Re: Heat Flares

The Player carry's a total of 4 (or so) heat flares that can be dropped anywhere under the water, cause the Player to heat back up. In sense it allows the Player to warm herself back up without getting out of the water, allowing for more time to explore the caves and solve the maze (level). Also once dropped the Heat Flares last until the end of the game and emit a green light that allows the player to easily found then in the surrounding darkness of the cave/environment, they also act as a safe zone, aka check point, allowing the player to decide when they wish to have there own check points.

Cave Diving goggles

There are many different designs for goggles.

Full face masks

and the ones that cover the eyes.

These ones help intensify light in the cave.

Ultimately the cave divers wear goggles with black skirts as they believe it reflects less light and dilates their pupils enabling them to see more underwater.

http://cavediverharry.com/equipment/tutorial/01.html

Other Game Elements

Since we first presented (informed John and Barry) of are game idea we have been working on elements that we may possibled add into our game to help create more complex and entertaining game play. Taking the advise of are tutors we decide to add in a few environmentally elements that should help create more complex game play moments.
They are as followed........

Cave In's

As you can see form the image's above, once a cave in happens (randomly, however there will be area's in which a cave in would happen) the player will lose control of the player and be force forwards down the tunnel. This will also block off the route they original took, and preventing the player from being able to go back the way they can. 

Cave Collapsing  

As you can see form the image's above, once a cave collapse happens (randomly, however there will be area's in which a cave collapsing would happen) the water that would of original being in the would be forced out throw another tunnel (gap) the player will lose control of there character movement . However because of the lack of water in that area of the cave the player will not be able to go back, block off the route they original route and preventing the player from being able to go back the way they can.

Tunnel Collapsing 

 Much like the Cave Collapsing, a tunnel collapsing will happen randomly, however there will be area's in which a tunnel collapsing will take place. With the water in the tunnel being forced out the player will lose control of there character froward movement, however they will still obtain the players side-wards movement, and in doing so having the ability to try and prevent thenselve from being bragged down a different tunnel. 

Furthermore, if the player is forced down a different tunnel they will still to able to reach the end of the level, they'll just have to found another way. 

At this stage we also considered heat flares, which when thrown down will heat the player in the water and create a checkpoint; only a certain amount of these will be given to the player.

Bouyancy Compensator Device (BCD)

Researching the BCD I found that designing this for our character is not as simple as it may seem.  According to http://www.underwaterdivingequipment.com/buoyancy-compensators.html depending on where the air is placed around the diver is suited for different types of diving.
In light of this the design best suited for our diver is a vest BCD.
These are examples of them.

I like the flecks of colour in the BCD and some have a reflective strips on them which I think we may incorporate that into our character.

Fins

From research it appears that stiff fins are the best provided the diver has strong leg muscles.  If the dive is extensive the below fin is of poor design as it can make the diver's muscles tired.

The recommended designs for fins are curved fins, as it produces more of a thrust, like the ones below

or split fins, the design produces more forward motion with less stress, the diver will need to kick faster when against a current unlike the curved fins.

New fin design is the Aqualung Slingshot this fin has bands with can be set at different levels, it releases its energy before the upstroke to give an extra boost to the diver essentially an added boost of power to the divers kick.

Boots must be wore with adjustable fins unlike the slip on fins.

http://www.scubadivingfanclub.com/Diving_Fins.html

Ordinskaya Cave, Information

Orda Cave system, or otherwise now as Ordinskaya Cave is the largest Gypsum* cave system in the world and the longest underwater cave in Russia, the second longest underwater cave in Eurasia. Located on the banks of the river Kungur, near the Village of Horde (Eastern Outskirts) in the region of Perm, Russia. (coordinates, 57.182oN, 56.887oE) 

Orda Cave was first explored in 1993 by Igor Lavrov, a well known scientist & researcher of the Ural cave, he originality visited the cave with the intention of making topographical maps of the dry parts of the cave. Afterwards he invited Victor Komarov, a cave driver for the city of Ryazan to do the first reconnaissance dive in (what was consider at the time) one of the cave's underwater lake.

On his first dive Victor Komarov entered the water with a 7-liter tank, intending on only having to explore a small area, it can to Komarov sup-price that after the collapsing of the ceiling, he found himself in a area of further tunnels venturing off into more unexplored areas of the cave. 

Key Fact's on Orda Cave.

Containing both area's of "Dry" and Underwater parts of the cave, Orda is currently measured as being over 4200 Meters long (13780 feet long) with 300 Meters (984 feet long) of "Dry" parts.

Because of the characterize's of Gypsum, Orda has an average water temperature of 4oC.

The cave enter is 50 meter's below sea level. 

Gypsum

Is a soft mineral composed of calcium sulfate dehydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4-2h20. Moderatly water-soluble (~2.0-2.5g/L at 25oC) and in contrast to other salts it exhibits a retrograde solubility, becoming less solubility at heighter temperatures.  

Ordinskaya Cave Map

Game Information

Basic Game Information that we as a group have decided on.

Game Type: 3rd Person underwater Maze game. (Puzzle Game)

Unique Selling Point (USP): A freeze meter that reduce the longer the Player stays underwater, and 

                                   increase once the player has excited the water. 

                                   aka. Stay in water = getting colder. Stay out of water = getting warmer.

Challenge: Surviving the Freezing Temperature's of the water, while completing the Maze (cave system).

                   Short Term Goal: Surviving the effects of the freezing temperature's in the water, while trying to      

                                                  reach the next heat point.

                   Long Term Goal: Reaching the end of the Maze (level) 

Target Market: 12 year old's +. Reasoning for this is because young children may found the game to hard 

                            to play and may also found the possible of the Player character dying disturbing.  

                            The game is intended for the Casual Player, and to be released via downloadable content 

                            (DLC) onto the PlayStation 3 Network, Xbox Live and Stream for PC.