Task 1: Game Design Document
Introduce
MIB - DST 61104 GAMES DEVELOPMENT.pdf，作者 tian dong<WEEK 3>
The teacher arranged a group discussion session for us to confirm the theme and gameplay of the game.
We formed a group of seven and discussed in class what we would study. What is a game file? We had to decide on two game files and we chose the game ideas of Oubata and Tao as the two game files we would study.
PHYTO: Initial game ideas
Double Pendulum Pachinko: Initial game ideas
We started assigning tasks to each member of our team. I was responsible for the Bosses part in PHYTO and the art work (drawing) part in Double pendulum Pachinko.
Regarding the distribution of work for these two parts, I would like to complete the artwork and drawing part first, because the drawing work is heavier, so I think I should do the artwork part first, and then the bosses part.
Game Document-Double Pendulum Pachinko（art work）
I first understood the whole idea of the game, and gained a deep understanding of how the game is played and what it looks like.
I looked at what he had written and the sketches, and I had some questions, so I discussed with Obata, and finally I had the idea of what the game would look like and the style I wanted to draw.
I started to enter the art work part.
Sketching on drawing paper
I designed a logo for the game name, which can be used as a game material.
I found some styles I wanted to make, then I sent the sketches and logos and the style of the game I wanted to draw to Obata and asked him to give me some feedback.
Obata suggested I add hit and miss holes on the left and right sides.He also helped me mark the locations on my sketch.
Drawing on Procreate
I first imported a photo of my sketch into Procreate and created a new layer.
I began drawing the game console. After completing the game console, I deleted the layer containing the sketch I had imported into Procreate.
I then created a new layer to paint the background. My background style is more techno-punk. When painting, I used the mosaic brush to create details.
The final product image, document
Game Document-Phyto (Bosses)
🎮 Writing ideas:
In this game's worldview, I wanted to combine the theme of the symbiosis of nature and technology to explore the "continuity and collapse of life systems." Initially, visually, I referenced the fusion of plant roots, computer circuits, and system interfaces. Narratively, I wanted each boss to be more than just an "enemy," but rather a distinct "life state" or "error manifestation" within the system.
Thus, when designing the "Bosses" chapters, I avoided the traditional "battle objective" approach. Instead, I considered each boss a manifestation of the system's emotions, symbolizing the psychological and ecological conflicts faced by the protagonist in maintaining systemic balance.
1️⃣ Structure and Tone
I drew inspiration from the semi-narrative, semi-instructionary writing style found in game documentation examples:
Each paragraph begins with a brief story description, followed by a few concise English comments summarizing the theme and gameplay (theme/mechanics). This approach preserves the poetic feel of the game world while clearly conveying the design logic.
I hope readers will experience a calm narrative style that "coexists between living things and programming," like a system describing its own error state.
2️⃣ Concepts for the Four Bosses
The Overgrown Node
This boss was inspired by images of overgrown plants—in natural systems, growth itself is a form of "out of control."
I designed it as a data root node that absorbs excessive energy. The player's task is to prune it, not destroy it.
This level conveys the idea that when life flourishes excessively, it can also lead to systemic collapse.
Kernel Parasite
I wanted to incorporate the imagery of a "virus" and a "memory loop" into this boss.
It's like an insect parasitic within the mainframe, surviving by devouring fragments of memory.
The combat rhythm is based on the rhythm of the heartbeat, and the player must "synchronize" with it to purify it.
The symbolism is that when a system falls into repetition and fear, it must find balance through resonance.
Bloom.exe
This boss inverts the concept of "light."
Originally, light represents energy and hope, but here it becomes a form of pollution.
I borrowed the photographic term "overexposure" to gradually engulf the level's visuals in white light.
It symbolizes that excessive purity and order can also destroy the diversity of life.
The Corekeeper
The final boss isn't primarily a battle, but rather a "decision."
It's the final guardian of the system and a reflection of the player.
I wanted the player to face a philosophical question at the end:
"Do you force the system to restart, allowing it to continue?
Or do you choose to let it cease naturally?"
This level expresses the idea that accepting an end is also a form of continuity.
3️⃣ Reflections on the Overall Theme
The four bosses represent a complete cycle:
Growth → Infection → Overproduction → Resistance → Reset
It represents both the life cycle of a system and a metaphor for humanity's relationship with technology and nature.
I hope that in defeating each boss, players are actually "repairing" their own sensory systems.
The entire design is more like an experiment in ecological balance and the awakening of self-awareness.
Game Development Document
<WEEK 4>
During this week each of our groups gave a presentation about our GDD.
The teacher gave our group some feedback ：
The instructor generally praised our group's progress and creative performance. He felt that both projects—Double Pendulum Pachinko and Phyto—demonstrated promising concepts and unique visual ideas.
In Double Pendulum Pachinko, the instructor found the combination of "chaos physics" and "arcade pinball" to be interesting and novel, but suggested that we further refine the gameplay logic and control feedback to achieve a more coherent rhythm and unified visuals.
As for Phyto, the instructor approved of the "purifying the environment with plants" theme, but hoped that we could clarify the storyline, make the level structure more logical, and improve the color and lighting to make the ecological changes more visually impactful.
Finally, the instructor encouraged us to maintain our creativity, strengthen team communication and task allocation, and polish the details for a more complete and professional design in subsequent versions.
The teacher asked us in class who wanted to remake the GDD, and our group raised their hands. We are ready to remake it in the lecture next week.
Our team consists of eight people, divided into two groups, each responsible for two GDD.
Me, xinli, shaiba and obata are responsible for a GDD-Double Pendulum Pachinko
Change process:
First, obata changed some content, let's check the content.
Then I think we can sort out the directory just like the example given by the teacher
I found these three points missing:
Key Features (Our game features)
Interface (What is the style layout?)
Art & Animation (Color, ...)
I added these to the documentation.
Obata wants to add game component and visual effect part.
After that I made a color palette for the layout study.
We will then put the contents of the document into the new GDD.
NEW—Game Development Document (Double Pendulum Pachinko)
Double Pendulum Pachinko，作者 tian dong<WEEK 5>
This week we gave a presentation on what we changed from Week 4 to Week 5. The changes were quite big because there were some issues with the layout of our previous GDD, so we redesigned it.
The teacher gave us four people feedback on the Double Pendulum Pachinko we studied.
Regarding the Scoring Mechanism
The teacher primarily discussed the scoring logic in the game. He mentioned that the score progression when a coin lands in different slots needs to be more clearly defined. The current rules are a bit confusing. For example, a coin landing in a "losing slot" loses points, while landing in a "winning slot" doubles the points. The teacher suggested using a multiplier structure (2 → 4 → 8 → 16 → 32) to create a chain reaction of rewards for players.
Areas for Improvement
The teacher believes that while the current game is somewhat fun, players may not fully understand why they gain or lose points. The score feedback isn't intuitive enough, which can lead to players feeling lost. He suggested making the score progression more logical and providing more visual feedback to enhance player engagement.
Teacher's Suggestions
The teacher suggested starting with a simple "scoring simulation" to verify the validity of the rules, rather than aiming for complex numerical values or high scores from the outset. Small-scale testing can help identify logical flaws more quickly and allow for gradual refinement of the game structure.
Overall Evaluation
The teacher praised our progress, stating that we were on the right track and had interesting ideas. He encouraged us to continue refining the details during future development, ensuring players could clearly understand the rules and enjoy a coherent interactive experience.
Afterwards, the teacher gave some good ideas a score and asked us to choose the games we were interested in.
We still choose Double Pendulum Pachinko.
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