Dragon's Lab
#Video Game Concept
1. Introduction
Dragon's Lab is a logic game with song strategy elements and AI, for the PC and mobile platforms that use proven Unity 3D engine to involve players into the role of a smart and creative orphan, who bread and take care of the dragons in the adoptive parents’ laboratory after their death in the World War III.
2. Overview:
2.1 Philosophy
The game is focused on the development of logical and strategic skills, and also empathy for living creations. The game uses the 3D graphics for a complete immersion into the game world. 3D elements are styled and symbolized in order to ability starting the game on the non-modern desktop and mobile platforms. This game should be available to all players.
2.2 Game Concept
Dragon's Lab - is a puzzle/strategy game, where player breeds and keeps the different types of dragons.
2.3 Features
- a strong puzzle base;
- a multivariate algorithm for the solution;
- a need to predict and strategy;
- a funny and realistic AI, based on the behavior of domestic animals;
- fascinating background history and a reasonable motivation to the player's actions and AI.
2.4 Genre
A puzzle game with the strategy and take care elements, based on the mixture of sci-fi and fantasy.
2.5 Platforms
Targets on multiple platforms: PC and mobile devices. Better played in the 5" screens and bigger.
2.6 Target Audience
Dragon's Lab will have an ESRB rating of E (Everybody) for ESRB Content Descriptor of Violence, suitable for ages 9 and older. The main target market will be the puzzle games fans, but the game’s many original aspects will attract a wider audience, including people that prefer to buy strategy games. The take care games fans could also be interested in the game for its empathy and other similarities with such type games. Because of the lack of graphic violence and intuitive interfaces, this game can target women as well as men. The fantasy part of the game world will attract women and the sci-fi game world will be interesting for men. The game is relatively cute and colorful and is expected to appeal to both western (European and American) and eastern (Japanese) audiences due to the content in it.
2.7 Competitors
This game has competitors among such games as the Lines and Three-in-a-row. But these games have been around for a long time and have time to get bored with the audience. Currently, the market of logic games is small and almost of all the existing games is the reincarnation of the old classical puzzles. No doubt that Dragon's Lab with thoughtfulness balance will be a successful and widespread game.
3. Gameplay and Mechanics:
3.1 Gameplay Elements
- Game field, square 12x12, 144 cells
- 4 nature elements, in cube forms
- Dragon's eggs
- Dragon's babies
- Adult dragons
- Paddock for grown dragons
- Shop for player's selling and buying
- Items, that interact with elements on the game field
- Items, that use on the dragon's paddock for decoration and gain
3.2 Mechanics
The game takes place on the two play areas at the same time. The first game area - is a game field (an incubator for the dragon eggs). It has the form of a square with 144 cells. Every turn on the game field appear 3 random nature elements in the random cells. Player's turn doesn't limit by time. During the turn, the player can move the one chosen element in the free selected cell.
The elements interact with each other when they are located in the adjoining cells.
- The Earth element covers the Fire element.
- The Fire element consumes the Air element.
- The Air element blows the Water element.
- The Water element erodes the Earth element.
Elements interaction is determined by the time (t). At the beginning of the game, time is 3 minutes (t = 180 sec). With each player's hit of 1000 points, time is reduced to 10 seconds (t – 10 sec). Marginally allowed time is 1 minute (t = 60 sec).
Elements interaction example (t = 60 sec):
The player should arrange the elements to receive the necessary combination and quantity of elements. One or group of the elements can be destroyed by the items, bought in the shop.
After the third turn appears the first Dragon's egg. The player cannot move or destroy the egg. It appears in the random free cell.
The eggs appearance time is determined by the variable (e). In the beginning, the appearance is 6 minutes (e = 360). During the game the time reduces. With each player's hit of 500 points, time is reduced to 30 seconds (t – 30 sec). Marginally allowed time is 2 minutes (e = 120 sec).
The player should take care of the eggs to have dragons hatched out. The Dragon's eggs can be from the different types of dragons: the Earth Dragon, the Fire Dragon, the Air Dragon, the Water dragon. In order that from the Fire egg would hatch out the Fire Dragon, you should build the wall of fire of elements around it. And similarly, actions use for the other types of Dragon's eggs. After the dragon hatch out, the surrounding wall from the elements disappears.
The time of dragon hatching out is 3 minutes after finishing the building the wall of elements.
After the Dragon's baby hatched out, the player should grow up the dragon. First of all the player should build the wall of the opposite elements:
- the opposite for the Earth element is the Air element
- the opposite for the Fire element is the Water element
- the opposite for the Air element is the Earth element
- the opposite for the Water element is the Fire element
For example, to grow up the Fire dragon player must build the wall of Water elements.
The player should remember that elements interact with each other, there is no necessity to wait for the same 8 elements to build the wall. It's possible to arrange elements to receive the necessary combination in the wall.
The Dragon's babies must be fed by the elements of their own type. For example, the Fire Dragon's baby should be fed by the Fire elements. The Dragon's baby should be fed after the finishing of building the surrounding wall. The dragons become an adult when it eats up 10 elements. After the dragon grows up, the surrounding wall disappears.
The player can move the adult dragon to the Dragon's paddock or sell in the shop.
The second game area is the Dragon's paddock. In the Dragon's paddock are kept dragons. The paddock can be equipped and strengthened by the items bought in the shop. Adult dragons in the paddock can be sold at every moment.
The adult dragons must be fed. The player should remember that dragons eat only the elements of their own type. The hunger time continues from the beginning of the 2nd minute since the last feeding, until the end of the 5th minute since the last feeding. During the hunger time, the dragon should be fed. If the dragon was hungry, it would steal the elements from the game field or crush the paddock's items and barrier.
If the dragon wasn't fed until the beginning of the 6th minutes, it could fly away.
The dragons in the paddock have the models of behavior that is described in detail in the Artificial Intelligent section.
Another important element of the mechanism of the game is the shop. The shop is used for sales and purchases of the player. Here the player can sell the adult dragons, selling the eggs and babies is forbidden.
The player can buy in the shop:
- items, which destroy nature elements on the game field;
- items, which protect the paddock from the enemy;
- items, which improve the paddock and create a positive mood of dragons.
3.3 First Minutes
After the title screen, the player is presented with the:
- an option to create a new game;
- an option to load saved game;
- game options;
- credits;
- an option to share your score points to the global list;
- a link to the global game community;
- an option to exit the game.
After the player chooses "create a new game", he/she is asked about entering the name of the player. After this, the new game begins and to the player is shown a pop-up image with the rules in a scheme and the player is asked about showing the tutorial. If the player skips the tutorial, the game will begin.
The player sees 2 main game areas: game field and Dragon's paddock, the points counter, the coins counter, the bar with 3 next appearing elements, the shop button, the pause button, the menu button and the window with tips and messages.
On the game, the field appears 3 random nature elements. The player takes a turn and moves one of the elements. The 3 next elements appear. The player can choose an easy game mod in the option of the game. In this mode, the cells in which will appear the next elements will be marked.
On the third turn in a random place appears Dragon's egg. The player starts to build the wall from the elements around the egg. After 3 minutes appears the Dragon's baby and the player builds the new wall around this baby. In this time appears the next egg on the game field. The player feeds the Dragon's baby and creates the wall around the new egg. After the Dragon grew up, the player moves it to the Dragon's paddock. To this moment, on the game field are already about 2 eggs.
3.4 Gameflow
3.5 Victory Conditions
In Dragon’s Lab, the player advances to collect points and publish them to the global game list. Since the points are endless, the game will keep going until the game field will be completely filled by elements and the player hasn't an ability to buy items in the shop, that can destroy elements and clear the field. The other condition for loss the game is a successful theft by the enemy a dragon from the Dragon's paddock.
3.6 Number of Players
The game is designed for one player, without multiplayer. But the player is encouraged sharing the game records in social networks and in the game community.
3.7 Economy
The game is designed for free-to-play and has 2 currencies: points and coins. But it is possible to input the monetization of the game, the third currency - crystals. The crystal can be bought only for the real money. The player can spend the crystals for the unique items in the shop or convert them to the coins.
TThe quantity of point affects to the rating of the player and to the speed in the game.
TThe coins can be spent in the shop for the items for The Dragon's paddock, items for destroying elements on the game field, growth accelerators for dragons etc.
| Reason | Points | Coins |
|---|---|---|
| for the hatched out egg of the dragon the player gets | 50 | 5 |
| for the grown of the dragon the player gets | 100 | 5 |
| for the grown of the unique dragon the player gets | 500 | 50 |
| for the sale of the dragon the player gets | - | 25 |
| for the sale of the unique dragon the player gets | - | 100 |
| for the upgrading the Dragon's paddock and the destroying elements on the game field the player gets | calculated | - |
| for the happy dragon in the Dragon's paddock the player gets | - | 1 for 10 minutes |
| angry dragon can steal the coins from the player | - | random (1-10) |
| aggrieved and hungry dragon can steal the coins from the player and fly away | - | random (10-100) |
3.8 Game Options
The game options flow consists of 5 sections:
Video
- high resolution
- low resolution
Audio
- level of music (from high to mute)
- level of sound effects (from high to mute)
Controls
Social media integration
- get the last news, join the Dragon's Lab on Facebook
- check out Dragon's Lab on Instagram
- follow Dragon's Lab on Twitter
- join our Google+ group
Gameplay mod
- easy - the predicted place of the 3 next elements is shown on the game field
- normal
- hard - time limitation, the player must have a turn in 15 sec
3.9 Replay and Saving
The player can stop and save the game at every moment. Also, he/she can pause the game.
The player can create a plural number of games in one device. To play the game on multiple devices the player should have an account on Facebook or Google+ and connect to one of them.
3.10 Cheats and Eastern Eggs
In the game is provided the artifacts, unique items and dragons.
The artifact - Fenix.
On the game field can appear specific egg with Fenix inside, it can happen after the player reaches 10.000 points. A probability of the appearance of such an egg is 1 to 25. Fenix appears from the egg as an independent AI, it doesn't require feeding. It cannot be sold in the shop. Fenix helps to the player: it can be asked for feeding dragons on the game field, feeding dragons on the Dragon's paddock, guard the paddock.
The unique dragons: Ice Dragon, Crystal Dragon, Rainbow Dragon, Fairy Dragon, Iron Dragon, etc. All unique dragons and items bring to the player additional points and coins.
For example, the Rainbow dragon can appear from any egg after the player reaches 1.000 points. A probability of the appearance of such an egg is 1 to 10. Rainbow dragon can eat any element. After it grew up, it brings to the player 500 points and 50 coins. While it lives in the Dragon's paddock it brings to the player randomly from 1 to 10 coins every 10 minutes of the game. From the sale of this dragon, the player receives 100 coins.
Also, the game has a system of achievements. For example:
- for the 4 different dragons on the Dragon's paddock;
- for the 1.000 coins;
- for the connections with 3 different social networks.
4. Story, Settings and Characters
4.1 Backstory
6.05...
"Six o'clock 05 minutes, Mr. Shields, time to get up!"
The body is so heavy, the pillow is so soft... Where can I gain the strength for a new day? "I'm getting up, Sarah, getting up right now." To take a shower, to get dressed, to have breakfast, to go to work, to come home, to fall asleep. Every day the same. "Sarah, make me shower, please."
"Yes, Mr. Shields."
Mr. Shields...a year and a half, every single day I have been reminding of a call to the service. 15 minutes of tuning and Sarah will stop to name me as a dead father at last. I need to call for sure today, some more and I'll forget my name. Just think, so much time has passed, and I haven't bothered changing the documents. As if the father is still alive, and I'm his pale projection into the outside world. And however who can blame me? Normal people lose their parents once in life, but I was "lucky" to feel it twice. Although doctors have told my adoptive parents that the child can't remember himself at the age of three, I remember everything as if it was two or three days ago...
"Mr. Shields, you're having a shower more 15 minutes. Are you going to have breakfast?"
"Yes, I'm, Sarah. I'm dressing. You can set the table. And, please, make me a reminder to call to the service."
"Very well, Mr. Shields."
Again 'Mr. Shields'! Every time I hear it, seems I see the father, my adoptive father. My native parents seemed to me the angels: tall, slender, in a blue-green uniform. Seemed, they were always surrounded by an aura of confidence and tranquility. And how is it silly that they were killed in the first month of the war. They were brilliant strategists, both graduated from the Military Academy with honors, they must have had an outstanding career.
"Mr. Shields, would you like more tea?"
"Yes, I'd, Sarah, with a pleasure."
Coincidentally, my adoptive parents have been more divine creations. Anika and Robert, my second mom and dad looked like the Greek gods, strong and slim, with blue eyes and a bright smile. When they have been entering the room, it seemed that their cheerful energy had made a small tornado. Two of the most outstanding bio-engineer and genetics of this century. Only they got the idea and succeeded in isolating pure quintessence of elements of nature. And this clean energy they have closed to the form of ancient creatures, the dragons. Almost fabulous creations in our high-tech world, where the AI systems manage all usual activities.
"Mr. Shields, I think you forget to take your tablets from procrastination."
Think of AI and it will remind about itself. "Yes, Sarah. I do it right now."
Said that the one who invented tablets from procrastination ten years ago, made a similar revolution in the pharmaceutical industry as Alexander Fleming when discovered penicillin. Of course, now when all the affairs are managed by the personal assistants, 'smart houses' and other AI, people have more than enough time for reflection. But where to find the time for contemplation, when you conduct the whole island with a dozen dragons. And as is written in history, about 50-60 years ago, people could sit all day at a computer simply looking at other people's photos and reading the news of friends or strangers at all. By the way, about people's lives...
"Sarah, have you checked Paterson family? They are first on the waiting list and I'm planning to send them Sparky."
"Mr. Shields, tablets really started to act and you finally remembered about the wards?"
"Sarah, you are the most sarcastic house that I have ever seen. Maybe you forget me and remember about Paterson’s?"
"Yes, sir, I do. I will do my best. The family has passed our test for reliability and safety with the highest scores. But their dynamics index is much lower than Sparky index. They are a couple in a respectable age, without children..."
"Yes, Sarah, I have understood. They will feel certainly uncomfortable with a fire dragon, a water dragon will fit better. Leave them on the waiting list, the first ones with a mark of the recommendations. And start checking the next family."
"Yes, sir, I do."
"How passed the night in an incubator? There was something new?"
"Yes, sir, there was. At 3.15 a.m. in the 11th sector hatched out an air dragon. The baby has a healthy appetite and a wonderful caramel coloring."
"Goodness, Sarah, why didn't you tell me at the first? I've spent about an hour on nonsense."
"But sir, you have been speculating!"
"Sarah, you are unbearable. Where is my Quadcopter?"
"Behind the door, sir. You asked to remind you about the call to the service."
"Not now, Sarah, later. Just think a newborn dragon! So long ago there wasn't an air dragon."
...
4.2 Game World
The action takes place in the 20X9 year. After World War III, humanity has focused on the conservation of natural resources. It has completely refused nuclear, thermal and hydro energy and concentrated on solar energy. Taking of natural resources and the use of petroleum, gas, and coal is outside of the law. Humanity uses robotics and AI everywhere, but the age of humanoid robots has not come. All the action takes place on an island in the Atlantic Ocean. On the island are located player's house, working spaces of robot assistants, laboratory and Dragon's paddock. For security reasons, the island is isolated and covered with a shielding field.
Communication between the island and the mainland is by air, the drones deliver products and materials and take the dragons to their new homes.
The island is home to the player, his system of "smart home" Sarah, a few dozen of robots, a certain number of dragons in the paddock and a countless number of wild animals, birds, and the rest of fauna and flora.
4.3 Characters
The Protagonist
The player - is an orphan, his parents were military and died shortly after his birth in World War III. His adoptive parents were brilliant bioengineers, they raised him in love and gave him an excellent education. Unfortunately, his adoptive parents were killed half years ago by the military group "Red Sunrise" for the refusing to pass the technology of reproducing the dragons to the hands of the military. Since then, the protagonist doesn't trust the other people, doesn't use human labor on the island and runs his business by himself.
The protagonist adores the dragons, with a great difficulty he decides to sell the dragons when it becomes necessary. He is an introvert and is completely satisfied with his life on the island in a society of Sarah and the dragons. All the time he spends in the laboratory and in the paddock. He regrets that he doesn't have the same brilliant mind as his parents, but he really wants to continue their work and to breed the new types of dragons. But his attempts are rarely successful. Sometimes he manages to breed a rare type of the dragon, but it's rather a coincidence that the result of successful experience.
Artificial Intelligence system, "smart home" Sarah
Sarah is a powerful computer coordinates all robotics on the island, the shielding field, the player's home, laboratory, the paddock, finance and status of the dragons. Sarah also monitors the reliability of future buyers of dragons. It is the main assistant and adviser of the protagonist.
Sarah, this is the AI with a long history, it has been an assistant and a witness of all the scientific developments of the spouses Shields (the adoptive parents of the protagonist). She runs the house and the island for over 30 years, cares and worries about the protagonist since he first appeared in the house. She treats him as the grandmother, sometimes cares and safeguards him too much.
Earth Dragon
Dragon of medium size, 7 meters long, about 2.5-3 meters high, 2 large wings, a tail with spikes, small horns, large eyes, powerful fingers with claws. Typically, green in color, sometimes with black or golden tint.
Can spewing fire.
Adores gems and jewels.
Lives in the mountain caves.
Fire Dragon
A small, but a very fast dragon, about 6 meters in length, the height of 1.5-2 meters. The small eyes, long whiskers, the average size of the horns, a long thin body without wings, a long tail with a switch. Almost always red in color with an orange tint.
Flammable breath.
Very sociable.
Hides in the hot springs, sulfur lakes and volcanoes.
Water Dragon
Externally very similar to the Fire Dragon, the main difference - the large squama and a mane. Color blue-green, turquoise.
Very quiet character.
Passionately fond of pearls, may even get sick, if it is taken away its pearl.
It lives only in pure transparent water.
Air Dragon
The largest of all the existing dragons, more than 7 meters long and 3 meters high. The main feature - the giant wings. Small eyes, moderate horns, a tail without a switch, a massive head. Usually, the color varies from caramel to muddy brown.
Almost doesn't need the water.
Enjoys learning.
Lives in the dunes.
5. Levels
The game hasn't division into levels and changing of game areas. The game field doesn't change during the game. Depending on how many points receive the player, appear the new types of dragons and items in the store, new buildings in the paddock, also speed and complexity of the game increases.
6. Interface
6.1 HUDs
6.2 Controls
The game requires mouse or touch-screen.
One left click of the mouse or one tap on the touch-screen:
- take an element;
- click on the button (open menu, stop/start pause, open shop);
- choose the item in the shop;
- select the dragon/the item.
Double left click of the mouse or double tap on the touch-screen:
- set the element;
- set the item to the paddock;
- interact with the dragon.
Right click of the mouse or hold tap on the touch-screen:
- read the information about the item/dragon.
Audio
The game requires such music tracks:
- menu music;
- background game music.
Effects:
- starting the game;
- finishing the game;
- button sound;
- dragon's voice (different types);
- sound of element (different types);
- Sarah's voice (different messages);
- alarm.
6.4 Help System
The help system describes background story and the rules of the game.
7. Artificial Intelligence
7.1 Characters
AI system for the dragons is used when they are in the paddock. The behavior of dragon depends on its type. Let's look for the AI for 4 main dragons’ types, (events probability is shown by DTMC - discrete-time Markov chain).
Earth dragon – Events
Fire dragon – Events
Air dragon – Events
Water dragon – Events
Dragon's mood behavior. All the dragons have the same model of mood. The dragon's mood behavior depends on 3 variables (t - time, p - points, m - mood factors).
Dragon's mood behavior (m), m = Sum (of mood factors) that checks every time moment (t = 180 sec – 10 sec * p), min t = 30 sec. p = Integer (quantity of points that the player has / 1.000)
Mood factors:
- if there are more than 10 dragons in the paddock -1
- if there are more than 15 dragons in the paddock -2
- if there are more than 21 dragons in the paddock -5
- if there is the minority of dragon’s type in the paddock, all the dragons in this type receive -1
- when the other dragon starts fighting with the dragon, this dragon receives -3
- all the buildings in the paddock add satisfaction depend on their type, from +1 to +10
Dragon mood behavior affects to the probability of events.
So if the earth dragon wasn't fed after 2 minutes, its mood behavior +2, the probability of its action would be 3 to crush the paddock's items, 1 to steal the elements on the game field, 0 to crush the paddock's barrier, 3 to stay in quiet.
7.2 Enemy
The main enemy of the player is a military group "Red Sunrise", headed by Drawd Ellespot. They are trying to steal the adult dragon because they aren't able to invent the technology of growing dragons. That's why they attack to the Dragon's paddock using military drones system.
The attacks begin when the player reaches 5.000 points. In order to attempt of stealing the dragon would be successful:
- Completely destroy a single paddock barrier section.
- In the paddock must be a dragon with the mood behavior less than -6.
The enemy can send from 1 to 15 drones. The quantity of drone (q) is determined randomly, from 1 to x (x = Integer (quantity of points that the player has / 2.000)), max q = 15.
A barrier has 15 sections. The starting health point of section = 100. The player can buy the helper items in the shop and repair the barrier or make it stronger (+barrier health points).
The damage of 1 drone (d) is determined randomly, from 10 to 10*y (y = Integer (quantity of points that the player has / 5.000). Each drone attack in a determined time, the attack time (a) is determined randomly, from 30 sec to 180/x (x = Integer (quantity of points that the player has / 2.000)), min a = 10 sec.
8. Technical
The game is required such development tools:
- Unity 3D and C# programming language for the engine;
- Autodesk Maya and MEL scripting language for the animation;
- ZBrush for the 3d modeling;
- Adobe Photoshop, SAI for the textures and materials.
9. Junk, I'm working on... Crazy Ideas
In addition to the main game Dragon's Lab, game universe can be supplemented with individual games:
- Dragon's Farm;
- RTS (the defence of the whole island from the enemies, classic real-time strategy game that involves gathering resources, spending them on building the base and the creation of the army to destroy the enemy);
- Adventure (the investigation into the death of the protagonist's adoptive parents).
