An issue in approaching the creation of a prototype for Scrimshaw is that the systems in use need to scale for the larger project, and the implementation of those systems will take more planning in order to accomodate for that.
The initial step in the prototype design was to design the structure of the game, and the region that it would take place in. I wanted the prototype structure to represent a mircocosm of what a player could expect in the final product. Most demos in my experience include the first 10-30 minutes of the final game, and due to our time and monetary restrictions, this approach would be difficult to manage.
My chosen approach instead is to create a realm within which I can test the features of the game I want to test with the final goal being to create a demo representative of the final game. With this being the case, I decided to design and write the demo as a prequel to the final game, involving fewer complex and long term systems, but representing the core fun aspects of the game.
With this in mind, below is the map structure I devised for the prototype experience, which I’ll break down shortly.
On the left, we have Mevar, the starting settlement of the prototype, on the right Shurrick, the objective of the game for the player to reach, and between them, the open waters of Davvey Jones Locker.
The Locker will be divided into 4 separate regions:
- Floating Scrap Zone: A floating field of scrap will be procedurally generated. The scrap will include larger floating structures to be navigated around, some event options, and a whole boatload of collectable scrap for the player to sort through and collect if they want.
- Mission Oriented Region: Some regions of Scrimshaw will be fully mission oriented, with a strong high concept theme, and usually a character or collection of characters with a progressing storyline and individual perks to offer the player.
- Shipwreck Graveyard: A number of shipwrecks will spawn in the region to be explored by the player. They will be like small simple puzzles, navigated through a combination of movement, cannon and harpoon mechanics.
- Paralell Alley: This will be a small shopping district area, where the player can stock up mid voyage, trade some of the scrap that they collected, and talk to some eccentric characters.
The basic structure will involve the player entering the Scrap Field region, collecting some scrap, making a choice between continuing ahead towards the Shipwreck region, going up towards the Mission Oriented region, or taking the path down through the Paralell Alley to trade some of their goods. If the latter two paths are taken, they will then proceed through to the Shipwreck region, and finally arrive at Shurrick.
The choices that the player makes throughout their journey will affect how they are received at their final destination, showcasing a small example of the reactive narrative system in the final game.
Obviously there will be more complex interactions unavailable in the demo, as the short timeframe makes it hard to create complex and involving narratives that a player has to navigate over many voyages, but this small example will hopefully go a way to enticing the player into experiencing the full game.
Game Sequence & Narrative
The player will start in Mevar, boarding a recently kitted out seaworthy vessel. They will learn through dialogue that the denizens of the realm have set up a second settlement in Shurrick, and that it requires more resources to set up it’s infrastructure. As you make your way through Shurrick, you’ll learn about the realm through interactions with it’s denizens, receive more requests from characters, and purchase needed resources for your journey.
As they exit the hub, they should have the tools needed to make decisions on what to collect, which direction to take in charting their course towards the hub, and how to utilize the tools on their ship. They should navigate the areas of the map, exploring the areas and collecting scrap and resources in each area.
Once they arrive at the final area, they should have a few locations to visit in relation to the missions they were given, and will have conversations and interactions with characters there based on their journey. Finally they will arrive at the settlements “town hall” and deliver the needed materials (hopefully they have them). This will conclude the demo with a short sequence, and take the player back to the main menu.
The core of the experience will be that upon arrival at the final hub, the player should have learned about part of the experience that they may have missed, and replay the game to experience them. Once the player has done a couple of playthroughs, they should have a good feel for what the final game will be like, and as the prototype develops beyond the FMP, more systems will be added to add more options in the gameplay.