1. Introduction
Drifters is a third-person multiplayer hunt game in which you take the role of an ethereal being. You are tasked with eliminating other Drifters in your environment, and will do so by possessing and drifting between Non-Player-Characters (NPCs), engaging in close-quarter combat, but more importantly using survival and scouting tactics in order to win and be the last one standing!
Drifters is a third-person multiplayer hunt game in which you take the role of an ethereal being. You are tasked with eliminating other Drifters in your environment, and will do so by possessing and drifting between Non-Player-Characters (NPCs), engaging in close-quarter combat, but more importantly using survival and scouting tactics in order to win and be the last one standing!
Drifters combines popular multiplayer technology with innovative game design, a unique environment and characters, as well as high production value (using the Gamebryo engine) to deliver a distinctive game experience that may be enjoyed time and again!
2. Basic Information
Genre: Third-person Multiplayer Hunt Game
Number of Players: 2-8
Release Date: August 07, 2009
System Requirements: To Be Determined
Genre: Third-person Multiplayer Hunt Game
Number of Players: 2-8
Release Date: August 07, 2009
System Requirements: To Be Determined
3.1. Story
Drifters is about ethereal beings that possess the ability to pass between different human hosts. These beings have lived amongst us undetected for thousands of years. Much like a human, they remember very little about their early years and how they came to be. What they do know is that their life form consists of a concentrated energy that binds them all together. This energy can never be destroyed, but one Drifter is able to absorb another’s energy, abilities and powers by eliminating their target's host. Natural selection and this lust for power have diminished their numbers from the hundreds to four very powerful Drifters. They are drawn to the people of influence and power. Possessing and controlling such peoples’ decisions and fates have made their actions the stuff of legend.
Drifters is about ethereal beings that possess the ability to pass between different human hosts. These beings have lived amongst us undetected for thousands of years. Much like a human, they remember very little about their early years and how they came to be. What they do know is that their life form consists of a concentrated energy that binds them all together. This energy can never be destroyed, but one Drifter is able to absorb another’s energy, abilities and powers by eliminating their target's host. Natural selection and this lust for power have diminished their numbers from the hundreds to four very powerful Drifters. They are drawn to the people of influence and power. Possessing and controlling such peoples’ decisions and fates have made their actions the stuff of legend.
Recently they can feel their power being siphoned away. Their ability to stay inside a human being has become so weak that they can only stay in one body for a few minutes before the host begins to suffer physical ailments. The four Drifters are drawn to the place they feel their energy collecting and find themselves at the grand opening of a museum, all in the same place for the first time. Crowds of people pass through, looking at exhibits and artifacts, providing plenty of places for a Drifter to hide. The Drifters all find this place oddly familiar and many recognize pieces on display as items owned or created by humans they possessed over the years. They sense the energy that drew them there scattered throughout the artifacts while another, less familiar force seals their exit. Each one recognizes that the only way out of this is to eliminate the rest of their brethren to regain their lost power. What they don’t realize is that there is someone pulling their strings, and everything is going according to plan…
3.2. Core Mechanic
Drifters is a third-person, networked, multiplayer hunt game. The tone is dark and gritty, with a constant sense of paranoia. Players will select one of four playable Drifter characters, each one with different stats that affect their drift radius, how long they can hide their true form, and Drifter Vision. Once gameplay begins, players will be placed into random NPCs in a crowded environment. The goal of the game is to hunt for player-controlled characters displaying tells that they are different than A.I.. At the same time, players must be conscious of tells they are giving off to any observing players and do their best to blend in.
3.2. Core Mechanic
Drifters is a third-person, networked, multiplayer hunt game. The tone is dark and gritty, with a constant sense of paranoia. Players will select one of four playable Drifter characters, each one with different stats that affect their drift radius, how long they can hide their true form, and Drifter Vision. Once gameplay begins, players will be placed into random NPCs in a crowded environment. The goal of the game is to hunt for player-controlled characters displaying tells that they are different than A.I.. At the same time, players must be conscious of tells they are giving off to any observing players and do their best to blend in.
We anticipate that player-controlled movements will stand out from A.I. paths if the player is not careful. Animations such as a twitch when you possess a body, or a person shaking their head, regaining their bearings when you leave their body will also help hunters locate their prey. Furthermore, we want to use the Drifter true form often to create a memorable replica and personality for each character. The longer a player stays in one body, the less powerful he becomes. Drift radius will begin decreasing after a certain time period to a much smaller radius. Once the radius is at its lowest point, a Drifter’s silhouette will begin to glow after a certain amount of time. It will also appear if a player is jumping from body to body too often and during kill sequences. Ideally, players would be struck with a sense of panic when they see themselves exposed out in the open, contributing to the overall tone of the game.
Making use of the power-ups within the environment will be crucial to aiding your ability to hunt, defend against, and trick other players. These power-ups exist as concentrated masses of energy scattered throughout the museum’s artifacts. Players will be able to pick up any ability they see in the environment even though each artifact will correspond to a particular Drifter and each one of the abilities will correspond to the artifact in which it resides. These energy masses go unnoticed by the naked eye and can only be seen and acquired while using Drifter Vision. Using this Drifter Vision, players will be able to see things on a different plane, allowing them to scout the location for power-ups or to avoid traps set by opponents. However, Drifter Vision may also come at a cost when used thoughtlessly, as certain tells may be given off.
Abilities will be placed sparingly throughout the environment so that there is an even greater risk trying to obtain them. A player may choose to scout out artifacts they know contain power-ups waiting for others to reveal themselves, creating a sense of paranoia when trying to collect these valuable abilities. Upon starting the game, each player will have an empty ability slot. Defeating an opponent will give you an additional ability slot (up to a pre-determined maximum).
The combat in Drifters is planned to be relatively simplistic with only two main forms of attack. Stealth kills will be the quickest means of eliminating a foe, but comes with a risk. Killing an enemy while there is an NPC in their drift radius will force their energy and control into that NPC. Attacking an NPC who is not possessed will have no affect other than leaving the NPC confused and the surrounding crowd panicked. The second combat option is the grab-and-execute. Grabbing a player from behind will scatter the crowd and ensure that your victim will not drift into an NPC. The risk lies in the ruckus drawing unwanted attention to you.
4. Drifter Characters
4.1. SID
Likened to a human psychopath, Sid takes glee in causing pain, both physical and mental. If he possesses a host, he will walk the human in front of a moving bus to experience the last moments. If his host is caught for murder and put on death row, he would jump out of the body and into the executioner just before the walk on the last mile to witness the anguish. If he arranged a suicide pact, he would jump into each and every individual to make sure they had their share of the Kool-Aid. Sid is as close to the definition of evil as can be conceived by man.
4.2. LUTHER
The Wiseman. Luther's existence is driven by the pursuit and preservation of knowledge. He is likened to a renaissance man, exploring all scientific and artistic fields. To that end, he is drawn to the museum for the opportunity to meet with the Sovereign and learn the secrets of the Drifter realm.
4.3. GIDEON
The Judge. For Gideon the 'Drifter Code' is life and law. His unique interpretation of it has condemned his fellow Drifters to his judgment. This makes Gideon one of the few Drifters without ties to the others, his name is one whispered and feared; his visage means death to those that see it. Ironically, it is this lack of contact with his fellow Drifter that has led him to devote his life to the Sovereign, and his belief that all who do not do the same are guilty. Gideon is likened to a puritan judge; all crimes against his beliefs, from stealing a loaf of bread to murder lead to the same result, the noose.
4.4. LENORE
The Puppet Master. “Behind every great man is a great woman.” In many instances Lenore has been that woman. Lenore is one of the few Drifters who has not succumbed to the vices of the mortal realm, and in fact uses them to her advantage. Taking the role of advisers, wives, and consorts, Lenore cultivates and reaps many of the benefits of power while not suffering the consequences. Lenore's cloak and dagger tactics, while making her one of the most long-lived of her kind, also make her ill suited to a head on confrontation.
4.1. SID
Likened to a human psychopath, Sid takes glee in causing pain, both physical and mental. If he possesses a host, he will walk the human in front of a moving bus to experience the last moments. If his host is caught for murder and put on death row, he would jump out of the body and into the executioner just before the walk on the last mile to witness the anguish. If he arranged a suicide pact, he would jump into each and every individual to make sure they had their share of the Kool-Aid. Sid is as close to the definition of evil as can be conceived by man.
4.2. LUTHER
The Wiseman. Luther's existence is driven by the pursuit and preservation of knowledge. He is likened to a renaissance man, exploring all scientific and artistic fields. To that end, he is drawn to the museum for the opportunity to meet with the Sovereign and learn the secrets of the Drifter realm.
4.3. GIDEON
The Judge. For Gideon the 'Drifter Code' is life and law. His unique interpretation of it has condemned his fellow Drifters to his judgment. This makes Gideon one of the few Drifters without ties to the others, his name is one whispered and feared; his visage means death to those that see it. Ironically, it is this lack of contact with his fellow Drifter that has led him to devote his life to the Sovereign, and his belief that all who do not do the same are guilty. Gideon is likened to a puritan judge; all crimes against his beliefs, from stealing a loaf of bread to murder lead to the same result, the noose.
4.4. LENORE
The Puppet Master. “Behind every great man is a great woman.” In many instances Lenore has been that woman. Lenore is one of the few Drifters who has not succumbed to the vices of the mortal realm, and in fact uses them to her advantage. Taking the role of advisers, wives, and consorts, Lenore cultivates and reaps many of the benefits of power while not suffering the consequences. Lenore's cloak and dagger tactics, while making her one of the most long-lived of her kind, also make her ill suited to a head on confrontation.
