Sidescroller Project Post-Mortem

This project was the first one to be undertaken by the entire yeargroup, although we were split into sub-teams to work on different levels. We were tasked with creating a side-scrolling platformer in Unreal Engine 4 with four levels and various characters, and we had six weeks to complete it in.

• What I Worked On

I worked as an environment artist for the “scary” level, alongside two other environment artists and a concept artist.

I ended up making two statues, three pieces of foliage, spiky crystals, doors for the end of the level, some chains with lamps, cave paintings, and a waterfall. I also made a piece of collapsed wall, but I did not include this in personal asset screenshots since the tileable textures were made by another group member.

The statues I made were sculpted in Zbrush, retopologised in 3D Coat and baked down in 3DS Max, whereas for the door I made the base mesh first, sculpted, and baked it back down. I found for the rest of the assets I made I didn't need to sculpt anything, though I did bake down the grass planes from an initial model I made in Max. All assets used Albedo, Roughness and/or Normal maps where needed to work with Unreal Engine 4’s Physically Based Rendering, often with extra Alphas to mask out glow as a dark atmosphere was an important aspect of our level.

• What Worked Well

For the most part people had their specific areas of design to work on- One member working on rocks and architecture, one primarily focusing on the important hero assets and one (me) working on smaller hero assets and miscellaneous objects to populate the scene. This ensured a consistent look between similar kinds of asset.

• What Didn't Work Well

For our level there was definitely a lack of communication between the engine artists and the rest of us. On our side I don’t think most of us were that great at either getting assets to them soon enough or not telling them they were done and on drive. Obviously I can’t say much about the engine artists’ experience but they made some questionable design decisions (such as colouring some of the waterfalls bright blue) and ignored my very small list of tweaks to be made. This is understandable since I made said notes only a day before hand in but most of the issues I brought up could easily be fixed in seconds.

What we should’ve done is borrow the engine off the engine artists occasionally to make tweaks ourselves. One of us tried to do this once but didn't give notice and so some work had to be scrapped, as the engine artist had still been working on the most recent version. Again solely a communication problem.

• Problems I Faced, and How I Overcame Them

It was very difficult in the earlier stages of the project before the modelling stage. I didn't feel very confident with my concepting skills especially next to the dedicated concept artist. Even during the whiteboxing stage I felt quite useless as I intended to sculpt my most important assets from scratch and so spending a lot of time on whiteboxes wasn't an efficient use of time for me.

I pushed ahead with modelling what I could as early as possible to make myself useful as early as possible. I also tried to focus on the more complicated assets first to get them out of the way so I would be able to focus on smaller assets to populate the scene near the end. This worked out very well for me as I was able to ask the rest of my group what needed doing and take on extra assets to push things towards completion.

• What would I do differently if given a second shot?

If I were to undertake a project similar to this one I would ensure that there was a concrete system for communication between the environment and engine artists, with specific pieces of information that must be passed between people so assets could be imported correctly and as soon as possible. I would also either push for the level to have more man-made architecture or experiment with vertex painting in-engine, as the way it is now the level is 90% generic rocks.

• Conclusion

I’m happy to have been a part of this project, not because of the end result but because I gained a lot of experience as well as some work for my portfolio. Most levels turned out very well but I admit the one I was a part of feels lacking. A lot of this blog entry probably comes off as complaining about other people’s work but I really do think everyone in the project did the best they could, and considering how pessimistic people were about the project around the midway mark I know things could’ve gone much worse. This has all been a very important learning experience and great practice for working in a multifaceted development team.

A Pretty Late Mid-Project Update Blog

The deadline for the sidescroller project is looming ever nearer, and most assets are complete or nearing completion. I intended to write this blog earlier in the project but I ended up being too focused on the project itself, so I’ll keep this fairly short so as to leave some things for the post-mortem blog.

We’ve had some worries over the course of the project about being able to meet the deadline, but at least out team is doing well and all the original assets will be finished very soon. The other environment artists in team Scary seem to like jumping from working on asset to asset to keep things interesting and fresh whereas I have preferred to focus on one asset at a time to keep things straight-forward. This isn’t necessarily better practice, especially as it means a lot of my stuff wasn’t whiteboxed very well but it has allowed me to branch out to other things due to getting my complex and more important assets out of the way at the beginning of the project.

I was slightly worried about not getting much experience or input with the engine work, but I did manage to have a play around with particle effects. I’m quite pleased with the waterfall I made as I was quite apprehensive when I decided to take on the task. This is where I am somewhat worried about the final build of the level though, as although I was told the engine artists would be working with particles I’ve yet to see if they can position or make edits to the system independently. I don’t really like not having the ability to go in and place the assets myself without a heavy amount of planning, it wouldn’t be a problem if the engine artist assigned to the project was with our group but since they are jumping between working on two levels this of course isn’t possible. All I can do is wait to see what they give us at the end.

Assets I have produced for the level

I’ve learnt a lot so far in this project, but there’s still more I want to learn. I have still yet to try polypainting so that is one thing I want to do over the Christmas break. I think most of the assets I produced for this project are portfolio-worthy so I’m less worried about that than I was at the start. I’m really looking forward to seeing the end result of everyone’s collaborative effort.

My Slightly Twee FMP Inspiration

My current main idea for my FMP first came to me while working on the group project at the end of last term. I was listening through some songs by my favourite musician that I hadn’t heard in a long time as I worked, and I found myself really inspired by one particular track. I had a very vivid picture in my head of what the song depicted and I really wanted to create that scene. Naturally there was a problem in that I was busy with the group project and didn’t have the time to commit to a large side project just for fun. So I put aside the idea for the FMP.

During the summer holidays I revisited the idea to keep it fresh in my mind. I created a Pinterest board to collect some visual examples.

The main idea was some kind of treehouse research base in the middle of the rainforest, overlooking a huge vista of trees stretching off into the distance. The base would be mostly constructed out of scrappy-looking materials such as tarpaulin and wire meshes on a base of wood. The strongest part of this idea I feel was how the humidity of the rainforest could bring out the colours in all the different materials. However the rest was very wishy-washy and hard to elaborate on, so I knew I’d have to rethink it.

More recently however I have had another brainwave that I think simplifies the idea yet makes it far more interesting. It would be pointless to constrain myself to keeping things exactly like my original vision when I could build off that base and make something better. I think it would be really interesting to actually have the inside of the treehouse be very modern, possibly even futuristic. This would both provide a more solid theme with greater contrast between interior and exterior, and also allow me to model a wider variety of assets. Modern design has the added bonus of still looking good with fewer assets so it is harder to mess up.

I’ve yet to pin down the interior design to the same extent as the rainforest outside but I think at least the theme is very clear. Amplifying the contrast between the interior and exterior should create a very comfortable atmosphere.

Technical constraints I would need to consider might include Unreal Engine 4’s ability to render glass convincingly and my own skills in creating a realistic humid or rainy scene. I’ve also been having issues with doing lightmaps on two-sided materials in my current project, and not having them on foliage in a scene with so much of it could cause serious performance issues so I need to find a solution to that problem soon.

Side-Scroller Project

I am currently working on a project along with the entire year group to create a short side-scrolling platformer game. We have been split into six sub-groups, with four groups making a level for the game, one making characters and a final comprised of two engine artists. The group I am in is working on the level to be described as “Scary”. The tutors are taking the roles of art directors.

We have been in the asset-making stage for a few days now and I am quite confident that we are going to get a great end result. Each level team is comprised of three environment artists and one concept artist- as one of the environment artists I feel that at this stage I am finally coming into my element.

The first stage of the project was of course idea gathering, and we did this by using Pinterest to gather pictures and create moodboards. This lasted for quite a while, and I was often worried that we were wasting time by not moving on sooner but I know it was good that we explored a lot of ideas quite deeply before pinning things down.

The next stage involved designing the level, then concepting and whiteboxing assets. I found this stage quite difficult, as most of the assets I had been asked to design were either heavily reliant on other assets and the style guide (which had not been completed at this time) or required little actual design work. Add to that my lack of drawing skill in comparison to the group’s concept artist and I was left feeling pretty useless for quite a while, which was at times pretty demoralising. However we passed the whiteboxing stage without much issue, and could finally move on to asset creation.

To keep everyone in the loop we like to have a lot of meetings. As the project has moved along we have gone from quite long but infrequent meetings during the idea development phases to shorter daily “scrums” now that we know what we’re doing. Recently we have been discussing things like sharing assets between levels to save time and keep the style consistent.

As things are now, I have modelled and textured some crystals to act as hazards in our level, though I need to go back and rearrange them into clusters before I send them to the engine artists. I have also been sculpting a medium sized statue. That's what I should be continuing with today.

King of the Dead Group Project

Third year has begun, and we have finally been blessed with Unreal Engine 4. Physically Based Rendering is beautiful, and it truly is exciting seeing the tools we have at our disposal advance along with the industry. What was technically our first assignment involved creation of materials in UE4, however we did no actual designing or modelling for it. It’s nice to be back to asset creation (though saying that implies I haven’t been practicing over summer!) So this was our first proper project, a group assignment to create a small scene involving a throne, a character, and a backdrop. A scene that would have to fit the title- “King of the Dead”.

We had two weeks for the whole project, which turned out to not be too restrictive in the end. Of course in the early days of the project I was constantly thinking we needed to speed up. The initial brainstorm didn’t take long… But gathering reference material sure did though. We used a Pinterest board to gather mood board images so we’d have something visual to base the idea around, but the problem was that we would of course stumble upon images that were inspiring, but would take us in a completely different direction. Expanding ideas is great, but not on the third or fourth day when we really need stick with something and start concepting!

I started sketching ideas fairly early on, which did help reign things back in in the end. It was an odd experience though, as at first I felt I was just killing time by jotting down rough ideas. They were all based on this concept one of the other group members had thought up involving a king frozen in a cryogenic chamber, though some involved incorporation of another idea of a parasitic entity. This rough sketching went on for a fair while and I was starting to feel really demoralised because I felt no feeling of direction, but I was surprised when we finally got together to share our ideas and everyone decided we should develop our design based on several of my ideas. It’s really easy to forget that concept art really isn’t about the quality of the drawings.

After this I made a few quick whiteboxes and everyone had a shot at doing paintovers. When things seemed to be coming together we began modelling. Since the design was constructed of various different shapes it could be broken down easily and people could choose to make whichever parts they wanted. I chose to start on the spider leg-like structures that adorned the throne, and since the other team member working on the throne was also doing most of the engine work I ended up making the entire throne apart from the central cryo pod itself.

I was a little unsure of whether my textures were interesting and convincing enough but I was reassured by the rest of the team that they were perfectly adequate. However this was only a little over half way through the second week, so I still had a couple of days to spare. Because of this I decided I would make a rock, one that could be subtly duplicated so that it could be used in various places around the scene to break up all the solid lines and make things a little more interesting. It was nice to be able to do some sculpting, since the rest of my work had been made in Max only. It was a bit of a reminder of my lack of knowledge though- My teammates pointed out several things in ZBrush that would’ve made things much faster for me… Unfortunately each time it was too late to execute them. I have noted them down for the future.

And now, the assets have been assembled in engine and the end result has come out really quite successfully. I think maybe the final scene could’ve done with a bit more There were a few hiccups, such as everyone forgetting to make light maps, forgetting to scale down textures, lack of collision (it wasn’t in the brief?)… But for the first proper project of the third year it went really quite well. Especially considering it was a group project, if it went as badly as my first group project experience I don’t know what I would’ve done!

…And I’ve just now noticed that some details I added to the model aren’t in the final render… see I knew things couldn’t possibly have gone that well. Group work eh.

Personal Review of the Second Year

The primary purpose of a university is the advancement of knowledge. Whether this means educating about pre-existing knowledge or advancing research.

With this in mind, what I want to get out of my time at University is not just existing knowledge but the ability to develop said knowledge further to be a more effective game artist.

When I leave University I hope to be able to get a job, but that is mostly out of necessity. If I feel my work still isn’t up to industry level I will want to keep furthering my learning for a better portfolio. Of course even in industry I will need to keep learning to keep up with advancements in technology and ensure I am the best I can be at what I do.

Now that I am almost at the end of year two, I do feel like I am starting to really get the hang of all the software and their best uses. I’m quite proud of several of the models I produced this year. Of course, I still have a long way to go.

Currently I think that aspects I particularly need to improve on are effective use of textures and my speed in creating them. I have found that this year I have improved significantly with modeling speed, starting to effectively use modifiers and understand the importance of modularity.

Year 1 Vehicle Project VS Year 2 Vehicle Project

On top of this, I’m starting to gain a better understanding of the conditions I work best under and things that help me learn. Especially in the latter half of the academic year, my productivity had increased an awful lot due to my improved routine and time management. Plus as a side effect of this other aspects of my life such as diet and sleeping patterns have improved too.

This year has had a lot of challenging times, especially early on, as I’ve had to learn my best approach to each project through trial and error. One thing I realized I had a big problem with was allocating time to different stages of a project. This was particularly evident with the building front project, where the total time I spent on it was more than enough, but too little of that time was spent on the texturing as I was too focused on getting the mesh perfect.

The building project. Too much time wasted on the details, but the potential was there.

Balancing multiple projects at once still can cause some problems and it is a challenge having to decide on the priority of different tasks, but I consider this to be an important life skill that I just have to learn.

Over summer I want to take a lot of texture photos and compile more tillable textures from these photos. I also think it might be a good idea to set myself some small projects just to keep things I have learned fresh in my mind over those four months, and to make re-starting at the beginning of year three less of a shock to the system.

At the moment I have very little work that I feel I can put in my portfolio, so I am looking forward to the FMP where I hope to produce something of value. So far my experience in Uni has been primarily to practice and advance my skills so I know they aren’t my absolute best. When I leave Uni I want to have produced something I am proud of so I can show potential employers (and myself) what I can really do.

Life Changing or Career Building?

In an industry that is constantly changing, how can game art students be best prepared for their future roles? We cannot afford to overspecialise, leaving weaknesses in our skillsets. The government has some argument with the idea of focusing on the teaching of specific useful skills to raise employability- students will inevitably have some decent core skills already due to entry requirements at universities etc. However, those skills will degrade over time without focus, and then what about when the advanced skills become obsolete? Some companies acknowledge the importance of a varied skillset and hire based on that judgement, but then surely they’ll find those employees to be lacking in expertise?

The obvious answer is to teach a bit of both. You can bet that the government is no expert on the industry and doesn’t have quite the full grasp on the range of skills that could potentially become essential in years to come. Plus, while developers may advertise that their priority is those of a liberal arts background (supposedly their idea of a well-rounded individual) you can be certain that they want advanced, specific skills on top of this. Any way you look at it, it’s good to have a fair grasp on some industry practices anyway just to save them from being such a shock to the system. But how do we find the balance?

It all comes back to something similar to the idea of a T-shaped skillset. Teaching basic skills alongside the specialised ones in a way that supports them is a good method. The deeper issue is when it comes to the specifics, how do we ensure than teaching remains relevant? The unique thing about game art and courses in similar fields is that the curriculum will always need constant updating to keep up with what students need to know. “We’re developing systems and processes, and we get to iterate on them semester after semester” –Richard Lemarchand, professor at University of Southern California. It’s wholly possible that industry practices will change as students are being taught them, and keeping the curriculum as up to date as possible may require the occasional bit of new blood, permanent or otherwise. Here at DMU we often have guest lecturers and it works wonders for keeping industry knowledge up-to-date.

The most important and effective way to future-proof students for changes is already a key element of higher education- to teach students the all-important skill that is learning. Keeping students interested in the workings of the industry so they’ll keep up with news in their own time is a good start. Keeping good communication is helpful for this too, not just between the students and lecturers but between the students themselves too. A surprising amount of the knowledge gained on a course will come from other students.

All in all, the best way for game art to be taught is a combination of experience, both core and specialised skills and the encouragement of independent learning for when situations change. Students should know to be adaptable, but being best prepared for whatever happens in the industry is always a good start.

References- http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/213334/From_AAA_to_academia_What_industry_veterans_have_learned.php

Creativity, the Talent Myth and Craft

Everyone can be creative to some extent. The world isn’t 90% made up of Emmet from The Lego Movie (although I for one thought the double-decker sofa was a great idea). What makes especially creative people stand out is their ability to demonstrate their skills that they have built off their talent.

There has always been some debate as to the overall effects of natural talent on skill. I’ve seen that most people at a certain skill level will, when asked, respond that skill has nothing to do with anything, that it’s all practice, practice, practice. But really, the interest someone has in a particular creative outlet is going to inevitably be enhanced by their natural affinity for it. In education, people tend to shy away from less “academic” subjects because we think there are no jobs in the creative sector, but creative fields are incredibly important. “Creativity is as important as literacy”, says Ken Robinson in his talk about creativity and education, and “If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with something original”. This is one way the rigid structure of education can even have a negative impact- creativity is hard to learn, but easy to discourage.

"All children are artists. The problem is to remain an artist once he grows up"- Pablo Picasso

Personally I think that in lower levels of education when it comes to art there is often one of two problems- the curriculum either focuses on skill without creativity or creativity without skill. To become a good designer you need both, so those with a talent for it who are inevitably more likely to gain knowledge in their own time are going to get a head start for when education becomes more relevant at higher levels. Of course people who are very driven individuals will also be able to achieve this even from starting at a low level of skill, but really being motivated is a talent in itself.

In the games industry, creativity is important for almost every aspect of development. However, the amount of creativity a position will utilise can sometimes be quite small, especially in large companies and more subordinate positions.  A lot of the time you will be given a brief that is extremely strict and allows for little creative input. Of course having too little guidance on a project is generally bad since it can be hard to find a starting point, and can even start to cause worry about being wrong which of course ends up actually hampering creativity. But for creative types being too confined by a brief can get frustrating, and some may find this difficult.

Creativity is most important in making elements of games individual and iconic when compared to similar titles. This goes for all elements- gameplay, visuals, or story. Consumers have little reason to take notice of a game if it doesn’t bring something new to the table or have some kind of individual hook to it. Everyone recognises TF2’s art style, everyone remembers Mass Effect’s dialog wheel etc. While it is true that gameplay concepts thought of as innovations can backfire and ruin games, the risk can be worth it. It only becomes a problem when developers forget why elements that have become staple work the way they do.

As for my own creativity, when I was younger I was told often that I had talent to encourage me but of course now everything is all about skill. Plus I now have to branch out from simply drawing and develop more skills that complement each other in the industry such as 3D. My affinity for art as a child has boosted my skill level, but now it all comes down to hard graft if I want to bring these skills up to a level that is useful in the industry.

An Introduction to the Game Industry

In today’s industry it is very important to be flexible in the work you can do. People talk about having a T-shaped skill set- specialising in one area but ensuring you are adequately trained to do other tasks comfortably. This is especially important with the rise of indie and mobile studios who work in smaller teams. Of course it is also helpful knowing the exact way to produce your work so that others who have to handle it don’t have any problems.

Getting into the industry often involves building up connections and making a name for yourself. Some people try and use other jobs within the industry such as game testing as a stepping stone, but really testing is a separate department of the industry relying on writing more than art. Getting a relevant degree is a plus, but when it comes down to it, it’s all about showing that you have the skills needed. The more you want to “move up” in the industry the more different skills you’re going to need to master.

Even then, in today’s industry you’re unlikely to be specialising unless you manage to be employed by a major studio. In the cases where you will be specialising, most of the jobs are in environment art. A lot of people have the main aspiration of becoming a Concept Artist, but there are relatively few positions in the industry, and most concept artists would’ve originally worked on 3D content. Some people put a lot of 2D work in their portfolios, but this can be risky since the bar is set so high in that department. For your portfolio you need to make something, mods, items for existing games, just samples of the best you can do. Then comes the networking. Nobody is going to care about you and what you’re doing until your work warrants that notice. Of course if you’re applying for a mobile or indie studio, cover as much as possible, in an appropriate style of course. Even spread to designing things like the UI for a game, because it’s a huge part of mobile games yet something so few people focus on.

However the industry is not limited to departments within developer studios. As the cost of developing major titles continues to increase, it’s becoming all the more commonplace to outsource elements, often to countries where labour is cheaper. Sometimes companies will even look to other developers to speed up development for meeting deadlines. Small teams often hire individual freelancers if their own combined skillsets do not cover every aspect of a game’s development. The only drawbacks of outsourcing this way can be potential issues with communication and/or quality control, especially with large projects.

It is completely viable to become a freelancer and it has several benefits, such as removing the need to commute regularly. Gaining the initial reputation may take some work, but there exist agencies to assist in finding assignments. Freelancing is not for everyone though. Many don’t have the networking skills, plus working from home can be very difficult. It completely removes the social aspect of a studio, and keeping a work mentality in your own house can be a real challenge.

All in all, the games industry has more ways to enter than ever before, but this means nothing if you can’t prove yourself to be exactly what a developer needs. Pay close attention to the size of a company and the content they are creating before you choose exactly what to show.

References- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdZUZ73zLWc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAJhCw2QNlI

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/outsourcing-is-fundamental

http://www.freelancegamedeveloper.com/freelancing.php

Elements of Game Technology- Interaction Design

How we interface with games has changed a lot over the past few years and is continuing to change in exciting ways. As the seventh generation consoles are being weeded out and the eighth generation begins forcing on us many new-fangled gimmicks, how much of their innovations do we need? How beneficial are they?

The PS4’s Dualshock 4 controller continues with the trend of utilising motion controls, but adds a touchpad to add in new ways of interaction. This of course isn’t a new thing in the industry but the design of it is quite unobtrusive, something that is more important than you’d think- just look at the Wii U.

The Wii U is currently not doing as well as Nintendo would’ve hoped. The original Wii was a huge success with its motion controls appealing to many different kinds of people, and not only gamers. The new entry uses the same controllers with the addition of a large tablet controller with a huge touch screen. The ability to play games solely on this screen is very interesting, and it really does add a lot to interaction in party games. However, this controller takes up a lot of space and doesn’t look massively appealing either- I know my main reason for not wanting a Wii U was having to put up with that controller.

Then there’s the Xbox One and the infamous Kinect. Making it mandatory was certainly an unnecessary move, but fortunately it isn’t being too much of a deterrent. The technology of course is not new, but it has been much improved from the previous generation, with the voice controls being far more accurate. It’s not perfect but there’s still room for the technology to advance. For actual gaming though there’s very little need for voice controls. I’ve played PC games before that used them and opted out in favour of regular button pressing.

PC gaming is much the same as it’s always been, many people opt to use controllers (generally the Xbox 360 gamepad is the most popular) but the keyboard and mouse setup always has its benefits. There is little change other than maybe the increasing popularity of mechanical keyboards for accuracy’s sake.

But now we get to the fun stuff- the future stuff. Namely the Oculus Rift. Recently bought up by Facebook in a move that’s not pleased many fans and investors, the second version of the Oculus’ development kit has just recently been announced. DK2 has a higher resolution of 960x1080 for each eye and lower persistency to combat motion blur. On top of that the head tracking has been improved and the control box removed. Sony is also developing its own VR headset titled Morpheus, but whether the industry has room for multiple competitors in this particular market only time will tell.

As additional peripherals start being developed for this new technology, such as multi-directional treadmills for walking and motion sensors to remove the need for a gamepad, it’s exciting to see how immersive the technology can become. That’s what it comes down to really- a good method of control should keep you immersed in the game, and I’d say it doesn’t get more immersive than this. There have been so many failed attempts at virtual reality in the past; it’s about time we got it right.

Other References- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhfLBTPcG6U

Elements of Game Technology- Sound for Games

Sound is something that can make or break a game for me.

As I’ve mentioned before when I wrote about level design, audio cues can be used to lead the player and to make environments more believable. Pickups should make appealing sounds when you get them and enemies should sound the way they look, whether that be scary and alien or something more quirky. Plus there’s nothing quite like the level up “ding” to alert you that you’re doing well, or doing awesomely (see Wildstar).

But if there’s one thing that can always enhance a game for me it’s good music. Nothing makes me more excited for a boss battle than the promise of some good upbeat or intense music. Nothing disappoints me more than a boss with some generic orchestral piece in the background with no real hook to it. This might just be my opinion, but if there’s one thing the whole trend of making games more ‘cinematic’ has been bad for its letting the drama overshadow the melody.

I’ve referenced this game countless times already, but I feel Metroid Prime is a very appropriate title to reference here not only because of its great sound design but also because I often write these blogs with music from the game playing in the background. Music from this game (mostly composed by Kenji Yamamoto) is enjoyable to listen to and appropriately alien sounding, but not distractingly overpowering. It sounds like it’s just oozing out of the environment, being made by all of the flora and fauna and everything in your surroundings. Compare it to the music in Other M where almost all of the music was limited to traditional orchestral instruments and nothing stood out.

The boss themes are similarly alien sounding, while more upbeat with powerful chords and distinctive tunes. One of my favourite pieces of video game music is the theme for the Hive Totem, a small miniboss near the start of the game. I remember it from back when I first played the game- for some reason it stuck out to me. That’s what good music should do, turn something that wouldn’t ordinarily make a huge impact into a memorable experience.

Of course music doesn’t have to blend in, it can be a main feature. I found that the first time I played Super Hexagon I wanted to keep trying to get further just so I could hear more of the music, and it was really exciting. The graphics are very simple, and extra colour and movement only exists to support the music as the shapes pulse to the beat and the colour changes hue like disco lights. Music with a good beat works wonders for fast paced games like this, and Chipzel’s work is a perfect fit.

Hotline Miami is similar, with its need for quick reflexes, retro music, colour changing background and the way you can restart in a split second after death. This game chooses to have the music continue playing even when you die so it doesn’t become repetitive, and this works very well in preventing death from becoming more of an annoyance than is necessary. Super Hexagon manages to do this too, despite having the music stop and start upon death by having the music start up from different points in the song, while staying away from the most intense parts to leave them as reward. This makes the tune seem newer for longer and prevents restarting from feeling too repetitive.

As a final note, there’s nothing more exciting than an important boss having a proper song with lyrics as its theme song- even more so if it is an improved version of a song earlier in the game and/or the title theme. Key things to consider with this though are repetitiveness and of course how appropriate it is for the situation. My favourite examples of this would be the final boss of Sonic Adventure 2 playing the full version of the title theme, and the final boss of The World Ends With You using a remix of several different songs from earlier in the game.

All in all, I think the most important factor in game music composition is making things memorable. Fitting music will always make a huge difference in the atmosphere of a level or boss and will affect the mood of the player significantly. Get it right and it’ll make all the difference.

Elements of Game Technology- Game Engines

There are countless different game engines out there, all with their own unique features, comparable strengths and weaknesses. Not all are named or known to the public of course, if a developer has something special they might want to keep that advantage to themselves. I visited EGX Rezzed the other week and my friend was asking a developer about the engine running Infamous- Second Son. They couldn’t say anything about it, only that it was their own engine. It wasn’t a surprise that they were keeping things hushed, it looked absolutely stunning!

But there are plenty available to use and many even that are free, at least for non-profit content. Here are a handful of the more notable examples.

Let’s start with Epic Games’ Unreal Engine. UDK is one of the most widely used engines has just recently had its fourth version released. It can be used for practically any game genre, with many developers modifying it to suit their needs. It is easy to use with the way it visually displays assets and it supports all kinds of plugins. Unreal Engine 4 even allows you to change code while the engine is running.

Crytek’s Cryengine is well known for its ability to handle graphically intensive and complex levels very well, with advanced lighting and physics algorithms built in. A key selling point is how it can be used to develop games for multiple platforms simultaneously, with various useful features such as controlling texture size for each platform. At this time it is mostly used for FPSs and action games, most of which being in a realistic visual style to take advantage of the engine’s main strengths, but there are some more stylised titles too such as the upcoming Sonic Boom. The engine is currently in its third version with the fourth instalment in development, though it has been said that the new version will be completely different to those before it.

One engine I was surprised so see so many people singing the praises of online was YoYo Games’ GameMaker. I remember using GameMaker many years ago for fun, creating some admittedly terrible stuff but really enjoying myself. Built for novices and professionals alike, the most basic version can be used for free. It allows for either quick drag-and-drop style programming or simple written coding in Game Maker Language. This engine is perfect for 2D games, with only support for very basic 3D. There have been some quite high-profile indie games built in this engine over the past few years such as Hotline Miami and spelunky.

Unity is a fairly well-known engine originally developed for Mac then made for other platforms after becoming popular. It can be used to make games for web and mobile platforms such as Android and IOS as well as PC and consoles. This feature makes it highly accessible in today’s industry as phones are continually becoming more powerful and developing a flourishing games industry of their own. Games made in this engine are usually stylised, since it usually gets overshadowed by competitors with slightly more advanced algorithms when it comes to realism. However Unity 5 is due to be launched sometime soon, with high end shaders and more complex physics.

Though these are only a few examples of the most accessible engines, it’s easy to see how so many engines are deemed viable for all kinds of purposes. With the engine playing a huge part in bringing assets to life, I’m excited to see what exciting new features engines can bring as they get access to more powerful platforms.

References- http://uk.ign.com/articles/2009/07/15/the-10-best-game-engines-of-this-generation

              http://www.develop-online.net/news/the-top-14-game-engines-the-list-in-full/0114330

              http://www.cryengine.com/features/cross-platform

Elements of Game Design- Documentation

1.       Project outline

An adventure game in first person with RPG elements for the PC platform, the game will be set on an alien planet similar to our own and will have the main objective of finding out the mysteries of the planet. Subsequently the setting will have some sci-fi elements. The artstyle of the game will be semi-realistic, with some stylisation to make environments more bright and interesting. It will be appropriate for a wide audience but mostly targeted to teens plus. The game will be made in Cryengine as emphasis will be put on the visuals. However, the game needs to be able to run on average level gaming PCs.

Gameplay elements will include Scanning and collecting samples of flora and fauna while documenting artifacts in various zones around the planet. Collecting more information will unlock upgrades for your tools and home base, as well as progressing the story. The game will gradually become more combat orientated as it progresses, and sampling certain creatures will unlock upgrades for your main weapon, the toxic gun.

Aims/Objectives- To create a believable and consistent game world. Gameplay must be fun and add to the player’s immersion.

2.       Lead Character

Denny Falkirk, a scientist with an adventurous side. Carries a small array of weapons alongside research gear. Said research gear includes a sampling tool and scanner. Dresses like an explorer with some more futuristic elements to go with the theme.

Character budget- ~20000 tris

Texture maps- Diffuse 1024^2 x2 no alpha, 512^2 x1 alpha
Normal maps 1024^2 x2, 512^2 x1
Specular maps 1024^2 x2, 512^2 x1

3.       NPC

Ted Eight, the guy who stays back at base and helps out with communications. He’s almost always locked in the computer room but can be called out if you need a ride somewhere. Can offer hints for missions etc if the player speaks to him back at base.

Budget – 15000 tris
LOD- 4000 tris

Texture Maps- Diffuse 1024^2 no alpha, 512^2 x1 alpha          LOD        512^2 x2
                        Normal Maps 1024^2, 512^2 x1                                       512^2 x2
                        Specular Maps 1024^2, 512^2 x1                                     512^2 x2

4.       Vehicle

A hoverbike- like vehicle, will mostly be used in cutscenes as transport between stages but there will also be a couple of instances where the player gains control to do things such as escape monsters etc. It must seat two people.

Budget-  30000 tris
LOD- 8000 tris

Texture maps- Diffuse 2048^2                               LOD        1024^2
Normal Maps 2048^2                                     1024^2
Specular Maps 2048 ^2                                  1024^2

5.       Environment

A large part of the game will take place in a rainforest area as this will be where the player’s home base will be situated. Other environments may include mountains, beaches etc.
The home base will be built on the treetops, with one side overlooking a valley of trees. It will be comprised of several treehouses linked by different kinds of bridges, and the whole base will be made of mostly wood but with various other scrap-like components such as tarpaulin, wire and clear plastic. Despite the low budget materials, there will various high-tech instalments such as the computer room, and there will be wires and aerials strewn around the base. Other rooms in the base will include the sleeping quarters where the player can save the game and the entrance room/armory where all the player’s gear is stored.

6.       Props/Scenery objects-

Scanner
Attaches to glove on left hand. Small screen to show data to the player.
Budget- 600 tris
LOD- 150 tris
Texture maps-  Diffuse 1024^2, 512^2                    LOD      512^2
                          Normal 1024^2, 512^2                                  512^2
                          Specular 1024^2, 512^2                               512^2
                          Glow 512^2

Sample tool
Gun-like design with mandibles at the front and a clear element to catch the sample.
Budget- 1200 tris
LOD- 300 tris
Texture maps-  Diffuse 512^2 x2, 512^2 alphax1      LOD      512^2 alpha
                          Normal 512^2 x3                                             512^2
                          Specular 512^2 x3                                          512^2

Machete
Simple, little design difference from real-life equivalent.
Budget- 600 tris
LOD- 150 tris
Texture maps-  Diffuse 1024^2                                  LOD        512^2
                          Normal 1024^2                                                 512^2
                          Specular 1024^2                                              512^2

Toxic gun
Similar to a bullpup rifle, very sci-fi themed. Uses chemicals obtained through biological samples to add effects to shots and/or boost weapon power.
Budget- 2000 tris
LOD- 500 tris
Texture maps-  Diffuse 1024^2 x2, 512^2              LOD        1024^2
                          Normal 1024^2 x2, 512^2                              1024^2
                          Specular 1024^2 x2, 512^2                           1024^2
                          Glow 512^2

References- http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131818/the_anatomy_of_a_design_document_.php?page=4

Elements of Game Design- Level Design

Level design is a complex process, and has to take many different things into consideration. A whitebox version is almost always made first to make sure everything fits together perfectly. The layout of the level must accommodate for character size and movement possibilities or the consequences will be game-breaking. Asset designers are important for a game’s visual style, but it is the level designer that takes their work and makes it believable.

Keeping the player interested the entire time they are playing a level requires clever use of game mechanics. If the player can jump, add some height variation and even make puzzles out of the mechanic. Give the player objects to crouch or hide behind if they are going to be doing a lot of shooting, but if they are going to be doing more melee combat, give them some open spaces to fight in. Abilities the player character gains relating to environmental interaction can keep levels fresh even when they are to be visited multiple times, and can even be used to cleverly withhold parts of the level until the player gains these abilities. Alternatively, finding different uses for characters’ abilities to make puzzles for the player and add a little variation to the gameplay. These can even become a kind of gimmick for a certain area, helping to keep different zones distinct and interesting.

In this particular level you use your guns for... hacking?

The player must be given a feeling of freedom, this means ensuring the path they will walk is complex and gives at least the illusion of choice. Invisible Walls should be avoided, as they ruin immersion and destroy that feeling of freedom. Making levels overly complex should also be avoided. Players will need at least a certain amount of guidance to feel like they are making progress and keep them from becoming frustrated. Even in a large environment his can be done through visual cues such as colouration of objects (see Mirror’s Edge), enemy placement or even things as subtle as shapes in the landscape leading the eye. Almost any compositional element can guide the player if executed correctly.

When the player is provided with a complex world but given a linear objective, it’s a good idea to give them some incentive to explore this world. Even in multiplayer maps things like pickups can make even the most out of the way, seemingly redundant areas an important place to visit. Hidden collectibles that give the player character a little extra power reward exploration and are good incentive for the player to wander off the more obvious route through a level.

Creepy music? Check. Corpses? Check. 

Dangerous enemies? Check, but more pickups than you can shake an energy cell at.

Another element that must be considered that greatly aids immersion is sound. The materials of what the player walks on must make corresponding footstep sounds, and things in the environment must make appropriate sound effects, especially when the player interacts with them. The level designer uses various different triggers and careful positioning to keep the sound design convincing and immersive. This can also be another way of leading the player. Same goes for lighting, which is arguably the most important part of creating atmosphere.

The role of the level designer is incredibly important when it comes to gameplay. Without proper thought a level is just a collection of assets- by arranging them convincingly and artistically the level becomes something truly interesting and memorable.

References- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGEb72yPoNI

             http://www.edge-online.com/features/breadcrumb-trails-and-why-game-designers-are-leading-us-all-on/

Elements of Game Design- Visual Composition

There is more to composition than simply arranging objects in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Good composition guides the viewer through the image and supports the main elements of the piece, rather than distracting from them. It also is important to consider the shapes of the elements themselves and their influences. This can all be applied to every visual part of game design.

The general shapes of elements in a piece are the most important part in subtly influencing the way the viewer sees it. There are three key formations- curved lines, straight lines and sharp angles.

Curved lines make for a softer image, but also can be used to guide the eye like a winding path. We also design things aimed at children to be soft and friendly looking, we associate curved shapes like spheres with being so safe as those kind of shapes are smooth to the touch. It can also be noted how more curved shapes can be used to give an impression of femininity, as opposed to the more solid shapes used to make things more masculine. Physical curves as well as being of a more gentle nature are generally considered feminine traits, while more masculine traits such as strength are greater reflected in hard, angular shapes.

Straight lines give more of an impression of strength, and especially when parallel they can also bring a sense of tranquillity by their organisation. This latter point was something I didn’t fully understand until the other day, when I was playing the latest Pokemon title and recalling how much I liked the old 2D tilesheet-based overworld. What confused me was how they’d managed to keep what I had thought to be the charm of the pixel artwork while using 3D models. I came to realise that what drew me in so much about the over world was not simply due to the pixellation (although it did have some influence due to what pixels are) but the organisation of the grid the world was built to. Everything is arranged to straight lines and it genuinely does have a relaxing effect.

Hard angles like spikes are an obvious one. We associate those with aggression, they’re aerodynamic and sharp to the touch. Sharp angles are best used to convey power, and we often jump straight to them when we want to design something to look ‘cool’.

An interesting thing to keep note of it how these principles don’t always have to be played straight to be taken advantage of. If you create harmony by placing aggressive looking shapes in an environment of similar style and the shapes will look far less aggressive than if they were placed in, say, a more curved environment. Creating a dissonance between the characters and their surroundings can play a huge part in indicating a sense of hostility, even to the point where these design principles can be subverted.

These concepts are not limited to two dimensions. In games, these shapes can also be reflected in motion, whether programmed or influenced by elements in the game. Compare Mario and Sonic, Mario is a very rounded, family friendly character and the way he controls causes him to move in swoops or bounces. Sonic, while aiming at a similar demographic, tries to go for more of a “cool” approach by being just that little bit aggressive, with higher speeds and therefore less smooth movements than Mario. With the early titles the difference is minute, however as Sonic’s design has changed throughout the years his movement has too, with the additions of very angular actions such as the homing attack. Speed of movement being an influence, even something as simple of camera movement can show something about the situation.

Finally, using the layout of stages it’s possible to control character movement in an interesting way. The character can be forced to make sudden movements by being made to travel through a maze-like layout at speed, adding to tension. Or, using swooping, curved pathways they can be given more of a sense of freedom and the urge to keep moving. You could even use the strong, straight lines of buildings to influence the player to slow down if you can put across a good sense of scale.

By applying all of these concepts to the design of stages and characters in games, the mood of the game can be portrayed far more effectively than if they were ignored. We can also more effectively guide the player through levels and create scenery that is truly visually interesting and immersive.

References- http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Graphic_Design/Principles_of_Design

              http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/185676/the_aesthetics_of_game_art_and_.php?print=1