diff --git a/GDD.md b/GDD.md deleted file mode 100644 index 1415616..0000000 --- a/GDD.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,145 +0,0 @@ -# Vale -## Game Design Document - -[!vale](./Assets/Concepts/file_00000000f5686230bb8eaf09d5e151fd.png) - -### Core Concept -A roguelike adventure game where players manage a caravan through an apocalyptic world, balancing cozy village preparation with urgent expeditions as cosmic horror threatens to consume everything. - -### Genre & Inspirations -- **Primary Genre:** Roguelike/Action-Adventure -- **Inspirations:** Stardew Valley (village life), Monster Hunter (preparation), Oregon Trail (caravan travel), Dark Souls (combat), Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (expedition structure) - ---- - -## Core Game Loop - -### Phase 1: Village Preparation -**Duration:** Player-controlled, but time pressure increases nightly - -**Activities:** -- Explore home village and surrounding biome -- Complete fetch quests and resource gathering -- Craft and upgrade equipment -- Accept requisitions from local guild -- Manage caravan supplies and crew - -**Mechanics:** -- Real-time day/night cycle -- Relationship building with NPCs -- Crafting system for gear and caravan upgrades -- Resource management (food, materials, gold) - -### Phase 2: Expedition -**Duration:** Variable based on requisition and player choices - -**Core Systems:** -- **Caravan Management:** Real-time movement across procedurally generated wilderness -- **Combat:** Action-based encounters with monsters and threats -- **Survival:** Resource consumption, weather, terrain hazards -- **Problem Solving:** Environmental puzzles (broken bridges, quicksand, etc.) - -**Requisition Types:** -- **Delivery:** Transport goods between settlements -- **Hunting:** Eliminate specific monsters or threats -- **Scouting:** Explore uncharted wilderness areas -- **Urgent:** Combat cosmic horror manifestations - -### Phase 3: Decision Point -**Options:** -1. **Return Home:** Teleport back to village, process rewards, full Phase 1 reset -2. **Continue:** Accept new requisition from current location - - **In Cities:** Full selection of appropriate requisitions - - **In Wilderness:** Limited to scouting missions - - **In Frozen Zones:** Only urgent requisitions available - ---- - -## Cosmic Horror System - -### The Eclipse Timeline -- **Night 1:** New star appears in sky -- **Night 2:** Star begins to eclipse -- **Night 3:** Full eclipse achieved, first frozen circle appears -- **Nights 4-6:** Circle expands across map, consuming settlements - -### Frozen Zone Effects -- **Towns:** NPCs become unresponsive, shops inaccessible -- **Monsters:** Increased strength and aggression -- **Environment:** Visual corruption, audio distortion -- **Progression:** Circle grows steadily, making areas permanently inaccessible - -### Victory Condition -Players must complete urgent requisitions to fight through frozen zones and destroy the Eldritch horror at the circle's center before the map is fully consumed. - ---- - -## Core Mechanics - -### Caravan System -- **Mobile Base:** Rolling headquarters with upgradeable components -- **Crew Management:** Hire specialists with unique abilities -- **Supply Logistics:** Food, medicine, ammunition, repair materials -- **Customization:** Armor plating, weapons, comfort upgrades - -### Progression -- **Character Skills:** Combat abilities, crafting expertise, social connections -- **Caravan Upgrades:** Enhanced durability, speed, cargo capacity -- **Knowledge Accumulation:** Map data, monster weaknesses, optimal routes -- **Reputation:** Standing with various guilds and settlements - -### Requisition System -- **Difficulty Scaling:** Rewards and challenges increase with distance from home -- **Location Dependency:** Available missions determined by current settlement type -- **Time Pressure:** Eclipse progression affects mission availability and urgency -- **Chain Opportunities:** Strategic route planning for multi-requisition runs - ---- - -## Technical Considerations - -### Procedural Generation -- **Wilderness Maps:** Terrain, resources, encounters, weather patterns -- **Settlement Variation:** Different guild offerings, NPC personalities, local specialties -- **Threat Distribution:** Monster spawns, environmental hazards, cosmic manifestations - -### Progression Persistence -- **Between Runs:** Character knowledge, some equipment, unlocked settlements -- **Within Runs:** Caravan upgrades, relationship progress, map exploration -- **Cosmic Resets:** Eclipse completion triggers world state changes - -### Difficulty Scaling -- **Natural Progression:** Distance from home increases baseline challenge -- **Time Pressure:** Eclipse advancement creates urgency without artificial timers -- **Player Choice:** Risk/reward balance through requisition selection and route planning - ---- - -## Art Direction - -### Visual Themes -- **Village Life:** Warm, cozy, pastoral aesthetic -- **Wilderness:** Varied biomes with realistic but fantastical elements -- **Cosmic Horror:** Progressive visual corruption, impossible geometries, color distortion -- **Eclipse Progression:** Sky changes provide constant visual reminder of approaching doom - -### Audio Design -- **Ambient:** Natural sounds in wilderness, village life audio in settlements -- **Combat:** Impactful weapon strikes, monster audio cues -- **Cosmic Influence:** Distorted audio in frozen zones, building tension through sound design -- **Music:** Dynamic scoring that responds to location type and eclipse progression - ---- - -## Success Metrics - -### Player Engagement -- **Session Length:** 6-night cycles create focused, completable experiences -- **Replayability:** Multiple paths through procedural world, various strategies -- **Skill Development:** Players improve at resource management, route planning, combat - -### Emotional Arc -- **Preparation Satisfaction:** Village phase provides calm planning and anticipation -- **Expedition Tension:** Travel phase delivers challenge and discovery -- **Cosmic Dread:** Eclipse progression creates escalating pressure without frustration -- **Victory Relief:** Successfully stopping cosmic horror provides meaningful catharsis \ No newline at end of file