Brian Anderson 21W.765 – Final Project Game Concept 5/12/2004 Three Ninja Kids 1. Premise of the 3 ninja kids The game’s setting is a large area of land where numerous villages reside. There can be numerous village arrangements – predefined, user created, or random. Each village has its own attributes: advantages, wealth, manpower, agriculture, technology, goals, motivations, and ally/enemy villages. The gamer is able to choose what village he wants to play for and alternately plays as two characters from opposite ends of the village’s hierarchy. The first “character” is actually a team of 3 super ninjas in training, and the second character is the leader of the village. The other villages are controlled by other players online or by the computer in a randomized way such that the narrative does not progress identically every time. 2. Initial Plot and Advancement of Narrative The game always starts in a declared peacetime, which allows the player to become familiar with his own village and to create alliances with nearby villages. During this time the player trains his ninja for battle. The player is able to affect the narrative in two ways, through the outcomes of the battles the ninjas enter and by making decisions as the leader of the village – alliances, attacks, etc. Character development is the focus of the 3 ninjas you play as, and control of the narrative and development of the village is the main function of the leader. Once battle is allowed, the rules of the game change. To help keep some kind of structure to the narrative, the leader of the village can’t make decisions executively but instead makes suggestions to a cabinet that either approves or disapproves the action and offers advice on the current situation. The acquisition and transfer of information is crucial in making decisions and following through with them. The game ends when either your village is overtaken or your village has achieved all its goals and equilibrium is reached between all the villages. 3. The Villages Villages will have different properties, and must depend on each other through trade to maintain a healthy pace of development and to achieve their goals. Villages in trade likely are in alliance and are working towards a common goal together. However, some trade may be wholly for survival even though the two villages are enemies. Being in trade with a village or having what another village is lacking can give you leverage in deal making. 3.1 Village Properties 1) Motivation – Two villages with the same enemy are much more likely to help each other out and participate in trade.2) Wealth – Some villages start out rich, others have to sell their goods to other villages to increase their wealth. Money can allow you to purchase goods from other villages later on, or to invest in your own development. 3) Manpower – the military is highly defensive a) Defense – There are many kinds of defense. More become available after technology advances, however they also become more expensive. b) Offense – The 3 ninja kids. 4) Agriculture – Some villages exist on healthy land while others do not that and the amount of land owned directly affect the production of food. Technological advances can increase food production. Food production directly affects how healthy your village, and thus manpower is. 5) Technology – Certain Villages may have technological advances in regards to weapons, defense, and agriculture that other villages do not. How much money you put into your businesses and academics directly affect your village’s technology. 3.2 Village Types: 1) The good village. Motivation: Protecting its own people, and maintaining peace with all villages. Properties: Usually self-sufficient and not in communication with other villages. More on the defensive side until attacked. 2) Mother Village/Break off Village Pair The split will usually cause other villages to have to pick sides. Motivation: Break off Village usually on the defensive while the mother village is on the offensive. Properties: The break off village will usually have a property that is highly desirable by the mother village. 3) A set of bad Villages. Motivation: Looking to take over nearby villages. Properties: Highly dependent on each other. 4) A set of good Villages Motivation: Same enemies. Properties: Usually in alliance, and compliment each other. 5) The bad village. Motivation: Power and land. Single village bent on conquering all the villages. Properties: Usually fairly self-sufficient. 4. The 3 Ninjas Being able to play as three ninjas in training allows the gamer to experience the non-political aspects of the battle, since they are members of the village with friends and relationships. They are to handle special missions, from protecting a bridge to finding and killing an enemy. Each village will have its own unique set of three ninja kids to play with. Each ninja develops as the game progresses, attaching the gamer to his ninja and the village and giving reason to protect the village. Each ninja grows through predefined levels of different aspects, strength, speed, agility, etc., which are developedthrough experience. Some powers, however, can only be gained through the acquisition of items or weapons.5. Stages of the game 1) Training stage: Learning about your own village and current situation, meeting the people of the village you are protecting/fighting for. Learning about current relationships (Family and Friends) and creating new ones. During this stage you have a master that teaches you the ways of a master ninja. 2) Fooling around: During periods of downtime, the ninjas explore the village and play random skill games and gain items 3) Decision making: The cabinet offers a set of choices to make and you get to chose which ones to follow as the leader. Who/what to attack, who to trade with and what to trade, who to offer a trade with, etc. 4) Missions: The leader’s cabinet will suggest missions for the 3 ninja kids that will help defeat their enemies. Destroying/protecting bridges or trade routes, attacking a facility of another village, stealing objects, counter attacking, etc. Ninjas become more experienced as they encounter more/difficult