unit 60

1. Off The Rails
Alex Blundell, Matt Milan, Kayna Baugh,
Sammie Lynch, Josh Wragg

2. About the game
• The game is called ‘Off The Rails’
• An app for both Android and iOS
• Cartoony, retro-style graphics appeal to all ages
• Endless arcade genre - keeps people coming back for more.
• Simple touch controls
• Top-down camera angle

3. Synopsis
• Game begins as the train pulls out of the station.
• The train’s brakes fail and the train slowly starts to speed
up.
• Five tracks on-screen, player must switch tracks to avoid
obstacles.
• Player must avoid obstacles like barriers, workmen, slower
trains or parked carriages to continue.
• As the player stays on the rails, the train speeds up
(increasing difficulty) and score increases.

4. Target Audience
• Mainly males will play it
• Age 10-20
• Casual gamers who like to play on their phones in spare time
• Any ethnicity
• Social demographics B-E
• Gaming is a small hobby for them, not a major passion.

6. Gameplay

7. Graphics
App icon

8. Graphics
Title screen

9. Characters
• The train is the only main character in the game,
which you must steer onto the right track.
• The colours of the train can be changed using Rail
Coins.

10. Rail Coins
• Change colour of
train
• Change colour of
smoke
• Revive yourself if you
crash
• Slow down time
temporarily (double-
tap on screen)
• Change background
textures e.g. sand to
grass, gravel

11. Tracks

12. Signals

13. Platform Details and Requirements
On iOS:
Category: Games
Size: 74.5 MB
Rating: Rated 3+
Family Sharing: No
Compatibility: Requires iOS 6 or later. Compatible with iPhone (4 or later), iPad (2 or later), and iPod touch (4th generation or
later).
Languages: English
On Android:
Size: 40.5 MB
In-app purchases: £0.99 - £19.99 for pieces of railroad - buy things in shop, continue playing.
The game will be available on Android phones and tablets. Android version 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or higher will be required.
Recommended 1GHz processor required.
We have selected these platforms because they are easily accessible for many people - almost everybody within our target age
range of 10-25 has a smartphone available to them. Also, our game isn’t too high-powered so it will work on a range of
smartphones and tablets, not just the top-of-the-range ones. Finally, the simple touch controls for Off the Rails are best suited to
handheld touch-screen devices such as phones and tablets.

14. Legal and Ethical Issues
• The app would be rated age 3+ on iOS and Android.
• Not rated by PEGI since it is a free app and not a major console game.
• In terms of original content, we will have to be careful not to infringe the copyright of games
like Subway Surfers and Rail Rush. However, we think that the game contains enough originality
to be different and separate to these games, for example the unique art style, upgrades and
switching-tracks ability.
• Ideally, the music for our game will be originally composed. If this isn’t possible, we will have to
find royalty-free / Creative Commons music that would be a suitable game soundtrack.
• Ethically, since the game is rated age 3+, we will have to make sure that there isn’t any
offensive content in the game. This means that there will be no violence, sexual content or bad
language - we just want the game to be fun for all ages. The cartoony graphics should make the
game look fun for the younger audience while also letting the parents know that it is
inoffensive and fine for their kids.