FeP Academic PRoposal - Unit 12

Proposal Learning Objectives

12.1.1 Critically describe a range of contextual perspectives influencing a chosen discipline in creative media production.

12.1.2 Apply knowledge of critical perspectives to inform own practice.

12.2.1 Identify a range of relevant academic and cultural sources for a personal research project.

12.2.2 Critically evaluate information from a range of sources to inform ideas

12.3.1 Apply academic conventions in the production and presentation of ideas.

12.3.2 Effectively communicate ideas in appropriate formats.

13.1.1 Use critical and contextual perspectives to initiate a creative media production project proposal

13.1.2 Use analysis and evaluation to clarify and develop a creative media production project proposal

(ENTER YOUR PROJECT/GAME TITLE HERE)

Initial Thoughts

What area of specialism (pathway) are you going to focus on?

For example:

Coder

Level Designer

3D Modeller

2D Artist

Animator

UI Designer

Etc.

Give a brief description of what you think you are going to do for this FEP (keep it short you have a section later that you need to go into depth about it, treat it like a blurb of a book).

Project Rationale - 300 words approx.

This section provides you with an opportunity to reflect on, review and summarise your progress and achievements through the first 11 units of the qualification.

You should outline the knowledge, skills and understanding you have acquired. What you know now, and what it means to you, compared with what you knew and could do before you started the course, and how this has influenced your choice of discipline or disciplines and your project proposal.

It also provides an opportunity for you to explain your reasons for choosing a particular discipline or disciplines and to outline both your immediate and longer-term aspirations.

Answer the questions below in detail and then delete the questions

Reflect on, review and summarise your progress and achievements through the first 11 units of the qualification. How have you done?

What did you know before the course?

What do you know now?

What does it mean to you looking back at what you have achieved and can now do?

Has this influenced your decision for your proposal?

Why have you picked your area of specialism?

What are your immediate goals and longer-term aspirations?

The achievements from my first 11 units are: 2D and 3D animation, the hero piece, the group project, tower climber, visual effects, escape game, and the rare project.

2D and 3D animation: For this unit, we first made a walking animation in piskel. After that, we used Maya to made A 3D walking animation. We also made a tile sheet and also made some more 2D sprites for our Tower Climber.

The Hero Piece: For this project, we 3D modeled an item that a player could use in a game. I decided to 3D model a glove and the plan was to give it special abilities that you can unlock throughout the game.

The Group Project: For this, we were split into groups and had to work together to make a game based on mythology. My team made a top down game where you have to survive a Wendigo. I made some sprites for the player as well as a tile sheet and concept art.

Tower Climber: This project served as a tutorial for coding a 2D platformer in Unreal Engine. We tried to make a functional level as well as sprites.

Escape game: For this project, we were once again put into groups. We made a 3D game where you have to go through a forest and shoot robots in order to escape.

Rare project: For this project, I was in a team with one other person. I made several sprites for the player and enemies. I also coded the game in Godot.

Before the course, I was used to using Adobe Animate for art and 2D animations. I also had a small amount of experience in Blender.

I have gotten better at using Adobe Animate and its tools, I know how to use Aseprite for pixel art and animating 2D sprites, I can use Maya moderately well, though I think I am better at using blender. I also know the layout of Unreal Engine but I'm not too skilled in using it. I have also used Godot and know how to use that pretty well.

I feel like this has influenced my proposal as I want to focus more on 3D modeling and coding since those are the 2 things that I haven't really done. I mainly want to focus on the models, especially the UV's and texturing.

I picked this area of specialism as I want to develop my skills in 3D modelling and also coding.

Project concept – 300 words approx.

This section provides an opportunity for you to clearly explain the concept and aims of your project, production and the research and ideas that will support its development. What you anticipate producing, the levels and types of resources that you will need and an indication of the form in which you will complete and present your final realisation within the allocated timescale.

This might include an indication of when and how you will use studios, equipment and other resources, how you will make use of tutorial and peer feedback and where you will incorporate independent study.

Answer the questions below in detail and then delete the questions

What is your projects concept?

What are the aims of your project, production and the research and ideas that will support its development?

How do you think you will present your final product?

When and how you will you use classrooms, equipment and other resources?

How will you make use of tutor and peer feedback and where will you incorporate independent study?(work when you aren't in college)

The concept for my project is to make a point and click style game similar to Five nights at Freddy's. I will 3D model several animatronic characters to be the enemies of the game. I will try to make the UV maps, Textures, and rig them. I will also 3D model some of the environments for them to move around in. I will try to make at least one functional level of the game for you to play in.
You will sit in an office and defend against the characters coming for you. There will be a camera system that you can use to keep track of the characters. There will also be doors in the office that you can close to keep them out. I also want characters with unique mechanics that don't involve the doors, like having characters that require you to interact with the cameras. For research, I will look at the already existing Five Nights at Freddy's games and what people like about them and try to incorporate those things into my game.
I will use the computers in my classrooms during college time to develop my 3D models and any other art pieces that I may decide to make for the project, for example, the concept art for my characters and the map of the building. I will also try to work as much as I can at home to put the game together in the game engine.
I will try to ask for feedback as much as possible on things like my concept art to improve on them before making them into a finished product. When I'm at home, I will use my laptop to work on the game's code as well as any other things that I may need to catch up on.

Evaluation and Reflection– 100 words approx.

This section provides an opportunity for you to explain how you will reflect on and evaluate your work, as both an ongoing activity and at the conclusion of your project.

You should describe how you intend to record your decision-making and how you will document changes to your ideas as your work progresses.

The evaluation should be referenced to your stated aims and be reflective and analytical rather than a description of actions completed.

When working in collaboration with others you should comment on how this may impact either positively or negatively and steps you can take to minimise disruption in your own progress.

Answer the questions below in detail and then delete the questions

How do you intend to record your decision-making?

How will you document changes to your ideas as your work progresses?

If working in a group - How may this impact either positively or negatively your project? What steps you can take to minimise disruption in your own progress?

I intend to record my decision making by writing down my decisions in a diary to show what I plan to do and how I'm going to do it.
If I want to change an idea that I have already established then I will document in my sites the reason as to why I have decided to change the idea. If it is something that I can visually convey then I will try to show an image of the changed idea too.
I have decided to work on my own so that I don't have to rely on anyone else. I also want to try making something all on my own to showcase what I can do.

L.O - 12.1.1, 12.1.2, 13.1.1

12.1.1 - Critically describe a range of contextual perspectives influencing a chosen discipline in creative media production.

12.1.2 - Apply knowledge of critical perspectives to inform own practice.

13.1.1 Use critical and contextual perspectives to initiate a creative media production project proposal

Understanding your chosen specialism before beginning the design and creation of your project is important to ensure it is relevant and appropriate. This requires building context of your specialism and understanding the current tools, techniques and processes and how the industry has developed to now. This will allow you to better understand upcoming emerging technology and ensure that you are at the forefront of the industry.

How has your chosen area of specialism developed over time in the games design industry? (500 words)

For this you need to pick your area of specialism (3D modelling for example) and research how it has changed over time. Based off what you find, put it into your own words and explain the major development points that changed how your specialism functioned in the industry.

(How has 3D modelling changed in the games industry for example)

The start of 3D modeling can be traced back to the early 1960's when Ivan Sutherland developed a program called Sketchpad which was the first computer-aided design (CAD) program. This software lead to the creation of a lot of different 3D modeling programs like Maya, Blender, ZBrush, etc. In the 1970's, Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) were introduced and they greatly increased the speed and quality of rendering. In the '90s Autodesk 3D Studio DOS allowed people to create 3D models on their own without having to be a part of a large studio. The visuals were pretty rough though, only really having blocky shapes and basic textures. In 1993, NURBS modeling arrived and allowed users to make more complex and curved shapes that felt like real architecture which was a big improvement. It is used for things like architecture, engineering, manufacturing, and entertainment. The power that 3D modeling software has now allows people to make complex and realistic models of things like buildings before they are even created. In 2006, Maxwell Render showed up and allowed for the creation of physically based rendering which made materials behave like they do in real life. In the 2010s, things like Unity and Unreal Engine allowed 3D artists to put their models, like buildings, into the engine and walk through them without having to render them. The introduction of VR also allowed users to experience these 3D environments in real life. 3D modeling has also advanced things like medicine with models of the patients being made to more carefully plan out things like surgeries with less risk. Another advancement in modeling is real-time rendering. While things like images and animations used to take a long time to render, but now, you can see a relatively high quality render in real time while you work.

Reference(s): (Baki, 2024)

What is the current professional workflow of your chosen specialism? How are you going to structure your FEP to match it? (200 words)

For this you need to pick your area of specialism (3D modelling for example) and research what the current industry workflow is for the specialism that you are going to do.

For my 3D modeling workflow, the first thing I need to do before making my models is make concept art of what I want. This will help because I can go through several designs and pick the design which I think is the best before actually making the model. This will save time because that means that I won't have to re-make the model if I don't like the designs. After some iterations, I will then use blender to try to model each character based on the finalized design I made in the concepting phase. Due to the art style that I'm going for, I will try to make the models low poly, like around 1000 polygons for characters and a few hundred at most for props. After this, I will unwrap my UV's so that I can use them to add textures. Once that is done, I will rig my models so that I can pose them for the different in-game renders. I can also animate them for things like jump scares. For the in game map, I will model things like walls in small tiles to that I can connect them and make different shapes. This also means that I only have to model and texture one wall tile that I can just reuse.

Reference(s): (Wacom, n.d.)

L.O - 12.2.1, 12.2.2, 13.1.2

12.2.1 Identify a range of relevant academic and cultural sources for a personal research project.

12.2.2 Critically evaluate information from a range of sources to inform ideas.

13.1.2 Use analysis and evaluation to clarify and develop a creative media production project proposal

Being able to look at current and previous products within the games industry (or related) will develop your abilities in creating relevant and enjoyable media. This skill will give you a better chance of success as you are analysing the wider audience of gamers (and people). Also, using expert’s knowledge within the field will provide a strong foundational skillset for you to reference from. There are many unwritten rules and techniques that are expected within each specialism, it is your responsibility to keep these within your knowledge and workflow to have the best chance of success within the industry.

Game 1 – What game is close to the art style/genre/impact that you are aiming for? What significant impact did this game have on industry? How/Why is it influential? (200 words)

For this you need to demonstrate a game that has had a strong cultural impact within the games industry and the justification as to why.

This game should be one that your project would fit into or is like in some form. (If you are doing pixel art like Hollow Knight then you would look at that for example.)

The style of game that I am aiming for and that I am most inspired by is Five Nights at Freddy's. Five Night's at Freddy's has had a really strong cultural impact more specifically in the horror scene. It was one of the first games to start off the mascot horror genre with games like like Poppy Playtime and Bendy and the Ink Machine. Five Nights at Freddy's also got really popular when it came out because of its unique sit and survive style of gameplay which hadn't really been done before in a horror game. This style of gameplay also enhanced the horror aspect as in other free roaming horror games, you can usually run away or defend yourself, but in FNaF, you can't. In the first game, the only thing you had was doors but you also had a limited amount of power so you never felt safe.

Reference(s): (Bolton, 2025)

Game 1 – How are you going to incorporate some elements of the game that you have just researched into your project?

For this you need to demonstrate how you are going to incorporate some aspects of the game you have just researched into your own project.

Why will incorporating these be good for your project?

There are a lot of things from FNaF, more specifically the first two games, that I want to incorporate. I want to have the classic sit and survive style gameplay from the early FNaF games rather than a free roam game. The main reason for this is that I personally don't really enjoy those types of games that much and I don't just want to make another Poppy Playtime. Since the sit and survive style of gameplay has a relatively simple gameplay loop, it allows me to focus more on the models and building the environment. It also allows me to come up with mechanics easier as I don't have to worry about different mechanics being at different parts of the game and instead, I can just focus on which mechanics would work best for the core gameplay loop. The main mechanics I want to incorporate are a camera system with different renders of the characters on each camera as this is a staple of the FNaF series. I also want to have a door system like the one in FNaF 1 although I don't want to have a power system so I'll have to rework it slightly. I also want an open section in the front of your office like in FNaF 2 that forces you to use different methods to keep the characters out. I want to do this because after a while, the gameplay does get a bit old. Having more places to worry about creates a less stale gameplay loop as there is more to do.

Reference(s): (Bolton, 2025)

Game (or other relevant media) 2 – What game (or other relevant media) is close to the art style/genre/impact that you are aiming for? What significant impact did this have on industry? How/Why is it influential? (200 words)

For this you need to demonstrate a game that has had a strong cultural impact within the games industry and the justification as to why.

This game should be one that your project would fit into or is like in some form. (If you are doing pixel art like Hollow Knight then you would look at that for example.)

In terms of the art style, I want to go for something unique. The style I want to try to replicate is the PS1 style with relatively low poly models and pixelated textures. Something kind of like Iron Lung. I feel like it could work well mainly because of my modeling ability. I'm not too experienced, so making low poly models would be easier for me, as well giving my game a unique style. If the textures are done right, it can also come off as creepy and uncanny, which is the kind of feeling that I want to go for. I also think that this is the reason why there are a lot of PS1 style horror games out there.

Reference(s): (pekoeblaze, 2022)

Game (or other relevant media) 2 – How are you going to incorporate some elements of the game (or other relevant media) that you have just researched into your project?

For this you need to demonstrate how you are going to incorporate some aspects of the game you have just researched into your own project.

Why will incorporating these be good for your project?

Some aspects of Iron Lung that I want to include in my game is how the cameras look. In Iron Lung, you can take pictures from a camera on your submarine and that's the only way that you can see. The cameras themselves are a little bit fuzzy and they are also in black and white. I want the cameras in my game to look similar to this as I personally like how it looks, and the fuzziness can also hide the low poly models better.

Reference(s): (Renae, 2023)

Academic research – Identify a key text (book, journal, study etc.) that provides techniques and/or theories on your chosen specialism. What aspects from it will be helpful for you and why? (300 words)

For this you need to find a key piece of text, whether that is academic research, a book, theory etc., that is used extensively in your chosen specialism. "The Art of Game Design" by Jesse Schell for insights into visual storytelling for example.

You need to provide an overview into why it is used in the industry and why it is relevant.

You then need to explain what aspects from this key text will be used by yourself and why it is relevant for you.

The main 3D modeling techniques that I want to use in this project is box modeling. This modeling technique is when you use a basic geometric shape like a cube or cylinder and then shape it into whatever model you are trying to make. Modelers usually start with a low resolution and then refine the shape by subdividing the model and then smoothing out the edges and adding any other details. Because of the low poly art style that I want, I won't be going out of my way to smooth out my models. I also want to use reference images to help me shape my models, at least for the characters. I will import reference sheets into Blender and use them to model off of to keep the characters as accurate as possible. Since my models can't be too complex, I will try to capture a lot of the details in the textures. Things like small accessories, for example, a bow tie, can be added onto the model later as a texture rather than having it actually be a part of the model. This will help me save polygons as I can add details that don't have to be a part of the model. For thin objects that I can't capture through textures, I can just use a flat plane instead of a full 3D object. If I pose the character correctly than you probably wouldn't even be able to tell that it's 2D. For the rigging, since I know I want my models to be animated and posed in different ways, I need to focus on adding well placed loop cuts around the arms and legs to make the joints. This can also avoid stretched polygons which is good because they can make my models look strange and deformed.

Reference(s): (Roy, 2024) , (Janakiraman, 2025)

Industry professionals research 1 – Identify a industry professionals' piece of work/portfolio. How do they present their work? What aspects could you follow/do the same? (200 words)

For this you need to find an industry professionals' portfolio/ piece of work.

Identify what they have done to showcase their work and how you could utilise the same methods.

How is it organised?

What is the visual presentation? What have they done to highlight certain aspects?

What are they writing alongside their work? If any?

What information are they giving you about their final product alongside the final renders?

In the portfolio that I have looked at, the creator has showcased a lot of images of their 3D work. They have shown off the finished renders and also some shots to showcase how many polygons the models have. One thing that I have noticed though, is that there aren't a lot of progress shots which means that we can't see a lot of the process behind the models. There are a few images later on which explain how certain models were made but aside from that, there isn't really much else to show off the progress. There also aren't that many explanations about each model to say what they are for either. Along with most of the screenshots are just a few words saying what the model is and that's it. Later on there are a few sentences to describe what's going on but overall, there is just a lack of writing and explinations. For my work, I want to do something similar to the portfolio that I looked at but with a few more progress shots and also more writing to describe what I've done to make my models. I'll probably try to organize the models into different sections, for example, I'll have a section to show off the progress of my models and then later on, I will show the finished thing.

Reference(s): (James, 2019)

Industry professionals research 2 – Identify a industry professionals' piece of work/portfolio. How do they present their work? What aspects could you follow/do the same? (200 words)

For this you need to find an industry professionals' portfolio/ piece of work.

Identify what they have done to showcase their work and how you could utilise the same methods.

How is it organised?

What is the visual presentation? What have they done to highlight certain aspects?

What are they writing alongside their work? If any?

What information are they giving you about their final product alongside the final renders?

I think that this portfolio is quite a bit better than the last one that I looked at. In this one, the creator has shown a lot of progress shots on each of their pieces so we can see the process behind making the model. Not only that, but they have also shown bits of how they made it in the software. They showed various tools and features that they used in the actual 3D modeling software so you have a good idea of how the model was actually made. This portfolio also has some good explanations about each model that that they have made which tell us what they have made the model for "I created the Treehouse model during the Environmental Modeling class with Koji Tsukamoto at AnimSchool", and they have also explained how the model was made. Each model also has its own section on the website and is neatly organized so you can easily navigate it and find what you need to. Overall, I really want my work to be laid out like this as it is neatly organized, shows a lot of the modeling process, and has plenty of writing explaining what they have done and how they have done it.

Reference(s): (malikav, 2023)

Other Sources

Record the initial research sources, both primary and secondary, that you intend to use.  Your sources of research should be as wide as possible, including libraries, museums, galleries, journalism, articles, media, galleries, books, film/video, magazines, TV/radio programmes, web sites etc

Tell me what you already know you are definitely going to use as part of your projects research.

Place links to them here, you do not have to write about them.

Bibliography

This is where we will place our reference list for our proposal. This will be where you copy and paste your list from mybib.com when you have completed writing everything above.

Baki, A. (2024). Understanding 3D Modeling | From its Evolution to Revolution – 7CGI. [online] 7cgi.com. Available at: https://7cgi.com/blog/understanding-3dmodeling-evolution-to-revolution/ [Accessed 10 Feb. 2026].

Bolton, C. (2025). How The FNAF Universe Took Over The Gaming Industry. [online] Custom Controllers. Available at: https://www.customcontrollers.com/blogs/news/how-the-fnaf-universe-took-over-the-gaming-industry.

James (2019). Portfolio. [online] Portfolio. Available at: https://www.jamesquickportfolio.com/3dgallery#characters [Accessed 29 Jan. 2026].

Janakiraman, S. (2025). 9 Proven Techniques for Effective Low Poly 3D Models. [online] Zealousxr.com. Available at: https://www.zealousxr.com/blog/9-effective-techniques-for-low-poly-3d-models.

malikav (2023). The Rookies - 3D Modeling Portfolio, by malikav. [online] The Rookies. Available at: https://www.therookies.co/entries/23462.

pekoeblaze (2022). PS1 Style Graphics In Modern Indie Horror Games. [online] PekoeBlaze - the official blog. Available at: https://pekoeblaze.wordpress.com/2022/06/24/ps1-style-graphics-in-modern-indie-horror-games/.

Renae, N. (2023). Iron Lung — An Excellent Atmospheric Blend of Horror and the Abstract. [online] Medium. Available at: https://medium.com/@novanious/iron-lung-an-excellent-atmospheric-blend-of-horror-and-the-abstract-920ecde8543c [Accessed 10 Feb. 2026].

Roy, S. (2024). 3D Modeling: An Overview on Various Techniques. [online] professional3dservices.com. Available at: https://professional3dservices.com/blog/3d-modeling-techniques.html.

Wacom. (n.d.). OpenGraph Data. [online] Available at: https://www.wacom.com/en-gb/discover/3d-game/improve-your-3d-workflow.

Time Planner - First Week Until Last

This section provides you with an opportunity to plan your time out for your whole FEP project. Be as detailed as possible!

This is not set-in-stone and is there to demonstrate your ability to plan a project.

It will also provide a framework for you to work against and will allow you to better identify whether you are on track within your project as you progress through it.

It will help to provide opportunity for you to reflect on your progress during your weekly reflections and may provide talking points for your progress.

Week 1 - 02/02/25 - Research (Suggested)

Activity / What you are intending to do this week - including independent study