The Road to Friedrichsburga specific item you need to complete a quest, solving a riddle to pass...

TheRoadtoFriedrichsburgGameDesignDocumentPreparedby:T.AdamsLaBorde,UnbrokenTreatyGames

TableofContents

RevisionNotes..........................................................................................................................3

Overview.....................................................................................................................................4Philosophy...........................................................................................................................................4Backstory.............................................................................................................................................4Gameplay.............................................................................................................................................5TargetPlatform/MinimumHardware:....................................................................................5VisualStyle..........................................................................................................................................5AudioStyle...........................................................................................................................................6ConceptArt..........................................................................................................................................6

UI...................................................................................................................................................7MainMenu...........................................................................................................................................7AvatarLeaderboard.........................................................................................................................7In-GameHUD......................................................................................................................................8LevelSelection...................................................................................................................................8LevelTypes..........................................................................................................................................9FullLevelList......................................................................................................................................9

Gameplay.................................................................................................................................11Mechanics.........................................................................................................................................11Controls.............................................................................................................................................12QuestsandAchievements...........................................................................................................12Assets.................................................................................................................................................14Characters........................................................................................................................................................14Environmental...............................................................................................................................................14Audio..................................................................................................................................................................15

BackStory...............................................................................................................................16JohnO.Meusebach.........................................................................................................................16SantaAnna,PenatekaChief........................................................................................................17Kateumsi,PenatekaChief............................................................................................................17Dr.Schubert.....................................................................................................................................17

Cinematics...............................................................................................................................18

RevisionNotes

Version1.0

• It’sbeenalongday• Allsectionsadded• Somedetailsremaintobefleshedout

Version0.5:

• Addedbackstoryoverview• Addeddetailedbackstorysection

Version0.4:

• Addedphilosophysection

Version0.3:

• Addedassetslists

Version0.2:

• AddedUIsection• Addedadditionallocations

Version0.1.1:

• AddedlocationsDorfheim,Hamburg,andtheAtlantic• Addedtraveldetails• Removedsectionnumbers

Version0.1:

• Foundthistemplateonline• AddedSection1:DesignHistory• AddedSection2:GameOverview• AddedSection3:FeatureSet• BeganSection4:theGameWorld

OverviewTheRoadtoFriedrichsburgisanadventuregamedesignedasaworkbookreplacement

fortheintermediateGermanclassroom(specificallymeanttobepairedwiththein-classRPG,theUnbrokenTreaty).

PhilosophyFun/LearningBalance Coretothedesignofanygoodeducationalgameisfun.Ifthegameisn’tfunenoughtokeeptheplayerengaged,it’snotfunenoughtoteachthemanythingreliably.Motivationisparticularlyimportantinlanguagelearningandistheveryreasonwebeganexploringacurriculumbuiltfromthegroundupasagame.Ifwelosethatmotivatingfun-factor,we’velosttheentirepointofdevelopingthegametobeginwithandmightaswellreverttotraditionalinstruction.InthecaseofRoadtoFriedrichsburg,thelitmustestisbestsummarizedas:ifIwouldn’tplaythisgameinmynativelanguage,wehavefailed.LanguageasaTool Languageisthemeansbywhichweencodeourthoughtsandtransmitthemtoothers’minds.Whilemanylanguage“games”arecontentinbeinglittlemorethanglorifiedflashcardapps,weemphasizerepeatedlyanddeliberatelythroughourdesignthatlanguageisameanstoanend.Itisatooltobeusedinaccomplishingsomegoal,whetheritbebuyingaspecificitemyouneedtocompleteaquest,solvingariddletopassthroughalockedgate,oracquiringdirectionstoyournextpointofinterest.Whilepassivelanguageuseisanecessaryandimportantskillforlearners,particularlyinthebeginning,activeproficiencyisthegoaltowardswhichourdesignleadstheplayer.OrganicTeamGrowth Designedtobeusedasanalternativetotraditionalworkbooks,inparticularwiththein-classRPGTheUnbrokenTreaty,itisimportantthatweimplicitlypromptplayerstoformstudygroups.Wethereforeincludeanavatarsystemwithaclearvisuallanguagedesignedtoconveyeachplayer’sexpertiseinagivenarea.Forexample,astudentwhohasmasteredtheaccusativecasemayhaveanavatardressedinashiny,gold16-galloncowboyhat,whileanotherstudentstrugglingwithverbconjugationmayhaveawagonwhosewheelsareinobviousdisrepair.Thisnotonlyprovidesacarrotonastickforstudentsintheformofcosmeticupgradesfortheiravatar,butalsoallowsstudentstoeasilyrecognizewhooftheirclassmatestheycancountontoanswerspecificquestions.

Backstory 19thcenturyGermanywasnotapleasantplaceformanyofitscitizens.Famineanddiseasewererampant,andthelandwasovercrowded.Itwasduringthistimethat

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Confidential 11/2/155

pamphletsbegantocirculateaboutpromisingnewsettlementsinNorthandSouthAmerica.VariouscompanieshadbegunseekingtoprofitfromtheboundlessuntappedresourcesintheseregionsandmanyGermanssawthisastheiropportunitytoescapethedireconditionsoftheirhomeland.OurPlayercontrolsonesuchsettlerfromtheirsmall,ruralfarmingvillage,wherelocalfarmersstruggletoproduceenoughfoodtosupportthelocalpopulace,totheportcityofHamburg,wherethePlayermustbookpassagetoTexas. Texas,ontheotherhand,isalandfraughtwithacompletelydifferentsetofdangers.AstheplayertravelsfromKarlshafen(todayIndianola)toFriedrichsburg,theyseethearidlandscapeandeventuallyrockysoiloftheTexashillcountrythatstandsinstarkcontrasttotheverdantparadisepromisedtotheminthepamphlettheyfirstreceivedinGermany.Localsalsowarntheplayeroflocalindigenoustribes,liketheComanche,whohaveconductedraidsonsettlementsinyearspastandhavebeenknowntokidnapchildren.

Gameplay PlayerstakeontheroleofaGermansettlertravelingtoTexasinsearchofanewlife.Alongtheways/hetravelsthroughapseudo16-bitworldfullofmini-gamesandpractical,contextualizedlanguagetasksdesignedtointroduceandreinforcenewvocabularyandgrammaticalstructures.

TargetPlatform/MinimumHardware:ThegameisbuiltusingGameMakeranddesignedforWindows7,8,&10aswellasOSX.

VisualStyleThegameisrenderedinaPseudo16-bitstylefromanisometricperspectiveforbothstylisticandpracticalreasons.Thegameneedstorunsmoothlyonthewidestarrayofhardwaretypespossible.Likewise,the“classic”16-bitstylepreventsusfromhavingtoperiodicallyupdatethevisualstyletokeepupwithcurrenttrends.

SeereferencesbelowforanideaofhowthegameshouldlookinspecificlocationsvsintheOverworld.

FF6:Referenceforlocalities SMW:ReferenceforOverworld



AudioStyleInkeepingwiththevisualstyle,theaudiointhegameapproximatesthestyleinmany16-biteragames.ThereisnovoiceworkofanysignificancebeyondtheoccasionalhitreactionsoundorthedinofthecrowdinalargeportlikeHamburgorKarlshafen.

Soundtrackinspiration:

• Dorfheim(faminestrickenstartingtown):SecretofManaOST–PhantomandaRose

• Overworld:SuperMarioRPGOST–WhereAmIGoing?• Hamburg(bustlingportcity):ChronoTriggerOST–Gaurdia’sMillennialFair• NeuBraunfelsSaloon:ScottJoplin–PineappleRag

ConceptArt1

1AllconceptartcourtesyofDr.JamesC.Kearney

UI

MainMenu Themainmenuisrelativelysimple.Thebackgroundisa16-bit1850sTexaslandscape(possiblyanimated).ThegametitleiscenteredatthetopandbuttonsforNewGame/Continue,Options,andQuitareunderneath.Artandcolorschemesinthemockupbelowaretemporary.

AvatarLeaderboard

Playersareabletoviewtheirownavatarsaswellasthoseofothersintheirclass/group.Cosmeticupgradesearnedthroughvocab/grammarexercisesarevisibleherealongwithsettlernames.



In-GameHUD

TheingameHUDisrelativelyminimal.QuestindicatorsappearaboveNPCsheadswhentheyhaveanactive/in-progressquest,orwhentheirquesthasbeencompletedandisreadytoturnin.Questtextispresentedinaseparatejournal,whichisdesignedtolooklikeanactualjournal—thinkDrake’sjournalfromUncharted,butprimarilytext.

Non-questNPCshavebuttonpromptsthatappearabovetheirheadswhenthePlayerisneartoindicatethattheyhavedialogueavailable.Dialogue,whetherquestrelatedorotherwise,isdisplayedinspeechbubblesaboveeachcharacter’shead.

Certainmini-gamesrequireadditionalUIelements,suchasthehuntingmini-game,whichfeaturesacrosshairstoindicatetheplayer’sintendedtarget.

LevelSelection LevelselectiontakesplaceintheOverworldmap,representedinthemockupbelow.Playersusethemouseorarrowkeystomovefromkeylocationtokeylocation,witheachhavingaspecificvocabularyandgrammaticalemphasis.ThePlayer’scurrentlocationisdisplayedatthebottomalongwiththatarea’slinguisticemphasis.



LevelTypesLevelsinthegamecanbelargelygroupedintomandatoryandoptional.Optionalareasarehiddenuntilplayersexploreanddiscovertheirexistencethroughoptionalquestlines.Mandatoryareascontainquests/lessonsthatmustbecompletedasaprerequisitetomovingthestoryforward.Eachoftheseareascancontainmultiplequests,eachofwhichmustbecompletedbeforetheentireareaisconsideredclear.

FullLevelListMandatory

• Dorfheim• Hamburg• Atlantic• Karlshafen• NeuBraunfels• Friedrichsburg(PartsI,II,andIII)

Optional



• Frontier• BanditAttack• OldMill• ComancheCamp

Gameplay

TheoverarchinggoalofthegameistogetyoursettleracrosstheAtlanticandsafelysettledintheareaaroundFriedrichsburg,Texas.Thejourneyisbrokenupintoanumberofdifferentlocalities(see:FullLevelList),eachofwhichmustbecompletedinorderandisgatedbytestsofparticularvocabularyandgrammaticalstructuresintheformofmini-games.Belowisaflowchartthatshowsaroughoutlineofthegameplayloopwithinoneoftheselocalities.

Mechanics

Death

Asthepointofthegameislearning,thereisnowayforthePlayertoactuallydie.AllfailstatesmustbedesignedinsuchawaythattheydonotsetthePlayerbacksofarastobediscouraging.Thisisagamethatismeanttobefinished.Thechallengecomesfromthematerialbeingtaught,notnecessarilytheactualgamemechanics.

Mini-games

Inordertokeepthisdocumentassuccinctaspossible,eachmini-gamehasitsownseparatedocument.Asanexample,thehuntingmini-game,whichcanbeusedtoreviewgender,accusative,dative,and/orvocabulary,functionsessentiallylikeTypingoftheDead,wherethePlayermusttypeinthecorrectpromptinordertosuccessfullyhithis/hertarget.



CosmeticRewards

ThePlayerearnsXPforcorrectlycompletingmini-gamesrelatedtoparticularvocabularylistsorgrammaticalfeatures.EarnedXPeventuallyleadstocosmeticrewardsthatpermanentlyaltertheappearanceofthePlayer’savatar.ThisvisuallanguageisimportantfortheAvatarLeaderboard.

Hidden(optional)Quests

Thesequestsserveasfodderforadvancedstudentswhowillfinishthematerialbeforetheclassisreadytomoveon.ThePlayercanfindthembyexploringoffthebeatenpathinlocalitiesandtalkingtoNPCswhoaren’texplicitlymarkedashavingquests.AnexamplemightbefindinganewspaperclippingwritteninFrakturandhavingtoanswerariddlebaseduponthecontentsofthearticle.

ControlsControlsarerelativelysimple.ThePlayermovestheavatarwiththearrowkeys,interactswithinteractableobjectsusingthespacebar,andusesthekeyboardtotypeinanswersforcertainmini-games.

QuestsandAchievementsInadditiontotheAvatarLeaderboard,playerscanearnXPtowardscertainachievementsbycompletingandevenrepeatingquests.ThisencouragesthePlayertopractice.IfusedwiththeUnbrokenTreaty,theseachievementscorrelatetoin-classbonusesforthatgame,



suchasimprovedCharismaorincreasedsupplies.

AssetsAllspritesmustfitintoa32x24pixelgridforpurposesofmovement.Theymaybelarger,butmustbeevenmultiplesonthex-and/ory-axis(e.g.NPCsare32x48).

CharactersTheSettler

NPCs

• Generic:o Shopkeepero Germanchildmaleo Germanchildfemaleo Shipcaptain

• Dorfheim:o Starvingvillagermaleo Starvingvillagerfemale

• Hamburg:o Dockworkero Immigrants(various)

• Texas:o USArmysoldiero USArmyofficero Settlermaleo Settlerfemaleo Comanchemaleo Comanchefemaleo SantaAnnao Kateumsio JohnO.Meusebacho Schubert

• Animals:o Steero Cowo Goato Buffaloo Hareo Squirrelo Sicklycowo Sicklypig

EnvironmentalNatural

• Trees(shortbushy)• Shrubs• Tumbleweed• Boulders



Artificial• OldWesthouse• OldWestsaloon• OldWestgeneralstore• Stonehouse• Marketstall• Ships• Docks• Cobblestoneroads• Dirtroads

Audio Soundtrack

• Dorfheim• Hamburg• Atlantic(Peaceful)• Atlantic(Dangerous)• Karlshafen• TexasTravel(Safe)• TexasTravel(Dangerous)• Hunting• NeuBraunfels• NeuBraunfels(Epidemic)• Friedrichsburg• Comanche• Comanche(Barter)• Shop• Mini-gamesuccessstinger• Mini-gamefailurestinger

Effects

• Farmanimals• Coastal/Harbordin• Waves• Storm• Wagonwheelscreaking• Musketfire• Musketimpact• Variousanimalchatter(buffalo,cow,etc)• Animaldamage/deathgrunts• …

BackStory

19thcenturyGermany2wasnotapleasantplaceformanyofitscitizens.Famineanddiseasewererampant,andthelandwasovercrowded.ItwasduringthistimethatpamphletsbegantocirculateaboutpromisingnewsettlementsinNorthandSouthAmerica.VariouscompanieshadbegunseekingtoprofitfromtheboundlessuntappedresourcesintheseregionsandmanyGermanssawthisastheiropportunitytoescapethedireconditionsoftheirhomeland.OurPlayercontrolsonesuchsettlerfromtheirsmall,ruralfarmingvillage,wherelocalfarmersstruggletoproduceenoughfoodtosupportthelocalpopulace,totheportcityofHamburg,wherethePlayermustbookpassagetoTexas.

Texas,ontheotherhand,isalandfraughtwithacompletelydifferentsetofdangers.AstheplayertravelsfromKarlshafen(todayIndianola)toFriedrichsburg,theyseethearidlandscapeandeventuallyrockysoiloftheTexashillcountrythatstandsinstarkcontrasttotheverdantparadisepromisedtotheminthepamphlettheyfirstreceivedinGermany.Localsalsowarntheplayeroflocalindigenoustribes,liketheComanche,whohaveconductedraidsonsettlementsinyearspastandhavebeenknowntokidnapchildren.

InMayof1847,JohnO.Meusebachfacesaloomingdeadline:beforeleavinghispostintwomonths,hemustestablishthefirstGermansettlementsbetweentheLlanoandColoradoriverinthesocalledFisher-MillerLandGrant.Ifhedoesnot,hisemployer,theSocietyofNoblemen(Adelsverein),losesitscontractualrightstothearea.WhatFisherandMillerfailedtomentionwhennegotiatingthecontractwiththeAdelsverein,wasthatthisareaisinsidetheComancheria—thehuntinggroundsofthePenatekaComanche.Needlesstosay,FisherandMilleralsofailedtoinformtheComanchethattheyweresellingtriballandtoEuropeansettlers.

SantaAnna,aPenatekaChiefoftheComanchetribe,hasjustrecentlyreturnedfromaneye-openingtriptoWashingtonDC.Havingseenthemoreestablishedcity,herecognizestheveryrealpossibilitythattheseGermansettlersrepresentthevanguardoftheComancheNation’sdoom.HereturnsconvincedthatnegotiatingapeacefulcoexistencewiththeGermansettlersistheonlywaytoensurethesurvivalofhispeople.Kateumsi,anotherComanchechief,agreesthatthesettlersposeathreatbutwouldprefertoseethemdrivenfromhishomelandforgood.

JohnO.Meusebach

JohnO.MeusebacharrivesinTexasin1845inordertotakeoverthedirectionofthesettlementofNeuBraunfels(todayNewBraunfels)andmanagethefuthersettlementintotheFisher-MillerLandGrant.AnalreadydifficultjobismadeevenharderwhenanepidemicstrikestheGermansettlers,ontopofwhichtheAdelsvereinsendsanother5000settlerswithoutanysortoffinancialsupport.Throughdiligenceandhardwork,Meusebachisabletostaveoffthethreatofdiseaseandevenfoundanewsettlement,Friedrichsburg(todayFredericksburg),betweenNeuBraunfelsandtheFisher-MillerLandGrant.Heentruststhe

2Throughoutthisdocument,werefertothevariousGerman-speakingstatesofthe19thcenturyas“Germany”purelyoutofconvenience.ThepresentdaycountryknownasGermanydidnotexistpriorto1871.Thiswillbemadecleartotheplayerinthebeginningofthegame.



daytodayrunningofFriedrichsburgtoDr.Schubertwhoprovedhimselfduringtheepidemic.

Eventsquicklytakeanotherturnfortheworse,asDr.Schubert,afterformingamilitiaagainstMeusebach’swishes,travelstotheedgeoftheFisher-MillerLandGrantandreportsbackthatitliesinthemiddleofComancheterritoryamongsome40,000membersoftheComanchenation.Schubert’srunningofthesettlementitselfalsoconcernsMeusebachwhenhestartstonoticethatSchuberttreatsFriedrichsburgalmostlikehisownlittlekingdom.ThecitizensalsoseemtobeturningagainstMeusebach.

SantaAnna,PenatekaChief

OriginallyresistanttowhitesettlementofTexas,SantaAnnahasrecentlyreturnedfromatriptoWashingtonDCatthestartofourgame.HavingseenthevastnumbersofEuropeansettlersthatlieontheothersideofthefrontier,heisnowconvincedthattheGermansettlersinFriedrichsburgarethevanguardoftheinevitable.Henowseespeacefulnegotiationastheonlymeanstoensurethesurvivalofhispeople.

Tothatend,atthesigningoftheGerman-ComancheTreaty,SantaAnnanegotiatedtohaveoneoftheGermansettlers,EmilKriewitz,liveamonghistribe.Whetherforpersonalgainorthebenefitofhispeople,healsonegotiatedthathereceiveasubstantialpaymentascompensationforallowingthesettlersuseofhispeople’sland.Atthebeginningofourgame,SantaAnnahascomewithsomeofhistribesmentoFriedrichsburgtomeetMeusebachanddiscussthetermsofthispayment.

Kateumsi,PenatekaChief

AnotherComancheChieffromasmallertribe,Kateumsirepresentsperhapsthegreatestthreattothetown’sexistence.WhereSantaAnnahaschangedhismindandseeksapeacefulresolutionandcoexistencewiththeGermansettlers,KateumsiremainsconvincedthathispeoplecanneverhavepeaceaslongasEuropeansettlersencroachuponComancheland.ThereisonebenefittotheGermansettlersasheseesit.Theirchildrenarehardworkers,andwhenkidnappedandraisedasComanche,theymikefineadditionstothetribe.

Dr.Schubert

Dr.SchubertisputinchargeofFriedrichsburgafterhelpingstaveoffanepidemicthatthreatenedtheGermansettlementofTexasjustafewyearsprior.HeisconfronteddailywiththedangersfacedbytheGermansettlersinFriedrichsburg,nottheleastofwhichistherelativelackofconcerntheAdelsvereinseemstohaveforthewellbeingofthethousandsofsettlerstheyhappilytookmoneyfromandsentacrosstheAtlantictotheWildWestofTexaswithlittletonosupport.Tomakemattersworse,thelandisnotunsettled,aswaspromised.Thepresenceoflocalnativetribesthreatensthesecurityofthesettlers.OnanexpeditiontotheFisher-MillerLandGrant,Dr.Schubertdiscoverswhatheestimatestobesome40,000ComanchestandingbetweentheGermansettlersandhisemployerMeusebach’scontractualobligationtosettletheterritory.



Schubertcomestotheonlyconclusionthatseemsrationaltohim:Meusebachandhisabsurdideashavetogo.HebelievesthefutureprosperityofFriedrichsburgwilldependonhim,thelocalAdelsvereinmilitiaheisleading,andtheirabilitytodefendtheGermansettlersfromtheComanchethreat.SchubertmustsavehisFriedrichsburg...

CinematicsIntro,Hamburg(arrival),Hamburg(departure),Atlantic(storm),Karlshafen(arrival),TexasLocality(departure),ComancheEncounter,BanditEncounter,Outro

The Road to Friedrichsburga specific item you need to complete a quest, solving a riddle to pass...

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