Game Overview

Concept

Game Title: Tai Fu Tiger - The Remake Game Platform: PC and Laptop Game Engine: The game will be created on Unity (version 2022.3.9f1)

Inspiration

The inspiration behind this remake lies in the Playstation 1 classic video game Tai Fu: Wrath of the Tiger. Developed by DreamWorks Interactive and published by Activision this video game became available to the public in 1999. It followed the events of the titular character Tai Fu who gets stashed away as a baby to save him from the evil Dragon master and his army of snake warriors who subsequently destroy his home and his entire tiger clan in his never-ending quest for power. Upon being found and raised by the docile panda clan his presence as the only remaining tiger in the world is eventually revealed causing the Dragon master to hunt him down. This unfortunately leads to the destruction of his second home as the Dragon master attacks him and leaves him for dead. This act of violence pushes him to seek out the kung fu masters of the world so that he can learn all the known fighting styles and become strong enough to avenge his clan against the dragon master. With a deep roster of characters, vast array of environments and elemental chi powers and abilities to use this video game become a fun and easy to learn brawler that may have unfortunately become lost to time in the face of other more established video game franchises.

This video game can easily be compared to the popular video game “Final Fight” as they both come with the same beat them up style of mechanics however the setting, enemy variety and overall story could not be further apart. Similarities with the “Kung Fu Panda” movie franchise can also be established and with both being a DreamWorks production it could even be possible that Tai Fu was at one point a source of inspiration for the character Po.

These factors make it all the more upsetting that Tai Fu has not yet been shortlisted for a remake especially in today’s era of video gaming which has leaned more and more into resurrecting yesteryears classics as technology continues to open up new unexplored possibilities.

Genre

This remake project will be a 3D beat them up fighter game featuring areas that whilst linear will allow for a small amount of exploration. It will follow the typical formula that is associated with fighter games in that the player will be faced with varying numbers of enemies as they make their way to the end of the level. Some parts of the level will be become locked upon entry until the specified number of enemies have been defeated thereby unlocking the next area. Upon reaching the end of the level a boss level will be unlocked, this will present the player with a different type of challenge as they use their skills to survive and continue their journey.

Target Audience

This project will predominantly be aimed towards teenage players although adults will likely find it just as enjoyable. Gamers that prefer old school fighters will no doubt be intrigued and will hopefully seek out the original game for a more in-depth experience. More cultural gamers may also be eager to see what this gaming experience can provide.

Design

Theme and Style

The overall theme and style of the game will be based on ancient China, with the main level of the project taking place in a lush and tranquil bamboo forest staying true to the earlier levels of the original game. The boss level will take place on a small selection of Chinese pagodas as this was ultimately the setting for the final boss battle in the original. These decisions somewhat bookend the beginning and end of the original experience allowing players to see what the 1999 classic was all about from totally different perspectives. This will hopefully invoke a feeling of nostalgia in players who have played the original game and prod them to play its inspirational predecessor once again. Likewise, it will hopefully intrigue new places to seek out the original title.

Game World

Characters

Tai Fu Tiger

The titular player character of the game. This brash and determined young tiger remains devoted to his quest of vengeance against the Dragon Master. Whilst overconfident in his abilities he nonetheless understands the need for extensive guidance and training from the kung fu masters of the world. His stature as the sole remaining member of the Tiger clan makes him a target to many of the world’s inhabitants but his respectful nature and desire to help others make him easy for others to befriend and trust.

The Dragon Master

The antagonist of the game. This seemingly undefeatable emperor of the world rules the land with an iron fist. With his unparalleled kung fu prowess and mastery over magic along with complete obedience from the Snake clan, the Boar clan, and the Rat clan he no doubt prove to be the ultimate challenge for our budding hero. His atrocities against the Tiger clan and the Panda clan set the story in motion as Tai Fu sets out to defeat him and rid the world of his tyranny.

Lau Fu

A great warrior hailing from the legendary White Tiger clan. The father of Tai Fu currently remains the only one to bravely oppose the Dragon Master and his armies. Not wanting to see his son perish he stashed him away in a safe place for the humble Panda clan to find in the hopes that he could live a safer life away from the prying eyes of his arch nemesis.

Lo Ping

The master of the panda clan remains a jolly and kind-hearted father figure for Tai Fu. After finding him alone he chose to adopt the young Tiger and raise him to be a respectable fighter. Nonetheless he is aware of the dangers that come with his adopted son’s existence and after seeing his homeland destroyed by the Dragon master, he encourages Tai Fu to seek out the worlds masters in hopes that he can avenge them both.

Sifu

A wise and renowned master who like Tai Fu finds himself the sole survivor of his own clan. Time has left him powerless in his own right, but his knowledge makes him an invaluable source of guidance and focus for Taif Fu along his journey.

The Leopard Master

The elderly head of the leopard clan and father of Princess Lotus. As powerful as he is noble he only seeks to protect his followers from the Dragon master. Whilst hostile towards outsides he will gladly aid those who prove themselves worthy in combat against his daughter.

Princess Lotus

The crown princess of the Leopard Clan and the only daughter of the Leopard master. Her femininity does well to mask her fighting skills. She is a fierce fighter who relishes in taunting and embarrassing her opponents whilst bombarding them with her acrobatic moves.

Monkey Master

The savvy and formidable leader of the monkey clan hides his unique fighting style well behind his constantly drunken demeanour. Whilst unperceived as a threat to the Dragon master his manoeuvrability, adaptability and quick wit will make him a great ally if his army of monkeys can be bested.

Fei Lu

The beautiful leader of the Crane clan finds herself in a never-ending war with leader of the Rat clan. Her deeply territorial clan will attack anything that could potentially threaten their home. She remains dignified and graceful in the presence of others and will always aid those that defend her.

Clans

The full list of clans within the world include:

The Tiger Clan

The strong and wise tiger clan were unfortunately hunted down and wiped out by the Dragon master during his campaign to rule over the lands. They were seen as sources of inspiration for the other clans who looked to them for guidance during the Dragon masters’ transgressions.

The Dragon Clan The evil Dragon clan have always lusted for power with countless wars amongst themselves becoming commonplace. Thankfully the Dragon master remains the sole surviving member of his clan but only due to his maniacal slaughtering of his own kind. They are greatly unmatched by the other clans due to their physical and magical strength.

The Panda Clan

The peace-loving and harmonious panda clan often choose to stay away from violence as much as possible preferring to live monk-life lifestyles whilst the other clans fight amongst themselves. Whilst docile and unassuming they can still defend themselves using their specific forms of martial arts.

The Leopard Clan

The brave and territorial leopard clan were well known for their ferociousness and speed in battle. Their fight back against the Dragon master and his tyranny led them to suffer from heavy casualties at the start of hi takeover. Despite this the remaining warriors were able to hide away and settle down deep within the jungle temples.

The Mantis Clan

The patient and well-disciplined Mantis clan were the first clan to master the art of chi powers which unfortunately led the Dragon master to seek them out in hopes that they would join his armies and teach him their abilities. Upon their refusal he promptly wiped them out before they could become a threat to him.

The Crane Clan

The crane clan is full of beautiful, graceful, and agile warriors; however, their vanity makes them easy to anger or exploit. They remain an enemy of the Dragon master but their refusal to be removed from their lands makes them and their leader a constant target.

The Monkey Clan

The monkey clan prefer to spend their days lazing about and getting drunk making it easy for the Dragon master to see them as a threat. Whilst reclusive they can easily overwhelm any opponent with their numbers if they ever choose to fight.

The Boar Clan

The powerful, heavily armoured and intimidating boar clan have also chosen to side with the Dragon master against the other clans. They are formidable but dim-witted foes that live within the mountains. Fighting them will be tough due to their brutish nature.

The Rat Clan

The rat clan remain another key component of the Dragon master’s army. Their endless pursuit of treasure led them to taking his side early on during his conquest. The lack empathy and honour towards the other clans often choosing to resent and oppose them instead. They prefer to patrol the seas over the land which makes it difficult for them to be found.

Enemies

With the prototype level being based on one of the earliest levels of the original game the enemy variety will be rather limited. The list of enemy types includes:

Rattlesnakes

These bog-standard serpents will bite at the player and swipe at them with their tails.

Cobras

These serpents will hold spears and will stab at the player with them from a further distance than their rattlesnake counterparts.

Pythons

The beefed-up bruisers are incredibly strong and require a lot of damage to put down as they repeatedly punch at the player. They are seen as commanders of their red skinned underlings.

Terror Plants

These plants will continuously chomp towards any pray in their vicinity. They are incredibly weak and serve only to pester the player throughout the game.

Levels

Due to the game being a prototype there will only be two levels available to play. The first level will be set within a bamboo forest. Beautiful waterfalls and bamboo bridges will provide the level with a sense of tranquillity. There will be several enemies and hazards for the player to face as they traverse through the level. At the final stage of the level the player will face a trial where they will have to defeat a set number of enemies. Upon completing the trial they will be able to collect a coin. Collecting this coin will automatically finish the level allowing the player to advance. The second level however will consist of a singular boss battle against the Dragon master. This fight will place on a series of Chinese pagodas that tower above the clouds. It will take place at night to signify that darkness that the Dragon master has imparted across the lands. They will not be any other enemies or any coins or jade pieces to collect.

The levels will be named:

1. The Bamboo Paradise
2. The Forbidden Palace

Audio

Audio is a crucial part of the gaming experience as it aids to the overall atmosphere and feeling of emersion for the player. It also helps to make the game more engaging and can often communicate different moods or feelings towards the player. This could include feelings of stress, happiness or sadness and it also serve as a way to hype up specific moments or boss battles. Sound effects within the game will include background music for the menu and the levels as well as potential sound bites to specify that: • The player has died. • The player has used a specific attack. • The player has been hit by a specific attack from an enemy. • The player has pickup or used a power up. • The player has reached a checkpoint or completed the level.

Menu / User Interface

The menu screens will each consist of the video game logo and will have a black background along with a red font for the text. There will be a main menu screen where the player can choose to either start their game or change the game settings to suit their preferences. These settings can be changed within the games options menu which can be reached from either the main menu or the pause menu. There will also be a glossary menu to highlight elements of the games lore and provide players with details on the characters, clans and powerups within the game.

Heads-Up Display

The heads-up display (HUD) will consist of several elements. There will be two bars along the top of the screen. A green one will be used to signify the players health whilst a purple one will be used to signify the players chi level. In between these two bars will be a circle which represents the current element that the player is using. The HUD will also show the number of jade pieces that player has collected as well as the number of enemies that the player has defeated. The players number of lives will also be accounted for. During the trial period at the end of the level a counter will show how many enemies will need to be defeated for the player to complete the level. Some enemies will have a health bar above their heads and the boss will have a huge health bar show along the bottom of the screen.

Gameplay and Mechanics

Objectives

The players core objective in this game will be to reach the end of the level without losing all of their lives. They will be able to achieve this by fighting their way to the levels checkpoints and making their way to the final trial of the level. Upon defeating a set level of enemies, they will be able to complete the level after grabbing the coin. These objectives are in tune with the original game.

The player will also be able to traverse through the level in search of jade pieces which will reward the player with an extra live if they collect 50 of them.

The main objective of the boss level will be to simply survive and defeat the boss before he beats you. There will only be a small selection of moves available for the demo but as the player makes their way through each set of levels, they will be able to meet the areas clan master and learn their fighting styles.

Game World Features

The main game features in the world include:

Pickups

The Chinese Coin

These will be found at the end of each level and can only be obtained after completing the levels final trial.

Jade Pieces

These are collectable objects within the levels that can grant the player with an extra life if enough of them have been collected.

Lanterns

These Chinese lanterns will restore the players health bar.

Chi Orbs

These orbs will restore the players chi meter.

Elemental Chi Scrolls

These scrolls will not only restore the players chi meter, but they will also grant the player with temporary usage of the corresponding Chinese element on the scroll. These powers include: • Fire • Water • Wind • Earth • Lightning

Invincibility Chi Scroll

This powerup will make the player temporarily invulnerable to damage, however they will still die if they fall of the stage.

Invisibility Chi Scroll

This powerup will make the player invisible to all their enemies for a limited period of time. This adds an element of stealth to the game as the player can choose to surprise there toughest enemies.

Checkpoints

There will be a small number of checkpoints in the level that the player will find along their journey through the level. This will save their progress allowing them to return there when they die. However if the player loses all of their lives they will have to restart the level from the beginning.

Enemy Trials

At the end of the level and during the mid-way point of the level the player will have to fight through a specified wave of enemies in order to move on to the next part of the game.

Boss Battle

There will be a boss for the player to fight in the second level of the game.

Player Interaction

Most of the interaction for the player will lie within the menu screens but during gameplay the player will be able to interact with the various pickups scattered throughout the levels. There will be some non-playable characters (NPC’s) in the game that the player will be able to communicate with. Some elements of the level can be interacted with which will open new and unexplored areas. There will be no quick time events (QTE’s) in the game.

Controls

The controls for this game are as followed:

• W – Moves the player forwards
• S – Moves the player backwards
• A - Moves the player left
• D – Moves the player right
• Spacebar - Jump
• Left click on the mouse – Fire chi blasts
• Moving the mouse turns the player and the camera.
• Escape button – Pause the game.
• Alpha 1 button – Changes the camera to the tradition Tai Fu camera view.
• Alpha 2 button – Changes the camera to first person view.
• Alpha 3 button – Changes the camera to bird’s eye view.
• Alpha 4 button – Changes the camera to third person view.
• Alpha 5 button – Changes the camera to front facing view.
• Alpha 6 button – Changes the camera to a wide level view.

Ethics

There will be number of ethical issues than must be addressed when it comes to the creation of this prototype game. The biggest ethical issue is copyright, as this is a video game remake use of the original games assets and likeness such as the characters and soundtrack will require consent of the original developers. Whilst this game will not be created for monetization the original developers must still be made aware of its production. The game will solely exist for analytical purposes and will only be available to a selection of chosen game testers. The violent nature of fighter games will also require an appropriate age rating for the game. This comes hand in hand with the target audience. Whilst it is aimed at teenagers and young adults it could be assessable for younger players who could be heavily influenced by the game’s violent tones. There will also be no physical media distribution of the game. It will only be available on PC and laptop so no physical purchases will have to be made. The player may need to download the corresponding game engine (Unity, Unreal Engine etc) but these will be free to download.

Asset List

Models

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Textures

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Pictures

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Audio

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Animations

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UI

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Scripts

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Other

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