Rendering System
For merely rendering the graphics of the game I'm considering the OGRE system. It's scene focused, which is what the game needs, relatively easy to use and efficient. This game is more about shadows than light, so saving memory load by not going all out on graphics is my objective with the rendering system.
Camera
The Camera controls simply enough, it keeps a wide view of the area around, while automatically scrolling to keep Adelbert somewhere slightly below the center of the screen. Players can control the camera by moving the right thumb stick if they need to look before they leap, or if they are particularly interested in some piece of architecture, they can jump into first person mode by holding down the right thumb stick.
The game will infrequently take over for the player, to let draw their attention to an important element of the environment, or particularly dangerous foe, but will revert back to the players control quickly afterward.
Camera Feature
While outside of buildings, the Camera will always keep Dracula's Castle in the center of the background, and rotate the scene accordingly. Layers of background will be added depending on how far away the player is from the Castle, if out in the wilderness beyond the town, the player will be able to observe the lights in the town beneath the shadow of the Castle.
Inside of buildings, the camera pans out to see as much of the room as possible while still being able to distinguish important features in a fight. The wall closest to the player will be made into a see though "4th Wall," with the other three walls serving as background, although if there is a window it invariably affords a view of Castle Dracula. Within Castle Dracula, the backdrop is always the wall closest to Dracula's Sanctum, with any windows offering a view of the moon to allow players who are on the higher difficulty modes to know how much time they have left.
Game Engine
Ideally the game engine system that would best fit with the game-play of Dracula's Castle would be something similar to the Anvil/Scimitar Engine from games like Assassin's Creed or Prince of Persia. The game is at heart a 3D action platformer, and a good part of the game should be climbing lonely belfries, or scrabbling over the roofs in the village while in Vampire form.
Water
Although Anvil has a pretty good handle on water as it stands, it's not entirely necessary for the game. Thematically, what water their is in game should be deep, dark and stagnant, not really necessitating an advanced water engine. There will be a fair amount of water in the section of the Castle dedicated to Dracula's First Bride, but it will be shallow, an probably not require detailed water physics. Still we should be well covered in the few instances we need to make use of it.
Collision Detection
Collision detection need only be handled in a very general way, simply making sure that projectiles hit their targets, enemies don't run through one another, the environment nor player, and that a player can accurately grab onto edges while platforming. The majority of collision detection should take place between the player and platforming objects, and checking whether attacks hit their marks. However I think the engines available for the project ought to handle the task admirably.
Lighting Models
The lighting model should receive particular attention as creating the proper atmosphere in the game will require shadows for the creatures to crawl out of. Ambient light should be reduced to a minimum, while not leaving the player completely in the dark, merely making the enemies less distinct and harder to focus in on. For instance, we don't want a player too far away from a light source to completely miss seeing an enemy on screen, but it wouldn't be so bad if the player missed seeing the enemy wind up for an attack. Shadows should be long and visible, players should be spooked when they see three shadows move quickly on the wall behind him.
In the Light of Day
Area's of brighter light are generally reserved for areas of the game who are more or less safe, aside from perhaps dangerous platforming elements. Combat on the other hand will take place in darker areas, with foes sticking to the shadows to gain advantage. The engine needs he right combination of light and shadow to put the player at a disadvantage, but not so much so that they can't make out anything that's going on in game.
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