2D level design completed!

In my previous post I included some screens of my incomplete 2D level design before adding a player path and some final touches. My 2D design changed slightly as I was modelling it in 3D as I realised that some things would work better for the 3D model if they were different and there were a few things that I wanted to add to my level. I have now finalised my paper based design to a standard that I'm happy with and in such a way that will make for a good level in 3D. The quality still isn't great because I drew it in pencil and didn't go over it in pen before scanning it in, but this is my final 2D version of my level. More updates to follow soon!

Peace out!

P.s. The next person to mock my trees will die :P

3D Model update!

It took a while to get used to modelling my level in 3D. In particular Google Sketchup could be a bit of a pain in the arse at times. However, I put a lot of effort in and I'd like to think that it paid off! My level was set in a manor owned by the C.E.O of an industrial corporation. Due to my level being too long for me to write the walkthrough for, I had to cut it down to just the first floor of the manor. It took me a few days of non-stop working to get the model how I wanted it to look and I don't think it was the best and most exciting design for a level I could have chosen but I felt that it worked for the type of game and game play I pictured when I first laid out my initial ideas for this project. I'll include a few screen shots of my model and the legend.





Peace out!

Wahlström Residence F1

I finally decided to go with the residence of Swedish Industrialist Jonas Wahlström for the setting of my level. The player will have to use a number of tactics/techniques to move undetected through the manor and find all the evidence needed to expose the tycoon for the crook that he really is. The level takes place on the evening of a dinner party hosted by Jonas Wahlström for some of the more connected members of the industrial world. The player has been hired by the financial journalist Karl Briarwood who is undercover as a guest at the party. Karl Briarwood is willing to help the player from the inside as much as he can, but of course his help is limited. He will contact the player via e-mail on a mobile device to give them hints and tips as they progress.

I have pretty much completed the paper based design for the first of two floors of the manor. I know the pictures aren't great due to a lack of scanner but I'll take some better ones when the whole 2D design is

complete.

I also have a few ideas for the name of this so-far untitled game!

More updates coming soon.

Peace out!

Level Design Ideas

Okay, so before we were set the level design assignment I had just started reading a book called "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson. So when we were told we had to draw inspiration from a piece of text I just decided to keep reading this book and see what I could take from it. I could've chosen many different ideas from this book but I chose to use this piece of text which contains one of my favourite quotes from the book.

“Allow me to say first that this was not a very complicated assignment, apart from the fact that the description of the task itself was somewhat vague. You wanted to know ‘everything that could be dug up’ about him, but gave no indication of whether there were anything in particular you were looking for. For this reason it’s something of a pout-pourri of his life. The report is 193 pages long, but 120 pages are copies of articles he wrote or press clippings. Blomkvist is a public person with few secrets and not very much to hide.”
“But he does have some secrets?” Frode Said.
“Everyone has secrets,” she replied neutrally. “It’s just a matter of finding out what they are.”

My 3-D level will be based on a game about a private investigator who is hired (at least for this level or part of the game) to dig up as much information about the C.E.O of an industrial corporation as they can. Their client (An industrial journalist) is certain that this guy has more than a few skeletons in his closet and he wants proof so that he can expose him.

My level will be set in a building (torn between a manor and an industrial facility) where said secrets can be found out. The player will have to infiltrate the building using means they deem necessary or ethical to gain the documentation/data their client requires. Whether it's to go in all guns blazing, stealthily work their way around security or blend in as an employ of the company they must avoid detection at all costs.

Just as a small footnote to anybody who enjoys reading. Check out the Millenium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson. I've recently finished this book and would recommend it to anyone.

Peace out

It's been a while

So, It's been some time since I last blogged and so much has happened between now and then.

First thing's first, my Game Proposal Document for Rebirth was completed, handed in and all but forgotten about by myself as I tried to knuckle down with the next assignments we had to complete. I was glad to have it out of the way but there wasn't much time to celebrate as we had already started a small group assignment based around 2-D level design.

We based our level on a side scrolling platforming game following the story of a bad ass engineer who's job it was to pay a visit to a robot factory in space to quell the uprising of murderous robots as they started to malfunction and wanted independence from their human creators.

We presented our work and I was pretty pleased with what our group had to offer. This leads us to present day where we are working individually on a 3-D level design for a game of our own creation. More updates to follow soon!

Peace out

So much story, so little time

This is a piece of text I wrote to add to my GPD as the story part of my overview isn't able to cover everything. The story of my game gets pretty complicated so in my overview I could only touch upon a few things. This is just to give a better view of the connection between the two worlds in my game. Terra Forma and Terra Aether. Although, it still doesn't explain much..

The shadows were stirring.

Knowing that time was short, the priest pushed away from his desk as he turned to his bookshelf. He pulled a large and very dusty book from one of the shelves, moved back to his desk, and opened the book to a page he had already memorised long ago. As he turned his back to the book and started to recite what was written, he clutched a small trinket that was tied around his neck and held it very close to his chest.

I’ve seen the hatred, I’ve seen the death. I’ve seen a pitiful world so now I’ve left.
Don’t be scared, it’s just not your time. If you’re pure then your heart will find mine.

The priest removed the trinket from around his neck and carefully placed it on top of the page he had been reading from. He then opened his drawer and removed a small golden-hilted knife he used for opening envelopes.

He stood up and held the small glinting knife to his own throat. The candles flickered as the crimson red blood began to pour from his throat and down his white robes. He dropped to a heap on the floor just as all of the candles in the room went out. In the darkness, another voice picked up where the priest left off.

It’s not just for me. I did this for you. One day, you’ll see my world anew.
For now, I leave this key and say goodbye. Don’t let them taint my land in the sky.

A figure emerged from the shadows and a candle placed on the priest’s desk re-lit. He moved over to the book and picked the priest’s trinket from the page. He dangled it in the candle-light and analysed it for a second. He then placed it around his own neck and disappeared into the shadows once again.

Then there was silence. The only life left in the room was the candle that continued to very slowly burn away.

Wipe yourself off man. You dead.

Currently watching Rush Hour 2 with James and it's just ridiculous how good these films are. However, I'm also working on some story for my game and it's coming along nicely. Everything is beginning to fall into place! I would love to get Chris Tucker in to do some voice acting though!

Peace out.

What and what not?

As I've been developing the story for my game "Rebirth" I have come to the realisation that I'm creating a game that I would love to play myself. Is that a good thing though?

As a very keen gamer that has been playing for as long as I can remember, I grew up on platformers, RPG's and adventure games. I have huge love for

JRPG's despite their decrease in popularity this generation with western games dominating the market. My point is that, is my taste more acquired than that of the average gamer? Would my game idea be more popular if I just came out with a military themed FPS? It seems that the best selling games of the modern day don't offer much in way of originality. There are exceptions of course but it's not often that I can pick up a new game and experience something completely different to anything I've played before.

As a game designer do you try to make your game as original as possible and give players a new experience (hoping that it doesn't crash and burn and doesn't sell) or do you throw together a game that is similar to whatever is selling and cash in on the popularity of the games already on the market?

A game that I'm looking forward to is Dark Souls. Although, its release seems to be overshadowed by Skyrim's release, Dark Souls looks like a good game with a lot of original ideas and I'll be interested to see how well it sells. Like Ben has said in class a couple of times, knowing the current state of the market is important to being a good game designer.

It makes me wonder what the market will look like in a few years when we actually come to designing our own games because I know I'd rather make a game that I actually believed in and would want to play myself. I'd definitely want to put something new out there that could offer a memorable experience to some nerdy little kid out there somewhere.

In terms of the art direction of my own game, I don't really know yet. I have only ever pictured it one way but maybe that's something I need to give more thought.

My world has been inspired by many different things but in terms of how I wanted it to make you feel, there is a part of Final Fantasy XIII that takes you to a place called "Pulse" and to me, this world screamed EPIC!

Peace out

DAWWWWM!

After getting Gears of War 3 at midnight from Bee in the Arndale Centre (with a free poster and Tee no less) and playing it for most of the night (only stopping for a few hours of sleep), I am sat here wishing I could just bring it in and use it for my presentation (or just let everybody play it). It's a really good game and I would recommend it to anyone who loves pounding chunks of locust (or anything for that matter) into the floor with their fists.

It hasn't disappointed! (so far)

Peace out!

I'm worldly. I've been to Hyrule, Liberty City, Zebes, Fastoon, Na Pali, Stilwater & Sera. All in nothing but my underwear.

The above quote was posted by Dane Cook (the comedian) on his Facebook page today, and it got me thinking about the many worlds and stories I've found myself lost in throughout my life. Some were better than others of course and it got me thinking about what gets me caught up in a game so much that I can't even put it down.

I had a couple of friends take a look at my overview and my full game idea yesterday and the feedback was really positive, I asked whether it made them want to know more about the story etc and I hope to get a similar response on Tuesday.

However, it also reminded me that Gears of War 3 is out on Tuesday (which I have pre-ordered) so right now I'm gonna fire up my 360 and re-visit the planet of Sera. Unfortunately one of my room-mates are home so I'll have to do it in a little more than my underwear.

Peace out!

P.s If anyone plays Halo, Gears of War or anything else on Xbox Live and wants to play, just drop me your gamertag in a comment or just add me. Mine is Skully92.

Brand New Inspiration!

I've decided that I really need one of those small paper bins for my bedroom to put by my desk. As, looking back at my time spent at my desk yesterday, I already have the part down where I furiously scribble down ideas. Once dismissing them as crap, immediately scrunching up the paper ready to be disposed of, but realising I have no where to throw it. Resulting in multiple trips to the bin in the kitchen when the pile of scrunched up paper on my desk really starts to piss me off. I'm saying this completely off-hand and isn't a hint for someone to buy me a paper bin. Although it would be appreciated!

Anyway, after a night out with a few guys from the class and getting to know them a bit I think when it comes to presenting my idea I should be a little less nervous. I spent most of Friday writing up my overview and I just finished it up this morning. I've been thinking about my idea since the first lesson we had and I've been coming up with new ideas and parts to the plot and background. I've been drawing inspiration from other games, films and music. Including a music video of a band that I love called "Brand New". I'm hoping it receives a good response from some of the class and in particular those that like a good RPG and/or fantasy adventure games (I'm gonna be aiming this at Darren as he's a huge FF geek).

I won't reveal too much yet as I want to wait until I've had some feedback from Ben but the working title of my game is "Rebirth". I'll leave you to think about what the game might be about and you'll all see on Tuesday (If I can grow some balls and express myself properly when it comes to presenting it).

Peace out!

Trying to get the hang of it!

Okay, so I just started following all the blogs of the guys in the class and I realised how much more interesting their blogs were and how boring mine was. So, for the last half an hour or so I've been trying to figure out how to change how my blog looks and is it just me or is this website really user un-friendly? I sat for about 15 minutes trying to come up with a better title than "Game development" and all I could come up with was "Ryan's Game Design Blog", that was a pretty depressing half an hour as all I actually managed to do was add a picture! I think I'll get used to it sooner rather than later though.. hopefully.

First Post

After my first lesson at Futureworks, I feel I have made the right choice in terms of what I want to study and where I want to study. I know it's not going to be easy and there is going to be a lot of hard work but due to my passion and keen interest on the subject matter I will be more than willing to make the effort I need to succeed.
I took this course because, whilst studying at college, I realised there wasn't another profession that I could have as much passion for as one in the game industry. So what I want from the course, is simply the skills to take me into a career that I will love, rather than a job that I have no interest in. I think I'll reach this goal with the course I have chosen.
I already have a strong idea for the first assignment which is a game proposal document and have already started my research and planning. I'm looking forward to the rest of the course particularly when it comes to actually creating our own games.