1. Working Title:
Evac Sights
Target Gaming Platform:
I would release Evac Sights on next-gen platforms e.g. Xbox One and PlayStation 4. These are the
latest gaming consoles which have greater capabilities in regard to allowance of multi-tasking, the
ability to record gameplay and share highlights for live-stream gameplay. These consoles can also
support outstanding graphics in video games, as well as large in-game environments, greater
levels of co-op multiplayer etc. Due to their low capacity, last-gen consoles are unable to support
any of these to a great extent. I intend to release Evac Sights on next-gen consoles because the
game will feature a large environment along with the option for three players to experience the
story simultaneously, both of which may not be supported by the capacity of last-gen consoles. The
graphics of Evac Sights may also be unsupported by the low capacity of these consoles. However,
if the game were to be released on the newest consoles, all of these aspects are likely to function
correctly and effectively without any difficulty. A large number of people are up to date with the
innovation of gaming; therefore my game could apply to them because it possesses entirely
different characteristics compared to existing games; it is also innovative.
Genre:
Evac Sights is a military third/first person side scrolling shooter game with 3D graphics. It requires
the player(s) to choose from a variety of weapons and, as the game begins, their character to
remain on the right side of the screen, facing the battlefield as the screen scrolls forwards. The
player character is required to fire on as many enemies, military vehicles and helicopters as
possible before they pass off-screen. The player character cannot be seen on-screen; only the
weapon and the characterâs hand gripping it can be visible to the player.
The player has the option to switch to first-person or third-person, therefore those who do not want
to play the game from a point-of-view perspective can change it as they please. The screen will
only scroll forwards and not backwards. It does not stop and the player cannot interact with
anything off-screen. The game can be played by oneself; however this will make progress more
difficult compared to how easy, as well as enjoyable, it would be with two or more players. Up to 3
people can play cooperatively. If the game is being played by one person, that person can switch
between the three different viewpoints the game offers i.e. different positions. The fact that the
game can be played by one person, or up to 3 people at once, makes the game seem a lot more
fun because it develops the aspects of side-scrolling video games and enables increased ways to
interact with a game of this genre e.g. there is the ability to destroy the environment as well as
obstacles in Evac Sights.
Language / Territories
I would release Evac Sights in the United States and in the United Kingdom, as well as Australia
and New Zealand. The reason for this would be because the primary language for Evac Sights is
English; therefore it is directed primarily at those who speak or understand the language. There is
no dialogue within the game, although one will be able to hear occasional cries from the enemy
soldiers (who are Russian, therefore Evac Sights could also be released in that country) and the
title sequence, menu and HUD aspects are all in English. However, there would be options to alter
the language to French, Spanish, German etc. With this feature, Evac Sights should be suitable for
countries worldwide. However, I will initially be required to ensure my game reaches English
speaking countries first because English is the primary language of the game. Also, the game is
based in the United States; therefore it is targeted at that country because it provides the people
living there with a strong sense of familiarity.
The narrative and setting of the game (which revolves around an invasion and resulting conflict on
the U.S.) could evoke fear or adrenaline within people who play the game in the U.S. because it
creates an impression of their own home being attacked by enemy forces. This adrenaline could
also make the game exhilarating for the player at the same time, and players would be driven to
âdefend their homeâ within the game. Evac Sights can be considered unsuitable for certain cultures
2. (i.e. civilizations and societies) as well as beliefs. First of all, the game is focused on two specific
countries locked in a conflict, and the United States (which is one of them) is losing and
desperately trying to fight back. A game like this could quite obviously have a negative impact on
civilization, especially in the U.S. because it creates the wrong impression of how life is today and
has the potential to mislead people, especially those who cannot distinguish video games from
reality, to the point where they assume this is exactly how countries would act rather than help
each other out. The concept of an invasion taking place on their own home can be upsetting for
people living in the U.S. Evac Sights could also negatively impact a set of beliefs. For example,
many people (including religions) accept the fact that we are a peaceful world. Evac Sights could,
albeit unintentionally, lead people into thinking that countries are constantly looking at each other
with suspicion and that the world is prone to war. This is not a good impression at all.
Synopsis / Treatment / Story / How the game plays:
In Evac Sights, players take on the personas of three different military roles: two U.S. Marines and
an AC-130 Gunner (for an aircraft) who have been deployed to an unnamed city in the United
States amid a mainland invasion of the nation by Russia and resulting conflict. The game follows
the actions of these soldiers as they fight to protect a civilian evacuation site from attacking enemy
forces in order to prevent casualties and attempt to gain the upper hand against the enemies.
The game can be played by one person or by up to three people at once, therefore giving the
option for one person to experience the events that unfold during the course of the game by his or
her self, or for several players to work together in safeguarding the evacuations whilst
simultaneously engaging enemy soldiers/vehicles in a team effort. This wide range of options will
make the game increasingly enjoyable for the players. There are three different perspectives in the
game, all of which face the civilian evacuation site amid the city (two from both sides and one from
a gunship above). The game is side-scrolling; the screen moves to the right, taking the
perspectives of each player with it (the playerâs weapon can is visible on screen and it is implied
that they are holding the weapon and aiming it forwards). The player(s) are required to shoot as
many enemies and vehicles as possible before they pass off-screen; if this happens too often, the
player(s) will fail the game. This is also the case for any point during the game in which a civilian is
killed, even if it only happens once.
In Evac Sights, the United States is invaded and conquered by Russia. The entire U.S. military is
focused on keeping the attacking enemy forces at bay, therefore there is little that can be done for
the civilians still residing within cities that are being attacked; countless lives are at risk. Help
eventually arrives for the civilians, but the invasion is making the evacuations immensely difficult as
well as dangerous. In one city, three soldiers take it upon themselves to defend an evacuation site
by holding off the enemy forces, hoping that their actions will buy the civilians enough time to
escape safely.
Evac Sights does not have any end goals because it is never-ending. Like many side-scrolling
games in recent times, there are no âwinningâ conditions and the player is required to progress as
far as they possibly can to obtain points and beat a set record, for example. My game requires
players to kill as many enemy soldiers as possible and destroy enemy vehicles. During single-
player, the game will count the number of soldiers the player kills in-game, as well as how many
vehicles are destroyed. The player will fail the game if he/she kills one civilian, or allows the screen
to pass too many enemy soldiers/vehicles. During multiplayer, the amount of kills each player
makes will be recorded and will also be visible on-screen to all players. This will enable each player
to see how the other is progressing during the game. The players will fail the game in the same
way as they would in single-player, however if one player makes the mistake, all players will fail the
game. The main aim during multiplayer is for one player to remain ahead of the other players for as
long as possible. The fact that the game is never-ending could make it seem more enjoyable.
3. One Line SalesPitch:
Time to goâŚ
Style (similar products and graphical style):
My video game âEvac Sightsâ is quite similar to the 2009 first-person military shooter Call of Duty:
Modern Warfare 2 which was developed by Infinity Ward. Modern Warfare 2 is the sequel to the
2007 game Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and it continues the story where Modern Warfare left
off. Modern Warfare 2 revolves around a war that is triggered between the United States and
Russia due to the actions of terrorists who attacked civilians in Russia and framed the U.S. In
retaliation, Russia invaded the U.S. in-game. In Evac Sights, three soldiers fight to defend
vulnerable civilians amid a Russian attack on U.S. cities. They safeguard an evacuation site and kill
as many enemies as possible.
These two games are similar to each other in many ways, mostly due to the fact that they both
revolve around a conflict between two countries (U.S. and Russia) and highlight the severity of
such a conflict taking place. Both games require the player to kill a large amount of enemies,
racking up a high body count. They also require the player to complete a certain objective and both
have similar fail conditions (if you kill a civilian, you will fail the game/have to restart at a certain
checkpoint). However, there are differences. Modern Warfare 2 puts the player in a first-person
perspective whereas Evac Sights allows the player to choose from third or first person. Modern
Warfare 2 allows the player to navigate the battlefield freely, climb into a vehicle and change
his/her weapon in game. Evac Sights does not allow the player character to move or change
position, thus hindering the ability to hijack enemy vehicles which could otherwise make the game
seem more enjoyable. Evac Sights also requires the player to select a weapon before starting the
game; once the game has started, the player cannot go back to change their weapon if they arenât
satisfied with it.
I was inspired by the campaign mission âOf Their Own Accordâ (see video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8toHfZm6jNE) which takes place in Washington D.C. during the
Russian invasion. The player character is a U.S. Marine struggling to repel the invasion alongside
his comrades, and one of the many objectives the player is required to complete in this level is to
defend the evacuation site at the Washington Monument using missile launchers. I thought this
sequence in the level was adrenaline evoking because it implied innocent civilians (including
children) in danger and I (as the player) was given the task of protecting them and ensuring the
extraction helicopters took off safely. I thought the concept of defending innocent lives in the game
was tense to say the least. My game will be similar because it requires up to three players to
defend a civilian evacuation site like that segment in Modern Warfare 2.
Of Their Own Accord runs effectively on consoles e.g. Xbox and PS3 at a high resolution (720p)
just like the other levels in the game. This level of quality was quite common on last-gen consoles
as opposed to next-gen which offer 1080p for video games. The level âOf Their Own Accordâ
contains use of low-key lighting to create a dark and unsettling atmosphere and ensure that
shadows predominate within many areas of the level. The mission is also set at night and features
views of bombed-out buildings, as well as the presence of a dim orange glow on the horizon in-
game; this implies a strong sense of destruction which relates strongly to the theme of war. The
developers of Modern Warfare 2 clearly went through a lot of trouble to ensure the game looked
almost realistic; they will have had to work hard on textures, the look of buildings and aspects of the
environment e.g. trees etc. This proves that the way the whole city looked in-game was a vital part
of production.
Evac Sights will utilize pixels effectively, and also in great detail. I will be attempting to create
pixelated buildings and a city skyline with pixels, as well as enemy soldiers, vehicles, helicopters
and explosions. Also, I will be creating multiple weapons for the player character(s) as well as a
pixelated crosshairs for the weapon. This could do well to tie in with the characteristics of the first-
person shooter genre, as well as to create the impression of a city under attack. I think my game
might have a slightly similar feel to Modern Warfare 2 in regard to the way the overall game will
look. My game will also be set at night time.
4. Audience:
The target audience for my video game is males aged 17-18 years old. Stereotypically speaking,
males tend to prefer action-based video games as opposed to females. This has been proven
multiple times according to surveys taken. My video game contains fast-paced action, intense
scenes, violence and threat which could be enjoyable for male audiences, unlike females however.
The violent scenes (including blood splatter and gunfire) as well as the concept of innocent lives at
risk could be unsuitable for those who are sensitive to violence, as well as children and pre-teens.
This is why my audience is 17-18 years of age. My game will appeal to males primarily because the
characters are male e.g. the player and the enemy soldiers. Therefore, males can relate to these
aspects. My game will also appeal to 17-18 year olds because the level of violence may be
appropriate for those at the age range e.g. at the 15 category, the media âshould not dwell on the
infliction of pain or injuryâ which would appear in the 18 category. Also, my game could mislead
people into assuming it is real life, especially those who cannot distinguish reality and video games.
This is quite obvious in those who are at a young age e.g. children who are not quite sensible.
Adults are considered mature enough to choose what they want to see or play, and determine
whether or not it will have a negative impact on them before playing the game. Because adults tend
to make their own decisions, Evac Sights could appeal to them because it does require decision-
making and places a large amount of responsibility into the hands of the player. My game could
also appeal to those who are at Social Grade C2D. People at this category tend to be skilled or
semi-skilled manual workers who might be limited in terms of management i.e. they fall short of a
professional or administrative standard. My game could appeal to people living at this category
because it could assure them that their standard of living is far better in comparison to the way it
would be if a conflict was taking place and they would be forced to evacuate, lose their jobs etc.
Evac Sights would appeal to Achievers, who are always committed to doing more. Power and
material wealth is what influences this psychographic. Achievers tend to be individuals, and may
isolate themselves from others so they can be on their own. They also tend to be up to date with
technological innovation. My video game is quite different in comparison to existing games today;
therefore Achievers could see it as a whole new experience. There will be a lot of aspects for the
player to interact with e.g. the environment, the enemy soldiers, and the wide range of weapons.
This could relate to Achievers who desire more in life. The single-player option for my game will
also appeal to Achievers who might like the fact that they can play the game by themselves without
any interference, or the need to interact with others. Because Evac Sights will be released on next-
gen consoles e.g. Xbox One and PS4, Achievers may find that the game appeals to them because
they are up to date with technological innovation. Achievers may also desire reward, something
that many video games tend to offer.
The game may also appeal to Belongers, who favour communities and love being with friends and
family. A Belonger needs to belong to a group of people, as opposed to the desires of those at the
Achiever Psychographic. Belongers spend a lot of time with friends, are very sociable and love
talking and hanging out. Evac Sights would appeal to this Psychographic because it offers the
option for up to three players to play cooperatively, experiencing the events of the game
simultaneously. Because Belongers would love interaction, they would most likely enjoy playing the
game with other people, and the sense of teamwork and success could attract them and make
them want to play the game over and over. However, Belongers do not like change, therefore they
might hate the fact that my game is completely different in comparison to existing video games
today and this could put âEvac Sightsâ at a bit of a disadvantage.
5. Legal & Ethical Considerations:
My game will feature scenes of strong violence, intense action sequences, and a strong sense of
threat which could be quite offensive for a fair amount of people e.g. those who are sensitive to
violence as well as children. For example, every time an enemy soldier is shot, a considerable
amount of blood will be seen splattering and it will stain the environment. This could be too graphic
and disturbing for certain viewers. The concept of a violent conflict taking place with the implication
of innocent people involved could offend certain religions who would assume that this is how
conflict really is, when in actuality it isnât. Religious people, who believe in God and might take into
account certain rules e.g. do not kill, may assume that any game of this genre (which involves
shooting as many people as possible) mirrors the aspects of real conflict and also glorifies the
killing of someone without any remorse from the player. Those at higher administrative or
professional management e.g. government officials or politicians could see Evac Sights as a threat
to national security due to the fact that it focuses on a nation losing to a war in which they are
powerless. A representation like this might result in my game getting banned because it is seen as
âpolitically incorrectâ.
The presence of violence and intense war-driven gameplay could make Evac Sights unsuitable for
young children and pre-teens. It is likely that my game could be rated 15 or 18 by PEGI (Pan
European Information) due to scenes of violence, as well as brief instances of gore. The content of
the game may restrict younger gamers playing it because people at this age are not considered to
be mature enough to distinguish video games from real life. For example, the sense of
achievement within the game could create a false sense of purpose for children and pre-teens, and
the fact that the killing of NPCs that represent actual people results in the player being awarded is
unlikely to be acceptable because it could desensitize young people to violence and make them
prone to behaving badly, committing crimes etc. in their later lives. In other words, Evac Sights
could have a negative influence on children, therefore it will be up to their parents or guardians to
decide whether or not the game is suitable for them to play or if their children are mature enough
for their age.
Evac Sights might be offensive towards people in the U.S. who may not like the concept of their
homeland being invaded, and people in Russia (especially government officials) may criticize the
game for representing their country in a false and negative way. People who believe in the fact that
their country is powerful may be misled by the fact that the U.S. is presented as a powerless
country prone to invasion in-game. The fact that there are no female characters in the game could
offend females and result in my audience being smaller; there is no option to play as a female
character and all the enemy soldiers, as well as the three player characters, are male. I will have to
ensure my game does not offend anyone too much because if it does, its popularity could be
decreased significantly due to complaints from parents etc. Before starting the game, there will be
an option to tone down the violence; if this option is activated, there will not be a lot of blood visible
on-screen. Therefore, this option could reduce the level of violence and thus the chances of the
player being offended by the gameâs content. This is an effective way to ensure I do not offend
younger audiences without having to alter my game completely.
My game will not be using characters that are similar to those from existing games; the only âvisibleâ
characters on-screen during the game will be the enemy soldiers who will simply take the
appearance of a soldier in general; the uniforms they will be wearing are not reminiscent to a
fictional corporation, organization etc. from other existing games. The player character(s) will not be
visible on-screen and they do not have a name; that aspect is provided by the player e.g. enter
your characterâs name here). Evac Sights will not be using logos similar to those found in existing
games; the logo for my game will be a crosshairs for a weapon with the gameâs title positioned
within the crosshairs to relate the word âSightsâ to the aspects of the logo. Although my game
seems quite similar to the campaign level âOf Their Own Accordâ in Modern Warfare 2, in terms of
objective, first-person perspective and manner of engagement, Evac Sights is sufficiently different
from Modern Warfare 2 as well as other games in the COD franchise. First of all, it is a side-
scrolling game. It does not allow the player to change his/her position or navigate the battlefield
freely; the character automatically moves in time with the screen and is required to fire on as many
enemies and vehicles as they can without killing any civilians or letting enemies pass off-screen.
The manner of Evac Sights is significantly different compared to a lot of video games today,
bearing in mind that not a lot of side-scrolling games allow the player to fire on the environment
6. from a first-person perspective, and not a lot of shooter games require the player character to
remain stationary at all times, regardless of the events that may occur in-game. Because my game
is different, it will not get sued for copyright infringement. If this happened, I could get into trouble
and my game would not be financed at all, and therefore will not be sold to the audience.