15-493 Game Programming
Chobits - Design Document

Game Name: Chobits
Development Team: David Seneker (dseneker@andrew.cmu.edu) Dan (Luisa) Lu (danl@andrew.cmu.edu)
Game Description: Chobits is based on the anime series of the same name. The players control the persocons (humanoid robots) Chii and Sumomo as they carry out missions for their owner, Hideki. The objective is to create an entertaining game for one or more players while maintaining the spirit of the anime. The game will run on the cluster machines, and maybe something else.

Game Features:

• Single and multiplayer modes
  Depends on next feature listed, might have no interaction, except collision
• In multiplayer mode the opponents can fight (in a nonviolent way that follows the anime)
  interaction not defined yet (black chi vs white chi?)
• Multiple levels with data driven design
  Levels are based on the actual story develpment from the anime
  See sample level below
• Follow the spirit and storyline of the animated series Chobits
  Intro screens for each level provide background
  Level file and course file define the interaction in game
  and story development entirely in data
• Minimap to help the player navigate
  Mini map is associated with the course map, stored as an image

Technical Features:

Multiple sets of functions to handle camera logic, physics, input methods, and world modeling styles to differentiate levels. The logic is chosen dynamically when a level loads, according to the level description file. For example, one level might have an interface like Diablo II, but the next plays like a first person shooter.

Implementation Plan: Original source code and content for Chobits will include the following:

• Completely modular, swappable world, AI, input, and camera logic classes
• All game maps, models, textures, animation, sounds, and other game data (except some textures noted below)

Source code and content acquired and used from outside sources include the following:

Starter code provided for the class in previous labs

Schedule: The Chobits project will begin in November of 2002 and is planned to be completed in 5 weeks to meet a December 2002 rollout. The major milestones of the project are the following:

Detailed TODO list:

lvl file
read file
set input control
set other options (chi, light, num players?)

course map
load map
build world (quad tree)
make general obj
load 3ds obj

mini map
load and draw
draw chi location

AI and game loop
animate obj
collision detection
check interaction

camera control
3rd person detached (mario 64)
first person attached (FPS)

lvl design
make intro screen
design dialog?
grab texture
make 3DS models and other objs

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Example levels:
lvl 1 - Buy panties
Map is the town
(control Sumomo, who indirectly controls Chi)
Walk from home to the lingerie store
Get distracted by various related objects in town
ie: posters, girls, panty truck

lvl 2 - Buy Chi's favorite book (second trip to book store)
Map is the book store
(control Chi directly)
Walk around the book store, find THE book
Also buy magazines for hideki (dishes)

lvl 3 - Going to work (normal or the second kidnap)
Map is the town
(control?)
Walk from home to work
Get distracted by the book, and some other stuff

lvl 4 - After the first encounter with black chi
Map is the town at night
(control?)
walk/fly around town and find Hideki
Shut down normal persocons close to you
(what about multiple chi?)

Course file: (predefined objects)

map of the level
starting location
goal (location/object) : ie store, book
mini goals (distraction) : car, posters, other books, people
animated object (non interactive) : people on the street

Level file:

course file with associated mini map (bitmap)
texture for general objects (ie building, book case)
3ds model for special objects

input method per camera control
direct chi mode / sumomo mode
3rd person / 1st person

chi mode (super chi, see lvl 4)
scene light setting (see lvl 4)

-the end-