Beltzhian Marauders is an action/adventure game with subtle RPG elements. The player takes on the persona of Brock Solid, a new recruit on a brand new experimental space station prototype orbiting Earth. The conflict of the story begins when the station is attacked by a plundering army of alien pirates from the planet Beltzh who intend to use the station as a base of operations for pillaging Earth.

Game play will focus on exploration of the station, searching for specific quest items and locations, fighting the alien invaders, and improving the player character by gaining experience and gathering power-ups.

Exploration

In addition to uncovering quest items and locations, exploration of the station will uncover trivial pieces of Brock’s personality and provide some plot exposition, plus a general feeling of the atmosphere of the station itself. Since the map structure will be the same through every game, replayability will be attained through the random placement of enemies, items, and the player’s starting point.

Experience

Experience is gained by defeating enemies and solving quests. Experience points accumulate and allow the player to periodically “level up” by increasing his capacity for health and giving him new and better weapons that may carry more damage, have a faster firing rate, or greater accuracy.

Combat

Fighting the aliens involves maneuvering the player character and firing the player’s weapon. The player can move and fire in eight directions and control can be performed by either the keyboard or the mouse. In addition, collision detection between projectiles and enemies will involve a random factor which takes into account the accuracy of the player’s current weapon, and the damage done will be within a range provided by the weapon’s minimum and maximum damage values. When an enemy is defeated, a monitoring device on the Expectorator (the alien mother ship) teleports it into a stasis chamber where it remains for the rest of the game.

Quests

Quests are solved in a variety of ways. Some are solved by defeating enemies, some by finding special items and using them in the right place, and some can be solved in multiple ways, sometimes with different outcomes. Finishing quests gives the player experience points which contribute to his advancement to higher character levels.

Rewards

In addition to awarding experience points, defeated enemies drop items onto the game map as they are teleported away. These items may restore the player’s health, enhance his combat abilities, give him usable equipment or quest items, and more. Also, the player can find items lying around on the floor or in various types of containers.

Penalties

When the player’s health is depleted, he is teleported to another area of the station and given a small amount of health so that he can continue playing. He also loses any weapon upgrades he has acquired since he obtained his current weapon and 10% of the experience he has gained since last raising a level.

Player Control

The player character may be controlled by the keyboard, the mouse, or some combination of both depending on his current actions. Both forms of control are available to the player at all times and may be used in conjunction.

Keyboard Controls
Turn/Walk	Numeric Keypad or Arrow Keys
Fire Weapon	Ctrl
Select Weapon	Number keys 1-9
Use/Activate	Spacebar
Look Around	L
Examine Object	E
Keyboard Help	F1
Game Status	F2
Quest Log	Q or F3
Inventory	I or F4
View PDA Map	Tab or F5
Enter Cheat	F10
Pause/Menu	Esc

Mouse Controls
Turn/Walk	Move mouse to turn, hold left mouse button to walk.
Fire Weapon	Right mouse button

Interface, Menu Systems, and Screen Layouts

Application Loading Screen

The Application Loading Screen will be the first screen presented to the user. It will show some sort of graphic and a progress indicator while it loads vital application resources.

Main Menu Screen

The Main Menu Screen will appear as soon as the application resources have been loaded during the Application Loading Screen’s execution. It will contain a large graphic of some sort of imagery related to the game or the story, plus a button menu containing the following options.

New Game	Loads and displays the Character Selection Menu Screen.
Quit	Exits the application.

Character Selection Screen

The Character Selection Screen provides a button menu that contains these options:

Start New Character	Creates a new character and loads the New Game Screen.
Load Existing Character	Loads and displays the Load Character screen.
Cancel	Returns to the Main Menu.

Load Character Screen

The Load Character Screen shows a button menu listing all previously saved characters, plus a Cancel button. The user can click a character button to load character data from a file, or the Cancel button to return to the Character Selection Screen. If a character button is selected, the New Game Screen appears.

Character 0	Loads a saved character.
. . .
Character n	Loads a saved character.
Cancel	Returns to Character Selection Screen.

New Game Screen

The New Game Screen provides a button menu containing preset skill levels, a Custom Button for customizing some of the game attributes, and a Cancel button for returning to the Character Selection Screen.

Level 1	Starts a new game at skill level 1 (easiest).
Level 2	Starts a new game at skill level 2.
Level 3	Starts a new game at skill level 3.
Level 4	Starts a new game at skill level 4.
Level 5	Starts a new game at skill level 5 (hardest).
Custom	Displays the Game Configuration Screen.
Cancel	Returns to the Load Character Screen or the Character Selection Screen, depending on where the user came from.

Game Configuration Screen

The Game Configuration Screen contains buttons for setting game options.

Number of Aliens	Chooses number of aliens.
Frequency of Items	Sets likelihood of enemy dropping items.
Alien Offense	Sets enemies’ offensive strength.
Alien Health	Sets enemies health bonus or handicap.
Experience Rate	Sets rate that experience points gained.
Sound Options	Sound On/Off and Music On/Off.
Begin Game	Displays the Intro Loading Screen
Cancel	Returns to New Game Screen.

Intro Loading Screen

The Intro Loading Screen works like the Application Loading Screen, except that it loads sounds, images, and music for the intro sequence, and it displays different imagery. When the Intro Loading Screen is done, the intro sequence plays. When the intro sequence is finished or cancelled by the user, the Game Loading Screen appears.

Game Loading Screen

The Game Loading Screen works like the Application Loading Screen and the Intro Loading Screen, except that it loads game data and displays different imagery.

In-Game Menu Screen

The In-Game Menu Screen is a button menu containing the following buttons:

Keyboard Help	Displays the Keyboard Help Screen.
Game Status	Displays the Game Status Screen.
Quest Log	Displays the Quest Log Screen.
Inventory	Displays the Inventory Screen.
PDA Map	Displays the PDA Map Screen.
Quit Game	Ends the current game and returns to the Main Menu Screen.
Return to Game	Closes the In-Game Menu Screen and returns to the game.

Keyboard Help Screen

The Keyboard Help Screen contains a list of the key controls and a brief description of what functions they perform.

Game Status Screen

The Game Status Screen displays summary information about the game currently in progress, such as:

Aliens Defeated/Remaining
Number of Open Quests
Number of Quests Completed
Player Level
Player’s Experience Points
Player’s Current and Maximum Health
Player’s Money
Player’s Current Weapon
Weapon’s Default and Current Accuracy
Weapon’s Default and Current Damage Range
Weapon’s Default and Current Firing Rate

Quest Log Screen

The Quest Log Screen lists all the quests that have been given, along with an indicator of which ones have been satisfied. When the user clicks on an active quest, a paragraph is displayed explaining what must be accomplished for the quest to be completed.

Inventory Screen

The Inventory Screen displays a list of the items that the player is carrying, including power-ups, accelerator chips, quest items, and utility items.

Map Screen

The Map Screen displays a monochromatic blueprint of the game map. This can be accessed from Map Terminal objects or the PDA Map item. If the player is carrying the Life-Form Detector, the Map also shows the position of all enemies in the map.

In-Game Interface

The interface during game play is yet to be determined. At the very least, it will need to contain a status indicator for the player’s health, an indicator of which weapon the player is carrying, and buttons for accessing the in-game menu, the map, the inventory screen, and the quest log.

Game Intro

This section contains the script for the game intro. It’s a series of illustrations and simple animations that introduces the character and the situation, and leads directly into the game play.

The blanks in the script text will be filled by a randomly chosen pair of values that are described in the section following.

Script

(Black screen. The following text fades in and back out.)

In the inestimably distant future…

(Cut to STATION EXTERIOR. A scene of the moon from space appears. Slowly pan across the view to a space station in orbit against a backdrop of the curve of the Earth’s horizon. The following text appears.)

A lone space station prototype orbits the third planet in the Sol system. (Generally, it’s called Earth by the astronomically ignorant natives of the planet.)

Intended as a multi-purpose installation, its duties include weather prediction, research in food production, space medicine, biology, early warning of approaching asteroids and comets, and miscellaneous other tasks well suited to such a facility.

(Cut to STATION INTERIOR – DETENTION AREA)

You, Brock Solid, serve the station’s crew as a ________.

You were actually enjoying the job until ________.

Talk about overreacting! Wrongly accused of sabotage with intent to mutiny, you now sit in the detention area awaiting your sentence, wondering if you’ll still have a job and trying to decide if you wouldn’t just be happier down on the planet enjoying the nearly forgotten pleasure of fresh, non-recycled air.

(Cut to STATION EXTERIOR.)

Barely a month has passed since the station’s christening and official entry into service when…

(An alien ship, the Expectorator, enters from the side of the screen and moves slowly and ominously toward the station. When it gets about halfway there it opens fire and a few small explosions emanate from the station.)

(Cut to STATION INTERIOR – DETENTION AREA)

Suddenly, the alarm system stutters to life. “May I have your attention, please?” a monotone voice calmly announces. “The station is un- … -ack. Evac- … the station imme- ….”

The ensuing static leads you to believe that either the intercom system or its operator has been disabled. (Or perhaps you just witnessed the inevitable result of contracting the station’s construction to the lowest bidder.)

In a panic, the security officer stationed in the detention center finishes his donut and runs off to investigate.

(A distant explosion is heard. The screen goes black.)

“Uh oh. There goes the reactor,” you think. No sooner had the thought crossed your mind than the lights come back on.

(Return to STATION INTERIOR – DETENTION AREA.)

When the power returns, you notice that the force field on your cell failed to reactivate. You’re free!

(Cut to scene of player character looking at the guard desk and the weapon rack behind it.)

You grab a neglected laser pistol from the guard post and cautiously step out the door. As you enter the next room, the nearby transporter malfunctions, sending you to…

(Game play begins at a random location.)

Random Player Occupations and Offenses

During the opening sequence, the story introduces the player character as Brock Solid, a member of the crew who has gotten himself into some trouble. The player’s occupation and related misbehavior will be chosen at random from these possibilities. The occupation chosen for the player does not affect player attributes or game play, and is provided solely for variety and entertainment.

Administrative Assistant

“…you got bored with processing all the new recruits. So you just started telling them that the station’s TRUE purpose was for testing pharmaceuticals on humans in an environment from which there is ‘NO ESCAPE! MUHAHA!’ (You think it was the laugh that really made them mess their pants.)”

Computer Support Technician

“…that uptight supervisor ratted you out for installing Michael Henson’s complete product line on every computer on the station. But you couldn’t help it -- the thought of going a week without Shooting Gallery made you crazy!”

Cook

“…you forgot that sodium chloride is poisonous to the slug people of Plodin II. They had barely begun to get frothy when you were immediately and indefinitely suspended.”

Engineering Intern

“…you overestimated the amount of tension that a ZX404 bolt could take and you unwisely used it in designing the special lift that was used for unloading the captain’s antique desk from the cargo ship. To say the least, it is now very expensive firewood.”

Janitor

“…you accidentally loaded the restroom soap dispensers with undiluted bleach. A visiting government inspector greeted you in the hallway wearing a striking and fashionable reverse-Dalmatian print on his formerly impeccable black uniform.”

Programmer

<Added by GM> “…you made the mistake of eating way too much candy and drinking way too much soda, causing to you have a major sugar buzz. While in this state of mind you forgot you are a nerd and not a jock, and picked a fight with a security guard. The two of you managed to break several chairs and a table in the cafeteria. If the fight had not been caught on camera chances are they would have blamed the security guard instead on knowing that you had thrown the first (while poorly landed) punch.” </Added by GM>

Repair Man

<Added by GM> “…you ‘stumbled’ across some love letters addressed to someone named Mitzy while fixing the captain’s shower. Unfortunately, you were caught before you could finish reading them to discover who Mitzy was.” </Added by GM>

Researcher

<Added by GM> “…you let it slip to the Administrative Assistant that the station’s TRUE purpose was for testing pharmaceuticals on humans in an environment from which there is ‘NO ESCAPE! MUHAHA!” </Added by GM>

Security Guard

<Added by GM> “…you finished the fight that a sugar blitzed programmer started when he came up to you claiming he could ‘Take you with one hand tied behind his back’. After he had thrown the first (while poorly landed) punch, you finished the fight. The two of you managed to break several chairs and a table in the cafeteria. The captain did not believe you when you told him the programmer threw the first punch. After all why would the penciled neck geek try to start a fight whit his physical superior?” </Added by GM>

Ship Mechanic

“…the bailing wire you used to repair a ship’s landing gear gave out, causing extensive damage to the ship and the hangar. But Uncle Cletus back at the farm always said ‘Thar ain’t nothin’ ya can’t fix with bailin’ wire!’” Perhaps you should’ve used duct tape…

Technical Writer

“…someone finally figured out that you were the one writing the comic strip depicting an inept captain managing a space station. While you say it’s good for morale, the administration calls it ‘subversive propaganda’.”

Translator

“…the captain figured out what ‘pa-ick-ta vel gumel-fe’ meant. ‘Slander and subversion!’ he yelled. More proof that people in management have NO sense of humor.”

Treasurer

“…an auditor discovered that you were claiming ‘invisible ear plugs’ as an operational expense. The captain must have yelled at you for an hour before you realized you were in trouble. (In your opinion, that clearly justifies why you ordered them in the first place.)”

Quests

One feature of the game is the satisfaction of various quests. Some quests are required in order to advance the story and eventually win the game. Others are optional, and the player can choose to complete the game without satisfying all of the quests.

What’s Going On?

Priority:

Required

Description (Incomplete):

“You’ve got to figure out what that alarm was all about. It didn’t sound good. (Duh.)”

Description (Complete):

“The station has been invaded by aliens! This is the best bad news you’ve had in months!”

Logged:

Given at start of game.

Resolution:

Satisfied when first alien is encountered.

Reward:

Experience points.

New Quest: “What Do They Want?”

New Quest: “Defeat the Marauders”

What Do They Want?

Priority:

Optional

Description (Incomplete):

“Maybe you can figure out what they want and convince them to leave.”

Description (Complete):

“According to their Plans for Conquest (which, curiously, is written in plain English), they plan to use the station as a base of operations for looting the planet! Looks like the only way to get rid of them is through aggressive negotiations. Annie, get your gun.”

Logged:

Given when the “What’s Going On?” quest is complete.

Resolution:

Satisfied when the Plans for Conquest item has been found.

Reward:

Experience points.

Defeat the Marauders

Priority:

Required

Description (Incomplete):

“You must defeat these marauding alien pirates and drive them from the station!”

Description (Complete):

“Okay, most of the marauders have teleported back to their ship. Their leader is sure to come looking for whoever did this. (That would be you, genius.) He probably still has enough reinforcements on the station to pose a significant threat. You’re not out of this yet!”

Logged:

Given when the first alien is encountered.

Updated every time an alien is defeated.

Resolution:

Satisfied when 90% of the aliens have been defeated.

Reward:

New quest: “Defeat the Alien Leader”

New quest: “Eliminate the Marauders”

Extra experience points

Defeat the Alien Leader

Priority:

Required

Description (Incomplete):

“You must defeat the leader of the marauders to discourage them from returning!”

Description (Complete):

“Woohoo! That ought to make them think twice about messing with YOUR planet again! Now to either contact a rescue team or find a way back home.”

Logged:

Given when the “Defeat the Marauders” quest is complete.

Resolution:

Satisfied when alien leader is defeated.

Reward:

If the optional “Eliminate the Marauders” quest is complete, the leader drops a Universal Security System Disrupter which can be used to escape in the Red Dragon and end the game. Otherwise, he drops a Communicator Repair Circuit that can be used on the bridge to call for help and end the game.

Eliminate the Marauders

Priority:

Optional

Description (Incomplete):

“Seek out the remaining aliens and eliminate them.”

Description (Complete):

“Well, that’s the last of ‘em. Now to either contact a rescue team or find a way back home.”

Logged:

Given when the “Defeat the Marauders” quest is complete.

Updated every time an alien is defeated.

Resolution:

Satisfied when all the aliens (not counting the boss) have been defeated.

Reward:

Player can now explore and/or fight the leader without worrying about surprise encounters.

If the “Defeat the Alien Leader” quest is complete, the player gets a Universal Security System Disrupter which can be used to escape in the Red Dragon and end the game.

Else if the player is not already carrying the BFG, then the player gets the BFG.

Else the player gets an assortment of health power-ups and weapon upgrades.

Repair the Transporters

Priority:

Optional

Description (Incomplete):

“Find a Transporter Repair Circuit and insert it into to the Transporter Master Control computer.”

Description (Complete):

“Ah, finally a sigh of relief. The transporter system is no longer a problem.”

Logged:

Given when game begins, after the player is randomly teleported by the transporter in the detention center.

Resolution:

Satisfied when player activates the Transporter Master Control computer while carrying the Transporter Repair Circuit.

Optionally, the player can choose to destroy all the transporters individually instead of repairing them.

Reward:

Experience points.

Transporters are no longer hazardous.

Player can now use transporters to teleport around the map.

Repair the Airlocks

Priority:

Optional

Description (Incomplete):

“Find an Airlock Repair Circuit and insert it into the Airlock Monitoring System.”

Description (Complete):

“Whew! The airlocks won’t be bothering you anymore. Good job!”

Logged:

Given the first time the player is hurt by an airlock hazard, when he finds an Airlock Repair Circuit, or when he finds the Airlock Monitoring System.

Resolution:

Satisfied when the player activates the Airlock Monitoring System while carrying the Airlock Repair Circuit.

Reward:

Experience points.

Airlocks are no longer hazardous.

Contain the Reactor Leak

Priority:

Optional

Description (Incomplete):

“Get an EVA Suit and the Reactor Service Panel Key, and then find the access panel on the station’s upper hull and activate the containment field. (Piece of cake, right?)”

Description (Complete):

“You did it! You fixed the reactor leak! You know, I created this whole map, new player graphics, and this entire quest just so you could experience the feeling you have right now. I hope it was worth it!”

Logged:

Given the first time the player is hurt by radiation.

Resolution:

Satisfied when the player activates the Reactor Service Panel while carrying the Reactor Service Panel Key. But first, the player must have an EVA Suit in order to open the top maintenance hatch to reach the panel.

Reward:

Major experience points.

The reactor is no longer a hazard.

The Captain’s Secret Weapon

Priority:

Optional

Description (Incomplete):

“Suddenly you remember how much the captain liked to brag about his Big Freakin’ Gun, but he never let anyone see it. If it really exists, it’s probably still on the station somewhere.”

Description (Complete):

“My, that really is a big one! Now you have no excuse for being such a wussy! Get out there and kick some alien butt!”

Logged:

Given when 10% of the aliens have been defeated.

Resolution:

Satisfied when player finds the BFG in the captain’s quarters or obtains it as a reward for completing the “Eliminate the Marauders” quest.

Reward:

Experience points.

The player gets the BFG to use as a weapon.

Character/Environment Interaction

Interaction between the characters and the environment will take place through a clearly-defined interface consisting of both automatic and character-initiated messages.

Automatic Actions

Automatic actions happen automatically when some normal, regular event happens, like walking from one map cell to another, for instance.

Message	From	To	When Generated
Stepped On	Any Character	Item Layer	Character steps onto a map cell.
Stepped Off	Any Character	Item Layer	Character steps off of a map cell.
Moving To	Any Character	Wall Layer	Character begins moving toward an object in a neighboring map cell.
Hit By Weapon	Projectiles Only	Wall Layer	Projectile attempts to move into a map cell whose wall layer is already occupied.

Character-Initiated Actions

Character-initiated actions take place when the player or an AI actor issues an explicit command.

Message	From	To	When Generated
Examine	Player Only	Item and Wall Layers	Player issues an Examine command to the map cell the player is facing.
Look Around	Player Only	Game’s Data Model	Player issues a Look Around command to the data model to get a description of the surrounding area.
Pick Up	Any Character	Item Layer	Character issues a Pick Up command to the map cell on which it is standing. This will probably happen automatically when a Stepped On message is sent to a map cell containing an item.

Alien Types

Class 0 -- Utility Robots

Alien robots that glide slowly through the station, simultaneously mapping the circuitry, ventilation, life support, defenses, and everything else about the construction and design of their surroundings. They’re not programmed to fight, but they do have a solid protective casing, anti-vandalism defenses, and proximity detectors. They deliver a powerful short-range energy attack, and they will hurt you if you dare approach them. (This class represents about 8% of the alien population on the station.)

Class 1 -- Imps

These creatures are plentiful. They are relatively weak and stupid. Their only redeeming qualities are their large population and their willingness to serve whoever feeds them. They each carry a standard-issue laser pistol, but have no other weaponry or offensive capabilities. Like everyone in the Beltzhian military, their uniforms are fitted with an invisible energy shield intended to protect them from explosions, radiation leaks, and other likely environmental hazards. Note: For variety, I may have more than one “species” filling this role. (This class represents about 36% of the alien population on the station.)

Class 2 -- Laborers

This “working class” contains the mechanics and manual laborers of the Beltzhian invasion force. Their job is to repair and/or salvage the systems damaged during the initial raid. They are equipped with enhanced energy shields designed to absorb more damage because of their close physical proximity to the hazards with which they work. They can configure their cutter/welder tools to fire concentrated bursts at a distance, in addition to their obvious destructive capabilities at close range. (About 20% of the alien population on the station.)

Class 3 -- Researchers

Scientists and researchers come along on these raids for the purpose of learning and understanding the technology and culture of their enemy. Although they can’t take much of a beating, they have employed their intellect to upgrade their laser weapons to carry a much more powerful blast than the standard-issue pistol, and fire much faster. Typically high-strung and jumpy in unfamiliar surroundings, they are quick to startle and pull the trigger at the slightest sound or sudden movement. (About 12% of the alien population on the station.)

Class 4 -- Security Guards

They’re old, they’re grumpy, and they’re nearly blind and deaf. Beltzhian soldiers never retire, so when they are no longer useful in their original capacity, they are typically posted as security guards. They haven’t the visual acuity to aim their shots, but they’ll get some lucky hits when they start shooting wildly in your general direction. They carry rapid-fire laser rifles, which provide them with their only real chance of hitting their target. (About 12% of the alien population on the station.)

Class 5 -- Officers

The Beltzhian military officers are quick, resilient, highly trained in the use of laser weaponry, and have been conditioned to be ever alert. They can detect an enemy’s presence from an impressive distance, and so they’re always ready for a fight by the time they’re discovered. They carry a standard laser pistol, and they’re highly adept at using it. (About 10% of the alien population on the station.)

Class 6 -- Mercenaries

These mercenaries are mysterious and frightening. They may not even originate from the Beltzhian home world, but nobody can be sure. Regardless, the Beltzhian invasion army has bought their loyalty, and they are relentless in their objective to eliminate every last inhabitant of their invasion target. They stalk the rooms and hallways, hunting for all non-Beltzhian bio-signatures and eliminating them. They are cold-blooded killers who move with blinding speed and rarely miss their target. They’re armed with custom laser rifles equipped with sniper scopes, which are extremely precise and do a devastating amount of damage. (About 2%)

Class 7 -- The Beltzhian Leader

He’s the boss, a member of the wealthy elite on the Beltzhians’ home planet. Having grown fat on the successful captures of numerous starships, space stations, and planetary outposts, his overconfidence has made him comfortable to sit back and leisurely await the reports of his underlings. The amount of resources he’s been able to steal for his home world through his plundering activities has earned him the reputation of a hero, despite the malevolent nature of these accomplishments. Though success has made him lazy, he is still an accomplished fighter – a skill first obtained in his early bullying years. His endurance is astounding in spite of his physical condition, and it is rumored that he conceals some sort of unique, possibly biological, secret weapon, but no one has ever escaped to describe it. (Unique character)

Game Maps

Station Interior

Station Exterior (Southeast Topside, Annotated)

Station Interior (Annotated)

Bridge Section

New Tiles Needed for Bridge Section (28):

Gray Floor

Floor Grate

Console Type A

Console Type B

Console Type C

Console Type D

Left Window

Right Window

SW Window Border

SE Window Border

NW Tech Chair

NE Tech Chair

Right Airlock

SW Airlock Border

NE Airlock Border

Top Rt. Airlock Border

Left Fire Extinguisher

Left Door

Right Door

Right Control Rm Wall

Left Control Rm Wall

Right Tall Computer A

Right Tall Computer B

Left Tall Computer A

Left Tall Computer B

Right Wall Vent

Transporter

Outer Hull Ceiling

Captain’s Quarters

New Tiles Needed for Captain’s Quarters (33):

Wood Floor

Bathroom Tile Floor

Blue Carpet Floor

Right Dark Red Wall

Left Dark Red Wall

SE Red Wall Plaque

SE Red Wall Photo

SW Red Wall Photo

SW Red Wall Keypad

SW Filing Cabinet

Left Airlock

SW Desk Chair

NW Desk Top

SW Desk Center

SE Desk Top

NW Tall Win. Frame

Left Tall Window

SE Tall Win. Frame

Left Shower Door

Right Stall Wall

Potted Plant

SW Toilet

Left Tile Wall

Right Tile Wall

SE Wall Towel Rack

Vent Shaft Floor

Right Vent Shaft Wall

Left Vent Shaft Wall

Left White/Blue Wall

Right White/Blue Wall

Left Blue Curtains

SW Wardrobe

SW White Wall Poster

Store Room

New Tiles Needed for Store Room (0):

None?

Cafeteria Section

New Tiles Needed for Cafeteria Section (15+):

Countertop

NW Bar Stool

Cooktop

Shelf with bottles

Food Synthesizer

Map Terminal

Table Segment w/ Leg

Table Segment w/o Leg

NE Simple Chair

SE Simple Chair

SW Simple Chair

NW Simple Chair

Hardwood Floor

+Wall Art

Potted Plant

Greenhouse

New Tiles Needed for Greenhouse (3):

Veggie Table 1

Veggie Table 2

Empty Veggie Table

Chapel

New Tiles Needed for Chapel (16+):

NW Desk Chair

NE Desk Top

NW Desk Center

SW Desk Top

Altar Segment

NW Wooden Bench w/ Leg

NW Wooden Bench w/o Leg

Hunter Green Floor

SE Low Railing

Potted Plant

Decorative Flowers

+Wall Art

NE Wide Door Frame

SW Wide Door Frame

SE Wide Door Center

Left Stained Glass

Reception Area

New Tiles Needed for Reception Area:

Small Hangar

New Tiles Needed for Small Hangar:

Medical Center

New Tiles Needed for Medical Center:

Movie Theater

New Tiles Needed for Movie Theater:

Theater Lobby Area

New Tiles Needed for Movie Theater Lobby Area:

Computer Education Area

New Tiles Needed for Computer Education Area:

Life Support Area

Reactor Area

Main Hangar

Gymnasium

Park

Detention Center

Lounge Area

Pool Area

Library

Dormitories

Engineering Section

Room Descriptions

Location/Area	Description Text
Kitchen (90, 10) – (98, 19)	The kitchen is your second favorite room on the whole station. (It would be your favorite except that nobody serves you here.)
Pantry	With the invention of food synthesizers, the pantry doesn’t serve much of a purpose anymore.
Restrooms	The restrooms are still in pretty good shape, though that “new bathroom” smell has been replaced with more of a “recently used bathroom” smell.
Bar	A fully-stocked bar. The station designers certainly knew how to make livable those potentially long stints in orbit. You’ve been rejected by more women here in the last month than in your entire life back on Earth.
Reactor	Apparently the reactor has taken some damage. That’s why the lights went out. No surprise that it’s leaking radiation. Without much deliberation, you quickly realize that you shouldn’t hang out here too long until you find a way to contain the leak.
Main Hangar	You’ve found the main hangar! Now may be your chance to escape! Unfortunately, every usable ship is gone, presumably used in the evacuation.
Small Hangar	This is a secondary hangar which serves as a backup to the main hangar on the opposite side of the station, as well as a reception area for high-ranking visitors who are disinclined to share docking space with the “common folk”. Surprisingly, the Red Dragon is here. If only it didn’t have that fancy security system.
Bridge	Wow! So THIS is the bridge! You’ve never been allowed in this room before, but in the rush to escape, the crew must have left it unlocked. Disappointingly, it’s not nearly as exciting as you dreamed it would be.
Conference Room	Now that you stop to notice, the chairs in the conference room don’t really look all that comfortable. It makes you wonder why it’s so easy to fall asleep in them during meetings.
Life Support Room	The life support room is a virtual forest of purifiers and recyclers for the station’s atmospheric and plumbing systems. Luckily, they do not appear to have taken any damage in the attack.
Gymnasium	The gymnasium was never quite finished because it was not deemed a “priority component” for the station’s purpose. Of course, that didn’t stop your crewmates from humiliating you with the sadistic games of brutality for which such a room exists.
Engineering Section	This is the engineering section, also known as the engine room. It is from here that all of the station’s primary systems are monitored. There’s a ladder leading to a hatch in the ceiling for accessing the maintenance panels on the station’s outer hull.
Captain’s Quarters	You’ve always wondered how the captain lived. Now that you’ve seen his private inner sanctum, you’re still wondering.
Chapel	Sanctuary! Sanctuary! Finally a place to relax and rejuvenate.
Store Room	You had no idea this store room was here! It was kept hidden for no apparent reason. Doesn’t seem to serve much of a purpose, actually.
Movie Theater	Comfy seats, plasma screen, surround sound…this movie theater has everything but variety. You’re sick of romantic comedies! Bring back the Alien Bikini Chicks Destroy Everything series! Man, those ABCDE movies are the best, and you have the mental capacity to understand them!
General Store	The General Store sure is general, alright. Here you can buy just about anything, from snacks to electronics.
Cafeteria	Now THIS is your favorite room on the station! You can come in, get some cheap food, take some industrial-strength antacids, and then you’re ready for duty!
Greenhouse	One of station’s various purposes was to research food production in space. This hydroponics greenhouse provides food for the cafeteria as well as a controlled environment for research.
Reception Area	This general vicinity provides a deceptively good first impression to the station’s “important” visitors as they disembark from their fancy little luxury craft onto this drab little satellite.
Computer Lab	The computer lab is well suited to computer education classes. And when you get on the system administrator’s good side, multiplayer gaming for everyone!
Medical Center	The medical center – you know this place like the scars on the back of your hand! Only your bedroom and the cafeteria have seen you more often than this room.
Science Lab	The top-secret science lab. You adamantly refuse to care what goes on in this room until it has something to do with making candy.
Lounge	The lounge area is probably the least utilitarian room on the station, and that’s just the way you like it. It has tables, chairs, a transporter, a snack bar with a food synthesizer, and a breathtaking view of the planet.
Park	The park is actually another of the station’s experiments. Scientists wanted to create an Earth-like environment on a spacecraft so that the colonies would feel more like home. An old lady even hit you with a purse here, so it IS just like home!
Pool	Ah, the pool. Swimming would be a lot more fun if it wasn’t so much exercise!
Water Purifier Room	These water purifiers keep the pool water clear and free of emissions. (You’d best not put too much thought into that sentence.)
Dormitories	The dormitory is the living quarters for the station’s crew. Entry-level crewmembers share the huge barracks-like room on one side of the hall, while mid-level employees get their own tiny chambers on the other side.
Laundry Room	What’s this? Oh! It’s the laundry room! No wonder you didn’t recognize it!
Detention Area	Not the Detention Center again! Yep, there’s your cell, there’s the guard post, there’s the transporter that got you. I think we’ve seen enough of this place!
Chief Engineer’s Quarters	The Chief Engineer is a vital link in keeping the station going, and therefore he is kept quite happy by getting his own, large, richly furnished room.
Doctor’s Quarters	Being the station doctor apparently has perks! This room is nice!
Locker Rooms	No! Not the locker room! Anything but that!
Default	You’re not really sure what this room is for. (And neither are we.)

Interactive Objects

Object Info

Interface

Food Synthesizer

Allows the player to regain a random amount of health periodically.

Examine:

“The food synthesizer produces near-edible consumables by taking input ingredients, replicating their atoms in the proper proportions, and then executing recipe algorithms on them. The technology is still in the experimental stages, and so it takes a while to complete even the simplest formula.”

Activate:

(If player has an accelerator chip)

“You open an access panel on the food synthesizer and insert the accelerator chip. The production rate of all units increases ____%.” (Random number between 0.01 and 0.1 is selected. The synthesizer’s delay value is then multiplied by 1.0 minus the random number.)

(If food item is available)

“The food synthesizer gives you ________.” (Random food item is selected and added to player’s inventory.)

(If no food item is available)

“The food synthesizer’s output tray is empty. Come back later.”

Transporter

Initially, a game hazard that randomly grabs things and people and teleports them to random locations. After the quest has been completed, the transporters can be used to quickly teleport around the map.

Examine:

(If transporter quest has not been finished)

“The entire transporter system is malfunctioning from the attack. When it works properly, a transporter allows a user to step up to it, enter some coordinates, and be teleported to that location. However, the transporters now appear to be firing randomly.”

(If transporter quest finished with circuit)

“Well, you sort of fixed the transporters. They’re no longer firing randomly, but the destination selector has been completely destroyed. At least the units have been re-linked.”

(If transporter quest finished by destruction)

“Thanks to your subtle finesse, the transporters will never bother you – nor help you – ever again.”

Activate:

(If transporter quest not finished)

(A random coordinate on the station map is checked for obstruction. If it’s not obstructed, the player is teleported to it.)

(If transporter quest finished with circuit)

(A random transporter from somewhere on the station is selected and the player is transported to it.)

(If transporter quest finished by destruction)

“Well, if you wanted to use the transporters, you should have thought of that before you destroyed them all!”

Hit By Weapon:

(Weapons do damage to transporters, but it takes a lot to destroy one. When a transporter is destroyed, its state becomes “dead” and it is removed from the “active” list. If all transporters are destroyed, the transporter quest is considered complete.)

Advance:

(If transporter quest not finished)

(If special random number is chosen, it scans the nearby area for a character or item and then calls activate() to teleport it.)

Desk

A simple piece of furniture that may contain items.

Examine:

“It’s a desk.”

Activate:

(If desk contains item)

“You take a ________ from the desk drawer.”

(If desk is empty)

“The desk contains nothing useful.”

Cabinet

A simple piece of furniture that may contain items.

Examine:

“It’s a cabinet.”

Activate:

(If cabinet is closed)

(The cabinet opens.)

(If cabinet contains item)

“You take a ________ from the cabinet.”

(If cabinet is empty)

“The cabinet contains nothing useful.”

(If cabinet is open)

(The cabinet closes.)

Foot Locker

A simple piece of furniture that may contain items.

Examine:

“It’s a foot locker.”

Activate:

(Locker is closed)

(The foot locker opens.)

(Locker contains item)

“You take a ________ from the foot locker.”

(Locker is empty)

“The foot locker contains nothing useful.”

(Locker is open)

(The foot locker closes.)

Vending Machine

A place where the player can purchase health power-ups if they have money, or destroy the machine for health power-ups if they don’t.

Examine:

“A vending machine! (To be politically correct, they prefer to be called ‘automatic retailing machines’.) Convenient snacks and goodies at somewhat reasonable prices.”

Activate:

(A menu appears that allows the player to purchase health power-ups. There is a 2% chance that the machine will take the player’s money and not provide a power-up.)

Hit By Weapon:

(Vending machines can be destroyed by repeated hits. When this happens, several random health power-ups and monies are generated and placed at random locations on the floor surrounding the destroyed machine.)

The Red Dragon

A unique ship docked in the hangar that becomes a hazard if the player tries to mess with it.

Examine:

“The Red Dragon is a small cargo ship belonging to the great artist Jamie. Both the ship and its owner are strong, red, good looking, and painful when tampered with.”

Activate:

(If player is carrying security disruptor)

“The ship’s security system has been disabled and her doors are unlocked!” (Ship’s protective features will now stop functioning.)

(If player is not carrying security disruptor)

(The ship fires an electricity projectile at the player.)

Hit By Weapon:

(The projectile is reflected back.)

Map Terminal

Computer consoles placed throughout the station that allow the player to view a map of the station.

Examine:

“Map terminals are placed throughout the station to aid people in getting around. They are connected to the central computer which contains all the schematics for the station.”

Activate:

(A screen is displayed showing a map of the station and the player’s current position with “You Are Here”.)

Door

Objects that toggle their traversability.

Examine:

(If the door is locked)

“The door is locked.”

(If the door is unlocked)

“It’s a door.”

Moving To:

(If the door is locked)

(The door behaves as a wall.)

(If the door is unlocked)

(The door opens. The door object gets reassigned to the item layer so that it is no longer processed as an obstacle. A timer begins. When the timer expires, the door closes and returns to the wall layer if there is no one standing on it.)

Reactor

Game hazard that emits radiation when its containment field is damaged.

Reactor Service Panel

Unlockable switch that activates the reactor’s containment field and stops the radiation hazard.

Airlock

Game hazard that randomly fires when characters get too close.

Maintenance Hatch

A special door (perhaps a ladder and a hatch) that transports the player to the station’s exterior if he has an EVA suit.

Items and Power-Ups

Throughout the game, the player will encounter several items that can be picked up. Sometimes these items are sitting in random places on the floor, sometimes they are in containers, and sometimes they are dropped by defeated enemies.

When an item is sitting on the ground waiting to be picked up, an animated visual indicator hovers above it to help the player find it.

Consumable Items

Consumable items are items that have a finite number of uses. Consumable items are all single-use items except for money, which is a quantity that increases and decreases throughout the game.

Health Power-Ups

Health power-ups are items that the player can pick up to replenish his health. When a health power-up is obtained, it is automatically consumed and applied to the player’s health value up to the player’s maximum health.

If the value of the power-up is greater than the amount of damage the player has taken, then the player’s health is fully replenished and the difference is subtracted from the power-up’s value. The power-up remains on the ground and its name changes to “Partially consumed ____”, with the item’s original name filling in the blank. Power-ups obtained from vending machines are subject to the same rules as power-ups found on the ground.

Possible alternative: Do not allow power-ups to be partially consumed. We can do away with numerous objects if we simply apply standard values for the power-ups instead of having each one store separate data.

Item	Effect	Purchase Cost
Gummy Bears	+5 to Health	2 Credits
Candy Bar	+10 to Health	3 Credits
Burger	+25 to Health	4 Credits
Pizza	+50 to Health	6 Credits
Soda	+60 to Health	7 Credits
Fruit	+75 to Health	8 Credits
Juice	+100 to Health	10 Credits

Weapon Upgrades

Weapon upgrades are items that the player can pick up to improve his weapon’s attributes. When a weapon upgrade is obtained, it is automatically consumed and applied to the player’s current weapon, up to a maximum value for each attribute. When the player receives a new weapon, 50% of the upgrade values from the previous weapon are applied to the new weapon.

Item	Effect	Purchase Cost
Focusing Lens	+1-5 to Damage	25 Credits for +2
Scope Upgrade	+1-5% to Accuracy	25 Credits for +2%
Weapon Capacitor	-10 ms from firing delay	25 Credits

Money

Money is an item that can be traded at vending machines to obtain health power-ups, or at the general store to purchase weapon upgrades. Money will be found and/or dropped by enemies in random denominations of 1 to 5 credits.

Accelerator Chips

Accelerator chips are items that allow the player to improve the output rate of the food synthesizers. When an accelerator chip is picked up, it is added to the player’s inventory. When the player later approaches a food synthesizer and activates it, the synthesizer’s delay in producing new power-ups is decreased slightly for each accelerator chip the player is carrying. At this point, the chips are removed from the player’s inventory. An accelerator chip used on any synthesizer will increase the production rate of all synthesizers.

Non-Consumable Items

Non-consumable items are items that are either required to solve a quest, or that have an infinite number of uses.

Quest Items

Quest items are items required to solve quests. Unlike consumable items, they remain in the player’s inventory even if they have no further uses. Sometimes these items must be used in some particular way, and sometimes they must simply be found and picked up. Note that the BFG is both a quest item and a weapon.

Item	Purpose
Laboratory Key	Unlocks science lab
Captain’s Key	Unlocks captain’s quarters
Reactor Service Panel Key	Unlocks reactor service panel
EVA Suit	Unlocks maintenance hatch
Airlock Control Circuit	Repairs airlock system
Transporter Control Circuit	Repairs transporter system
Plans for Conquest	Satisfies quest and exposes story

Utility Items

Utility items are items that serve some purpose for the player other than powering up or satisfying quests. Utility items usually give the player a new ability and have an infinite number of uses.

Item	Purpose
PDA Map	Allows viewing of map at any time
Life-form Detector	Allows enemies to be seen on PDA map

Weapons

Weapons are items that enable the player to engage in combat with the aliens. From the start of the game, the player always carries a weapon. When the player accumulates enough experience points, the next enemy he defeats will drop a new weapon that is generally better than the player’s current weapon. Note: The numbers in the table are purely experimental and are likely to change once play testing has begun. The two different measurements in the Firing Delay column are there because I don’t know if I’ll use milliseconds or frame counts to implement the delay.

Weapon	Damage	Firing Delay	Accuracy
Self-defense Laser	1-5	660 ms (6 fr.)	50%
Cutting Laser	2-6	640 ms (6 fr.)	50%
Laser Pistol	3-8	500 ms (5 fr.)	55%
Modified Laser Pistol	5-10	460 ms (5 fr.)	60%
Laser Rifle	6-12	400 ms (4 fr.)	70%
Modified Laser Rifle	6-14	200 ms (2 fr.)	75%
Sniper Rifle	8-15	300 ms (3 fr.)	80%
Assault Rifle	1-10	100 ms (1 fr.)	60%
BFG	15-20	1000ms(10 fr.)	90%

Customization and Play Modes

Skill Levels

The game will feature five preset skill levels that can be used to adjust the difficulty of the game. In addition to the preset levels, players can create their own custom skill levels by adjusting each of the settings individually.

Level 1 is the easiest, and would be suitable for beginners, young children, or anyone looking for a relatively short game. There are few enemies and plenty of items. The aliens’ offensive values and health levels are impaired, and the player gains experience at twice the normal rate.

Level 3 is the default, and balances the settings to produce a challenging but fair game. All settings at Level 3 are the normal defaults, so the game will play the way it was originally intended.

Level 5 is the most difficult and will present a significant challenge. The aliens are numerous, items are rare, alien offense and health values are increased by 50% over the default, and experience points are awarded at one-fourth the normal rate.

Setting	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5
Number of Aliens	100	150	200	300	400
Frequency of Items	100%	80%	75%	50%	25%
Alien Offense	90%	95%	100%	120%	150%
Alien Health	90%	95%	100%	120%	150%
Experience Rate	200%	150%	100%	50%	25%

Cheat Codes

Cheat codes will be implemented into the game to simplify testing, and will likely be left in as “Easter eggs” for the player to discover. The codes will be entered in a standard dialog box, and will provide things like money, health, weapons, items, etc.

Sound Effects and Music

Interface Sounds

Game paused

Menu buttons clicked

PDA map on/off

Quest given

Quest completed

Ambient Sounds

Station-wide internal ambience

Station Exterior EVA Suit ambience

Alien Sounds

Robot hit

Robot destroyed

Beltzhian hit 1

Beltzhian hit 2

Beltzhian exclamation

Beltzhian speak 1

Beltzhian speak 2

Beltzhian defeated 1

Beltzhian defeated 2

Mercenary hit

Mercenary exclamation

Mercenary defeated

Leader hit

Leader defeated

Player Sounds

Player hit

Player gets item

Player gets health

Player gets weapon

Player defeated

Player gains level

Weapon Sounds

Fast laser weapon fire

Slow laser weapon fire

Laser hits obstacle

Electricity weapon fire (Robot and Red Dragon)

Interaction Sounds

Opening/closing door

Opening desk

Opening locker or cabinet

Closing desk, locker, or cabinet

Airlock opening

Airlock open

Airlock closing

Machine takes damage (transporter, vending machine, etc.)

Machine destroyed

Vending machine accepts money

Vending machine dispenses product

Transporter activates

Airlock, Transporter, or Communication console activated

Music

Opening theme

Ending theme

Credits

So far, credit is given to those who have made any sort of contribution, or who have pledged to fill a certain role. This list will be updated and modified as the project progresses.