Game Synopsis

IN4302TU Building Serious Games

Light Rail Simulator Game - Design Document

Tram controllers typically use procedure-based guidebooks, often resulting in sub-optimal decisions, to solve disruptions of tram operations. A game is to be created to support a transition process towards them making more flexible decisions, the consequences of which are instantly provided in the game itself.
It is believed, that a stand-alone simulation game with arcade elements, in which the player will make operational decisions about tram movements, will achieve the desired effect best. That is incorporating effortless learning with entertainment, eventually making the player crave for more. The game is to be played in a single-player mode with a high-score list, which could be shared and compared among different players. At first the game is to be developed for a PC with a proper screen size, but if a viable panning/zooming capabilities are added, it could be developed for mobile devices (i.e. tablets). Thus, all controls are at first to be done with a mouse, having in mind a possible transfer.

The game adequately fulfils given requirements of target players. Tram controllers are mostly middle-aged and the gender plays no role. Game could be played anytime, for very varied duration, depending on the available time (as little as 5 minutes or as long as several hours if chosen to). Skill and hands-on approach is chosen to stimulate pro activity and avoid boredom. Performing a lot of actions is given to make it lively and entertaining.

Game overview

In general the player will be faced with a tram network map, from a top-down view, on which there are trams moving along their designed tracks. Trams advance with a given speed and stop in designated places, appearing on and disappearing from the screen when reaching the edge. Normal operation of those trams would require no attention from the player. But when a disturbance occurs and it does randomly in short intervals, the player needs to make swift and right decisions to ensure smooth operations. The disturbances are divided into two groups: blockages and tramcar incidents, which further have several types, not yet fully established. The first would block a certain part of the network from normal operation, while the latter would affect only the situation in a particular tram. Initially, the disturbances could be:

Blockages:

• Car (movable object) on tracks
• Tree (stationery object) on tracks
• Damaged power line
• Defective tram
• Collision
• Derailment
• Defective line switch

•   Traffic lights failure
  

Tramcar incidents:

• Drunken passenger
• Angry mob
• Woman in labour
• Passenger in distress
• Fire on board
• Air-gun firing at tram
• Stench on board

Tramcar incidents, might have various results and are introduced to vary the gameplay. It is believed, that in case when a tram driver does not know how to handle certain situation, he will contact traffic controller to help him make a decision. Doing so is translated into the game. Thus e.g. having a drunken passenger in a tram should result in asking that person to leave on the next station and be awarded with extra points. No or too late action would result in negative score but there would be no impact on other trams. On the other hand, a stench inside a tram should result in letting the passengers out as soon as possible, which could lead to an disturbance, depending on the current position of the tram.

It is expected, that one type of disturbance can eventually lead to another (e.g. too long waiting for a tram to move could result in passengers getting angry or fire on board, if not dealt with, would result in a defective tram and blockage). The difficulty of the game is to be adjusted by varying tram speed and number as well as the rate of random occurrences. Ideally, for multiple levels of the game, various scenarios could be prepared next to a free-play version as conceptualised now to fully take advantage of the training capability of the game. However, making the game purely level based is not desired as it is expected that sense of achievement having completed the game would discourage the participants from playing any further.

Map

A network of tracks, on which the trams move is to be a fictional one with elements from a real life. In order to allow players for alterations, possibly bigger than in reality track redundancy is to be created. So the map contains:

• the tracks
• the normal lines (line 1, 2, 3, etc.) that ride according to some schedule, unknown and irrelevant to the player
• the stops where people get in/out
• tram crossings
• (possible) depots where trains are stored at night and where drivers needs to go when their shift is over

A map is an essential part of the system, which needs to be perceived as a probable representation of a real system by experienced professionals within the field. To fulfil the client's requirements, the map needs to be proportional in terms of distances between tracks, tram lines and consecutive stops, tram to track size relation and leaving space to include animation of roads and buildings.

Gameplay

In order to resolve the issues and gain points the player has to make decisions how to deal with them. Once an action on the blockage is performed, a timer appears, indicating the remaining time for the issue to become resolved. Then, the player needs to decide what to do with incoming trams, whether to make them wait or reroute. If no action is performed, the tram has a chance (but no certainty) of ramming the blockage, resulting in penalty points. Normally, the tram is stopped just before the blockage. One might also need to call for an appropriate assistance or make sure the tram behind is not going to crash into the stopped one ahead. If a tram breaks down, the player has to decide whether to repair it or to tow it away for repairs.

Another timer, which is ascending, is to be added when a blockage or incident occurs to indicate the performance (with reaction time) of a player. This one is to indicate the elapsed time to the player and cannot be confused with the descending one, given to allow the player for better planning of rerouteing.

As for tramcar incidents, the player needs to perform an action as soon as possible since its occurrence. A small amount of points is to be decreased in time intervals until the issue is resolved. If is, points for dealing with it are added and if not, extra penalty is applied. Normal interactions would include:

• Tapping a train selects it and shows the path the train follows by highlighting it.
• Touch down + drag on a running train allows to change it's path by dragging a mouse (finger) along the stations it should visit.

• Tapping a station to place an announcement for travellers
  

• Tapping a line to cancel all runs, or install back and forth service up to the disruption
  

Power-ups

Next to making decisions the player has a set of available power-ups that spice up the game. Although the full list and way of implementation is far from decided, some ideas already appeared on how to include this feature. They would be divided into automatic ones and other activated by the player. First would be score or speed multipliers, having effect for a given time and immediately dissipating. The ones activated by the player could add extra features for trams (like no-penalty ramming the obstacle, blowing up trams, possibly tram teleportation etc.)

In the end, power-ups are to give metaphorical but fun relation to reality. In regular game-play, player makes realistic-like decisions that have probable consequences but adding power-ups adds imaginary and loose features, only to stimulate the player and increase the fun. Since score multipliers are added, power-ups are a necessary feature to increase competitiveness.

Animation

Animation is an important game element to make the game playable. Firstly, it consists of adding shapes and effects to the map elements as well as tram operations. Furthermore, should an event occur, there needs to be a clear and involving message passed and the same is needed for any actions, results and mishaps that might occur due to the player's choices (or lack of them). Appropriate sound effects are to be an integral part of the animation effects.

The main goals of the animation are to represent smooth system operation, involve the player with the disturbance, create a sense of urgency to solve problems and facilitate scoring mechanism, depicting the performance of the player.

Scoring

It is proposed to aim for three different, point based indicators, for scoring.

• recovery time : how successful are you dealing with blockages
• Scale of the impact : The extent to which lines were effected
• Size of impact : additional travel time for passengers

Thus, the player has to make trade-off decisions, balancing the score or maximizing one of the parameters. For experimenting and training purposes one could install a company board which might give an extra weight to one of the indicators for for publicity reasons.

---

Game prototype

The course final version of this game is to consist of one to three different maps to choose from, with a running simulation engine and multiple options of disturbances and power-ups. Since the player actions make the game fun and entertaining, much greater attention is to be put to them, rather than to the simulation engine. Thus, unrealistic behaviour and simulation shortcomings are expected. Furthermore, for each employed action, there is going to be an appropriate, funny and entertaining animation with sound effects.

But in order for the game to be commercialized the commissioners would need to purchase the license of the Unity platform, as the developing team is using a free version, constraining such use. Moreover, significant costs for staff work hours to improve the game need (make new levels, new disturbances, solutions or power-ups, as well as further animation) to be kept in mind, before reaching the market stage. No additional hardware costs are expected.

Future additions

A performance measure related to the schedule would be interesting. To measure this there must be an schedule implemented what can be realized as an additional module.

• Size of impact : deviation from vehicle schedules

The ability of a traffic controller to make decisions is constrained by the information he gets from different, intermediate sources. The controller is never on scene and never has full information, so if a crisis occurs, the lack of proper communication might result in sub optimal decisions.

Thus, the game could also explore the system more from the controller’s side. Normally, they sit in front of many screens with different information and relaying on voice communication with drivers and others.

It might be made possible to call for (extra) bus transfers for the passengers if desired.

Moreover, controllers could also be putting new options they conceptualized to make the game as a data collection tool. Then, new interesting and efficient solutions could be incorporated into the simulation making it even better by taking advantage of the player's experience.