Research into Aesthetics 1

Visual design research:

Extended research for “Phenotype” because I intend to develop my game idea (phenotype) in this new project, I will look back at and expand the research I did as well as correct and amend the design document that we created as a group to better suit my individual goals and learning objectives.

I intend to expand upon research that I started last term, into inspirational sources for my design work. Partly for my own satisfaction to see the design completed to a more thorough standard but also apply that research to my design and work in this project.

The original game setting for “Phenotype” is an “off world research facility” for creating and experimenting on man-made “ bio-weapons” the “weapons” are genetically mutated creatures that are contained within the vast facility. They are also the player’s characters.

Because of the need to contain these potentially dangerous creatures (as explained in the game narrative) the game has an entirely internal setting. This means that for my “scene” I need to create a building from an internal view.  I have no experience in this field, other than some brief asset work but I look forward to challenging myself by stepping completely out of my comfort zone.

My usual favored area of work is 2D concept art and design of organics, characters, creatures and the like. This project will force me to work on architecture and inanimate objects. I need to bare I mind functionality and ergonomics, as well as implication in CryEngine.

The scene I am going to make in CryEngine will be focus on industrial, clinical, architectural design from a science fiction perspective. This means that I need to research these areas and gather information and images to support my own design process later on.

Real world space program design:

The original design for the facility that “Phenotype” is set in was supposed to be a pseudo realistic industrial design, which was fantastical yet believable. I looked at the designs in various science fiction games and films that had a realistic feel. Though this was a good way of establishing mood and themes, I feel that it left our design looking unoriginal and poorly researched. Design decisions were made based on aesthetics and the pseudo-science of the game world which I think made us stray from the realism that we were trying to achieve.

I want to bear in mind a quote by Peter Jackson, with regard to suspension of disbelief in films:

 "We know this is a lot of nonsense, but let's forget about that for a couple of hours and allow ourselves to have some fun" 

- From the Preface to "The art of Avatar" book

I think that this statement is particularly relevant to the genres of science fiction and fantasy in terms of entertainment media. There are many things that i can do as an artist to incite this suspension of disbelief within my audience. I think that, particularly with with sci-fi, some grounding, and real world reference allows the audience to relate to the visuals in some way, even if it is totally subconscious. I is this that allows the audience to relax to this obviously fake world they are seeing, and allow themselves to become immersed and to suspend their disbelief.

To fully understand the design of futuristic, science fiction worlds I think it is most important to look at related designs in the real world, ie designs by NASA and other space programs.

The first place I have started to look is the NASA website. I am trying to find examples of the design process; I think that by looking into these real design ethics I might find a way to make my own science fiction designs feel more grounded. I have found an example of a problem solving flow chart used in “the development of a new product or system” the example is given as part of an educational challenge for students to design a “plant growth chamber” for NASA though this is obviously not directly relevant to games, it is an interesting example of creative problem solving in industrial design. It would be interesting to follow this same design process when designing concepts for my game world, as it would in theory, hopefully produce more purposeful designs that feel like they favor function over from, even in a game world.

If I apply this process to my own:

1-     Identify the problem: - what asset am I designing?

2-     Identify criteria and constraints: - What is its purpose within the game world? What are the limits of the game engine (Polly count ect) does it have to fit a coherent aesthetic?

3-     Brainstorm solutions: silhouette and rough sketch, define key features of what I am designing

4-     Generate ideas: my process is a highly visual one, idea generation is visual and part of the sketching process. For me, stages 3 and 4 effectively amount to the same thing.

5-     explore possibilities: out of a range of quick ideas generated, evaluate which design is most appropriate

6-     Select an approach: as with 3 and 4, 5 and 6 have very similar outcomes

7-     Build a prototype: finalise concept work, orthographic views and denote textures

8-     Refine the design: create the design as a working 3d asset, change shapes and simplify to work in a gam engine.

This scientific journal: (http://coewww.rutgers.edu/~benaroya/publications/Ruess%20et%20al%20ASCE%20JAE.pdf ( F.Ruess; J.Schaenzlin; and H.Benaroya from the JOURNAL OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING © ASCE / JULY 2006) goes into detail about the various purposes and means of space travel, but more interestingly for me, discusses materials both real and hypothetical (lunarcrete) that can be used in lunar building. It is important for me to think about these materials and their applications when designing science fiction assets with a focus on realism. Recognisable materials help the viewer to relate and believe in the product (asset) they are looking at and interacting with. This is something I need to bear in mind for concept art, but also when I transfer those concepts to 3 assets with textures.

The previous document states that iron, aluminium, silicon and titanium are resources that are available in lunar regolith (a layer of soil, dust, and broken rock). As well as being used in astronautics they are also used in the design of proposed lunar buildings (also see “structural design of a lunar habitat”)

Structural Analysis:

By examining and analysing a variety of images of extra-terrestrial structures I can set drawing conventions of shape, style, and feel of my asset designs.

Picture A:

(sketch by NASA industrial design team for a “modular habitat”)

Picture A is a rough sketch showing a group of “habitats”, that the NASA HDC (habitability design centre) created that simply demonstrates the layout and forms that they intend to use in lunar habitation projects. The shapes of the structures all seem to be designed to provide maximum strength in the vacuum of space. The shape of the buildings (round ended cylinders) is similar to that used in the construction of tanks that contain high pressure air. The shape is designed to withstand the forces of compression acting upon it. Similarly, the tubes connecting the buildings appear to be cylindrical presumably for the same reasons. By being cylindrical, the shape has less structural weak points as stress is dispersed around it.

The building is described as being “modular” the main benefit of which being adaptability. “Modules” can be built, tested and transported separately for ease of production. They use universal, or standardized fittings which allows the structure to be customised and arranged in a site/ purpose specific manner.

Picture B:

(3d model from Structural Design of a Lunar Habitat - F. Ruess; J. Schaenzlin; and H. Benaroya)

This picture is an older design, showing possible methods of connecting more modular structures

Picture C:

Picture D:

This image pretty much supports my observations about structural design consistencies. I will take these findings as references in my own design work.

The biggest thing that all these designs have in common is strength. They are practical buildings designed from an engineering perspective. Little or no concern is given to aesthetics as the designs favour function over form.

I wouldn’t expect anything less from such a practicality driven organisation. This no frills design ethic however is not necessarily the best way to approach my own design, as the products (and by extension the world) I create have to be visually interesting to my intended audience. I have to take into consideration if I want to subvert or support design expectations of the science fiction genre, if I want to embrace more “retro” design ethics, or if I want to contrast popular themes.