One of the projects I've been working on over the easter break is building a scene in UDK, from the assets that we had made over the year. This was a way to introduce us steadily to the engine for future use, so that we could at least gain a beginner's perspective. I found it a quite good opportunity to reflect on my past work, and see how I have grown over the past year. I feel quite pleased when I look back at how much I've grown over this past year. There were a few changes and alterations I had to make to some of my objects before putting them into UDK, and I decided to make a new house to test myself.
Before starting this project, I was racked with nerves at the anticipation of learning a new program, and flustered myself into a panic about it. As is the norm. I don't think it went as bad as I thought it would, though.
We didn't have a lot of lessons on this before putting it into practice, so it was quite fun learning it and getting to know the interface. It's not fantastic by a long shot, but I'm looking forward to practicing and getting to know the program better, and I plan on practicing more over the summer.
Now here's a bit of personal work...
Daryl, from The Walking Dead. Purely because he is so awesome and my favourite character so far (I'm a bit of a newbie to The Walking Dead, making my way through the seasons at the moment.) I think it went quite well, and I enjoyed this piece. There are some problems with it that are niggling away at me, but I think this piece taught me a lot about lighting and the pigments in the skin.
In my preceding blogpost, I discussed how technological advancements have evolved the realism of games, and how now realism and story go hand in hand, so they evoke genuine feelings from the player. Storytelling, to me, is a very important hook in a game, and elicits a more genuine interest in the game's completion. In this blogpost, I will be firstly reiterating the previous points I have made, but also exploring the question... If games are becoming ever more realistic, why are old console games so popular now? I will also attempt to touch upon where I think games will progress from now, and if it will be a good thing?
The element of storytelling, as I have said, is one of vital importance, in my opinion. Games are becoming more and more the forefront of entertainment, becoming as popular as and being inspired by the cinematic world. I was reading an interesting article about video game storytelling, and the author raised an interesting point.
"To get shamelessly bio-psychological for a moment, narrative is simply how human beings perceive and interpret the world around them as an ongoing, relatable place. Without the ability to imprint events with a storyline, the world would just be a bunch of stuff happening all over the place. Simply, whether Neanderthal caveperson or modern, Facebook worshipping technophile, story and storytelling link the world experiences of pretty much every human there’s ever been." - David Houghton
I think this is a thought provoking statement, and one I agree with. It's an indicator to how, as people, games, just like films, books, the media, etc, will always be perceived with the thoughts and emotions of the events of the game whilst playing. If we look at a game like To the Moon, this is a prime example of how the events in a game can affect us personally in a very emotive way.
Freebird Games (2011). To the Moon. [Download] Windows, OS X, Linux. Freebird Games.
I've never played this game personally, but I have watched the entire play-through on YouTube, and if I remember rightly it made me cry. (I know, I know. So I'm a sap.) To the Moon tells the tale of two doctors who, using futuristic artificial memory technology, navigate their way through the dreams and memories of a dying man to fulfil his life's wish. This kind of disproves my earlier statement about how realism influences more of a storytelling element in games, due to this game being a 2D kind of RPG game. There isn't a tonne of gameplay in this, but the storytelling aspect is sophisticated enough to compensate for that. This game is as story-driven as it gets really.
But hey! I still think realism plays its part. Just, remembering this game has made me realise that it isn't just realistic games that have strong storytelling elements, and that it's more about how they're executed. The thing with To the Moon is that it's not an entirely predictable storyline. You might make assumptions in your head as you go along, but there is an air of mystery surrounding the story in some parts that makes it difficult to foretell the outcome.
On the more realistic side of the spectrum though, is the Last of Us. Now, I haven't played it myself, but I've heard a lot from others who have that it is quite a storm of emotions for its audience.
Naughty Dog (2013). The Last of Us. [Disc] PS3, PS4. Sony Computer Entertainment.
I remember watching a small section of the game, and I almost remember crying the first time I watched the beginning.
Yeah.. I definitely did. I just watched it again, and oh how the tears fell. It's so beautiful though, I think I need to play this.
Naughty Dog (2013). The Last of Us. [Disc] PS3, PS4. Sony Computer Entertainment.
I think it's good that a game can extract emotions like that from you. And emotions like fear (which personally, I will always feel when playing a game involving the theme of zombie apocalypse. *shudder*.) I think that this evokes a certain engagement in the game and an investment in the characters, that you really want them to be okay.
Which brings me to the point of, if games are evolving all the time and becoming ever more realistic, why are older games becoming ever more popular? Well, I think there is a certain charm and character to the more 'vintage' styles of gaming. There will always be those nigglings of nostalgia that force you to dig out your old consoles and re live your childhood. This is the very reason the Playstation 2 still has pride of place next to my TV on my dresser, because it holds as many of the games that make me happy as any of the newer consoles I own.
May I direct you to just a few of the games that made up my childhood.
Even further back than that though, games like Space Raiders and Pac-Man, now seem to be sort of pop-culture, indie fashion statement. You can get all sorts of merchandise and clothing depicting these games, and a lot of the people who own these things probably have little to no experience actually playing the game. They more kind of seem to be a statement, to indicate oneself as a gamer, or expressing a fondness for the 'geek-chic'. Not that this is a criticism, as I haven't exactly spent a vast amount of time playing these games myself. I can see why they've become a fashionable pop-culture reference anyway, because they're iconic games and highly recognisable. Besides, you've got to admit, they're kinda cool looking anyway.
Omg like, so retro.
My feelings are mixed on this. Yeah, they do look pretty cool, but my opinions are the same with this as they are with band shirts. Only wear what you love. Don't go around wearing a Rolling Stones shirt then asking who Mick Jagger is.
Which brings me to my last point of conquest. The future. I honestly don't really know what the future holds for games. I'm hoping that everything doesn't become too co-op based. I don't think it ever will, because certain games will always call for single player, and personally I think there is a definite charm to playing alone. A different kind of absorption.
When it comes to the future of story telling in video games, the future seems unsure. Are games becoming too 'Hollywood'? In another interesting article, there are some good points made.
"Movies will always be influential in some way. But hopefully the industry will stop being influenced by the same type of movies and TV. We could probably do with taking a few steps away from the whole Tarantino/Sopranos love-letter which still seems to be doing a brisk trade in the industry. There’s nothing intrinsically wrong with either of those things, it’s just that so many seemed to be drawing from the same wellspring. Although in fairness I think 2013 was a particularly innovative year. Personally, I’d like to see games being influenced by a more diverse range of media: books, real-world events, theatre or comics etc." - Rhianna Pratchett (Tomb Raider Lead Writer 2013)
I think that would be awesome. I agree that it'd be interesting to see a more diverse range of influences for games. Especially books, as this one is something that doesn't seem like it'd be covered much. It would be an interesting way to convert a book into something more visual, instead of jumping straight to film development. I think this would be also a good push for games developers, because they'd have all the descriptions, but the concepting would come from research and their interpretation of the words written on the page. High hopes to what the future will bring!
In my last 'Personal Enquiry' blogpost, I touched upon the subject of the increasing importance of aesthetics, story and atmosphere in the games of today. I think the advances in technology and realism play a massive part in this. For instance, look back to 2011, when Rockstar games gave us LA Noire. Having used advanced technology for creating top of the range realistic facial expressions, this game now presented players with the opportunity to plumb the depths of human emotion.
Team Bondi (2011). LA Noire. PC, PS3, Xbox 360. Rockstar Games.
This technology allows the player to use their intuition to enable them to determine whether their subject is trustworthy or not, by reading their facial expressions and body language. This amazing amount of detail was achieved using high tech motion capture equipment, where cameras would shoot the actors from every angle to be translated into lifelike 3d models, with expressions that would otherwise be unachievable.
In the above article, it's mentioned that LA Noire is blurring the lines between game and film. 'When we’re able to combine the strengths of TV and films with the interactivity of video games, we’re left with the open possibility of an amazing blank canvas where video games evolve and can build to be the predominant form of entertainment for the 21st century.' Brendan McNamara, writer and director of LA Noire.
I think it's amazing that this is now possible, and that games can be potentially so much more than just games now. The push on technology and realism means that story is now all the more necessary, so the emotion and atmosphere that we feel from these games holds true.
If we compare a game series like Wolfenstein, for example, there's an obvious difference in the
amount of story portrayed.
Muse Software (1981). Castle Wolfenstein. Apple II, DOS, Atari 400/600, Commodore 64. Muse Software.
In Castle Wolfenstein for example, the first game in the Wolfenstein series, there is little to no involved story at all. The objective of the game is to make your way through the levels of the castle and find the secret war plans. Pretty much all you need to do is sneak past, sometimes kill guards, and escape alive. Considering graphical capacity, there isn't a lot they would have been able to do story wise.
But then if we look at the latest instalment, still to be released, you only have to watch the trailers to know that there will be a strong, engaging storyline, along with all the intense action and explosions. (...Just going to include a couple of trailers because I can't pick between the two of them. They look so good arghhh!)
Machine Games (2014). Wolfenstein: The New Order. Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4. Bethesda Softworks.
I think I've said in a previous post how much I'm looking forward to this game. The cinematic trailers are really captivating, because they suck you in to the story as if it were a film.
"Europe, 1946. World War II rages across Europe. Where once the Allies pressed advantage, the Nazi forces have turned the tide in dramatic fashion behind the technologically advanced war machine of General Wilhelm Strasse -- Deathshead. When a final Allied assault on Deathshead's compound fails, the Allies’ greatest hope falls with it.
Europe, 1960. The war is over. And the Nazis are triumphant victors. Using unrelenting force and brutal intimidation, the Nazis have brought even the most powerful nations to their knees. The Nazi regime now rules the globe (and Moon they colonized) with an iron fist.
You are Captain B.J. Blazkowicz, the American War Hero. After emerging into this world of darkness, you must launch an impossible counter-offensive against the monstrous Nazi regime. Only you dare stand up against an unstoppable army of Nazi robots and hulking Super Soldiers. Only you can stop Deathshead. Only you can rewrite history."
Just in this small blurb, let's call it, there is a massive advancement in story from Castle Wolfenstein to now. In just over 20 years! Even just in this series, it's clear how much games are evolving from just the act of playing the game to the ends of mindless addiction to making block-buster, emotion-evoking games to really sink your teeth into. By the looks of the trailers, the New Order also looks like it will have some really nice, grisly scenes thrown in too, which will just add massively to the awesomeness of the game.
I'm going back quite a ways here, but I wanted to include more of the work I've been doing on the course this year. This is from the Christmas holidays, when we were given a project to design an evil christmas character.
First I did a bit of planning, deciding on the story behind my character. At first I wanted to go for an evil Santa type character, but I decided that I wanted to go for something a little bit different, because the Evil Santa thing has been done really. It might be cool to return to this though, and create an evil Santa too, just for fun!
After this, I did a few quick figure drawings to get an idea of posture for my character. I found this quite useful but looking back I think I should have done more of them, and tried to find a model online or something with similar muscle structure to the character I wanted to create. I know for next time though. After this I went on to decide on more design elements of the character.
Once I'd drawn out the designs I went on to do the final for this character. I really liked it at the time but now I can see so many problems with it, which I guess indicates how I've improved since then. The hands aren't good on this and the brush style is a bit mucky. If I were to re do this I think I could improve on the proportions, because they're off by quite a way. I don't think the lighting is too bad, but it could do with improving and it'd be good if I gave it more of an interesting background.
As of late, I don't seem to have had much opportunity to do much personal work. I did a couple of film stills not too long back and found them really enjoyable. I should do some more of them soon, and set some time aside for more personal work. To be honest I'm really looking forward to having time to get stuck into lots of work that is purely for me.
This one is from the film 'Carrie' (1976 version.) This is one of my favourite films, so it was naturally one of the first I thought to do a movie study piece for. This film has a great sense of atmosphere, so I tried to choose a scene that captured some of that. I found this really useful for improving my understanding of lighting and incorporating colour and I'm really pleased with how this went
This one is from another of my favourite movies, Swing Kids. I think this went even better than the last and I felt this really helped with my understanding of skin tones and such, because there's a large range of hues in the skin. I like the lighting in this piece too, I think I now have a much stronger understanding of the way that light hits the face.
I really enjoy doing these, I definitely want to do some more when I next get an opportunity!
These are from a while ago, but this is some of my work from the Portrait project that was set for Visual Design. I found this project quite difficult, so I really want to come back to it at some point, but I found it useful and learnt a lot whilst doing it.
Some of these are just awful. However, I have learnt a lot from them. Some on these are actually quite good and look a lot like me though. For instance, on the first image in the bottom left-hand corner, I think that one actually went quite well. I was lighter with my mark making and didn't make as drastic mistakes about proportions and stuff. The one next to it however, isn't right at all. I tried to use the method of partitioning the face, but I think I measured wrong because it looks very off. On the second picture, my favourite drawing is the one in the top right-hand corner. It looks quite a lot like me, except that I think the facial features are a tad too close together. The worse one is just below that. I don't even know what happened there. That doesn't even look like me, in any sort of sense.
I was quite pleased with how this one turned out. A few things stick out as wrong on this to me, though. The nose is a little bit too long, and the left eye is spaced a bit too far away from the nose. The eyebrow also looks a little bit big, but to be honest that's probably not too far from accurate. (I like a defined brow, haha.)
This was my final piece for this project, which I actually was really pleased with. I think it looks quite a lot like me. I think it was easier to achieve this because whilst digital painting, you can cut things and edit all along the way, so it was much easier to rectify the mistakes I had noticed. I would like to re do this though, and focus more on the colour as well as the face structure. I'd like to do a piece where I focus more on the different hues in the skin tones.
Hmm.. so I've been pondering the question, what about games interests ME? This was a puzzling question at first, because I've never really thought about it that objectively before. I've always loved games, but what is it about games I love so?
I thought here it would probably be best to go back, and take myself through a brief history of the gaming side of my life. My first glimpse into gaming was when I was very young (of course not counting those click-and-learn games for toddlers that I'm sure pretty much all parents bought for their kids in the 90s). I have distinct memories of playing Tomb Raider with my Dad a few years on from that. Playing it on PS1 now, I have no idea how we managed, because the controls are near impossible. I don't remember what they were like on the PC, but I remember that one of our favourite things to do was lock the butler in the fridge (who didn't love doing that?). I'm going to have to try and play them again at some point because it was so long ago now that I don't really remember them too well.
CORE DESIGN (1997). Tomb Raider II [CD] PC and PS1. Eidos Interactive.
Another favourite was Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for PC. I had both versions (PC and PS1) but they were both completely different. The PC version was better, graphically, but I also felt like it was more fun and that there was more to do.
KnowWonder (2001). Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.[CD] PC. Electronic Arts.
I remember spending hours and hours on this game, occasionally making Mom take over if I got to a bit I couldn't do. I still think it's great, even now, but that's probably because of the nostalgia I feel when looking back at games like this.
Other favourites were games like Spyro, Jak and Daxter, etc. My favourite games definitely hold alot of strong gameplay and storytelling elements. Or, most of them do anyway. Generally, games with a strong story to follow give you more of an opportunity to escape from the real world, which I think is something we'd all like to do now and again.
As I got a bit older, I also started to play more handheld games like Pokemon and Harvest Moon. This, oddly enough, was probably what sparked more of my interest in how games look. These games, with their pixellated characters and environments held an odd charm and I've always found them oddly captivating. For instance, in the 3rd gen of Pokemon games, you could create your own little den and place your own items in it and so on. A really small feature of the game, but it was always one of my favourite bits. I still find this charming even now, maybe because it reminds me of a younger version of myself, staying up way later than I should have, playing it with the covers pulled over my head.
Here we move on to what, even now, are two of my favourite games I have ever played. Games like Dark Cloud, and it's sequel, Dark Chronicle, sparked my interest further towards games being used as an art form. I mean, the graphical quality of these games isn't fantastic, but considering the time they were pretty good, and a hell of a lot of fun to play. I find it quite funny, now I love playing games like this and looking at separate elements in the game and the textures and stuff. It's a lot of fun now that I've had some experience of the work that goes into the assets in these games. I loves the fantasy element incorporated in Dark Cloud and found the designs of the architecture, characters and monsters very inspiring. Here is a small section of the game.
Level-5 (2000). Dark Cloud.[DVD] PS2. Sony Computer Entertainment.
Dark Chronicle, the sequel, was brilliant too. I loved it very slightly less than the first, mostly because of the cheesy voice-overs that had now been included, despite the fact that it's probably better. I didn't like that as much but I very quickly got used to it. In fairness, that's just me being nit-picky. Still brilliant though. The game took on more of a graphical style, with a lot of black outlines, which personally I think works well with the themes of the game.
These two games incorporate a lot of what I love about games. They're dungeon crawl, RPG style and as you go along you collect what is known as Atla. From here, you rebuild the world to its former state. Fantastic.
Level-5 (2002). Dark Chronicle. [DVD] PS2. Sony Computer Entertainment.
There was a much more involved storyline in Dark Chronicle, which is probably what makes it so much better. I think Dark Chronicle had much more personality than its predecessor, and it's storyline was a lot more absorbing. That being said, Dark Cloud had a lot more emotional themes throughout. Various characters have their cut scenes to the past, giving the game much more depth to it.
Nowadays, I don't generally have that much time for games. I'm the kind of person now who buys games, excited to play them, and never gets the chance. Hopefully the summer break will change that, although I'm not sure. I got Skyrim shortly after its release date though, and because I had more time back then spent hours and hours and hours on it. A lot of people say that graphically it's not that good but personally, this game is another one of my absolute favourites and it probably always will be. Skyrim will be one of those games I will always want to return to, because I personally think it's gorgeous. There is a story to it, well, several, but in a more obscure way. You go about quests in the sort of order you like, so it feels like you're making your own story in a sense. One thing I do feel about this game is that the character doesn't really react to anything, so it feels a bit impersonal at times.
These are some of the games that stick out a lot to me when looking at my gaming life as a whole, although there are many others that I love.
Which brings me back to the question.. what interests me about games?
The evolution of games being used an art form is something that raises a lot of questions. Games being pretty never seemed that important when I was younger. It probably wasn't that important really either. I mean, there was a time when aesthetics weren't important at all. Games didn't have massive art teams working to makes sure that it was appealing to the eye, it only really incorporated the actual act of playing the game. It's only as I have gotten older that more and more, games have become more like beautiful playable storybooks, where you are the hero.
This actually brings to mind an art game I played called 'Dear Esther'. Visually astounding, there's a lot of debate whether this is actually a game or not.
The Chinese Room (2012). Dear Esther.[Download] PC, Mac and Linux.
I wasn't sure what to think about this game to be honest. It holds all the suspense and atmosphere of a thriller in some senses. There is an immense feeling of isolation as you walk around the island, only for nothing malicious to be there. Not that this is a criticism, just that this is not the point of this game. This game is a true example of games being used as an art form. I agree though, that it doesn't really feel like a game. There is a very interesting and mysterious story to follow as you go along, so it feels more like an interactive story than a game. It's beautiful though, and I'd highly recommend having a look at it.
I think, in a way, things like this broaden the horizons of what we can do with games and how we can push them further. I think the story behind a game and the atmosphere it creates holds a lot of the intrigue for me, and as games are becoming more and more filmic, it's an element that's getting stronger in games too. Games are more narrative and story is getting more and more important.
Over the past week or so, amongst doing other work, I have been revisiting the Architectural project from Game Production last term. I did this so that I would have more things to incorporate into my UDK scene, but doing it has given me a boost of confidence, because it's given me an opportunity to see how I've improved since then.
This was my first house, well, pub. At the time, I was so proud of this, but I think honestly I was probably just glad I'd got something done. Looking at it now, it's not AWFUL, but I am not at all proud of it. I have fixed it in parts though, for instance the mortar originally was HORRIBLE on this. It looked like someone had hurled massive globules of porridge at the side of my house (not that I blame them). Not good. I redid this texture, and now it looks a lot better. At least it looks normal anyway.
This is my new piece, and I am so much happier with it. I still have to make normal maps and some spec maps, but it already looks leaps and bounds better than my other building. It makes me so so happy to see visible evidence that I am improving. Game Production back then was a massive struggle for me, and brought me to tears quite a lot. Sometimes it still does. Not nearly as often though. I actually enjoy it quite a lot now, despite the hiccups I still have here and there. Here's to moving forwards!
In one of my previous posts, I mentioned the task set in the session held by Chris and Mitch on the Game Art Conference day last Wednesday. I didn't attend that session, however I thought it sounded really interesting and I wanted to give it a go. The task was to to write a small piece of prose, acting as a sort of art director, to give Mitch the necessary information to concept a scene, as if we were creating a film adaptation. It had to fit The Last of Us universe, and efficiently describe the sky, ground texture, characters, smell, light, ambience, taste, feel/emotion, temperature. This is what I came up with.
The vast emptiness above is a foreboding slate
grey; a bright day contaminated by the approach of cool dusk. The sky is
cloudless and vacant, akin to the wreck of this world. It’s lonely. Underfoot,
a crunch. Glass scattered across the floor glitters prettily, crushing into the
tarmac with each step. Blood mingles with the shards and dulls the shine. Their
erratic breath pollutes the atmosphere like smoke. The heaves and falls of
their chests reveal their residing fear and adrenaline as they proceed past the
figure strewn over the ground before them. The cold rusty smell of blood and
decay pierces and stings their nostrils, taste of iron coating their mouths.
They stumble past the huddle. It’s a small girl, or what once was, her face
twisted now with madness and disfigurement. Her remains lie scattered in the
shadows of the swings, a cruel reminder of what her life probably once was,
before the playground echoed silence and the seesaw lay still. It turned into a sort of creative writing piece, which I still think is because of fond memories of school. Argh! I miss creative writing so much sometimes! After writing this, I used this information to try and draw out the scene I had written. I've never actually played The Last of Us, but I looked at references here and there and I know the basic themes of the game.
This is the digital painting I produced based on my art direction piece. I'm not sure it's entirely in keeping with the description, but I tried to keep as much of it the same as I could. I do actually quite like the piece I came up with, mostly because I think it's helped me understand how to create depth more in my work. Overall I really enjoyed this task, I'd love to do more stuff like this!
It was a while ago now, however I recently revisited this project so I'd like to give it a mention. I really enjoyed this project as well, just the same as I have enjoyed the other character design projects so far. I really love the process of going from research stage, exploring possibilities, to finalising the character. I liked this project the best so far, because I felt it was quite versatile and open for all sorts of possible outcomes. Really, our only specifications for this project were to produce a humanoid character based on the 'Reef'. Interpreting this as the barrier reef, I started to search for research material and produced these mood boards.
I was finding most of my research from Pinterest, which I found an such a valuable source for finding interesting and inspiring pictures. I realised whilst I was gathering my images that I was maybe even too inspired. What I mean by this is that everything I found was inspiring me in some way or another. I had to narrow my searches. I chose a few creatures that interested me the most and created further mood boards.
From the mood boards I compiled, I started to produce quick silhouettes of potential characters. At first I found it quite difficult to come up with different ideas and different directions to take them in, but I realised that this was because I was becoming too quickly attached to certain ideas. Oh dear... From the silhouettes I developed my favourite further unto a more established design.
There are elements I really like about this design, such as the main lobster body being used as a sort of helmet and covering her eyes like a visor. It looks like it could be armour (admittedly sparsely situated armour) but I quite liked the idea of her being an un-willing experiment, an attempt of making a super soldier sub-species.
After I had finalised the elements of my character like colour etc, I had to start thinking about setting. I decided that she would have escaped and would be in hiding, somewhere abandoned and derelict. After I had decided this, I created a couple of idea sheets for inspiration. After picking one of my favourites I created a final of her in that situation. I would like to experiment with some of the others at some point though, if I get chance.
We then had to start modelling our character. I used a material that I used to use a lot when I was younger, called Fimo. Unlike the clay material I used for my last modelling project, it was incredibly easy to mould, so I was able to get a lot more detail into the finished model. After I had finished modelling it, I wanted to paint her. I used acrylics to begin with, but I hated the finish. Using half of my makeup wipes, I removed the paint and was pleasantly surprised to discover that the residue paint left a lovely bone effect on the model. I'd love to say I did this on purpose but nah, it was a happy accident. A technique I'd like to adopt for the future though.
I felt like I never did a proper final for this project though, not one that I could be really pleased with, so I decided to do another piece to revisit this project. I am much more pleased with this piece, and I feel like I really understand the colours and anatomy of my character.
