Design Test Brief: Uncharted Franchise
For the second brief of XB2001 we were asked to complete a 4 hour design challenge that Naughty Dog had used for their employees.
In as close to 4 hours as possible, we were to design a level for Uncharted (post Uncharted 2 universe) and to create a Design Document to showcase our ideas.
To begin my project, I decided to research into the franchise to discover as much as I possibly could about it. These were the findings of my research:
Uncharted is a 4 game series revolving around the protagonist - Nathan Drake. Drake is a treasure hunter and the games revolve around him collecting treasure and the drama that goes along with being a treasure hunter. It is an action-adventure third person style game designed for the PlayStation consoles that has run from 2007 until 2016 (excluding the side games Golden Abyss and The Lost Legacy)
Mechanics used in Uncharted:
Move objects to gain height
Usually push objects like palettes or dumpsters into positions against walls to be able to access higher areas
Boost yourself of NPC up to higher heights
Nathan can provide a base to life an NPC such as Elena or Sully, or they can be used to boost you/pull you up to higher ledges.
Teamwork move objects
Nathan can be helped by Sully or Elena to move larger objects such as boulder to be used to access higher ledges/prevent fall-to-deaths
Item interaction – closer look at objects
Take a closer look and inspect collectables and objects used to provide clues as to where the next step may be.
Search for optional/hidden dialogue
When walking around locations, Nathan can approach characters for extra dialogue, or, if he has found something extra (not part of the story but extra) it may bring up new dialogue choices for players
Driving
Vehicles are often used in the series, one of the highlights of it being the train sequence in Uncharted 2, but driving was introduced in the final instalment of the series, Uncharted 4.
Car winch
Along with the ability to drive came a form of parkour for driving across the different terrains of the game. Most of the cars were equipped with the winch to be able to pull the car up slopes it would otherwise not have been able to.
Rock Pick climb
Nathan can use a pick to anchor into softer rock when there is no ledge to jump to. Can be used to climb further.
Rope Swinging
Nathan can use his rope to swing across larger gaps silently, allowing him to access distances further away. He can also use it to climb up and down, preventing fall-to-death scenarios.
Hidden Treasures
Hidden collectables are scattered around levels, designed to encourage the player to look around and not just follow the linear path.
Locations Previously Used by the Franchise:
Amazon - Borneo - Timor - Istanbul - Nepal - Shambala - Tibetan - Colombia - France - London - Yemen - Madagascar - New Orleans - Italy - Scotland - Libertalia
Following my research I will go on to develop my idea for the level.
Images from: http://wallpaperget.com/uncharted-wallpaper
