1. Team
Ascension

2. Face your daemons,
face the truth,
survive the horror.

3. Product Overview
• Title: The Imperial
• Genre: Horror
• Platform: PC
• Age: 15+
• Experience:
Single-player Narrative
Campaign

4. • 2D Top Down
• Survival Horror
• Heavy Puzzle Focus
• Hotel Environment
• NPC Interaction
• Emphasise on
Exploration
Product Overview

5. Design

6. Design Brief
• Creative Input on final
Product Design
• Unification throughout
all Documents
• Consistency within
Product Vision
• Creative Control over
Product utilizing GDD

7. U.S.P
• Environmental
Interaction
• NPC Interaction
• Puzzles
• Atmosphere

8. Single Player Experience
• Intro with short Tutorial
• Environmental
Interaction
• NPC Interaction
• Case File
• Narrative Elements

9. Mechanics
• 2D Movement
• Sprinting
• Crouching
Movement

10. Mechanics
• (LT) to Target
• Indicator (Inverse
Triangle)
• (RT) to Fire
• LoS Restrictions
Combat

11. Mechanics
• Single Firearm
• Ranged
• Focus on Puzzle
Solving
• Avoidance of Conflicts
Weaponry

12. Mechanics
• What is Paranormal
Sensitivity
• Resource System
• Helps detect
Environmental cues
• Find and Locate clues
Paranormal Sensitivity

13. Mechanics
• Controlling it
• Medication
• Benefits of low end
threshold
• Risks of low end
threshold
Paranormal Sensitivity

14. Mechanics
• Purpose
• Collection Index
• Accessing
Case File Note System

15. Mechanics
• Photographs
• Letters
• Documents
• Recording
Case File Note System

16. Concept Art

17. Concept Art Brief
• Research from existing
media
• Create and refine
visual concepts
• Overview 3D asset
Design
• Create a visually
appealing product

18. Concept Art
• Research
• Development
• Reference Material
Protagonist

19. Concept Art
• Visual Style
• 37 Year Old
• Heavy Smoker/Drinker
• Worn, aged
appearance
• Dependant on
Painkillers
Protagonist

20. Concept Art
• Research
• Development
• Reference Material
Antagonist

21. Concept Art
• Visual Style
• Constantly in Motion
• Wife in wedding dress
• Face hidden and
obscured
• Face revealed when
close
Antagonist

22. Concept Art
• Features subdued and
muted tones
• Grays and Blacks
• Powerful colours rarely
used
• Majority of scenes are
dark
Colour Palette

23. Concept Art
• Research
• Noir-esque
• Black and White
• Flashes of colour for
shock
– Blood
– Contrasting enemies
– Environmental visual
clues
Cutscenes

24. Concept Art
• Embody Protagonist’s
fears
• Transformation of
known NPCs
• Will have detrimental
effects on Protagonist
Enemies

25. Concept Art
• Research
• Development; 1920s
Lady
• Annotated Concept
Piece
1920s Lady

26. Concept Art
• Research
• Development;
Hospitality Maids
• Annotated Concept
Piece
Maid

27. Concept Art
• Research
• Development; Old,
‘crazy’ ladies in fiction
• Annotated Concept
Piece
Old Lady

28. Technical Art
• Research
• Niche for 2D from
traditional horror
• Multiple ways to
implement 3D;
– Characters
– Assets
– Environments
Why 3D?

29. Technical Art
• Research
• Research List inst
– 1
– 2
– 3
– 4
– 5
– 6
– 7
– 8
2.5D

30. Technical Art
• Assets created in 3D
• High Res H.U.D
• Render out High Res
3D Icons
• Fake Top-down
Camera Perspective
• Characters in 3D
• Render out animations
into FlatRedBall
Implementation

31. Technical Art
• Hotel Assets
• Research
• Reference
• Final Renders for Hotel
Assets
Assets: Hotel

32. Technical Art
• Bedroom Assets
• Research
• Reference
• Final Renders for
Bedroom Assets
Assets: Bedrooms

33. Technical Art
• Corridor Assets
• Research
• Reference
• Final Renders for
Corridor Assets
Assets: Corridors

34. Technical Art
• Lobby Assets
• Research
• Reference
• Final Renders for
Lobby Assets
Assets: Lobby

35. Technical Art
• Rigging
• Bipeds
• Bone
• Animation
Rigging & Animation

36. Technical Art
• Movement Research
• Movement References
• Movement Examples
– Walking
– Sprinting
– Perspective Movement
Rigging & Animation

37. Level Design

38. Level Design Brief
• Research Relevant
Environments
• Asset &
Implementation Mind
Maps
• Visualising
Environments in 2D
• Creating Digitally
Annotated Level
Designs

39. Level Design
• Research
– Existing Hotels
– Lobbies
– Bedrooms
– Entertainment Area
• Reference
– Floor Plans
– Typical Layouts
– Hotel Capacity
Hotel Floor Plans

40. Level Design
• 2D Digital Designs
• Example Level
• Level Key
• Annotated Level
Implementation

41. Level Design
0-10 Seconds
• After Introduction
• Player Leaves Elevator
– Tutorial: Controls
• Tutorial
– Audio
– Notes
60-Second Walkthrough

42. Level Design
10-20 Seconds
• Interaction with
Environment
• Main Objective
– Location of Key
• Solution to finding Key
60-Second Walkthrough

43. Level Design
20-30 Seconds
• Lights flicker out
• Player uses Torch
– Tutorial: Torch
• Player Encounters
Enemy
60-Second Walkthrough

44. Level Design
30-40 Seconds
• Player equips Revolver
– Tutorial: Weaponry
• Player kills enemy
– Tutorial: Combat
• Conflict Example
60-Second Walkthrough

45. Level Design
40-50 Seconds
• Bellboy is heard talking
– Trigger: Audio
• Boss Fight
– Tutorial: Puzzle Combat
• Conflict Resolution
60-Second Walkthrough

46. Level Design
50-60 Seconds
• Player enters office
• Access Electronics
Switch Box
– Tutorial: Paranormal
Sensitivity
• Player returns light to
area
60-Second Walkthrough

47. Level Design
• Electronics Switch Box
• Initial Impression
• Optimal Route
• Potential Obstacles
Example Puzzle

48. Programming & Tech

49. • Implementation of
Code
• Engine of Choice
• Unifying Assets
• Adaptation of Engine
• Project Assets
– Level Editor
– Actor Classes
– Final Executable
Programming & Tech Brief

50. Programming & Tech
• XNA
• C# Language
• FlatRedBall
• 2.5D
• Large Community
• Abundance of Support
Engine

51. Programming & Tech
• Keyboard
• Control Scheme
Controls: Keyboard

52. Programming & Tech
• Mouse
• Control Scheme
Controls: Perphierals

53. Programming & Tech
• Controls + NPC
Interaction
• Painkiller Mechanic +
Basic Combat
• Death Conditions +
Risk/Reward Balance
Tech Demo

54. Production & Management

55. Production Brief
• Project Management
Methodologies
• Implementation
throughout Project
• Monitor & regulate
Workflow
• Maintain Development
Process

56. Production Brief
Competitive Analysis
• Alien Swarm
– Competitive Edge
• F.E.A.R
– Competitive Edge

57. Production Brief
Competitive Analysis
• Amnesia: Dark
Descent
– Competitive Edge
• Dead Space
– Competitive Edge

58. Conclusion
• Different Perspective
• Core Mechanic
Refined
• Untapped technique in
Industry

59. Face your daemons,
face the truth,
survive the horror.

60. Any Questions