Matador

It was fun adding the props to the matador, and it was completely satisfying to have it work out for me. It's fun watching the body move as i position the weapons.

I decided to add a hidden message in with my Bully scene. On the bump map i added a message saying help me. Thought it'd be quite spooky to only see it at some points.

Just been sorting out my powerpoint presentation. I've decided just to talk through the slides instead of having mass of texts. I find it difficult to present but hopefully i can just get in the flow of things and explain everything.

Dear Diary..

   For the diary covered i thought it'd be interesting to create my own paint brush instead of using photoshops. I really like the outcome, i have no idea what properties i used as i changed so much. I saved it so i can use it again as a brush preset. Check it out!

She sees you

I enjoyed plane modelling the head. (See design document for untextured). I'd never really gotten on with it before, but i thought i'd try it again as it's professional and i think the end product looks better.

Metal

  I tried experimenting with the metal texture for the chairs of the gossip. I'm quiet pleased with the turn out.

Bully wants to play!

I can't believe that only a few months ago, the Bully here was just a fizz of an idea floating around in my brain. It's such  long and tiring process, but it's so rewarding when you have something that you've made that you're proud of. I know this is of no where near industry standards. But these past few years i have taught myself the majority of what i know. and i'm proud of myself for that. In A level art, i was told i couldn't be able to succeed at this course, well i think i haven't done too badly. Life is about learning, and i have definitely learnt some interesting things which may help me get a job. Alot of these skills could be used for any jobs, team work, working alone and self teaching for just a few of these things. I'm grateful for the experience.

Brazen Bull

Thought i'd share with you one of my mood boards, i found looking through the different torture devices very interesting. Browsing the internet's resources of creepy images inspired me to make this. I remember feeling so scared by reading what they would do to people. Being burnt alive would not be pleasurable in the least and the fact that they made the bull muffle victim's screams to make it sound like the cry of the bull is fascinating, disgusting and intriguing.

The Curve

I've definitely learnt a lot of new ways of going about my 3D work thanks to this project. It's been a steep learning curve but i feel like i'm more knowledgeable with how to tackle a problem. I've certainly enjoyed creating my own horror characters and they've turned out alright. I'm glad i stuck with these guys as i once i had started, i started thinking about other genres especially looking at my fellow classmate's work. But in all, i thought i had more to give with the horror genre as it's very important to me. My film studies a level taught me to analyse every design choice and decision with precision. Leaving nothing that is important out and finding reasons for everything. This helps bring me to the design processes and modelling stages. I believe you choose to make things the way they are because of a reason, it's just trying to relate to it that can be difficult sometimes. Especially because audiences are so "numbed" by experience of say, games and Tv that a lot of design choices are washed over. An analytical approach is key to success.

Note to self: Save!

It's been quite an interesting day so far. Just been updating my design document, making it look professional and checking my  words, as the DD is a large part of the grade, i want to be able to make it look informative and interesting. Luckily, i have saved a few times as my laptop has a habit of randomly blue-screening on occasion. It's happened a few times in this project and i have definitely become a twitchy saver thanks to that. I've had to redo a lot of work because of that and it's incredibly frustrating. I suppose that's something you have to get used to if you're working on computers. Max also had an issue with pelt mapping a couple of times, apparently this isn't an unknown thing with Max, it can be quite buggy, which is expected from such a big piece of software. It just makes unwrapping more difficult sometimes.

Today

Today, i spent my time re-checking all my biped models and skin modifiers. I then proceeded to pose my figures in accordance to their characteristics. It was quite a strenuous job, for example, i was wondering what to do with the matadors shoulders, as when the arms would move it would stretch to fit the arm. In the end i ended up collecting all the verts off the shoulders and un-attaching them to the arm and having them just rest on the shoulder bones. This means there is some clipping when the arms are lifted up high. But, in game, this would stop the matador from swinging too violently. This is something i would have to let the animator know. I'm not sure on how to deal with this to any more benefit. Either way, there will be a problem. I have tried to research how the gaming industry copes with this problem but i haven't anything of use yet. I'll keep looking as i have time to change it, though if i can't do anything else, then it still works alright. We've all seen some clipping in official games, and now i can see how difficult it is.

Phobia,oops!

It's been quite difficult with this project i must admit, searching for dolls for my bully character, as i have an immense fear of them. I didn't quite think it through properly, as i'd have to gather influential images. But i suppose i can use this to my advantage, if it makes me scared, then i can replicate what it is that makes me worried and add it to my character. I hope i've managed to recreate this fear in my character, it certainly gave me the creeps making the doll head club.

The texturing on Gossip's leg is one of my favorite parts of this character. I love the painful look of her raw fused legs, the straps of skin holding onto eachother. It's the part of her lower body that makes her look horrific. As for the skirt and shoes are just "normal". It's quite obvious that it is there and it definitly looks painful. The cleansers have definitely got to her!

Gossip!

Here are a couple of upper body screenshots of my Gossip character, I had a bit of trouble figuring out the anatomy of her body as her legs are fused together and her hands and arms needed to look long enough to cause the viewer to feel discomfort but not too long to make her look silly. Here you can see her in her final pose, she will normally pace slowly around the level with her hands in the air searching for her next victim. I also made her hair look more unnatural, like she had been quickly shaven to give access to her head and brain. Bits of her hair are still growing out of her head.

Making Shoes

Here is a screenshot of the shoes for my gossip character, made at an angle as she walks on her tiptoes shuffling as her thighs are fused together. It was interesting making these characters because i found it difficult to make the characters give off an eerie feel.

Making Progress

The work has been tough but things are finally starting to come together. I keep updated my design document bit by bit to show my enhancements. I've been having a couple of problems with the shadowing in my scene but luckily, i got help and managed to fix it, even though it meant re-making one of my bipeds. Take a look at how "The Bully" is coming along!

WIP

Work is coming along nicely to my timetable. Here are a couple of WIP screenshots.

Update 01

   Character creation is underway. I have decided the best course of action is to plane model as apposed to my precious favoured technique, both modelling.

 My first character has certainly taken shape into what I imagined he would look like. The menacing beast that towers over you as you run to safety has been modelled and textured. He is slightly under budget which allows me to change and add things at a later date if needed. However, I don’t think I’ll be needing the spare tri count. Although I feel the work load is incredibly straining I feel like I am at least making some progress.

    I have been able to stick entirely to my rota, some I am quite pleased that my time management has been correct so far. I have been using a structured task list to complete certain aspects of this project. This has kept me motivated enough to do large amounts of work in a small amount of time as I try to push myself to keep up to date with the project. I feel it’s working within it’s boundaries.

Designing

    For my design process, I have decided to be very analytically about how to tackle the design situation. Therefore, I believe that every design choice must be made for a certain reason, whether it be for representation purposes or because it needs to be for the character design to work properly. There are three completely different characters that will be modeled and with this I need to be able to convey different meanings and emotions through each one individually. In the horror genre, defining the characters to create apprehension and panic within the audience takes a lot of thought process. For every action and design choice, I must think through a reason as to why that certain choice has been made.

   Colours will also be very helpful in creating atmospherics and tension within my game conveyed to the audience. I will be using colours mostly to represent and for the audience to associate with certain emotions. Like for example, red meaning danger and pain.

    The characters will also consist of pointed edges and an interesting silhouette both of these to make the characters look menacing. As softer shapes and plain silhouettes can lead to disinterest and the incorrect ideologies.

Good Evening!

Hello all, and welcome to my second blog to instigate my achievements and failures throughout the third year of my game art course.
This is where i will keep you up to date with my Final Major Project in order to gain recognition in industry and to interest any other keen gamers that what to give input into my work or are thinking about a course similar.