Overview:

Working Title: Space Infiltrator

Concept:

Space Infiltrator aims to replicate the visual and audio styles of early arcade games like 'Space Wars' and 'Asteroids'

In addition to this, as the game progresses, I intend to add some creepypasta elements. These may include: Realistic/Non-Vector graphics, unsettling sounds/visuals, creepy narrative moments, or strange "glitches"

I also intend for the game to be fun to play multiple times, so this might entail a non-creepypasta version, or perhaps an endless mode.

Genre:

Space-shooter/Horror

Concept Creation Process/Area:

Space Infiltrator is modelled in the image of a classic Space-Shooter game, and gradually incorporates Creepypasta/Horror elements.

Audience and Competitive Analysis:

Space Infiltrator is aimed towards fans of classic arcade games, as well as fans of the Creepypasta genre. The game aims to offer a complete gameplay experience and a scary atmosphere that should leave both groups feeling fulfilled.

Space infiltrator is similar to other Creepypasta games in that it takes a recognisable game or genre and adds subtle horror elements to it (often slowly across the course of the game). Typically these games perform well when they are well balanced between gameplay and horror/story, and they usually fail when either of the two elements is handled poorly.

A popular example of a Creepypasta game is Sonic.exe, which takes Sonic the Hedgehog and introduces a demon-like entity that hunts and kills the player (and familiar Sonic Characters in-game).  This game succeeded due to the popularity of the source material, the good story and the balancing of gameplay and story. The game doesn't hold up very well compared nowadays, but it was very popular at the time.

Sonic.exe is actually a game based on a fictional game from the Creepypasta story of the same name. Briefly, the story follows a kid who gets a game disc from his friend. On the disc is a copy of Sonic The Hedgehog, but it turns out to be haunted by the demon known as X.

(Popular Youtuber Markiplier playing Sonic.exe back in 2012)

Unpopular creepypasta games tend to either be poor copies of existing creepypasta games or stories, or just badly execute an idea to the point of confusion instead of horror. Typically, such games fade into obscurity and as such it is hard to find a good example. For an example of a poor copy, we have Sally.exe, which copies the aforementioned Sonic.exe (Sally being another character from the Sonic Franchise).

(Popular Youtuber Markiplier playing Sally.exe back in 2014)

You can see that Sally.exe is just a shorter and cruder version of Sonic.exe with different characters. The game was made by the same developer as the original Sonic.exe game, but I imagine the motivation was just to ride the popularity of Sonic.exe.

Game Treatment and Concept Art:

You take the role of Space-Fighter-Pilot from Earth in the year 23XX. Your mission is to infiltrate the enemy's forward base on Planet Γε4 and destroy their production plant. The fate of Earth lies in your hands. Only you can help Earth fight back against the oppressive Aandrasians!

Games of this era tended to have simpler storylines and focused more on gameplay instead. The classic trope of "One hero saves Earth from Aliens" is a common one in these games, so that's what I went with. The twist, however, (and this plays into the creepypasta bit) is that these "Aliens" are some sort of Corrupted Humans. The name "Aandrasian" comes from the Greek word "Andras" meaning "Man". This sort of war against themselves tied with the Corrupted Humans should lead to a creepy story.

To deliver the story, the levels will gradually introduce elements of this hidden reality to the player. The walls of the caves becoming flesh-like, enemies starting to scream or cry out when they die, creepy ambience replace the comfortable silence. At the end of the game, when you reach the core, all the elements will vanish leaving only the player in a dark void before revealing the reality of the planet (though what that is exactly will remain a secret for now).

In terms of gameplay, I envision it being similar to other side-scrolling shooters of the era. The player can move around freely while the camera slowly moves to the right. Enemies fly in on the right and shoot projectiles at the player, and stationary enemies also shoot at the player while remaining fixed to the level geometry.

Levels would be grouped by area, each area getting an overall aesthetic or enemy type, often having names (even if not in-game). I can think of a few areas I would like to have in the game:

1. "The Approach": In Space, coming up to the planet, no walls. Probably only 2 levels.
2. "The Surface": On the planet's surface, only the floor. 2-4 levels.
3. "Cave Entrance": Entering the caves, ceiling intermittent. 2 levels.
4. "The Caverns": Fully inside the caves, both walls. 4 levels.
5. "Deep Caverns": Harder enemies than The Caverns. 4 levels.
6. "Outer Core": More enemies, more varied wall pathing. 2 levels.
7. "The Core": Winding paths, mostly static enemies. 2 levels.
8. "???": No walls, very few enemies. 1 level.

Not all these Areas will be mentioned in the game. In fact, it will probably only mention "The Approach", "The Caverns", "The Core", and maybe "???". These broader names will encompass multiple areas. These other areas would be mentioned in either a Manual or on the Arcade Machine (aside from "???" as that is intended as a non-game element).

As mentioned before, I would also like to include a Manual of sorts. Probably a word document that gives the player the story and controls. Also giving an overview of the Levels and Enemies. This manual could also include other creepypasta elements such as hidden text or links.
The exact contents of this manual are are something I have not yet decided, but it will probably be a lot of the stuff that I have mentioned in this document.

(Crude Concept art of Player, Enemies, Projectiles, A Level, and the Logo.)

I have only fully conceptualised some of the non-creepypasta elements of the game. The "Act 1" elements, if you will. There will be more enemy types, and a few more projectiles. There will also likely be a few levels that do not have walls on both sides, though the majority will.

The Player is a simple and common ship design, with the enemy ships being more complicated (taking the "advanced alien technology" trope). The Title graphic will likely be stylised at some point, although Vector Graphic Letters tend to remain somewhat simple due to the drawing method.

I have drawn these concept graphics in Black and White as that was a restriction of Vector Graphics at the time, though there is room to have colour if I feel it needs it later on. Keeping the objects' designs simple will lessen the need for colour, but it may help give some clarity. I am currently thinking that a second revision could come later that included colour, or perhaps a toggle in the executable.