"Jimmy's Gems" is a first-person platforming game for the PC, designed using the "Unity" game engine. You play the role of a young boy named Jimmy who is obsessed with collecting shiny gems. He sneaks into the forest every morning to get more before his parents wake up.
Game Introduction
- Genre
- The game falls into the genre of a first-person platformer. The games niche genre is fantasy - a forest filled with magic shiny gems. The player will be required to jump on platforms to reach high up gems.
- GamePlay
- Gameplay will be fast paced as the player will be required to sprint around collecting gems against a timer. The player can explore any part of the map at any time. They are not restricted to collecting gems in a specific order. The only way to end the game is by waiting for the timer to run out. Each game will last for 3 minutes.
- Target audience & platforms
- This game is targeted toward players who like getting a high score for bragging rights. The art style and user-friendly controls make the game suitable for people of all ages. There is no violence or explicit content in the game.The game will run on the PC platform
- Look and Feel
- The game will look like a 90s platforming game. It will have a relaxed and nostalgic feel. Colours will be bright and music will be chilled out as the game is not meant to be taken too seriously.
Story
Your parents have banned you from accumulating any more gems. The magic gems have been scattered back into the forest by Jimmy's parents. You only have a limited time before your parents wake up and find out that your collecting gems again, so run! Get as many gems as you can before its too late. Scan the forest well, you never know where those gems could be hiding.
How to Play
Collect as many gems as you can before the timer runs out. Collect gems by simply walking into them. The game ends when the timer runs out. The gems have different point values depending on their colour. Red is the most common gem, whereas yellow gems are the rarest and best hidden in the game.
Red = 1 Point
Green = 2 Points
Blue = 5 Points
Yellow = 10 Points
Technical
This game is targeted towards people on the PC platform. This is the games preferred platform because there are not many first-person games similar to this on PC. There is no multiplayer support for this game all scores will be kept on the users own PC.
System Requirements
Almost any PC will be able to run this game. The game will not be stressful on the user's graphics card or processor. It will also not take up much memory. The game will have full 1080p support. The game supports 60fps which is recommended for a smooth gaming experience. The game will automatically save itself.
It is recommended that you have the latest version of Windows 10 but the game will play on older versions. A widescreen monitor is required because the game has a native aspect ratio of 16:9. At a minimum, the users Pc should have a of 4GB of ram, a dual core processor, a graphics card and 1GB of available storage space.
User Interface (controls)
The game will be designed for keyboard/mouse. The user controls will use the standard WASD keys. The players head movement will be controlled using the mouse. The back button will lead the player back to the home screen menu. There will be no on-screen buttons during gameplay. No player inventory will be included in the game.
- W Key - Walk Forward
- A Key - Walk Left
- S Key - Walk Back
- D Key - Walk Right
- Shift Key - Sprint
- Spacebar - Jump
- Mouse - Controls Head Movement
- Esc Key - Back to Homescreen
Artwork (design)
Cartoon art style which is perfect for children and adults who want that nostalgic platformer feeling. The art style is inspired by 90s platforming games. The colours in the game will be bright and vibrant. When coming up with a game design for "Jimmy's Gems", inspiration was taken from 90s platforming games such as "Spyro". "Jimmys Gems" will have a very similar art style with its own twist.
Included below are some inspirational images from the"Spyro" games on the PlayStation 1.
Heads Up Display (HUD)
Heads Up Display (HUD)
There will be a counter on the top right-hand corner of the screen. This counter will count the number of gems the player has collected during play. The HUD will have white colored cartoon text.
The main menu screen will leave the player with four different options, a play button, controls button and a how to play button and a leaderboard button. The play button will lead the player straight into the game level. The controls button will show the player the keys used to control the character. The how to play button will display a short few lines of text which explains what the player is required to do. When the leaderboard button is clicked, the player will see all their past high scores.
Timer
using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections;
using UnityEngine.UI;
public class Timer : MonoBehaviour
{
public int timeLeft = 5;
public Text countdownText;
// Use this for initialization
void Start()
{
StartCoroutine("LoseTime");
}
// Update is called once per frame
void Update()
{
countdownText.text = ("Time Left = " + timeLeft);
if (timeLeft <= 0)
{
StopCoroutine("LoseTime");
countdownText.text = "Times Up!";
}
}
IEnumerator LoseTime()
{
while (true)
{
yield return new WaitForSeconds(1);
timeLeft--;
}
}
}
Characters
Jimmy Gems - Main protagonist
Jimmy's Parents - Not seen in the game
Character 1
Jimmy Gems is the main protagonist in the game "Jimmy's Gems". He is a young boy who really loves shiny gems and will go behind his parents back to get them. Finding shiny gems is his passion. He has lived his whole life with his parents in a magical forest filled with gems. The character cannot take any damage in the game. Jimmy is a young boy so the player's camera will be placed at a lower height.
Level Design
This game contains a single map. Player will start outside his parent's house. The level is set in a magical forest filled with mountains, ponds, trees, grass, hidden locations, and gems. The placement of these gems is random and will change after every game. The map will be surrounded by mountains that keep the player from going outside the forest. The map is all open to free roam. Anywhere in the play zone can be explored. The map will have lighting similar to early morning. The terrain will vary in height depending on where the player is located.
The map will contain a series of main features.
- Big mountain
- Log Cabin
- A Body of Water
- Platforms
Global Elements
The game map will medium-sized to encourage the player to discover and rediscover the same locations on the map. The map will be surrounded by large non-claimable mountains to keep the player enclosed in the map. All the gems will spin continuously and play a sound when collected. Platforms on the map will remain static. Clouds, trees, and grass will have a dynamic animation. Shadows will be cast by all in-game objects.
Player View
First person view camera which moves accordingly to the player's mouse. The camera will not show the players body. The game will be played in a first person view so that the player's field of view is smaller. The smaller field of few will make the game more challenging when it comes to spotting gems.
Development
The entire game will be programmed using the Unity engine. Development of the game will begin with designing the map/ implementing the art style. I will then focus on sound, programming and making the game menu. Finally, the game will be tested for any bugs that may need to be patched.
Audio & Sound F/x
Light-hearted background music during menu and gameplay. Bird ambient noises in the forest. Player movement noises when walking, running, and jumping.
Technical Requirements
Speakers or headphones will be required if the player wants to hear the game sound.
Player Elements
The player will hear footstep noises and a noise when jumping. Birds sounds will also be played when the player enters the forest. Any buildings located on the map cannot be entered, including Jimmy's House.
Splash Screens
The splash screen will display the Unity logo when launched.
Menu Fx
The main menu will play a different light-hearted song to the in-game one. It will have a cartoon look that matches the rest of the game. Menu buttons will play the same ding noise as the gems when clicked. There will be an option to turn of the game music/sound from the main menu. Buttons will have a pressed in animation when clicked.
Marketing
The game will be marketed on my social media accounts so friends, family, and fellow students can give it a try.
Key Features
- Light Hearted Soundtrack
- Cartoon Art Style
- Timed Gameplay
- Exploration
- Platforming
- Gem Collection
- On-Screen Score
- User-friendly
- All age ranges
- Short fast-paced gameplay
- Single map