Pre crit week

Last Thursday I went to The Jolomo Bank of Scotland Awards exhibition at HMC (Hannah Maclure Centre). I think this was the best free time I have spent so far this year. I am really getting bogged down with my project. I seem to be doing nothing at all but my university work and still worrying if I can do it well enough. Pressure is mounting up and by always staring at my PC screen I am not doing many favours for myself or perhaps even for my project.

During the event I did not have that much time to look at the paintings that were hanging there but I really enjoyed talks with the artist. I have even stayed longer then I was intending at first because some of the conversations I had with the artists were really interesting and were close to my heart and my mind: the whole painting process, returning back to art after years of break, the constant beating yourself up by feeling like of being not good enough etc. Since I did not have much time to look at the exhibited paintings I went back to the exhibition this week during the day and really enjoyed looking an analysing the paint on canvas and how each painter had their own style and ways of applying paint on to the surface or choice of colour.


During last five days I have managed to complete the Game Concept Document*, make a better sketch for the underwater and land/forest part of the game as I doubt I will have enough time to create the rest of the game artwork. (see image below)

Also a better version of the land/forest screenshot. (see image below)

Character designs

Silhouettes

Iterated designs (not all complete)

I will have to rethink character design as most of them are too complicated and might be difficult/time consuming to animate.

As well as started to set up the proper land/forest layer for my final peace (see image below)

Tomorrow meeting my supervisor again to see what is her feedback and discuss what I would like to and should present during my crit presentation.


* Current Game Concept document can be found following this link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/q65ylkz26uzgk8p/Honours%20Game%20Concept.pdf

Meeting my supervisor

This week I had my regular meeting with Lynn and spoke about handover to my intended supervisor Simone O'Callahan. Also she had a look at my updated Game Concept document and gave advice on some of the HUD/UI and gameplay questions I had. Mainly about the UI during star and firefly collection as well as during star placement in to their sky 'sockets'. Also, some advice on how to better structure Game Assets List. She also liked my moodboards and told me that she could definitely see a game now and can imagine how it would look like, which is great. I feel really excited about it and my project as a whole.

Regarding Dissertation she advised me to add my game Case Studies in to the Methods part of the Dissertation document.

For next week I will be finishing off my Game Concept document as well as creating concept art for environment, character and layout. Also if I have time I should try and create some media tests to help me decide what style I am going to choose for my game art.

My goal is to have a game design ready and polished at least to 95% and concept art with media test done by Crit presentation on 13th of March, because I would like to hear what the tutors think, take their advice/suggestions and then crack on with the parctical part of the project: creating assets.

This Wednesday I have also met my supervisor Simone. Since it was our very first meeting I have showed her the entire practical and research stuff I have done so far as well as spoke about why I have chosen this aim and what I would like to achieve at the end. She also suggested that I should look at some artists who create interactive digital art. For example Nick Bantock and his "Griffin & Sabine" (Ceremony of Innocence CD).
Can see a video of it by following this link:

Ceremony of Innocence (long player) from Alex Mayhew on Vimeo.

I think it is very intersting and I like the traditional look/feel of the art also very simple interactions. I think what I really like in art is the personal touch of the artist that is visible in the art that he/she makes. I remember watching one of  Bobby Chiu (digital artist) videos on YouTube where he talked about artist and their artstyle. He said: "A lot of times when you look at great art an then you meet the artist you understand even more about the art. You understand where it came from."

deviantart. 2013. Bobby Chiu of Imaginism Studios (Part 1). [online]. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJtVlMmxD2Y [Accessed 27 February 2014]

Simone also suggested that I maybe should consider using surrealist artists as part of my research (e.g Magrite) since the story I am telling in my game is not real and of course there is a lot of surrealist art which I can use as an example for the traditional painting technique part of research. Another area to look for information could be illustration art.

After hearing about my game idea and story behind it, she informed me that there is a children’s book 'How to Catch a Star' by Oliver Jeffers which has a similar story to mine. I was intrigued and had a look.

Mr. K's Reading Corner. 2014. How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers Read Aloud. [online]. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwXvm4qBcXg [Accessed 27 February 2014]

I think it is a really sweet story for the kids. I also like Oliver Jeffers art style: really simple but nice watercolour art. However I probably will not go for a similar style.


Regarding Dissertation, I will have to finish it more early as I thought since Simone will need at least two weeks to read it and give feedback on it. I wish I could finish my practical work first as it would make since to do that before completing dissertation however it may turn out to be the other way round. It means that it should be ready latest by 21st of April.

Tomorrow I will be attending an opening night of The Jolomo Bank of Scotland Awards* at HMC (Hannah Maclure Centre). Since it is about landscape painting I am hoping that it will be useful for my project.


* Can read more about the exhibition here:
http://www.abertay.ac.uk/about/news/newsarchive/2014/name,15841,en.html

Pre-production

This week I was really busy dealing with my own game idea and game design.

First I made a sketch of how I have imagined the game would be: the whole layout. (see image below)

 Also made a quick sketch of the land/forest environment part. (see image below)

Then I needed to 'polish' the game idea and mechanics. Basically figure out what exactly is happening in the game, what the character can do, what are interactable objects and how they interact with the character, environment etc. Also what information got to be displayed in UI. I was trying to work that out in my mind by looking at my skech first but I was going nowhere as I kept forgetting things and had difficulties visualizing things as the 'gameplay' progressed. I know that game developers often use paper prototypes to test their ideas and seen some video about it so I did just that.

Paper prototype (see images below)

Paper prototype: up until land/forest starts

Paper prototype: land/forest and air parts

I have to say, having my game in front of me, even if it was on paper made it so much easier to understand and visualise how things worked and find 'holes' in gameplay and context. I did change environment layout and some of the items that the player had to acquire and how he/she would use them. HUD/UI requirements also become much clearer.


Before starting work on my Game Concept document I dug out my year 2 Entertainment Design module notes and an old Game Design document. I have used adjusted version of the framework for this game idea and completed first draft. I still need to finalise some minor things and write a Look and Feel part.

Also drafted  Game Asset List document. But it is far from final as I need to work out a few things related to HUD design and interaction.



To help me with game art and Look and Feel part of the Game Concept document I have created  three Moodboards. (see images below)

Colour Moodboard

Since the game would take place in the late evening and early night I decided that I want blue-violet colour palette to represent the coldness and cold tranquillity however because this story is not a horror story but more of a mystical fairytale I want oranges and yellows to balance  the coldness and create hope and warmth.

Since I am still not sure in which traditional media style I should paint all the game assets I have also created two moodboards: one for watercolour media (similar style to the boy and balloon painting I have created during week 19) and one for oil/acrylic media (similar to Noboy game underwater screenshot created during Semester 1)

Watercolour media moodboard

Oil/Acrylics media moodboard

Also this week I have met with one of the AGDS members as he wanted to find out more about my game idea and see if he would be interested to get involved. So far I do not know if it will lead anywhere. It would be good if my idea could be turned in to a game prototype, however the backup plan is just to create a gameplay video which at this point is the most likely outcome.