Design Proposal

Problem Overview

This project addressed the growing desire for casual, intuitive, and challenging internet based games that are both free to play and give the user a clear simple objective with little to no instruction on how to complete the puzzle. This allowed for both the creativity and common sense of the user to be tested.  Once the controls, as simple as they are, are explained, the user is free to explore and do as they wish to attempt to complete the puzzle, or in this case, escape the room. This type of game has recently become very popular on internet based game sites and nearly every game of this sort has been met with great reception. This specific game was to be set to appeal to incoming Drexel students and freshmen, taking place within Towers Hall within Drexel University.

Design Constraints

Inherit with game design, three main topics had to be worked on to result in a successful game. First and foremost was the physical coding of the game. It had to be in a programming language, able to live up to the demands and needs of a game as well as being straightforward enough to learn in a 10 week timeframe. To this end, the game was coded almost entirely in flash, building upon pre-existing Java code. Secondly was the storyline of the game. The story had to be able to captivate the user as well as provide an atmosphere which draws the user into the game. Finally, the graphics of the game were designed to be both simple enough to create and implement into the game in the 10 week timeframe while still being visually pleasing to the user. In addition to these three main topics, the game had to be easy to start (whether it be a shortcut from a desktop or on a website)  and provide the user with a clear cut ending, letting them know when the game is over.

Existing Solutions

The proposed game for the project was similar to other games that fall into the “escape-the-room” genre. This category refers to puzzle games that require the user to use logic and reasoning to solve the problem or handle the situation at hand. One specific example was the “Crimson Room” by Toshimitsu Takagi, a game whereby the user finds his or her-self stuck in a room with no means of escape. After carefully reviewing of the room, the user is prompted to use various objects in the vicinity to escape. In this vein, the proposed project also incorporated an “escape-the-room” feel, where users were trapped in a room and had to use things in the room to their advantage. Most games in the genre use Adobe Flash as the format because it provides the best results integrating game play and images. 

Design Goal

 
The goal of this project was to produce a working “escape-the-room” game that allowed the user to start the game, understand the situation presented, use the objects and instructions provided by the game and therefore successfully “escape,”. The game differed from other pre-existing games of this genre in that the target audience was Drexel students and incoming freshmen, and so the game was set in a Drexel dorm room. Lastly, the game was designed to be both challenging and engaging to the user, requiring them to use logic to figure out the puzzles presented in the room in order to escape.

Project Schedule

Week	Goals (Game)	Goals (Website)
3	Completion of Project Proposal and role designation for project	All pages needed for Project Proposal posted to website and properly formatted
4	Overall game planning:  -Storyline  -Puzzles to be incorporated  -Art style determined  -Final discussion as to features to be   implemented	Website layout/theme discussed and proposed designs made Weekly updates
5	Art and coding begun, storyline and all major features determined. Pictures of Towers Hall taken (as this is where the game is to be set)  Sound effects and music gathered.	Layouts experimented with and bugs being worked out in design Weekly updates include screenshots for proposed art styles and pictures used Sample sounds added to website to give the feel of the game
6	Coding of puzzles	Story of game elaborated on and checks to ensure the website meets the project standards Overall design/theme of website should be ready
7	Fine-tuning code Continuing refinement of website	Screenshots of current game Update in progress made with coding
8	Beta version of game completed. Implementation of all music, picture and art in the project. .	Screenshots of game Updates as to progress with coding and shortcomings of the project
9	Bug Testing/Completion of website and game	Game uploaded to website Kinks in design and layout worked out and brought to project standards

Table 1- Schedule of Project

Project Deliverables

The game was to be set on the 15^th floor of Drexel University during student orientation. As such, pictures of rooms and hallways in Towers were taken and implemented into the game.

All graphics used in the game and on the website were hand-drawn using a generic graphics tablet and Adobe Photoshop.  All sounds used in game were obtained on the internet.

The coding was built of pre-existing code in Java and the website for the project was made using Blogger.

The video game was designed to run on any household windows PC with an internet connection and capable of running Adobe Flash Professional CS 5.5 or later.

References

T. Takagi, " The Crimson Room,"  , Vol, [Website]. :http://www.momchill.com/crimson_room.swf. [Accessed 04/15/2012]