The Design

Interface

Description:
The interface for The Labyrinth Project (herein refered to as TLP) is currently mouse driven, although we have not discounted the possibility of using some other peripheral device.On the game screen there will be a small menu of icons located at the top of the screen.(see Fig 1.)

Figure 1      Figure 2
 
As of now, the mouse driven interface will work as follows.By left clicking on the mouse, the character will interact with its environment, depending upon which icon has been selected.The icon that has been selected will be displayed as the mouse pointer.(see Fig 2.)
 
By clicking on the right mouse button, you can cycle through the different icons.By clicking on the symbol at the top left of the screen, the menu of icons will either drop down or up.(see Fig 2.)
 
The puzzle interface will also be 2-D and will be very simple.The main screen will fade out, and a puzzle screen will appear.It will dissapear once the player has either completed of failed the puzzle.
 
The scripting portion of the interface will also be fairly simple.Because this game does not demand quick reaction time, when the character interacts with the environment in a way which requires as description or dialogue script, the text will appear on a window on the screen. (see Fig 3 and Fig 4.)
Figure 3      Figure 4
 
When the menu icon is clicked upon, a window will open up with several options.The player may then select any options that he or she chooses.(see Fig 5.)

Figure 5  
 

Game Mechanics

The game itself can be described as an Adventure type game.The interface and the game engine will be 2-D based.The game engine will consist of a 16:9 aspect ratio background of which only a 4:3 aspect ratio portion will be on screen at a time.Parrallax scrolling will be empoyed as the character moves friom one side of the background to the other.(see Fig 6. and Fig 7.)

Figure 6      Figure 7
 
The character will be a 2-D sprite imposed on top of the background.It will have animations for several different functions, including walking in 8 directions and picking up items.By clicking on an area of the background with a specific icon, the character will act accordingly, and the correct animation ofthe character will be displayed.
 
The character will also have an inventory, in which he or she may store items for later use.By picking up an item, it will automatically be placed in the inventory.To use the tem, you must go to the menu to select the item from your inventory.Then click on the icon, or right click until the item icon represents the cursor.(see Fig 8.)
Figure 8 Figure 8
 
The other icons will have different functions. The Foot icon will function for movement.By clicking on a certain area in the background, with the foot icon, the character will move to that location.
 
The hand icon will have several different functions.By clicking it on an interactive object, the character will walk up to it and pick it up, or the screen will change into a puzzle screen. If the player clicks the hand icon on a non-interactive part of the background, a dialogue/description window will pop up with a message.If the player clicks on the character with the hand icon, a different dialogue/description window will pop up with a message.If the player clicks on the character with the hand icon, a different dialogue/description box will occur.
 
The eye icon will have only one function.It will bring up a description/dialogue box when it is clicked on something.
 
The mouth icon will have two functions.When the player clicks on another character, it will bring up a dialogue box as if the two were talking.Otherwise it will bring up a description box which may describe how something tastes, etc.
 
The item icon will have several functions.Depending on which item is selected, if you click the icon on an interactive object, it will either cause something to happen, or bring up a message box saying that nothing happened.When you click on yourself with the item icon, several things can happen depending upon what the object is.This can include death.
 
Tee game will end when either the character dies, or when the player has reached the Goal.This entails completing the final puzzle/quest.At this time the final cutscene will play providing an epilogue to the story.