For my game proposal I loosely followed the workflow outlined in GET GAME IDEAS – The Ultimate Guide! with a quick brainstorm to harvest and eliminate ideas (Figure 1) before elaborating on the most likely candidate (Figure 2) to explore different ideas and mechanics.
Fig. 1. THORN, 2022 Initial brainstorm
One of the biggest considerations when culling ideas was not to get too ambitious. For instance I really want to make a Quake-like shooter or Starcraft style strategy game but as this is a solo project, I fully appreciate I lack the necessary skills for creating the art and 3D models to make a reasonable job of it. Especially given the the submission deadline is only 12-weeks away.
In the end, the one idea I found most appealing was the pinball game. This is something I’ve wanted to develop for some time and to make it a little different I plan to take inspiration from the search and rescue element of the 1980’s arcade game Defender and the ghost mechanics from Pacman.
Fig. 2. THORN, 2022 Soul Suckers pinball game, preliminary ideas
Game Name: Soul Sucker (TBC)
Game Overview
You use a steel ball to knock down drop targets to release villagers and allow them to escape certain death from a pack of phantoms intent on collecting their souls. The phantoms cannot be harmed unless a special target is hit that makes them vulnerable to damage from the ball.
Genre
This is a pinball with additional game mechanics applied to the goals and controls.
Player Fantasy
I’m a ghost hunter and have to eradicate the phantoms and save as many villagers as I can from certain death
Platform and Controls
This is a PC-based game where the player uses the keyboard to launch the ball into the playing field and activate flippers to control the speed and direction of the ball. The player also has a free-to-move electromagnet controlled by the mouse that can change the direction of the ball to help attack targets and make skill shots.
Spatial Abstraction
3D playing field with ramps, shooting lanes, buffers, numbers and flippers.
Avatar
The player controls a heavy steel ball by activating the flippers and moving then activating the electromagnet.
Camera Perspective
The camera is positioned to give the point of view of a player standing at a real pinball table. Time-permitting, a second camera may be used to give a slo-mo from the perspective of the ball for skill shots and deathblows.
Goals and Scores
- To save enough villagers from the phantoms to complete each level
- To kill the phatoms
- To hit numbers, targets and ramps
Progression and Variety
- Bonus scores are given as more and more of the playing field is lit up
- As the levels progress, villager drop targets become harder to hit and timers decrease
- Phantom AI increases with player score
- Bonus rewards such as multi-ball, extra life and shoot-again
Tension and Rest
Controlling the ball can be chaotic at times. The player can trap and hold the ball with the flippers to slow gameplay if necessary. Phantoms that are knocked out will disappear from the field to respawn at a later time unless the player successfully hits a special target to delay their return.
Obstacles and Penalties
The phantoms compete with the player for the villagers. If the player fails to save enough villagers, the player loses a life and the level must be restarted. If the ball goes down the drain, the player loses a life unless ‘Shoot Again’ is lit. When the player runs out of lives, the game is lost.
The electromagnet becomes weaker the more it is used and gradually replenishes it’s power over time.
Game Mechanics
- Ball launcher and chute
- Oneway doors
- Rollover lanes
- Bumpers
- Drop targets
- Slingshot
- Flippers
- Ramps
- Spinners
- Kickback
- Ball lock
- Multiball
- Power pill
- Extra ball
- Shoot again
Resources
The player can win back a life by meeting the extra life criteria
Decisions
The player decides which targets and ramps to hit.
The electromagnet provides for additional choices by allowing the player to further influence the direction of the ball.
Simulation and Chance
Physics simulation for the motion of the ball.
The ball’s motion can be chaotic, particularly when lots of bumpers are hit.
Storytelling
The narrative unfolds through different game modes and missions that the player unlocks by performing skill shots, hitting drop targets and ramps
Art Direction and Style
Dark, gothic style haunted village with comedic undertones
Animation and Visual Effects
- Target animations and lighting to attract the player’s attention
- Phantom and villager animations
- Time warp/slo mo effects for skill shots and death blows
Sound Design
- Spooky environment music.
- Upbeat, metallic clang when targets hit
- Villager cheers and death cries etc.
Rough Sizings
| Skill Area | Effort (hrs) | Source |
| Game Design | 10 | Self |
| Programming | 50 | Self |
| Narrative | 5 | Self |
| Art Direction | 40 | Self + 3rd party assets |
| Animation | 20 | Self |
| Level Design | 20 | Self |
| Sound Design | 25 | Self + 3rd part assets |
| Testing and Hardening | 20 | Self + others(?) |
| Total | 190 |
List of Figures
Figure 1. THORN, 2022 Initial brainstorm
Figure 2. THORN, 2022 Soul Suckers pinball game, preliminary ideas
