TWA_GDD - Intentionally Blank Unlimited

> [!INFO] **[Toy Worlds Atlas](https://nepobjedivi.website/DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_GDD)** > **Author**: Nikita Stulikov > **Teacher**: Eric McQuiggan > **One-liner**: A flamboyant colour-book with unique puzzles on each page for the intelligent and jaded > **Genre**: A puzzle disguised as a colour-book > **Style**: [Utopian Scholastic](https://www.are.na/evan-collins-1522646491/utopian-scholastic) encyclopedia with a surreal twist > **Style Guide**: [GoogleDrive](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mN1RM27ByxoyPqmxJhQ6OF0Sup_6PNRo/view?usp=sharing) > **USP**: A serious game built to enlighten about philosophy, an unrepresented subject of learning > **Production Plan**: [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_Production_Doc|Production Doc]] > **Paper prototype**: [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_PaperProt_GDD|TWA -- Paper Prototype GDD]] > **Pitch Deck**: [GoogleDrive](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wY_NVpUKuySwdNgjIV-nB6p2p_co18qS/view?usp=sharing) > **Gameplay** (in development) > ![[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/Gameplay/RecordingCompressed.mp4|RecordingCompressed]] ## Priorities > [!example] Essentials > **DoD**: 10 completed puzzles (atlas pages) by April 2026 > **Done**: 2 puzzles, working coding framework, UI framework > > **Levels**: see [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_GDD#Levels|TWA_GDD - Levels]] > **Orangery**: see [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/Orangery_Doc|Orangery_Doc]] > **UI**: see [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_UI_Doc|TWA UI Doc]] > > **Problems**: ==no current problems== **Current priority**: - [ ] [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasE_Doc|AtlasE_Doc (Jellyfish)]] - [ ] C + D or E + E interaction gives a [[Hypercamouflage_GDD|3D submarine]] effect (coroutine, doesn't instantiate again until the last animation has ended) - [ ] Atlases flock left-to-right. There is a list of atlases' vectors. We divide it by the number of elements in the list. And calculates the relative position, so they don't collide -> then there's a random variable that randomly turns the anti-collision algorithm off -> they collide sometimes and produce effects - [ ] And/or they follow the player's cursor - Avoid each other - [ ] And if the player clicks on an open space, they run away from this place - Avoid each other - [ ] Unity6 update? When updated to Unity6, update .velocity -> linear velocity **Bugs** - Atlas D -- 1.1 (dwelling) & 4.2 (togetherness) give cool together **Marketing** - [ ] New Twitter / Bluesky announcement (indie Tuesday(?)) - [ ] LinkedIn update (Late Nov / Early December): Puzzle C **Balance / Improvements** - UI: After the atlas is completed, it appears in the Orangery button and spins there - UI: align UI buttons & names - Atlases in Orangery: the date represents when the atlas page was opened, not when it was completed (gets instantiated in JsonObj_Atlas.cs) - [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_Menu_Doc|TWA_Menu_Doc]] - [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_Tutorial_Doc|Tutorial]] - [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasA_Doc|AtlasA_Doc]]: notes counter + more audio + puzzle allows more variations - Sliders -> find resonance / specific sound within the audio clip - [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasB_Doc|AtlasB_Doc]]: easier to understand puzzle - At each button, instead of the text, an image appears (a *virtual* image) - [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasC_Doc|AtlasC_Doc]]: more combinations result in a victory - [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasD_Doc|AtlasD_Doc]] - Puzzle shouldn't be solved if just all Warm & Neutral colours were pressed at the beginning of the game - Improve the animation (see doc) - [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasE_Doc|AtlasE_Doc]]: (UX) indicate that all sliders should be movef (all colour parts should be assigned a colour). - [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasG_Doc|AtlasG_Doc]]: improve animation & texts (for a better logical coherency) ## Supporting Documents > [!abstract] Marketing > **Steam page mock-up**: [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/PlayAg_I_SteamPage|TWA -- Steam]] > **Competitor analysis**: [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_CompetitorAnalysis|TWA -- Competitors]] > [!abstract] Game World > **Theme:** A [[GSc_MANUAL/Dennett_colorant/ConsciousnessExplained/Dennett_CExp_P.43_BloodyShadows.PhenomenologicalOrangery.jpeg|phenomenological orangery]] of ontological diversity. Grow toy worlds from colorants, fertilizers, soundscapes, mind-contents, epistemological anomalies, ethical paradigms. > > **Why toy worlds?** Living beings perceive reality differently. Each mind toys with a private and incomplete version of the shared world. In *Toy Worlds Atlas*, the player animates these figments through colour. > **Why atlases?** The game is an atlas of colour-book pages. Each page is an atlas too, a toy world, where colourants vary from [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasA_Doc|geographical zones]] to [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasD_Doc|existential modi of human being]]. > > **Conceptual reference**: [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_ConceptReference|Conceptual Reference Doc]] > [!abstract] Core Mechanics > > **Code Doc**: [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_Code_Doc|TWA Code]] (architecture, engineering, refactoring) > > (1) [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_Coloring_Doc|Colouring]] > (2) [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_GDD#Levels|Puzzles]] (see [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_GDD#Levels|Levels]]) > (3) [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_Json_Doc|Recolourable Atlases]] (local multiplayer) > (4) [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/In-Orangery-Interaction_Doc|Interactions in the Orangery]] > [!abstract] Aesthetics > **Style Guide**: [GoogleDrive](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mN1RM27ByxoyPqmxJhQ6OF0Sup_6PNRo/view?usp=sharing) > **Vector Art Pipeline**: [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_Visual-Resource]] > > **Sound**: [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_Sound-Design_Doc|TWA Sound Design Doc]] -- Each page of the atlas has 1 - 6 unique audio effects. It can be simple sounds, or music in public domain > > **UI**: [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_UI_Doc|TWA UI Doc]] > **UX**: [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_UI_Doc|TWA UX Doc]] > **Accessibility**: see [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_UI_Doc|UI Doc]] > > **Visual Resources**: [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_Visual-Resource|TWA_Visual-Resource]] ## Feature List ==See== [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_Production_Doc|TWA Roadmap]] ***High-level concept*** *Toy Worlds Atlas* is a **colour-book** where each atlas page presents a unique **puzzle** that enriches the player's erudition through references to intellectual subjects. Puzzle pages can be solved in multiple ways, each time with a unique colour combination. Each discovered atlas variant appears in the [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/Orangery_Doc|Orangery]] scene where they interact in unpredictable ways. | Type | Feature | **Priority** | Deadline | Comment | Rationale | | --------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------ | ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | *Mechanic* | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_Coloring_Doc\|Colouring]] | ✅ Done | N/A | Choose colourants to meet the rule-condition | Core | | *Mechanic* | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_GDD#Levels\|Puzzles]] | High | Due Dec-Jan | 1 new puzzle for each level | Makes colouring intellectually challenging and fun | | *Mechanic* | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_Json_Doc\|Recolourable Atlases]] | ✅ Done | N/A | Atlases can be recoloured but all will save in the Orangery through Json (see [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_Json_Doc\|Json for TWA]]) | Achiever psychology, self-expression | | *Mechanic* | Player's Name | ✅ Done | N/A | The player can assign their name to the atlas's version they completed | To get memorizable at showcases | | *Mechanic* | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/In-Orangery-Interaction_Doc\|Interactions (in the Orangery)]] | Low | Due January | Each new atlas added to the Orangery triggers surprising interactions, has unique animations and visual effects. | To make the Orangery scene more engaging; to boost player's experience through the anticipation and surprise | | *Mechanic* | Player Controller (in the Orangery) | Low | N/A | When you click on the Atlas -> The player can control this atlas (StateMachine) -> The player collides the atlas with other atlases to see the effects of the collision | To facilitate the interaction between atlases in the Orangery mechanic | | *Animation* | Atlas's Animation on Completion | HIgh | Due Dec-Jan | When the atlas (a creature) is complete, it gets smaller and crawls into the Orangery button | To make the completion of an atlas feel meaningful and more rewarding | | *Animation* | Atlas's Animation in Orangery | High | Due Dec-Jan | | Is essential to the aesthetical concept of the Orangery (a collection of swarming colourful creatures) | | *2D Art* | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_GDD#Levels\|10 Atlases]] | High | Due Dec-Jan | Objects that are coloured at each page of the atlas | A core game element | | *Sound* | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_Sound-Design_Doc\|20 sounds total]] | Middle | Due Dec-Jan | Each page of the atlas has 1 - 6 unique audio effects. It can be simple sounds, or music in public domain | For juciness | | *VFX* | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_VFX_Doc\|VFX for Interactions in the Orangery]] | Low | Due February | | For juiciness | | *UI* | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_UI_Doc\|Scenes Scrolling]] | ✅ Done | N/A | > When an Atlas is complete -> Next Atlas > In Orangery -> Last Atlas > When the 10th (last) Atlas is complete -> 1st Atlas | N/A | | *UI* & *2D Art* | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_UI_Doc\|Orangery UI]] | Medium | Due December | Elaborating on the current Orangery UI design | The Orangery looks empty | | *UI & Sound* | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_Sound-Design_Doc\|UI sounds]] | High | Due December | | Essential | | *UI* | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/TWA_UI_Doc\|Menu Settings (Accessibility)]] | High | Due Jan - Feb | | Ethical | ## Levels | Title | Status | Puzzle | Image | | -------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasA_Doc\|Atlas A]] (Beetle) | ✅ Complete | Each colour has an associated audio. Each audio density represented as "🎶". Use some notes, don't use more than 3 | ![[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/Gameplay/AtlasA_Dig.jpeg]] | | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasB_Doc\|Atlas B]] (Dragonfly) | ✅ Complete | Choose only those colorants that represent things that can be real in a virtual reality (e.g. money, but not gold) | ![[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/Gameplay/AtlasB_Dig.png]] | | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasC_Doc\|Atlas C]] (Starfish) | ✅ Complete | Choose colours to fit a classic movie genre palette. #PLAY/LUDOLOGY/GENRE/Serious/Edutainment | ![[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/Gameplay/AtlasC_dig.png]] | | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasD_Doc\|Atlas D]] (Plankton) | Vector in development | Temperature: warm > cool colours Comp. [[3D_IV-VI_Daemonium\|Daemonium.ecumene]] Ref: Rorschach test | ![[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/Paper/InUse/AtlasD.png]] | | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasE_Doc\|Atlas E]] (Jellyfish) | Concept art ready | An ontological contemplation about ghosts (intangible, invisible, invincible, unreal) Reference: - Hauntology (Derrida J., Fisher M.) - Heidegger (ontic - ontological) - Vella? | ![[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/Paper/InUse/Jellyfish.jpeg]] | | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasF_Doc\|Atlas F]] (Spider) | [[DESIGNS/Spideedoscope.png\|Concept art]] ready | Deleuzian puzzle (rhizomes and flights) Reference: Deleuze D. "A Thousand Plateaus" Pareidolia & Intentional stance? | ![[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/Paper/InUse/Spideedoscope_cut.png]] | | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasG_Doc\|Atlas G]] (Worm) | Concept art | Focuses on the nature of time (e.g., is time holistic, or does it consist of parts?). Uses time as a mechanic +Personal identity theme (if cut, a worm turns into two worms) Reference: David Lewis, perdurantism vs. endurantism [Luscher-based](https://psytests.org/luscher/lus8en.html) -- corresponds to personal identity theme | ![[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/Gameplay/AtlasG_dig.png]] | | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasH_Doc\|Atlas H]] (Radiolaria) | | There the theme is beauty. The subjectivity and the objectivity of beauty is dialectical. The presence of the golden mean in nature (such as radiolarias) complicates the issue further Reference: Kantian aesthetics And/or Eugin Fink (comp. Atlas_D) | ![[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/Reference/Radiolaria_ref.png]] | | [[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/AtlasI_Doc\|Atlas I]] (Amoeben) | | The theme of this atlas a problematic distinction between alive and inanimate matter Reference: Dennett's "Universal Acid" | ![[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/Reference/Amoeben.png]] | | Atlas J (Shrimp) | | Focuses on (colour) perception. Mantis shrimps have an incredible range of colour perception. -> What is it like to be a shrimp? (comp. Nagel T.) | ![[DESIGNS/ToyWorldsAtlas/Reference/Mantis_ref.png]] | ## Player Feedback - "Confusing" #### Suggestions - *Target Audience* is 25 - 40y & kids 5 - 10y (they can handle philosophical puzzles too). *Slogan*: for kirdergarten philosophers to experience-rich intellectuals people (You can be a philosopher at any age. Everyone is a philosopher) ## Deployment - Requires testing Json **** ## Idea Backlog - [-] [Luscher-based](https://psytests.org/luscher/lus8en.html) puzzle that gives the player a personalized psychological profile on completion (will require an alternative UI scheme) - [ ] **Secrets**: e.g., with a particular combination, a small 3D room appears at the scene. This easter egg shouldn't be complex: the player's reward is surprise, less the content. - E.g., if every type of the atlas contains orange (in the Orangery) - [ ] **Localisation**: Canadian lady-bug (English) and Russian lady-bug (Russian language) have slightly different colour palettes, same for other regions. Asking people from different cultures to contribute to localisation research for more accurate local representations. Or ask to participate in translation, or ask for local idioms within different sub-regions (for rules descriptions). - **3D garden instead of 2D**: 3D bugs spawn and fly in the Orangery after you paint them. In atlases, you rotate and paint a 3D bug Assets reference: [[3D_IV-VI_Daemonium]] ### Ideas that didn't make the game better, and were removed - [-] Introduce [Boids](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boids) for the atlases' behaviour in the Orangery scene. If you click on an empty space, boids run away from the mouse point ![[atlas.borders]]