Project 3B, AV 7.0 - Cargo It Up 2-Player Game

Alternative Concept: Cargo Sort Arcade Game (Better for Younger Kids)

2 Players Playing Together Simultaneously (Space shared with
`Project 3A, AV 7.0 - Cargo Ship Control Room 2-User Shared Map`⁠
)

Gene (MDG) sent this reference:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2487300/Docked/⁠

⁠

⁠

CARGO IT UP

Core Idea

A 2-player cooperative logistics game where players must work together to load cargo ships as efficiently as possible. One player drives a truck collecting containers from storage areas, while the other operates a crane loading those containers onto ships.

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What Makes It Fun

Interdependence: Neither player can succeed without the other. The crane operator sits idle without deliveries from the truck driver. The truck driver's efforts are meaningless without proper crane loading. This creates natural pressure to communicate and coordinate.

Escalating Urgency: Ships arrive continuously with different loading requirements. As time progresses, more ships dock simultaneously, creating mounting pressure that can only be managed through tight teamwork.

Satisfying Physics: Both truck driving and crane operation feel substantial and realistic. Heavy containers affect truck acceleration and crane stability, providing tactile feedback that makes the virtual machinery feel authentic.

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Inspiration & References

"Docked" Influence: Takes the cooperative logistics puzzle concept where players must coordinate different roles to achieve shared objectives. The interdependency and communication requirements mirror the strategic cooperation found in the Steam game.

Simplified Overcooked: Similar to how Overcooked creates frantic cooperation through restaurant management, but focused on industrial logistics rather than food preparation.

Real Port Operations: While arcade-style, the game reflects actual port workflows where truck drivers and crane operators must coordinate constantly. Players gain appreciation for industrial teamwork without heavy educational messaging.

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Why This Works in 60-90 Seconds

Immediate Clarity: Both truck driving and crane operation use intuitive touch controls that players understand instantly. No complex tutorials needed.

Natural Learning Curve: First 30 seconds let players figure out their initial role. Final 30 to 90 seconds test their mastered coordination.

Built-in Replayability: Different container weights, ship configurations, and timing create variety. Players want to immediately try again to improve their teamwork and beat their previous score.

Perfect Museum Duration: Long enough for meaningful cooperation to emerge, short enough to maintain engagement and allow queue flow.

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Target Experience

Players should leave feeling:

"We did that together!" - Pride in successful coordination

"I see why you needed help" - Understanding of their partner's role

"Let's try that again" - Desire to improve their teamwork

The game succeeds when strangers naturally start talking to each other about strategy, when friends laugh about their coordination failures, and when families debate who was better at which role.

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Development Priorities

Cooperation Feel: Nail the interdependence - make it impossible to succeed alone

Role Balance: Ensure both truck driving and crane operation feel equally important and engaging

Physical Feedback: Both vehicles must feel substantial and responsive to control

Clear Communication: Visual/audio cues that naturally encourage player coordination

The game's success depends entirely on creating genuine moments of cooperation and mutual understanding between players, not on complex mechanics or detailed simulation.

Free Choice Model

Two fixed stations: one truck interface, one crane interface

Players naturally negotiate roles: "I'll take the truck, you take the crane"

Clear spatial organization for museum staff and queue management

Project 3B - Base Estimate (Core Setup) 2

Project 3B - Base Estimate (Core Setup) 2

Milestone ID

Milestone Name

Task

Detailed Deliverables

Sourcing

UX/UI Design & Audio

Eng Man-Hours

TPM & QA

Pass-Through Costs

Total Man-Hours

CG-M1

Design & UX

Cooperative Game Interface Design

Interface Design: Truck driving UI with steering, pickup, delivery mechanics; Crane operation UI with grab, lift, rotate, placement controls; Fixed station assignment flow; Cooperative communication visuals and indicators.

Game Flow Design: 60–90 second session with escalating difficulty; Container delivery and ship loading progression; Score tracking; Team achievement celebration; Quick reset and next-player queue.

Container System: Weight-based color coding (Light/Medium/Heavy); Visual hierarchy for stacking; Port environment layout with yard, loading zones, ship deck; Physics-based stacking validation; Success/failure feedback.

Cooperative Mechanics: Visual/audio comms tools; Role interdependency; Team scoring with contribution tracking.

In-house by WW + Port logistics research

–

100

CG-M2

Audio Production

Port Environment & Gameplay Audio

Vehicle Sound Effects: Truck engine audio with weight-responsive performance changes; Crane hydraulics and mechanical feedback; Container loading/unloading audio; Ship horn signals (~25 WAV files, normalized).

Port Environment SFX: Background port activity and machinery; Harbor water/vessel movement; Yard operations and traffic; Success/failure confirmation audio.

Pass-through Licensed SFX + Original composition

$800–1,200

CG-M3

Simulation Engineering

Core Game Systems

Simulation Engine: Truck physics (speed/load effect), crane lift/placement physics, collision detection.

Networking: Real-time sync between stations for container handoff and ship state.

Reset/Recovery: ≤3s reset to start state.

In-house engineering

–

106

CG-M4

Hardware Integration

Display & Console Setup

Displays: 1×43” non-touch monitor per station at eye level (game world).

Touch Consoles: 1×43” touchscreen per station at hand level (controls).

Housing: Furniture, cable management, UPS, service access.

Hardware procurement + in-house integration

MDG will provide the hardware, removed the pass-through cost

CG-M5

Visuals Implementation

Implementation of game UI, animations, and visual effects

Game UI: Implement UI such as score overlay, timer, and others

Animations: Implement truck and crane animations

Visual Effects: Visual effects for various situations (e.g. celebratory effect when scoring, on timeout, etc)

In-house engineering

CG-M6

Game Flow Review and Testing

Testing overall flow of the game; usability and aesthetics.

Game Flow: Thorough testing of game logic for all scenarios possible within the game in the right order. Includes adjustments and fixes afterwards.

In-house engineering

There are no rows in this table

128

Sum

210

Sum

398

Sum

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3B Peripherals Add-On Estimate (Optional)

3B Peripherals Add-On Estimate (Optional)

Milestone ID

Milestone Name

Task

Detailed Deliverables

Sourcing

UX/UI Design & Audio

Eng Man-Hours

TPM & QA

Pass-Through Costs

Total Man-Hours

CG-P1

Peripheral Input Integration

Truck Steering Wheel + Buttons

Wheel Integration: Continuous helm input for truck steering.

Buttons (2x): Mapped to pickup/unload actions.

Coding & Calibration: Input handling, calibration UI, fail-safe fallback to touchscreen.

In-house engineering + off-the-shelf hardware

$200–2000

CG-P2

Peripheral Input Integration

Crane Gear Stick + Buttons (UFO Catcher Style)

Gear Stick: Control crane boom movement (extend/retract, lift/drop).

Buttons (2x): Grab/release container and emergency reset.

Coding & Calibration: Input mapping, durability testing, fallback to touchscreen.

In-house engineering + off-the-shelf hardware

$200–2000

There are no rows in this table

Sum

120

Sum

156

Sum

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2-Player Cooperative Game - Technical Specification

1. Core Idea

A 2-player cooperative logistics game where each player takes on a fixed role at a dedicated station. One player drives the truck to transport containers from the yard to the ship-side crane. The other player operates the crane, lifting containers from the truck and stacking them onto the ship’s deck. Both roles are essential, and neither can succeed without the other . Visitors who want to try the other role can simply replay the game, which increases replay value and throughput.

Session Length: 60–90 seconds (ideal for high visitor turnover)

Players: 2 (Truck Operator + Crane Operator)

Win Condition: Load a target number of containers before time runs out

Partial Win Condition: Load fewer containers than target → lower score tier

Fail Condition: Catastrophic mis-stacking (ship overload or critical error) — ends game early

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2. Station Roles

(a) Truck Operator Station (Left)

Role Goal: Collect containers from the yard and deliver them to the crane loading zone.

Controls (Touchscreen or Steering Peripheral):

Drag to steer truck in yard grid

Tap container icon to load onto truck bed

Tap unload button when positioned under crane

Gameplay Flow:

Navigate container yard using mini-map.

Select containers of different weights/sizes.

Deliver containers to crane zone.

Repeat until session ends.

UI Elements:

Mini-map: Shows yard layout, truck position, crane zone.

Container Weight Indicator: Color-coded (green = light, yellow = medium, red = heavy).

Truck Speed/Capacity Meter: Adjusts based on container weight.

Feedback:

Engine rev sound changes depending on load.

Bumps/alerts if player collides with obstacles or wrong delivery zone.

(b) Crane Operator Station (Right)

Role Goal: Receive containers from truck and load them properly onto the ship’s deck.

Controls (Touchscreen or Joystick Peripheral):

Tap & hold: Engage crane hook on container.

Drag: Move crane horizontally.

Release: Drop container onto ship slot.

Pinch/zoom gesture (or joystick toggle): Extend/retract boom for vertical placement.

Gameplay Flow:

Accept containers from truck.

Lift container and position over ship.

Stack according to rules (heavier below, lighter above).

Fill as many ship slots as possible within time limit.

UI Elements:

Side View of Ship Deck: Empty container slots marked.

Color-coded Weight Categories: Heavy (red), Medium (yellow), Light (green).

Progress Bar: Shows loading completion and score.

Feedback:

Crane motor/hydraulic audio.

Metallic clinks when containers set down.

Alarm buzz if wrong placement is attempted (e.g., light below heavy).

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3. Cooperative Dynamics

Interdependence:

The truck operator is useless without the crane operator to accept deliveries.

The crane operator can only act once the truck has brought containers.

Communication Pressure:

Players must call out information: “Heavy container coming!” / “Place this on bottom row!”

Coordination ensures efficient stacking and higher scores.

Replay Value:

Players often replay to try the other role.

Different container distributions each round ensure variety.

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4. Technical Setup

Hardware per Station:

1× 43” non-touch display at eye level (shows game world)

1× 43” touchscreen at hand level (control interface)

Networking:

Real-time container sync between truck and crane stations

Reset System:

One-button reset for fast throughput in museum setting

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5. Visual & Audio Feedback

Truck Station:

Dynamic engine pitch changes with speed/load.

Yard background ambiance (horns, reversing beeps).

Collision warning sounds for mistakes.

Crane Station:

Hydraulic whines, metal clinks for drops.

Ambient port sounds (seagulls, wind, chatter).

Alarms if stacking rules violated.

Shared Environment:

Container yard and ship visible across both stations.

Celebratory sound + ship horn when target containers are loaded.

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6. Session Flow

Instruction Screen (10s):

Truck Operator: “Collect containers and deliver to crane zone.”

Crane Operator: “Lift and stack containers onto ship.”

Prompt: “Work together to load the ship before time runs out!”

Gameplay (60–90s):

Truck collects/delivers.

Crane stacks/loads.

Score builds as containers placed successfully.

End Screen:

Displays total containers loaded.

Performance rating: Bronze (few), Silver (average), Gold (target met).

“Play Again” option encourages visitors to try the other station / role next time they play

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Mock Visual Concept (UI & Station Layout)

Truck Station (Left)

Screen Layout:

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Project 3B, AV 7.0 - Cargo It Up 2-Player Game

2 Players Playing Together Simultaneously (Space shared with Project 3A, AV 7.0 - Cargo Ship Control Room 2-User Shared Map⁠ )

CARGO IT UP

Core Idea

What Makes It Fun

Inspiration & References

Why This Works in 60-90 Seconds

Target Experience

Development Priorities

2-Player Cooperative Game - Technical Specification

1. Core Idea

2. Station Roles

(a) Truck Operator Station (Left)

(b) Crane Operator Station (Right)

3. Cooperative Dynamics

4. Technical Setup

5. Visual & Audio Feedback

6. Session Flow

Mock Visual Concept (UI & Station Layout)

Truck Station (Left)

2 Players Playing Together Simultaneously (Space shared with
`Project 3A, AV 7.0 - Cargo Ship Control Room 2-User Shared Map`⁠
)