DESIGN DOC

FO R WA H G WA N S UM F EST
MU SI C B

C R E AT E D B Y:
LILY JIANG, ANDREA ZEHR, CODY POULTNEY,
SOPHIA CHAN, LEO LIU, NIKKI VERMA

2014 FAMJAM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section I - Game Overview/Description

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Section II - Interface, Prototype and Game Mechanics

Section III - Wireframes

_________

___________________________________

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Section IV - Sketches and Concept Art _______________________

12

Section V - Management

__________________________________

Wah Gwan Sumfest Game Design Doc

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Section I - Game Overview/Description

Core Concept
Wah Gwan Sumfest is a hidden object game where players receive a randomly
generated list of clues pertaining to items they are required to collect. The player
is taken to a scene where they must work quickly to solve the clues, enabling
them find the hidden items buried amongst tons of clutter. Players receive points
for every item they find, but the longer they take the find the items and solve the
clues, the less points they are rewarded. Amongst searching for hidden objects,
they are given three attempts at guessing if an unrelated hidden object is related
to an undisclosed performing artist; if they guess right the artists identity is
unveiled. Players final score is recorded on a global leaderboard, and top scoring
players are rewarded with free tickets or merchandise.
Target Demographics and Play Habits
Wah Gwan Sumfest targets casual game players in both North America as well as
Jamaica, millennials aged 17 - 35. The average of this group - 31 - is the average
age of gamers in North America. This age group enjoys activities like music
festivals, by creating a game that would allow players to experience the backstage
of the most popular music festival in Jamaica, this game will be able to raise a
great deal of excitement to its players. This age group are also the most active
members on social media, and the most likely to participate in video game
contests. In addition, more than one fifth of the population are Facebook users,
with more than half aged 18 and older. Therefore, we believe that it is best for our
game to collaborate with Facebook, having the ability to share the game on
Facebook or develop it as a Facebook mini game in which awareness would be
reached more effectively and efficiently. From our research we have discovered
that around 78% of all Jamaican household use mobile phones as their sole
means of communication. However, one problem with designing our game on
mobile platform is that although the majority of Jamaican people own mobile
phones, yet not all mobile phone owners uses smartphones, and not all

Wah Gwan Sumfest Game Design Doc

smartphone users have phones with Android or iOS systems. Also, hidden object
games generally requires a large screen in order for players to clearly identify
items, this means developing Wah Gwan Sumfest as a webpage game would be a
more realistic choice.
Unique Features
Wah Gwan Sumfest is an online platform hidden object game that allows players
to engage with festival artists and activities. The mechanics of Wah Gwan Sumfest
will be similar to Gardenscapes 2, and that of traditional hidden object games. In
Gardenscapes 2 the user must search through various messy rooms to find 15
unique items per stage. Players are rewarded by coins, based on how quickly they
can locate and click on the items. Wah Gwah Sumfest differentiates itself from
tradition HOGs in numerous ways: it utilizes a clue system instead of an object
list, awards users using a time influenced points system, and provides the players
with a limited number of chances to discover undisclosed performing Sumfest
artist identities.
Once the game begins, the player will use their mouse to click on objects they find
within the scene. The timer, which is hidden from the users view, will be used to
deduct points from the required items point value. The longer a player takes to
find an item, the less points they will receive for finding it. In Gardenscapes 2 the
user is given a list of five items, which lists who the item is for and how much
money they will receive for finding it. This dollar value decreases over certain set
blocks of time, until the player finds the item. In Wah Gwan Sumfest the player
will be unable to see the point value of each item, so the decreasing point value
will not be immediately apparent. Users will be given five clues at a time, out of a
total of fifteen they must solve; these clues will relate to the item that the player
must find within the scene. Every time a player finds a required item, points are
added to their score, and the found item clue is replaced by a new clue up until
fifteen items have been found. Clues will be related to Sumfest, and will range

Wah Gwan Sumfest Game Design Doc

from very easy to very hard. The game will randomly assign each player fifteen
clues from a larger database of potential clues. Clues will be listed along the left
side of the players screen, allowing them to reread them as many times as
needed.
Competition plays a big role in our game, because every second the user takes to
find an item impacts their overall score, decreasing their odds at winning a prize.
Within the game we plan to add bonus items that will be extremely hard to find,
and require using a reveal attempt point. These items will be related to an
unreleased performing artists identity, and no clues will be given regarding that
item. Each player will be given three reveal attempt points, which they can use
in an attempt to discover undisclosed artists. The artist reveal requires the player
to press a reveal attempt button on the left side of their screen. If a player
believes they have found an item relating to a performing artist within their
current scene, they can click on the reveal attempt button. Once they click this
they can then click the item they believe is related to an artist. If the player is
correct, they will be rewarded with the artists identity. Each reveal attempt
consumes one of three reveal attempt points, so users must use them sparingly.
If a user clicks on a related artist unveil item without first clicking on the reveal
attempt button, it will be treated as a non-interactive item. Allowing each player
three attempts at unveiling an artist stops users from continuously clicking all
over the screen to reveal artists. Sumfest doesnt release their artist lineup until
very close to the date, keeping the lineup very secretive, so unveiling an artist is
one of the largest rewards in the game. Players have unlimited time to complete
Wah Gwan Sumfest levels, but with every second their chances at wining a prize
decrease. Searching for artist reveal items will be highly time consuming, so
players will have to decide what is more important to them; searching for items
that could reveal a performing artist, or solving clues and finding all 15 required
items to win a prize.

Wah Gwan Sumfest Game Design Doc

To ensure players are not consistently clicking to find items, there will be a limit to
how many times a user can click within five seconds. If a user clicks at too fast of
rate, they will be given a timeout. This timeout will disable the user from clicking
on any objects for a set time period, which in turn decreases their total potential
points. This timeout system will discourage rapid clicking, encouraging fair play
amongst all players.
Once a player finds all fifteen required items, the game will conclude and the
players score will be displayed and added to a global leaderboard. The global
leaderboard will be used to determine which players receive prizes based on top
scores.
Key Challenges
Wah Gwan Sumfest challenges players in many different ways. Not only must the
player scan the screen for numerous hidden objects, they must also crack clues to
figure out what these objects are. The clues will range from details easily found on
Sumfests FaceBook page, to harder to find information like past line-ups and
major events. Once the player has solved the clue, they must then find the hidden
object as quickly as possible to maximize their total points. Players will only be
able to register and play Wah Gwan Sumfest one time; this prevents players from
being able to solve clues easier during a second play through. Randomly
generated clues and required items from a large database of potential clues will
reduce the likelihood of two players having the same series of clues, helping deter
friends from sharing clue answers and item locations.
Level
Wah Gwan Sumfest will have one level staged as an artists tour bus. The view will
be from the front of the bus looking in, and will be extremely cluttered and messy.
The idea is to make the hidden objects as hard to find as possible, so crowding
and layering of items is paramount. The bus will contain various seating areas, a

Wah Gwan Sumfest Game Design Doc

sleeping area and an eating area, in three-dimensional space. Since tour buses
are lengthy, the scene will have quite a bit of depth, making items in the back of
the bus even more difficult to see.
Purpose
Wah Gwan Sumfest is an informative promotional hidden object game. The game
aims to be informative utilizing two information channels. The first channel is the
clues players must solve to find each item. Instead of simply listing items to find,
we will use clues relating to past and present Sumfest information. These clues
will provide an advantage to seasoned Sumfest attendees, and encourage
newcomers to research past events. The second channel is through our secret
performer reveal hidden objects. These object will be hidden within the bus
without any clues as to what or where they are. If a player does get lucky enough
to land on such an item, they will unlock an artist unveil. By having a chance to
win tickets to Sumfest, and countless other prizes, we hope to create a buzz
around the upcoming festival. Having a game that people can talk about with their
friends, along with the potential to unveil a secret performer, will build hype
around the upcoming festival. To further promote Sumfest we plan to create a
Sumfest ticket draw for those who share Wah Gwan Sumfest on FaceBook. This
will encourage our fans on FaceBook to share the game with friends, and potential
new attendees.
Interaction
We would like to keep the user experience of the game as simple as possible, by
restricting players interact with the game solely by using the left mouse button on
activities such as finding items, progressing through levels, and interact with
buttons that are displayed on the game screen. To prevent players from abusing
hidden object games by rapidly pressing on the game screen, we will implement a
system that will give players a brief time out when players start to press the

Wah Gwan Sumfest Game Design Doc

mouse aggressively.
Fictional Advancement Aspect
The bare minimum requirement for players to complete the game, is that players
must find all of the required items within the given time limit. In order for players
to win prizes in the game, they must be among the top positions in the score
board. To achieve high points in the game, players must gather the required items
as fast as possible. To unlock secret performing artists at the show, players must
find the bonus items that are extremely difficult to find. For those players that
have done enough research on Reggae Sumfest, there are always different
chances to win the game.
Design for Specific Audiences
Wah Gwan Sumfest is a game specifically designed for two types of audiences.
The first type of players are social media activists, who love the element of
competition and wining prizes. The fully developed version of the game will allow
the game to be shared through social media platforms like Facebook. Those
people who are constantly active on social media will be unable to resist the
temptation to play the game and compete with their friends. The second type of
audience that the game targets are those who enjoy music festivals and Reggae
music. By giving players a backstage experience to Reggae Sumfest, the game
will be able create excitement to those who are real fans of Reggae Sumfest. Also
the top prize of two free tickets to the actual event are huge selling points to
music festival lovers.

Wah Gwan Sumfest Game Design Doc

Section II - Interface, Prototype and Game Mechanics

Menu
The menu of Wah Gwan Sumfest consists of 3 component. The games name and
icon are displayed at the top of the games menu, ensuring that at a first glance,
players will be able to recognize the game. Pressing the instructions button will
take players to the instructions page, where players will be provided with a brief
explanation of the game, along with instructions on how to play. Pressing the
start button will begin the game. Player must enter his or her name before the
game begins in order for it to appear on the scoreboard. After the name is
submitted, an intro screen appears with a cartoon character narrating the
storyline. The player can use the arrow button in the speech bubble to skip the
sentences, or simply using the larger arrow button displayed on the right hand
corner of the screen to skip the entire storyline.
Progression
The game begins with a scene in a tour bus that belongs to mysterious artists who
will be performing in the Reggae Sumfest. The inside of the tour bus is extremely
messy, filled with different kinds of items that players can interact with using the
mouse. On the left hand side of the screen are a list of items that the player must
find, successfully finding an item will display a check mark on the list beside the
items name. Below the item list, the hint button provides players with hints to
locate tricky items in the game. The bar displayed at top centre of the screen is a
countdown time bar, that allows the player to see how much time is left in the
game, it is also a perfect tool to give players a nervous breakdown. Score points
are displayed on the right hand side of the screen. pressing the menu button
pauses the game, a pop up menu appears with Sound effects and Background
Music switches, and Quit Game button that takes the player back to the main
menu. If the player fails to find all items within the time limit, the screen displays
times up and the player fails the game. If the player find all items in time, he or
she will be taken to a screen that reveals the identity of the mysterious artist. No

Wah Gwan Sumfest Game Design Doc

matter the outcome of the game, every player will be able to see their score on
the scoreboard at the end of the game. On the scoreboard page the player can
choose to go back to the main menu, or to submit their score.
Prototype
From constructing the wireframe prototype, our team learned the importance of
maintaining implementable game concepts. Prior to the development of our
physical prototype, our team thought of creating competition and sharing
elements through social media. The two concepts allow players to compete their
scores with other players through the scoreboard and then share the game on
social medias such as Facebook and Twitter. The player with the best score will
receive two free tickets to the Reggae Sumfest. The idea is perfect for the
marketing purpose of our game, however, while we were creating the prototype,
we realized that there is no way for us to implement the two concepts through
Gamesalad and it would require much more programming beyond our current
abilities. We decided to take out the unimplementable concepts from the game, to
ensure programmability. Undoubtedly, our original concept were excellent ways to
market the Reggae Sumfest, therefore we will keep them in our proposal for the
clients, they will be add-ons towards the games future development.

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Section III - Wireframes

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Section IV - Sketches and Concept Art

Sketch: Tour Bus Interior

Wah Gwan Sumfest Game Design Doc

Concept Art: Version 1 of Hidden

Object Game in Action

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Style Guide
Colors
The pallette of Wah Gwan Sumfest consists of very eye-popping and lively colors
accented by a rich yellow, safari green and fresh red to remind the audience of the
rastafari colors. We are catering the game to a hip market, and thus we chose to
emulate a pop art style created by solid shading and prominent, sleek black
outlines.
Background
We chose to set the game in a modern tour bus, featuring contemporary sofas,
pot lights and technology. Easter egg items and decoration are scattered to give
players hints regarding the mysterious artist to be featured in the upcoming
Sumfest (such as the artists wig in the concept art).
Typography
Albeit the concept art has handwritten text, we plan to implement a type that is
reminiscent of funky handwriting. This gives the game a more personalized, funky
atmosphere that reflects the festival.

Wah Gwan Sumfest Game Design Doc

Martin - Character Design

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Main Character
Martin is a laid-back Jamaican who works backstage assisting the performers. Due
to his small role in the game, we chose a simple outfit completed with shades to
minimize the players focus on this character.

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Section V - Management
Organization and Communication
As a group, we communicate directly through Facebook. We collaborate and
complete deliverables based on the below general schedule, team meetings and
assigned tasks. The primary form of communication in writing is through Google
Docs. Schedule is to be updated after week 9 based on playtesting feedback.

Week

Task

Task Description

Time Estimate

Date Completed People Assigned

Week 6

Prepare Content
for Design
Document.

Write parts and

add to
GoogleDoc.

2-3 Hours.

Saturday,
February 14th.

Game Overview
- SOPHIA
Gameplay CODY + LEO
Interface - LEO
Game Art NIKKI & LILY
Section V Management ANDREA

Finalize
Contributions for
Design
Document.

Proof read your

2-3 Hours.
own and peers
work, confirm in
Facebook group
once completed.

Sunday,
February 15th.

All responsible
for final edits.

Reading Week

Create Game
Assets ie.
Background and
Characters

Use tablets and

12-24 Hours.
other forms of
design to create.

Sunday February Lily and Nikki.

22nd.

Week 7

Get working in
Gamesalad.

Bring in assets
12-24 Hours.
and start coding.

Sunday March
1st.

Leo and Cody.

Week 8

Finalize
Prototype.

Week 9

Perform
Playtesting.

Playtest game
1-2 Hours.
with 5 volunteers
while others take
notes.

Friday March
13th.

Andrea Minutes,
Compile all
notes.
All Group Observe and
take notes.

Week 10

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Week 11

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Week 12

TBD Game Due

Trailer & Pitch

TBD

TBD

TBD

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