hooks up with Scrap the robot, and in New Boston he is helped by Dulo the Moonie.
(For more information about these particular characters, consult the Game Progression
section of this document.)
These friends will not be as good at defeating the robots as Sam, but they will be
helpful in taking out some of the enemies, warning Sam about impending attacks, hint-
ing at solutions to puzzles, pointing out items that Sam can pick up, indicating hidden
areas, or showing the best direction to go next. The friends will talk to Sam frequently
as they make their way through the levels, providing back-story, useful information,
and amusing chitchat. These friends will never actually die or become captured during
regular gameplay; they will always be able to fend off the enemy attacks directed
against themselves. For more information about the AI for these friends, consult the
Artificial Intelligence section of this document.
Speaking
A big part of makingAtomic Saman appealing and memorable character for the player
will be the lines of dialog he speaks throughout the game. These won’t occur just during
cut-scenes, but also during actual gameplay. Not controlled by the player but added in
order to color the gaming experience, Sam will have a variety of generic utterances he
speaks as he defeats various adversaries. These will fit both his age and the optimistic
retro-futuristic setting of the game. Some of these slogans will include: “You can’t stop
the future!”, “Atomic is the answer!”, “Infernal machine!”, and “You’re outdated tech-
nology!” Sam may provide useful, informative comments when he’s running out of
projectiles or his rocket-pack is close to being out of energy. Sam will also have lines of
dialog specific to special events in the game, such as when he first walks on the Moon’s
surface or when he first encounters a particular boss monster. By keeping Sam talking
during the actual gameplay, the player will grow fond of the character and will be even
more concerned for his welfare in the game-world.
552 Appendix A: Sample Design Document:Atomic Sam