Drawn Closer

Design Document by Sara Moore

GD17Sara- Vancouver Film School
X-Statement
Draw like Bob Ross, except on steroids, to defeat evil art.

High Concept
In Drawn Closer, players control Vector, a man who is forced through artwork to
save the woman he loves from evil kidnappers. The game is a 3rd person
platforming sidescroller that will be available over the Playstation Network, and
Nintendo Wii Store and will utilize each console’s respective motion controller as
the controls for the game Players will have to make gestures using their controller
as their “art brush” to paint platforms or weapons for vector. Players will use the
gestures to guide Vector through different famous artwork and art styles that are
found in each level. As Vector defeats different foes, he will absorb their abilities and
art-style to slowly become a more defined character throughout. The player will also
be able to use those enemies’ abilities after defeating the mini-boss from each
selective artwork.

Target Market
Drawn Closer’s target audience is casual gamers aged 13-40. The game’s controls,
levels and game play will be quick enough that players can play a few levels of the
game and put it down. Because the game will be available to download over each
console’s respective online network and will use the motion-control system, players
will be drawn to the novelty of the game’s mechanics and the level styles as the
player will be able to identify with Vector and the different famous artwork based
around each level.

Goals
Ultimate Goal- The ultimate goal of Drawn Closer is to rescue your girlfriend
from three mysterious black-silhouetted men who have kidnapped her.

Midterm Goal- Defeat the mini-bosses at the end of each painting level and gain
their abilities to reveal more of Vector and use them to move through the next level.

Short-Term Goal- Keep Vector moving across the screen while defeating
enemies who run towards him by drawing different gestures.
Key Features
Paint like Bob Ross to defeat enemies!
Use the Motion sensor control to paint gestures to defeat enemies and help Vector
move or jump on brush-created platforms to move through the level and defeat
enemies. As player’s move Vector through various levels, he will gain different
artistic abilities that players will be able to select using the player’s artbrush palette.
For example, the cubism brush will allow the player to create Picasso-like platforms
in front of Vector for him to move on or the Pointillism brush will coat enemies in
colourful dots and make them immobile. However, players will be giving a limited
amount of magic paint that will be displayed in the HUD as a vial.

What’s Famous Art Doing in My Game?

Each level of Drawn Together is based and stylized around a famous period of art
throughout History. All the enemies are either renditions or literal animals or
people found in famous paintings. Level’s are designed and stylized specifically
using solely that art style. An example of how the first and second level would play
out:

Level 1- Tutorial

 Intro cinematic introduces Vector and his girlfriend holding hands,

walking together and hear leaning on him. This is done solely through
the characters body gestures as during this period of the game the
player only sees their character as a black silhouette similar to 10,000
B.C. Three other non-descript, black men grab her and carry away
through the level as the player is instructed to move your character
across the level

 Move to draw straight or diagonal lines across the screen to shoot

arrows to slay red cave-man era painted bison and elk and form lines
for Vector to move across. The entire level is designed like the Lascaux
cave paintings.1 As the player finally corners the other black men who
have captured Vector’s love, they draw a door and leave the cave
painting. Vector follows them into the next level which will be the first
main level of the game.

Level 2- Cubism

1 Lascaux has one of the largest groupings of cave paintings done in Paleolithic
times
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lascaux
  Entire level is based around the cubism movement in modern art.
Vector moves through the level while the player defeats cube
monsters by drawing lines across and through them making spears
and arrows that were found on artwork in the last level. Cube
platforms are the first type of platform established in the game

 First mini-boss is established at this level. He is a giant cube monster

with a sole weak point direct on his head. Players must draw diagonal
lines to position vector on cube platforms above the monster and
draw five arrows or spears positioned below the monster. Once the
cube monster is defeated, players will have unlocked their second
brush tool: the cube. Players can use the cube to encapsulate monsters
or create solid platforms for Vector to move on.

Monochromatic Level Design is a thing of the Past

Levels are all specific to that period of art-style so the player can experience
completely differently designed levels with enemies and mini-bosses all based
around that art. This makes for interesting gameplay as the levels will always be
new to the player and vary the environments for Vector to move around in. Players
will move from a surrealistically designed level to a Renaissance-style water colour
level. The possibilities for designing the levels are almost endless making sequels
for the game or DLC extremely easy to design and think up.

Watch Vector Change as your Environments Change

After aiding Vector in defeating each mini-boss found in the levels, players will not
only unlock a new artbrush but absorb a little bit of the mini-boss. For example,
once Vector has defeated the Cubism boss in the first level, he will become more of a
square outline rather than a black silhouette of a man. As Vector defeats more
bosses, he will form more art styles and take shape as a more identifiable character
to the player.

Use Specific Brushes to Defeat Certain Enemies

As you progress through the levels, you won’t be able to defeat enemies by just
using your basic brushes. Often, players will find that combo moves such as using
the cubism brush to encapsulate enemies and then using the Surrealist brush or the
Pointilism brush to destroy them are the only effective ways of killing larger
enemies.
Specific Art Styles allow Varied Gameplay
The following art styles will be included in the game: cubism, cave art, pointillism,
surrealism, pop art, realism, and impressionism. Using famous paintings and varying
enemies such as the man from The Scream by Vincent Van Gogh will allow new
players to enjoy the game and be able to identify with the style of the game and its
characters. This will allow for a broader target audience range and interesting
methods of attacking using the art brush.

Rewards and Penalties

 Vector’s Vitals are displayed in the HUD as an art palette with 7 colours.
Every time Vector takes a hit, he looses a colour from the palette.

 Progressive art-styles make for more detailed levels as the player progresses
through the game. This gives them a sense of achievement over defeating the
last level

 Lives are represented by brushes in the HUD

 Defeating small enemies will give players various things including small
amounts of magic paint enabling more art brush moves, brushes which
represent lives, and coloured oil paints, which give health.

 Mini-bosses unlock a new artbrush that players can access from their
toolbox. ( weapon selection map)

 Destroying mini-bosses also allows Vector to absorb their art-style. This

makes Vector emerge as a more detailed character as the player progresses
through the game. By doing this, players are encouraged to continue playing
to unlock more of Vector.

 As player’s move through the level, checkpoints are given after difficult areas
in the game.

 Once a player dies, they can either respawn at the beginning of the level or
their last checkpoint
Controls
Wiimote and Playstation Move
Camera
The camera for the game is set as a 3rd-person sidescroller with platforming
elements.

The player’s information displayed in the HUD and their artbrush displayed as
the cursor.

There will be cinematics for the into showing the players girlfriend being
whisked away across the cave wall in the tutorial level, and at the end of each
level showing Vector’s evolution as he absorbs each art ability.
 Competitive Analysis

Competitors Key Features Drawn Closers’ Drawn Closers’

Comparables Strengths

World of Goo -Players use their -Players use the -One main identifiable
cursor to create cursor to make character for the player to
shapes using shapes for Vector enjoy.
blobs of goo to to move through
transport them to the level in -Stronger visual styles that
a tube. are more varied than
-Varied art-style World of Goo
-Cartoon-like levels. Game is
environment heavily visual -More rewards and
based. unlockables
-Easy to
understand -Pick-up and play
controls and controls
game mechanics

Super Paper Mario -Mario as an RPG -Vector must - Enemies and bosses
game save the love of require the player to use
his life by going the cursor and sensor
-Visual style is through varied functions of the controller
made to look like art levels.
a storybook - Losing the RPG elements
-Visual style once allows for a larger and
-Mario must save again is more broader audience for the
his love from varied than game
Bowser Super Paper
Mario’s

Okami -Extremely -Players also use - Varied levels which allow

artistic level a type of magic players to unlock more
design as players brush tools for their artbrush
control a sun god
in disguise as a -Using gestures -Unlockable brushes
white wolf to draw with a allows for more varied
brush gameplay when attacking
-Cell shaded enemies and moving on
visual style platforms
allows for
excellent depth of
gameplay
Contact Information
Sara Moore

Game Design Student

gd17sara@vfs.com

604-754-6195