2. Table of Contents
Personal Info
Breno Leao
Plinio Gomes
Game Summary
Essence Statement
Game Overview
Key Features/Game Pillars
Camera Flip
Environmental Puzzles
Gameplay Elements
Gameplay Overview
Brief Description
Gameplay Structure
Game Objective
Player Goals
Win Conditions
Lose Conditions
Rewards
Punishment
Player Actions
Challenges
Gameplay Flow
Lionel
Role
Actions
Camera Flip
How it works
Player Feedback
Indication Arrow
Game Freeze
Momentum
Level Landmarks
Level Elements
Boxes
Interaction with Lionel
Interaction with Doors
Levers
Interaction with Lionel
Interaction with Doors
4. Personal Info
Breno Leao
Role:
Game Designer/Artist/Programmer
Contact:
breno.leao.pimentel@gmail.com
Plinio Gomes
Role:
Audio Composer
Contact:
gomes.plinio@gmail.com
Game Summary
This section gives a quick summary of the game feeling and mechanics
Essence Statement
Find a way in the jungle where a different point of view can change how you perceive the
environment around you. After the human civilization reaches the habitat of the lion Lionel
he needs to find a new place for his pride. Travel between the most beautiful and
colorful African landscapes and the most inhospitable and mysterious Asian sceneries.
Game Overview
The Adventures of Lionel is a 2D sidescroller puzzle platformer where the player needs to
change the camera perspective in order to find hidden paths and solve puzzles. The
perspective switching mechanic is similar to Super Paper Mario.
The game consists in environmental puzzle solving. The player controls the main character,
Lionel, guiding him in the level and interacting with level elements to solve puzzles.
The camera flip mechanic is the main game feature. The player can use both sides of the
sidescroller perspective. When flipping the camera the player will be able to access areas not
accessible otherwise.
The player will have multiple options to complete the level. The level design plays a huge
role on the game experience. All of them have at least 2 different endings and multiple paths
in order tostimulate the player to use the camera flipto explore new areas.
5. Key Features/Game Pillars
Camera Flip
All the game revolves around this feature. The player must feel the urge to use the mechanic
while playing. The level design and puzzles should stimulate the player to keep experimenting
with the camera flip. The player should feel the smartest person in the planet when they
master the usage of the mechanic.
Environmental Puzzles
This feature supports the camera flip. The environment should tease the player to use the
camera flip to find new ways. The combination of both features creates the puzzle solving
system. The puzzles must dare the player to think outside the box and reward them with new
areas or collectibles.
Gameplay Elements
This section brings an in‐depth explanation of game elements and mechanics.
Gameplay Overview
This section explains the highlights of the game and gives a high level explanation of
gameplay structure.
Brief Description
The player needs to control Lionel in a 2D sidescroller environment. They need to use the
camera flip mechanic in order to change their perspective to solve puzzles and progress in the
level. Each level has multiples paths and at least 2 different endings.
Gameplay Structure
Game Objective
● Reach the end of the level
Player Goals
● Complete the level
● Complete the level as fast as possible
● Collect all the Meats
● Find all the endings
6. ● Solve puzzles to find new areas
Win Conditions
● Complete the level
Lose Conditions
● Get killed by environmental hazards
Rewards
● Unlock new areas
Punishment
● Restart level when killed
Player Actions
● Movement
○ Run
○ Jump
● Camera Flip
○ The player can change the camera perspective
● Interact with Level Elements
○ Push Boxes
○ Activate switches or checkpoints
Challenges
● Collect all Meat
● Solve environmental puzzles
● Find the path to the level’s end
7. Gameplay Flow
Fig.1 ‐ Gameplay Flowchart
Lionel
Role
Lionel is the game main character. The player uses lionel to explore and navigate through the
levels. If he dies the level will be restarted from the last checkpoint.
Actions
Lionel can perform 4 actions: Move, Jump, Push Boxes and Activate Levers. To move and
jump the player should press the corresponding buttons in order to perform those actions.
Lionel can move left and right and jump upwards. Lionel will push boxes if he moves towards
it and collide with it. Lionel and the box will stop moving if there is something blocking the
box’s way. There is no need to press any button to push the box, the action is automatic. The
levers will be activated or deactivated when lionel collides with them. There player doesn’t
need to press any button.
Lionel’s Stats Table
Stat Value
Acceleration 4 px/step
Max Speed 20 px/step
Jump Acceleration 7 px/step
Jump Max Speed 40 px/step
Pushing Speed 14 px/step
Gravity 9 px/step
Tab. 1 ‐ Lionel’s stats table Fig.2 ‐ Lionel’s concept art
8. Camera Flip
The camera flip mechanic is the most important element of the game. Without it the game
would be a regular 2D platformer. The flip adds depth to the game and level design. When
used the camera flips the camera perspective. Then revealing new areas to be explored.
How it works
When used the camera will flip to the opposite side. From the Front Side to the Back Side
(Fig.1). When the player tries to pass to the other side of a cave they will be blocked by the
wall if the camera is in the Front Side. However they will be able to pass through it if the
camera is in the Back Side(Fig. 2).
Fig.3 ‐ Camera flip schematic
Player Feedback
When flipping the camera the player will have visual cues in order to make it clear where
they are heading and what to do next.
Indication Arrow
The indication arrow will appear in the screen
just after the camera flips. It will be pointing
the direction that the player was heading to
beforethey used the flip.
Fig.4 ‐ Indication Arrow
9. Game Freeze
Just after the camera flip completes its movement the game freezes for 0.5 seconds so the
player can adjust their commandsto match the new direction they are now facing.
Momentum
If the player releases the buttons during the camera flip and doesn’t give any new command
to Lionel after the Game Freeze, he will keep his movement momentum towards the
direction he was going before the flip. This supporting mechanic try to not punish the player
for not having quick reflexes.
Level Landmarks
All levels should have unique elements to
help the player locate themselves after the
camera flip. They could be ornaments or
natural objects such as trees and rocks. They
need to be recognizable at a point that the
player would know if they had already been
in a specific location.
Fig.5 ‐ Landmarks
Level Elements
Level elements are objects that Lionel or other level elements can interact with.
Boxes
Fig.5 ‐ Lionel Pushing Box
Interaction with Lionel
The boxes can be pushed around by
Lionel. The character’s pushing speed is
applied to the box while he is pushing it.
Lionel can also uses it as platform by
landing into it. A box will kill Lionel if it
falls onto him.
10. Interaction with Doors
When being pushed against doors, the box and Lionel will stop moving. The door can launch
the box upwards when performing its closing movement. The door’s closing speed will be
applied into the box in that case.
Levers
Interaction with Lionel
When touched by Lionel a lever will be
activated. The levers can be deactivated as
well in specific situations if the level design
demands it.
Interaction with Doors
When activated or deactivated the lever will
affect certain doors by opening or closing
them depending onthe level design.
Fig.6 ‐ Deactivated Lever
Doors
Door block Lionel’s way when activated(closed). They can only be activated/deactivated by
levers.
Fig.7 ‐ Deactivated and Activated doors
11. Checkpoints
The checkpoints are the place where Lionel
will respawn after dying. They are activated
upon touching Lionel. If he dies before
touching any checkpoint he will respawn in
the beginning of the level.
Fig.8 ‐ Deactivated checkpoint
Platforms
Platforms are objects where Lionel can land on but are not solid. If Lionel is below it he can
jump through it. All other movable level objects, such as boxes, have the same behavior.
They all have one attribute in common, the depth that they are in the level. Elements can
only interact with them when on the same depth. When their color is brighter that means
they are in the same level depth as Lionel and then he can land on it. If their color is darker it
means that they are in other depth and Lionel will fall through it.
Fig.9 ‐ Platform Depth Schematic
Static Platforms
They don’t move and are not affected by other elements.
12. Moving Platforms
These platforms move vertically or horizontally. They have a reach of 380 pixels from their
origin and move with a 4 pixels/step speed. When they reach their limit it will change its
direction.
Fig.10 ‐ Moving Platforms schematic
Swinging Platform
These platforms have similar behavior as the moving platform but they have a pendulum
moving behavior from left to right and vice‐versa. They move a speed of 4 pixels per step as
well within a 1000 pixel circumference. They only move 180° from its starting point then
swing back.
Fig.11 ‐ Swinging Platforms schematic
13. Environmental Hazards
Environmental hazards are objects in the level that can kill Lionel
Spikes
They will kill Lionel upon touching.
Pits
If Lionel fallsinto a pit he will die after reaching the bottom of the level.
Collectibles
Collectibles are objects scattered through the levels to help lead the player’s way and
stimulate them to explore the level.
Meat
Every level has its own specific number of meat pieces. They
can only be collected when Lionel touches them. They
disappear from the level after collected. Fig.12 ‐ Meat
14. Level Design
This section shows the levels layout.
Demo Level
This level is the demonstration level created for showing the game mechanics and quickly
teaching the player how to use them. It is designed to showcase the mechanics potential.
Section 1 ‐ Level Intro
This section is the beginning of the level. Here the player will face their first obstacle. The
game starts with the passage to the next section blocked. The player will need to change the
camera perspective in order to progress. The player will be warned that they need to change
the point of view when approaching the wall of the first obstacle. After learning about the
existence of the camera flip mechanic the player will access the level’s section 2.
Fig.13 ‐ Section 1 Front Side.
15. Fig.14 ‐ Section 1 Back Side.
Section 2 ‐ Broadening the mechanics usage
After learning about the camera flip mechanic in the last section the player now will discover
new usages for it. If the player only used the camera flip one time to pass the previous
obstacle they will arrive at this section with their way blocked[Back Side]. In this section the
player will learn that they can jump and flip the camera at the same time. The first platform
isn’t quite a challenge, the player can flip the camera and then jump on it. To jump from the
first to the second platform the player needs to jump and then flip the camera. The player
can fail this first attempt and fall into the ground between the two platforms. After
succeeding on jumping the player will have to test their skills on the jump from the second to
the third platform where there is no ground beneath. If they succeed on their attempt they
will easily reach the next section. Notice that there is a checkpoint right in the beginning of
this section. If the player fails on the second jump they will be able to respawn on a close
location.
17. Section 3 ‐ Introducing multiple paths
This section merges with the previous section. Just after concluding section 2 the player can
choose venture themselves on the top of the walls from the last section or keep going
forward.
Fig.16 ‐ Section 3 Front Side.
Option 1: By choosing the first option and exploring the usage of the mechanic they have just
mastered they are rewarded with a path with timed platforming. If the player fails in the last
part they fall into the second path and can try to climb again.
18. Fig.17 ‐ Section 3 Option 1 path
Option 2: If they keep going forward they will face 2 moving platforms that hides a passage
between them. The player is rewarded if they can recognize the visual cue and flip the
camera and jump into the passage heading to the Section 6. If they can’t see the cue they
can keep moving forward to Section 4.
Fig.17 ‐ Section 3 Option 2 path front side
19. Fig.18 ‐ Section 3 Option 2 path back side
Section 4 ‐ Easy mode ending
The player will have the first contact with boxes, levers and doors in this section.
Fig.19 ‐ Section 4 front side
Fig.20 ‐ Section 4 back side
Step 1: The player will have to combine their camera flip knowledge with the usage of the
box to reach the lever.
Step 2: When activating the lever the player deactivate the door now having access to a new
area.
Step 3: In this new area the player will notice that they will need the box again to reach a
new lever.
Step 4: The lever will activate a moving platform that will lead them to the end of the level.
20. Section 5 ‐ Medium mode ending
If the player succeeds jumping from the moving platform to the safe ground in Option 1 of
Section 3 they will access this section. In this section they will face a puzzle composed of One
box, 2 doors and 2 levers. The objective is to push the box until the end of the section in
order to finish the level.
Fig.21 ‐ Section 5 front side
Fig.22 ‐ Section 5 back side
Step 1: The player will push the box towards the deactivated first door until it is above the
door.
Step 2: After that they will need to activate the first lever in order to activate the first door
and deactivate the second door. Launching the box into the static platform above it. This will
open his way to the next step.
21. Step 3: The player will push the box off the platform towards the wall. They will need to flip
the camera in order to be able to put it on the deactivated second door.
Step 4: After placing the box on the door the player will need to jump over it to activate the
second lever. That will activate the second door and deactivate the first door. The box will be
launched upward and land on the door.
Step 5: The player will use the platform above the second lever to reach the box on top of
the second door. Then flipping the camera so they can land on the ground and push the box
towards the wall and reach the end of the level.
Section 6 ‐ Hard mode ending
This is the most daring part of the game. In this section the player will face swinging
platforms in different depths. The player will have to apply what they learned in Section 2
but now they need to be careful about the jump height, the distance from the swinging
platforms and the pit below them. There is a checkpoint placed just before the swinging
platforms so the player can quickly try again in case they die. After completing the jumping
puzzle they will need to open the door to reach the level’s end.
Fig.23 ‐ Section 6 back side
22. Fig.24 ‐ Section 6 front side
Step 1: They need to jump into the moving platform and then flip the camera and move into
the cave before they hit the spikes. There is a checkpoint placed in‐between this puzzle and
the jumping puzzle so if the player dies they will not need to go back all over to the beginning
of the section.
Step 2: After avoiding death the player will need to jump on top of the platform above the
spikes to activate the lever that will deactivate the door blocking their way to the finishing
line.
