Cyberpunk Boomer Shooter GDD

1. Introduction
   • Game Title: Future Shock
   • Genre: First-Person Shooter (FPS), Boomer Shooter, Cyberpunk
   • Platform: PC
   • Target Audience: Fans of classic FPS games (Doom, Quake), cyberpunk enthusiasts.
   • Game Jam: Gameplay First Game Jam
   • Jam Duration: Jul 1, 2025 - Aug 5, 2025

   Neon Reckoning is a fast-paced, high-octane boomer shooter set in a gritty cyberpunk dystopia. Players will battle through hordes of augmented thugs and corporate enforcers, utilizing an arsenal of futuristic weaponry and acrobatic movement to survive. The game emphasizes quick reflexes, aggressive gameplay, and visceral combat, staying true to the spirit of classic FPS titles while infusing a unique cyberpunk aesthetic.

2. Core Gameplay Loop

   The core gameplay loop revolves around navigating linear levels, engaging in intense arena-style combat encounters, and managing resources (ammo, health, armor). Players will be encouraged to constantly move, utilize environmental hazards, and exploit enemy weaknesses to maximize their effectiveness.

3. Game Mechanics
   • Movement:
     • Fast Strafing: Classic strafing speeds for quick evasion and circle-strafing.
     • Dash/Slide: Short-distance dash or slide for quick evasive maneuvers and navigating tight spaces.
     • Double Jump: Allows for verticality and reaching elevated platforms.
   • Combat:
     • Hitscan & Projectile Weapons: A mix of hitscan weapons (e.g., laser pistols) and projectile weapons (e.g., plasma rifles) to encourage varied engagement.
     • Chainsaw/Melee Attack: A powerful, close-range melee option with high damage.
     • Headshots: Critical damage for precise shots.
     • Gibs & Gore: Visceral feedback for enemy kills.
   • Health & Armor:
     • Pickups: Traditional health and armor pickups scattered throughout levels.
     • No Regenerating Health: Emphasizes resource management and careful play.
   • Weapons: A diverse arsenal of cyberpunk-themed weapons.

     Weapon Type	Description
     Cyber Pistol	Standard sidearm, fast firing, low damage.
     Plasma Rifle	Rapid-fire projectile weapon, good for sustained damage.
     Shotgun	Close-range powerhouse, wide spread.
     Railgun	High-damage, slow-firing hitscan weapon, piercing rounds.
     Grenade Launcher	Area-of-effect weapon, useful for crowds.
     Katana/Blade	Fast melee weapon, capable of deflecting projectiles.

4. Enemies

   Enemies will consist of various augmented humans and corporate security forces, each with distinct behaviors and weaknesses.

   Enemy Type	Description	Abilities/Weaknesses
   Augmented Thug	Basic grunt, uses simple firearms.	Easily dispatched, prone to headshots.
   Cyber Enforcer	Heavily armored, carries energy shields.	Shields can be broken, slow movement.
   Drone Unit	Flying enemy, fires energy projectiles.	Vulnerable to hitscan weapons, can be knocked out of the air.
   Melee Brute	Large, heavily armored enemy with powerful melee attacks.	Slow, can be kited, vulnerable to explosions.

5. Level Design
   • Levels will be linear but offer multiple paths, encouraging exploration and dynamic combat encounters.
   • Key elements include:
     • Arena Combat Zones: Open areas designed for intense, multi-wave enemy encounters.
     • Environmental Hazards: Exploding barrels, crushing traps, energy fields that can be used to the player's advantage.
     • Secrets: Hidden areas containing health, armor, or special weapons.
     • Visual Themes: Grimy industrial zones, neon-lit city streets, corporate high-rises.
6. Art Style & Aesthetics
   • Visuals: Low-poly models with high-resolution textures, reminiscent of classic FPS games but with a modern flair. Heavy use of neon lighting, fog, and particle effects to create a gritty, atmospheric cyberpunk world.
   • Color Palette: Dominated by dark blues, purples, and greens, contrasted with vibrant neon pinks, blues, and yellows.
   • Audio:
     • Soundtrack: Synthwave and industrial electronic music to enhance the high-energy combat.
     • Sound Effects: Punchy weapon sounds, satisfying enemy death screams, and environmental ambience (e.g., city hum, distant sirens).
7. Narrative (Minimalist)

   The narrative will be minimalist, serving primarily as a backdrop for the action. The player is a rogue operative in a cyberpunk city controlled by oppressive corporations. Their goal is to infiltrate a corporate facility to uncover a conspiracy or retrieve a critical piece of data.

8. Potential Challenges & Solutions
   • Challenge: Balancing fast-paced combat with tactical depth.
     Solution: Introduce diverse enemy types with clear weaknesses, encouraging players to switch weapons and adapt their strategies.
   • Challenge: Maintaining visual fidelity with low-poly assets.
     Solution: Focus on strong art direction, effective lighting, and high-quality textures to compensate.
   • Challenge: Scope for a game jam.
     Solution: Focus on a single, strong core mechanic and a limited number of enemy types and levels to ensure a polished experience within the time limit.
9. Assets & Tools
   • Game Engine: Unreal Engine 5.6
   • Art Tools: Maya, Substance Painter, Blender, Photoshop
   • Audio Tools: Audacity
   • AI Tools: ComfyUI, Flux, VEO3, Sora
   • Other Tools: GitHub, Discord, Google Drive, Google Sheets
   • Assets: BMS, Textures.com
10. Milestones

    Milestone	Target Date	Description
    Prototype Core Movement	Date	Basic character movement (walk, run, jump, dash).
    Basic Weapon & Combat	Date	Implement one weapon and basic enemy AI.
    Level 1 Blockout	Date	Rough layout of the first level.
    First Playable Demo	Date	Demonstrate core gameplay loop and level progress.
    Bug Fixing & Polish	Date	Address major bugs and refine gameplay experience.
    Final Submission	Date	Submit the game for the jam.

World Layout – Petal Hub topology
             ┌────────────┐
              │  Vista City│  (City-Engine skyline, WM mountains)
              └────┬───┬───┘
                   │
  Train-Yard  ─────┼─────  Construction Core
  (LA River wash)  │        (high-rise skeleton)
                   │
         Little-Tokyo ART HUB
                   │
        Mall Plaza ─┼─────  Corporate Tower
                    │
               Warehouse Dock

Little Tokyo Art District is the only always-loaded cell (your social hub).

Every spoke is its own World Partition data layer that streams when the player hits a “subway gate” or jump-truck lift.

Vista City + World Machine mountains live in a HLOD EXTERNAL layer—visible everywhere, GPU-cheap.
        

/Content
  /Env
    /Kits/       ← marketplace & generic modulars
    /Hero/       ← photogram scans
    /Vista/      ← low-poly AI facades, impostors
    /{District}/ ← mall, yard, hub, etc.
  /Art
    /AI_Concept/ (Flux, Comfy)
    /Graffiti/
    /Billboards/
  /Media
    /Trailer/
    /Interstitials/

Anything not needed by cooked builds (AI PSDs, Resolve projects) lives outside /Content.