THE FUTURE

FIRST: listen to this
Iannis Xenakis' - Syrmos

THEN: Take a look at this
A proposal for a game featuring artwork by Lebbeus Woods

More Details:

1) Write a high concept statement: a few sentences that give a general flavor of the game. You can make references to other games, movies, book, or any other media if your game contains similar characters actions or ideas

The game is sim city in hell. You are the urban planner or rather dictator of an overworked FEMA. You are tasked with managing a basket case of a city which is subjected to environmental disasters, war, and unmitigated population and resource swings.

2) What is the player’s role? Is the player pretending to be someone or something, and if so what? Is there more than one? How does the player’s role help to define the gameplay?

The player’s role is to continually rebuild structures and reestablish infrastructure/vital services. The player is givin map data and statistics about current “events” which will give indications about where building need to be built (or not built) where services are vitally needed, etc.

3) Does the game have an avatar or other key character? Describe him/her/it

The game is more of a topdown RTS kind of view. You direct, but you are not visible as an actor.

4) What is the nature of the gameplay, in general terms? What kinds of challenges will the player face? What kinds of actions will the player take to overcome them?
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The gameplay will move in two phases:

“Relative Calm”
Is a time for resource allocation, analyzing data on the conditions of surroundings (weather patterns, enemies--ala other cities in similar situations...) building the necessarry structures to move out of the way of impending doom.

“Chaos”
Is when a disaster happens. This is the time when you direct the actions that are necessarry to mitigate the damage: Population losses, resource losses, structure lossess, etc. Different disasters will have different implications for the current location- hence you are essentially always on the move.

5) What is the player’s interaction model? Omnipresent? Through an avatar? Something else? Some combination?

Player is omnipresent

6) What is the game’s primary camera model? How will the player view the game’s world on the screen? Will there be more than one perspective?

The game is top down with a good view of the larger picture, and allows for zooming in on the details.


7) Does the game fall into an existing genre? If so, which one?

This would fall in-between RTS and simulator


8) Is the game competitive, cooperative, team-based or single player? If multiple players are allowed are they using the same machine with separate controls or different machines over a network?

The game could work as either single player or multiplayer.
In multiplayer mode: Both will be in control of the same city but as different departments who are squabbling over control. Depending on circumstances players may have to cooperate or sabotage each other.

9) Why would anyone want to play this game? Who is the game’s target audience? What characteristics distinguish them from the mass of players in general?

People who would enjoy it probably have a dark sense of humour.

10) What machine or machines is the game intended to run on? Can it make use of or will it require any particular hardware such as dance mats or a camera?

I see this as a more intense experience, close to a screen with the good speakers or headphones.

11) What is the game’s setting? Where does it take place?

In the future, not specifically earth, but indicative of impending real world issues: climate change, resource wars, overpopulation.

12) Will the game be broken into levels? What might be the victory condition for a typical level?

The game will be one continuous map where all events take place. Victory conditions are to reach higher ground and stabalizing conditions for your city.

13) Does the game have a narrative or story as it goes along? Summarize the plot in a sentence or two.

Climate change, causing natural disasters, causing resource wars, causing trouble.