Court of Law – - Under shadows : using the MDA framework to classify and develop a game

Summary: Byron awakes in a completely empty black cell. His head hurts but he’s ok

otherwise. A windowless door seals him into the cell. A single window with bars gives a view outside. Byron looks and finds that he is quite high into the air and looking out over The City, at least what he can see of it. Oddly, a string of lights off in the distance can be clearly seen. A sound at the door announces a visitor. The door swings open to an Elite Enforcer. The Enforcer escorts Byron to the Court of Law chamber. It is a wide space with tiered seating all around. At the front of the room is a high chair and table. Shadowed faces sit smattered throughout the audience. The Greater Judge arrives and the proceedings begin. The accused charge against Byron is conspiracy to overthrow the government and admittance into the Upper City without authorization. If guilty, these would be major infractions of the First and Third Laws. Evidence is brought against Byron including his involvement in an attempted bombing. Byron can attempt to fight the evidence, but in the end Guardian Tront gives a final testimony explaining Byron’s involvement with helping Danyel escape and his attempt to return to them at Booth 52. This ultimately seals Byron’s fate. He is judged with breaking the First and Third Laws and sentences to death by banishment to the Upper City. They escort him out of The Tower and leave him outside with nothing but his clothing and a hover bike.

Rooms: Cell, Court Room, Outside Tower Items: Hover bike

Actions:

-Look out window of cell

-Get escorted to the Court of Law

-Go through the trial (can attempt to prove innocent) -Get escorted to the hover bike

People to Interact With: -Elite Enforcer -Greater Judge -Guardian Tront 7 - Chase

Under Shadows Game Design Document 1.0

--- Chase ---

Overview Summary:

All three routs end with Byron being chased on hoverbike, fleeing for his life. Gangs: Suza; Elite: Elites; Opposition: Suza. In all situations, he begins with a significant head start. This allows Byron to arrive at the Bridge sooner than his pursuers. At the Bridge is the Founder’s Stone, which Byron saw images of in the sewer. Sitting on a bench in front of the stone, is the Old Man. The Old Man and Byron talk briefly. Byron expresses his hate for the Laws and how they have brought him to this place. The Old Man upholds the Law as the ultimate necessity for life. Byron is angry that the Old Man, after all of this, still sides with the Law. The Old Man again reiterates that Byron has a choice ahead of him. Then Byron’s pursuers arrive and Byron takes off down the Bridge. It doesn’t take long before Byron’s hover bike spins out of control into a smoking wreck.

8G - Route 3 - Gangs

--- The Gangs Route 3 ---

Overview Summary:

Byron crawls out of the wrecked hover bike. Someone reaches down and helps to pull him out. It is a man whom Byron has never seen before. The Shadower pulls up and gets out of her hover bike. She walks confidently over to Byron, seemingly ignoring the other man. Byron stands up, flanked on either side. The man says that he’s been looking forward to meeting Byron. The Shadower asks him to beg for his life. The man offers Byron what he calls The New World, a place of peace and beauty. Byron asks about the Law. The man confirms that the Law stands there even stronger than it does in The City. The Shadower picks up on Byron’s apparent conversation with the man she can’t see. She taunts Byron with stories of ghosts of those who’ve died on this bridge and challenges him to face her whip.

8E - Route 3 - Elite

--- The Elite Route 3 ---

Overview Summary:

Byron crawls out of the wrecked hover bike. Someone reaches down and helps to pull him out. It is a man whom Byron has never seen before. He stands up. Several Elite hover bikes pull over, blocking the way back into The City. The man says that he’s been looking forward to meeting Byron. Guardian Tront steps out to face Byron. He makes eye contact with the other man, nods, then addresses Byron. He asks Byron why he ran away. He commends Byron for doing well and that his future with the Elites will be an excellent career. The man counters the offer and suggests that Byron further question the Guardian as to the circumstances of Byron’s missed promotion. Through further examination, Byron learns that the Elites intentionally prevented his promotion to use him as a tool to catch the Opposition members. Because Byron did not follow up with Danyel, they instead tried to use him for the cell in Humer. Tront counters and asks Byron to find out what living under this self-proclaimed architect would be like. Bryon does so and the man confirms that the Law is upheld in the New World much more firmly than in The City.

8O - Route 3 - Opposition

Under Shadows Game Design Document 1.0

Overview Summary:

9 - Bridge

--- Bridge (Final) ---

Overview Summary:

After the conversations on the Bridge, Byron must make a choice. He can either choose to follow the Architect across the Bridge into the New World, accept his fate with either the Elites or the Shadower, who both kill him, or to take matters into his own hands and either jump off the bridge or try to run down the bridge.

(If Byron follows the Architect) The Architect smiles sadly. He promises that he will carry Byron over the Bridge. The Elites/Shadower then attack and kill Byron. As Byron’s body crumples to the ground, Byron finds himself watching the scene as though he were standing next to the Architect. He looks to find his whole body standing there unharmed. The

Elites/Shadower, satisfied, leaves the Bridge. The Architect places his arm around Byron’s shoulder and escorts him across the Bridge. At this point, the player hears him begin to tell Byron about the Laws and what they really were for and what they really mean. The player watches as he and Byron cross over the bridge and catches a glimpse of the light and life that is there but does not get to follow. That part of the story is now Byron’s and Byron’s alone. The player is left in The City with their own choices to make.

(If Byron turns to the Elites/Shadower) In both cases, they violently attack and kill Byron. Byron closes his eyes, dies, and is swallowed forever into darkness. His last image is the weeping face of the Architect.

(If Byron attempts to cross the Bridge on his own) The Architect warns Byron that crossing the Bridge on his own is impossible. Byron ignores him and makes a run for it. He is pursued and killed by the Elites/Shadower.

(If Byron jumps off the Bridge) Byron defies both the Architect and the Elites/Shadower and runs and jumps off the side of the Bridge. As he falls he can see the triumphant faces of the Elites/Shadower and the weeping face of the Architect looking down on him. Then darkness swallows him and he grows terribly cold till, at last, the darkness seeps through him and dissolves his body.

Under Shadows Game Design Document 1.0

In document Under shadows : using the MDA framework to classify and develop a game (Page 88-91)