming advanced platforming.

Victory Conditions The overall goal of the game is to save the Tree of Seasons and repel the evil pollen that has been decaying the valley. For this vertical slice section we are developing of the whole game, the main goal for the player is to revive the surrounding area back to life from its decrepit state. To achieve this, they must defeat infected enemies, rescue revival flowers, and break infected blockades which will each revive their immediate surroundings back to life.



Visual Style The visual style for the game will resemble acrylic paintings.

Example of Environment Visuals for Beginning of Game

The visuals will begin all gritty and saturated from its colors of life.

Example of Environment Visuals for when Life is Restored

The environments will transition back to bright luscious colors when the player rids that region of the evil pollen that has infected it.



Camera The camera view for our game will be from a 2.5D side view perspective, where the player will be

restricted on one plane but also showing the depth of the world. The camera will follow the player as they move about in the world, always keeping Ginkgo in the very centre of the screen.

In-Game Camera View

The camera view is from a 2.5D camera perspective.



The Game World

Overview The world of Ginkgo is designed to be a fantastic, surreal experience, both in terms of visuals and

gameplay. The art style has an abstracted watercolor look to it, with vibrant color hues and wide brushed visual strokes. (For examples of the game’s visual style, refer to the Ginkgo Art Bible.)

Optimizing the Bounce

The game world is designed around the game’s core mechanic: bouncing and kickbouncing. As such, verticality will be prevalent in level design, allowing the player to heavily utilize the bounce mechanic to “reach new heights”. To keep the player from escaping the level, the game will be generally built into a valley-like area, surrounding the player with impassable walls.



The World Layout

Level Division The game world will feature many platforms consisting of organic environment props. Most of these platforms will be rocks, tree branches, tree roots, flat mushroom tops, and other large plants that have leaves as platforms. There will be 2 main areas in our game, which are the tutorial area and the main gameplay area.

For further details, refer to the Detailed Walkthrough.

• Tutorial – This area consists of short platform heights to introduce the player to the bounce mechanic. There will not be any potential danger featured here. Mainly, introducing the reviving of the environments by rescuing revival flowers and shattering infected blockades.

• Main Gameplay Area – This is where the main gameplay experience is, where bouncing is put to the challenge as well as facing enemies and water. The area will feature more complex platforming as well as moving platforms that calls for advanced gameplay.



The Physical World

The world will be very organic and full of a diverse variety of flora, which all appear in dark grayish tones with reddish tints to emphasize the decaying appearance of the world. The state of the game world is represented by the colors of the environments, which also ultimately resembles the state of the Tree of Seasons. Once revived, the flora will be restored to bright greens and other lively colors.

Key Locations

• Tutorial (Origin) – The tutorial area is where the player will initially start to learn all the basic skills they need throughout the game, this includes kickbouncing, angle bouncing, and wall bouncing. This area is the shorter than the other since we want the player to enter the main gameplay area as soon as possible so they may master their bouncing skills.

• Main Gameplay Area – This is the longest part of our game which will have the most platforming elements as well as all the enemies that need to be defeated for advancing further.

Travel Ginkgo will be mainly moving through the world by bouncing on their behind to get to higher places. The level will be laid out in a way to challenge the player as they progress through to their final destination. The layout will guide the player through using lighting cues and well placed static meshes.

Scale The scale of the world will be represented with our main character. Using Ginkgo as reference, everything in the game world will be scaled in accordance to it. Some environment assets will be scaled larger to show the mere size of Ginkgo compared to the game world.



Objects We want the décor of the game world to be as organic as possible with addition to adding

platforming elements with these plants.

There will only be two types of objects that can be interacted with that actually has an effect on the environment, which are the revival flowers and breakable blocks. Breaking tar shells holding the revival flowers as well as shattering breakable blocks will revive the near area.

Revival Flowers

• These flowers are held captive in tar-like shells, which the player must break by bouncing onto them.

• Upon breaking it, the flowers' good pollen will spread out and revive the surrounding flora.

• Most of these are in the path of the player, but some are placed at hard to reach areas that require advanced kickbouncing to get to.

Breakable Blockades

• These infected blocks of stone will have a similar tattoo visible on the enemies weak points.

• This helps indicate that the player can kickbounce on this spot to interact with it, which will break it apart.

• Upon breaking the blockade, the immediate area will be revived back to life.

Below is a list of all the props that the player can directly interact with in the game. For a longer objects list and further details, refer to the Objects Appendix.

• Seeds - The hovering seeds that can be collected are mainly used to lead the player through the level and will appear on the end game stat screen. These will not have any direct affect on the environment.

• Lily Pads - Another key object in the game is the lily pad, which acts as a platform for Ginkgo to get across water since they cannot swim.

• Hollow Trees - Vertical or horizontally lain hollowed out logs with open ends for exits can be wall bounced off of or tunnel bounced through.

• Giant Vine Leaves - Platforming off of these leaves will cause the leaf to slightly sway.

• Flat Mushroom Tops - Use the flat-tops to platform off of to higher places.

• Spinning Cubes - Stone cube blocks that spin around for moving platforming, powered by a hungry ram.

• Sunwheel - A rotating stone sun statue, used for advanced moving platforming.



Game Characters

Overview

All the characters that inhabit this world have fantasy-like qualities to them and are all creatures. We wanted to stay away from adding any form of human presence in the game and make every creature feel organic as if they were born from the Tree of Eternity.

Main Character

Our bouncy fuzzy rodent named Ginkgo is the main protagonist in our game. It has a cute furry appearance with leaves growing on its head (representing its ears) and tail, to indicate the organic quality of our character and how they are connected with all that surrounds them.



NPC Characters

The NPCs in our game will only appear after the player restores the enemies to its former friendly selves. The player can witness them coming back to life from their infected state when they knock the tar pollen out of them. Once revived, these creatures will continue on their business before they were infected.

• All the creatures are inhabitants of the valley and all came from the Tree of Eternity. • Everything in the valley has a connection with one another as well as the vegetation that sprouts

from the earth. • Being infected by the pollen turned practically everything it touched into decaying lifeless beings.

Enemies

For further details on each of the three enemies that the player encounters, refer to the Infected Enemies section under Feature Details.

• There are 3 enemies overall, each enemy has its own type of attack which challenges the player in different ways.

• The enemies were once docile creatures of the valley, which were infected by the evil pollen contamination and turned into evil attacking fiends.

• The colors of their decayed form are very contrasting to the vibrant hues of their original form, to emphasize the major difference between life and decay.

Character Scale Diagram



Game Interface - Menus

Screen Flow Diagram

Ginkgo’s user interface will be rendered in oriental water color art style. The entire menu system will comprise of a single image and each section will occupy a part of it. On clicking a link, the image will pan in an animated style to its respective place.

One way

Two wayStart

VFS Presents

TITLE

Main Menu

New Game

EXIT

Credits Options

GAME

Screen Resolution Gamma Enable Auto-

Slowmo

End Game Stat Screen

Continue ToNext Level

Pop-Up Screen(Game Instructions)

Loading Screen

VFS Copyrights

Quitto

MainMenu

Chapter Select

SelectChapter



HUD/On Screen Displays

Main Menu

Options Screen



Chapter Select Screen

Credits Screen



Stat Screen

HUD

Displayed in the bottom left corner of the screen.

Icon fills up according to the percentage out of the total number in the level has been collected.



Wireframes

Main Menu

1. Logo (Title of Game)

2. New Game - On Ginkgo's tail leaf, clicking this button transitions into a "Loading Screen" and plays the intro watercolor cinematic, which will then transition into the game at the end of the intro.

3. Ginkgo Image - Picture of Ginkgo looking at the dangling branch of leaves.

4. Branch Image - A branch hanging down, dangling leaves with each of the options buttons on it.

5. Chapters - Fading transition into the "Chapter Select" screen.

6. Options - Fading transition into the "Options Menu" screen.

7. Credits - Fading transition into the "Credits" screen.

8. Exit - Fading transition to black, then fades into the VFS copyright screen and fades out to exit.

9. Background Texture - Watercolor art style on beige parchment paper with a border outline.

10. Trademark and Copyright information.



Options Menu

1. Options (Title of Screen)

2. Ginkgos Image - Leaves decorating the leftmost side with 3 branches extended out with sleeping Ginkgos on them, except for a single Ginkgo on the middle branch that is awake.

3. Falling Leaves - Half transparent leaves panning down as if falling.

4. Screen Resolution - List of different screen resolutions that the player can choose to fit their screen. The highlighted glowing selection is the one currently selected.

5. Gamma - A slider that controls the brightness of the game, which can be adjusted by the player.

6. Auto Slowmotion - A checked checkbox that enables the automatic slowmotion when the player revives a part of the world, which can be checked off so that the player can do speed runs.

7. Back - Clicking on this button performs a fading transition back into the "Main Menu" screen.





Chapters

1. Chapters (Title of Screen)

2. Ginkgo in a Seed Image - An image of giant seed dangling from the top of the screen with a Ginkgo curled up inside sleeping.

3. Chapter One - An image of a seed hanging from the top of the screen with a text button below. When clicked on, the seed image transitions through images of a Ginkgo hatching out of it and falling out of the pod. This then goes to a loading screen before entering the first level.

4. Chapter Two - An image of a seed hanging from the top of the screen with a text button below. When clicked on, the seed image transitions through images of a Ginkgo hatching out of it and falling out of the pod. This then goes to a loading screen before entering the second level.

5. Back- Clicking on this button performs a fading transition back into the "Main Menu" screen.





Credits

1. Credits (Title of Screen)

2. Giant Ginkgo Tree - An image of a gigantic tree that Ginkgo was born from.

3. Ginkgo's Afterlife Cycle - Images of a Ginkgo that buries itself in the ground when it dies, showing that it grows a whole new Ginkgo tree. Starting new cycles for more Ginkgos.

4. Credits Scrolling - Fades in each screen of the entire credit list: starting with a screen for each member of the team, then the 3D & animation collaborators, onto another screen with thanking the mentors & instructors, and ending with special thanks to individuals (parents, friends, etc) our team members would like to thank. Returns to the "Main Menu" once all credits are shown.

5. Back- Clicking on this button performs a fading transition back into the "Main Menu" screen.





Stat Screen

1. Statistics Border - Tangle of watercolor vines entwining, forming a border for the statistics.

2. Seeds - An icon of a seed with a count of how many seeds the player collected throughout the level out of the total seed count.

3. Revival Flowers - An icon of a revival flower with a count of how many revival flowers the player saved throughout the level out of the total flower count.

4. Completion - Displays the percentage of the level has been completed.

5. Time - Displays the time it took for the player to reach the end of the level.

6. Kick Bounces - Displays the number of kickbounces the player performed in the level.

7. Total Bounces - Displays the number of regular bounces the player performed in the level.

8. Main Menu - Pressing the (B) button will bring the player back to the "Main Menu" screen.

9. Continue - Pressing the (A) button will load in the next level.

10. Background Texture - Watercolor art style on beige parchment paper with images of some environment plants decorating the bottom corners of the screen.



Loading Screen

1. Loading - The word loading with the 3 dots after fading in and out, one after another.

2. Ginkgo Bouncing - A little Ginkgo character bouncing up and down.

3. Black Screen - A black background, making the text and image stand out.

HUD

1. Seeds - The current count of seeds collected inside the seed icon with a slight opacity to the fill. The full opacity will be filled in layer by layer after each seed is collected.

2. Revival Flowers - The current count of revival flowers rescued inside the flower icon with a slight opacity to the fill. The full opacity will be filled in layer by layer after each flower is saved.

3. Game Screen - The game area full-screen.



Musical Scores and Sound Effects

Music There will be at least 3 to 4 musical pieces featured in our game as well as many sound effects for in-game and menu buttons. The menu will have a fantasy-like musical score to go along with the watercolor-like UI, with earthly wilderness sound effects for transitions between menus. The in-game gameplay will have the most diverse music selection since we want one for the platforming aspect, one for enemy encounters, and another for the boss battle. This will heighten the change of the situation for the player so they can react accordingly.

Sound Design We will be outsourcing our sound effects from the Sound Design students. Our music will be done by our Audio Lead, which will have a happy melodic tone with orchestral pieces in it. The audio aspect of our game will compliment the visual style and transition well between tracks depending on the player’s situation.

The team wanted some very organic sounds to emphasize the liveliness of the game world. There will be ambient sounds of waterfalls, splashes, creaking of wood, as well as soft thumps for movement along the dirt-covered ground.

Our main character Ginkgo will have the most sound effects since the player will be controlling it, so a diverse selection of footsteps as bounce sounds will help stray away from repetitive sounds. The scorpion enemies will have insect-like roars with crab-like scuttling movement. Even for the sticky bomb exploding, there will not be a standard explosion sound but closer to an organic watermelon-like cracked open sound.



APPENDICES

Objects Appendix Below is a table consisting of all the props we have in our game.

For further details, check out the Ginkgo’s Art Bible.

Asset Object Type Description

Grass Bunches

Decorative

Different shoots of grass that are scattered throughout the world. Some have fruit growing from their tips.

Flat Mushrooms

Platformable Decorative

These mushrooms come in various sizes and grow stacked on top of each other. The larger of the bunch can be used as a platform.

Red Cap Mushrooms

Decorative

Several variations of these mushrooms will be used to decorate cavern-like areas as well as alongside hollowed out trees.

Firefly Mushrooms

Decorative

Once revived, these mushrooms will give off a glow that lights up the environment.



Tomato Drop

(Fruits) Decorative

Mainly growing from the pipe branches, as a food source for all creatures. Some creatures will go to great lengths to have a taste of this succulent fruit.

Mint Fern Leaves

Decorative

These thin-stemmed wavy leaves grow in tight bunches, which acts as dense brush that obscures whatever lies behind it. Some creatures use this as a hiding place.

Mint Fern Flowers

Decorative

Flowers that bloom from corn-like stalks, which eventually grow out leaves. Despite its thin stalk, it's very sturdy and can support a great deal of leaves.

Pipe Branches

Decorative

Branches that grow out of one another, eventually end up forming a massive tangled structure.

Wax Paper Leaves

Decorative

Don’t be fooled by their wax paper-like appearance, for these leaves are very sturdy and cannot be torn apart easily. They grow out of the ends of the pipe branches.

Spring Flowers

Decorative The age of these flowers are displayed by the number of coils its stem has.



Fluffy Fern Decorative

Don't be fooled by its needle-like stems. It's actually very soft and fluffy to take a nap in.

Watermelon Cactuses

Decorative Protected by their spiky leaves, these water-filled plants grow in small clumps.

Green Fan Leaves

Decorative

Clover leaves that grow almost anywhere. Great for using as an umbrella for rainy days or a fan on hot days.

Angel Thorn Flowers

Decorative

Only in the infected state, do these flowers have thorns on them to show the hostility. Once revived, the thorns fall off and their leaves turn feathery soft.

Spherical Coral

Decorative These bulbous plants hold delicious seeds in their thick-skinned pods.

Cone-shaped Coral

Decorative Thin-leaved cone plants contain sweet nectar at their center.



Driftwood Platformable Decorative

Pieces of broken wood fallen from the hollowed out trees that can be used to platform off of.

Standing Hollow Tree


Hollowed out over ages, this sturdy tree still stands tall. Used for wall bouncing up.

Fallen Hollow Tree


Logs that have been hollowed out and can be used as a tunnel with broken ends for several exits.

Giant Vine Plants


Massive entwining vines that grow in closely interwoven stalks to provide support for one another.

Giant Front Curling Leaf


Giant leaves that grow on the vine plants, which curl outwards whenever the sun is out.



Giant Side Curling Leaf


Giant leaves that grow on the vine plants, which curls out sideways for accessible platforming.

Palm Tree Decorative

These flat-leafed palm trees grow facing the sun to get the optimal absorption of sunlight energy.

Dangling Vines

Decorative

Many modular pieces of vines that can be put together to form long chains of vines. Used for holding up platforms with real physics.

Roots Decorative

Several curling/winding shapes that can be modularly put together to form various root orientations.

Lily Pads Platformable Decorative

Floating lily pads that can be used to platform off of. Despite their flat surface, they can hold weights 100 times heavier than itself.



Tar Shells Breakable

These shells of tar webs encompass the revival flowers, containing the good pollen from spreading. Bounce into them to break them apart.

Scorpion Rocks

Hint Decorative

Deceptive rocks that look like burrowed scorpions. Clusters of these is where the scorpion hides to blend in with its environment.

Dragon Head Statue

Decorative

Ancient remnants left behind from a previous civilization unknown to the Ginkgo kind.

Horse Statue

Decorative Gigantic statue of a horse that has water flowing as its mane and tail.

Goat Head Statue


Pieces of rock that crumbled away, revealing a secret way through goat's mouth where a waterfall runs through.



Sun Wheel Platformable Decorative

A crying sunwheel that keeps spinning because it fell from the sky. Introduces advanced platforming on moving angled edges.

Spinning Cube


Weather worn spinning cube with a tread inside, powered by a ram who so desperately wants to eat the fruit growing from the plants inside. A Ginkgo's life cycle is depicted on the sides, forever marked in history.

Breakable Blocks

Breakable Platformable

Infected stone blocks that bear the same tar-stained tattoo as enemies to indicate wear to kickbounce in order to break it.

Lotus Checkpoints

Checkpoint

Marks major checkpoints in the game, by blooming open when Ginkgo bounces past these stone flowers.

Crystal Bunches

Decorative Translucent vibrant crystal bunches growing in cavern-like areas.



Previous Level Plans Appendix





Competitive Analysis Appendix

Competitors Competitor’s Features Our Features Our Advantages

Lumi

- 2D platformer

- attract or repulse character from red or blue balls of energy, use them to propel to other platforms

- collect fireflies to feed plants which bring light back into the darkened world

- 2.5D platformer

- time your kickbounces to maximize your height & distance to platform

- collect seeds, rescue revival flowers, defeat enemies to bring life back into the decrepit decaying world

The natural feeling of impacting the ground for propelling Ginkgo into a higher bounce is easy to apprehend when to press the button, since it uses the same fundamentals of jumping which has been in games for a long time.

Reviving our world requires direct interaction with the evil itself, such as breaking tar shells containing the good pollen from spreading.


Furry Legends

- 2D platformer

- control 3 furballs who each have a special ability (speed dash, slow time, break stone walls)

-roll & jump your way through the levels

-aim your slamming attack at enemies

- collect diamonds & tokens for rewards

- 2.5D platformer

- control a furry rodent who has ability to bounce, kickbounce, & air control

- bounce across platformed levels

- aim your bounce to defeat enemies

-collect seeds & rescue revival flowers

In Ginkgo, the player does not have to worry about switching characters to perform a certain ability since it has all their abilities upfront and available.

Our protagonist is continuously bouncing, which has a meta-game within it. The player will need to time their kickbounces at the right moment to be rewarded with that extra height boost, to help them platform through the levels.




Super Mario Bros.

- time your jumps accordingly to platform

- jump on top of enemies to defeat them

- collect coins & break blocks by jumping into them

- End Game Screen is displayed to show the level of completion

- time your kickbounces right to platform

- bounce onto the tattoo of enemies to defeat them

- collects seeds, rescue revival flowers, defeat enemies, & break infected blocks

- end game stat screen to show level progress

Ginkgo is on a quest to revive their world after an evil pollen that has befallen the valley, which has a direct connection to the pollution in our world and sending out the message to take action and help restore it.

Defeating enemies in our game do not actually kill them, but rid the tar pollen from the creatures and reverting them back to their docile friendly selves.


de Blob

- pick up colors and paint the world to earn points and rebel against authority

- bounce up buildings using specially-placed bouncing panels, letting the player ascend the tallest of buildings

- use your abilities to revive the world, vanquishing the infectious pollen

- bounce anywhere, anytime to reach the unreachable, giving a sense of verticality to exploration

Instead of simply adding color to the world, give life to it. Visible results of your efforts include evil forest creatures turning friendly or dead flora reviving and flourishing.

Ginkgo does not use special areas for localized bouncing, but allows the player to choose when and where to bounce high, letting the player choose what to explore.



To Be Continued?

Documents

GDD: Game Design Doc