The Unseen: First Contact One-Pager

Our one page pitch can be found as a Google Doc here.

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The Unseen: First Contact

Overview

The game places you aboard the “Extraterrestrial Examination Station”, where the player controls Ensign Henry as he struggles to escape the Broodmother, an alien creature that has broken out of its containment cell. Armed only with a device that creates balls of energy, the player must explore and repair the ship while trying to avoid the monster at all costs.

Category

First person horror with environmental puzzles that have multiple solutions.

Features

• Environment: Many of the ship’s core functions have been disabled, including lighting. This creates a constant feeling of suspense and urgency.  The environment will also contain objects for the player to interact with.
• Stealth: Because Henry is not a fighter, the player must use the environment to avoid combat. Sound and light attract the alien, so the player can make use them as a distraction, but must avoid drawing attention to himself.
• Energy gun: The player decides when light is needed to explore and solve puzzles, and when it is a liability. Light can also be used as a tool to distract the alien.  However, the energy gun has limited power and recharges slowly, so the player must use it sparingly.
• Puzzles: Physics and environment based puzzles will be throughout the environment.  The energy gun will also be used in puzzles as a way to power certain objects in the environment which may help the player but cost valuable energy.

Level Design

The entirety of First Contact takes place aboard the E.E.S., a man-made space station orbiting just above the Earth. The demo will consist of a single level split up into multiple sections. However, this can easily be expanded into a multi-level structure if it is deemed appropriate or if we move forward.

Graphics

The game would have have a realistic 3D feel. Realistic textures, models, animations, and sounds will be implemented. Lighting will be a key factor for the ambience.

What Makes it Special

• Atmosphere: Immersion and ambiance will be the core values of the game. In a dark, disturbing and unnatural situations, the player will feel tense and uncomfortable.  Lighting and sound will be integral to convey the horror aspects of the game.
• Sound: The ability to use items and the environment to make noise to attract or distract the alien will be a major part of the game experience.
• Light: The player has an energy gun that can be used to fire an orb of light into the environment.  Light orbs will fade over time, and making brighter orbs requires more energy. The player will need to find resources to improve the gun over time.
• Multiple solutions: The player will complete puzzles that vary in difficulty and have the ability to complete puzzles in various ways, which alters the game experience. If the player chooses to complete a puzzle by a quick “brute force” method, it will be faster but noisier. If the player goes for the longer, more challenging route, it will be much quieter. The puzzles will be grounded in reality and not break the immersion or flow of the game.