Brief - Time Haven Opening Level Design

Overview

The opening sequence establishes both personal stakes and core mechanics through the destruction of modern-day Vancouver, Canada. Players experience loss, discover time manipulation powers, and begin their journey as a Timekeeper, all while learning basic controls and core concepts.

Setting: Vancouver, 2024

Location Choice Rationale:

• Multicultural city familiar to global audience

• Beautiful mix of nature and urban environment

• Peaceful setting makes destruction more impactful

• Neutral political associations

Sequence Breakdown

1. Peaceful Introduction (5-7 minutes)

• Setting: Vancouver Seawall at sunset

  • Player walks with spouse/partner along seawall

  • Basic movement and interaction tutorial

  • Environmental storytelling shows normal life

  • Subtle hints of something wrong (strange lights, brief time stutters)

  • Dialog establishes relationship and character

• Key Moments:

  • Partner discusses upcoming anniversary plans

  • Choose dialog responses to establish relationship

  • Learn basic interaction mechanics

  • Photograph moment together (save for later narrative use)

2. World Collapse (3-5 minutes)

• Trigger: Reality begins to unravel

  • Buildings start disintegrating

  • Crowds panic and flee

  • Partner and player run together

  • Tutorial for sprint and basic movement abilities

• Escalation:

  • Ground breaks apart

  • Reality fragments

  • Other people fall into void

  • Partner falls but player catches them

  • Forced to let go, partner disintegrates

3. Power Discovery (5-7 minutes)

• First Power - Reverse:

  • Player falls into void, about to meet the same fate as their partner

  • Time freezes and reverses

• 2nd Power - Time Vision:

  • The player has no initial control of their Time Vision

  • They see a yellow glowing colored area where a path has been destroyed

  • Drawn toward the glowing area, they actively use their Reverse ability, and the path is restored, allowing the player to escape

• Jinn Discovery:

  • The player notices a purple glowing area and heads toward it

  • A Jinn appears, surprised player can see them

  • With the Jinn’s encouragement, the player uses their Time Vision and Reverse abilities to find safety

  • The player tries to go back to save their partner, but cannot, learning about time manipulation limits

• Third Power - Warp:

  • Reach dead end with no escape

  • Jinn teaches Warp ability

  • Emotional choice: try to save others (fail)

  • Forced to save self by Warping to Haven

4. Haven Arrival (3-5 minutes)

• Setting: Astra Nova

  • First view of Haven establishing shot

  • See other strange worlds and realities fragmenting in the distance

  • Establish base camp by reversing a collapsed structure

• Jinn suggests possibility of finding home again

Key Teaching Elements

• Movement Mechanics:

  • Walk/Run

  • Jump

  • Interact

  • Camera control

• Time Powers:

  • Reverse (limited environment manipulation)

  • Time Vision pulse (reveal temporal faults and points of interest)

  • Warp (targeting and cost system)

• Core Concepts:

  • Time as resource

  • Can't save everyone

  • Personal loss driving motivation

  • Jinn companion system

Visual Requirements

• Environment Types:

  • Peaceful Vancouver:

    • Seawall path

    • City skyline

    • Mountains backdrop

    • Park areas

  • Destruction Sequence:

    • Fragmenting buildings

    • Breaking ground

    • Void effects

    • Time distortion visuals

  • Haven Introduction:

    • Safe zone midst chaos

    • Reality fragments visible

    • Basic camp setup

    • Temporal aurora effects

Technical Considerations

• Sequence Requirements:

  • Linear path for tutorial

  • Simplified destruction system

  • Basic power implementation

  • Streaming solution for destruction sequences and Warp to Haven

• Performance Optimization:

  • Limited NPC count

  • Optimized destruction effects

  • Efficient streaming

  • Controlled view distances