Elements of game design- Environment

When playing games, i have noticed many things that assist me in completing the level/quest. One very obvious thing is that in some games, there are "invisible walls" so that you can't get to certain areas. Obviously, in games when you can pretty much go anywhere, this isn't posssible. Another way, for example in Fable 3, is to make a trail on the floor for the character to follow to the required destination. There are also the obvious things such as paths, minimaps, compasses etc...

The environment influences the game very strongly. Survival/horror games always look dark and gloomy to influence fear as something could jump out at you at any moment. The biggest way to set the mood in a game is with the enviroment. If everything is bright and sunny and then there are suddenly dead bodies everywhere, you are going to stop and think "Hmm, something isn't quite right here." The environment is the first thing you notice.

Well, of course there is a balance between realism and stylisation that supports the player's belief in the game. If the game is about aliens, then the environment has to also be unrealistic as aliens haven't been proven to exist yet. If alien's were for example, in a super market, it wouldn't fit. But also, at the same time, there has to be some realism as if something is too unrealistic, it would seem ridiculous.

An environment i would say i particlarly like is the world in the film, Avatar. It is so unrealistic however I can almost believe that this world could actually exists. I think this is because, even though everything is so fantasy based, it still has some similarities to our world. For example, there are a race that represents human beings, wild animals and vegetation. This race however, are more primative than us, they hunt for their food and they have no technology as we do. Another thing that is similar is the fact that they still love and communicate with each other very effectively.

Personal Review of the year.

I think the main part that I have enjoyed about my 1st year and uni is how much we can socialise with each other. Instead of just sitting in a classroom like at school and college, We go out into Leicester to draw with each other. We also communicate through Facebook to help with all of our work. I have also enjoyed learning new things such as everything to do with 3D Studio Max and I have also learned so much about drawing.

At the beginning of the year, I struggled with the work load. The transition from college to university was very hard for me and I quickly fell behind with my work. I therefore, had a lot of work to do during the christmas holidays. I then swore to myself that I would try and keep up woth my work all the time and in semester two, I didnt have nearly as much work to do during the Easter holidays. I also feel like I havent learned enough to do with 3D Studio Max as I feel like we were required to learn a lot of information in a small space of time and I feel like I am missing a lot of this information.

To help me to improve on my skills and so that I dont forget everything I have learned, I will practice over the summer. I need to practice on my 3D work for definate, especially texturing. I also need to work on colour theory as I am always afraid of using colour in my drawings and I think this is also why I struggle with texturing. Finally, I will try to find out as much information about 3D studio Max as possible including such small things as shortcuts to shorten the time that it takes me to create something.

I really do hope that I pass my 1st year at university as I really do want to get a career that I enjoy doing. The main reason why i went to university is because I dont want to be stuck in a dead-end job, doing the same thing every day for the rest of my life. This is why i aspire to be a game artist as there is a new challenge every day.

Elements of game design, part three: character

Well my favourite books and films of all time are definately the Harry Potters. In the books, I love the characters as the author vividly describes and makes them show their feelings a lot. My favourite character is Ron Weasley as although you can tell he is quite scared and has always been "the loser" of the group, he is still determined to help out Harry with all the danger he gets into. This almost definately scares him so much and it makes me almost proud of him that he would go to these extents to help out his friend. It shouldn't make me feel like this as he is a fictional character!

I think the main techniques that are used, is the way that the character's act in certain situations and the way other character's act towards them. This is done using the script, the acting and the appearance. For instance, if a character is a typical looking geek, with glasses and freckles, you are going to feel sorry for them, especially as it is likely that they will be bullied etc. However, if this geek, is saving the world or something, then you are going to think they they are awesome. So it doesn't just depend on one thing to make you react a certain way about a character.

I love fantasy stories, films and games as everything is new, interesting and sometimes never been seen before. For instance, Avatar, is one of my most "Oh wow, that is the awesome thing i have ever seen" films xD. In films, I also love special effects as if done good, they look amazing and so realistic whereas it doesnt actually exist. As i have already mentioned, I love the Harry Potter books and I think this is mostly because the author has created an entire world which is unrealistic but she has made it realistic as it could actually fit into our world.

 

Sorry that this blog has been pretty much a review of my favourite films and books, but this is the way i ended up waffling on about :P