Ba5 project: Production

In Ba4  we were asked (in groups) to create a game design document, sell sheet and 10 minute pitch presentation for a re-imagining of an existing game IP. In a group of 3 (myself, David Allan, and Nathan Russell) we designed "Phenotype" (working title) a 3rd person MMO hack and slash, with RPG, stealth  and creature raising elements. I was fairly happy with allot of the elements of the game, though we lost marks for straying a little too far from the inspirational material, as well as not setting out our research and thought processes clearly enough. Though i was disappointed with my mark, it does leave me allot of room to improve, and i think the game design itself gives me an adequate base to start from with Ba5. 

The "production" project for Ba5 asks us to take the next step in the production pipeline. The project follows on from the development of our design document in Ba4, we have now been tasked with producing an "interactive demo" with a focus on "creation of digital assets" (be they 2d or 3d as the game requires).

The work that we are asked to hand in, however, is subjective to the game that we choose to create, and how we propose to go about it (as a group or alone, using a new design document (-we have been allowed to do this), or using the work from Ba4 as a starting point) 

The fists step in this project is to define our own "learning agreement" to address what we intend to do (in effect, our project idea), our process and technique to complete the work, and our objective in doing so. my proposal is as follows

Proposal:

For my BA5 project I intend to create a playable section or scene from the game “phenotype” that I helped to create for BA4. The section will be only a segment of one playable part of the level that will showcase assets that I have created for the brief, designed from concept up and turned into game-ready assets and/ or set pieces. This is the emphasis of my proposal as I want to work on improving my 3d modelling and texturing. From a 2d concept art perspective I want to develop my skill’s at designing objects that have a coherent visual style and have a useful, purpose within a game. I wish to improve on developing my work from concepts to working game assets. 

Though I am using the group work from Ba4 as a starting point, I will be working alone for ba5 

the next area of the learning agreement concerns specifics of what i intend to produce. 

Assessed work:

my assessed work will be a level section created in and playable within a game engine, as well as all associated concept work. The engine will be a 3d game engine, most likely cryENGINE as I feel it will support the requirements of the game design outlined in my BA4 GDD

2d concept work will be produced using photoshop, or ps elements. I will produce a range of asset concepts and turn the finished concepts to asset sheets, with orthographic and other views to help with the modelling process

my reflective journal will b my blog converted to a pdf format

Schedule of work:

              7^th jan: re-work Ba4 design document to fix problems and make a more coherent game. start of research- work from ba4

 10^th finished research into game engine, style ect

 14^th jan: completion of 2d concept art and design of assets and mood paintings of scene

 18^th jan Create assets and set pieces in a 3d modelling program (continue using maya or experiment with blender)

   1^st feb Make sure assets are “game engine ready” design rough layout/presentation of assets (though level design is not my emphasis)

       15^th feb Import into appropriate chosen game engine- arrange finish off (lighting effects ect)

A New Year (almost) a New Blog

My name is Dom Littler. I'm currently in my second year at Norwich University of the Arts (formerly NUCA) studying Games Art and Design. 

This blog will be my reflective journal, my online sketchbook that will show my research, workflow, thought processes and outcome. For the last project (Ba4) I kept my reflective journal as a word document- which as it turns out wasn't the greatest of ideas, so from now on i'm back and blogging with a vengeance. 

Ba4 is gone now, though not quite forgotten, and Ba5 is here, red faced and eager to get started, so lets.