Level Research

For Game Design II we are starting to think about our racing levels. We have to think of our possible stunts, theme, story and level layout. 

Theme - For the theme of my level I was thinking of having it set in possibly Africa, but I would like to have it in a abandoned village sort of….it's hard to describe, so I'll give lots of pictures to help to explain. For example in this first picture I was thinking a good way to block the player in is by using metal sheets and crates to help contain them and keep them on path. I also would like to have to be during the day but more of a cloudy gloomy day. I also would like the track to be a dirt track not a specific road you have to follow, and the terrain would vary throughout the level, some parts hilly and other flat. 

This is what I'm thinking of doing for my color scheme. 

Stunts - I thought of a few different stunts I want to incorporate in level, I'm not sure I would use them all but I have a variety of options to choose from.

             

  - For one of my stunts I was thinking of putting wooden boxes/crates stacked on top of each other, and the player could bust through them. I would make it so there is no way around the boxes, that way they have to bust through them. 

- For my next stunt I was thinking of having a steep turn, the piece itself would come off of the track, so when the player gets on it they would be angled while on it. Almost like they could fall off at anytime, which I could make happen, I could possibly have it so if the player doesn't maintain a certain speed they could fall off.

  - This isn't really a stunt but it can be because you will have to dodge/ avoid it, but I would like to include electircal poles scattered around the level, and I was thinking of making them pereoidcally fall over throughout the race. The cords could possibly be flying around with sparks and the electrical poles could explode on impact. 

  - One last stunt I was thinking of doing was having a building that the player goes in by going off of a ramp and they then break through the window to get out. This is just a little extra stunt I was thinking of including. 

For a concept statement for my level, I want to have it say something about the theme, since some of the stunts are possibly challenging, I was thinking of making it go along with that.

Concept statement: "Power your way through, use your abilites."

Backstory - Before the player entered this space it was a village, a village of many happy people,but after many years it got abandoned, it got too much for the people of the village to take care of. It slowly got more and more "dirty." Many things are scattered and rusty and broken. In the level you will seem many remnants of objects and props that show people did live here. The player also has different routes to take while navigating the area. Many different events will occur while the player is going through most of them being what I listed above in stunts. 

I drew out a small map of what I am thinking of doing for the layout of the level, this is still very rough. I'm sure my ideas will change once I actually start laying it out and modeling it. I did my best of putting my ideas down, it might not be too clear in some areas, but I tried to keep it simple. So in the beginning the player will have the option to go through this tunnel or trench type thing, or they can go on top of it.  As they go along the track there will be power lines that fall and explode, I will give the player room to navigate around them. Next the player goes off a ramp of possibly crates and roof pieces and fly into this empty building and they break through a window and continue on the track. After that I will have the pile of crates that they must bust through, after that I will have a simple bridge that they cross, and below it will be a small trench with a stream. Lastly they go around the sharp turn that has them angled as they go on it, and then they reach the finish! As they go along I will have little shacks and what not scattered around to fill up space, and some trees and foliage.