Haven Concept Case: Cruyk

Teodric Abstract: Cruyk is a concept design within the Haven project .  It is the first game design by Axel Ekström (6 years old).

Availability: Public

Contents

Part I: Foreword - Game Fundamentals - Application Concept - Draft Vocabulary - Sample Items - Attacks - Weight and Movement - Flight - Detection - Art -
Part II: Other Documents - Copyright

Foreword

One evening as I was putting my son to bed, he said to me "Dad, I want us to make a game". He had it all thought out, though his vocabulary isn't exactly technical. What he started to describe sounded like a cross-over of Spyro and Diablo, featuring robots - a 3D shooter, with a platform-game-like linearity and yet some freedom.

So, what is a dad to do? Of course I listened closely and went right in and sat down to write it all down once he had fallen asleep. I was fairly sure he'd tire of the whole deal in less than 24 hours, once he understood it wouldn't be ready to play that same evening. About one week later, he's still very excited and talks of little else than this game we're making.

I fleshed out what he'd sketched for me, and he listens carefully to my ideas and usually approves immediately. He does not wish for "challenge" - I'll have to sneak that in. Not that it will be very hard, his understanding of game economy is limited at best. And while he can read a sentence or two, he certainly cannot read English, so this text should be safe for a few years yet.

Anyway, this is about Axel's game. Not mine. I'm just a guide and a code slave (and whatever other types of slave the day might require). When you see something that looks impossible for a 6-year-old to understand, perhaps you're right and it's really me speaking. Just understand, that while I may make suggestions and be the one actually writing things, Axel is in control of this project. Much of this, much more than one would guess, is really stright from his mouth.

I intend to keep it that way.

- Olof Ekström

Game Fundamentals


Application Concept

The player starts with a robot with two arms (left and right) and two legs (left and right), and a set of basic equipment (one Laser cannon mk 1, one Power generator mk 1, one Accumulator mk 1, and one Left hand grip) and 50 credits. The robot is at the fitting facility, A number of items are available there for purchase.

The interface at this stage consists of, to the left, a visual layout of the robot's available slots, each with symbols indicating what - if anything - is equipped in each slot. Optional slots not (yet) purchased are indicated with the color red and show labels indicating the cost to enable them. To the right is a sorted list of products for sale. At the bottom is the naming area, and the "done" and "cancel" command buttons, above this is an information area.

Clicking an item either on the left or right brings up item specifications in the information area. Clicking an unequipped slot causes the for sale list to highlight only items that fit in that slot. Clicking an optional slot similarly causes the appropriate items to be highlighted, and also shows information about that slot in the information area. In the slot layout (left) are also some data displays where statistics about a slot is shown (such as armor value and capacity of both slot and equipped items).


The player proceeds to purchase all the equipment he can afford, and to name the robot, whereupon the robot journeys to the combat area.

Draft Vocabulary


Sample Items

Attacks

Melee attacks risk damage to self. The risk can be somewhat negated by armor.

Damage Calculation and Damage Points

Except for attacks on active electronics (emitters), no attacks aimed at specific components are possible.

Damage is calculated by determining affected unit parts and adjusting each for armor and countermeasures. Projectile and beam attacks strike only one unit part, area effects may strike several unit parts.

Each basic unit part has an intrinsic number of damage points. This number is used for damage assessment.

Part
Points
Head
100
Ear
50
Eye
50
Mouth
50
Chest
500
Internal
(special)
Back
400
Shoulder
250
Arm
200
Hand
150
Torso
350
Leg
250
Foot
150
Special: Wings
300
Special: Jet pack
400
Special: Antenna
500
Special: Pod
1000

Special parts are especially vulnerable to area attacks, and must keep track of area attack damage separately.

When a unit reaches 30% damage, effectiveness starts to drop at a rate of 2% effectiveness/1% damage. At 80% damage the unit is completely uneffective. A unit reaching 100% damage is destroyed.

Effectiveness of legs determines movement ratio. A robot with no effective legs cannot walk on the ground (it may still fly, provided it can take off - ineffective legs will rule out jump take-off). Partially ineffective walk/run will still consume full power consumption.

Weight and Movement

Movement uses power. Available power is converted to movement and adjusted by weight. Burst movement consumes quadruple power, allowing double movement rate. Burst movement is not limited by time, only power. Any system including movement systems can feed off either power generators or power accumulators.

Flight

Flight is a special form of movement and requires a means of take-off (jump or jet pack) and a means of staying aloft (wings and/or jet pack). Jet pack consumes jet fuel (not power).

Note that flight generally disallows offensive missile armament (by slot exclusion).

Detection

All emitters are detectable by appropriate sensors. Movement and many actions are detectable visually or by audio or radar.

Power generators are detectable by most sensors.

Weapons use (beam, projectile, missile) is generally easily detectable. Melee weapons use is generally only detectable by audio or vision.

Direct downlink emission is less easy to intercept or detect. Solar panels generate no emission of any type.

Art

Robot Concepts


Concepts by Axel Ekström

Concept by Olof Ekström after LEGO model built by Axel Ekström & Olof Ekström

Concept by Olof Ekström after LEGO model built by Axel Ekström & Olof Ekström

Concept by Olof Ekström after LEGO model built by Axel Ekström & Olof Ekström

Concept by Olof Ekström after LEGO model built by Axel Ekström & Olof Ekström

Concept by Olof Ekström after LEGO model built by Axel Ekström & Olof Ekström

Other Documents

Copyright

This text was written in its entirety by Olof Ekström from a concept idea by Axel Ekström. For more information about the author of this page, see Olof Ekström's personal information in the Project Profiles document.

Copyright © 2002 Olof Ekström/Extro System. All rights reserved.

Bälinge/Uppsala, Sweden, October 2002