Snake Hunt Game Design Document

FINAL YEAR PROJECT (FYP)

GAME DESIGN DOCUMENT

SNAKE HUNT

ANALOG VERSION

NAME STUDENT ID

MARZIE ZANIS 108034

DIANA WEE 107990

ILLAWARRA 102305

GOH WAN YEE 102270

YEO WEE KIANG 107863

SNAKE HUNT - THE BOARD GAMEGAME DESIGN DOCUMENTFINAL YEAR PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Title Page-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.1 Introduction to SNAKE – THE BOARD GAME 3

2. Set Up------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2.1 Setup Procedure 4

3. Documentation-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

3.1 Ideation Process 5

3.2 Iterations

3.2.1 Iteration Process One 7

3.2.2 Iteration Process Two 8

3.2.3 Iteration Process Three 9

3.2.4 Iteration Process Four 11

3.2.5 Iteration Five 14

4. Game Overview---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15

4.1 Game Concept

4.2 Asset List

4.3 Target Audience and Rationale

5. Gameplay and Mechanics-------------------------------------------------------------- 16

5.1 Gameplay

5.1.1 Objectives

5.1.2 Play flow

5.2 Mechanics

6. Appendix------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17


1 SNAKE HUNT – THE BOARD GAME

1.1AN INTRODUCTION TO SNAKE HUNTSnake Hunt is a single player iPhone game where the player will accumulate points by eating preys and staying away from predator. The player will be competing against an AI. The character with the highest points at the end of the game wins.

GAME OBJECTIVE

Game involves the player accumulating points by eating preys and staying away from the predators. The player will be competing against an AI and the character with the highest points at the end of the game wins.

GAMEPLAY

Players only have to swipe the screen to where they want the snake to go. For example if they want to go to the left, they will swipe left.

1.2DIGITAL TO ANALOG CONVERSIONAs we need to convert the digital game to an Analog Version (paper prototype), we focused on the game mechanics and feel of the game to make it as similar as possible to the digital version.


2 SET UP

2.1 SET UP PROCEDURE

Players will choose their Player Piece and place it at any corner of the Snake Hunt board as their starting point.

Player Pieces

Snake Hunt Board


Wooden Log (Draws a card from the deck)

Meets a Crow

(Roll a die)

(Roll a die)

Meets a CatCat’s Area of Effect

Crow’s Area of Effect

Deck of Cards(Player draws a card when he/she stops on a Wooden Log)

A 6-sided Die(Roll the die to determine who would start first)

(Roll the die to determine how many steps to move)

(Player will roll the die when they land on the Area of Effect for the Crow and Cat)

*Odd number – 1, 3, 5 *Even number- 2, 4, 6


Player meets a Cat

(Roll a die)

Player meets a Crow

(Roll a die)

Crow

Even: Goes back to the player’s start point as it has been eaten up

by the crow

Odd: Nothing happens, continue playing

Cat

Even: Gains a point, as it ate the cat

Odd: Nothing happens, continue playing

3 DOCUMENTATION

1.3IDEATION PROCESS (INSPIRATION)The core mechanic of the digital version of the Snake Hunt game is to get as many points and get to the portal within the time limit. In the process, the player gets to explore the map and discover new areas.

From the gameplay concept of Snake Hunt, we modified the game so that the digital game can be converted into a board game.


1.4Iterations1.4.1 Iteration One

Considering the core mechanics, we transcribe the digital game into a board game. The board game is made with some slight changes. Therefore, it will stay faithful to the digital game.

Changes Included:- Player Movement- Player will have to go back to where they started when the player fails to

escape from the predator (Oroboros Concept)- 3 Players: Playing as the Crow, Cat and Snake

Picture References


Die: Roll for movement

Game Time: 3 minutes

Score Sheet: To accumulate the scores of

the players

1.4.2 Iteration TwoContinuing with the same gameplay concept, but added more features into the board game.

Changes included:- Area of effect for Crow and Cat- 3 decks of power cards for each player

Card Added- Attack Cards- Defence cards

Picture References


1.4.3 Iteration ThreeAfter observing the play test, a few changes were made.

Changes Included:- Cutting down to 1 Player- Adding Game Time- Flipping of a coin- Map- Treasure Chest

Updated changes:- Game Time: 3mins (2mins 30secs is too short for the player)- Flipping of a coin (Area of effect)

Cat: Heads – Eaten by Cat, go back to the starting pointTails – Escaped from the Cat, nothing happens, continue with game Crow:

Heads – Ate a Crow, earns 1 pointTails – Crow escaped, nothing happens, continue with game

- Roll a die to determine the number of steps the player will move- Bushes added as obstructions- Colored Area of Effects for Crows and cats.- Adding in Treasure Chest

Draw a card from the Treasure Chest deck Cat: Return to starting point Crow: Gains 1 point

- Extra time: 30 seconds were added to the player’s game time


Picture References

Map

Coin Player Piece Die


1.4.4 Iteration FourAfter observing the play testing from Iteration Three and viewing the whole gameplay, we made changes accordingly.

Changes Included:- Change Number of Player- Removed Time Pressure- Removed flipping of a coin- Bigger Map- Equal Area of Effect for all elements- Change Treasure Chest and Renamed to Wooden Log- Change in Food Chain- Battles between players

Purpose of the changes:- Flipping of a coin

Crow Head – Got caught by the crow chase and restart from

the player’s start point Tail – Got chase but escape from the Crow

Cat Head – Chased the cat and caught the cat, 1 point is

earned Tail – Chased the cat but the cat escape and fly away

- Roll the die to determine the number of steps the player will move - Bigger map: Coloured Area of effect

Clearer view of the elements in the map- Time limit is removed.- Treasure Chest changed to Wooden Log

As the time limit is removed, “Add 30 seconds” Power card is removed.

- Two player Challenge each other The player with the most points wins

- Food Chain Snake eats Cat, Cat eats Crow, Crow eats Snake

- Flipping of Coin changed to Die More convenient for players

(Next Page for Picture references)


Snake Hunt Board

(Wooden Log)

Deck of Cards


Wooden Log (Draws a card from the deck)

Meets a Crow

Crow’s Area of Effect

(Roll a die)

Meets a CatCat’s

Area of Effects

Player meets a Cat

(Roll a die)Player has 2 chances in

catching the Cat.Player meets a Crow

(Roll a die)Player has 2 chances in

escaping from the Crow.

(Roll a die)

1.4.5 Iteration FiveAfter observing the play testing from Iteration Four and viewing the whole gameplay, we made changes accordingly.

Changes Included:- Map- Placement of Crows, cats, logs and obstructions

Purpose of the changes:- Map- Player can view and move better- Placement – Symmetrical; allowing the players to have the same starting

conditions and game play throughout(fairness)

Iteration 5 is the finalised version for the game.


4 GAME OVERVIEW

4.1 Game Concept

The game is based on the Oroboros concept where the player is immortal. The game will only end once all the preys are eaten up. The objective of the game is to challenge the other player. The player with the highest score wins.

4.2 Asset List

These are the components of the game:

1. One Game board2. Two Player Pieces3. One 6-sided die4. One decks of cards5. Fifteen White Mini Paper with Blu-Tack

4.3 Target Audience and Rationale

The game allows all age group to play.

Rationale

The physical ways of playing Snake Hunt can be challenging, sociable and fun. Therefore, we decided to not restrict the age group. Also, the purpose of the analog version acts as a proof of concept for the digital version.


5 GAMEPLAY AND MECHANICS5.1 Gameplay5.1.1 Objectives

Players challenge each other by eating preys and avoiding predators. The game ends when all the preys are eaten. The player with the highest points wins.

5.1.2 Decision Tree


6 APPENDIX

Rule Book

Playtest Results

Change Log – Refer to Iterations Section

Team’s Blog on Meeting and Progress

http://zandreports.blogspot.com

END OF DOCUMENT


http://zandreports.blogspot.com/

Documents

Snake Hunt Game Design Document