Advanced Dodgeball

Throw and dodge your way to victory in matches filled with balls-to-the-wall action!
Chris Harris - Gameplay Programmer
Philip Blankenship - Gameplay Programmer/Artist
Ryan Zappulla - Network/AI Programmer
CGDD 4814

Game Overview
Advanced Dodgeball is a multi-player game of the action/party genres where players
fight by throwing balls with special abilities at each other. All the while, players run
around the map dodging each other and stage hazards while picking up health drops
and more balls. It is intended for couch co-op of up to 4 players and will feature
controller support. The game is targeted at males ages 18-23 (college age).
Menus will be playable levels shaped like menus, meaning the players never have to
stop playing the game. From the main menu, the player can choose to go to a gameplay
mode or train with the various kinds of balls.
In the game, players can move and attack using either a keyboard or a controller.
Controllers will use a twin-stick method of movement and attacking reminiscent of many
top-down shooter games. Keyboard users have several options, such as using the
WASD and arrow keys in conjunction to mimic the controllers method or having the
player follow the mouse and hold the fire button to start aiming.
The game will use an abstract art style in order to keep the visuals from getting
crowded, since the screen can be covered by hundreds of balls at any one time.
Different ball types will be denoted by their differing visuals, with their visuals indicating
the abilities that they have. Most objects will be circular since we seem to have a ball
theme going on.
Gameplay
Players are given many options for playing the game in order to let groups of friends
play however they feel. The main gameplay mode consists of players running and
dodging while trying to shoot each other. Objectives can be changed, ranging from
racking up points to removing enemy stocks. Other factors like health and ball spawn
rates can also be changed. Unless changed in the options, each player will spawn with
a single ball of each type they chose and be forced to gather more to build up their
strength.
In addition to the main gameplay mode, training puzzles exist for each ball type. Players
are given only that ball type and must complete a scenario using the special
characteristics of that ball. An example might be a batting cage where the player must
use a reflection ball to knock opposing balls into targets. These practice puzzles will
keep track of the players score or time, which will be used to award achievements.

Mechanics
Movement occurs on a two-dimensional plane and follows basic rules such as a player
being unable to move through walls. Balls will follow behind a player using a flocking
system and will move to avoid obstacles. When thrown, balls will move forward at a
constant velocity until they strike an object, at which point they disappear. If a ball hits
the player, the player is damaged. If a ball hits another ball, that ball disappears. These
rules may change for different ball types, such as balls that can phase through
obstacles or reflect incoming balls.
The environment is divided into static pieces, interactive pieces, and pickups. Static
pieces are things like walls that serve as obstacles and cannot be interacted with
outside of a physics context. Interactive pieces include switches and pushable blocks
that can be interacted with by throwing balls at them. Pickups include health and more
balls and go to a player who touches them with their character or their balls.
Combat has only one action, throwing balls, which splits into more actions based on
your ball type. Economy is similarly simple, consisting of managing only the players
health and remaining balls.
Players will start out at a menu and will have the option to go into a gameplay mode,
where players will then choose their ball types, or to the armory, where players can
review and train with the various ball types. When a game mode ends, it will go to a win
screen that will show the players scores and statistics about how they played during the
match.
The game allows players to redefine the standard gamemode, choosing the maps,
stock, time, player speed, item spawn rates, and damage handicap. These settings will
be saved between plays alongside any scores set on training mode minigames, then
uploaded to Steamworks Steam Cloud system. Saved data from minigames and
general play may be used to unlock special ball types or re-skins.
Story, Setting, and Character
The game does not really have any of these elements, instead focusing on the fight
between the players. Settings will vary wildly in locale and music, but will all have a ball
theme to them (for instance, the players might fight in an Aztec ball game arena or in a
Dukes court hosting a ball).
Levels
Levels fall into three types, main game mode, secondary game modes, and training.
Main game mode levels will allow players to move all around them, moving around
obstacles, dodging players, and picking up items. Secondary game modes feature

strange restrictions or additions that change the core mechanics of the game, such as
being able to pick up only one ball. Training levels are made specially for each ball type
and are meant to teach proper usage of that ball type.
Interface
Most of the players info will be reflected in the player themselves, such as their health
(represented by their size/color), balls available (which float around them), and key
bindings (indented on each ball). Occasionally HUD elements will appear, such as a
timer telling players how long is left in the match or stock counters telling players how
many more times they can die before being removed from the match. The camera will
zoom in, zoom out, and pan in order to focus on important items on the field (players
and moving level hazards), but will usually cover the whole field. Help systems will be
added to training levels in order to better instruct players on using that ball type.
In the game, players can move and attack using either a keyboard or a controller.
Controllers will use a twin-stick method of movement and attacking reminiscent of many
top-down shooter games. Keyboard users have several options, such as using the
WASD and arrow keys in conjunction to mimic the controllers method or having the
player follow the mouse and hold the fire button to start aiming.
Regarding audio, each level will have its own music (themed on that levels style) as will
the menu. Sound effects will be required for throwing the ball, ball collisions, certain
balls abilities, and the timer running down. An announcer may be implemented to
communicate changing game states (match start, player eliminated) to the players.
Artificial Intelligence
In the case that the player does not have friends or wishes to play a larger match than
the number of humans, AI enemies/partners will be available. These AI wont be
capable of making complex tactical decisions, but will be proficient in ball throwing and
dodging. Each ball will store code that tells the AI how to best utilize it, allowing the AI to
still use an expanding selection of balls. Different difficulties will be implemented,
changing the AIs ability to dodge and target.
Additional AI will be required to make the game a reality. AI will be needed for
pathfinding for any items that trail behind players, plus a ball manager will need to be
implemented to make sure balls do not get stuck on terrain or get spawned in incorrect
places.
Technical
The game will be designed for low-end computers, allowing a larger player audience.
Couch co-op mode means that an internet connection will not be required, although
online multiplayer is being considered.

The game will be developed with Unity and the Steamworks library. The Steamworks
library will allow for cloud saving, achievements, and possibly multiplayer features.
Art Assets
The game will feature an abstract art style similar to games like agar.io or Geomotry
Wars, which allows the game to get by without a full-time artist and for assets to be
created quickly and efficiently. Levels will minimize animations in order to keep player
focus on their characters, but level hazards will still utilize them in order to draw player
attention. Ball graphics will be meant to clearly communicate their usage, such as
making a heavy ball that cant be reflected look like iron.

A player character (center) with projectiles surrounding them (outer edges)

A player throwing a projectile at their targeting reticle (right). Arrows indicate velocity
and do not appear in the game.

Player character shrinks as they take damage, eventually stopping at a determined size.
Smaller sizes make it easier to dodge projectiles.

Two players fighting by throwing projectiles at each other.

Project Plan
Date
2/1

2/10

Goals
Working prototype with 2
players
4 ball types

Basic map

 Basic Interactables (health

pickup, ball pickup)
4 player local co-op
8 ball types
Timer on HUD
2/24

12 ball types
Add set pieces to map
Moving AI (cant fire yet)

3/9

16 ball types
New map with its own feature
Improve AI
Get armory screen up
Implement other gameplay
modes

3/23

20 ball types
Third map
Improve AI
Get build screen up
Implement other gameplay
modes (puzzles, co-op games)

4/6

24 balls
4th map
Further improve AI
Finish networking

Finished 4/6 (Started Before)

Testing
On Steam Store
Possibly Add Achievements