Game Design: “Shadows on Deck” - The Game Maker's Companion: Game Development - page 177

Level 3: Stowaway
Now trouble can arrive. Let's finally throw in those pirates. The ship is being attacked and Flynn
has to get to safety. Archie suggests that he jumps his way across to the other ship and hide in
their crow's nest (the lookout post in the top mast). Archie also teaches Flynn the double jump
here, and we'll introduce the skeleton pirates. So now that Flynn has learned to jump, he needs to
learn how to deal with wandering monsters without the benefit of a weapon, and we give him the
climb ability.
This is also a very good point in the game to throw in the first boss fight, so let's design one
for this level.
Level 3 Boss Fight: Crow's Nest
Flynn has managed to get to the other ship and he and Archie are almost at the crow's nest, but as
they reach it the skeletons are closing in and surround Flynn.
Then a horrible laugh rings out and from high above; a skeleton, much larger than the others,
thumps down onto the ropes.
“Hah! What's this, me hearties? A ship's boy who hasn't even got his sea legs yet? Is HE giving
you trouble? Get out of my way. I will handle this.”
This skeleton seems to have more limbs than are good for him. He has three arms and three
legs-each with a hook on the end. He uses four limbs to hold on to the netting securely, while the
other two hurl wooden pegs at Flynn, knocking him backward and off the platforms if he is not
careful. Using the new climb ability, Flynn can clamber vertically up the various masts. He must
unhook the pirate's limbs one by one until the pirate finally falls into the sea.
Level 4: Pirate Town
Now he must be getting close to that evil guy. Let's put him in a pirate town full of baddies and
prisoners where he can look for his mother and the evil Pirate King. To make this level very
different from the fishing village, we'll make this town sit on a cliff face; the pirates live like
seagulls in nooks and crannies in the cliff, and all the makeshift huts are connected by loads of
rope bridges and rickety ladders. This level will also feel different because Flynn now has to talk
to a lot of people to get the information he needs. Let's give him the charge ability and teach him
how to send out the parrot .
Level 5: Dark Caves and Tunnels
We've had roofs, masts, rope bridges, and cliff faces. Let's now have a dark ominous cave. Just for
fun. Let's say Flynn has to go through a tunnel network of caves to finally get to this nasty pirate
boss and free his mother. In here, we can have all sorts of new monsters for him to fight;
wandering and stationary beasts like bats, worms, mushrooms, and rats.
Level 6: Jungle
Flynn has all that we need in a player character. He is basically a good guy, making it easy for
us to like him. He doesn't quite fit in, and who hasn't felt like that at some point? We can
understand and empathize with him. He is also restless; aching for something to do, to find a
calling. And he has a bit of mystery-he doesn't know who his mother is. So now we need to give
him a story: what will happen to Flynn?
When he finally reaches the Pirate King, he also finds his mother in danger and has to do what the
pirate says: find a treasure. Where would he send Flynn to dig up treasure? Let's send him to the
jungle; a nasty swamp jungle full of creepy crawlies and cannibals (Figure 7-8).