Design Document

Design Document
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Pirates of the Dark Seas Design Document Version 0.1 Last edited: 2007-04-20 by Tyler Trevell Document written by Tyler Trevell

= Key Features =
 * Online Roleplaying Game
 * Using Ogre3D for base framework.
 * Combat system
 * Swords, Cutlass, Muskets, etc.
 * Cannons, Grapples, and rams for Ship Combat.
 * Guild Based Gameplay
 * Join in with clan wars
 * Build your own empire

= General Information =

Philosophy

 * Control, the player needs to feel in control of what he is doing and where he is going.
 * Fun, the gameplay must be intriguing, challenging and have a learning-curve so that it stays fun and interesting even after several hours of play.
 * Intuitive, everything that's put into the game should be thoroughly thought out and implemented in the best possible fashion.

Common Questions

 * What is the game?
 * Dark Seas is a multiplayer RPG set in a world during the 17th Century.


 * Why create this game?
 * By creating this game, the developers involved will gain experience, as well as a finished game, to put on their resume.


 * For which platforms are the game planned?
 * Windows, Linux and MacOS.


 * What is the goal of the development?
 * The goal is to get a multiplayer environment up and running, to support basic collision detection, player teams, basic melee and long ranged combat, objectives, as well as a guild system.


 * Where does the game take place?
 * The game takes place in an original fantasy realm.

After this it is up to the player to be the ultimate player.
 * '''What do I control?
 * Players control one character which they can customise extensivly. At the beginning a player chooses a nation to start in:
 * England
 * Spain
 * France


 * What is the main focus?
 * The main focus of the game is to get a stable multiplayer environment up and running and fun gameplay with as few assets as possible.


 * What’s different?
 * There's nothing new about this game, it's all been done before. But we're here to gain experience in a straightforward way.


 * Which camera angles are available?
 * First person view, however third person when dead.


 * How many players can play simultaneously?
 * Impossible to say at this time in development, but we are aiming for few a servers holding within a region of 500 - 3000 players at any one time.


 * What technology will be used?
 * C++
 * Ogre3D Engine
 * .3DS, .MAX, and .OBJ Model Formats
 * .WAV, and .MP3 Sound Formats

Feature Set

 * General
 * 3D Graphics
 * Roleplaying Game
 * in 17th centurey Theme
 * Outdoor and indoor environments
 * Multiplayer
 * Thousands of players
 * Easy to use GUI
 * Text chat box and commands list
 * Gameplay
 * Leveling by expirence points
 * Guild Wars, and Battles
 * Emphasis on Ship, Melee and Ranged combat

= Game Mechanics =

Multiplayer
= User Interface =

GUI Objects
= Assets =

Character Models

 * character
 * 3500 polys
 * obj format

Summary
= Appendix A =

Important Historical Events
= Appendix B =

Introduction
= Appendix C =

Introduction
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