Game Flow Idea

Mysterious protagonist awakes within a cave, nearby is a lit torch from a wall brazier, strange that there is only one lit torch in a room that contains at least 6. Initially the path is totally linear, with the player having to follow a set route to encounter the first puzzle.

The player eventually comes to a chamber in which the first puzzle is contained, there is a pedestal in the centre containing some strange technological/magical item. This item contains most of the mystery of the game and is never truly explained (JJ Abrams Style yo!). Obtaining this item triggers a cutscene in which the hieroglyphs transform through several languages before landing on English, and this should change the textures on all of the previous walls so that they are now readable by the player, this offers nothing other than deepening the mystery of the game. (easily subject to change if difficult to do, just block the old pathways off or something).

This first puzzle requires the player to activate switches in the right order, under the guise of the playercharacter learning to read the strange hieroglyphs using the strange stone device they have picked up from the pedestal.  This first puzzle will be simple and only require the player to activate the 4 switches around the corner of the rooms which will be indicated by the hieroglyphs.

After solving the puzzle, a cutscene triggers, in which the player sees the huge stone doors of the temple open.  The camera should pan now outside and show an image of the desert valley outside. Following this, the player will be able to freely explore the environment (see map). The valley is made up of a desert landscape that has a sandstorm going on making visibility not so great.  The player should, however, be able to make out the three large pyramid structures laid out around the valley.

Each pyramid contains a little information about the setting as well as a small puzzle, apart from the 3^rd and largest pyramid, which leads to the end of the game. The pyramid on to the east or west of the player as they emerge from the temple are smaller and slightly more difficult to make out in the storm but still easily visible, this was a choice as they are optional places to visit.

Pyramid 1 (eastern)

This pyramid has a stairway that leads to a room at the very top, within this room lies a puzzle, simple matching icons puzzle, contains more writing on walls to give the place more mystery. (to be added to this document later).

Pyramid 2 (western)

This pyramid has an identical layout but contains a different puzzle and different clues to the setting. The puzzle in here is a basic numeracy puzzle.

Pyramid 3 (final)

When the player reaches the top of this pyramid a cutscene triggers, showing the player being enveloped into light and disappearing from the scene, only to appear in a pitch black setting with a strange alien voice speaking to them. To be decided.