We start with an animated sequence of camera panning to the top of the mountain where a castle sits. We meet out character the Spider Princess who is trying to get back to the Spider kingdom to her home and people. The goal is to go through different levels on the map to reach the top and meet other characters along the way.

The game is based on a mountain in the Insecta Kingdom which is located at the top of the mountain. Araneae will travel through the woods, caves, streams, and local towns to make her way back home. The goal on each level is to get a high point score from matching tiles together to score points. More tiles matched more points scored. Each level has a certain number of turns and will get harder as you continue.

As you travel the mountain Araneae learns that Insecta Kingdom was taken over by Soothslayer and that her mother is imprisoned. She learns that she must get back home to reclaim the throne and save her mother and her people.

Since this will be played on phones or tablets the controls are being kept simple.

Swipe your finger to match tiles and tap buttons for other options, abilities, and menus.

Genre

This game is going to be a puzzle game with a fantasy story line and characters.

Primary Gameplay

Main points

Matching colored tiles together to score points. As levels increase in difficulty the tiles will go from a few basic colors up to 8 colors and icons on them to make point scoring more difficult for players. Players can use allies’ skills to make gameplay easier or to score more points to unlock the next level.

Basic Interface for gameplay

• Complete level in as few turns as possible.

• Each level has a max number of turns a player can use to get the needed points to win.

• Players have 5 lives and when a level is failed, they lose one. These regain in 30 minutes.

• Allies can provide help with abilities for players to win.

• ¼ up the mountain the levels can start to have enemy characters appear on the board to take points from final score.

• Higher difficulty levels introduce a timer to challenge players even more.

Progression

Mountain Map

This is a puzzle-based game but there will be a story element driving you through the levels. You start at the base of the mountain and unlock Hotaru. Then you move to the forest levels where Ant Responders ally is located, and enemies begin to appear on the board. Then move to the streams where you meet two more allies and visit a small village on the way up. Next is the caves located near the top of the mountain where a time limit is introduced to levels, an ally and 2 new enemies are introduced here. The final section is traveling through the market city of Insecta Kingdom to the castle to reclaim the throne from Soothslayer and rescue Araneae’s mom.

Final Level

The final level is a high stress matching level with Soothslayer being another enemy and sabotaging every move to make it extremely difficult to win. Once the player beats the level it cuts to the return of the Insecta Kingdom.

Epilog

To keep players playing the game going as it is on IOS is to have epilog levels after Soothslayers defeat. You can incorporate them by having Princess Araneae go on another adventure outside the kingdom and find new friends and enemies to beat.

Player Feelings

I want the player to have fun while playing and feel a little challenged on doing the matching levels. The cute characters that help you beat levels and the joy you get from beating your times/score on a level or starting a streak of winning level after level without fail.

Cutscenes

Intro (Start of Game)

See the top of the mountain where a castle we can barely see sits up top. We then pan down to see the various caves at the top, down to the stream running down it, down the forest, to where we settle at the base of the mountain where we see Princess Araneae dropped off by a bird. She gets up after it flys away and looks up at the mountain in a determined manner.

After rescuing Hotaru

He exclaims about how Soothslayer took over the kingdom and crowned herself Queen after banishing Princess Araneae. He then flies around and tells the princess how he will join her on her journey.

Meeting the Ant Responders

Before starting level 10 a short clip starts where we see a large group of ants with hardware hats on. They go up to Hotaru and Araneae and introduce themselves as the Ant responders and say if they ever need help removing debris to give them a call.

Freeing Tonbo

Tonbo thanks the princess and Hotaru profusely for freeing him and sets them off in the direction of Droplet Village to get help from Old Rana but he warns them of the Slipshod boys and to watch out for those trouble makers. He also says if they ever need help, he will fly on over.

Old Rana

She points our heroes in the direction of the caves as the best route to avoid Soothslayers soldiers that guard the main entrance to Insecta Kingdom. She says there will be more enemies, but they would remain undetected by Soothslayer.

Entering the First Cave Level

Just our heroes entering the cave with some spooky audio.

Leaving the Cave and entering Insecta Kingdoms markets.

Shows our heroes sneaking into the market and avoiding guards to make it to the castle.

Entering the castle throne room

We see our heroes enter the throne room and see Soothslayer on the throne. This is where the Princess challenges her for her throne and kingdom back. This sets off the final level.

End Scene

After beating Soothslayer we see our hero and friends that they made on their journey out celebrating in Insecta’s streets. We then cut to the Queen and Princess, mother and daughter embracing with lighting bugs in the sky celebrating their win and peace for their land.

Audio

Basic instrumental background audio specific to each region of the mountain players are on.

Sound effects for swiping, matching, point gain, point loss, allies’ abilities, enemy abilities.

In general, if it moves on the screen with the purpose of having an audio cue correspond to it.

Main Mechanics

You earn points by matching the same colored/same icon tiles together. To destroy tiles and get points at least 3 need to be touching one side of the same tile. The goal is to get enough points to beat each level. (Points needed vary and get harder with each level.)

As you go through levels blocks and other hinderance can either make getting points harder or taking points entirely. (See enemies and bosses on how this works.)

Modes

This can be described as the different main areas where levels are located which determine point difficulty.

- Base of the mountain – Tutorial

- Wood/Forest area – Easy difficulty

- Stream – Medium difficulty

- Caves – Difficult

- Kingdom City – Hardest difficulty

Achievements

Time based achievements on how fast you can beat a level and in the least number of turns.

If the player is on a win streak ex: beat 3 levels in row, 5 levels in row, 10 levels in row.

Post-release content

Epilog continuation post story.

Add levels with new allies and enemies to beat.

This will be free to play in the app store.

Ads

What IOS game doesn’t have ads at this point before you start a level. Players could also watch ads to speed up their recharge for Araneae’s web abilities.

In Game Purchases

You can also use money to get more lives if you runout and don’t want to wait the 30-minute recharge time. Also buy abilities of Ant Responders, Tonbo and others.