Kurtis Trent Spin-Off Game Design Ideas

We’ve received a number of documents on the abandoned Kurtis Trent spin-off game, a prequel to Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness. These were sent to us anonymously. This particular anonymous contributor has sent a number of screenshots and documents to us in the past and they were eventually verified by members of the Core Design team. As such, we have no doubts about the authenticity of these documents.

KURTIS GAME – DESIGN IDEAS – 06/07/01

Game name – Bloodline

The name comes from Kurtis Trent’s realization of his ancestral legacy and the re-discovery of his inherited paranormal powers.

The story overview

The story is a prequel to TR Next Gen.

Set in New York City, USA. Between the years1998 to 2000.

Kurtis drives a wrecked 1970’s Ford.

He sleeps in the back seat.

Survives on the proceeds of crime.

He is running from his ancestral past – and present day demons.

Game genre

Third person arcade adventure.

Focal points of the game

The core of the game is based around search and destroy missions.

Focus on (in order of importance)

Combat – destroy all enemies using available weapons.
Exploration –search rooms for pick ups and enemies to destroy.
World interaction – open doors, shoot out windows and walls.
Story – to create atmosphere, depth of character and link episodes.

Focus on – Combat

Kurtis Trent has the following abilities.

Hand to hand combat.

Use of firearms.

Use of explosives.

Use of psychic occult powers – to power-boost firearms and explosives.

Use of psychic occult powers – for reconnaissance and object control.

World interaction – use of computers and machinery to produce a simple goal.

Enemies will have the following abilities.

Hand to hand combat.

Use of firearms.

Use of psychic occult powers – to power-boost firearms and explosives.

Focus on – Exploration

Search for pick ups to replenish energy and weapons.

Search for enemies to destroy.

Kurtis must destroy all enemies in a room before the door unlocks and lets him continue.

Focus on – World interaction

Kurtis can climb stairs

Kurtis can open swing doors with a push

Kurtis can shoot out windows and jump through the hole

Kurtis can shoot out walls and vents at pre-defined points and jump through the hole.

Kurtis can smash objects – crates, barrels, machines

Kurtis can be harmed by pre-defined zones placed in the room.

These zones are : Fire (burning), Water (drowning), Electrical (electrocution).

Focus on – Story

The story is presented using the in game polygon graphics.

The story is revealed in the twelve episodes that make up the game.

At the end of each episode is a short video that plays music, news bulletins and off the wall imagery. This is designed to reinforce the world of Kurtis Trent.

There is no introduction sequence.

The game starts and as the player plays the names of the characters are superimposed over the action.

Story is delivered in the following ways:

Exerts from diaries. (With voice over narration).
In game cut scenes with game characters.
Media transmissions from TV.
Media transmissions from radio.

CHARACTERS

Friends

Kurtis Trent – Demon hunter.
Father Francis – Excommunicated priest and occult expert.
Ana Bell – TV news reporter and Kurtis’ doomed girlfriend.
Marty Cruise – Forensic police scientist.
Marie Cornel – Kurtis’ mother.

Foes

Eckhart – Fourteenth century crazed alchemist.
Phil Yates – Possessed billionaire software mogul.
Jean Rochelle – Old ‘friend’ from the Foreign Legion.
Obnoxtrux – Monster demon
Spawn – Furry gremlin critters.
Vampires – The living dead.
NYPD police force – Gun happy flat foots who get in the way.
MIB’s – Government agents looking to capture Kurtis and study his paranormal powers. (By removing his brain and cutting it into small pieces!)

MIB’s come in two varieties:

Type 1 – MIB agent. Man in a dark suit. (Investigators).

Type 2 – SWAT team commando operatives. (Capture teams).

Demonic possessed – People who have been enslaved by the dark forces. Only scanning their aura will alert Kurtis to their true nature.

Enemy Reactions

Enemy characters are assigned trigger values for reaction times, aggression, health and ammunition.

These triggers control the resulting animations.

A line of sight cone emits from the characters head. If Kurtis is within this cone the enemy character will react according to its trigger values.

Enemy patrol paths

Patrol paths are set by positioning control nodes around the room.

The direction and any incidental animations of the character is set on the node.

World navigation

A scanner that shows the level map and paranormal hot spots.

Appears as a semi-transparent HUD map over the game world.

To use the map scanner:

Select map scanner from the inventory. HUD map appears.

Press the CROSS – (action) button to make it disappear.

Time gates

These are inter-dimensional gateways that offer a window into past and future events.

Kurtis can witness actions from other times and receive messages from the past – and future.

While Kurtis can not step through, he can use his mind control powers to capture small non-organic objects and bring them into his dimension.

Time gates are scattered everywhere but are disguised as everyday objects.

To find and use a Time gate:

Select Psychic Aura Scanner from the Psychic inventory.

Scan the area for psychic aura.

When it is revealed the player stands in front of the Time gate and presses the CROSS – (action) button.

The Time gate opens and the Kurtis sees a third person camera view of the action.

To capture an object:

R2 – Hold = Mind control over objects

Steer crosshair over object with:

AL – Left/right/forward/back + 1 click = Capture object

When the object is captured Kurtis is returned to the normal game mode.

Objects can also be thrown into the Time gates.

Players inventory

D PAD – LEFT ARROW – Hold down = Inventory

Scrolling horizontal selection bar. Rolls left or right.

Center slot is high lighted and the item inside it is the current weapon.

Release the D PAD button to use the selected item.

Items list:

Diary.
Amulet.
Antidote.
Paranormal scanner.

Hand weapon inventory

D PAD – UP ARROW – Hold down = Hand weapons

Scrolling horizontal selection bar. Rolls left or right.

Center slot is high lighted and the item inside it is the current weapon.

Release the D PAD button to use the selected item.

Items list:

Multi-round hand gun.
Fires a variety of 9mm ordnance.
Sodium SALT tipped slug.
Standard 9mm slug.
Stun slug.
Uzi sized submachine gun. Fires standard 9mm slug.

Throwing weapons inventory

D PAD – DOWN ARROW – Hold down = Throwing weapons

Scrolling horizontal selection bar. Rolls left or right.

Center slot is high lighted and the item inside it is the current weapon.

Release the D PAD button to use the selected item.

Items list:

Gas grenade.

Explosive grenade.

SALT grenade.

PSYWARE

PSYWARE is the military term given to the paranormal abilities of the human mind.

This breaks down into two areas:

Area 1. Psychic powers are concentrated on tactical and information gathering activities.

List of powers:

Out of body eye for reconnaissance.

Aura scanner. For detecting the paranormal.

Mind control of objects. Pick up, move and drop.

Levitation. Limited in height and duration. Quickly depletes energy reserves.

Best used to enhance fighting moves. Kicks, flips etc.

Mind control over life forms. Take control of other creatures’ bodies.

Psychic tap. Kurtis can drain the energy from humans to power up his occult energy reserves.

Area 2. Occult powers are used for offensive and defensive attacks and draw their energy from the energy signatures of all living things.

List of powers:

Directional energy wave.

360 blast energy wave.

PSYWARE booster.

All of the weapons in the Hand weapon and throwing weapon inventory can be power-boosted by combining Hand weapons and Throwing weapons with the Psychic power button.

Select a Hand weapon or throwing weapon.

Hold down the L1 – Psychic power

Enemy demons

When a demon breaks through the dimensional barrier, the first thing it wants to do is enslave minions. It does this with a zap of power, turning the victim into a slave. These slaves can be used as assassins or cannon fodder, and spies.

Demons will camouflage their true shape for as long as possible, preferring to take the form of another creature.

Only when the host form has been rendered useless will they appear in their true demonic form.

Demon hunting tends to follow this pattern:

Tracking – the investigation and locating of the demonic infestation.

Mortal combat – combat with the enslaved minions protecting their master.

Paranormal combat – containment and exorcism of the demon itself.

Game structure

The game will take the format of a TV series.

Twelve episodes form a complete series.

Each episode has its own complete story and mission to be completed, although some missions and stories will span two episodes.

Key characters will appear in each episode, while some will only come back later on in the series.

Overview of episodes. Only showing key story points.

Note: In-between each episode is a commercial break. Adverts, music videos and news bulletins are broadcast. Some may seem completely off at a tangent but all will create a feel for the kind of world that Kurtis inhabits.

Episode 1

Kurtis on the streets. Living on the proceeds of crime.
Meets Father Francis for the first time.
Rejects the priest’s offer of help.
Kurtis is involved in a robbery that goes wrong. Ends up in prison.
Father Francis gets him out and takes him to his safe house.

Episode 2

Father Francis shows Kurtis how to master his occult powers.
They go on a demon hunt together. Kurtis is back on track.

Episode 3

More demon fighting. Kurtis is becoming more adept at using his skills as a demon hunter.

Eckhart makes his first appearance and escapes after a savage fight.

Father Francis explains the invisible war between good and evil that is raging in the city.

Episode 4

A super demon breaks in and is loose in the city.

Kurtis rescues a girl. Ana Bell, TV news reporter. Falls in love. She dies. (Sigh.)

Kurtis blames himself.

Episode 5

First part of a two part story.

Eckhart is trying to mastermind a massive occult invasion in the city.

To be continued …

Episode 6

Continues …

The investigation leads to a billionaires mansion. Beneath the gothic pile are miles of catacombs filled with a demon army.
Eckhart escapes to fight again.

Episode 7

Introduce Martella Chancy – a forensic police scientist. Side kick for Kurtis and Father Francis.

Kurtis meets his mother. She gives him his father’s diary.

The diary will provide insights into Kurtis past and future.

Episode 8

More demon fighting.
An old friend from Kurtis’ legion days turns up.
Kurtis’ is persuaded to join in a bank robbery.
This is a trap and the MIB capture him.
Kurtis must escape from captivity.

Episode 9

Comedy episode

Cute furry critters are being sold all over the city.
They hatch into something nasty.

Episode 10

Halloween in the city.

Vampires are abroad tonight.

Father Francis “Vampires! I hate those guys!”

Episode 11

Eckhart kidnaps Kurtis’ mother (Marie Cornel) and Kurtis must rescue her.

Father Francis dies in this episode.

Kurtis must go on alone.

Episode 12

Eckhart has taken Marie Cornel to the place where Kurtis was born – a hermetically sealed base in the Utah desert.

Kurtis must rescue his mother.

Eckhart escapes to Europe.

KURTIS TRENT CHARACTER ANIMATIONS

Basic moves

Standing/Waiting
Personality move – smoking a fag/eating peanuts.
Walk
Run
Strafe – left + right
Sneak
Crouch
Belly Crawl
Jump – upwards/forwards/backwards – (hop)
Rolling – left/right/forward
Stepping – left/right/forward/backwards
Death move
Weakened slouch
Hit reactions – punch, shot, electrocution etc..

World interaction

Push door
Kick locked door open
Climbing – ladders
Press button – chest height
Operate keyboard – table height
Pick up object
Throw object

WEAPONS

Holster + Draw firearm

Fire firearm

Reload firearm

Grab + Throw Grenade

Cast/throw salt

Hold occult amulet

PSYCHIC MOVES

Trance state – out of body movement
Mind control – arm extended to move objects/humans etc..
Psychic wave – tense up crouch move and release
Levitation stance – angelic pose
Psychic Energy Drain – same as mind control move
Psychic Shield – cross arms and brings head down
Psychic overload – hands holding head, stumbling around
Psychic blast – arms extended, hands together/open

Hand to hand fighting

Punch – psychic same move

Kick

Shove

Block

PSX 2 controller

AL – Half forward = Walk

AL – Full forward = Run

AL – Full back = Jump back

AL – Left/right = Turn around

L3 + 1 click = Crouch. To exit crouch : L3 + 1 click = Stand

L3 + 2 clicks = Crawl. To exit crawl : L3 + 1 click = Stand

AR – Left/right = Strafe sideways

AL – Forward + AR – Forward = Sneak

AL – Full forward + SQUARE – Tap = Jump forward

AL – Full back + SQUARE – Tap = Jump backwards

L1 – Hold down to combine psychic power with weapons and fighting moves.

Hold down to build up a stronger release of psychic power.

On screen charge bar will indicate level of power.

L1 – Hold = Psychic power + TRIANGLE – Block = Psychic shield

D PAD – UP ARROW – Hold down = Hand weapons

D PAD – DOWN ARROW – Hold down = Throwing weapons

D PAD – LEFT ARROW – Hold down = Inventory

D PAD – RIGHT ARROW – Hold down = NOT USED AT THE MOMENT

To select an item from the D PAD menus do the following:

+ AL – Left/right scroll to pick item. When high lighted release the D PAD arrow button

L1 – Psychic power + SQUARE – Jump = Levitation

To steer the character in levitation mode use a combination of AL and AR:

AL – Left/right = Turn around

AR – Left/right = Hover left/hover right

AR – Forward/back = Hover up/hover down

R1 – Hold = Out of body.

The Kurtis character freezes and a ball of light leaves his body.

To steer the ball to a host body in the out of body mode use a combination of AL and AR:

AL – Left/right = Turn around

AR – Left/right = Hover left/hover right

AR – Forward/back = Hover up/hover down

Fly into the host body you want to capture and control. They will move using the same controls as the Kurtis character.

L2 – Hold = Psychic power drain

To direct the beam onto a host body use:

AL – Left/right = Turn around

AR – Forward/Back = Up/down

L1 – Hold – Psychic power + CROSS – Tap = Psychic power blast

Mind control over objects:

R2 – Hold = Mind control over objects

Steer crosshair over object with:

AL – Left/right/forward/back + 1 click = Capture object

Move with:

AL – Left/right = Turn around

AR – Left/right = Hover left/hover right

AR – Forward/back = Hover up/hover down

Release with:

AL + 1 click = Release

CROSS – Tap = Action/punch Note: Hold down longer for greater distance throws with objects.

SQUARE – Tap = Jump up

CIRCLE – Tap = Kick

TRIANGLE – Tap = Defensive block

Threat indicator

How to show which direction the enemies are coming from in a combat situation.

Occult database

Referred to by Father Francis but only discovered at the end of the game.

Pick ups and reward system

Ammo

Energy

Keys

Kurtis’ fathers’ diary

Handed to Kurtis by his mother. This is not a happy family reunion.

Kurtis is bitter at his fathers absence and his mothers enforced exile from him.

The diary is not something he immediately values.

Game will use diary to provide background to enemy characters weaknesses.

The Lux Veritatis charms

Body charm 1 – True sight

Amulet that when Kurtis picks it up it burns a symbol onto the palm of his hand.

The tattoo will glow when occult danger is in the vicinity.

Body charm 2 – Pillar of strength

A rune covered stone pillar that when Kurtis encircles it with his arms burns a tattoo onto both forearms.

Increases Kurtis’ resistance to occult attack.

Body charm 3 – Pure of heart

A horizontal beam of energy that cuts through Kurtis leaving a tattoo on his chest.

Increases Kurtis’ resistance to occult mind control.

Body charm 4 – Wisdom of ages

A headband with a carved rune on the front.

Burns into Kurtis’ forehead and gives him instant access to the Lux Veritatis archives of occult knowledge.

Psychic power meter

This onscreen power meter indicates the amount of psychic charge being used when the player presses the L1 – Psychic power button.

The diagram below shows the power scale.

The longer the L1 – Physic power button is held the greater the eventual discharge of energy.

If the player exceeds the safe zone limit and enters the danger zone then the eventual discharge of energy can have unpredictable effects on Kurtis and his surroundings.

These can be one of the following: