1. Overview
1.1. Concept
1.1.1. **"Balaur"** is an adventure game with stealth elements based on Romanian mythology. It tells the anti-hero story of a little snake surviving underground for 7 years until it can become a powerful Balaur, a type of dragon that can control the weather.
1.2. Camera
1.2.1. Top-down (Part 1&2)
1.2.2. Side-scroller (Part 3)
1.3. Genre
1.3.1. **Adventure game** with stealth and light shoot-’em-up elements.
1.4. Graphics
1.4.1. 2D
1.5. Platform
1.5.1. Available on PC.
1.5.2. In the future on Mobile.
1.6. Target Audience
1.6.1. Children ages 8-13.
2. Gameplay
2.1. Objective
2.1.1. The player's primary goal is to **become a full sized Balaur,** and beat the challanges of each phase in order to grow.
2.2. Mechanics
2.2.1. 1. **Avoid objects that can kill you.** In the game, these objects are presented as the gaze (vision cone) of different creatures. The gaze is a highlighted area on the screen where the creature can see you.
2.2.2. 2. **Eat seeds to grow bigger.** The seeds are scattered around the first two phases.
2.2.3. 3. **Finish the levels in time.** There is a set time to beat them.
2.2.4. 4. **Fight.** In the second and third part of the game, fight by shooting fire at your enemies.
2.2.5. 5. **Death:** if seen, the character takes damage. If you stay longer in the gaze, you take more damage; when the damage bar is full (represented directly on the snake’s body), you die and must start over the progress.
2.2.6. 6. **Minimap**: In order to not get lost roaming the rooms.
2.3. Levels/Progression
2.3.1. Underground (4 rooms)
2.3.1.1. **Room 1:** The snake must avoid one earthworm. Throughout the room, you have to collect three seeds. Once you eat them, a door opens to the next room.
2.3.1.2. **Room 2:** The snake avoids two worms and eats two seeds. Then, a door to the next door opens in the first room. You will see that on the minimap and will have to return there.
2.3.1.3. **Room 3:** Here, the snake must avoid one worm and one mole. There are three seeds to collect, and when you do, a door opens to the second room.
2.3.1.4. **Room 4:** The snake has to avoid three moles and eat seven seeds. Once accomplished, a portal opens in Room 1. It will be visible on the minimap and you must go to it. It will take you to the levels above the ground.
2.3.2. Grass Level (3 rooms)
2.3.2.1. **Room 5:** The snake is now bigger and has four legs, so it can move faster and shoot enemies. The first enemy is a mouse. You fight it by pressing the arrows on your keyboard. But you still have to keep out of its gaze and collect two seed. Once you do that, a door to the next room opens.
2.3.2.2. **Room 6:** A second enemy is introduced in addition to the rat: a bird. Avoid their gaze and shoot at them, while collecting the three seeds int he room. Once you complete the task, a door to the next room opens.
2.3.2.3. **Room 7: ** Increased difficulty. You fight a mouse, a bird, and a fox. Collecting the three seeds is harder. When you eat the last one, a portal opens for the next level.
2.3.3. Sky Level
2.3.3.1. You become a **full sized Balaur,** but either a **Dark One** if you killed any enemies in the Grass Level, or a **Light One** if you didn't.
2.3.3.2. You fly moving from left to right. The camera is fixed on you, but you can move up and down. The movement is continuous; the player cannot stop the character from going right.
2.3.3.3. The environment is either: (Light Balaur) - Winter sky with snowflakes and white clouds (Dark Balaur) - Stormy sky with rain, wind, thunders and lightning strikes Also, the Balaur shoots black fire at enemies that fly in front of him: **the Solomonari.**
3. Art and Design
3.1. In-game text
3.1.1. Underground
3.1.1.1. **First room:** Welcome to the world, little snake! Move on W A S D.
3.1.1.2. **Second room:** Your biggest dream is to become a Balaur.i
3.1.1.3. **Third room:** To make it happen, don’t let anyone see you. (player moves, second message appears) For 7 years!
3.1.1.4. **Fourth room:** And don’t forget to collect all the seeds! They help you grow stronger.
3.1.2. Grass Level
3.1.2.1. **Fifth room:** Look at you! You’ve grown legs. (player moves, second message appears) Now you can fight the creatures. Shoot fire at them by pressing ←↑→↓.
3.1.2.2. **Sixth room:** You’re so close now.
3.1.2.3. **Seventh room:** You made it, little snake! But the true challenge is just about to start.
3.1.3. Sky Level
3.1.3.1. **Beginning:** Now you are a Balaur. And a mighty one too.
3.1.3.2. **Start of battle:** If you want to stay a free spirit, make sure no Solomonar catches you or you will live a life of enslavement.
3.1.3.3. **In battle:** They are strong wizards, but you can do it. Shoot them to stay free.
3.1.3.4. **Finish:** You made it, mighty Balaur. The sky waits for you!
3.2. Visual Style
3.2.1. 2D Graphics
3.2.1.1. Here are the art files
3.2.1.2. Tones of brown and red in the Underground Level
3.2.1.3. Predominantly green and yellow in the Grass Level
3.2.1.4. Light blue, grey and white in the sky level (if Light Balaur) or dark grey, dark blue, and silver (if Dark Balaur)
3.2.1.5. Simple overall aesthetic with a more detailed and vibrant main character, and an visual appeal for children.
3.2.2. UI/UX
3.2.2.1. Minimalistic, flat colours (aligned with the colours which are predominant in each part of the game).
4. Story and Setting
4.1. Narrative
4.1.1. The story is told through **gameplay** and **short lines of narrative** in each room.
4.1.2. **A little snake wants to become a Balaur.** For that, he has to remain unseen by anyone for 7 years. During this time, he grows and develops his legs. At the end of the 7 years, he rises into the sky, swirling and creating a storm around him. His wings grow, and he has to choose whether to become a Dark or a Light Balaur (it affects the third part of the game). In this stage, he has to defeat stronger enemies (Zmei and fantasy birds) as well as avoid being caught by the Solomonari. In the end, the Balaur gets rid of all enemies. The game ends with him flying higher in the sky, over the clouds and tall mountains as a free Balaur.
4.2. World
4.2.1. **The underground:** 1st part of the game happens underground in four dungeon-like rooms. Here, the environment looks like soil with large tree roots, mycelia, and animals that live underground, like earthworms and moles. You have to avoid the gaze of these underground creatures.
4.2.2. **The Grass Level:** the 2nd of the game is made up of three dungeon-like rooms that look like they are just above the ground, where the grass starts to grow. The environment also includes rocks and the basis of tree trunks. Here, you can encounter mice, birds, and foxes. You have to avoid their gaze but also shoot them.
4.2.3. **The sky:** the 3rd part of the game is in the sky (after you transform in the Balaur). The environment here consists of light clouds or storms. You can encounter Solomonari.
4.3. Characters
4.3.1. Main character
4.3.1.1. You play the game as a snake that slowly changes into a Balaur. **The Balaur is a creature from Romanian mythology** with a large snake’s body combined with wings and legs. They can be Light or Dark, and they can control the weather. The Light Balaur brings snow and frost, while the Dark Balaur controls the rain.
4.3.1.2. Here is it's first phase.
4.3.1.3. Here is the Light Balaur
4.3.1.4. Here is the Dark Balaur
4.3.2. Additional characters
4.3.2.1. Solomonari
4.3.2.1.1. Solomonari are a type of **wizards in Romanian mythology** who can capture and ride Balauri in order to control the weather. Our Balaur wants to remain free.
4.3.2.2. Underground creatures
4.3.2.2.1. Earthworms
4.3.2.2.2. Moles
4.3.2.3. Grass Level creatures
4.3.2.3.1. Mice
4.3.2.3.2. Foxes
4.3.2.3.3. Birds
5. Sound and Music
5.1. Sound Effects
5.1.1. Moving through the ground
5.1.2. Moving through the grass
5.1.3. Flying
5.1.4. Eating the seed
5.1.5. Being seen (entering the vision cone)
5.1.6. Being hit by enemies
5.1.7. Hitting enemies
5.2. Music
5.2.1. Instrumental music with folklore-inspired tunes (flute, guitar, drums)
5.2.1.1. References: Soundtrack music from Yaga
5.2.2. Via Dacă song (if the band agrees to let us use it) for the last stage to feel more epic
5.2.2.1. Dincolo de Zori: