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

Elements of Game Design- Planning and Concepting

The difference between doing projects on this course and working in an actual development studio when creating concepts is that I am working solely on my own and not being instructed by an art director or being restricted by any executive meddling. This is good for the creative freedom but it makes things more difficult when it comes to finalising ideas. Other than that though, the process is more or less the same.

The first step once the brief is set is to start collecting inspiration and researching the subject matter. The level of importance research into the specific details whatever you’re designing must have depends on how realistic the concept is meant to be. Most people on this course like to use Pinterest to collect reference but it can be quite helpful to save reference images you think you will want to use again.

Once you’ve started to get some good ideas you can start with silhouettes, thumbnail sketches, or both. It is important to come up with as many designs as time will allow, but also consider that you will start to run out of good ideas eventually . Krome Studios’ Adam Nichols says “I find the first idea is the most generic idea and has been done before , but by idea 6 you are rehashing ideas or running low on time”. However, it really depends on what you are designing. I have a habit of getting stuck on ideas fairly quickly and then regretting it later when I realise it could’ve been better. You won’t regret your decisions if you properly weigh up all your options so before you decide on favourites do as many sketches as quickly as possible.

 In this interview, Bioware concept artist Matt Rhodes explains that you’ll only need to do a couple of designs for something unimportant like a bartender, but more important characters can go through hundreds of designs and iterations.

If you were working in a studio you’d have shown whoever is directing you your ideas and been given advice on what ideas to develop before continuing development- many artists like to size their thumbnails differently to try and highlight designs they like to the director. After doing as many iterations as possible you would usually create presentable production artwork with the final design. This may be in-situ or on its own depending on the brief and purpose of the artwork. Sometimes artists choose to create a model of the design -especially with vehicles and other mechanical subjects- and paint over them. This of course takes extra time but allows for the final piece to be planned properly beforehand, ensures there won’t be any errors in perspective, and allows you to do multiple angles accurately and much faster. Sometimes the model can even be used as a base by the 3D artists when they make the asset. If you choose not to create a simple model, you can also make the 3D team’s life easier by providing orthographic drawings.

Personally, if given the time I like being able to model things first before painting them, though that is in part due to my current lack of drawing skill. Comparing the final pieces from my vehicle project last year I didn’t model first and the one this year which I did, I can see how the template helped an awful lot in allowing me to accurately portray more detail.

I think I still need more practice in going through the design pipeline as I have a tendency to rush ahead or put too much detail in too early. The thumbnail stage is the most important one, so it requires a lot of deep thought and there is no room for perfectionism.

Other references-

RSI forum

Reflection on Year One, and Ambition for Year Two

The first year of Game Art has come and gone and the second year is now in full swing. This year is different for various reasons, in both learning environment and goals.

I found first year to be quite the learning experience not just for skills but for finding out how I work best. It was of course finding out the hard way, but it was worth a lot. The main flaw with my work ethic last year was the complete lack of structure. I was too keen to take advantage of the independence I’d been presented with and simply thought that as long as I got the work done, I had nothing to worry about. Now this sounds fine, it sounds like it would force me to finish things quickly and possibly leave time for fun at the end of the week, but really, my self-discipline is not nearly strong enough to work solidly without any visible end. There is no reward in sitting around procrastinating when you can’t force yourself to work anymore, and not doing anything you actually find fun as you don’t feel you deserve it yet. I tried to use the stress of deadlines as motivation but working until stupid-o’clock in the morning really wasn’t doing any favours for my general wellbeing.

I knew that being in a more work-oriented environment would help me to focus more, but I was reluctant to use the labs when there were so many other people in there, especially when scheduled lessons were going on. I also, of course, would need to get there at a decent time every day if I wanted to get a lot done as they closed at 7pm.

The biggest difference this year is the new labs, which give us much more space and stay open later, making regular use a far more viable option. There is always at least one room without a scheduled class so there is definitely enough space for most of us, though of course not everyone. This is where structure and time-management will be important- the only way to ensure a place in the lab is to arrive earlier than most, especially when deadlines loom and everyone wants to be in.

So far I am managing to stick to a good routine this year, although weekends end up being very much lacking in productivity as the labs are shut then. It’s reaching the point where I feel lost when given too much free time at home(not that that happens a lot) whether  that’s a good thing or not I have yet to decide!

As for the actual skills we are learning this year, it is going to be quite hard working to less constricted briefs as I worry a lot about the possibility of doing things wrong. I want to get better at finishing projects well and on time and I want to produce work that shows I have made progress. Small, hopefully achievable goals; another important lesson from last year- don’t allow yourself to lose hope.