Earth Defense Corp Game Design Document

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Published 1 year ago

Earth Defense Corp

Game Design Document for Earth Defense Corp



Title: Earth Defense Corp


Developers: Ikhan Games


Date: June 29th, 2024



Table of Contents




1. Game Overview


Game Concept:

Similar to the classic arcade game Missile Command. The area is wrapped circularly around the Earth and the player must intercept asteroids from all directions. Between waves, the player must upgrade their defenses and make long-term decisions towards.



Target Audience:

Casual gamers, retro game enthusiasts, and fans of arcade-style games.



Platform:

PC



2. Gameplay


Core Mechanics:

Basic Gameplay: Players take charge of the planet's defenses; a series of massive rail-guns, all the mechanisms that supply & power them, and close-range missiles. While upgrades are being implemented, the player manually controls defenses.



Controls:

Mouse and keyboard



Game Modes:



  • Story Mode: Primary story mode with defined ending.

  • Arcade Mode: An open-ended mode focused on high score.




User Interface (UI):



  • Main Menu: Options for Play, Settings, and Exit.

  • In-Game HUD: Score display*, Earth's condition, missile count, rail-gun display.

  • Upgrade HUD: Upgrade tabs, upgrade nodes, economy view, rail-gun display.

  • * Score is displayed in Arcade Mode




3. Story and Characters


Narrative:

After the Earth is struck by an asteroid then another it becomes apparent they are a form of attack. The governments of the Earth mount their defenses and set about countering the ever-escalating threat from the stars.



Characters:



  • Commander: The player, who is in charge of the Earth Defense Corp. In charge of the planet's defenses and the use of the Corps resources.




4. World and Level Design


World Description:

At the onset, the Earth has already built several massive rail-gun installations and taken steps to power and supply these rail-guns.



Level Layouts:



  • Story Mode: Waves increase in intensity and complexity; also story elements and upgrades are present.

  • Arcade Mode: Waves increase infinitely and the upgrade tree is re-balanced for arcade style.




5. Art and Aesthetics


Art Style:

A simple pixel art style for menus, the rail-gun display, all the upgrade panels, and graphics. The Earth as well as the projectiles will be a blend of pixel art resembling military radar.



Character and Environment Art:



  • Rail-gun: A towering pixel art structure that changes as upgraded.

  • Asteroids: Simple irregular geometric shapes with some color variation.

  • Rail Backgrounds: A pixel art skybox with other buildings in the foreground.

  • Upgrade Menu: Tabs with simple nodes represented by P.

  • Radar: A pixel art Earth and simple radar style overlay and UI.




6. Audio


Music:

An electronic track during active combat and a lighter track for menus.



Sound Effects:



  • Explosions: Realistic and satisfying explosion sounds.

  • Missile Launches: Distinct audio cues for different types of missiles.

  • Alerts: Warning sounds for incoming enemy waves.




Voice Acting:

Not Applicable



7. Technical Specifications


Engine:

Unity



Hardware Requirements:



  • PC:

    • Minimum: T.B.D

    • Recommended: T.B.D






Technical Challenges:



  • Real-time physics and collision detection for a large number of simultaneous projectiles.

  • Node-Based upgrade system.

  • Automatic targeting.




8. Production Plan


Development Timeline:



  • Pre-Production: _ weeks (Concept, design, planning)

  • Production: _ weeks (Development, asset creation)

  • Testing: _ weeks (QA, bug fixing, polishing)

  • Launch: _ weeks (Release prep, release)




Budget:



  • Estimated total: $0.00 (T.B.D)

  • Sources: Self-funded.




Team:

Solo Development



9. Marketing Plan


Market Analysis:

Strong interest in retro and classic games.



Marketing Strategy:

T.B.D