This music..

 

 

…makes me want to draw.

Game Engines

Game engines appear intimidating to the naked eye, but when you open up the software and have a gander… they continue to intimidate. Opening up Unreal gave me the same feeling of being out of my depth that 3DS Max did on my first day at uni. But here I am, handling Max like I’ve been using it for years. Over the Summer, I am determined to make UDK like me… or at least tolerate me having a tinker with its settings.

Engines are pretty darn important, they provide the tools to blend all the different elements of a game together. They..err.. drive them, if you will. There are a fair few out, as you can imagine, each with their very own list of perks.

The Unreal engine is the first example that comes to mind (I wonder why). It’s a very popular engine that has been around since 1998. Since then it seems like piles and piles of companies have used some element of unreal to run their game. From Bioshock to Brother bear. It’s even used by companies who already have their own in house engines,for example BioWare, Ubisoft and EA have all used a modified version in some games.  This is possibly because it works out relatively cheaper to use than creating a game from scratch.

Cryteks, Cryengine makes absolutely beautiful games and can be thanked for visuals such as this:

 

Unlike most other engines, the Cryengine does not need any middleware and can support its own physics, sound and animations.  Always a plus.

The RAGE engine ( I enjoyed typing out that work in capitals, I need to get out more) which created Red Dead Redemption seems to be exciting new blood. This newborn engine has the ability to handle large worlds, weather effects and a range of game play genres. And of course, the fact that is still growing shows promise of bigger, badder things to come! Here's some purdy pictures:

I’m going to finish off on a favourite. Naughty Dog Game Engine. Uncharted 2. Om nom..

I talk about this game waaaaaay too much, but I think it demonstrates exactly what the games industry can do. That game is just so visually stunning, it’s one of the only games I could sit and watch someone play for hours on end. I think it just shows what a good engine in the right hands is capable of.

PHWOAR:

The environments just look so crisp and believable, the animation on the vegetation is ultra realistic and the mood they have created with the lighting and colour schemes just hits you each time you enter a new level. Every single aspect has been put together perfectly to create an environment that invigorates your senses. That sounded like a herbal essences campaign but you now understand my passion.  I WANT TO MAKE GAMES LIKE THIS ONE. 

From generalist to specialist?

My visit to the Blitz open day gave me an incredible insight into where I want to be and how to get there if I did choose the games industry. I had a one to one feedback session where my portfolio was critiqued. They judged the work on industry standard, which terrified the life out of me.

I went in to that room expecting to be laughed at. I know that sounds ridiculous and melodramatic, but that’s honestly what was going through my mind. I expected to sit down, open up my portfolio and have to sit there, red faced while the professionals ripped apart my work and said, in the nicest way possible, I’d never make it at this rate, and perhaps should try for a secretarial work instead. Of course, that’s not what happened.. but I’ll go into that in my 2nd year review blog. Oh, I’m such a tease!

So.. after all I have learnt so far, with everything the tutors/professionals have advised and from where the industry stands at this moment in time.. what do I want to be? 

Well..

I STILL want to be a concept artist.

Now this is a big thing for me to say. I have been tempted over and over again to stop and reassess my situation.. to convince myself to stop dreaming about becoming a concept artist. I have been told that only the best of the best can get that job and it’s unbelievably easy to just think.. SCREW IT, this shit is too stressful, I’ll aim for the easier option..

But this was never going to be easy, in fact, if it was easy.. I’d be disappointed.

What I learnt at Blitz is that yes, you do indeed need to be the best of the best to get a job as a concept artist… But someone has to do it, so why the hell can’t it be me?!

I’ve just got to work my buttocks off.

My visit to the Blitz open day gave me an incredible insight into where I want to be and how to get there if I did choose the games industry. I had a one to one feedback session where my portfolio was critiqued. They judged the work on industry standard, which terrified the life out of me.

I went in to that room expecting to be laughed at. I know that sounds ridiculous and melodramatic, but that’s honestly what was going through my mind. I expected to sit down, open up my portfolio and have to sit there, red faced while the professionals ripped apart my work and said, in the nicest way possible, I’d never make it at this rate, and perhaps should try for a secretarial work instead. Of course, that’s not what happened.. but I’ll go into that in my 2nd year review blog. Oh, I’m such a tease!

Actually.. secretarial work wouldn't be all that bad now I've thought about it, I have a thing for organising paper work and answering the phone. There you go, I have a fall back option. My other ‘just in case’ job would be to become a post woman… and no, I’m not joking.  Working in the outdoors, big tips at Christmas, finished by 12, good pay?! Cushty.

Interaction Design

I think 3D is a gimmick.

We have had 3D films for ages? The reason it never kicked off in the first place is because it wasn't worth the money… And now people are buying stupidly over priced 3D TV’s to sit in front of with their stupidly over priced personal 3D glasses. I went along with the 3D cinema shows for a while because, yeah, ok… they look pretty. But not pretty enough to pay an extra 3 squids for the privilege. And then they ask for your glasses back? PAHAHA no. I have 3 pairs sitting at home in my desk now. Do they give you a discount if you bring your own glasses? No. No they don't. As for 3D gaming.. I've played on a 3DS for an hour. for the first 5 minutes I was impressed, but then it bored me.

Just like the Wii. Which brings me on to motion controllers. Oh.. yes.

*sigh*

I know the levels of obesity in children are rising, and the average size of a female in the UK has risen to a size 14-16 but frankly, I don’t give a damn when it starts to interfere with my gaming future. I don't want to be standing swinging a stick around the air, it look’s un-cool and it looks boring. Why can’t we just keep our wireless controllers in our laps and sit with a cuppa. That's my idea of escaping reality. Not jumping around the place like a loon trying to get a motion sensor to work despite the fact I’m standing RIGHT IN FRONT OF IT.

And no, I’m not just being lazy. I will go out for a run if I fancy it, I play badminton on a Friday evening. But that’s because I enjoy leaving the house and getting fresh air. I enjoy playing for a team and having a run around. I enjoy working my body, and pushing it. Waving my arms around and gyrating my hips will not achieve any of that..

But now I have had my major rant, I will just add one praise. I have played Just Dance and that was very good fun. Particularly if your watching your friends going at it drunk. I guess I just worry that the bigger companies will get swept away with the novelty of all of this innovation and forget about the old school gamers. The ones that sit for hours slack jawed and semi conscious, the ones that play the coolest games.

So, guys… you’ve had a muck around with your new toys, you've ridden the motion sensitive wave. Now put down that silly little nunchuck and take off those oversized glasses and get on with making some real games. Include some relatable characters while your at it, yeah? Cheers.

Sound

Music has an impressive effect on the human psyche.  You can listen to an ill suited playlist for an hour and go through a rollercoaster of emotions in one sitting. I know, as this has happened to me on a bad day.. damn that shuffle.

A scene in a game is just a scene when watched without sound. It’s just a visual image that comes in a split second and is lost. Music lingers on. It causes our brain to recognise a the tone of the situation, and our emotions act accordingly. The same is said for films, music just makes that crisp, lasting impression.

Whenever I hear Queen’s ‘don’t stop me now’ I cant help but giggle and think of this scene :

Final Fantasy XII has my most memorable soundtrack.  I still have to skip Aeris’s theme tune on my MP3 because of the mood swing it causes me. Every single town has the appropriate music accompaniment…

…and you are left humming it for the rest of the day. Even now, when I overhear the victory tune on some geeks ringtone I feel triumphant!

Bioshock is filled with atmosphere, and although the graphics are pretty funky, the sounds definitely make this game what it is. The chilling moans and whispers of the splicer's, the frantic violins and the creepy retro music combine to make absolutely awesome game play. Watching this video gave me shivers, I know exactly what is going to happen, but the music still makes me jump. Now I really want to play it again!

Shadow of the Colossus would have been quite a poor game if it weren't for the music. The player spends most of their time in silence,  traversing around a vast landscape with only the wind and a horse for accompaniment. Suddenly, you veer around a rock on your horse and this magnificent music kicks in. Your heart starts going and you can feel the adrenalin course through you. It’s such an amazing experience, that game was just immense. Each colossus has it's own theme, and each is different and unique in its own way. It’s little things like that which make a soundtrack great.

I feel like I need to mention Fallout 3. Although the usual in game sounds were nothing to shout about, I got very, very attached to the music they played constantly on “Galaxy News Radio”.  Having a far off radio humming whilst you a exploring what should be an empty building is very disconcerting, but there's nothing quite like blowing off a raiders head whilst humming along to vintage song’s from the 1940’s.

Doodle book update…

I have been doing my daily sketches though not consistently. I’m rubbish at scanning them all in, I never remember!

Here is a backlog of them for you to peruse…

I have many scruffy sketches of scenery my car window, all of which look like masses of squiggles. These three are the best of a bad bunch.

    

My nana has been poorly over Christmas, so I have been spending a bit of time at the hospital staring into space! The last 5 pages are sketches of patients.

The hospital decided to put Christmas songs on loop in the waiting room we had gathered in. After hearing Santa Baby for the 5th time, it’s no wonder most of the patients look ready to commit mass suicide.

Level Design

Previously, the title ‘Level Designer’  brought to mind a single lucky fellow spinning out level ideas of which were instantly transformed into reality by a group of obedient artists and modellers. They continually work with visually compelling imagery and.. well  ... I actually assumed it was a fairly easy job. How naive.

The amount of planning that goes into each of the designs is phenomenal. Building a successful map is an art form in itself. Working up to the final design requires a lot of trial and error before you get something challenging and entertaining for the player. Often they fail even after all of that effort… it’s not an easy job!

Before any artwork is involved the team meet and discuss ideas. Intense planning and research ensues resulting in sketches, mood boards and check lists. After approval simple geometry is blocked out in 3D and shoved in front of any play tester they can get their hands on. This constructive input is put into consideration and the level is tweaked until unrecognisable.

Only then is the level given to concept artists to paint-over who work on the overall look of the level. It is then passed off to environment artists who make further tweaks and changes, adding level after level of detail until happy with the finished art.

Half Life 2 has a particularly successful level design. The maps have clear direction without feeling too constraining and the environments feel familiar enough to be believable. All of the levels flow beautifully and you always have a clear sense of where you are heading. Each level climax has been unmistakably imprinted into my brain, and I remember them clearly and fondly!

To me a successful level keeps the player moving at a consistent pace. I instantly feel underwhelmed when I think I have found a secrete passage that leads to loot but instead discover a mindless barricade or dead end. I feel betrayed as a double back on myself with nothing shiny to distract me. I think all paths should lead to a destination, even if the loot at the end simply consists of a worthwhile view – a tactic  beautifully executed by the Uncharted games…

I also appreciate feeling orientated. Massive, complicated levels make me feel lost and panicky before I even get the chance to defeat any foes. If I haven't got a map, I find being able to see my final destination reassuring. Distinctive markers and worn paths help me keep track of where I have been and simply catching a glimpse of the destination in the distance acts as a comforter. I don't appreciate being surrounded by enemies whilst  feeling impossibly lost!