BREACH: Sci fi space horror escape room game

 Escape room    

Original idea 

First we had to create a presentation showing our own ideas for an escape room game before deciding which game we were gonna develop. The idea I came up with was a 3D escape room game called ' A room lost in time' that revolves around time travel. This would feature a few different mini rooms, each one representing a different point in time (Start with modern, Ancient history, Western, Medieval, Futuristic. The designs of each room would be different to fit the theme depending on what time zone it is in. Players would need to solve puzzles to solve the mystery of the time travel and spell and find a way to stop it to be able to escape the loop. For the storyline of this game, the player would be a  scientist part of a secret society, who ahs figured out time travel. A rogue scientist has sabotaged the timeline, due to his personal vendetta against the society, you must fix it . The time machine that the scientists create causes a time loop spell where each room changes and transports the person to a different point in time and space. The player would've solved puzzles in each room to unlock the mystery and break the spell (Rooms would've included time periods such as Medieval, Western, Futuristic, Ancient history)

However, when coming up with this idea, even though I thought it was a cool concept and could possibly work for a game, I did realize that it would have been a big project as it would not only be focusing on one theme but variety of different themes as the different rooms would be set in different time periods.  So each room would need to have a completely different design to the other rooms so there would be a lot more to design and develop for this project. 

About the game 

• For the past couple of weeks, we have been working on the first developments for our group escape room videogame.
• This game will be a 3D Sci-fi Space Themed escape room.
•  Parasite on board/ship on lockdown 
• Horror-escape game 
• Free roam around the unlocked parts of the ship 
• 2 other actors in game (Only voice) 
• 1 Person is crewmate trying to bring you to your senses and give you tasks  
• Person 2 is a parasite infecting your mind (in your head you are fixing ship) revealed at end you are the downfall (you destroyed ship) 
• If parasite ending the game reveals what you really did though cutscenes at the end 
• 2 Win Conditions (You Save the Ship, You Destroyed the Ship) 
• This would mostly consist of sci-fi futuristic space styled objects and props to fit the theme of the escape game 
• (E.g. there may be a puzzle dealing with door controls, the Engines or an O2 Machine) 
• As there is a good voice and a bad voice in the game, there could be props providing a story and things that are in the world and what the bad voice says may not correlate as well as the other voice 
• Whichever Voice you follow changes the flow of the game and the ending 
• The place would mostly be dimly lit, maybe equipping the player with a low energy flashlight or having different light sources throughout the level to subtly guide the player.
• Each room within the spacecraft was meticulously designed to present unique challenges and uncover fragments of the overarching narrative, keeping players engaged and immersed in the eerie atmosphere.
• We want each puzzle for each level to feel different to each other and make each one a challenge so it doesn't feel dull or repetitive.
• Example: Engine overload puzzle: Balance power levels to prevent a catastrophic meltdown.  Players discover a control room with a central console displaying various energy levels.
• The puzzle involves manipulating sliders and buttons to distribute power evenly across different sec Players discover a control room with a central console displaying various energy levels. The puzzle involves manipulating sliders and buttons to distribute power evenly across different sections.
• 
  Players must solve pattern recognition and code-breaking puzzles to disable security measures and unlock door to the next part of the ship.  The game will start with the player, in first person, waking up and getting out of bed confused as red alarms are flashing along with the alarms of an AI. The players character will then realize they need to get out and see what's going on. The objective will be update on the players UI to help them find a way to escape their rooms. After solving the first puzzle, the player would then exit the room and walk through the hallway where they would hear a voice over their suits intercoms. This will then lead to the voice telling the player where to go and giving tips on how to escape the different rooms.
• It will approximately take around 2 hours to finish all the levels of the game.
• We also originally planned to include a re- playability feature along with alternate endings, but due to the amount of time, weve limited to one main ending for the game. As we began development, we made a plan for each member of the group has been working on different aspects for the game before we put it all together. For example, I have been using 3ds Max to create different assets to put in some of the rooms. So far I have created assets such as beds, chairs, a wardrobe and some other smaller assets like a mug, plate or a cupboard just for background items.

Other assets I made using 3Ds Max to put in one of the main rooms of the game included a locker, sink and a vent grate which the player would use during one of the levels to help them escape the room and enter the next one. These assets would mainly be for the first room the player starts in at the beginning of the game. At the beginning of this game, the player would have to look around the room to find a way to open the door and exit to the next stage. I've had to change some of the assets after my teammates have given me feedback so they can look better when they are imported into unreal engine. We have recently been starting to put the levels we have made together so a player can play it from beginning to end like with an actual game. 

Research

We got our inspiration for this game from a few different sci fi/ horror movies and games, including: The thing, Alien, Dead space, The Callisto project and Prey. For example, in Alien, after a spaceship crew wakes up from cryo sleep, they then receive a distress call revealed to be a warning not to board the ship on the planet below which had been taken over by alien parasites. This is where we got the idea from to make ours a futuristic, sci fi space game where a crew is trapped on a ship that has been taken over. The spaceship's layout was meticulously mapped out, with each room serving as a unique challenge. We drew inspiration from classic sci-fi films and horror games to create an environment that is futuristic and foreboding which also fits the tone of the game.

Presentation

We presented our pitch for our game idea to a client ,whos an escape room creator, to see what his thoughts were on our project and if he liked the ideas we had. Our presentation explained the main premise of the game, including the plot, style and mechanics that can be used during the game. I think the presentation went well overall and our game ideas seemed to be appealing to the client but we did also received some feedback on how we could improve certain levels and the story even further. Their invaluable insights helped us refine puzzles, tweak difficulty levels, and fine-tune narrative elements to ensure a seamless and satisfying gameplay journey. We also had the client come in the classroom to see us working on the games in person. We have been discussing what mechanics would be used in this game and how they would connect to the different puzzles. So far we've planned to include the following: Pick - up, drop, jump, prone and view items. The player would also be able to sprint to be able to get around places quicker and to help in certain scenarios like getting chased by an alien creature or parasite.

Other Assets

These are other assets I created for the other rooms that have been developed on recently. For example, we have created a cafeteria which is the next room the player will enter once they have escaped the first room. Some assets I made for this room include: plates, spoons, forks and coffee mugs and tables. The rest of the team has also been working on other assets that the player can pick up and use in the different rooms, for example, the player will have to use a keycard to escape the first room.

Recently I have been using a software called Fuse which is a character creator that can be used to create 3d character models to put in the game. It allows you to edit the character's body shape, clothing and other features. These will be used as background characters for our game, so I used it to create a mix of different characters and then sent them to Dylan so hes able to import them into the project and make them Npcs characters. 

For the last week of developing on this game, we are moving away from adding new stuff to the game and mainly focusing finishing the final touches and putting it all together so its all ready for showcasing at the Norwich event. 

Recently we have been designing banners, posters to show at the event to make our presentation look more interesting and will give the people there an idea what we are presenting. The poster that will be displayed where were presenting shows some images along with information of the different assets that have been made for the game and talking about some of the tools used. 

 Reflection/Evaluation

When it comes to my progression during my third year of college and Games design, I think it has helped develop some of my skills even further which I think will be useful for any of my future careers. During the past couple years of me working in the game’s development course, I have learned a good range of skills when it comes to designing and developing ideas for videogames using different software's like Unreal Engine. My knowledge about different videogames, videogame genres, Esports and gaming trends has also expanded due to the wide range of research and playing other different games. This is vital to be able to understand and follow instructions to bring the creative vision to life. A good knowledge and understanding of game programming languages and specialization in a particular platform, such as PC, mobile or consoles, would aid my progression. I am also aware that success in game development requires a strong focus on teamwork, communication, and problem-solving, which are qualities I think I've been able to develop during the years at college. A project like this where we come together coming up with ideas for our own videogame has definitely helped me grow a little more confident with teamwork skills like communication.