design.txt

KNIFERCYCLE
===========
An arcade-style game about riding and doing stunts on a bladed motorcycle.

Knifercycle is GPL3-licensed and built using HTML5 technology.  Firefox and
Chrome are primary targets, running on iPad or Android devices would be a
bonus.


Controls
========
On the ground:
           Up,Down:  Steer into other lanes
        Left,Right:  Change speed/direction
            Button:  Boost
In the air:
Up,Down,Left,Right:  Aim the knifercycle blade

Knifercycle supports any and all input methods.  Most input events translate
to keypresses for input-handling simplicity.  Any contradictory (left+right)
inputs cancel each other out.

Keyboard Mappings
-----------------
Keyboard controls are meant to be easily guessable, and map to the X-Arcade
family of joysticks on their default settings.
    Up:  Up, Num_8
  Down:  Down, Num_2
  Left:  Left, Num_4
 Right:  Right, Num_6
Button:  Ctrl, Alt, Space

Touch
-----
An on-screen 8-directional joystick and button will be shown if the "Start"
button is touched (as opposed to clicked or reacting to keypress).  An option
to show/hide/auto-display the overlay will be honored.
     ^
     _           _
<   (_)   >     (_)
     "          '-'
     v
   DRIVE       BOOST

Joystick
--------
Joystick axes and buttons will all be mapped the same as the touch joystick.
All axes and hats map to directional controls, and all buttons map to the
boost button.

Controller Display
------------------
Should Knifercycle find its way onto Wii U, 3DS, or some other platform with
a separate display built into the controller, an expanded map and status
screen (normally seen only on the pause menu) will be shown.

Gyroscope / Accelerometer
-------------------------
Not supported, easy to hack in if someone really wants to somehow play by
wiggling.


Mechanics
=========

Acceleration, braking, and turning are all handled by the left and right
controls.  Holding the direction the knifercycle is facing will accelerate in
steps, though it is possible to accelerate more quickly by repeatedly tapping
forward.  Holding the opposite direction will brake until stopped, and again
repeatedly tapping back can brake even faster.

Holding or tapping the opposite direction while stopped will turn the
knifercycle around.

The boost function adds to the speed of the knifercycle for two seconds, over
a linear or sine-wave curve.  These curves may overlap (if boosts are saved
up and used rapidly) and further boost speed, up to a set cap.

Map
---
On the pause screen, a small and abstract map of the current level will be
shown.  The player's position and certain items and objectives will be marked,
depending on which special items the player has collected:
- Compass: Display the player's location
- Radar: Display mission-critical objective locations
- Windsock: 
- Metal detector: Display bottle caps

Items:
- Bottle caps: Flip over to reveal (lack of) prize


Script
======

Prologue: Normal Mode
---------------------
Welcome to Crapnameville

The people grow restless.  They petition to change the town's name, but to
what?  The people need a symbol.  They need a hero.

You are Wingus K Dingus, local gravy enthusiast and amateur stunt man.  Your
latest stunt vehicle is ready.  You shall call it...

Knifercycle!

Prologue: Hard Mode
-------------------
Your Knifercycle is in the shop.  Fortunately, your local fans have built you
this stunning replacement...

Knifercycle?

Mission 1: Driveway
-------------------
Time to take your knifercycle for a test drive.  Practice your way to the end
of your driveway!

(balloons: 10 points each)
(hulahoops: 10 points each)

Mission 2: Zombies
------------------
Zombies are attacking the town!  You check around - you are the only person on
a knifercycle.  Looks like this crisis falls to you.

(zombies: 5 points each)

Mission 3: Abattoiretum
-----------------------
Due to budget cuts, the arboretum and abattoir have been merged.  Trim the
branches and cut the meat!  Remember: disinfect your knifercycle between jobs.

Mission 4: Kebab
----------------
A giant has agreed not to eat the townspeople if someone will make him a nice
kebab.  He wants one of each ingredient, plenty of barbecue sauce, well-done.

Epilogue
--------
Wingus K Dingus amazed the townspeople, and with the help of his knifercycle,
he also saved their lives.

The giant had a nice kebab, and the people now have their hero.

Welcome to Wingdingston

Extra Levels
============

The Mayor's Haircut
-------------------
The mayor has gotten all shaggy, and his ratings could use a boost.  Will the
local hero give him a celebrity haircut?

(stab mayor)
  You've stabbed the mayor, and his hair got bloodier but no shorter.
  0 points
(exit)
  You chickened out.  The mayor is left humiliated and shaggy.
  10 points
(jump over + exit)
  You missed!  The mayor pretends you gave him just the cut he wanted.
  20 points
(cut hair)
  You cut the mayor's hair, and he looks fabulous!
  100 points

The Mayor's Toenails
--------------------
The mayor's gotten too fat to cut his toenails, but he's managed to climb up a
lifeguard tower.  You know what to do!

(stab mayor)
  You've stabbed the mayor.  His corpse's toenails are long and gross.
  0 points
(exit)
  Coward!  What could possibly have gone wrong?
  10 points
(cut tower)
  You cut the mayor down from his perch, and several of his toenails break.
  20 points
(cut toenails)
  You cut off the mayor's toe.  It resonates with voters, and Nine-toe Joe is
  re-elected in a landslide!
  100 points

The Grand Opening
-----------------
Mayor Nine-toe Joe is dedicating a new grocery store, but he left his huge
novelty scissors in his other pants.  Help him complete the ceremony!

(exit)
  The mayor stood up there for hours with no scissors and no knifercycle
  coming to the rescue.
  0 points
(stab anybody)
  Well, it was only a matter of time before a knifercycle-led grocery store
  opening turned into a bloodbath.
  10 points
(stab pumpkin)
  Fine, you get rewarded for cutting a pumpkin.  But only because there's a
  pumpkin-carving program available from the maker of Knifercycle(R)TM(c).
  90 points
(cut ribbon)
  That is one open grocery store!
  100 points

Babysit Little Sally
--------------------
Little Sally's parents have chosen you to be a babysitter.  Be safe!

(stab little sally)
  You've killed Little Sally!  They left you brownies, man.  Not cool.
  0 points
(break anything)
  That's coming out of your pay!
  10 points
(30 seconds pass)
  You've shown better judgement than Little Sally's parents!
  100 points

Little Sally's Kitty
--------------------
Little Sally's kitty is stuck up a tree.  Knifercycle to the rescue!

Little Sally's Dolly
--------------------
Little Sally's dolly is stuck up on the roof.  Knifercycle to the rescue!

No Trespassing
--------------
The old grump has put up a "no trespassing" sign on his lawn.  Show him who's
boss!

(exit)
  And so the old grump and his sign lived happily ever after.
  0 points
(stab grump)
  I guess that's one way to do it.  That'll teach him.
  20 points
(cut sign)
  Loophole!  There was no "no knifercycle" sign!
  100 points

No Knifercycle
--------------
The old grump has put up a "no knifercycle" sign.  Are you going to take that?

(exit)
  Picking your battles, huh?
  0 points
(cut sign)

Lawn Darts
----------
Billy and Bobby are playing with lawn darts.  Teach them an important lesson
about safety!

(exit)
  Billy and Bobby continued playing lawn darts, and died only 70 years later.
  0 points
(stab billy)
  You killed Billy!  Only Bobby learned an important lesson.
  50 points
(stab bobby)
  You killed Bobby!  Only Billy learned an important lesson.
(stab ground)
  Jamming your knifercycle into the ground has taught Billy and Bobby a
  valuable lesson.  ...Somehow.
  100 points

Toast
-----
The giant is back and he's snacky.  Pick up some butter, drop it on the huge
toast, and spread it around!

(exit)
  The giant's craving for buttered toast goes unfulfilled, so he eats you and
  everybody you hold dear.
  0 points
(stab butter + exit)
  The giant fries you in your stolen butter, which is a suitable snack
  substitute.
  10 points
(turn around on toast)
  Nice job, but those skid marks detract from the presentation of the snack.
  80 points
(complete sandwich)
  The giant yums up the buttered toast and leaves you alone forever.
  100 points

Sandwich
--------
The giant wants a sandwich now.  Spread the mayonnaise, slice the tomato, and
pile on the meat.  After the crew drops the bread, skewer the olive!

(exit)
  You cowardly run away from your beloved hometown, leaving it and all its
  inhabitants at the mercy of a hungry and enraged giant.
  0 points
(progress + exit)
  The giant, infuriated by your snack tease, flattens the town and tosses you
  into the nearest volcano.
  10 points
(crushed by bread)
  To understand the sandwich, you must become the sandwich.  And be eaten.
  60 points
(complete sandwich)
  The giant snarfs your sandwich with gusto, and burps his appreciation in
  your general direction.
  100 points

Autographs
----------
Your fans want some autographs!  Find a big pen and sign with flair!

(exit)
  You abandon your fans, and they abandon you.  Suicide rates skyrocket.
  0 points
(cut paper)
  Sign, cut up... same thing right?
  10 points
(sign some + exit)
  You left some of your fans hanging, so some of your fans hang you by your
  left... "some".
  30 points
(sign all)
  Your fans will cherish your jibbery-style signatures for seconds to come!
  100 points

Fan Mail
--------
You've got a lot of fan mail to open.  How ever will you do it?

(exit)
  Ashamed by your illiteracy, you sneak out and hope nobody notices.
  0 points
(cut some + exit)
  The nutjobs, the haters, the horrible spelling across the board...  It was
  all too much for you, wasn't it?
  20 points
(cut all)
  That's a lot of fan mail!  Or were those your replies?
  100 points

Anarchy
-------
Some anarchists are in town.  Stick it to the man!

(stab mayor)
  You killed the beloved mayor! Why?  The townspeople take two of your toes in
  return.
  0 points
(exit)
  No artificial facist big-brother game rules are gonna govern you!
  10 points
(stab woman)
  Stuck it to the wo-man instead, huh?  I get it, independent streak.  And
  what with the anarchy and all.
  80 points
(stab man)
  Get it, the man?  Ugh, the goal was almost a pun.
  100 points

Cucumber Song
-------------
Feed the turtle cucumber slices in time with his song!

(cucumber: 20 points each)
(stab turtle)
  That two hundred year old turtle had some harsh critics, but you're the
  worst.  Are you proud?
  0 points
(exit)
  The turtle sings long into the night about the putz who forgot to feed him
  cucumber slices.
  10 points

Twins
-----
Gem and I don't want to be conjoined anymore.  Our insurance lists you as a...
stunt surgeon?  What's that?

(exit)
  What, you can think of someone more qualified to do delicate surgery than a
  stunt man on a knifercycle?  Keep dreaming.
  0 points
(stab)
  Great, now I get to lug around my twin's corpse.  At least she'll quit
  snoring.
  10 points
(cut without disinfecting)
  This looks pretty infected, but what did we expect?
  80 points
(complete)
  Thank you!  And thank you!  ...You know, seperately.
  100 points

In 3D
-----
The local cinema is too cheap to upgrade to a 3D projector, but exactly cheap
enough to hire you!  Add some special effects to the movie!

(stab screen too slow)
  That was the special olympics of special effects.
  0 points
(exit)
  You failed, but you preserved the artistic integrity of the movie,
  10 points
(stab anybody)
  Nice touch, stabbing those dummy customers.  Wait a minute...
  20 points
(complete)
  It's like that knifercyclist with body odor was coming right at us!
  100 points

Giant's Toothpick
-----------------
The giant has something or someone stuck in his teeth.  Do you have anything
that could be used as a giant toothpick?

(exit)
  You must be going to go find a big toothpick.  Couldn't think of anything
  else you might use, huh?
  0 points
(stab giant)
  Did you kill the giant just because he ate you?  Rude.
  50 points
(stab teeth)
  That's better!  Nothing like cleaning the teeth of the giant who ate you.
  100 points

Knife to a Gunfight
-------------------
The town's gang violence is out of control!  Bring your knifercycle to their
gunscooter fight!

(gangsters: 10 points each)
(exit)
  You're alive.  You're a pathetic coward, but you're alive.
  0 points
(wait)
  No more gang violence, and you didn't get your hands dirty!  Impressive!
  100 points

Dump Fire
---------
Rednecks started a fire in the dump, and the woods are burning!  Clear away
flammable vegetation to stop the fire from spreading into town!

(shrubs: 5 points each)
(trees: 10 points each)
(exit)
  You decided to take down the fire from within.  Good luck with that.
  0 points

Shark
-----
The developer has threatened to make a sequel.  Ruin this series before he
does!

(exit)
  What have you done?  Now the door is open for everything from Lego
  Knifercycle to Super Knifercycle 3 Turbo: the search for Knifercycle 2.
  0 points
(stab shark)
  "Knifed the shark": Ruined everything.  A reference to the single worst
  moment in the history of gaming.
  100 points
(jump shark)
  Worst.  Challenge.  Ever.
  100 points

Christmas
---------
The Christmas tree is too tall.  Go!

(exit)
  Bailing on Christmas huh?  I'll check twice but I think that's naughty.
  0 points
(cut near top)
  You've ruined Christmas!
  10 points
(cut near bottom)
  Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, the knifercycle fixed you!
  100 points

The Bris
--------
Your phone number used to belong to a mohl.  But a voicemail is a legally
binding contract, right?

(exit)
  You just can't cut it, huh?
  0 points
(jump baby)
  You missed!  Junior says thank you.
  50 points
(cut baby)
  Nipped the tip!
  100 points

Thunderbirds
------------
Formation drivers are clogging the highway.  Knifercycle patrol unit respond!

(formations: 10 points each)
(exit)
  Wrong way on the highway...  I don't know, two wrongs don't make a right.
  0 points


Badges
======
sliced bread grocery
squidbillies hat
pacifist (no zombies killed)