Cari Erica Watterton Computer Arts BA Third Year Revision: GDD Template Written by: Benjamin HeadClot Stanley

Transcription

1 Roll the Bones Cari Erica Watterton Computer Arts BA Third Year Revision: GDD Template Written by: Benjamin HeadClot Stanley Special thanks to Alec Markarian Otherwise this would not have happened 1

2 License If you use this in any of your games. Give credit in the GDD (this document) to Alec Markarian and Benjamin Stanley. We did work so you don t have to. Feel free to Modify, redistribute but not sell this document. TL;DR - Keep the credits section of this document intact and we are good and do not sell it. 2

3 Overview Theme / Setting / Genre Core Gameplay Mechanics Brief Influences A Touch of Destiny (from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest) Divination: Tarot Cards Divination: Hakata & Bone Reading Fablestone Dice: Bone Origins (Kickstarter) Ravens of Thri Sahashri (Card Game) Elder Sign (Board Game) King of Tokyo (Dice Game) The elevator Pitch Overview Theme / Setting / Genre The theme of the game is divination; particularly Bone Reading and Tarot cards. It is set in a low fantasy universe where divination takes a more prominent role in culture and society. It is a cooperative dice puzzle game; it combines dice rolling mechanics similar to that of Elder Sign with card abilities similar to those in Ravens of Thri Sahashri. It has the potential to include some storytelling elements similar to that of Gloom or Once Upon a Time, but this is not a priority. 3

4 Core Gameplay Mechanics Brief One player takes on the role of the Clairvoyant, the other takes on the role of the Prospect, who is having their future told. The Clairvoyant must read the Prospect s future while trying to avoid Death. There are two decks of cards, one for the Clairvoyant who has a full set of tarot cards minus Death, and a deck of Death cards for the Prospect. The Clairvoyant has a hand of tarot cards from their tarot deck, and the Prospect has a hand of Death cards. The aim of the game is for the Clairvoyant to cast a certain number of Major Arcana cards before a certain number of Death cards are in play. Both players are working cooperatively towards this goal. The Clairvoyant starts each turn by rolling dice on a board, the faces of the dice combine with the section of the board to create an overall energy (e.g. a dice lands skull side up on a purple section of the board, this creates a purple skull energy ). This energy acts like mana it is used to cast the tarot cards. Each tarot card has a different cost that relate to it s type. Minor Arcana cast less to cost and Major Arcana are more difficult to cast. Once they cast a card, it is placed it face up in front of the Clairvoyant. The abilities of that card can then be used on each of their following turns. These card abilities will allow you to influence the dice you have thrown (e.g. change one dice of your choice to a skull). Once you use the ability you tap the card to show it has been used. They un-tap at the beginning of each of your turns, unless stated otherwise. The Death cards held by the Prospect also have a cost, and if at any time the dice in play match the cost of a Death card, it is cast. Death cards annex a die from the game - that die is placed on the card and can no longer be used by the Clairvoyant, but they still count towards the cost of Death cards in the Prospect s hand. 4

5 The death cards have a section on them where the dice will be placed, to create energy. When placed on a Death card, the die must create an energy that is required by at least one other Death card in the Prospect s hand, and cannot be the same as any other die that are annexed on Death cards. (e.g. if one Death card has a die creating a green femur energy on it, the new annexed dice cannot create a green femur energy ). After the Clairvoyant has cast as many cards as he or she wishes, they draw back up to a full hand of Tarot cards and the turn passes to the Prospect. On the Prospect s turn, they must (if possible) take a face up Minor Arcana card from the Clairvoyant and remove it from play. They must be strategic in their choice, for example they might want to pick a card that would help create an energy required by one of the Death cards in their hand, so as to avoid that energy being created. The Clairvoyant and the Prospect cannot talk to each other during the game and cannot share information relating to the cards in their hand. 5

6 Influences A Touch of Destiny (from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest) I have always been inspired by this scene in POTC: Dead Mans Chest. This is the main focal point for the game and where I am drawing the most inspiration from. The divination themes, the atmosphere of this scene and the actual action of throwing the bones/shells is something I want to incorporate into the game as much as possible. This also provides the main inspiration for the board that the dice will be thrown onto. This scene will not only influence the gameplay but also the visual style of the game. I will draw out colour palettes and subjects from this scene to influence the style. Divination: Tarot Cards Divination has always been an interest of mine, particularly Pagan traditions and Tarot cards. I like the dark and spiritual themes of Tarot cards, and the sense of Doom that the Death card brings. First and foremost, the Tarot cards will be used in the game itself. I would also like to investigate some of the different art styles of the cards to influence the visual style of the game. 6

7 Divination: Hakata & Bone Reading Hakata is a form of bone and dice divination from South Africa. In one variation, dice are carved from bone or ivory and used the let the spirits communicate. The way the dice land portrays different prophecies and meanings. This is where I got some of the inspiration to have dice involved in the game. Fablestone Dice: Bone Origins (Kickstarter) This was a kickstarter that took place in 2016 that I backed. I was very inspired by the design of the dice and the concept itself of the ivory styled dice set. This is where I got most of my inspiration to have dice involved in the game. I would like to use the symbols from the Bone Origins dice as influences on my dice symbols. Ravens of Thri Sahashri (Card Game) Ravens is a Japanese cooperative puzzle card game for two players. It has a set of simple elements that combine to create a complex game full of depth. This is where I got my inspiration to create a cooperative two player game. As a lover of board games, it is sometimes quite tricky to find cooperative games for couples. As a competitive person, two player competitive board games can end in chaos. I have used ravens as inspiration for the no talking rules, the concealed hands and the Death cards (which relate closely to the Raven cards). Ravens also has abilities on their cards which can be played to influence the game, so this is another key point of inspiration. Elder Sign (Board Game) 7

8 Elder sign is a game by Fantasy flight where you roll dice and use the faces to complete tasks. This is where I got the main inspiration for the dice creating mana with the different faces that pay for the cards. King of Tokyo (Dice Game) King of Tokyo is a dice game where you play as monsters attacking Tokyo. You roll dice and the different faces translate into different actions. You can also have Power Cards or Evolutions that influence and interact with the dice you throw. This is where I got some of the inspiration for the cards abilities that interact with the dice. The elevator Pitch Roll the Bones is a cooperative dice puzzle game for two players themed around Bone Reading and Tarot Cards. In the game, one person plays as the Clairvoyant and the other as the Prospect. The Clairvoyant must read the Prospect s future with Tarot cards whilst trying to avoid Death. The Clairvoyant throws die, representing bones, onto the board, and the results generate a pool of energy. This energy is used to cast the Tarot cards from their hand. However, specific combinations of energy trigger Death cards held by the Prospect. Death cards annex a die from the Clairvoyant s pool and when too many Death cards are in play, the game is lost. 8