[Character] Initial Guard Concept & Model Progression

Aidan Cadogan

[31/10/14]

This is the initial concept drawn up for the idle guards that will act as a minor character and end goal problem within our level, the guard will also have a clockwork-like wind up mechanism on his back area and will be powered by magic, here is the concept and model:

[General] Written Level Flow & Initial Route

Duck Samurai
[31/10/14]

Written Level Progression

Initial Art Target & Level Route

[General] Character Gantt Chart - Update

Aaran & Aidan
[31/10/14]

This is mine and Aidans refined gantt chart, we pushed concepts back a little bit as we needed more time to refine our designs and gain reference material for moodboards, we also used our conceptual time to create colour schemes for textures later on. We used the same colour keys as the team gantt chart/environment gantt chart to keep it consistent.

[Environment] None Unique Asset Models

Kyle Jenkins
[31/10/14]

These are the assets that I needed to aim for completion and move on with the crane idea which is stated for a Sunday completion date. Me and Ben will update our personal gantt chart with completed assets crossed off (brackets). Here are the models:

Lamppost 

Sign #1

Sign #2

Notice Board (Texture for detail)

Potion #1

Potion #2

[Environment] None Unique Asset/Unique Asset Models

Ben Williams

[31/10/14]

These are some models I did for our games environment (Unique - runic pillars/None unique - barrels). These need to be unwrapped and textured, the textures will add differentiation to each of the models as we plan to have more than one texture for barrels, runic pillars etc, each model with have a similar hand painted style to insure that our style is consisted. Here are the models:

Runic Pillar #1

Wooden Barrel

Steel Barrel

Runic Pillar #2

[Engine] Whitebox

Rhys Bevan
[30/10/14]

*Note to modellers: If you're not already, export things as FBX. It comes with Maya and should be turned on by default, but if it isn't you just have to activate the plugin. If the plugin isn't there, you can download it here. Feedback would be appreciated*

Notes:

- Worked from player perspective to get sense of scale
- Need to fill empty areas with assets
- A bridge will be added to the canal with the BSP brush in the next upload
- Need to fix lighting
- Make some changes to the back alleys (Make it so there's more to do back there)
- Can change the size and location of things, but I think it's at a good point
- More creative ways to block the player off instead of just walls
- Market area can be made larger, (That would involve making that area larger too ,or shrinking the buildings) but it should fit a good amount of stalls
- Can extend the waterfront area to be longer if needed

Here are some screenshots, topdown view designed by Aidan:

*Player scale, bird's eye view, annotated bird's eye view, reference layout (Aidan's design), top down view*

[Animation] Flynn Animations & Motionbuilder

Mike Hunter

[30/10/14]

These are the current animations for Flynn as they stand, these were from our motion capture sessions which will be uploaded on the blog within the next week, here are the animations:

This is the movement and idol in Motionbuilder, I need to talk to Mark about how you manipulate the data in Motionbuilder or A.R.T in Maya. I have also started making the reference rig of Flynn in Maya.

[Pre-Visualisation] Cinematic Idea Proposal & Video Referencing

Aaran & Kyle
[30/10/2014]

During our Wednesdays Visualisation lecture, we discussed what we're going to produce for our game cinematic. We talked about either having the intro to our level which consisted of Flynn having already obtained Grimm and talking to him as they enter Voidstone Docks. Another idea was an animatic sequence of an epic battle between our games protagonist (Flynn) and antagonist (Gauss) in Gauss' lair known as 'The Void', this area would consist of a huge virus crystal deposit (Dark crystals) in which Flynn enters in one of the big warehouses. In the end we decided on a cinematic prologue as an intro to the game, the player would walk into a magical room in first person (Through the eyes of Flynn) and would open Grimm, Grimm would then narrate the story alongside 2D visuals.

We plan to start storyboard art as well as 3D content creation for the sequence, we talked about having a Grimm voice actor and we are in the current process of finding one, we considered an elderly person for Grimm as he's an old book. We conducted some initial research and the style of 2D art we wanted to achieve here:

Sketched Animation (Castlevania: Lords of Shadow)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlefPGlUs6s

The Tale of Three Brothers (Harry Potter - Deathly Hallows)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bN1_h_eGitE

Prologue/Introductory Sequence (Darksiders 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myREFrojsBs

Lords of War Part 1: Kargath (World of Warcraft)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG3RVCEwCPg

[General] Environment Gantt Chart - Update

Kyle Jenkins
[29/10/14]

This is the new and improved gantt chart to now working parallel with the main team gantt chart posted below, we will keep reiterating our personal and team gantt charts as we progress, in a recent group meeting we discussed changes that could be made, here is our environment gantt chart:

[General] Team Gantt Chart - Update

Kyle Jenkins
[27/10/14]

This is the new team gantt chart, after the group discussion with Rich in Monday's lesson we took the time to sort out the changes that needed to be included, this is for this semesters work and we were unable to decide what to allocate to each section during this semester until we finish our first presentation regarding the progression of our level:

[General] Lecture Notes/Group Meeting/Weekly Targets

Duck Samurai
[27/10/14]

In Attendance:
Aidan
Ben
Kyle
Mike
Rhys

Things talked about in lecture:
Amendments to each of our teams gantt charts
Allocation of tasks and sticking to tasks
Engine task clarification

Things to do:
-Change the gantt chart from week 5 onward, accommodating the second semester
-Ben and Kyle start talking about environment and level design with Aidan ( Final layout)
-Week 9 onwards, asset importing needs to start
-Complete whitebox by week 6 and from week 7 start level creation
-Rhys: start researching and applying research from asset implementation and character implementation and do the intial whitebox
-Single enemy returning, Aaran to do the concepts by the end of week 5/6
- Colour schemes taken from reference images (Moodboards)/concepts for texturing (Adobe Kuler)
- Interior for warehouse and admin building (Foyer). Concepts and reference images (Moodboards)
-Market size: 8-10 Market stalls

This weeks targets:
Aaran: Side reference for Gauss, tome iterations, tome final concept, concept colour schemes, (Create 2/3 reference moodboards for each concept), start modelling Gauss for next Friday.
Aidan: (Environment) - Aidan will be helping the environment sub group this week with a smaller more efficient final top down view alongside progressing with his character work, Flynn iterations, Flynn changes (Armour), Merchant iterations, Guard iterations, Guard final concept, (Create 2/3 moodboards for each concept).
Kyle: Top down design with Aidan, level progression, none unique assets, crane model.
Ben: Modelling 2 small carts and 1 boats, 2 barrel variations, 2 runic pillar variations.
Mike: Basic character movements (Flynn - Motionbuilder).
Rhys: Whitebox and write-up on importing assets into engine from Maya (Videos if possible).

[General] Class Feedback

Rhys Bevan
[24/10/14]

Finalize what gameplay/game is, what the player does, show the fun in the game (Does not have to be functional just represented). Art target finished by the end of the semester. One corner textured and built with assets with the rest of the level white boxed in engine with temporary features. Gameplay/engine work considered.

Character models in engine by first semester presentation. Everything will be laid out in the design brief. Game needs basic functionality. Character/proxy mesh running around the level with functional/represented mechanics and in whiteboxed level/with the final art target.

-Reduce the size of the level 

-Reduce the scope of characters if needed

1 protagonist
1 guide
1 antagonist
1 enemy

Allocate/debate roles and stick to them unless stated in weekly targets. Keep roles relevant, and mention to people if they start going to a different topic.

[Concept] Gauss Redesign Progress & Referencing

Aaran Griffiths
[24/10/14]

This is the floating redesign we initially wanted for our Gauss design. We had to change it due to it having to be bipedal but with other bipedal characters being introduced to our story we decided to go back to our roots with the refinement stage and change him, I still used many of the old referencing material as through the design process and iteration stage, I still considered different body types.

The referencing material consists of various sharp rocks and boulders to get a feel for the shape of Gauss' body and arms. I took a different approach when designing the head, I looked at spider abdomens and faces not for the detail, but for the shape, I liked the shape of spider abdomens and the block outs for spider faces. The shades of purple used for Gauss' dark magic came from various amethyst deposits and other artificial purple crystals. I came up with the rune design with looking at existing alphabets which I shall include in the next post. Here is the reference material:

Here are some of the iteration sheets I created for Gauss along with the final concept, initial shape concepts, head icons, dark blade concept and colour overlay for the final concept will be uploaded in the next post:

*The reference images including reference images that haven't been uploaded for other concepts will be condensed into moodboards along with colour schemes for texturing and the final developed concepts, this is just progress*

[Animation] (A)nimation & (R)igging (T)oolkit - Tutorials

Mike Hunter
[24/10/14]

These are some useful tutorials I researched for the Epic Games character rigging, here's the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knbZ_g8Hgvk&index=1&list=PLZlv_N0_O1gb2ZoKzTApbv3LvhaXJ9elg 

[Environment] Maya Whitebox

Whitebox not quite finished yet. Still more stuff to add/things to talk over. Not doing in Engine until I know if this is the final version or not since another version was meant to be created in the same layout but with more detail on the map.

Whitebox screenshot:

Whitebox with annotations pointing out each area and things to add.

Feedback would be great.


Also can someone create a back up of the year 1 stuff on the dropbox and then delete it because it's full.

[Engine] Engine Features

Aidan Cadogan

[23/10/14]

Engine mechanics implemented so far:

Health/health regeneration

Falling damage

Death
Health bar

High Jump

Dash

Aiming mode
Projectile shooting
(spawning infront of player & hit events)

[Environment] Annotated map layout

Idea for level layout features. Subject to change. Can discuss changes or using an alternate map layout on Thursday.

Will be giving buildings more order and better placement when whiteboxing starts

[General] Mood Board - Art Style

Here is the link to the Mood Board for our game. ALL member will have access to edit and add to this. Allowing us to be on the same wavelength.


Link to the Mood Board

Maps varient for the Docks

These are four more map varient taking reference from Gloucster dock, swansea dock and a spaceship from Sins of the solar empire