Celeste Design Document

Summary
Celeste is a 1st/3rd person survival adventure that follows the terrifying journey of three children who
awake from hyper-sleep to find themselves alone on a deserted space ark, orbiting a mist-shrouded
world. As the children explore the craft they discover that they are the sole survivors of a mission to
populate a new planet in humanitys name. Together they must use their unique abilities to restore
the craft and begin colonisation, whilst fighting and evading the horrifying entities from the warp
that wiped out the crew. However, once they land on the planet they will face even greater dangers
and discover secrets so vast that they will shatter everything the children hold dear. Decisions must
be made, demons will be faced and the fate of a world hangs in the grasp of three gifted children.
Game Story
In this 1st/3rd person survival adventure, the player controls three children, Celeste, Francesca and
Sebastian, switching between them at will. They must explore a variety of sprawling environments
including a deserted space ark, lost cities, and claustrophobic caverns. They must use their wits to
solve puzzles and evade enemies, while making tough moral choices. The game begins as Celeste
awakes from hyper-sleep to find herself alone aboard the massive ark, her memories fragmented
and vague. As the player explores, they will soon encounter the other children and together they will
learn that they possess unique abilities which must be harnessed to restore power to the ship and
land it on the nearby planet. However, use of these powers attracts the Entities which are
responsible for wiping out the crew, so they must be used carefully.
When the ship is successfully landed, the story continues with the children exploring the planet and
encountering the remains of the original human settlers who have been waiting for the colonists.
However, the ship is long overdue, so their existence has been elevated to the status of a legend and
the three children find themselves being worshipped as mythical figures. They must attempt to
complete the re-colonisation process but will face both the Entities from the craft and the myriad
dangers to be found on the planet. These include the native flora and fauna, the remaining settlers
(who have now split into warring factions) and the inner demons of the children themselves.
As the children progress towards their ultimate goal of beginning the colonisation process, using the
arks store of genetic material, they will discover the truth behind their own existence, their
mysterious abilities, the nature of the Entities and the reason for the colonisation. They will learn of
the destruction of their home planet, that the Entities are the lost souls of those who die in space
and that their abilities are a result of experiments conducted by their own parents. These discoveries
will affect the decisions the player makes and they will be encouraged to act in character, in the
nature of a true RPG.
There are multiple choices to be made during the game, offering several branching points and which
result in a number of possible endings. These can be classed along a scale of dark to light, and
include possibilities where colonisation fails utterly, either accidentally through misuse of the
equipment or deliberately through a conscious decision on the part of the player, or where the
process is successful, but with either positive or negative impacts on the inhabitants.
Gameplay
Gameplay will be a mixture of puzzles, stealth and action, presented in a 1st/3rd person view, with
the player able to switch between views at will. The player will be presented with numerous mission
objectives which must be completed in order to progress. The game will begin with the player in

control of Celeste as she awakes from hyper-sleep to find herself aboard the deserted and rundown
ark. Once players escape from the starting room and start to explore the ship, they will encounter
the other children and discover that they each have unique abilities and skills (including psychic
powers) which will allow them to complete the various objectives. Puzzles will be open-ended with
at least three ways to complete each one and with use of the three children opening up different
possibilities.
There are several unique features to the game which will be described under Game Mechanics.
Player characters
The player will control each of the three children, Celeste, Sebastian and Francesca. Celeste is the
character players will relate to most easily, as she is warm and sympathetic, intelligent and moral.
Sebastian is darker, more devious, and can make tough decisions more easily, but thinks of the
bigger picture rather than the individual. Francesca is shy and withdrawn, easily led but has an edge
which can be unnerving.
Each child has limited memory, initially thought to be due to the effects of hyper-sleep, and so their
adventure is a true journey of discovery as they attempt to find out who they really are.
The characters can be upgraded as the game progresses, with new equipment and clothing which
boosts their abilities or otherwise provides advantages and even disadvantages. Most equipment
can be used by each of the children, although certain items may only be available for specific
characters.
Game world
The initial setting for the game is the deserted space ark. Although it is now abandoned, the arks
design should represent the optimism of the colonists, with bright, open environments and
appropriate use of advanced technology. These environments are rendered in similarly bright,
positive colours, such as cool blues, silvers, calming greens etc. Given that the ark is to be used as an
integral part of the colony, individual rooms are vast spaces designed to act as living spaces and to
hold people, animals and equipment in comfort.
It is this idea of hope that turns the ensuing adventure into something darker and more unsettling,
as terrible events are unfolding in an environment which should feel welcoming and hopeful. The
deserted nature of the craft means that many areas are shrouded in shadows and darkness, with
flickering lights and sounds amplified by the cavernous aspect of the craft adding to the unsettling
feel.
Once the player reaches the planet, this idea of bringing darkness into light will continue. The
environments will initially seem blissful, lush, and vibrant but as the player explores they will find a
grimmer side to this paradise. What is worse is that it is the children themselves who are bringing
much of this darkness, which will force the player to question their actions as the story unfolds.
Strong parallels are to be drawn with European discovery of the Americas and other similar periods
of exploration and cultural expansion.
Game experience
There are two distinct sections to the game. The first is aboard the ark where the player must bring
it back online and land it safely on the planet to begin colonisation, while the second takes place
largely on the planet itself (although the ship will still need to be explored).Both sections are
designed to be open, encouraging exploration although certain areas may not be immediately
accessible.

Game mechanics
Gameplay is conducted via a mix of 1st and 3rd person perspectives, with a movable camera for when
the 3rd person view is selected. There is minimal use of HUD elements in order to reinforce the idea
of survival and restricted resources. Each character is capable of standard actions, such as walking,
running, jumping, opening doors, accessing computers etc, although their skill at each action will
differ. When choosing which character to use for a given puzzle, careful consideration must be given
to these skills, as the children may have to be split up and carry out multiple actions in different
locations to complete it successfully.
As the story progresses, the children will unlock different abilities, including psychic powers, which
can be used to complete puzzles. If these psychic powers are overused, they attract the attention of
the warp Entities which killed the crew. When the Entities manifest, they will seek to attack the
children and although some powers can be used offensively, they are only limited in this capacity.
Players should instead find ways to use them defensively, taking advantage of the environment and
their power to influence it in order to escape.
One unique mechanic is the phobia system. Each character will discover at certain points that they
are afraid of something (e.g. tight spaces, darkness etc). If a character finds themselves in a situation
where they must face their fear, for example in a puzzle, the player can choose either to switch
characters and use a different one, or to force the character to confront their phobia and attempt to
overcome it. The ways in which characters react to their fear will differ but may manifest in the form
of making them difficult to control for example, thus making completion of the puzzle much harder.
If the player perseveres, the character will be seen to take at least one step towards conquering the
phobia and if it can be overcome completely, the player will see tangible rewards later in the story as
the children find themselves more capable of carrying out certain actions in certain conditions. The
inclusion of this system also allows for greater empathy with the characters and for believable
character development as the children overcome their fears.
Another novel mechanic is the inclusion of genuinely moral decisions which must be made. These
differ from simple kill or spare choices, and actually force players to consider the consequences of
their actions. Such decisions will notably feature in the planetside section, involving the natives and
their belief in the children as their returned gods. Players will be forced to choose between allowing
the natives to believe that they are in fact gods and behaving more responsibly. Furthermore, such
decisions themselves will have further choices. For example, if the player allows the natives to
believe in their divinity, they may then choose to act in a vengeful or benevolent manner, with
significant ramifications for the natives cultural development. Such choices present multiple story
branches and potential endings, increasing replay value. They also allow for some genuinely mature
themes to be tackled and concepts to be explored.
Further depth is provided by the experience system, which allows players to customise and develop
the children in ways to suit them. Experience points can be earned in several different classes,
including: technical skills, lateral thinking, people skills and psychic abilities. The more activities a
particular character carries out in a given class, the more their skills will grow. Players can choose to
specialise their characters, or to make them solid all-rounders. A tree system will allow further
customisation of both skills and psychic abilities.
Enemies
There are a number of enemies to be faced, not least the demons which exist within the children
themselves.
On the ark, the principal enemies are the Entities, evil, corporeal spirits that inhabit the warp
through which the ship travels to make its vast journey. They are able to enter real-space through

tiny tears in reality, and are attracted by the presence of life. There are several types of Entity, with
shared common visual features and which have their own unique attacking style. These are detailed
below.
On the planet, the enemies include the native flora and fauna as well as the human inhabitants.
Their behaviour towards the children will depend on how they are treated, with some overtly
aggressive and others more subtle, while some will aid the children if they are treated well. Flora
consists of carnivorous plants, while fauna includes a variety of animals up to elephant size. The
entities will also appear, drawn by the presence of the children. The planetside section continues the
focus on survival.
The Taunter: this Entity attacks in a subtle fashion, calling out to the children from all directions,
tricking them, playing on their fears and dreams, luring them into danger. The Taunter appears when
the children are at their most vulnerable, for example when they are battling their phobias. It can be
countered by using trickery against it.
The Wailer: this is a banshee-like entity, vicious and brutal, which attacks head-on with talons and a
terrifying scream. It uses this scream to reveal the presence of its prey when they hide, hoping they
will run at the merest sound. Running and evading are the best methods to avoid the Wailer, for it
can only maintain its presence in real-space for a very short time.
Scuttlers: these are tiny Entities, ineffectual by themselves, but when they gather in hordes, they
can be deadly. They pull their victims to their doom with their cruel claws, but they are creatures of
instinct only and can be countered with sheer psychic power or by cunning use of traps (they are
particularly attracted by sound).
Note: regarding their appearance, each Entity should remain shadowy and half-seen, to elevate the
sense of terror when they are encountered. Facial features are simple, with mere slits for eyes and
mouths, while hands are long and grasping. Colours are pale and washed out, and ragged cloaks
disguise their inner details, hiding the truly horrifying truth: Entities are the lost souls of those who
die in space. The children will eventually discover this as their memories return.
Psychic powers
This is a list of the psychic powers will become available to the children, along with a description of
their upgrades. They can also be combined (via one or more characters) to create new effects.
Foreshadow: allows visions of the future to be glimpsed; can be used to predict if an action will be
successful; upgrades allow for clearer visions of a greater duration; only used by PCs but can be
combined with Influence to show NPCs their future
Influence: affects the minds of others; can place memories into NPCs minds; upgrades allow for
stronger effects on multiple characters; combine with Foreshadow (see above)
Rise: ability to manipulate objects; upgrades allow for larger objects to be moved from a greater
distance and for longer duration

Puzzle ideas
Note: all puzzles are designed to have at least two or three possible solutions and will encourage
experimentation and lateral thinking
Ark:
Escape hyper-sleep room: use vents; destroy door control using objects in room; use code (hidden in
plain sight)
Navigate through flooded room: combination of swimming/jumping; must switch between
characters seamlessly to open/close doors and access controls
Ark room: escaped animals roaming around, blocking access; use psychic abilities (use Influence on
alpha male); aggression (makeshift weapons); stealth; lay bait
Room engulfed by fire: restore power to sprinkler circuits; find protective equipment to enter and
collect required object