Management Plan

Design Overview

Problem Statement:

To create a new style of team and class-based multiplayer game that inspires player interest with a simple and appealing aesthetic, unique mechanics and addictive core gameplay. The game must be easy and fun to play, with simple menu and HUD navigation. Core elements should hold intrinsic, entertaining value.

Solution:

A capture the flag style game that draws appeal from the cute design of the player characters, all of whom are imagined creatures with unique abilities and talents. To mix up the stale team-based formula, players must 'grow' their character to become stronger and have a choice as to what they will grow into. The game will be rendered in a bright, stylised shader and a bright, cohesive colour palette.

Risks:

Team has little experience in creating a multiplayer game, must learn how to set up multiplayer programming, menus etc.

Fix: Experiment with multiplayer demos.

Team is not familiar with UDK, will take time to get used to and may result in unforeseen problems

Fix: Team members must get into UDK asap and attempt to familiarise themselves.

Does grow mechanic add anything to the genre? If it doesn't make play more fun, it isn't worth creating.

Fix: Set up simple grow test. Have prototype finished by uni semester start. Proposition of idea to industry members, lecturers and audience.

Will player's enjoy playing as animals? Will it be entertaining or will it distance players from characters?

Fix: Product testing with key audience. Proposition of ideas and concept art to audience.

May take too long to set up and properly balance characters. May not interact properly.

Fix: Attempt to set up 1-2 characters within first two weeks to understand and predict the amount of time needed, as well as potential future problems.

Attacking and moving must be interesting and fun.

Fix: Set up simple movement and attacking demos to see if designing intrinsically fun mechanics is plausible. Have prototype set up before uni semester start.

Players may not behave how we intend them to. There is a lot of room to abuse gameplay in a multiplayer game.

Fix: Goals and rewards must be perfected in order to ensure player's behave as we want them to. Lots of audience testing.

Tasks:

Week 1 ~ 13th - 20th, June:

Andey:

- Download UDK.

- Set up movement and melee attack prototype.

Jacob:

- Download UDK.

- Import animated and textured character into UDK.

John:

- Download UDK.

- Import at least one asset.

- Design work + wiki editing.

Tim:

- Download UDK.

- Set up multiplayer tests.