Here's another game concept, although I'm not too sure about the title. Marvel once again at my superlative primary-school artistic skills!
PC/Online
Target Age: 18-30
Rating: PEGI 18 (for violence, potential suggestive
scenarios and drug use)
Story and Gameplay
Story:
Famed whiter-than-white C-list celebrity Bailey
Rogers has got a problem. After winning the coveted ‘Best Celebrity Hair’ award,
Bailey leaves for home with the trophy in hand, but receives an anxious
phonecall. Bailey’s brother Danny is in serious trouble; he owes some loan
sharks and if he doesn’t pay up within twelve hours, they will repossess his
legs.
Not only does Bailey need to track down the loan sharks and get them to
release the brother, but Bailey needs to do it without being spotted by the
paparazzi! Armed with just the ‘Best Celebrity Hair’ award Bailey sneaks around
some of London’s trendiest – and sleaziest – areas in order to uncover the
unscrupulous web Danny has become unwitting embroiled with; all while avoiding
being splashed across the front page of the tabloids.
Various missions will
lead Bailey to the loan sharks’ base, where the loan sharks snap a photo of
Bailey – it was all a ruse to obtain a compromising photo of Bailey to sell
onto the tabloids. Can Bailey stop the loan sharks and get the photo back
before that celebrity life is ruined?
Gameplay:
The protagonist is a fully customisable avatar;
players can choose an age, gender, sexuality and appearance for Bailey.
The game has a mission-style structure, which must be
completed in order to lead Bailey to the loan sharks’ secret location and
obtain the £10,000 needed to get Danny back. Bailey starts off in the streets
of Soho searching for a local hoodlum Danny has mentioned. This hoodlum gives
the bulk of orders to Bailey, allowing the player to collect the necessary
money through a series of scandalous scenarios; being the go-between for a
drugs sale, finding some strippers for an impromptu stag night, selling bootleg
DVDs in a pub, etc. As Bailey meets other characters through the missions, more
information is unlocked about the loan sharks’ hidden location. By the time
enough missions have been played to get £10,000 Bailey will be able to find the
loan sharks’ hidden base.
Throughout the game, Bailey must avoid being caught by the
paparazzi’s cameras and evade them using any objects available; such as rubbish
bins, outfits from sex shops, etc. Bailey can also escape the paparazzi’s
interest by ducking into various buildings, but more attention will be drawn the
more salacious the establishment.
Game Flow
Bailey is not a fighter, so the only available weapons are
objects that can only stun or immobilise; such as the award which can dead-leg
opponents, to handcuffs for binding people. For example, Bailey can procure
lube from a sex shop and use it to send paparazzi flying or to obscure their
lenses. Health is represented by Twitter ratings; the further Bailey’s drops,
the smaller the health bar. However, if Bailey is caught by the paparazzi doing
specific minor acts such as visiting sex shops or in possession of weed,
Bailey’s reputation may change to infamous for a short while. This temporarily
gives Bailey extra powers, such as the ability to headbutt paparazzi and still
be considered likable. Bailey will retain items until they are used up, so as
the game progresses, Bailey will have an increasing arsenal to use in missions
to evade being spotted.
Character and Controls
Player Character:
Bailey Rodgers: The
player can choose Bailey’s gender, and customise Bailey’s appearance in a
number of ways.
- Gender – Male or Female
- Sexuality – Heterosexual, Bisexual, Homosexual. This choice will only affect how scandalous an act is perceived as by the public; any behaviour that runs counter to your choice will cause a greater scandal than behaviour that matches it. If the player chooses Bisexual, this doesn’t apply.
- Skin colour – from a pre-defined palette
- Face shape – from a pre-defined set
- Nose shape – from a pre-defined set
- Hair colour – from a pre-defined palette
- Hair style – from a pre-defined set
- Eye colour – from a pre-defined palette.
- Body type – from a pre-defined set.
- Main Clothing – from a pre-defined set. The colour can be altered from a pre-defined palette.
Bailey has a Yphone, where missions are relayed and can be
refreshed if the player has forgotten any important information. The Yphone
also has a map feature that shows where paparazzi and fans are; this is
permanently displayed in the top-left of the screen. Beware! In later missions,
some paparazzi types may have access to hacking software that will render your Yphone radar useless.
Bailey can also collect a number of items to aid and abet
the perilous journey to freeing Danny from the clutches of those pesky loan
sharks. Each of these items can be stored; some can be used permanently, others
run out upon a specified number of uses. Often, items need to be collected to
complete missions. All items can be stockpiled. Bailey can scroll through items
and equip them as required.
Player Controls (keyboard):
- Up/down/left/right – Bailey will walk in that direction.
- Ctrl+Up/down/left/right – Bailey will run in that direction until the stamina bar runs out or the player stops holding down the keys.
- Ctrl – Pressing Ctrl once will put Bailey in a crouching position; pressing it again will return Bailey to an upright position. When crouching, using the direction keys will cause Bailey to crawl in that direction.
- Spacebar – Uses whatever item is equipped. If nothing is equipped, Bailey will wield the ‘Best Hair’ award.
- Hold down Shift – Accesses Bailey’s items. The arrow keys can then be used to scroll through them. Pressing the space bar will equip the selected item.
- Enter – Bailey will interact with an on-screen mechanic. For example, pressing Enter next to a ladder will cause Bailey to climb up or down it. Pressing enter next to a door will cause Bailey to attempt to open it.
- Alt – Accesses the Yphone. Bailey can scroll through the options with the arrow keys and select with the spacebar. The game can be saved here, and missions can be viewed.
Main Gameplay Concepts and Platform Specific Features
The gameplay is predominantly stealth. Although Bailey will
have no choice on occasion but to knock out a paparazzi or a fan who is causing
trouble, the less damage you do and the less you get spot means you will be
better off. Bailey’s health is determined by a Twitter status; this is
extrapolated by the number of positive, negative and neutral Tweets being made
about Bailey. The more Bailey is spotted in scandalous situation, doing
scandalous things or engaging in violence, then the more negative Tweets get
made and the lower Bailey’s status drops. No positive Tweets means the game is
over.
Each sequence of play is broken up into missions, which take
place in different parts of SoHo. Missions can involve picking up cash, porn or
drugs for NPCs, taking photos of NPCs for blackmail purposes, or soliciting a
dancer for an NPCs gangland party; to name but a few. Missions are based around
collecting or using an item while not getting caught, although some might
involve escorting dodgy characters.
If Bailey is caught by a fan or the paparazzi, it’s not all
over. Bailey can run and hide from pursuing enemies until they give up the
chase. Bailey can also resort to fighting them off with the ‘Best Hair’ award
to knock them out – although this will affect Bailey’s Twitter rating. A number
of useful items will be available to Bailey to use as the game progresses which
make evasion easier, such as silly string to cover up paparazzi cameras or
pre-autographed photos to distract fans.
Game progress can be saved on the player’s hard drive at any
point; when loaded, the player will start at the point they last saved with all
items they had at the time.
Game World and Interface
The game is set in the seedy, but colourful, underbelly of
London’s SoHo district. Missions take place in various settings; genteel
residential areas, vibrant club scenes, seedy pornographic establishments,
grimy side streets and the colourful Chinatown. All the areas of SoHo have a
comic feel to them; the game is cartoony and humorous in its tone.
The title and menu screens will also have this tone. Once a
game file has been created and a character defined, a skippable opening
cutscene will play before the player finds themselves in the first mission
stage. Each mission is linked by a brief cutscene, as the loan sharks either
phone Bailey or introduce a contact. This sequence will flow as follows:
Mechanics and Power-Ups
Gameplay Mechanics:
There are many objects that will aid or hinder Bailey’s
progress to complete each mission.
- Helpful objects – these are present in a mission stage and can provide safety to Bailey, e.g.
- Cupboards – Present in many shops, homes and other buildings. Bailey can hide inside these to evade paparazzi. Occasionally they contain useful items, as well.
- Ladders/Stairs – Some buildings contain ladders to allow access to different floors. Enemies will not follow up or down these, but if Bailey has been spotted, the enemy will wait until they have to come back down or back up. Best ensure you have an escape route!
- Neutral objects – These are present in a mission stage and Bailey can utilise them to an advantage. However, they can also be used against Bailey by enemies, e.g.
- Doors to buildings – Bailey can open these to gain access to a building and evade Paparazzi. However, enemies can open doors and enter buildings as well. If Bailey is spotting gaining access through a door, enemies may follow.
- Cars/Walls/Wheelie Bins – Bailey can crouch behind these to avoid being spotted by paparazzi; although paparazzi can do the same to catch Bailey in the act.
- Dangerous objects – These are present in a mission stage and Bailey’s Twitter health will diminish upon encountering them in the wrong way, e.g.
- Open manholes/Roadworks – There’s nothing more humiliating to a squeaky-clean celebrity such as Bailey than being caught appearing ‘tired and emotional’. If Bailey falls into one of these traps, the paparazzi will rush to take photographs and Bailey’s Twitter health will vanish.
- Headlights/Streetlights – These will draw attention to Bailey and attract any Paparazzi in the vicinity. Best to avoid wandering into their path.
Power-Ups:
Bailey can accumulate a variety of items that can be used to
evade, distract or deceive enemies.
- Evade, e.g.
- Silly String – spraying this at paparazzi will cause them to have trouble with their cameras, allowing you a chance to flee and hide. Be wary if using this against fans, however; they may turn against Bailey, which will result in your Twitter health taking a hit! 5 squirts per can.
- X-oh-X-oh Lube – When in contact with a paparazzo, using this will smear their camera lens and make it temporarily impossible for them to snap you. Otherwise, Bailey can squeeze out a dollop of this on the street, causing any pursuing enemies to slip. 10 squirts per tube.
- Distractions, e.g.
- Signed photo – Bailey can accrue signed photos, which, when thrown at fans, will stop them chasing you. The only effect they will have on paparazzi is to cause them to pursue Bailey more aggressively.
- MSG-laced dumplings – putting these in front of enemies will cause them to consume them… and instantly crave more. They will abandon any attempts to find Bailey to search for more dumplings.
- Deception, e.g.
- Fancy Dress costumes – equipping one of these will put Bailey in that costume, and can be used to fool both paparazzi and fans alike.
- Bailey can also regain Twitter health in a number of ways, e.g.
- Giving to Charity – Each mission stage contains a few novelty charity collection boxes; if Bailey has money equipped and uses the item, then Bailey’s Twitter health will increase in exchange for some of the dosh. Bailey can obtain money either by finding it on the street, by attacking paparazzi who may drop it, or by completing missions. Of course, attacking paparazzi will cause your Twitter health to drop a little as they photograph you.
- Superinjunction – These are rare and difficult to find, but will temporarily grant Bailey immunity from any potentially damaging incident or attention.
Enemies
Bailey faces a number of people who can ruin Bailey’s
reputation as a squeaky-clean celebrity by reporting or photographing a
potentially compromising scenario, e.g.
- Street Paparazzi – These camera-wielding foes will be on the lookout for Bailey, reducing your Twitter health every time they snap you. Bailey can run away and hide, but the moment they see you, they will come after you. If you elude them, they will return to their previous positions.
- Investigative Reporter – Much rarer than Street Paparazzi, but twice as tenacious, Investigative Reporters will follow Bailey at a distance. This makes attacking or using evasion items impossible, and every moment an Investigative Reporter follows Bailey on a mission, that Twitter health will drop. As Investigative Reporters tend to work at a distance, entering buildings and quickly equipping a disguise is a good way to sneak past these types.
- Fans – These excitable creatures are Bailey’s lifeblood, but their insatiable need for Bailey related gossip means they will chase you if spotted, and if they catch Bailey doing anything that belies that squeaky-clean image, Bailey’s Twitter health will be affected. Bailey can also hide and elude Fans, and also use them to distract the Street Paparazzi. If chasing Fans encounter chasing Street Paparazzi, they will mob them in annoyance for invading Bailey’s privacy.
- Police – Put all those conspiracies about police giving celebrities special treatment out of your mind; when you’re a C-Lister like Bailey, Police want nothing more than to use their powers to deliberately inconvenience you. Police won’t chase you, but may stop and search you if you get close. This can be damaging to your Twitter health if the Paparazzi or Fans catch you in such a position, or if Police find any of the incriminating items you are being forced to carry to complete the mission.
Cutscenes
Brief cutscenes with a humorous tone will be used to connect
mission stages. These will be in 2D animation.
Bonus Material/Unlockables
- Alternative ending depending on how the final mission is completed.
- Different outfits are unlocked upon completing the game.
- Multiple ways to complete a mission; sneaky short cuts are available if the player can find them.
- ‘No Gossip’ mode unlocked upon finishing the game; if you are spotted once, it’s game over.
- Can play as Danny upon completion; this will unlock some new discrete missions with a greater emphasis on attacking.
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