projects.myvfs.com · Web view1. What is . R.O.Bit? R.O.Bit. is a title for XBLA and PSN where players control a spider-robot who explores a broken, mechanical world. …

Game Design Document for:

R.O.BitBe small in size but HUGE in impact!

All work Copyright ©2012 Vancouver Film School

Written by LiveFire Studios

Isaac Calon, Ryan Cramer, Liam Howell, Grey Jenkins

Version # 3.00

Monday, May 22, 2023

Copyright (C) 2012 Vancouver Film School – All rights reserved

Table of ContentsDESIGN HISTORY___________________________________________________________________7

Version 1.00_____________________________________________________________________7Version 2.00_____________________________________________________________________7Version 2.10_____________________________________________________________________7Version 2.20_____________________________________________________________________7Version 3.00_____________________________________________________________________8

GAME OVERVIEW___________________________________________________________________9

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY______________________________________________________________9

NON-TRADITIONAL ENGAGEMENT________________________________________________________9GAMEPLAY VARIETY___________________________________________________________________9FEEDBACK ON FAILURE________________________________________________________________9A TRUE VERTICAL SLICE_______________________________________________________________9

COMMON QUESTIONS_____________________________________________________________10

1. WHAT IS R.O.BIT?________________________________________________________________102. HOW MANY CHARACTERS DO I CONTROL?_____________________________________________103. WHAT DOES R.O.BIT OFFER THAT I CAN’T FIND ELSEWHERE?_____________________________104. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WORLD?___________________________________________________105. WHAT DO THE R AND THE O STAND FOR?_____________________________________________10

KEY FEATURES____________________________________________________________________11

GAMEPLAY__________________________________________________________________________111. Multi-Perspective Gameplay, 3D Graphics__________________________________112. Vertical and Horizontal Movement__________________________________________113. Varied Gameplay Pace_____________________________________________________114. Guiding the Player__________________________________________________________11

SINGLE-PLAYER GAME____________________________________________________________12

1. Basic Movement and Wall/Ceiling Walking____________________________________122. Tuck into a Ball_______________________________________________________________143. Share Energy_________________________________________________________________164. Shake Objects________________________________________________________________175. Somersault Dash_____________________________________________________________20Story____________________________________________________________________________21

GAMEPLAY OVERVIEW________________________________________________________________21Beat Chart______________________________________________________________________22Play-at-Your-Own-Pace Sections_________________________________________________22Intensity Spikes or Wow Moment Sections_______________________________________22Gameplay Time_________________________________________________________________23Victory Conditions_______________________________________________________________23

CAMERA VIEW_____________________________________________________________________24

1. Third Person (3-D)____________________________________________________________242. Side View (2D)________________________________________________________________243. Cinematic or Custom_________________________________________________________25

THE GAME WORLD________________________________________________________________26

DUST AND RUST_____________________________________________________________________26DARKNESS AND LIGHT________________________________________________________________26THE GODBOT_______________________________________________________________________26

Team LiveFire Page 2 5/22/23R.O.Bit


THE WORLD LAYOUT_________________________________________________________________27DATA DISCS________________________________________________________________________33THE PHYSICAL WORLD________________________________________________________________34

Key Locations___________________________________________________________________34Travel___________________________________________________________________________35Scale____________________________________________________________________________35Objects_________________________________________________________________________37Weather and Time______________________________________________________________37

GAME CHARACTERS_______________________________________________________________38

R.O.Bit__________________________________________________________________________38The GodBot_____________________________________________________________________38Enemies________________________________________________________________________39

CONTROLS_________________________________________________________________________39

Control Layout__________________________________________________________________40GAME INTERFACE - MENUS_______________________________________________________42

SCREEN AND MENU FLOW DIAGRAM____________________________________________________42Main Menu and Credits__________________________________________________________42Pause Screen___________________________________________________________________43

HUD/ON-SCREEN DISPLAYS___________________________________________________________43

MUSICAL SCORE AND SOUND EFFECTS__________________________________________44

Music Design____________________________________________________________________44Sound Design___________________________________________________________________44



Table of FiguresFigure 1 – Basic Movement and Wall Walking............................................................12Figure 2 - Tuck...........................................................................................................14Figure 3 - Share Enegy...............................................................................................16Figure 4 - Shake.........................................................................................................18Figure 5 – Somersault Dash.......................................................................................19Figure 6 - Gameplay Beat Chart.................................................................................21Figure 7 - Third-Person Camera.................................................................................23Figure 8 - Side-View Camera......................................................................................24Figure 9 - Cinematic Camera.....................................................................................24Figure 10 - GodBot.....................................................................................................25Figure 11 - Opening 2D Section.................................................................................26Figure 12 - Section One.............................................................................................27Figure 13 - Section Two.............................................................................................28Figure 14 - The Leg Interior (2D)................................................................................29Figure 15 - Section Three...........................................................................................30Figure 16 - Final Core Overhead................................................................................31Figure 17 - Data Disc locations..................................................................................32Figure 18 - The Desert...............................................................................................33Figure 19 – Mechanical Interiors................................................................................34Figure 20 - Scale........................................................................................................35Figure 21 - The GodBot Scale.....................................................................................35Figure 22 - RayMan: Origins.......................................................................................36Figure 23 - R.O.Bit......................................................................................................37Figure 24 – The GodBot Concept Art..........................................................................38Figure 25 - Xbox 360 Controller Layout......................................................................39Figure 26 - PS3 Controller Layout...............................................................................40Figure 27 - Menu Flows..............................................................................................41Figure 28 - Pause Screen...........................................................................................42



Table of TablesTable 1 - Energy Sources...........................................................................................16Table 2 - Powerable Objects.......................................................................................16Table 3 - Shakeable Objects.......................................................................................18Table 4 - Button Configuration...................................................................................36



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

version of this document is based on when a document is released for feedback/review, or major changes/additions have been made.

Version 1.00Version 1.0 is an expanded version of the original pitch

document, with additions to most mechanics, rappel, share energy, and movement.

Version 2.00Version 2.00 is the first version of the design where a major

revision has been made now that much more is known about the game. After many hours of design, many decisions have been made. Most of these large design decisions are now reflected in this document.

Included in the changes are:

1. Complete list of robots finalized2. Level layouts completed3. Music section finished4. Expanded on the game world5. Tables Added

Version 2.10Version 2.10 has several small changes over that of version 2.00. The key changes are in many of the appendices.

Included in the changes are:

1. Changed game title2. Added “User Interface Appendix”.3. Added “Game Object Properties Appendix”.4. Added Concept Art

Version 2.20Version 2.20 includes basic formatting changes and polish

throughout the writing.



Version 3.00Version 3.00 is the beginning of major updates for Beta to reflect

the changes in design from the beginning of production. Extensive changes were made through many sections. Sections that have been changed have been highlighted in dark blue, like so.

Several sections had content pulled out, and other, smaller sections (like the rappel mechanic) were pulled out entirely due to changes in design. The somersault section was added, and the world layout has been completely redone.



Game OverviewSolitary spider automaton repairs and re-powers the long-dead

creators of his rusting robot civilization.

R.O.Bit is a 3D XBLA and PSN adventure game where the player takes the role of the only active robot on the wreckage of a deactivated and rusting industrial mechanical planet. Your purpose is to use a variety of gameplay mechanics to safely explore the ruins in search of sources of energy and to repair and reactivate the enormous robot master who can surely reverse whatever cataclysm left the world barren.

Design PhilosophyNon-Traditional Engagement

R.O.Bit is a game without combat, enemies, powerups, points, bosses, or even a jump mechanic (though we aren’t hurting for mechanics—please see below). Our goal is to explore the developing so-called “art” game genre and provide an experience that engages the player foremost through controlling an appealing main character and playing out part of an emotional story.

Gameplay Variety

Multiple, simple core mechanics and shifting perspectives work in concert to provide players with interesting gameplay experiences that cannot be found in other games. This variation of core mechanics, the layering of those simple mechanics into greater gameplay variety, and the variation in gameplay intensity will provide a number of different experiences in a single game.

Feedback on Failure

Each core mechanic provides interesting feedback to the player whether it is successful or not. For example, shaking objects that are not meant to be shaken still provides the controller vibration feedback, animation, and dust particle effects to the player. Death and respawning are opportunities to delight the player, rather than punish him.



A True Vertical Slice

Our mission is to provide a true vertical slice of a complete experience that could support a full IP. This includes delivering a depth of high-quality gameplay wrapped in a high-quality story.ith each maintain our

Common Questions1. What is R.O.Bit ?

R.O.Bit is a title for XBLA and PSN where players control a spider-robot who explores a broken, mechanical world.

2. How many characters do I control?

Just one. Players control R.O.Bit, the player character on his quest to repair and power the ancient robot master.

3. What does R.O.Bit offer that I can’t find elsewhere?

A few things.

First, our spider-like protagonist offers unique design possibilities that resulted in interesting core mechanics. Magnetic movement, shaking, and sharing energy provide a twist on the usual mechanics you might see in other games, while providing strong moment-to-moment options for players to keep themselves entertained. When was the last time you could shake things apart as a core part of gameplay?

Second, R.O.Bit`s visuals are unique. The game’s distinct look combines dappled light and shadow, with high detail and visual fidelity in areas of better lighting.

Third, R.O.Bit will not only have no voice, but it will also have no language—not even in the menus. The story of R.O.Bit is told, and the player is taught how to play, without human words or language of any kind.

4. What happened to the world?

Well, you’ll have to play the game to find out—hints to the history of Sententia are scattered throughout the game. We are willing to tell you here that the world was once simultaneously lush and verdant, and technologically very advanced. The robots here lived in perfect harmony with the nature that they cultivated, but some cataclysm



changed all of that. Now, R.O.Bit is the only robot that is currently active on the planet.

5. What do the R and the O stand for?

There’s no language in the game world, so there is no way for players to know, but in our world R.O.Bit stands for Reclamation Ordnance Bit. He is a simple cleaner robot, and part of a much greater whole.

Key FeaturesGameplay

1. Multi-Perspective Gameplay, 3D GraphicsR.O.Bit’s gameplay will be split between three types of cameras.

First, there are two-dimensional sections with aesthetic background and foreground interaction. Second, there are three-dimensional sections with the camera fixed behind and above R.O.Bit. Finally, there are scripted cinematic sections where the camera is fixed to provide a dramatic view of the action.

Please see the Camera View section for more information on cameras in gameplay.2. Vertical and Horizontal MovementThanks to R.O.Bit’s ability to walk on walls and ceilings, the game will feature vertical sections along with the more traditional horizontal sections.

3. Varied Gameplay PaceThe pace of gameplay is organized into two parts. The first part is a play-at-your-own-pace section where you move deeper into a section of the robot master. During the first part you are solving simple environmental puzzles, experimenting with R.O.Bit’s mechanics, and often getting a preview of the now-dormant environmental hazards, like gears and crushing pistons, that become active during the second part.

The second part changes the pace in drastic ways as sections of the GodBot are powered up. This waking is accompanied by the level shifting beneath R.O.Bit’s feet, sweeping changes in lighting, and environmental hazards powering up. It is now R.O.Bit’s job to make it out alive to continue his quest. Please see the Gameplay Overview section for further information on the pace of gameplay.



4. Guiding the PlayerWith no voice or language, R.O.Bit will need to guide the player in other ways.

Colour – Objects with energy will glow #00C9FF —energy can be drawn from these objects. Objects that require energy will glow #FF6103 —energy can be given to these objects.

Light – Shadowy aesthetics provide more contrast with the lit areas. Judicial placing of light will be key in guiding the player around the world.



Single-Player GameOverview1. Basic Movement and Wall/Ceiling WalkingAs a spider-robot with magnetic feet, R.O.Bit can climb over obstacles, up walls, and even cling upside down to the ceiling provided that two conditions are met. First, any surface transition, like a corner where the floor meets the wall, must have an angle relative to the current surface of 30 degrees or less—R.O.Bit is not very flexible and can’t make transitions that are steeper than that. Second, any surface with an angle greater than 45 degrees relative to the downwards force of gravity must be metallic for R.O.Bit to cling to it. Metal surfaces will be obvious to the player based on their texture.

When on the ground, pressing the left joystick in any direction moves R.O.Bit in that direction. The degree that the joystick is pressed provides different degrees of movement speed, and one of two animations will play, either tip-toeing slowly or walking/running more quickly.

R.O.Bit’s ground speed is 1 meter a second, or one R.O.Bit, as he is one meter in length. R.O.Bit’s tip-toe speed is .5 meters a second, while his running speed is 1.5 meters a second.

As R.O.Bit’s perspective changes (as he climbs walls or on ceilings) the controls change, though this change follows a set of rules designed to avoid interrupting the flow of his movement up and around walls and ceilings. Those rules are:

1. The controls remain consistent for as long as you hold the analog stick. So, pressing and holding left to reach a wall, climbing the wall, and then reaching and sticking to the ceiling can all be accomplished with no other inputs other than pressing and holding the analog stick to the left from the original position on the floor/ground.

2. Whenever the left analog stick is not being pressed the system checks to determine R.O.Bit’s orientation.

3. Whenever his orientation is vertical or upside down, a new control scheme is activated where the left analog stick moves R.O.Bit in the direction it is pressed. For example, pressing up or down to move up or down while attached to the wall.



R.O.Bit cannot jump. His vertical movement through the environment is accomplished by climbing walls, somersaulting, or dropping and tucking into a ball to survive the fall.

Figure 1 – Basic Movement and Wall Walking



2. Tuck into a Ball

A major mechanic of gameplay is the player’s ability to tuck into a ball by pressing and holding B. Tucking into a ball allows the player to avoid damage when falling from great heights, and it also protects him from rolling boulders or flying shards of metal that would otherwise kill him. R.O.Bit has some ability to propel himself while in the tucked state, which also allows him to roll down hills and cross large gaps by flying over natural jumps built out of the terrain.

When the player presses and holds B while R.O.Bit is in the air, he quickly retracts into a ball using the “Tuck” animation, which has a play-length of 0.5 seconds. Upon completion of the “Tuck” animation, R.O.Bit enters the Tucked state. R.O.Bit’s base Air Speed is the same as his Walk Speed. While Tucked, the player is unable to change the direction in which R.O.Bit is moving.

While Tucked, R.O.Bit is able to land safely on soft surfaces as long as he is moving at less than 5.0x Air Speed. If he lands on a hard surface with an angle parallel with the bottom of the screen traveling at more than 3.0x Air Speed, R.O.Bit blows up and an Explosion animation occurs with a length of 1.0 seconds, and R.O.Bit dies. During this animation, the player is unable to interact with R.O.Bit. After the animation has played, the Respawn mechanic takes place.

Soft surfaces are surfaces that are non-metallic or stone, such as dirt. Hard surfaces are surfaces that are metallic or stone, such as iron.

When the player releases B while R.O.Bit is in-air, the un-tuck animation plays with a length of 0.25 seconds. During this animation, the player is unable to interact with R.O.Bit and he continues to move through the air at the speed he was traveling. Once the animation is complete, R.O.Bit leaves the Tucked state and returns to the Un-tucked state. In the Un-tucked state, R.O.Bit moves through the air at 0.5 x Gravity (-9.81m/s) x Air Speed. While Un-tucked the player has directional control equal to 1/4 of R.O.bit’s base movement speed while rising or falling.

When R.O.Bit makes safe contact with the ground, and is orientated correctly, a “Ground Un-Tuck” animation with a length of 0.5 seconds occurs. During this animation, the player is unable to interact with R.O.Bit.

When R.O.Bit makes safe contact with the ground and is orientated upside down, a “Wiggle then Un-Tuck” animation with a length of 1.0



seconds occurs. During this animation, the player is unable to interact with R.O.Bit.

When the player presses and holds B while R.O.Bit is on the ground or while Rappelling, the “Tuck” animation plays, immediately followed by the “Ground Un-Tuck” animation.

When the player presses and holds B while R.O.Bit is on a wall, or on a ceiling, the “Tuck” animation plays and R.O.Bit releases from the wall or ceiling and his rotation is changed to be parallel with the ground. Gravity begins to take effect and R.O.Bit is now airborne and falling towards the ground.

Figure 2 - Tuck





3. Share Energy

R.O.Bit can acquire energy through various means throughout the game. He can use this energy in a variety of ways in order to traverse the world. R.O.Bit can carry up to three charges of energy in his internal batteries at a time.

Sources of energy are:

Table 1 - Energy Sources

Energy Source

Number of Uses Amount of Charge

Solar Panel Unlimited Full Charge (3)Battery 1 1 Charge

Players can extract the energy from these sources by approaching them and pressing the Use button. This plays a 0.5 second animation of R.O.Bit plugging himself into the outlet. Following that, players can pull the left trigger to drain the source of its power. This will cause a slight rumble of the controller and an animation of R.O.Bit charging up will play. These animations play for 0.5 seconds for each charge acquired through the source.

Players can then either unplug their power cord by pressing the RB, which will play a 0.5-second animation of R.O.Bit disconnecting himself. Or, for players can walk away while still plugged in, which is the core of our Drag and Rappel mechanics explained in part 5.

R.O.Bit also has the ability to provide objects with energy. Doing so requires players to approach the object and press the Use button which will play the same 0.5 second animation as plugging into power sources. Players can then press the right trigger in order to power up an object. These objects range from aesthetic robots with no effect, to effects required to complete the level. Disconnecting from one of these objects requires you to press the Disconnect Button, which plays a 0.5-second animation of R.O.Bit disconnecting.

Once the robot has completed its purpose, R.O.Bit has the option to withdraw the power that was given, assuming any is left after the Robot completed its task. This is accomplished as if draining a power source.

Table 2 - Powerable Objects

Object # of charg

Use Energy Retriev



es neede

dable?

Functional Lights 1 Lights immediate area N

Aesthetic Lights 1 Become overcharged and pop in

sequence NCheckpoint

Machine 1 Acts as a respawn point if a player dies NLight

Elevator 2 Acts as an elevator to lift or lower players N

Door 1-3 Opens new area NPower Core 3 Activates a GodBot leg or Finishes the

Game N

If a battery or socket is available and has a charge, it will glow #00C9FF. Draining the source also drains the colour from the source, leaving no glow when expended.

When you power up and object, if the energy is retrievable, it will glow the same #00C9FF colour until the energy is drained, then it returns to its static colour.



Figure 3 - Share Enegy

4. Shake Objects

Sententia is covered in rubble and dust. R.O.Bit can climb on top of piles of rubble or latch on to the side of filthy structures and vibrate his entire body. The vibrations will shake apart piles of rubble or shake off the dust of ages for a variety of purposes.

One central mechanic of gameplay is having the player shake objects within the world by pressing and holding Y on an Xbox 360 controller, and triangle on a PS3 controller. These buttons are now known as the Shake Buttons. This shaking has a number of effects.

Shaking apart piles of rubble to reveal what is underneath Shaking dirt/dust off of objects to make them useful to the player

(Ie. solar cells) Shaking walls or support structures to break them down or to shake

objects off of them



Different materials will have different shake times as listed in the table below. While the player is shaking the material, the vibration in the controller gets stronger. There will be a shake animation that is 0.5 seconds long and will repeat until the material has been shaken apart.

Each object has its own animation that is activated when the player starts to shake it. If the player releases the Shake Button before the animation is completed, the effects are reversed, and the animation is reset to its first, inactive frame.

Table 3 - Shakeable Objects

Object Shake Duration (seconds)

Animation

Rubble 1 Sifting/Shake ApartSealed Container 2 Container BreakSolar Panel 3 Dirt Cleaning



Figure 4 - Shake



5. Somersault Dash

Even though the planet has long been dead, Sententia is still a dangerous place for a small robot. In addition to tucking to protect himself, R.O.Bit can also throw himself into a quick forward roll to cross small distances very quickly to get himself out of trouble. The somersault also allows him to cross small chasms provided the target surface is below his starting surface.

Somersaulting works like this.

The player presses the A button on the Xbox 360, or the X button on the PS3.

The somersault animation plays immediately. The first ¼ second of this animation is R.O.Bit leaning back to prepare to spring forward.

The rest of the animation plays and R.O.Bit rolls forwards at double his normal walking speed.

When on the ground, the somersault mechanic sends R.O.Bit five R.O.Bits forward.

If R.O.Bit becomes airborne during the somersault animation—by going over a cliff’s edge or an updwards slope, for example—his momentum continues to carry him forward and downward until he reaches the ground due to gravity.

Figure 5 – Somersault Dash



StorySententia was once the home of an intelligent robotic society. This society somehow settled on the planet and nurtured it into a lush garden world, and the leaders of this society—the GodBots—maintained the plants and weather through technological means. In turn, many other, smaller robots maintained the GodBots—these were the keepers of the GodBots’ mechanical health, just as the GodBots are the keepers of the planet and the civilization.

Sometime later a neighboring star exploded, and the pulse of energy from the explosion acted as a planet-wide electro-magnetic pulse that knocked out every machine and robot in the civilization. The entire society dropped dead in the space of a few heartbeats. Without the GodBots working as the giant caretakers of the planet, the plants were cooked by Sententia’s twin suns and the atmosphere was stripped away. The world became arid and lifeless.

One thousand years after the star exploded, erosion releases a single, simple maintenance robot from a hillside. The spider-like robot tumbles down the hill and lands, against all odds, plug first into a power node with just enough chemical energy left to reactivate the robot’s core processes.

Faced with the impossible task of rebuilding his society from the scraps of one thousand years of neglect, the robot sets out to re-activate the massive robot masters who can surely put the world to rights.

Gameplay Overview

The gameplay in R.O.Bit is often contemplative, with play-at-your-own pace sections filled with exploration, but this pace is interrupted by regular, exciting sections and/or wow moments where the player is revealed some new information (that the game is actually both 2D and 3D, for example) or finds himself in danger.

The pace and overall relative intensity of play increases steadily throughout the game.



Beat Chart

Figure 6 - Gameplay Beat Chart

Play-at-Your-Own-Pace Sections

These sections are characterized by the player exploring the environment, interacting with the objects therein, and figuring out ways to advance past obstacles at the player’s pace. Examples of obstacles in these sections include:

1. Simple piles of rubble that are blocking the path. These piles of rubble can be shaken apart to open the way.

2. Mechanical doorways that require a number of charges of energy to be opened. The player will need to charge his own batteries and carry that energy to the door to activate it.

3. Falls that can only be navigated through a combination of quick somersaults and careful tucking at the right times to avoid being smashed.

Intensity Spikes or Wow Moment Sections

These sections are characterized by higher-intensity, sometimes time-based obstacles that must be overcome for the player to proceed. These obstacles are always deadly. Crushing pistons, rushing conveyor belts, and arcing electricity combine to make these areas extremely dangerous. Examples of obstacles in these sections include:

1. Conveyor belts leading to deadly falls.2. Sections with crushing gears or pistons that must be avoided.



3. Arcing electricity that could electrocute R.O.Bit.

Gameplay Time

The single-player experience in R.O.Bit will last an average of 5-10 minutes. An inexperienced player may find it takes up to 15 minutes to complete. A speed run of R.O.Bit by an experienced player will take 5 minutes.

Victory Conditions

By reactivating the GodBot’s central core a player can finish the game. This event is accompanied with an end cinematic.



Camera ViewR.O.Bit uses a dynamic camera that changes depending on the gameplay circumstance. This camera provides the player with the appropriate view for the gameplay and heightens the impact of key wow moments. The default camera is a standard third-person camera attached above and behind the player. Triggers in the environment will cause cameras to transition between standard side-view, third-person view, or custom cinematic camera views based on the designers’ decisions.

1. Third Person (3-D)The default camera is a third-person camera which provides the player with greater forward vision and side-to-side (x- and z-axis) movement. The camera follows the player from a distance of four R.O.Bits behind and two R.O.Bits above, looking forward over R.O.Bit’s back at an angle of -15 degrees.

Moving the right analog stick will cause R.O.Bit’s head to move in the corresponding direction as the camera turns in that direction to a maximum of 20 degrees. The camera will also turn slightly (20 degrees) in that direction.

Figure 7 - Third-Person Camera

2. Side View (2D)



For the side-scrolling sections a side-view camera will be utilized. This camera will track the player, keeping R.O.Bit centered within middle third of the screen. The camera’s distance from the player can be tweaked by the gameplay designer, but the player character will generally fill the center 10% of the screen.

Figure 8 - Side-View Camera

3. Cinematic or Custom

For wow moments or areas that require unique camera angles, the designer can set up a custom cinematic camera. These cameras can have static focal points or track with the player, and can also be wide shots or close-ups.



Figure 9 - Cinematic Camera

The Game WorldSententia is a world of cracked, lifeless deserts and sprawling mechanical cities. For centuries, there has been nothing here but dust, wind, storms, and rust. Each feature of the game world works with the others to inform all decisions regarding level design.

Dust and Rust

Sententia is covered with the sand, dust, and rust resulting from ages of inactivity. Drifts of reddish sand cover long-lost relics. This feeds directly into the core mechanics, with R.O.Bit navigating this sometimes treacherous terrain, removing the grime where he must and reinvigorating the “dead.”

Darkness and Light

The sky is a roiling black cloud that the suns only occasionally pierce—there is a lot of darkness on Sententia. This lack of light informs the aesthetics throughout the game, where light provides high detail and contrast.



The GodBot

Much of the game takes place inside of the rusted hulk of an ancient robot master of R.O.Bit’s civilization. The nature of these interior areas—purely mechanical but somewhat anatomical; semi-functional but invaded by the dirt and dust from the outside world—informs our level design and our visuals.


Figure 10 - GodBot

The World Layout

The following pages contain paper layouts for all of R.O.Bit.

Figure 11 - Opening 2D Section



Figure 12 - Section One


Figure 13 - Section Two



Figure 14 - The Leg Interior (2D)



Figure 15 - Section Three



Figure 16 - Final Core Overhead


Data Discs

Data discs are collectibles hidden away in the game world. There are six of them, and each is meant to reward exploration and provide backstory by unlocking short 8–10 second cinematics. These cinematics can be viewed through the pause screen. Please see the Pause Screen section for more information.

Figure 17 - Data Disc locations


The Physical World

Key Locations

Figure 18 - The Desert

The Cargo Bots and the Desert

This first section of the game leads the player through a series of simple obstacles by first demonstrating how each can be overcome. This tutorial section teaches the player how to use their various mechanics, and this slower-paced gameplay is offset by surprise moments (the reveal that the game isn’t strictly 2D, and sudden, dangerous sections where the environment becomes the enemy). The game starts in an interior 2D cargo bot section before moving to a 3D exterior desert and another interior 3D cargo bot section.

The Canyon, Caves, and the Leg

The second section has R.O.Bit using the mechanics he learned in section 1 to avoid more dangers in both 3D and 2D sections. The section starts with R.O.Bit crossing falling rock bridges over a canyon, then entering the leg of the GodBot, powering it up in 3D, and then escaping the crushing machinery through a 2D section.

The Slope, The Dome, and the GodBot Core

The third and final section of the game introduces obstacles that require the use of all of R.O.Bit’s abilities to overcome. The section starts with R.O.Bit rolling down a long slope while avoiding obstacles so his momentum will carry him over a deep canyon to the GodBot dome. He then enters the dome and works his way down to the central power



core through the most dangerous sections in the game. The game ends when R.O.Bit reactivates the GodBot’s central core and the final cinematic plays.

Figure 19 – Mechanical Interiors

Travel

Travel through Sententia is handled on a local scale—the player travels through the world of the game inherently as part of progressing through the levels. The player cannot revisit levels that have previously been completed.

Scale

R.O.Bit is measured in meters. R.O.Bit is approximately 1 meter long by 0.75 meters tall.



Figure 20 - Scale

Figure 21 - The GodBot Scale



Objects

There are several interactive objects that can be found in the world. Please see the Share Energy and Shake Objects sections for a complete list of objects.

Weather and Time

While the sounds of distant thunder and wind can be heard during exterior areas, the only gameplay affect from weather is that the cloud cover that provides the dappled light in exterior areas will change how the game looks. Much of the game is dark, though it maintains visual fidelity and detail in areas with light, like when the light from the suns pass through the cloud cover.

An example of the visual effect of the cloud cover can be seen in the figure below, where the right side of the Rayman: Origins screenshot has bold colours and detail where it is lit.

Figure 22 - RayMan: Origins

There is no day/night cycle in R.O.Bit.



Game CharactersR.O.BitR.O.Bit is a small, spider-like robot. He has the ability to shake objects, share power, and somersault over short distances or stay tucked to roll longer distances where speed and momentum are required (or just more fun). Before the events which caused all of the robots to become powered down, he was in a symbiotic relationship with the GodBot. The GodBot took care of the world, and in return, R.O.Bit was one of thousands of other robots that maintained the GodBot.

Figure 23 - R.O.Bit

R.O.Bit is stuck in a hillside for a thousand years before being released through erosion. He tumbles down the hill and lands, plug first, into a socket that has just enough power to re-activate his core processes. He finds that he is now alone. He continues with his original programming—to repair the GodBot, but has never before experienced anything on this scale.

The GodBotThe GodBot is at times an enemy of circumstance, part of the environment, and its reactivation is also the ultimate goal of the game. During the cinematics, however, we learn that it is also a character, though a non-playable one.



The GodBot is a 500-metre-tall walking, intelligent, terraforming greenhouse. There may once have been a few dozen of these behemoths on Sententia, but R.O.Bit’s story deals only with one.

Figure 24 – The GodBot Concept Art

EnemiesR.O.Bit has no enemies. The only obstacles to players are the environments and some very simple puzzles.

ControlsR.O.Bit’s controls are complex at-a-glance, but each mechanic is activated through the use of a single button. These single-button mechanics build on each other to form complex gameplay scenarios.

The controls for both versions of the game are identical except for the differences in the names of the buttons for their respective systems.

Table 4 - Button Configuration

Action 360 Button PS3 Button



Move Up Left Analog Stick Left Analog StickMove Down Left Analog Stick Left Analog StickMove Left Left Analog Stick Left Analog Stick

Move Right Left Analog Stick Left Analog StickRotate / Look Right Analog Stick Right Analog Stick

Shake Y XPlug In / Use / Share

Energy X SquareTuck B Circle

Somersault A TrianglePause Game Start StartSelect Menu A X

Control Layout

Figure 25 - Xbox 360 Controller Layout



Figure 26 - PS3 Controller Layout



Game Interface - MenusScreen and Menu Flow Diagram

Figure 27 - Menu Flows

Because we have no voice or language in R.O.Bit and to better support our goals of immersion we will have no traditional title screen—it would serve no purpose. Rather, the player will move immediately to the opening cinematic after the required legal screens.

With one game type and no words or language (outside of the credits), R.O.Bit’s game interface will be as simple as possible. As a short game that can be played through in a single setting there is no need for save files. R.O.Bit has several mechanics, though each is activated with a single button, and there are seldom any punishments for player experimentation with his character’s abilities. As a result, there should be little reason to modify the controller settings, though we will provide a basic toggle on the pause screen to invert or revert the camera look.

All menu options will be icons.

Main Menu and Credits

The main menu screen, below, has two buttons. The first is the giant play button that launches the game, and the second launches the Credits screen. The credits screen will contain full, written information



about the team and our collaborators. These menus are detailed below in the wireframes.

Pause Screen

The pause menu is very simple, with only the teal play button, and the red stop button, yellow circles for each of the cinematic data discs that the player has found, and the green arrows for toggling inverted look controls.

Pressing play returns to the game-in-progress. Pressing the stop button quits the game. Pressing the arrows toggles the inverted look on and off, and pressing any of the yellow circles plays the associated short cinematic.

Figure 28 - Pause Screen

HUD/On-Screen Displays

With no score, inventory, mini-map, or variable health—R.O.Bit is either living or dead—R.O.Bit has no in-game HUD. However, the rows of lights running along R.O.Bit’s body prominently display the number of charges of energy he is carrying, between zero and four.



Musical Score and Sound Effects

OverviewThere will be no voice or language in R.O.Bit, so the narrative will be entirely visual or auditory without any human dialog or text. The music will be subtle for much of the game. This will provide more emphasis on the many sound effects as R.O.Bit scuttles through Sententia and reactivates the world around him.

Music DesignThe music in R.O.Bit will primarily need to build mood.

Certain sections of the game will be slower-paced and focused on exploration. These sections will feature subtle music with a strong emphasis on loneliness, bleak environments, and a hint of hopefulness as the player overcomes obstacles to approach his goals. Solo piano, subtle classical strings, or a combination, might be good for creating the kind of mood we are looking for in these sections.

Here are some examples of the type of music that could work in these sections.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtvRuS5HrYk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXScGeEvgYg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcXXpssBFVM

Other sections will be faster-paced, with environmental hazards and mechanical sections of the GodBot coming alive. These sections will feature electronic music that emphasizes the danger and pace of the gameplay.

Here are some examples of the type of music that could work in these sections.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0FwEmUycYI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_ZkMPJeNGQ

http://music.biggiantcircles.com/track/faster-than-light-unused

Sound DesignThe sound effects need to illustrate that the world has a history. Everything is rusty, dusty, and well-worn after centuries of neglect and exposure to the elements. The environment is harsh, with stone and metal making up most of the environment. Our hero, and the robots who share his home, are all made of metal. There will be lots of sharp sound effects as a result.

Please see the R.O.Bit_SoundAssetList document for a full list of music and sound effects in the game, and a proposed implementation schedule for those assets.


http://music.biggiantcircles.com/track/faster-than-light-unused

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_ZkMPJeNGQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0FwEmUycYI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcXXpssBFVM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXScGeEvgYg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtvRuS5HrYk

Documents

projects.myvfs.com · Web view1. What is . R.O.Bit? R.O.Bit. is a title for XBLA and PSN where players control a spider-robot who explores a broken, mechanical world. …