DIVERSION
AT THE OLD
DAWSON DAM
Diversion at the Old Dawson Dam is a point of interest intended for a large, open 3d game environment. Having been tasked by scientists in a nearby settlement to retake the dam and salvage some equipment, players have several options available to find their way through the defenses and inside the ruin. Adhering to the three primary approaches in the game, players are able to shoot their way through a series of combat encounters, use platforming to secure a vantage point and ease the fight, or study environmental clues and complete a puzzle to avoid the fight entirely.
GOALS
Showcase different approaches to combat problems
Tutorialize each method over the course of exploration, before presenting main roadblock
Highlight the environmental magnificence and industrial prowess in the Ambition landscape
BOLD
For players who want to tackle things head on, there's nothing stopping them from barreling in, guns blazing. The enemies are fortified and waiting for an attack after the first encounter noisy with the player, and won't go down easily, but this remains the most direct and arguably most quick route inside the facility.
For those less interested in a head on assault, the heavily fortified entrance, hastily erected barricades, and large number of bandits serve as a warning that this path isn't for the faint-hearted.
DELIBERATE
Players who take note of the well defended primary entrance and decide 'I'm going to take my time and think about this' will observe an alternate means of entry. By taking the time to platform up some scaffolding, the player can reach a vantage point that will allow them to ambush the waiting bandits from behind.
The Deliberate methodology is introduced after the first encounter in the form of a pair of earlier platforming challenges that award a scenic view over the dam site and a small cache of supplies.
CUNNING
Finally, for players who value their wits over their strength can really take the time to study their situation and find a way to circumvent the combat encounter entirely. Initially, a pair of wheels allow the player to experiment with a set of valves that control an overflow channel. Later, a set of environmental cues indicate that a specific turbine is missing from the main bandit room.
Following further clues through a defunct shaft, the player reach a control room. While a nearby chart reveals the pattern of valves that would ultimately flood the bandits, a key indicator is missing from the controls. The player must use logic to fill in the missing information and turn the wheels.
