Collaboration options

On Thursday I have presented my honours year project idea and work to Abertay Game Development Society members to see if there was anyone who would be interested in working on a project together. I was in luck as two people approached me after the meeting and we had a chance to discuss some ideas. One of society members would like to develop a top down chessboard based game where a character and an enemy moves on the checked board while trying to get to their destination first and another one wants to try and develop an interactive storytelling game that had been inspired by a thriller novel by an English writer Frederick Forsyth 'The Day of the Jackal'.

I have also done some research for the assassination game idea. Since the game will start with an assassin arriving at the Aérodrome de Pontoise - Cormeilles and then journey in to the Paris with a car (journey is part of the game) I have used Google Maps to see what is the landscape in that area and what if any prominent features are there, perhaps what colours to use and of course note the details (types of road signs, driving cars on the right side of the road rather than the left, etc.) Also had a look at the architecture in Paris. (see images below)

Also this weekend going to watch 'The Day of the Jackal' movie directed by Fred Zinnemann.

Rest of the meetings I had this week were little less productive. There might be a one more option to collaborate with an 4th year GDPM student, however the person does not have an idea of what he would like to do/develop and is happy to do make a lot of prototypes for me. So now I will have to try and make a decision but before I do that I will try and get some advice from my supervisor tomorrow.

Also this week I have managed to complete a one more mock-up videogame screenshot somewhat based on my second year Game Design Document. To save time I chose to copy already existing games and just create my own assets. Used Orisinal game 'High Delivery' mechanics as an inspiration. Can find original game here:  http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g3/high.htm

I was trying to adapt the gameplay to my aforementioned game and attempt to recreate a watercolour look, at least for the environment. I think the paper texture is a bit too rough/pronounced and I should change it, but I do like how the clouds and the moon look in the uneven blue sky. Also I made a conclusion that actually trying to replicate a watercolour look and feel in digital form is a much more time consuming endeavour then in real life. Some of the patterns that form while adding paint to paper or when paint is actually drying have to be recreated separately and fine tuned using multiple steps while using software. It loses that watercolour hallmark of spontaneity which I like it so much. Basically the creation process becomes quite restrictive, repetitive, forced and time-consuming. It loses the charm of the 'happy accident' because there is none. I would say, a total opposite to using software for sketching, where the layers and the undo option makes things happen much faster without affecting final results especially if one chooses a brush that resembles a pencil or a felt tip pen.


I also thought it would be a good idea to actually try and digitally replicate some traditional painting. Just to get some practice and see how closely I can make my digital version to resemble what had been done on a canvas. I have found an image of a fairly simple oil painting. Reason for it, I was more concerned about showing evidence of a visible brushstroke on a large block of canvas than anything else. This is how far I have gone. (see image below)

 The original by José Salvaggio

My version

Note:  this painting is not finished yet and I did not pick the colours of the original using colourpicker tool.

I have experimented with a numebr of different digital brushes as well as with a sumge tool and paper/canvas texture. I think the texture ads a lot to the the realistic look/feel. Mainly because texture is hard to recreate especially when we are talking about the actual texture of paint mark/brush stroke on canvas.

 Here is the same digital painting  with the texture layers removed.

 I think it certainly looks more flat and digitally painted. I think the imperfections overall give a more naturalistic look. I think an eye subconsciously picks up the repetitiveness in digital art. For example digital brush strokes tend to be the same because it is a set tool (size, shape, opacity and other settings) I think varying brushes and their settings helps with achieve a  more natural look of a final peace. For example, I was trying to replicate a 'poppy' part of  'Chianti in Spring' painting by -by-Alexi-Zaitsev (see first image below) and the more I have varied the brushes and their settings the more digital version started  resembling oil on canvas. Note: did not try to replicate the colour but the texture only. (See images below)

Alexi-Zaitsev. Chianti in Spring. [online image]. Available from: http://www.artrussia.ru/pic_z/z478_110.jpg [Accessed 31 January 2014]

No texture added but a wide array of bushes used.

Papper/canvas texture added

I think the texture is too harsh. I think a softer setting would have made it look better, more realistic.

Same image as above but with a Find Edges layer overlayed on top of it.

Same image  but with a Stylise > Emboss layer on top.

I think the results are quite good. Just need to tweak some things on a layer texture to make it look more natural and use a variety of brushes while changing their settings. I think I might be on the right track here, but more work needs to be done. 

Reworking old game art ideas 3

I am back to reworking old game ideas and this time using a lot of my own brushes.

Here are some sketches that I did  while testing my brushes:

Pencil and Watercolour tests

Watercolour and Ink tests

Oil/Acrylic paints tests

And here is mock-up 'screenshots’ for the games:

Fianna

As I have mentioned in my previous post (week 7) I have decided to move back to using bright colours inspired by the original The Book of Kells (can also view it online at http://digitalcollections.tcd.ie/home/index.php by using search option ) and also re-watched The Secret of Kells (2009)* animation to see how they dealt with the art style that was also was inspired by the actual The Book of Kells. 

Columba, Saint (521-597) and Jones, Henry (1605-1682). The Book of Kells: Gospel of Matthew, Portrait of Christ. [online image]. Manuscripts & Archives Research Library, Trinity College Dublin. Available from : http://digitalcollections.tcd.ie/home/index.php [Accessed 5 January 2014]

The Secret of Kells. 2009. [online image] Available from: http://c8six.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/secret-of-kells.html [Accessed 5 January 2014]

Here is an image of work in progress with some colour reference (bottom right-hand corner) and changes to the background texture where I have tried imitating an old paper texture.

And here is a final image I came up with.

I think my new brush set definitely helped in producing a more of traditional media look, however the colour scheme and artwork ended up looking like the one from ‘The Secret of Kells’ animation even though it was not my intention. I think trying to replicate really closely actual Celtic art that can be seen in the real book of Kells is way too complicated, time consuming and possibly will not read well at all on a screen particularly for a game where player needs to see and understand what’s happening. If I was trying to do this type of art for my honours project I will need to really re-thing and re-design as well as test it more if it can work at all.

Conclusion: too complex and time consuming, won’t be using this art style for final production.

Books used for image references:

Bain, G. 1977. Celtic art: the methods of construction. Glasgow: Wm Maclellan Publisher

Courtney, D. 1988. The celtic art source book. Blandford.

Meehan, A. 1995. The dragon and the griffin: the Viking impact. Thames and Hudson

Meehan, A. 1995. The tree of life. Thames and Hudson

Dragonfly Dash

I've tried once  more to test the watercolour media look using a side view and see what I can do with the background plants: I wanted them to have that flowy watercolour look.

After considering art style from the actual gameplay view I have realised that it might be too confusing for a player to view it this way, as the background will get in a way: draw some unnecessary attention. Therefore, I have reverted back to the top down view and here is my final result.

I have used my custom brushes to create the final image: including the plant brush visible on a background). I think it looks much better than a previous attempt.  The player would have a feeling that there are certainly some plants below the flowers but the cool colour of the background makes it non-obtrusive. Flowers (obstacles which have to be avoided by the dragonfly) stand out well enough from the background by having warm and bright colours (reds, yellows) and the actual insects are black. Dragonfly is different from the other insects (dragonflies food) as it has red eyes and is much larger in size. Red trail drawn using stylus or finger shows the path it will travel.

The game art style design has traditional media look as I have used images of real ink stains on paper and converted them in to Photoshop brushes (the base of poppy flowers).

I think this game art version looks nice and could be taken foreword through in to semester 2 of my honours project.

NoBoy

Instead of continuing with my idea of an orchard I have decided to try an underwater scene instead.

Here is a thumbnail image of my initial idea for environment and character I have scribbled on my mobile phone.

Here is my first stage where I also tried applying a Bas Relief  filter effect (a technique I have found out about in one of the Digital Masters books) to create paint on canvas  texture. I was trying to imitate texture of traditional paint on canvas. See example image in my week 8 post by Alexander Sigov.

First version without the filter effect.

Second version with the filter added and layered on top of the original painting where you can see the texture somewhat reminiscent of paint brush texture created on canvas.

And here is a final image I was able to create.

I am really happy with the outcome. I think the Bas Relief  filter effect really adds to the traditional media look. I have changed the underwater plants slighlty: used different colour and black outline to indicate them as interactable objects. The main character supposed to have come from the stars, therefore I have created a 'star' brush and used it to add pattern on its body and that way show that he was not a regular creature. It also has a black outline since it falls in to the same 'interactable object' category and it was logical to make it stand out from the backgound. What I do realised now is that I need to look in to the game design and UI (User Interface) design in particular as I find it really hard to come up  with the game design logics and interaction therfore design suitable HUD (Head-up Display).

*  The Secret of Kells. 2009. [animated film]. Directed by Tomm Moore. Belgium, Ireland and France: Les Armateurs Vivi Film, France 2 Cinéma, Canal +, Cartoon Saloon.

Reworking old game art ideas 2

Next week is a Crit week and here are updates on my practical work so far:

Fianna

Sketches of some of the objects and characters that had been inspired by The Book of Kells.

I was trying to create something  new and perhaps a bit more simple as well as something that looks somewhat similar to original. I found out that Celtic looking designs are much more time consuming then I have assumed at first.

Quick mock up and colour as well as texture test.

As mentioned in my previous post I have tried changing colour scheme to something less bright and multi coloured but I came to realise quickly this wasn't the best idea. I think by muting colours design/idea  lost connection with the original ( The Book of Kells). I have also tried to fiddle with paper texture and it ended up looking 'too much' and 'too fake'.

I think I should go back to the original bright colours without worrying about them making sense (e.g.  dog being red colour) as well as working on background texture looking more realistic and not over the top.

 Dragonfly Dash

Mock up screenshot of the game

I have decided to change the game from a 'top-down' to a side view as this way I was hoping  I could show more of the flowers and background vegetation without compromising the actual game play too much. Also, as mentioned in my previous post I have attempted to recreate ink and watercolour look.

I think it is a better attempted then the Fianna one because the watercolour paper texture looks quite realistic. Ink marks also look reasonably satisfactory. Things I should fix in my opinion are:

• Colours - need to go back and refresh my knowledge on use of colour because it has been a while since I used colour in paintings.
• Recreation of watercolour painting effect. Although current result is not a very bad attempted I think looking in to digital watercolour techniques and possibly relevant Photoshop brushes would improve results.
• Background - need to come up how I could paint background plants so they would complement the foreground flowers

NoBoy

2 variations of  apple trees

Quick mock up of above apple trees within an environment  and  with  apples as interactive elements.

I was trying to replicate 'painterly' look on the left tree and tried to experiment a little with Photoshop brushes on the right tree design. I think both tree designs look reasonably successful and the apple seem to stand out by colour contrast, however by looking at the image so far I have realised that it might be difficult to differentiate between a background element and an interactive object in front of it. This problems stems from paintings being flat and static 2D objects with no interaction. I should look in how this problem is solved in other 2D games. Also, I should familiarise myself more with digital brush creation process in Adobe Photoshop as it in my opinion would help with achieving more of a 'painterly' texture.

 'Gravity Men' team  main character- robot.

Robot (main character) sketches.

Main character design mock ups. Combined a couple of robot designs from a previous sketch (see earlier post) and chose to combine 6, 7 and 8 texture tests in to final character design.

Final design for robot character.

As mentioned in my previous post I was attempting to give robot more aesthetic/artistic look; preferably somehow remind of sketch done using traditional art media. I have used a layer with watercolour texture effect and then tried to imitate a pencil drawing. I think it came out well and my team was happy with design.

Rat game character sketches where I have tried to recreate ink media look.

My favourite design and texture look is the one on the bottom right hand side, however the top right hand side one probably looks much more ink like.

Reworking old game art ideas 1

Since I seem to have made up my mind on what I want to create during my honours year I’ve decided to rework some of my old projects.  I think it's a good starting point  since I have an understanding about the project/game  as well as the actual gameplay.

Here are the projects:

First game I want to get back to is my last years Dare to be Digital attempt as part of a 'Tartan Paint' team: Fianna.

The idea behind the story and the artwork is to use Celtic influence. Inspiration for the actual artwork was The Book of Kells as well an animation 'The Secret of Kells'.
I would like to go back to the original stylised artwork but possibly change reasonably bright and unrealistic colours to something more real as the bright colours in my opinion might distract the player. Also having a more subdued colour palette would make it look more mature audience orientated.

The Secret of Kells. 2009.[animated film]. directed by Tomm Moore. France: Les Armateurs, Celluloid Dreams et al.

Here are some new quick sketches for this game:

Another project is a game developed for Samsung Challenge 2013: Dragonfly Dash. (As part of a team: 'Rose Petal Tearooms')

Gameplay consisted of controlling dragonfly's flight path using pen and directing it towards other insects that must be consumed while avoiding flowers. Art was done mostly in Flash and Photoshop.

Below is a sketch that I'm planing to try and make it look as if the final art was done using watercolours.

Third  project is my 2nd year  Entertainment Design module game to which I had to write a Game Concept document. Story is based on a peace of Lithuanian poetry created by Sigitas Geda and in original document was supposed to be a 3D game rather than 2D one. It was inspired by thatgamecompany games.

Below is a 'screenshot' idea from my original concept document.

I would like to rework the same idea but make it a 2D game. I think the fact that original idea came from a peace of poetry can work to its advantage in a way that it can be made to look as a book  illustration.

In addition to my honours year work I'm also taking part again in an Abertay Game Developers Society and this semester I'm responsible for character design and animation for 'Gravity Men' team game project. Here are some initial sketches for our main character- robot.

I would like apply some of my honours year ideas and give robot more aesthetic/artistic look; preferably somehow remind of sketch done using traditional art media.