Rocket League: IRL

Game Design: Project 1

Table of Contents

Team Credits:

Chris Gascoyne

Travis Nugent

Justin Snell

Michael Rivera

Chris Tillis

Art Style Guide

Rocket League

Art Style Guide

Image Source: IGDB

POV

Rocket League has a 3rd person camera behind the car you are controlling. The camera has a wide field of view to it, which was an important choice to give the player as much information as possible. The player needs to know where the other cars are, where the ball is, and where the goals are relative to the player. Having a first person perspective would limit the player’s information and limit how well they could react to the changing play field.

Image Source: Rocket League Website

Color

The game uses color to highlight the important elements on the field. The goal and the other cars are all bright colors that are easy to spot. The ball, while itself has a dull gray color, naturally has a bright trail that it leaves behind. This makes it easy to tell at a glance where the ball is and what direction it’s going. Blue and orange are used by the opposing teams, which gives them a lot of contrast. Colored highlights on the field itself let the players instantly know which team’s side of the field they currently are on.

Image Source: Rocket League Website

Composition

In this game composition is primarily foreground and middle ground with background only being for cosmetic effects. Where the "spectators" watch the action from is the main background in all levels with foreground being players perspective and middle being the rest of the play field. It is primarily played from a flat angle where the player is on the same sightline level as the rest of the action. Horizontal and Vertical lines are used to show the player where the barrier of the field are as well as show the depth of the floor of the field.

Image Source: Rocket League Website

Realism/Exaggeration

In Rocket League there is more exaggeration rather than realism in the game for example, when scoring there is an explosion that takes place that notifies the player that they scored. When cars are boosting there is a color trail coming from their back tires to notify other players what direction they are going. Another exaggeration of the boosting is the fact that the exhaust is like a rocket engine hence forth why the game is called Rocket League. The ball also appears exaggerated since it has a Sci-Fi aesthetic. As far as realism goes, the looks and designs of the cars are realistic in some degree. The graphics in a sense look realistic as in it leans more to Forza rather than Mario Kart.

Art Analysis

The aesthetics of Rocket league create a very bright, welcoming, friendly environment no matter the level. The developers made a smart creative decision to have an expandable art style that isn't locked down to a set style. They left a lot of room to experiment with different styles by making the color palette extremely wide but also manage to make it easily digestible by distributing the different colors and themes throughout several maps and car skins. They do, however, try to keep the aesthetics of each level to clearly show to the player that this is a recreation of a soccer field by having the same or similar boundary lines as a real soccer field on each level. They manage to have creative colors and themes but also maintain an appearance of familiarity and realism. As an example, they have a Romanesque coliseum map but they maintain the appearance of a soccer field by having a grass field with drawn boundaries.

Image Source: Rocket League Steam Community Page

MDA Analysis

Rocket League

The mechanics of Rocket League mostly center around the cars and the ball. Each player has a car that they can control while working together on a team with other cars. The cars have a limited boost ability that is refilled by driving over certain parts of the field. The cars can also jump in the air, which when combined with the boost can be used to hit the ball while it’s in the air. As in real soccer, points are scored when the ball is hit into the opposing team’s goal and the game is won by the team with the higher score after five minutes. If the game is tied, a sudden death round is held. Aerial mobility is an important mechanic, as even the walls of the arena are sloped so that cars can jump off of them to make aerial shots.

During gameplay, the dynamics mostly consist of the ball bouncing around and moving as players hit it. It also bounces off of walls and rolls along the ground. It doesn’t have a ton of momentum, so players can easily intercept the ball to guard their goal. Players can also run into each other to interfere with them as a way to play defense. When players use their boost, they will eventually have to find points to recharge their boost. When controlling the cars, they can accelerate and turn very quickly, making them highly maneuverable.

The game has a highly exhilarating aesthetic while playing, due to how quickly the players and the ball can move. Any game can be turned around in an instant with a well placed shot into an undefended goal. Lots of positive feedback is provided to the player on a successful goal or win. For example, Rocket League shows the name of the player who scores a goal as well as showing a highlight of the goal itself. This makes sure that players feel encouraged to play better and makes goals incredibly satisfying. As in most sports, the tension in the game gets higher as the time left in the match goes down. This creates intense buzzer beater moments for many players, enhancing their experience.

Bartle Types Analysis

Bartle Type Analysis

Rocket League

Application of the Bartle framework to what is essentially a multiplayer sports game is in many ways exactly what one might expect. Achievers, Socializers and Killers represent a vast majority of play styles within Rocket League; whereas, due to the constrained nature of the game’s environment and level design, Explorers may not have as much room to explore, discover, or enjoy the large amounts of free- and open-movement available in other games that may pique their interest and natural curiosity in deeper ways. As is the case in every form of media, no one thing is truly made for everyone, but that doesn’t mean Explorers can’t still have a great time in Rocket League.

Achievers will find themselves right at home within the game’s structure. The fact alone that there are thousands of cosmetic items to unlock through progression or by simply playing the game long enough is enough to keep many players hooked. Add onto that monikers and player titles you unlock as you gain XP is another method to keep players playing.

Alongside these is a three-month period of time once per year called Rocket Pass, introducing a tier-based progression system alongside the base game, through which you can unlock rare and exclusive items as well. Even further, Rocket League is currently in its twelfth season of ranked matches, of which the most exceptional players will compete in a professional esports tournament. In 2015, a French player was awarded nearly $300,000 as the top contender. All of these are incredibly methods of catering to the Achievers in their player base.

This appeal to Achievers coincides perfectly with Socializers and Killers, as the latter may overlap with the Achievers and find great joy out of headhunting certain players, and developing superb tactics, strategies and skills to overtake other players by means of learning to score in exceptionally creative and showy ways. They may also fluidly overlap with Socializers, utilizing the text- and voice-chat functions to trash talk, or, somewhat more frequently, to jab at other players in an effort to encourage a spirited, friendly competition. As is outlined in some descriptions of Killers, they may butt heads with other Killers, but they often thrive on the affirmations of friendlier Socializers.

Luckily, this is a game in which Socializers are typically popular and well-received wherever they go. An Achieving Socializer may, for instance, doubly enjoy a weekly challenge requiring you to use the “Nice Shot!” quick-chat option in ten separate matches. Further in line with the Achievers, the ability to trade aforementioned items and unlockables with other players really encourages opportunities to build new relationships with other people and obtain new items an Achiever may have been long striving for. Ultimately, even in lacking open-world maps and hidden secrets for Explorers to uncover, there really is enough to go around for them, and everyone else, too.

Concept Document

Rocket League

High Concept Statement - Rocket League is a soccer game played by high-flying rocket powered cars.

Features

You can control cars that can boost to fly across the map. You have to use your boost well in order to hit the ball with enough force to send it flying.
Because the cars can boost and jump, they are incredibly mobile. It’s satisfying to see the ball come flying your way and quickly react to hit it back.
Matches are 3 vs 3 and have a time limit. Cooperation and coordination with your teammates is the key to winning matches and scoring goals.
The game features online multiplayer against an opposing team. These will be the most common type of match and are good for players that want some quick fun.
There are lots of different cars and cosmetics to unlock. This gives players some long term goals to work towards.
The game features online tournaments and ranked matches. Ranked matches make sure that players will always be able to find a match that’s challenging, but not too frustrating.
It will have different DLC maps and cars. This is where the game can gain a lot of longevity by giving things a fresh coat of paint.

Player Motivation – Players are trying to win their match and put their skills to the test. Winning may help them gain a higher rank or unlock new cosmetic items.

Genre – A fluid mix of sports and racing games.

License – The game will attempt to use licenses for franchises such as Ghostbusters and Fast and the Furious, as well as car companies such as Nissan. These will appeal to older players who feel nostalgia towards these properties as well as car fans who enjoy supporting specific brands.

Target customer – Older males who enjoy competitive games, sports, or multiplayer games.

Competition - Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars – This is a simpler version of our game that has already been released. Rocket League has more robust online gameplay as well as a tighter focus on the core gameplay of soccer.

Unique selling points – Combining racing and sports in a way that has never been done before.

Unique, fast gameplay not possible in regular sports games.

Not limited by realism.

Frantic and chaotic gameplay

Target Hardware – PC, Xbox One, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch

Design goals- Challenge: Competing with other high-skilled players.

Highlights: Give players opportunities to see highlights of their accomplishments and scores.

Fast: Give players a rush as they quickly move around and try to score.

Tension: Give players the chance to score a true buzzer beater at the last second.

Gameplay

Gameplay & Description