Chomp: Sharks of the Seven Seas
Game Treatment

Rev: 2008Oct03

Prepared by: Tim Turner

Project by:
Jordan Charette
John Kalberer
Tim Turner
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Summary:
Chomp is an action-based sandbox game, allowing the player the opportunity to eat like a shark.  Frantic action and a comedic style characterize this game, creating a unique and fun experience.

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Game Overview:

High Concept:
The player takes the role of a hungry shark, Chomp.  Chomp is on a mission to increase his/her power through eating other ocean life. By defeating and eating enemies, Chomp gains new powers and abilities.

Genre:
Shark simulator.  Satyrical with cartoon style.  Similar to a 3-D space shooter in playing style, with a large sandbox game component.

Hooks:
-Comedic action
-Upbeat
-Involving

Licence:
This game does not include any previously licenced properties.

Gameplay Highlights:
The player controls a shark avatar.  The avatar swims through the water in three dimentions while eating opponents.  Eating various kinds of things changes the player's properties (i.e. health).  Various enemies will attack the player.  A series of in-game minigames will be available to the player.

-Sandbox gameplay
-Allowed to be the "badguy"/ Antihero
-Players participate in minigames
-Players eat other sea creatures and swimers
-Immersive and engaging comedy world

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Technology:

- Wii-mote is an optional gameplay interface
- Flocking tree for flocking large numbers of AI entities
- Behavior Tree for complex AI behavior
- A.E.o.A. graphics system for DirectX and OpenGL
- On-the-fly level loading
- Shaders for water and cartoon effects

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Art:

The game will feature 3D art and models.  Shaders will be used to render these models as cartoons.  The game will also feature some 2D sprite art, in some situations.  Overall, the game's art will have a cartoony, humorous approach.

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Production Details:

Current Status:
Preliminary work has begun on the game engine.  The graphics engine and AI systems are being coded.  Some game elements have been prototyped in XNA.  Basic game architecture has been determined, and specific definitions are underway.

Development Team:
Jordan Charette is the project's Architect and User Interface coordinator.  Experience includes Battle Blocks, a C#/XNA game. 

John Kalberer is the Systems Engineer, Lead Artist, and Quality Control expert.  Experience includes Arbor Vitae, Top 20 finisher in the 2008 Imagine Cup, and Ultimate Destruction, DeVry University's showpiece for PAX 2007.

Tim Turner is the AI and Game Physics specialist, and Project Manager. Experience includes Arbor Vitae, Top 20 finisher in the 2008 Imagine Cup, and Ultimate Destruction, DeVry University's showpiece for PAX 2007.

Player Motivation:
Free-roam the ocean, eating fish and growing more powerful.

Budget:
$50.  This money is slated for Wii-mote technology and other hardware.

Schedule:
Completion by June 2009.

Competition:
“Jaws Unleashed” for Playstation 2.  This is the primary competition, it is a serious 3D game which recieved poor reviews. 
"Mad Shark" flash game (http://www.shockwave.com/gamelanding/madshark.jsp).  This is a 2D flash game.

The primary seperation between Chomp and these games is Chomp's ultra-humorous take on the genre.  Combining this with motion-based input through a Wii-mote, Chomp promises an energetic and mentally captivating gameplay experience.

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Game World:

Backstory:
Longing to eat the succulent human morsels sunbathing on the local beach, Chomp the shark sees his/her opportunity is a pair of mechanical legs (For sharks!).  Unfortunatley, these legs are just out of reach.  Chomp must swim the oceans, gaining strength and new abilities in his/her quest to track down and obtain the ellusive shark legs.

Objective:
The player must guide Chomp through the oceans, eating fish, sharks, and people to grow stronger and faster.  Defeated bosses will give Chomp new abilities, allowing Chomp to progress through more difficult levels.

Characters:
Chomp - The protagonist, a generic shark on a mission to consume all in order to become the king of fish.

Sharky - The Salty old pirate who runs the game's item store.

Poseidon's Angel's Dolphin Gang - The leather-and-chain wearing biker-gang dolphins are recurring antagonists who pose major challenges to the player.

Other characters are generic aquatic enemies or food sources.

Story Progression:
As the player consumes other sea creatures, they gain strength and health.  Some other ocean dwellers, such as Dolphins and shark-hunters will attempt to stop the player.  Chomp obtains new abilities by defeating bosses at the end of every ocean region.  After defeating all of the bosses, Chomp will have all of the abilities necessary to obtain the mechanical shark legs.