Hordenbrecher

Hordenbrecher (working title)

Design Document

by redplanetcat for the 2023 Pirate Software Game Jam

Introduction

One-sentence pitch

Hordenbrecher is a tower defense-style game about a living spaceship trudging through hordes of enemies.

Inspirations

Factorio: Space Age
The latest DLC for Factorio features a new type of gameplay segment where you build on a space station that travels from one planet to the next, trying to maximize its defense by positioning enough guns and grabby arms to survive travel through an asteroid field.

Lexx
TV series Lexx features a living spaceship with a very unique personality and outlook on life. The show features a lot of dark moody visuals and body horror, which isn't very common for space operas.

Player Experience

The game has three stages featuring large enemy hordes. Between stages there's a section with an asteroid field which you also have to defend against, but it can bring you enough resources to build up and survive the next wave.

Platform

The game is developed for desktop web browsers and Windows/Linux PC, with possible later port for mobile touchscreen devices.

Development tools

• SDL3 as an application framework
• EnTT - library for Entity Component System
• Aseprite for graphics
• Korg Minilogue hardware synth, Ableton and Audacity for music and sound FX

Genre

Tower Defense, Casual

Target Audience

The game is leaning towards casual players and fans of darker Sci-Fi.

Concept

Gameplay overview

The player controls placement of structures on a grid representing the spaceship. Each structure has associated cost of production. You gain resources for construction by capturing and processing asteroids floating toward the ship. Processing of asteroid ores requires its own special building.
The goal is to survive through three stages featuring large enemy hordes.

Theme Interpretation (You Are The Weapon)

You are the Ship. You were born to destroy, and you're doing the only thing you know: fly forward and make sure nothing stands in your path.
You hone the Weapon, Yourself, by surviving through arduous battles and building up on what's lacking: more firepower.

Primary Mechanics

Secondary mechanics

Intro cutscene
"I am Hordenbrecher. I was raised on Planet Homunculus."
(slide with ship's front mouth mandibles grabbing human remains off a conveyor belt)
"The food was good."
"Insurgents boarded me before I could mature."
"Now I am fleeting through the Galaxy of Peace, to the Galaxy of Terror, through the Unknowable Dark."
Ending cutscene
TBD

Art

Theme Interpretation

TBD

Design

TBD, but probably lots of gore, reddish and brown hues.

Audio

Music

TBD, but Zerg music from Starcraft and Lexx OST should probably be main inspirations.

Sound Effects

TBD

Game Experience

UI

The interface would consist of a main viewport, with a control panel alongside its right edge, reminiscent of earlier C&C games.
The top right corner would hold information on selected structure. The right panel would let you select available structures to build.
To activate the Permieter shield, you either press the button on the construction itself, or press a brightly lit emphasized button on the right panel underneath the building selection. The button would remain inactive until the Perimeter structure is built.

Controls

All interactions are through mouse point'n'click interface.

Development Timeline

Minimum Viable Product

Beyond