Supervisor Meeting (Group)

We had our first meeting with our supervisor today - Ryan Locke. His plan is too have maybe two more group sessions as well as half hour individual sessions every week. We began by discussing each others project so he could get a more in-depth idea of what we were looking to do. He was fully on board with my project and I felt he understood what I wanted to achieve. He mentioned that I'd need to re-word it for a more suitable title as well as complete plenty research into other games.

The next few weeks (before Semester 2) I plan on creating a story for my environment and planning exactly how I want my environment to be so as soon as semester 2 starts, I can begin building it. I have already emailed the hotel I am basing it on asking for some reference images and archive photos so I can begin looking more into that in order to figure out the story I wish to convey.

Media Test - Importing into UDK

With my final project aim to have the user explore my environment it was time I imported my practice environment into a games engine for practice using another program. I decided to use UDK as I used it a little bit last year and so am some what familiar with it. I was happy too discover I succeeded with only some 'typical' minor problems. These issues have happened to me before but I need to research further on how to sort them. At the moment, I believe its the light maps but will need to keep tweaking them in order to hopefully resolve the issue I have, ready for when it comes to developing my final project.

Importing into UDK

There was only one major issue I was having with my environment and that was (what I believe to be) the lightmaps. I had a lot of annoying shadows in places that did not look right or make sense. I have a feeling that this is due to my light maps and I need to do much more research on these are as they are a vital factor for making a UDK environment look good.

Problems With Shadows

Things To Consider

• Still early practice in UDK - plenty time to sort
• Still need to try out animating objects in UDK
• Sound also needs to be looked into in preparation for next semester
• All in all, scene came together nicely

Personal Notes

Using UDK was not scheduled in my plan until next semester however starting it now has definitely given me not only a kick-start into the program but has raised issues and concerns I now know I need to look at ready for semester 2.

Media Test - Story

Recently it came to my attention that there were more parts to this interview from Don Carson :

http://www.primitive-eye.com/pdf_files/Enviromental_storytelling_pt1.pdf

So far I have been applying the practical skills learnt in Michael McKinley's 'Game Environments and Props' book to an environment I had created to carry out various tests and practices regarding environmental storytelling. I was basing these tests on Don Carson's techniques used in the theme park industry and had believed that the link provided was the full interview. I have jsut been made aware that there is a lot more too this which I can use for future practice later in the year. For now, here is the last media test from part 1: Story.

Using ideas on how to convey or tell a story from other games I have done so with a few examples. This first one is a standard typical horror style in which you see lots of blood in the environment which can highlight danger or just add to the sense of worry you have whilst playing the game. The example below are from 'Outlast' (2013).

Media Test - Story (Method 1)

This is an effective method which can be used to suggest something as oppose to using any form of text or obvious happening. It can be also very useful as it is not obvious what has happened which leaves the user's imagination to run wild and a common technique in film and games, is too not show the creature/what happened as someones imagination can create something much more scarier. For example, in my scene, you do not know what has happened except someone or something has been seriously hurt (or killed) This adds a chilling atmosphere in which the user proceeds more alert and becomes much more careful when progressing through the level.

Another method which is very common in various genre's of games is having scrawled writing on the wall. The writing can be clues, hints, ideas or just random rubbish. 'Left 4 Dead' (1&2) (2008/2009) effectively used this in the safe-houses set around the level. They use this to tell a story without the need of cut-scenes.

Media Test - Story (Method 2)

This technique proves very effective as it can subtly convey a story to the user without over-use of literally telling a story. The user can choose to acknowledge the information, take it seriously or just ignore it. 'Portal' (2007) was also famous for this method of storytelling with writing on the walls of hidden rooms which led to the story's outcome.

This next technique I have taken from 'Splinter Cell: Conviction' (2010) and adapted it. Here the text is clearly displayed on buildings to help introduce a level or task as well as offering tips. I went for a more subtle approach in my scene by having the writing much harder to see which would result in the user having to look hard and carefully if they wanted to find out some story aspects or help.

Media Test - Story (Method 3)

This technique would be effective if I wanted to tell an under-laying story that was into necessary to know when exploring the environment. I was using this technique with the idea that 'the environment' was talking/helping the user. This can be explored more in depth once I decide on what the final story will be. The issue that I noticed with this method was that it can be difficult to see so care would have to be taken when carrying out this method.

Things to Consider

• There a loads more techniques similar too these that can be used to tell/enhance a story
• Each of these can be explored further
• Having a story idea and how it's going to be told needs to be looked at soon

3D Practice - SciFi Object

This was the final chapter of Michael McKinley's 'Game Environments and Props'. It combined everything that had been learnt so far plus a few extra things here and there in order to create a sci fi object.

By now, these chapters are relatively straight forward which shows how I have progressed well. There are however some issues that did appear, which as per usual, cost me time and with some cases, time wasted as I could not fix them. However I am really pleased with how my skills have developed through using this book and how it as helped me with my project. I have learnt many new features which I can definitely apply to my project in order to make it much more professional.

Project: SciFi Object

The Steps

1. Create Hi Poly model
2. Create Low Poly version
3. UV map Low poly model
4. Using transfer maps to create initial textures
5. Edit textures in Photoshop
6. Apply these textures to model
7. Animate

Learning Outcomes

It was nice to apply all the techniques I have learnt from this book to one final model. So for this piece, nothing new was really taught however I did come across some problems which I could not fix. Trying to achieve a glow effect using a cone mesh sadly did not even nearly work. I tried messign about with the settings but nothing seemed to work. The other issue was when I rendered my final image, it came out with a really obvious glow which looked terrible and again, I could not sort it.

These issues are always a nightmare to try and fix as I sometimes have no clue on where to start. In some cases (Like I did here) I will just have to try leaving the part out. 

Project: SciFi Object - Problems

Personal Notes

I have found this book to be so useful in developing my 3D and Photoshop skills. It has been very enjoyable and thorough in its projects. I'd hope for more books like this but I am not sure if there are (in date) however now I have completed every chapter except one. I left this one to complete just before I come back to semester 2 as a kind of warm up exercise. It's a project on making a car, which is not linked to my final project however it can be used as the perfect warm up piece to keep me on form ready for semester 2. I would highly recommend this book to anyone carrying out 3D practices - especially for those at intermediate level who need a little more confidence and guidance in Maya.

Media Test - Familiarity

Following on from what  I learnt and relating this to Don Carson's environmental storytelling techniques (http://www.primitive-eye.com/pdf_files/Enviromental_storytelling_pt1.pdf) I went forward and created my own fan to implement into my scene.

Media Test - Familiarity

This resulted in a really nice ambient effect. Familiarity is a hard practice to interpret, I quote myself from a previous blog in saying'

'An important feature of storytelling and immersion is the use of familiarity. Certain objects will trigger a thought or idea in the users mind and with rule of thumb, they can decipher the objects meaning and perhaps understand more of the story - location, date, genre etc. Of course this can sometimes depends on the personal views of the user but for example, simple things such as a bed, light and wardrobe in a room would suggest that it is a bedroom.'

Here by adding in a few fans help enhance the hotel lobby atmosphere as they are quite often found in big lobby's. What also helps with an asset like this is that since it is not as common as you would think, it draws the user's attention and helps trigger 'rule of thumb' relations to ceiling fans in big rooms : connotations of; grand, well ventilated, well accommodated. These connotations are what the user thinks about subconsciously and the familiarity of the connotations help engross the user in a realistic environment.

It's important that all this headings (Physical Space, contrasting elements and familiarity) all link and require each other too work. 

Things To Consider

• Animated assets will most likely need some sort of sound to go along side them
• Familiarity is a technique that requires careful thought on each asset
• Familiarity differs with the individual - design assets with a - (stereotypical view)
• It's important that all this headings (Physical Space, contrasting elements and familiarity) all link and require each other too work. 

3D Practice - An Animated Industrial Fan

This chapter of Michael McKinley's 'Game Environment and Props' involved creating an industrial fan and animating it in order for a more interesting background object. This project was relatively simple but showed how you can enhance your environment very easily.

Project: Creating an Industrial Fan

The Steps

1. Create the high poly model
2. Create the low poly model
3. UV Map the low poly model
4. Texture the Low Poly Model
5. Animate it

Learning Outcomes

This project did not produce much in terms of learning outcomes for me. The only issue I had which I have had before so know how to sort it is the transferring of an ambient occlusion map. This was the only issue I had. As for learning, the only kind of new aspect for me was the animation. It was nice to see how easy it was to animate a simple object.

Personal Notes

This was a really interesting project which showed how easily it is to enhance an environment. What I must try and do is apply this technique in an gaming environment. This was one of the issues raised at my progress presentation - to bring an asset in UDK and work with it in there in order to help develop a feel and ease back into using UDK. This might be the perfect object to use (Or my own version of it) as it incorporates animation as well as anything else. If I can get a feature like this working in UDK I would be really pleased.

Week 12 - Progress Presentation 2

So today was our second progress presentation. Due to coursework deadlines, I did not put as much effort into this as possible but it still went well. Some of the feedback I received from my lecturers could have been avoided if I did put a little bit more effort in but apart from that, I was generally pleased and came away with a lot of valuable feedback. Here is my presentation:

Progress Presentation 2

Feedback On Project 

• Good to see I had a clear aim and objectives
• Look at lighting in UDK as it's different to Maya
• With case studies, pay attention to things that do not work in order to better my own project
• Have a method for carrying out a case study (FRAMEWORK)
• Look at how I'm going to tell/convey a story - using techniques I have learnt
• Look at how I apply knowledge to my practical work
• Look at comparison (e.g compare hallways in different games)
• Look into completing an 'active' case study

Feedback On Presentation

• Approach as if it is a completely new audience
• Re-summerise last presentation

Looking over these remarks I can easily apply myself too them. The presentation feedback points are an easy fix - just spend more time preparing the presentation. As for the feeback on my project, there is a lot too look at here which is a great help for my future plans. I was saving UDK work for next semester but as highlighted - it might be best to at least work on one asset and light it in UDK now.

As for conveying the story, I am currently in the process of learning techniques and applying them to a test environment so hopefully I can show a successful outcome with these.

A lot of attention was drawn to the methodology of my case studies. It is clear I need to write out and apply a method/framework I can use whilst playing the games and writing about them. By doing this I can effectively crituque them and apply the knowledge to my project.

Comparing scenes in other games is also a really useful idea. I will start looking into games I can compare and conduct a good amount of research this way.

Overall I am pleased with my feedback. I currently am working on work for hand-ins in two weeks but I am hoping I can add in a little more that planned using the feedback given today.