Bolt Action

By Joon Choi

Bolt Action Overview

• Bolt Action is a play on words of “Lightning-Fast Action” Arena.

• Bolt Action also alludes to specific type of firearm feature (most commonly in rifles) that tends to increase reliability and accuracy, both of which are big part of this game.

Bolt Action Overview

• Bolt Action strives to deviate from the current trends in shooter genre, merging its core game-play with other genres in an attempt to create a unique 5 v 5 competitive class-based third-person shooter that demand meaningful co-operation to stand victorious at the end of several session-based arena matches.

Meaningful Co-operation

• In today’s shooters, co-operation boils down to a simple shoot down an enemy together.

• Even in games that boast co-operative play during competitive matches (Battlefield, Brink, and etc), the co-operation is much too passive.

• An example would be….

Meaningful Co-operation• Battlefield 3 Assault/Medic Class (Or any of the Medic classes in

previous Battlefields)• The Heal nodes provides an aspect of co-op play, but it heals no where

close enough during a gunfight to actually matter. So the pattern that ensues is…

• Shoot, Shoot, Shoot, Duck, Wait 10-20 seconds for the node to heal you up, Shoot some more.

• Notice the Combat Phase (Shoot Shoot) and the Co-op Phase (Duck and Heal) are completely separate, and often after the Co-op Phase is over, the two players have little else to co-op about except shoot down the same target faster.

• A Good Example of the Combat Phase and Co-op Phase working together rather than separately is….

Meaningful Co-operation

• The Team Fortress 2 Medic• The Medic’s Medi-beams are a significant boost to

one’s survivability even during a gunfight.• As the Medic Heals, his Uber Charge increases. When

this charge hits 100%, he can release it for a short term invulnerability, 100% Crit Chance, or Immunity to Movement Impairing Effects.

• Sadly, the meaningful co-operation ends with the medic for TF2. (Engineer Arguable)

• Best Example of Meaningful Co-op is…

Meaningful Co-operation• Left 4 Dead Series Versus Mode• The Special Infected team is a prime example of a shooter that does co-op right.• A single special infected is often useless against the survivor team. Only when

they are paired up with other special infected, their true potential shines.• Example would be a Smoker Infected, whose long tongue can grab and pull far

away survivors. Alone, the Smoker can accomplish very little, as the survivors can help its victim almost instantaneously. But when Paired up with a boomer, whose bile blinds and attracts common zombies towards the unfortunate victim(s). Smoker’s potential becomes many folds stronger.

• The Boomer throws up on 3 or 4 of the survivors, blinding them and preoccupying them with common zombies. During the mayhem, the smoker is safely able to pull one of the survivors and deal significant amount of damage previously impossible.

Bolt Action Co-operation • Classes in Bolt Action will be designed around the idea of building

upon each other. Each Class falling into one or two of these broad roles: Heavy DPS – Classes with highest potential damage but restricted usually by lower

health count and skills that require precision aim (Much easier to land with a Class with a reliable Stun/Immobilize Ability).

Tank – Classes with High Health Count, Big Hit Boxes, and Damage Mitigation abilities with area effect or single target Soft Disables such as slows, mini-stuns, and knock-downs. Skills aided by a large Area of Effect, Instant, or homing mechanic.

Support – Classes with medium to low health count with Hard Disables, Buffs, Debuffs, and Heals. Skills aided by a large Area of Effect, Instant, or homing mechanic.

• All Classes have significantly higher HP than most FPS these days, being able to withstand multiple headshots and much more body shots to discourage solo play.

Bolt Action Game Play • Pre-Game Phase (Chooses Class,

Unchangeable during the Match)• Combat Phase (Spawn in Opposite Sides of

Each other on an Identical Map with 3 Objectives)

• Intermission Phase (Allocating Points, Strategy Discussion, ETC)

Pre-Game Phase

• Each Player picks desired class (Picking order defined by Game Mode: All Pick, All Random, Banning Draft Mode)

• Communication between teams allowed.

Combat Phase

• Each Round (7 in a Match) can be won by depleting the enemies lives or their victory bar.

• 10 Shared Lives (To Make Every Kill or Death count)

• Victory Bar ticks down from 100 when your team controls more objectives than the enemy. (To Force Fights)

• 8-10 minute Time Limit.

Intermission Phase

• After every round, 30 – 60 second break.• Skill Points and Stat Points given to each

player. Skill Points for Active Skills, Stat Points for static boost for Health, Shield, Damage, and ETC

• Time to allocate skill points and stat points.• Communication between teams allowed.

Bolt Action Art Direction• The art style will be supplemental to the game play itself,

serving a function for game-play while also looking fabulous.

• Stylized Idealism (Females are attractive/cool, Males are buff/cool)

• Color Schemes will be generally Monochromatic, with a Theme Color.

• Characters’ Weapons or even their entire color scheme may change with skill points allotted during Matches to give more information to the opposing team to encourage intelligent choices.

Thank you