The Koala’s Adventure

Design Document

Introduction

This document contains the design of a 2D, vertically and horizontally side-scrolling action-adventure video game, implemented using collision detection, artificial intelligence, original animated character sprites and sound effects, and borrowed music.

Technology

“The Koala’s Adventure” will base its code off of the McKilla’s Gorilla game engine, using DirectX on the Windows API.

Back Story

A koala that lives in the zoo is curious about the outside world. One night, the koala breaks the cages’ lock, steals the key and steps out to the zoo. Now, the koala must escape from the innermost part of the zoo... Beware, because zoo workers are on patrol as they take care of the nocturnal animals, and they are armed with nets!

Gameplay

The koala must navigate through the zoo’s complex interior and avoid humans whenever possible. Energy is necessary to resist capture by humans. The koala regains energy by eating eucalyptus leaves, which are found on eucalyptus branches placed at strategic intervals through the level. If the koala runs out of energy, the koala becomes sleepy and is captured, ending the adventure.

When the koala is seen and subsequently chased by humans, the koala has to run away. If the pursuer is close behind the koala, the koala can turn around and run under the pursuer, which trips the pursuer and allows the koala to escape, which uses up energy. If there is no human around, the koala can leave poop, which, when detected by a human, prompts that human to clean up the mess and stay in one spot: this is used to help the koala move past humans. The koala can climb up trees to escape the enemy.

Level 1:

In the first part of the game, the Koala without freedoms is in the cage. In order to get out of the cage, it needs to find five tools to make an axe and break the cage’s lock. Once the Koala gets one of the five tools, it needs to bring it to a working place. When the Koala is on the way to the working place, it needs to beware of the zoo keeper as the zoo keeper would takes the tools on its hand and cause the koala needs to find it again.

Level 2:

In the second part of the game, the koala must find the key to the gate while avoiding zoo keepers and animal control officers. The koala can use bushes as cover, and climb up trees to escape enemies and jump over walls.

Enemies (humans) move in set patterns. There are two types of enemies: zoo workers and later on, animal control officers. All enemies move in set patterns and think deterministically about how to catch the koala. If enemies see the koala, they will start to attack the koala, and if the koala then runs away, they will run after the koala. The zoo worker tries to use a net to catch the koala, and the animal control officer shoots tranquilizer darts at the koala. If the koala is hit by the net or a dart, it must use up energy in resistance. If the koala runs out of sight of an enemy, that enemy will continue after the koala in the same direction briefly, and then return to its area of patrol.

Level 3:

In the third part of the game, the koala finally has escaped from human being. Yet, being new in koala’s real wild life, koala has a strange feeling and the koala has to face another challenges. There are different kinds of leave inside the forest, some of them are eucalyptus, and some of them are poison. If the koala ate those poison leaves, the koala would pass away (sleeping immediately). Also, inside the forest, there are other animals, some of them are kind, other are offensive. Koala has to be careful with those.

Controls

Up Arrow: Move up the map

Down Arrow: Move down the map

Left Arrow: Move left across the map

Right Arrow: Move right across the map

C: Climb up/down tree

E: Eat eucalyptus leaves

Space: Jump

D: Leave poop

Graphical User Interface

When the game is launched, the user is taken to a screen which contains

§ A menu with a list of buttons

§ A title image (“The Koala’s Adventure”)

§ Splash screen art

The menu contains: “Play” “Help” “Controls” “About” “Quit”.

Animation and Art

Animations:

§ The koala

o Koala movement (left, right, up, down)

o Koala jumping

o Koala climbing up a tree, koala climbing down a tree

o Koala sleeping

§ Zoo worker

o Zoo worker walk (left, right, up, down)

o Zoo worker run (left, right, up, down)

o Zoo worker swinging net (left, right, up, down)

o Zoo worker being tripped

o Zoo worker cleaning up a mess

§ Animal control officer

o Zoo worker walk (left, right, up, down)

o Zoo worker run (left, right, up, down)

§ Dart motion

Art

§ The koala not moving

§ Bear (or some other enemies for the level 3)

§ Scenery, objects

o Small tree and big tree

o Flowers

o Eucalyptus branches/leaves

o Fountain

o Vertical and horizontal wall and fence

o Grass tiles, visitor path tiles

o Bushes

o Cage

o Bench, Wood

o Key

Sound:

· Soft music while the game is playing

· Sound of the Koala

o When it is being caught, or facing enemies

o When it is tired

o When it is happy, sad and scared