Overview

Project Spellbinder (tentatively named) is a third-person RPG. The player will be presented with an (almost) open-world environment with a main storyline to follow as well as additional “side endeavors” to pursue at their discretion. The player will be interacting with various systems including, but not limited to: a weapon system, an class-agnostic combat system, an “elemental” system, and a skill/spell system. The game will take a “mid-poly” graphics approach, and will be developed using Unreal Engine 5 and additional tools (Blender, Mixamo, etc.).

DEMO

This is the proof of concept for a soul light/RPG game. Right now the player can run around the map and hide from the AI enemy or fight them, there are three types of jumps that the player can use, and there are collectables hidden around the map.

Goal

The goal of this concept is to demonstrate the basic movement and fighting combos, additionally majority of the work for this was on the backend. Designing systems for more efficient implementation. One goal is to make combat with human enemies feel like fighting another player so AI and player characters share a weapon system.

Basic Game Elements

Movement

• Use WASD to move and the mouse to look around.
• Hold LEFT SHIFT to sprint.

Exiting the Game

Using the book menu (explained further down) flip to the last section and press the exit button.

Attack

• To equip a weapon use buttons '1' and '2' to unequip current weapon press '3'. A weapon must be equipped to fight
• Each Weapon has a primary and an alternate attack which are respectively bound to left and right mouse click.

Jump

• To Jump the player uses the space bar; however, the player has three jumps that utilize ether that activates by double pressing SPACEBAR.
• To change a jump the player presses the TAB button to cycle through the three options then press TAB again to exit the menu.

Book Menu

This section functions as the lore section of the game. Right now all it contains is a letter from the main character's mentor who gives a little insight on the player's background.

Quests and Tasks

Lists available quests and the tasks needed to be done to complete the quest.

Seals

Players can equip and customize their seals on this page. Seals represent different playstyles.

Skills

Players can choose up to four skills.

Aspects

Aspects are passive gifts that the player can equip, like skills, unlike skills they do not have to be activated.

Stats

When a player levels up they awarded with stat points that can be distributed to level up specific stats: STR, MND, AGL, VIG

Systems

This section of the book where players can save, load, exit, and change settings.

Inventory

• The backend of our inventory system is already implemented and the player can run around and press ‘E’ to pick up cube
• To open inventory press LEFT ALT.

Design values

Perception

We are sticking with low-poly models, we’re a small team and do not have time to spend on 3D modeling if we want to get the game out.

Inspiration

Two inspirations for this game are Destiny 2 and Code Vein, specifically their game play design

Context

The purpose of this game is purely for entertainment and storytelling purposes.

Interface/Controls

PLAYER HUD

Heath, Ether, player name | skill slots and jump equipped | current weapon equipped.

Quick Menu

Current Task | Jump Selection | Pocket Items

Book Menu

Sections defined in game elements

Schematics/Future Plans

Character Background

Plot

• Our MC has been separated from their tribe and is stuck in a new country
• Tutorial is escaping from captivity
• Overall plot is the MC surviving in a new land and trying to get back home

Tribe/Countries Information

• Every person is born with a fixed seal, except the people from the MC’s tribe who have a flexibility and can swap which seal they have equipped
• Other tribes are jealous of this so the player’s tribe is subjugated to trafficking. This is how MC is separated from their people and gets stuck in a new country.

Learning New Seals

• The MC will be able to travel to these different countries who have high proficiency with these seals to learn them and gain more power
• MC will also be able to discover ancient seals

Learning New Aspects

• All Aspects have a specific naming convention: “Will of ______” (ex. Will of Conduction, Will of Conflagration…) | Elite and Legendary Aspects have the special naming convention: “Will of The [entity/entities]” (ex. Will of The Great Titan, Will of The Everhunger…)
• Lorewise, an Aspect is your mind asserting control over the elements. So a person is employing a specific “will” over the elements.
• Basic, Common, or Rare Aspects are “wills” a person develops from their time interacting with and manipulating the elements. Elite or Legendary “wills” however must be borrowed from greater beings and ancient entities.

Opening Segment

Surviving in the Wild

• The “wild” area is going to serve as a sort of hub, it is inbetween the major countries of the continent.
• Learn early skills and the concept seals and switching seals.
• The game will be open-world and although most countries are open for the player to visit there will be areas that have higher recommended power levels than the player character currently has.

Paths

Campaign

• Peaceful

  you do the main quests and once finding that it's your corrupt chieftain that's selling apprentices from side quests you make choices to lead a revolt and remove chieftess from power.

• Neutral

  You don't do any side quests, and end up gaining power by surviving in the woods but it is heavily implied that your are missing something.

• Revenge

  Path of mutual destruction. You follow the main quest and the side quest to find out your chieftain is selling your people (like in the peaceful ending) however if you make the choice to be more violent there will be consequences to your actions.

Concept Art

Art Style

Aspect page design

Elemental Symbol Design

Water color trial