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