Overview

The core mechanics outlined in this document will be how players interface with the game. Our goal with these features is to focus on four key areas: combat, exploration, platforming, and story. Our goal is to deliver a prototype that integrates these elements seamlessly using only the features described below.

Key Features

1. Character Movement
2. Scrying
3. Player Camera

Character Movement

Goal

Movement should facilitate exploration, platforming and combat. The movements should feel exciting and precise.

Primary Characteristics

Double Jump

Crouch

The player should be able to dodge attacks and explore cramped areas when crouched.

Side Dash

When doing a dash in mid-air to the side, you should not keep falling down at all. This means that you can know exactly when to dash forward to make it directly next to where you are. Side Dash may upgrade to 8 Directional Dash later in the game? idk rn.

Polish

Varying Jump Height

Give total control over how high the player can jump by the amount of time the hold the jump button.

Fast Fall Time (with limit):

This should make it easier to move around rather than be a hindrance. This will make exploration feel faster, freer, and give more control to the player. There should be a cap on how fast the player can eventually fall so they don't feel out of control.

Working Ideas

Dash Switch

If the player changes the direction they want to travel in the middle of a dash, they can do so (but only before a certain threshold/time).

Small Player

The main character of the game is currently pretty big with small details. I think we should make a smaller version for certain parts so that the movements can feel more precise and you can zoom out more for more complicated platforming that requires more foresight but keep the big design for slower parts of the game as well as cutsceens.

Scrying

The eye follows the player while the player is being controlled. When you switch to controlling the eye, you can drift a certain radius away from the player. In this state, the eye can activate certain events but does not move as the player does. Instead it drifts/floats around the map while illuminating the environment along the way. While you are controlling the eye you cannot control the player, and vise versa. When switching back to controlling the player after controlling the eye, the eye smoothly returns to the player on its own.

What will scrying look like in game?
What does the eye illuminate that the player can't see without it?
Does the player control a separate entity or is it more like an ability that the player uses?
Does the player lose control of the main character when controlling the scrying eye?
Can the player control both the character and the eye at the same time? Like with the right joystick or the mouse?
Does the eye return automatically or must the player press a button?
Does the eye follow the player?

Player Camera

Baseline *in demo

This game uses a Flat 2D camera that smoothly follows the player

Vertical Non-Follow

Do not follow the player vertically when jumping in certain areas. Helps with the 'shaky camera when jumping' problem.

Discovery Pan

When a new area is discovered or door has opened etc. the camera pans over to that event and then back to the player (like the Zelda puzzle music & pan).

Lock On Areas

In Boss fights and discoveries leave the camera focused on the same position.

Damping *in demo

Smoothly transition between the current frame and the character's position.

Look-ahead

In whatever direction you are traveling, move the camera slightly offset from the character in that direction. This should make up for the damping effect when traveling quickly in one direction for a long period of time (but not for short distances to avoid it being extremely jerky).

Combat

8-Directional Parry

You cannot block for a long duration. Parrying is the only way to block attacks, and you can't spam parry; it must be intentionally timed correctly to block the attack. Once the attack was successfully blocked using a parry, you may be able to revenge strike.

Parry Sides

Block

Parry Up

Blocks all attacks from left, right, and above, but it takes longer to "wind up" and you cannot do a revenge strike afterwards.

Revenge Strike

Throwing Knives

xx

Camera

Discovery Pan

When a new area is discovered or door has opened etc. the camera pans over to that event and then back to the player (like the Zelda puzzle music & pan).

Lock On Areas

In Boss fights and discoveries leave the camera focused on the same position.

Damping *in demo

Smoothly transition between the current frame and the character's position.

Look-ahead

In whatever direction you are traveling, move the camera slightly offset from the character in that direction. This should make up for the damping effect when traveling quickly in one direction for a long period of time (but not for short distances to avoid it being extremely jerky).