Group Project

Well we've just been set the group project and personally i'm feeling quite optimistic about it. At first i was a little apprehensive mainly due scale of the thing but after thinking about it a bit i realised that with proper planning it's just painting by numbers.

As a group we have decided to spend the first week solely doing concept paintings. The idea is paramount to the resolution of the project. There is no point still designing part of the game world whilst trying to make it. The more solid the idea, the more solid the plans, the more smoothly the building of the assets will go.

With this in mind hopefully we'll get all the assets built in good time and be able to spend time implementing them into Unreal and making sure that everything works.

Some key points to consider i think are -
The size of the level
The art style
The time frame
Scale of assets.

To produce the concepts we are going to be painting over photos taken of the queens building. This will enable us to focus on the design rather than creating a game space from the ground up.

Year 2 Semester 1

So the presentation was yesterday. I feel like that went well although i probably sped through everything a bit too fast. Didn't have much to say about it to be honest. I didn't prepare anything to say seeing as it's my own work so i figured it would be fairly easy to talk about in a spontaneous manner. But then when it came down to it i realised there wasn't much to say. Nonetheless i always like to think my work speaks for itself anyway.

Personally i think semester 1 was a disaster. Having a job this year has really impacted the amount of time i spend working. Last year i spent every waking moment sat at my desk working give or take the odd break to eat. This year although i keep up that routine i annoyingly have to break for work 3 nights a week - because of this i got quite severely behind although i managed to catch up just fine. The good thing is i am now accustomed to the workload and the time frame, so in theory, semester 2 should be a much smoother ride.

My goals are to continue with painter and familiarise myself with the program more. It's soooo much better for colour work than photoshop. I literally cannot use colour in photoshop for some reason.

To conclude, semester one was OK, i like a few select things from it, but on the whole I'm rather unhappy with my progress and work in general.

I MUST DO BETTER.

Game Engines

Economising on game engines by reusing and adapting them to produce different games is common practise in the industry. Once in a while a developer may feel that they want to develop their own engine as none of the available ones suit their needs. This is all good and well except this is time consuming and costly. However, once made it can be licensed to other developers recovering some of the original costs.

When choosing which game engine to use, it is worth considering all your available options. The engine provides the core functions of a game including - graphics, sound, scripting, physics etc. The best way to choose an engine would be to look at what games it has produced in the past, outline the key functions which make each engine unique and to then compare this with key requirements identified in the game you are making.

An example of this principle would be if you are making a first person shooter then it would be unwise to use a game engine developed for and primarily used for platform games. That isn't to say you should never consider it just that certain engines are designed from the ground up with different genres in mind.

FPS game engines have been notable for their continuous increase in technical power over the years and a common feature of modern engines is the photo realism that is now achievable. Many companies created engines years ago and simply upgrade them and release a new version as new technologies become available. Id tech 6 has been spoken about despite id tech 5 literally only surfacing in 2010. This is due to the developer planning to implement such features as mixing ray tracing and raster graphics once the hardware becomes available to do it.

The engine favored by this course is the UDK (free version of the unreal 3 engine) and from what i read i have gleaned that it's rather popular! Although i have yet to find anything detailing exactly why it's just so damn successful i can at least speculate for myself having just checked out some examples of games made using it. It looks to me to be incredibly versatile despite being geared mainly towards third and first person shooters. A game example on the Unreal site is called 'whizzle' which is a funny little 2d underwater type game. The graphics are awesome - it's that 3d 2d which is always good. Watching the interview with the developer below also gave the strong impression that it is easy to use and allows developers to focus on designing the game rather than the technical side of things.

I am willing to believe that it must be easy to use if it's been ripped apart and used for all sorts of games because of course those that have done this could have just used a different engine tailored nearer to their needs. But no, they have used Unreal and for the life of me i can only assume that is because it is versatile and easy to use as i have previously mentioned.

I guess I'll find out in semester 2. Hopefully i'll can report back positive findings. From everything I've heard it sounds to be quite accessible so hopefully i pick it up fast!!

Watch this space.

The Importance of Documentation

I'll be honest. As an artist, documentation is my nightmare. Fortunately if i ever land a job in the industry I'll hopefully have little or no input as to the contents of such documentation. Still, as much as i hate it, i recognise the need to produce documentation whilst on this course. In order to be able to understand and follow that which is outlined i should have experience creating those very reins.

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This will be a small scale project focusing on a specific scene. The scene in question is a market street in Paris. Though small, something with this much detail will still be a challenge. It is also important to portray as much culture as possible.

My personal aim for this project is to portray a realistic environment. A high attention to detail is crucial to achieve a photo realistic finish. There needs to be a special mention of the area where separate objects meet such as where the bottom of a building meets the street. Many games have a very harsh line where scenery objects meet.

This project will be released on the playstation 3. The reason for this being that whilst difficult to develop for, the additional power will allow the realisation of this artistic vision. This is not intended to be a stylised or low res project. The graphical level of detail should be inspired by the likes of uncharted 2.

The genre concerned here is a platformer, so as well as the visual elements, attention needs to be payed to the interactivity of the environment. Walls need to be scalable and as such will need sufficient geometry to do so. The market stalls themselves should be able to be climbed on top of.

This is aimed at the slightly older gamer. Although it is a platformer, the content involved is slightly more mature. The puzzles will require a bit more thought. As a rough estimate anyone between 15 - 40 should enjoy this game.

All concept work will be completed in either photoshop or painter with preliminary work being completed traditional.

3D models will be made in 3ds max with the texturing taking place in photoshop.

Zbrush will aid the making of normal maps, with xnormal being used to bake them.

Specs -

The lead character should not be typically heroic. Stay away from cliches such as tall and muscly. An average figure with a bit of a belly should be aimed for. Due to the lack of classical hero styling special attention must be payed to the outfit and silhouette to make the character iconic. The character will be wearing a waistcoat over a vest top as if it has been added as an attempt to look better dressed. Go for a warm but slightly dulled colour scheme. For the character's face make it interesting by exaggerating some features and creating a strong profile.
Hair should be slicked back and slightly grey.

The final model should be up to 20000 triangles with 2 x 1024 diffuse textures and additional normal and specular maps.

One level of detail will be required at 3000 triangles with one 1024 diffuse map.

This specific NPC should be dressed in an apron over a fitted top with vertical stripes. Many chains should be hanging from their belt. The face should be recognisably french looking.

The triangle count is 8000 triangles for the main model with the level of detail coming in at 2000 triangles. Both should be textured with one 1024 diffuse map. The main model should have additional normal and specular maps.

A few vehicles should be scattered around the environment but this particular one is a three wheeler. The rear is covered in mud so much that you can barely read the number plate. The paint is scraped so much on one side that it looks like its had an accident. Inside it has horrible seat covers - faded spots of purple and yellow. The car should tell a story, inviting questions. It is clearly not your average parked car. Perhaps this one is integral to the main story.

The tri limit for this car will be 9000 triangles and it will be textured with one 1024 diffuse texture and a specular map.

The environment is one street albeit rather long. To make it interesting lots of the buildings have arches and alleyways which add extra explorable space to this scene. The time of the year is festive so hanging above and across the streets are various decorations. The road should begin as tar but transition into cobbles as it gets further along the street. A main gutter should run right along the middle. Half way down the street between market stalls is a statue of french philosopher Jean Paul Satre. The market itself is basically a food market and should be stocked as such.

The tri limit for this whole street scene is 50000 triangles which includes the stalls and their main stock displayed as part of the stall. The maximum number of diffuse textures for this street scene are two 1024 maps. Additionally four 256 x 256 tileable textures can be used mainly for the walls and the floor. The same amount of normal and specular maps can also be used.

The main props in this environment will be cardboard food boxes and trash littered around. A lot of this will be able to be reused. A set of props totalling 2000 triangles should be sufficient to decorate the street. Include bin bags, cardboard boxes, bottles, paper, empty cartons etc.

One 1024 x 1024 diffuse maps should be used for all the textures. The objects are quite small and will not require a normal map but a specual map of the same size can be used.

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Well there you go, that's my attempt. I feel as if it is nowhere near comprehensive enough. But then again i imagine a lot more time would be invested in a proffesional design document. Having said that i did spend a reasonable amount of time trying to envision the whole thing and provide descriptions as well as the technical specifications.

I do think that was a worthwhile exercise just in terms of the scope. Although i have produced design documents for my game production projects they have all been for individual elements such as one character or a prop. Having to consider an entire game and all that it contains really made me appreciate documentation on a whole new level. I think i shall be spending a bit more time on my documentaion in the future if anything just to prepare for the FMP next year.

Level Design

Following on from the composition post, it seems logical to talk about level design. Before an environment artist even gets a chance to start making a scene look beautiful it will already exist as a white box in many cases. It may also use placeholder art. The purpose of this is simply to be able to experiment and refine the playability of a level without the art getting in the way. Stripped back to basics, a level designer can get to work. If it works well as a white box then it will work well as an amazingly detailed environment.

Although part of the level design process deals with the visual aspects of a level it is mainly left to the concept artists to create. An actual level designer is more likely to concern themselves with the playability of the level. This includes all manner of things such as -

• Laying out the map, considering how the player is directed through the level.
• Defining where/when key gameplay actions occur, such as set pieces
• Placing start points, NPC's etc
• Overall goals of the map relating to the gameplay for example a FPS map which is largely corridors would inspire use of short range weapons.

Level design is essential because it controls of the quality of the player's experience and their goals should there be any. Depending on how certain elements in a map are organized the whole genre of the game can be set. Also it’s not only the elements themselves but various devices which are used to direct our attention to certain elements.

For instance we could have two arguably identical maps, however subtle differences could make one a platformer and another a FPS. One of the ways attention is directed around a level can be the use of collectible items placed in a way to move the player forward. Other tactics include effective use of lighting and colour to make certain objects or platforms stand out. Another good one I always find helpful when playing is the camera angle. Even in a game where the user has full control of the camera, the default position has many times helped point me in the right direction.

As games have grown over the years so has the need for level designers however despite doing some research I’m not sure how someone would end up with this as a job. To start with it is both a technical and visual position requiring artistic knowledge as talked about in the composition post but technical knowledge is also a must because of the tools they use. A game engine will come with its own set of tools housed in a level editor that the designer must be fluent in.

In many ways their job is creating a balance between the visual and technical. This is not to be confused with a technical artist though who serves to mediate between programmers and artists. That is an altogether different beast.

Another key requirement I would imagine is experience - someone who has held a position working on games in the past. I highly doubt that a company would employ a graduate as a level designer unless it was in exceptional circumstances.

As an artist, 2d or 3d, my job would be heavily influenced by the work undertaken by the level designers, and it is simply up to us artists to make their work look good.

Composition

Composition is one of those key art disciplines that you cannot ignore whether you enjoy painting people, environments or machines – solid compositional skills are a must. I would go as far to say that even conceptualising potential silhouettes for a design is loosely related to composition as the fundamental key to a good silhouette is that the shapes work well together creating a certain level of impact. This is the same as organising the space in an environment painting. However, regarding pictorial composition there are a few key structures. Firstly we have the rule of thirds which turns the picture area into a grid of 9 equal parts. It is pleasing to the eye if focal elements are placed on either of the 4 cross sections. A similar idea is the Fibonacci curve which looks like a large spiral which is made by tiling squares whose sides are consecutive Fibonacci numbers. Essentially it is a more organic flowing version of the rule of thirds. It is an approximation of the golden spiral.

I used to mistakenly assume that there was more to composition than these basic principles and whilst there is, this belief led me to not properly understand the basics. I thought that such rigid ideas could only produce the same types of images but I have gradually learned that proper use of compositional elements such as size, shape, repetition etc can take advantage of the rule of thirds to produce extremely strong and imaginative compositions.

Charles Bernard in his art trek videos surmises the principles and elements of design/composition as the following –

Principles of Design
• Unity
• Harmony
• Gradation
• Contrast
• Balance
• Alternation
• Dominance
• Repetition

Elements of Design
• Shape
• Value
• Direction
• Size
• Texture
• Colour
• Line

The premise is simple to understand but practise is needed to successfully utilise them effectively. Using them in conjunction with the rule of thirds for example would be a good starting point.

Moving on, an interesting area of discussion revolves around how composition applies to 3D artists. In my opinion, it actually requires a greater mastery. A 3D artist must at all times be able to consider how the scene elements work together from different angles. Each asset added to the scene needs to be thought of in terms of how it will eventually be viewed.

In many respects, this is very similar to what a set designer does. They too need to understand how the set will eventually come across on camera. This forethought is something that comes from being an artist. In my opinion all creative people benefit greatly from an artistic understanding of composition.

There is however one key difference that makes a 3D artist’s job even more complicated – the in game ability to control the camera. With set design and games using a fixed camera system the composition of each scene can be directly controlled. However in games where the camera is controlled by the user, the angles at which the world can be viewed are almost limitless. Whilst perfect compositional harmony cannot exist at absolutely all angles it’s definitely something that can greatly enhance the experience if kept in mind.

I was recently playing the new Assassins Creed and I was on top of a rather tall building admiring the view of the city stretching off into the distance. After diving into the city and running around for a bit I then got thinking about how good it looked and how everything flowed and even a bog standard street looked easy on the eye. The little things such as the placement of various barrels, hay, wagons and even platform enabling ledges all just worked together. I then went on to think how much of a nightmare it must have been to make the game world work visually on all these different levels. It is almost like there are different layers of composition in games.

One last point I’d like to make about pictorial composition is that I feel it is possible to completely over saturate an image by using too many compositional elements. When I first started to really think about composition I attempted to use every principle and element I knew to make it perfect. However what I was unknowingly doing was constricting the image. By using everything I knew I was greatly limiting what I could do with the picture as it had to conform to so many rules. I now know that a good use of composition will utilise a handful of elements but use them creatively.

Nowadays my own use of composition is ok – I would say it is not bad, but I really need to strive to make it more exciting and creative.

Addiction and Games

I've just watched the Panorama episode dedicated to games addiction and am rather annoyed. Although the program doesn't portray games in a completely negative light, it definately swings further that way.

The program calls for games addiction to be a recognised medical condition, and for research to be undertaken to this end. The problem with this is that looking at the games is never going to give anyone any answers. A better study would be to look at addictive personalities and to try understand why certain people get addicted to just about anything, games included.

The way i see it, fun is addictive. If you are enjoying yourself, and feeling elated and happy you will obviously want to continue doing the activity in question. It drives everyone - who can honestly say that they don't like having fun? It's in our very nature to enjoy ourselves.

The problem arises when an individual has a lack of satisfaction in their life. Without a variety of things to immerse yourself in it is more likely you'll lock down on one specific thing. Gambling addiction is a good example as the people who participate obviously get their own personal high from the rare win. Presumably nothing else in their life gives them such satisfaction. It is rather sad to be honest but happens all too often.

I personally don't play games often. When i'm with friends i play utilising them as a bonding activity and if ever i genuinely have some free time ahead such as a holiday i'll probably try and kick back with a day of gaming. The important thing to note here is that i'm so busy i rarely see friends of have free time. I prioritise what is important to me in my life and i am fortunate that my chosen career as an artist is very rewarding and enjoyable to me. I am also lucky to participant in a wide variety of activities other than gaming and as such i am well aware that games are simply another means of entertainment. To this end, to get the most out of them i choose very carefully when i will play them.

I would say that pretty much all game addicts are not satisfied with their lives and use games as a means of escape and entertainment in one. Of course, the question remains as to why they simply don't seek out other entertainment or a better life. The simple answer to that is that we are not all the same, whilst it may be second nature for some of us to actively seek out new experiences it is not always the case.
Their life experiences have obviously cultivated the personality they have.

Obviously this requires a much greater in depth analysis which i may undertake over christmas but for now i just had to rant about the program.

Games should not be held accountable for addictive personalities. Games do not force people to play them. They encourage people to come back, but just how often an individual comes back has nothing to do with the game itself.