1. Troubadour
Game Design Elements

2. Formal Elements Players Objectives Procedures Rules Resources Conflict
Boundaries
Outcome
Formal Elements

3. Players Single-Player vs. Game
The player is playing as a Troubadour with the power to tame and control animals with music
Players

4. Objectives The game has 2 main objectives:
Keep the kingdom safe from pesky creatures
Collect every type of creature in the game
At its core, the objectives are combat and capture
There is also an element of exploration through unlocking areas on the map
Objectives

5. Combat:
The player must win music-themed battles against creatures of many types
These objectives will be stated clearly as they come up by NPCs
Ex:
The bakery is overrun by rats. Defeat the rats to save the bakery.
The cornfield is being decimated by a murder of crows. Defeat the crows to save this year’s crop of corn.
A dragon is attacking the castle. Defeat the dragon to save the king.
Objectives

6. Capture:
This objective is player-driven. It is not a strictly-stated objective of the game but rather a side-benefit of battles that should appeal to Achievers and Collectors.
Each battle has a chance to let you keep the creature you defeated in your collection.
Collectors will repeat battles over and over to complete their collection.
Objectives

7. Objectives Exploration
As the player completes combat and capture objectives, new areas of the map will be unlocked.
This drives story progression.
It also makes new combat and capture objectives available.
Objectives

8. The player will customize the look of their Troubadour (such as hair style and color, clothing, etc.)
New creatures can be collected by clearing a music-based “battle”
First the player must choose a piece of music that they think might work (different pieces have different efficacies for each creature)
Touch controls, player must tap the correct points on the screen as they light up to the correct beat
The player will get items unlocking new pieces of music through quests that are stored in a Songbook
The player can also get new items for customizing the look of their Troubadour
There is a “Practice” mode for each song in which the player plays the rhythm game with no risk
Procedures

9. Creatures can only be defeated and tamed using certain pieces of music, different for each creature
Getting a poor score on a battle (not doing well in the rhythm game) can result in losing the chance to tame a creature/can create additional steps to finish a quest
The player can’t play any music that they haven’t collected in their Songbook
Quests must be done in a certain order
Movement on the map is, with a few exceptions, linear. The player must walk through all consecutive spots on the map to reach a different place.
Rules

10. Music- New pieces of music are collected and put in the Songbook for future use in battle
Creatures- Creatures the player tamed are kept in the Stables. Some creatures must be collected and shown to the appropriate NPC as proof of skill for quests
Instruments- New instruments can be unlocked, opening up the possibility of new songs and new creatures
Clothing- Vanity item, used to dress up the Troubadour. Certain outfits can unlock quests for the player.
Gold- Used to purchase other resources from NPC vendors
Resources

11. Creatures are wreaking havoc on the kingdom and it is up to the player to bring them under control.
In this world, Troubadours are called in before warriors and hunters in an attempt to humanely stop beasts like dragons from causing trouble.
Conflict ranges from minor (such as rats infesting a bakery) to major (a dragon holed up in the King’s castle).
Conflict

12. Boundaries The game takes place on a map with defined boundaries.
The player can travel anywhere on the map that they’ve unlocked through questing but cannot leave the bounds of the map.
The entire game takes place in one kingdom on a single continent. Future DLC might include new “kingdoms” with new maps to travel to.
Boundaries

13. The outcome of each battle is uncertain and is based on the skill of the player as well as the song chosen for the battle.
The final outcome or end state of the game is to calm all disruptive creatures in the kingdom (complete all quests and side- quests in the game).
Because this is a mobile game, additional quests can be added at any time to keep the players that have “completed” the game engaged.
Outcome

14. Dramatic Elements Challenge Play Premise Character Story
World Building
The Dramatic Arc
Dramatic Elements

15. The game begins with simple melodies to get the player accustomed to the controls and gameplay.
Difficulty increases with the addition of more complex musical pieces that the player must complete.
Players can choose to practice songs outside of battles in “Practice Mode” so that when it really counts, they’ll be good at the song.
Or, they can jump into battles sight unseen and test their skill in the rhythm game with new pieces of music.
Challenge

16. The main play in Troubadour is a combination of make-believe play and competitive play.
Players can live out the fantasy of being a musician without any real musical training
Players are trying to “beat” the game
As the player grows in confidence, their confidence is reflected in the game through an expanding collection of creatures and music
Play

17. This game should appeal to multiple types of players for different reasons:
The Explorer: unlocking the entire map
The Collector: multiple things to collect, both functional and vanity items (creatures, music, clothing)
The Achiever: Beating all the quests, unlocking more challenging instruments
The Artist: Dressing up the Troubadour in unique combinations of costumes
Play

18. Creatures, both real to our world and fictional, are causing mayhem all over the kingdom. It is up to the kingdom’s best Troubadours to bring peace back to the land.
Premise

19. The character plays a Troubadour, a musician whose music is so beautiful that creatures will stop what they’re doing and do the Troubadour’s bidding.
This is for the most part a flat character that the player can project themselves on to. They can even customize the character’s look to suit whatever personality they envision.
Character

20. The story begins with the player’s Troubadour being called to duty for the first time. They have just recently completed their training and are eager for a change to prove themselves.
The main story progression is the growth of the player’s ability. There are multiple smaller story arcs set in the quests, but the overarching story is that of the growing skill and fame of the player’s character. This will be reflected in NPC dialogue.
When the player starts out they get lots of “Who are you?”
By the end of the game people are fawning all over the player “I’ve heard so much about your skill with the lyre!”
Story

21. This game takes place in a medieval-style kingdom that prefers non-violent ways of resolving problems. It is a peaceful kingdom with little in the way of war. Most conflict comes from nature and the Troubadour is the first line of defense against nature.
World Building

22. The Dramatic Arc This game is almost entirely character vs. nature
Civilized society must fight of hoards of beastly animals
The player must tame or calm the wild nature of the creatures
From a game system perspective, the game is player vs. game system. There is no interaction with other players.
The Dramatic Arc

23. Objects
Properties
Behaviors
Relationships
System Dynamics

24. Objects Troubadour Instruments Music NPCs Creatures Stable Songbook
Avatar of the player in the game
Instruments
Player can collect different instruments
Music
Players can collect different songs
NPCs
Non-player characters fill out the world and provide the player with quests and guidance
Creatures
These are the “enemies” the player must tame in the rhythm game
Stable
This is where tamed creatures are kept
Songbook
This is where known songs are kept
Clothing
Change the look of the player’s Troubadour
Map
Where the quests can be found
Objects

25. Properties Troubadour Equipped instrument Clothing
Other physical attributes chosen by the player
Hairstyle
Hair color
Eye color
Skin tone
Fame
A score that grows as the player completes quests and tames creatures
Skill
A score based on how well the player does in the rhythm battles against creatures
Properties

26. Properties Instruments
Player can collect different types, each with a different degree of difficulty of use and with different looks
Panpipes
Pipe
Lyre
Lute
Properties

27. Music
Player can collect different pieces of music, all classical and folk music from the real world, to play against creatures
Songs range in difficulty
Easy: Three Blind Mice
Hardcore: Flight of the Bumblebee
Different songs work better against different creatures
Properties

28. Properties NPCs Different NPCs have different functions Quest-giver
Side/mini quest-giver
Merchant/Vendor
Fan (may give the player free items for certain achievements)
Properties

29. Creatures
Each creature the player fights has several properties
Songs that work well against them
Songs that don’t work at all against them
Difficulty score (how well the player must perform the right song to tame the creature)
Can be real world creatures or fantasy creatures
Properties

30. Properties Stable This is where tamed creatures are kept
Essentially a trophy case
Properties

31. Songbook
This is where the songs the player has learned are kept
Players can access “Practice Mode” from here
Properties

32. Properties Clothing This is used to change the Troubadour’s outfit.
Different combinations can unlock quests or rewards from NPCs
Properties

33. Properties Map Locked locations are greyed out
Unlocked locations are in color and the player can travel to them by double-tapping on them
Properties

34. Behaviors Troubadour Instruments NPCs Creatures
Can move linearly on the map
Instruments
Panpipes
Basic starting instrument
Tap the right note
Pipe
Hold down multiple spots to form the notes
Lyre
Tap the right note, some strumming/sliding between notes
Lute
Adds strumming mechanic
Hold down the right note while swiping another part of the screen
NPCs
Dialogue differs based on Player’s Fame score
Creatures
Different creatures react differently to different songs
Behaviors

35. Relationships Troubadour Music NPCs Creatures
Plays music, tames creatures, wears clothing
Music
Played by Troubadour, affects creatures
NPCs
Affects inventory of player, gives guidance to the player
Creatures
Affected by music, tamed by Troubadour
Relationships

36. Troubadour