Partial Design Document (Nocturnal)

Hay guys! I've been busy with classes but I thought I'd put up a partial design document I've been working on for an MMO that revolves around the dichotomy between day and night. (Please take note of the Copyright, unlike most things on this blog this is not open for your use.)

Nocturnal (MMO)

By Scott Gladstein

Copyright 2009 Scott Gladstein

Design History:

v0.0 Design document written (November 17^th)

Section 1- Overview

1-1 Concept

Earth has been taken over by an unknown aggressor. Their numbers are unmeasured, their strength untested in its limits. Their technology is advanced; their power is great, and their ways brutal. Their wrath only descends upon us with the veil of dusk does and leaves as quickly as it comes at the first rays of light.

Players play in a survivalist MMO where the goal is to survive to another day. As the player progresses they not only get stronger but discover the truth about these unknown aggressors.

1-2 Key Features

-Night fighting situations. (Night vision, heat sensing, ect)

-Stressful situations (All enemies are “hard”)

-Survivalist elements (Death is common if you are not on your toes)

-Third person or first person views. (Traveling/Shooting)

-Daytime/Nighttime (Gameplay revolves around day/night.)

1-3 Genre

Nocturnal is a horror/survival massive multiplayer online game.

1-4 Demographics

This game would be marketable to a primarily male audience age 16-40.

1-5 Game Flow

Players progress via instanced towns or “Strongholds” within the United States soon after the aggressors attack. Each Stronghold has a series of missions players must complete in order to advance to the next Stronghold. (And advance the story) The game has two modes of play, daytime and nocturnal. Some missions are only available during the day and some are only available during the night.

During the night, areas become flooded with enemies. Staying outside a Stronghold is suicide. Stronghold come under increasing attack until the sun rises. Players have to band together to stave off the enemy attacks. Early Strongholds are very susceptible to attacks while later ones are all but impervious.

1-6 Style

Nocturnal is a game that focuses around the dichotomy between day and night. Lighting plays a big focus, with daytime being a welcome relief from the nighttime. A perpetual “eye of the storm” sort of feel should pervade. Environmentally the game’s landscape should reflect the current day USA. Areas range from a Suburbia recently destroyed by war to a military compound in the thralls of combat, just trying to make it to the next day.

1-7 Scope

Nocturnal is not a physically LARGE game, but a game where players revisit previous areas. There are 4 distinct quest hubs (or “Strongholds”) where players can accept missions. (Additional missions open up after the initial missions are complete.) The areas are “Suburbia Walt Mart”, “LincolnInternational Airport” “Fort Hendrickson”, and “The Whitehouse”.

Players can progress threw 5 levels of play, each level giving them the option to learn new skills. Each skill is a class defining feature.

NPCs take a backseat to player interaction. A dozen NPCs per Stronghold exist but the “Aggressors” can number anywhere from a squad of 5 to a swarm of 50 at any given time. Expect 100 NPCs to be in a given Stronghold (at night).

Weapons are more about type than actual statistic upgrades. A dozen weapons are available to players. They are either dropped by enemies or bought in a store. Weapons include Pocket Knife, Shovel, SIG Pistol, M4 Shotgun, M16 Rifle, SAW Light Machine Gun, DMR Marksman Rifle (Semi Auto, Scope), M2 Flamthrower, Landmines, Grenades, Aggressor Fragmentation Rifle (Assault Rifle), Aggressor Ghost Rifle (Launches javelins a great distance. Passes threw targets)