novafarma/docs/game_design/INTRO_SEQUENCE_DESIGN.md

🎬 INTRO SEQUENCE - DESIGN DOCUMENT

"From Colors to Darkness" - Kai's Amnesia Awakening

Created: January 10, 2026, 04:21 CET
Duration: 30-45 seconds
Purpose: Emotional setup for entire game narrative
Style: Style 32 Dark-Chibi Noir with fast cuts (ADHD energy)

---

🎯 CORE CONCEPT: "SPOMIN vs. REALNOST"

The Temelj (Foundation):

• Kai & Ana: Twin siblings, separated in chaos
• DNA Link: Pink/green dreadlocks (genetic connection)
• Virus "X-Noir": Spreads through tech and blood → creates "Ombiji" (Zombies)
• Amnesia: Kai survived basement attack but forgot everything except ONE image: Ana

Emotional Arc:

"We had colors" → "Then came darkness" → "I'm alone with hole in head" → "Must find her... even if takes whole life"

---

🎬 SEQUENCE BREAKDOWN (3 Phases)

PHASE 1: HAPPY FAMILY MEMORIES (15 seconds)

Visual Style:

• Fast cuts (ADHD energy - 3-5s per shot)
• Blur-to-sharp effect (memories clarifying)
• Bright neon colors (magenta/cyan rim lighting)
• VHS grain texture (nostalgic)
• Style 32 chibi characters

Shots (5 total, ~3s each):

Shot 1 (0-3s): Longboard with Father

• Reference: /assets/references/aging_system/otac_punk_father.png
• Scene: Ocean pier, sunny day
• Action: Father teaching Kai to skate
• Father's hand on Kai's shoulder: "Pojdi, sin!" (Go, son!)
• Blur clears when father smiles

Shot 2 (3-6s): Dreadlocks at Barbershop

• Scene: Barbershop mirror
• Action: Stylist adding PINK streak to green dreads
• Kai's excited smile in reflection
• Ana visible in background getting similar style
• Blur clears on mirror reflection

Shot 3 (6-9s): Twin Moment with Ana

• Reference: /assets/references/aging_system/mlada_ana_twin_prisoner.png (but happy, not prisoner)
• Scene: University lab (Ana's workspace)
• Action: Both laughing, Ana showing science project
• CLEAREST shot (most important memory)
• No blur - this is what Kai holds onto

Shot 4 (9-12s): Birthday Celebration

• Scene: Home garden/party
• Action: Cake with candles, family together
• Mother and Father present (alive, happy)
• Reference: Both parents from /assets/references/aging_system/
• Warm colors, joy

Shot 5 (12-15s): Family Portrait

• Scene: Professional photo setup or casual selfie
• Action: All four smiling (Father, Mother, Kai, Ana)
• Perfect family moment
• Freeze frame for 2 seconds
• This is "what was lost"

Text Overlay (Typewriter Effect):

"Nekoč smo imeli barve..."
(We once had colors...)

Audio:

• Music: Light, happy indie/lo-fi (slightly grainy)
• SFX: Children's laughter, ocean waves, city hum
• Heartbeat: Subtle, steady (background)
• Volume: 0.4

---

PHASE 2: THE COLLAPSE (15 seconds)

Visual Style:

• Images start GLITCHING (digital corruption)
• Colors become INTENSE (saturated reds, toxic greens)
• VHS scanlines multiply
• Blur increases (memory breaking)
• Style 32 Noir kicks in (dark atmospheric)

Shots (4 total, faster cuts ~4s each):

Shot 1 (15-19s): Virus Spread

• Visual: Green fluorescent particles spreading
• Digital HUD showing infection progress
• "X-Noir Virus: Outbreak Detected"
• Neon green toxic glow
• Screen glitches heavily

Shot 2 (19-23s): Ombiji Appear

• Silhouettes of zombies (Style 32 shadows)
• Red eyes glowing in darkness
• Crowd of normal people transforms
• Panic, screaming (visual chaos)
• Fast strobe cuts

Shot 3 (23-27s): Parents Fight/Flee

• Reference: /assets/references/aging_system/otac_punk_father.png and mati_punk_mother.png
• Scene: Parents protecting twins
• Father with longboard as weapon
• Mother pulling kids to safety
• Blur effect HEAVY (Kai can't process)
• Red atmospheric lighting

Shot 4 (27-30s): Separation

• Ana being pulled away (military/scientists)
• Kai reaching for her (slow motion)
• Screen goes RED
• VHS glitch corrupts everything
• Final frame: Ana's face disappearing into static

Text Overlay (Typewriter Effect):

"Potem je prišla tema..."
(Then came the darkness...)

Audio:

• Music: Fast, aggressive punk rock (distorted)
• SFX: Sirens, screams, gunshots, chaos
• Heartbeat: Rapid, panicked (120 BPM)
• Volume: 0.7 → 1.0 (building tension)

---

PHASE 3: AMNESIA WAKE-UP (5-10 seconds)

Visual Style:

• COMPLETE BLUR (nothing clear)
• Screen goes dark (fade to black)
• Slow fade up to Kai's bedroom
• Kai visible but confused, disoriented
• Camera shake (grogginess)

Shots:

Shot 1 (30-33s): Pure Blur/Darkness

• Black screen with faint VHS scanlines
• Heartbeat gets slower
• Breathing sounds (Kai waking)

Shot 2 (33-37s): Kai's Bedroom (Current Day)

• Reference: Young Kai base sprite
• Scene: Dark bedroom, morning light coming in
• Kai sitting up in bed, confused
• Hand on head (amnesia headache)
• Room details: posters, longboard, minimal

Shot 3 (37-40s): Memory Fragment Flash

• Quick flash of Ana's face (twin memory)
• Only thing Kai remembers clearly
• Purple skin version (memory distortion)
• Reference: /assets/references/main_characters/ana/master_reference_nobg.png

Shot 4 (40-45s): Gronk's Voice

• Audio only OR Gronk sprite appears in doorway
• Gronk's silhouette with vape smoke
• "Spet si zaspal, stari... upam, da si sanjal o mojem vapiu."
• (You overslept again, man... hope you dreamed about my vape.)

Text Overlay (Typewriter Effect):

"In ostal sem sam... z luknjo v glavi."
(And I remained alone... with a hole in my head.)

Final Text (Typewriter Effect):

"Moram jo najti. Tudi če mi vzame celo življenje."
(I must find her. Even if it takes my whole life.)

Audio:

• Music: Slow, dark ambient (ethereal)
• SFX: Heavy breathing, heartbeat slowing (80 BPM → 60 BPM)
• Gronk's Voice: [AI_VOICE:gronk:custom] with vape background sound
• Volume: 0.3 (quiet, intimate)

---

🎮 SPECIAL EDITION NOTIFICATION (5 seconds - Optional)

Trigger: If player is buyer #1-20 OR streamer mode detected

Visual:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  ⭐ SPECIAL EDITION ACTIVATED! ⭐       │
│                                         │
│  Gronk Helper Mode: UNLOCKED            │
│  (Exclusive for Founder #XX)            │
│                                         │
│  Press [G] to summon Gronk companion!   │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Style:

• Neon magenta/cyan border
• Pulsing glow animation
• 5-second display
• Skip on any key
• Gronk chibi sprite appears briefly

Audio:

• Special unlock chime (vape sound effect)
• Gronk: "Gronk help! Pink is best!"

---

📝 TYPEWRITER TEXT SCRIPT (Complete)

Phase 1 (Happy Memories):

"Nekoč smo imeli barve..."

Phase 2 (The Collapse):

"Potem je prišla tema..."

Phase 3 (Amnesia Wake-Up):

"In ostal sem sam... z luknjo v glavi."

"Moram jo najti. Tudi če mi vzame celo življenje."

Typewriter Settings:

• Speed: 50ms per character (ADHD-friendly - not too slow!)
• Sound: Subtle typewriter click (0.1 volume)
• Skip: Any key press
• Color: White with neon cyan shadow

---

🎨 VISUAL EFFECTS SPECIFICATIONS

Blur Effect:

// Phase 1: Blur-to-Clear (memories clarifying)
blurStrength: 10 → 0 (over 2 seconds per shot)
ease: 'Power2.easeOut'

// Phase 2: Clear-to-Blur (memories breaking)
blurStrength: 0 → 15 (over 3 seconds)
ease: 'Power2.easeIn'

// Phase 3: Maximum Blur (amnesia)
blurStrength: 20 (total darkness)

VHS Glitch Effect:

// Phase 1: Light grain
scanlineIntensity: 0.2
glitchFrequency: 0 (no glitches yet)

// Phase 2: Heavy corruption
scanlineIntensity: 0.7
glitchFrequency: 2.0 (glitch every 500ms)
colorShift: true (RGB separation)

// Phase 3: Minimal
scanlineIntensity: 0.1

Color Grading:

// Phase 1: Happy/Warm
saturation: 1.2
brightness: 1.1
temperature: 'warm' (orange tint)

// Phase 2: Intense/Toxic
saturation: 1.5
brightness: 1.0
reds: +50% (danger)
greens: +70% (virus)

// Phase 3: Desaturated/Cold
saturation: 0.6
brightness: 0.8
temperature: 'cold' (blue tint)

---

🔊 AUDIO TIMELINE

0-15s (Happy Memories):

• Track: Light indie/lo-fi music
• Tempo: 100 BPM
• Mood: Nostalgic, warm
• Volume: 0.4

15-30s (The Collapse):

• Track: Fast punk rock (distorted)
• Tempo: 180 BPM
• Mood: Chaos, panic
• Volume: 0.7 → 1.0 (crescendo)
• SFX: Layered chaos (sirens, screams, gunfire)

30-45s (Amnesia Wake-Up):

• Track: Dark ambient (drone)
• Tempo: N/A (atmospheric)
• Mood: Confused, lonely
• Volume: 0.3
• SFX: Heartbeat (60 BPM), breathing, Gronk's voice

Transitions:

• Crossfade duration: 1 second
• No silence gaps (seamless flow)

---

📂 REFERENCE ASSETS REQUIRED

Images (Happy Memories):

• Otac (alive): otac_punk_father.png
• Mati (alive): mati_punk_mother.png
• Mlada Ana (happy version): Generate from mlada_ana_twin_prisoner.png but smiling
• Young Kai: /assets/references/main_characters/kai/master_reference_nobg.png

Images (The Collapse):

• Zombie silhouettes: Generate Style 32 shadow zombies
• Virus particles: Generate neon green toxic effect
• Parents fighting: Action poses from alive references

Images (Amnesia):

• Kai bedroom: Generate dark bedroom scene
• Ana memory flash: master_reference_nobg.png (purple version - memory distortion)
• Gronk silhouette: /assets/references/npcs/gronk/ (if exists)

Audio:

• Happy music: Find CC0 indie/lo-fi track
• Punk rock: High-energy distorted track
• Ambient: Dark drone atmosphere
• SFX: Kenney.nl packs, Freesound.org
• Gronk voice: Edge-TTS generated

---

💻 IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FOR AGENT

IntroScene.js Structure:

class IntroScene extends Phaser.Scene {
    create() {
        // Initialize systems
        this.typewriterSystem = new DynamicTypewriterSystem(this);
        this.audioSystem = new HIPOAudioSystem(this);
        
        // Play sequence
        this.playPhase1HappyMemories();
    }
    
    playPhase1HappyMemories() {
        // Duration: 15 seconds
        // 5 shots, 3s each
        // Blur-to-clear effect
        // Typewriter text: "Nekoč smo imeli barve..."
        
        this.showShot('otac_longboard', 0, 3000, {blur: 10 → 0});
        this.showShot('dreads_barbershop', 3000, 6000, {blur: 10 → 0});
        this.showShot('ana_twin_moment', 6000, 9000, {blur: 0}); // Clearest
        this.showShot('birthday_party', 9000, 12000, {blur: 5 → 0});
        this.showShot('family_portrait', 12000, 15000, {blur: 5 → 0, freeze: 2000});
        
        this.time.delayedCall(15000, () => this.playPhase2Collapse());
    }
    
    playPhase2Collapse() {
        // Duration: 15 seconds
        // 4 shots, faster cuts
        // Glitch effect intensifies
        // Typewriter text: "Potem je prišla tema..."
        
        this.showShot('virus_spread', 15000, 19000, {glitch: 'heavy', green: +70%});
        this.showShot('ombiji_appear', 19000, 23000, {glitch: 'extreme', strobe: true});
        this.showShot('parents_fight', 23000, 27000, {blur: 15, red: +50%});
        this.showShot('ana_separation', 27000, 30000, {glitch: 'corruption', red: 100%});
        
        this.time.delayedCall(30000, () => this.playPhase3Amnesia());
    }
    
    playPhase3Amnesia() {
        // Duration: 10 seconds
        // Blur → Kai's room → Memory flash → Gronk
        // Typewriter text: "In ostal sem sam..."
        
        this.cameras.main.fadeOut(2000, 0, 0, 0);
        this.time.delayedCall(3000, () => {
            this.cameras.main.fadeIn(2000);
            this.showShot('kai_bedroom', 33000, 37000, {blur: 5});
            this.showShot('ana_memory_flash', 37000, 38000, {flash: true});
            this.playGronkVoice(40000);
            
            this.time.delayedCall(45000, () => {
                if (this.checkSpecialEdition()) {
                    this.showSpecialEditionNotif();
                } else {
                    this.scene.start('GameScene');
                }
            });
        });
    }
    
    checkSpecialEdition() {
        // Check buyer ID or streamer mode
        return (buyerID <= 20 || streamerMode);
    }
}

---

🎯 KEY DESIGN PRINCIPLES

1. ADHD Energy (Fast Cuts):

• No shot longer than 5 seconds
• Rapid transitions keep attention
• Skip button ALWAYS available
• Visual variety prevents boredom

2. Emotional Impact:

• Happy → Sad = Maximum contrast
• Clear memory (Ana) = Quest motivation
• Parents sacrifice = Depth
• Amnesia = Player relatability

3. Story Clarity:

• 3 text overlays tell complete story
• Visual storytelling (no exposition dump)
• Mystery preserved (what happened to Ana?)
• Motivation clear (find her!)

4. Style Consistency:

• All Style 32 Dark-Chibi Noir
• Neon magenta/cyan throughout
• VHS aesthetic (memory theme)
• Thick outlines maintained

---

📊 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

Assets Needed:

• 15+ reference images (some need generation)
• 3 music tracks (happy/punk/ambient)
• 20+ SFX (layered chaos)
• 1 AI voice (Gronk)
• Typewriter font (monospace)

Phaser Effects:

• Blur PostFX
• VHS Scanline shader (custom)
• Color grading pipeline
• Fade transitions
• Glitch effect (RGB separation)

Performance:

• All images preloaded
• Audio streaming (not preloaded)
• Effects optimized for 60 FPS
• Skip function instant (no delay)

---

🚀 NEXT STEPS FOR IMPLEMENTATION

1. Generate Missing Assets:

   • Happy Ana (smiling version)
   • Zombie silhouettes
   • Virus particle effect
   • Kai's bedroom

2. Create IntroScene.js:

   • Phase system
   • Timeline management
   • Effect controllers

3. Test Sequence:

   • Verify timing (30-45s total)
   • Check skip functionality
   • Audio sync
   • Special Edition trigger

4. Polish:

   • Blur curves smooth
   • Glitch timing Perfect
   • Music transitions seamless
   • Text readable

---

Document Status: ✅ Complete Design
Ready For: Agent Implementation
Next Phase: Asset Generation → IntroScene Coding

Created by: David "HIPO" Kotnik
Hipodevil666 Studios™
"From colors to darkness - Kai's journey begins" 🎬🛹💜