Working to a Brief
By Alex Toner
Game Briefs
Page 1
Tender Brief
Advantages; some of the advantages to using this type of brief is that the client has access to a number of different ideas that they not have first thought of, and then they can choose between them or have the opportunity to build in aspects of these different briefs to create a product that you want.
Disadvantages; however the disadvantage of using this type of brief of could be for the companies that are wanting the project because not all the of these companies that have applied will get the job.
Formal Brief
This is similar to a contractual brief because both the client and company have to agree on the regulations before they go forward. The contract doesn’t always cover legal contracts which would be risky to the company. Formal briefings can also be told to a larger group of people which can be quite useful when getting a large project done.
Advantages – It is known that a formal brief is very easy to read and helps the client to understand the different aspects of the contract. It’s similar to the income brief where it’s nice and relaxed which means the contract isn’t complicated to read, but instead quite easy which means they can get the job done quickly and sufficiently.
Another advantage is that the contract can never be changed which means you don’t have to read about any other new ideas but just the ones on the contract. By sticking to this contract it means more people are able to stick to the contract without any distractions, this makes it look more professional.
Disadvantages – As the contract can never be changed it means that if the company want to buy more resources for the project, then they couldn’t because of how fixed the contract is. To do this you would have to pay for the products yourself, this would affect the companies budget which can be more expensive altogether.
Page 2
Example of Formal Brief
In the meeting we clarified that we need Characters, Storyline, Location and Mechanics.
We decided on what each category needed.
Characters
• Main character will be male.
• 3 AI controlled characters, these characters will help the main character throughout the game.
• Various enemies with different stages of difficulty .
Location
• Location of the game is in America.
• In the game you can travel across America.
Storyline
• Main character is trying to find a cure for a illness that he has.
• Throughout his journey the main character meets 3 people that join him to aid him.
Mechanics
• Use the environment around you as a way of progressing through the levels (climbing, pushing items, doors etc).
• AI helps the main character with various situations, with there abilities.
Game Brief Response
The Age Of Opes is a game, set in the near future 18 years after human civilization had been destroyed by prehistoric creatures were recreated. These creatures were created by man-kind using advanced technology called "Opes".
Opes was then used globally by humans because Opes was the only source of power on earth that is 100% pure energy. It's because of the purity of the energy that weapon manufactures around the world started using Opes for ammunition. When Opes was used for ammunition, previous ammunition was destroyed. Man-kind was dependent on Opes for power, from a battery for a phone to a missile for a tank.
As Opes was used more and more the technological capabilities were increased, this is when the prehistoric creatures were made. The first test subjects were compliant to all commands however as the creatures became mass produced people made upgrades and started implementing the thoughts of an actual prehistoric creature into them.
These synthetic dinosaurs otherwise known as "Synths" could now think like dinosaurs however they also had enhanced speed, strength and intelligence. The Synths now had independent thoughts, they quickly ascended to the top of the food chain.
Human's had gone into a state of emergency, known as "The Fall". Their solution to problem was to make ships to carry huge amounts of people to other planets where they would colonize. One of these ships was called "The Adviser". However these ships would refuse to let any criminals on, leaving them to try and survive on earth.
At first everyone thought that the Opes discovery was just a rare occurrence, however they couldn't have been more wrong. In 2116, 16 years after The Fall. Scientists had made a discovery that would change everything, the earth's core was purely Opes. When this discovery was proven hundreds of scientists begun conducting their own research into the matter.
It was in 2117 that it was proven that the thoughts of prehistoric creatures didn't make the Synths dangerous, but it was the earth's core that did. Due to global warming hitting an all time high in the year 2095, the core released pulses of energy affecting all Opes life forms and deteriorating their behavior causing complete rage.
This discovery led onto a team of trained personnel called Project Saviour to be set up. Project Saviour was set with the task of traveling down to earth and stabilize the earths core, the Carbon dioxide scrubbers that were on board the Adviser, were combined to make a device that projected high beams of energy which absorbs carbon dioxide.
If this device could be set up in a place that was completely horizontal to the earths surface, and reached high enough to allow the beams to reach the edge of the atmosphere, then the earths core could be stabilized. This could be achieved by using the Berlin Television tower.
Characters
Father, John
Adjectives
- courageous
- coaching
- caring
- smart
- strong-willed
- supportive
- teaching
- loyal
- loving
- intelligent
- brave
- confident
- sacrificing
- selfless
- inspirational
Stereotype & Emotion
Father doesn't show much emotion at the start of the game however as you get to know him more throughout the game he starts to show more emotion.
Audience Appeal
The audience appeal ranges from teens to adults, however the primary target audience will be fathers or more specifically, fathers with daughters. This is because people will understand the connection but fathers with the actual connection will understand more therefore they're the primary target audience.
Gameplay Purpose
Physical attributes
- Tall, About 6 foot
- Tanned skin
- Brown hair
- Blue eyes
- Well built
Daughter, Lucy
Character Overview
Socio-Economic Status
Lucy is in education where she excels at all her lessons however she campaigns for lessons about earth, after lessons she works in a charity she created that helps people with illnesses this is because her mother died from vitamin D withdrawal when she was 12.
Physical Attributes
- Slim
- Average height
- Fair skin
- Blond hair
- Blue eyes
Psychological
Lucy is independent and caring because she had to overcome her mothers death on her own. Also she has a life goal of going to earth and saving it mainly because she couldn't save her mother. Lucy fears being alone due to her being lonely in her childhood.
Character Back-story
Lucy was born on The Adviser, as she grew up she was told stories of their home planet, earth. These stories enchanted the young girl's mind, she always dreamed of going to earth. She had a good childhood however as she approached the age of 12 her mother past away. This caused a dark void to be created in her family, this was hardly spoken of by her or her father. Her mother died of an illness caused by vitamin D withdrawal, spending her whole life on earth caused the lack of vitamin D on the ship to be fatal.
Narrative Purpose
Lucy is a main part of the narrative in the game, the majority of the narrative is driven by the relationship of the father and daughter. Without Lucy this couldn't be achieved, also her past experiences are a main reason why she decides to join her father to travel down to earth on a mission to save the planet.
Gameplay Purpose
Lucy's gameplay purpose is a wide variety of things because she is the main character (playable character). She can use her rucksack to go through items she has acquired on her journey. Movement and interactions with the world, that will be taught by the father.
Environment
History
Once populated by humans, Earth. Cities that stretched across the horizon and touched the clouds and cities underground that were miles deep, human civilization made its mark on the plant both on top and below the surface. Years after humans abandoned earth, and now these cities were flooded with wildlife thus making them overgrown with foliage. However nature wasn't the only one to flood the landscapes, the criminals that had been left to die on earth lived on calling themselves "Cutthroats", they created their own cities using salvaged metals and already existing buildings.
Purpose Narrative & Gameplay
This environment has a major impact on the narrative, because the player can quickly go from a well light street covered in grass and trees, to a gloomy building that houses deadly Cutthroats. Also the environment will affect the game play in various ways such as, a tree could collapse falling onto a Synth or foliage could be used to hide from near by enemies.
Current State
After civilization left earth nature claimed the cities, covering them with foliage and wildlife. Animals, plants and insects all adapted to this new habitat, living along side abandoned cities and dinosaurs. However the Cutthroats transformed Berlin into their own, the damaged city now is overgrown and held up by scavenged metal.
Location
The game is set in Berlin however is now known as Sterben; the city of Death, this is because it is overrun by the Cutthroats and Synths. In the game the player will have to navigate through this dangerous city, using limited supplies and resources to defend themselves from hostiles.
Atmosphere
The gloomy streets of Sterben, bring the tense feeling of danger. From the Cutthroat gang ruling the buildings and the streets overrun by Synths, the player will find an array of different sounds and sights throughout the city of Sterben.
Accessibility
Throughout the game you will have your main objective; reach the Berlin TV tower, you will also have side objectives on you journey. The side objectives would consist of various things such as finding explosives to clear a route or ascend to the top of a building, to zip-wire to another building. The game is a linear so the in the game their would be certain routes throughout the city, however the player can decide which route to take. The player can take the battle on the streets or in the buildings.
Inhabitants
- The Cutthroats
- Synths
- Animals and wildlife - such as wolves, bears and lions are living in the city.
Components
Theme
The theme of the game is redemption. This is because Lucy is told stories of a place where her parents lived, a place that had thousands of species of animals and insects, a place that cities that stretched across the horizon and touched the clouds and cities underground that were miles deep, a place that kept her mother alive. The aim is for Lucy to restore earth because it is like she is restoring a part of her mother.
World setting
The game is set in Berlin, the year 2118. This is a different setting to today's world, after human civilization left earth the Cutthroats created their own cities using salvaged metals and already existing buildings, these buildings were also overgrown with foliage.
Story context
The Adviser is running low on energy the only resource available to them is Opes, however this can only be obtained on earth. A team was set up to go down to earth and collect the Opes, this is when the game begins. Your father, John has volunteered to go down earth when Lucy (Playable character) hears this news she sneaks aboard the drop pod with the team. This is when the game begins, you land on earth with your father and you are set with the task of stabilizing the earth's core.
Plot Devices
Dominant Emotional themes
Whilst playing the game you start to develop a deep bond with John (The Father), this is because at the start of the game he shows you little emotion and acknowledgement of your intelligence however as you progress he teaches you and you prove yourself to him. Once you reach the end of the game you're faced with a choice to save earth or to destroy it, although if you chose to destroy earth your father will die in the destruction.
Key Plot devices
- Deliverance
- Diabolus ex Machina
- Foreshadowing
- Disaster
- Resolution
Plot twists
Climax would be used because the story would rise in action throughout the game and then stabilizing the earths core would be the climax. Which would then lead onto the resolution.
Plot resolutions
The resolution in the game would be once the core has been stabilized and humans started returning to earth.
Narrative Flow
Narrative plot lines
At the start of the game their is a conflict with John and Lucy this is because Lucy sneaks aboard the drop pod with out permission, thus putting herself in danger.