Game Design:

     “Project Violet” is a first-person exploration game with puzzle sequences.

It features stylized realistic environments in a moderately sci-fi exploration context.

     The game’s narrative starts off with the level in question, where the protagonist finds itself stuck on a deserted island, and cannot remember how they got there in the first place.  

     As the story progresses, the protagonist keeps finding themselves in situations to escape from, as they start to question why this keep happening and if they are in control.

     The levels provided are overall linear with some branching aspects. The puzzles must be completed in order to unlock access to the other areas and puzzles.

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     The Main mechanic of the Game is a "Force Wielding" ability. The player character will hold out their arm and use a force push that has a 6m range.

With it the player is able to interact with the Violet colored Energy orbs to complete puzzles and unlock new areas of the map.

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Teaching the Player:

     After testing the game with some players, there seemed to be a recurring observation - the players did not understand that they  could use the "Force Push" mechanic from a distance.

     With that in mind, an initial cave level was added. In this cave the player was forced to be at a distance from the energy orb, but with no further options, they were forced to try and push it from that distance, learning to do it successfully.

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Event Flowchart:

     Since the progression is quite linear, the game starts

in the cave, where the player first interacts with the Force

Push mechanic.

     Once they make their way outside they are able to explore

until they find the entrance to the next puzzle area (left).

     Completing it unlocks the first of two monumental

energy orbs (visible on the central gate), and also opens

up the access to the second puzzle area to the right.

     Once that's complete, the player can return to the

central gate, and go through it, and there they will find

the last puzzle room.

      Finally they are able to pass, and get to the higher

platform where they must interact with the Sphere there,

lowering the floating island and getting to the end.

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Level Design:

    For the map design, the concept 

stays mostly symmetrical witht the exception

of the Second Puzzle Room.

       The environment is the most natural the

closest it is to the initial  area. As it gets to

the puzzle rooms it starts looking more

"man-made".

       The last floating isle is visible from all walkable

points of the island (using it as a Macro Landmark).

       The map also functions with a Gate and Key

system.

       The energy orbs act as keys if pushed into the

Violet colored boxes, opening up their respective

gates and sometimes secondary paths that allow the

player to quickly walk back to the central area.

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Pacing:

     To control the pacing, the level is composed of

multiple beats. They have been categorized into:

Exploration beats, Puzzle beats and Animations.

     Exploration beats are for when the player is

introduced to a new area of the map, and is able to

explore it. Puzzle beats are attributed for puzzle

solving, and finally the animations act as reactions

to player actions, giving them a small transition into

the action.

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     These beats are also ranked in intensity and will

gradually increase as the game progresses.

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Gating:

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