THQ's Homefront 2/Exploration Drivers

== Overview ==
Document Status: Red [Requires a further detail pass before a formal sign-off] [Date: 3 Apr. 2012]
All the levels should look to contain all of the following as a high level goal.
* Inventory Items
** Homebrew scavenging materials
** Weapon Modification Blueprints
** Weapon Attachments
** Ammunition crates
** Weapon / arm Decorators
** Resistance Phone data cards
** All craftable items can also be found (IED's, Drone Traps etc)
** Medical supplies (depending on the final battlefield surgery system)
* Environmental Storytelling
** In a row house in Samaritan every room is crowded with beds etc but one room is totally bare, even the floorboards are stripped and there is a large stockpile of wood ready for burning when winter starts to bite
* Additional interactive scripted scenes
** Level fiction enhancers
** Hope Inputs
** Moral choices
** Human cost stories
* Social Interactors
** Friend's Geo-tags
** Friends Phone data cards
** Combined crafting blueprints
* Environment
** Hidden routes
** Resistance stashes (hidden rooms)
** Work Benches
** Resistance Weapon Drops (unless you carry all weapons all the time)
* Counter Propaganda Opportunities
** Screens to hack
** Posters of Kim Jong-un to spray paint over
** Propaganda loudspeakers to destroy
* Counter Propaganda Source Material
** Inspiring images that can be photographed
*** The Liberty Bell (shipyard)
*** An American flag draped shrine to former glory (samaritan)
*** Independence Hall (independence hall)
*** The Rocky statue (fairmount)
*** The William Penn statue (City Hall)
== Exploration Drivers ==
Document Status: Green [High-level collection of early ideas] [Date: 20 Oct. 2011]
===Goals===
*To drive the player out of the main gameplay areas.
**This will provide a larger sense of scale in our levels and assist in creating a more believable, diverse world.
*To provide a sense of exploration and intrigue.
**We will offer a change of pace in levels, a strong purpose and rich environments as reasons to investigate.
*To provide an alternate method of narrating the story of the Homefront universe.
**The fiction of Homefront can be reinforced through strong attention to detail across the entire level.
Ultimately we will create mechanics and a supporting fiction that inspires the player to explore the levels in Homefront and help realise deeper, more fulfilling levels.
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===Core Gameplay===
Some core gameplay mechanics that will assist exploration.
*Secondary objectives
**Activating some of these could be less straightforward
*Vistas as ancillary rewards
*VVV points for combat advantages
*Intel gathering outside of combat
*Environmental puzzles such as hidden entrances
*Optional routes to an objective
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=== Resistance Caches ===
* Contains ammo and weapons (possibly unique)
** Signposted with Resistance symbols
** Hidden or in plain sight with a hidden entrance
** Delivered via EU air drop
* Fits well within context of Resistance
* Scalable
** Could be a simple ammo crate to a full bunker of goodies
Examples:
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===Air Drops===
*Flown in by EU air support
*Signposted by flares or simply by noticing the drop
**Drop can be within peripheral vision but lands out of reach, encouraging exploration
*Contains weapons, ammo or unique, bespoke items.
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===Resistance Symbols===
IDEA 1: PLAYER SHARED MESSAGING
*Players can spray tags in the game world which is shared across a network (or just your friends list).
*Other players playing the game, when connected online, can see a selection of these tags.
**Tags can be “reapplied” as a method of voting on tags to reinforce the message and appear in even more peoples games.
**Tagging or reapplying a tag that the community agrees on is a method of gaining intel.
**Limited to a small number per mission, with emphasis on the most “popular” tags
*Supports the idea of the ”Resistance Community”.
Examples:
HF2EX10.png|Ammo nearby
HF2EX11.png|Safehouse nearby
HF2EX12.png|KPA nearby
HF2EX13.png|Sniper nearby
IDEA 2: INTEL GATHERING
*Symbols in the game world can be photographed by the player (smartphone?)
**Capturing images of symbols unlocks intel or rewards.
**Can fit together to solve viral puzzles
**Tell a parallel story to the player’s
Examples:
HF2EX14.png|Assassin's Creed
HF2EX15.png|Deus Ex
HF2EX16.png|The Conduit
===Environment Narrative===
*Isolated environments that tell a story
*Enhances sense of discovery
*Supports local stories of struggle
Examples:
HF2EX17.png|A hidden room behind a wall in a brothel in Deus Ex Human Revolution. The room conveys the story of a pervert who was spying on clients.
HF2EX18.png|A dead poker player in Fallout: New Vegas. The scene conveys the story of a card shark who dealt 5 Kings and was murdered for it.
===Collectibles===
*Individually unique items that tell short, personal, localised stories.
*Appeals to completionists
*Fits within context
**American Idols, Memorabilia, Propaganda Posters, Voice of Freedom recordings
**Placed in locations where they can explain about the immediate area
**Could tie in to flashback cutscenes
**Has tangible rewards such as unlocks
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===Ambient Moments===
*Unique moments of narrative
*Animated scenes that act as auxiliary rewards
**Awards player with unique story insights
*Could make reference to previous player actions
***Mass Effects television broadcasts, Deus Ex newspapers
HF2EX23.png|Deus Ex
HF2EX24.png|Half Life 2
HF2EX25.png|Hitman Absolution
===Parallel Story===
*Elements in scenes, hidden or otherwise, that narrate a story running in parallel to the player’s of a specific Resistance fighter.
**Can tie in to other exploration drivers
**Adds context to collectibles
HF2EX26.png|Items
HF2EX27.png|Collectibles
HF2EX28.png|Environment Narrative