Why I chose Character art

It is my desire to focus on my goal to become a character artist within the games industry. I wanted this module to serve as an opportunity in expanding my knowledge of the pipeline and workflows I have learned previously in my academic experience and use this to further develop my skills and demonstrate my breakdown within the practice and field. This module will allow myself to document my process within the creation of the character model and show my thought process and experience within the pipeline an experience I believe serves useful within my own practical experience and is valuable in showing my development within character art

To keep the project scoped to an achievable level within the deadline layed-out in the brief I have explained the basic goals that I wish to accomplish by the end of the module and through this, I can better present my experience and production process throughout the weeks of this project and the creation of my chosen character model.

blog.teamtreehouse.com/asset-workflow-game-art-3d-modeling

Whilst researching the 3D artist discipline. I have looked at the discipline and how other artists pipelines have achieved 3D art. An article written by Nick Pettit broke down the workflow and pipeline of creating a digital 3D asset.

This article showing the process of creating an asset using the 3D pipeline it documents the development process which shows the research and planning required to accurately represent real-world objects to scale and proportions. Whist also demonstrating the development process through to completion which includes the low poly modelling, UV unwrapping and the texturing phase of production, which also includes the discussion of Texel resolution when developing an asset for a game engine which is a process that's important when preparing an asset for the texturing process and quality assuring the model to a professional standard.

Other aspects of consideration when 3D modelling is:

• Sizing

• Polycount

• Organisation

Regarding poly count, I felt that this comment in the article under 3D modelling explaining "The polycount for a 3D model can affect game performance depending on how many other assets are in the scene." Serves as an important reminder within my planning stage of development to take in mind how an asset would function within a game engine. This research has widened my outlook on aspects of development to consider under the work process of the 3D art discipline and this article has been helpful in understanding workflow and the processes that are essential in understanding game-art and digital 3D modelling practices.

Understanding Anatomy is an area of character art that is important when sculpting proportions and the human form which is valuable when creating a character that is meant to represent the bones and figure of a humanoid character. From researching anatomy and the importance of the topic within character artist principles, I first looked at opinions of others within games and how anatomy adds to the implications of a character within a game scenario. Through this, I can build a larger knowledge of the usefulness of the usage of bones and muscles which I can use to inform my sculpting and modelling within 3D software when I come to creating the character within a human structure.

"Understanding anatomy is the first step, but there comes a more technical need to understand how to manipulate and distribute vertices to allow the model to accurately distort when it is animated. - john pearl, (becoming a video game artist page 32) "it is extremely important for the character artist to build a model that enables the rigger to do this. This means understanding how the body works" Having knowledge of the way a body moves and bends is important when creating a character as it involves sculpting anatomy that is functionally when in motion and is important for a character artist to understanding as the model will need this basic structure for when it is given to an animator to be given movement.

"It is important to understand the way in which the human joints operate when in motion this helps with the contortion of the model and makes it usable for the player to control" - Chris Solarski (Drawing basics and video game art page 109) Through these comments, I have been reminded of the role that anatomy serves in the modelling of a 3d character an area that has informed my process and development within the field as a whole.

Taking this research further I have compiled reference material of anatomy such as hands and feet which can be used in building upon examples of the anatomy needing to be conveyed for the character required when creating a humanoid character. Through Looking at skeleton and muscle references of the human body it served to highlight key areas that will need to be focused on for example the neck bones which show the area of the model that will be needed to be captured in motion for animating the head and by sculpting the anatomy correctly helps give the model a more natural appearance when animated. As a character artist understanding the proportions and positioning of the joints of the model will serve in helping illustrate movement and the realism on display.

(Update)

After I decided upon my chosen characters and the theme that needed to be illustrated through its anatomy I complied imagery of relevant designs such as demonic and gothic styles for the Zbrush sculpt, by doing this I was able to gain a more accurate look into the propositions and style needed to be conveyed for the character in illustrating the horror theme and creature design. An element of my research which I believe I have explored in-depth and have provided visual planning for the chosen style in modelling these areas of the anatomy which my research has helped in developing.

Planning and research

Compiling references has helped in building a wide variety of research in the type of character I intend to create for this module and one website that showcases professional and independent artists is Artstation. Through this website, I am able to examine other artist's work and find inspiration for characters that I can create in 3D. Through researching other artists I have gained a wider range of work to examine and explore in regards to style and themes which has allowed for a more expansive research and planning phase for the pre-production of the development of my character as well as my documentation aspect of this module.

Another website I have examined was 3DTotlPublishing as it is a professional resource for 3d artists and through researching this website I was able to explore more examples of professional sources for the practices and fields that I will be exploring within this module.

One milestone I wish to present for the character will be a character showcase this will be used to capture video of the 3D model using angles and perspective which will highlight areas of importance with the character and present the character in a professional and quality standard within a game engine.

Researching other showcases such as figure Figure 7 this provided an idea for ways to best capture the style and atmosphere for the character and allow the audience to get a look at the detail and angles of the model in a dynamic fashion. The character showcase will serve to enhance the presentation of my finalised character and give insight into the design and quality of the model once it's completed, lit and posed.

https://www-gdcvault-com.ezproxy.falmouth.ac.uk/play/1020831/Bringing-BioShock-Infinite-s-Elizabeth

https://youtu.be/becWoUrbIcQ

Whilst researching for this proposal I wanted to be able to convey my goals for the project which include illustrating visual storytelling through my character's design I have examined literature during my research such as (How games move us emotion by design) and (Game feel) examing the ways that emotions can be used in the design of a character to evoke strong and meaningful reactions.

I also looked at GDC talks on the character artist pipeline and industry professional talks on the process of their games and experience one of these including characters such as Bioshock's Elizabeth during a talk by Irrational Games. Another is a podcast by Joss Singh discussing the pipeline and process's by himself on the character artist pipeline providing insight behind his experience this Research has served valuable in exploring academic sources and industry professional practice for research in development and the ways I can apply this towards my own work and practice.

Development Software

Concept ideas

During my research into the character model I wish to develop I first iterated between a range of ideation looking at style and theme and which would allow for a unique and interesting visual character for my portfolio this included creating a unique aspect for the character to give it more flair and wider appeal which I could illustrate visually and through this enhance the audience's outlook on the character model and provide context for it within a real-time gameplay experience.

(Update)Eventually I took the reaper concept and felt this could be explored more in-depth and provide a character with a strong aesthetic and presence which is useful when creating a character with a visual storytelling approach. through the lens of horror. I felt that this concept would allow me to explore complex and interesting narratives which serve to highlight the visuals of the character and through this provide a character that would give a game scenario a unique and memorable enemy type for the target audience to interact with.

Chosen Idea

Following the research conducted in finding a character that could showcase an innovative and visually distinct theme and design. One factor I considering with the chosen character was how these ideas would operate within a game scenario. This was important in illustrating the game-ready element of the character and showing how the character could be used within an actual gameplay experience. Following these factors, I decided upon the use of the grim reaper concept as a basis for the theme which I could explore further for development in the character design and backstory.

Out of the other concept ideation I had considered I feel that the use of an enemy character allows for more interaction between player and character which can be developed into providing a character model that is visually interesting and can serve in provided a game experience with a character that provides an engaging USP (Unique selling proposition ) allowing for a character that expressed a clear style whilst being distinctive in both design and gameplay possibilities.

However, I wanted to diverge from the grim reaper concept as I feel that its a concept that has been explored regularly within media and would have been restrictive to my artistic ideation development and options with how to interpret the theme, and for this reason, I decided to use this concept more as inspiration into horror elements and undead creatures designs. Choosing to explore other hooded characters with gothic horror elements such as vampires. As well as more cloaked and mysterious characters such as cultists however wanting to create a more unique character that would express a visual style that would stand out to a player in g game scenario.

I felt that taking a typically none horror character would lead to more interesting visuals and storytelling through design and taking from researching into cultists I chose to research into similar cloaked figures which lead me to the religious monks. A character concept that I feel has potential for exploring complex topics and distorting the general idea of the character gives it a unique element on which to build of.

Monk Research

The monk is a recognizable concept and through this, I feel I could take it and alter the design to fit within a more horror aesthetic using previously mentioned research such as vampires. I have listed the range of software needed to complete the character pipeline process and began my development by sketching and designing monks using the gothic style and more monster inspiration for iterating upon a design. However, wanting to convey my understanding of the character artist principle and wishing to demonstrate working within a team atmosphere I felt that contacting someone else to complete a concept piece would serve not only to give me a base to work on but also allows me to illustrate an understanding of industry practice and keep the scope of the project within an achievable scale.

A monk is a person who decides to dedicate their life to serving all other living things. There are many different types of monks including:

• Buddhist monks in Tibet

• Christian monks of the middle ages

• Others include Hinduism, Jainism and Taoism

The duties of medieval monks can be divided into spiritual and manual duties. The spiritual duties, of course, required the medieval monks to attend the church at the required hour and take part in the readings of the Bible.

https://www.medievalchronicles.com/medieval-people/medieval-clergy/medieval-monks/

Researching the core principles of a monk has been the basis behind the intended design I wish to convey to the audience and how accurate to the subject matter my character model is. Having researched the other types of monks was important in understanding the differences between them and which would best serve to highlight the core factors I wanted to illustrate from the character. Having researched gothic horror and the types of creatures known to that horror genre this has driven the elements I have wanted to highlight through the monk as a hero asset.

Focusing on the medieval time period and the Christian monks provided monks that fitted within the gothic genre theme and has been explored through media before and this an area I can develop further on in giving the monks a distinctive focus and the way that it subverts the monks as a concept into something more visually and narratively complex.

Influences:

Creators:

• Masahiro Ito - Creature Designer. Silent Hill 2 (2001)

• Junji Ito - Writer

• H.P. Lovecraft - Writer

Reflecting upon other artists and the work they have produced has served as useful influences in the themes and style that artists work has produced and by studying these other artists I have broadened my knowledge of work that I find relevant to my goals for the project. For instance, I have looked into the work made by Masahiro to who has created characters that are visually distinct and carr a narrative an element of character design that I find interesting and has influenced my work.

Compiling imagery of creatures that I find relevant to the type of monk I want to portray in this module has allowed me to explore more victorian era designs and literature which has provided me with influences that I can apply to the monk creature. I find that focusing on gothic horror as a theme has led me into looking at vampires and hooded figures as a core influence and through this is provides interesting visuals and design in which to explore further and taken influence from and through this experience I have been able to gain a wider variety of research to develop upon.

Building on the inspiration behind the hooded monk concept I began to consider the implementation of the use of Christina iconography element which could be used to convey the style and themes on display from the concept. Having horror being the core intention for the character Demonic and creature element will help in separate the character from the monk shown in typical imagery and provide a more innovative and distinctive design for a horror character. Understanding horror and how its perceived will help in gaining insight into the genre as well as how the character can use these elements in its design.

You actually do not feel much fear in your daily life, nor fright, dread, disgust, or repulsion, because these are all negative emotions you wish to avoid. Fear, John Morreal observes, “is perhaps the most basic negative emotion and at first glance one of the least likely to be enjoyed. To feel fear, many have claimed, we have to judge that we are in danger, and danger is disturbing” - Bernard Perron, Silent Hill: The Terror Engine (1985, 96) chapter 3: 65).

Clothing

Having chosen a monk as the character concept for my game-ready model I have looked at references of types of monks that could be used, The clothing of a monk takes up the majority of its design and by doing so is its core material on display and through this te need to have is accurately depicted is important in properly conveying the style and design needed for the character.

Having looked at the imagery of monks for ideation planning of the style of the robes as well as the colour is useful in the preparation for designing the chosen look for the monk character. Having already researched gothic horror I believe that the Christian monk more accurately illustrates the darker and more concealed design which fits within the horror aesthetic need for my character compared to other ones such as Tibetan and through this research, I was able to narrow down other designs and closer examine areas of interest for the visuals for the monks the main feature being the cloak covering the body.

(The Cistercians’ garments were cheap and rough, their wardrobe frugal. They adhered strictly to chapter 55 of the Rules of St Benedict, and each monk had two tunics and two cowls, a scapular, for work, shoes and stockings. The extra tunic allowed for washing and night-time wear, as the Cistercian monk slept in his habit)

https://www.dhi.ac.uk/cistercians/cistercian_life/monastic_life/clothing/index.php

https://ravenfoxcapes.com/2019/02/medieval-hooded-cloaks-fabrics/

The cloak is a feature that is at the core of the monk's visual design and knowing this understanding of the material fabrics being used for the character is an important factor in conveying the themes and historical accuracy behind the Christian monk s robes. Being monks the quality of the cloth would be inexpensive making it Linen a natural fibre, like cotton.

Linen being a common material it is used for a variety of items such as towels, tablecloths, and bedsheets and back in the medieval time period would have been the easiest material to come by for monks. Through this research, I was able to understand the material most needed for illustrating the monk design and by doing so can convey the look of cheap material which shows the quality of the item, When I come to create the 3D version of the cloth I will use the material that I have references as well as the pattern created by linen in producing a 3D cloak that shows the visual design and material needed for my character.

Understanding the clothing found on a Christian monk has helped inaccurately portraying the theme and style that needed to be conveyed through the monk concept for my character model. Having listed assets and features such as the cloak, rope and cross has helped in creating an idea of what features I could create in 3D to accompany the character and illustrate the monk character I have chosen. through this research, I have gained more insight into the areas of the character that can be expanded upon which will help in additional depth and detail towards my character model and how I can further enhance the concept behind what I have chosen.

(Update) After some time researching the benefits of using this software I decided against its use in the final cloth on display with the character model the reasoning was that I wanted to further develop my knowledge of brush sculpting as this was a core software that I used in the creation of the 3D model and by learning process and techniques in Zbrush I was able to create a more focused creation process for the hero asset. However, this research served useful in exploring other areas of 3D artist software and area I found useful in my researching and planning phase of development.

Art Style and theme

Creating a concise and interesting art style that compliments the chosen theme for this project is an important factor in illustrating the innovation and design pillars needed to be conveyed in showcasing a visually distinct and compelling character model.

Knowing this It is useful to examine a variety of styles and colouration which can be used to bring the character to the forefront of the viewer's attention. In my research. For this module, I have researched a variety of styles ranging from stylistic to photorealism from this I am able to gain a wider range of ideation practice in competition and visual design a feature that is useful in showcasing an interesting and innovative character model.

Art styles I have considered include:

• cel-shaded

• Photorealism

• Digitised graphics

• Cartoon

After consideration of the art styles that I could choose from and looking at the main inspiration behind the theme chosen for this module, this being gothic horror, demonic and Christian iconography. I felt that the art style would need to reflect this to better accurate convey a horrific and intimidating sense of danger I wish the viewer to feel towards the character. Having these intentions for the character of the monk I feel that the most accurate art style to use would be that of the photorealist art style using dark tones and graphic textures to illustrate the horror atmosphere being shown through the character concept of a monk.

The use of the middle ages time period vampire inspired horror has provided more contextual design ideation behind design ideas for the look of the monk. This research has helped narrow down a consistent style in which to convey the themes and topics needed to be shown and through the art style. This has allowed me to have gained more insight into the process of research and development within pre-production for creating game art such as characters using the research and planning on display in this blog documenting the workflow and pipeline being followed for creating the character.

Visual Storytelling

"People talk about how games don't have the emotional impact of movies. I think they do - they just have a different palette I never felt pride, or guilt, watching a movie" - Will Wright, designer of the sims (How games move us emotion by design)

One of the core aspects of visual storytelling is how it Communicates the Design to the viewer and having this in mind behind the character I will create I have examined literature and design principles I can observe to highlight the visual Pstorytelling feature in how the character is perceived. I plan to sketch and iterate on design following the research I have undertaken of the monk concept as well as talk to peers and a concept artist for insight into features that could be added to the character to enhance the innovative and eye-catching element to help the character stand out visually and tell a narrative through design.

"Game feel is all about appeal. It's about layering on effect after careful effect, polishing every interaction-no matter how trivial until interaction with the game has a foundation of aesthetic pleasure - Steve Swink, (Game feel. chapter 1: page 1)

(Update) Following the research into literature on narrative storytelling, I Have used this knowledge into focusing on a demonic and gothic monk design which shows a distorted Christian narrative which shows the religious themes in the monk's design which I believe has shown a strong artistic feel which conveys its theme and style of gothic horror creating an atmosphere which is innovative and gives the monks a distorted and perverse feeling behind the design which helps it stand out and would if implemented provide a visual and game-centric feature of distortion to be conveyed within a game environment.

Target Audience

Streamers

Whilst examining the target demographic I aim to appeal to for this character I have looked into popular streamers as a key audience and ask the question who would find this character engaging? through this, I can gain more insight into areas that this demographic likes to see and focus on designing the character to fit these characteristics. This type of audience tends to be drawn to horror games and shocking factors when streaming this is due as it allows for them to have more engagement with their audiences with high pitch screaming and overreactions and the interest in horror helps to explain the interest streamers have to the genre.

I believe it's for this reason that I feel that this target audience would find the character of the monk an interesting feature and help towards making it more engaging to others and giving it more mainstream appeal. Highlight the character I plan to create following the high appeal horror as a genre it has on streamers with audiences.

U.S. video gaming audiences 2020, by age group

The average gamer is 34 years old and 70% of gamers are aged 18 or older. This is shared between the almost equal gender scale where 60% are males while 40% are women. These statistics show an uncommon assumption where games are seen for children and teenagers however this is shown to be untrue with the general gaming public being above the age of 18.

The look into employers is another area of the audience I wish to obtain this would be useful as the character is meant to illustrate my skills within the practice of character art and be used as a portfolio piece.

Knowing this I have looked at games studios which I feel would find the character I have created interesting this has included Frictional Games creator of the Amnesia horror franchise and Creative Assembly which created Alien Isolation in 2014. These companies have in recent times created high-level horror experiences with creatures that are visually distinctive and engaging to an audience that relates to my research into the subject. From this research, I can better market the character to be of use to these companies and help in my creative process of presenting my artistic skills in the focus of applying to jobs in the games industry.

There are a number of possible issues and concerns that could arrive from the concept I have chosen to pursue and by highlighting these issues I hope to tackle the theme and explain the ways to avoid conflicting with possible challenges that may arise.

Using the monk concept for an enemy type could involve certain issues considering the religious imagery and subject matter and some could find the character design offensive or handled poorly. When designing a character with a certain theme or design it is important to understand the way in which it could be interpreted. For example, Germany does not allow depictions of Nazi Germany, "the Wolfenstein series, published by Bethesda, includes Nazi imagery, so when the game is realized in Germany. These images are replaced with something else" - Heather Maxwell chandler (The Game Production Toolbox, page 233)

I have referred to Falmouth's ethical policy when concerning issues regarding the handling of issues and have risked assessed the topic of religious imagery. Consent and transparency are areas I have taking care of during this project and concerning the use of other's work I have credited them properly and have written a consent form to disclose the usage of work and how it will be used as stated in the Falmouth ethics policy.

Through the use of religious imagery, I have researched how others have tackled this issue such as Wolfenstein's changes of certain symbols which are made as to not offend and this concerns my character as any use of Christain symbols or topic would be an issue if not examined properly. I looked at blasphemy laws for reference here such as the "Life of brian" which was nad in the UK for this issue with the use of Christian topics however in today's climate it is not such an issue that is dealt with respectfully

Using the monks as a theme I also looked at how to subvert it using research from media and games such as doom and blasphemous using demonic designs and Christian iconography for the style. Using films such as conjuring I was able to expand my research into how these types of characters are portrayed and using games such as amnesia and forbidden siren the horror aesthetic has shown me how games can be used to build atmosphere with their characters and world through the visual storytelling which has inspired the character concept.

Monk Concept & Atmosphere

Understanding the environment that a character belongs to is important in giving a sense of space within the world and providing context behind design and atmosphere. As I am creating a demonic monk character I explored more church and religious settings to build a sense of belonging for the monk giving their design more purpose as well as focusing on darker and decrepit image examples to highlight the horror element and creating an atmosphere of uneasiness a feeling that I want the audience to feel towards the character.

https://www.deviantart.com/skripper/art/Dark-Monastery-Hall-511717801

https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/185676/the_aesthetics_of_game_art_and_.php?print=1

Areas to consider when designing an interesting character include the use of shape and form this is shown in the way the charter carries itself in poses and shape a good way to look at how the character stand out is to view it as a silhouette. During iteration, I began my conception of the design of the monk through designing the hooded cloak that makes the main focus of the clothing I also took inspiration from more cultist designs from media and how their cloaks flow down their bodies I then examined the more gothic influences from my research and looked at the vampire and demonic references which helped provide the one concept with potential I illustrating the gothic horror influence and how demonic areas of design have contributed towards giving the monk a more intimidating and scary appearance.

https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Ganado#Cultists

Black is worn by the regular enemy whilst alternative colour's such as purple and red are used to identify tougher and more important variants to the player this system helps in signifying key functions of each variant and broadens the range of character models even through a pallet change. through conception variations in colouration and types of monk, I am able to build lore upon the concept and provide a more in native function behind one concept design by giving it layers and depth

After conceptualising the form of the monk character as well as designing a basic concept for the look of the demon monk I wanted to use this module to highlight the process and workflow common within the games industry and how as a character artist I would work with others to achieve a character model for a game project. Knowing this I began by sending my concept idea to a concept artist Ross Delaney explaining my research and plans for the idea and ask if he could design more artists and professional design for the character in which I could work off and develop in 3d form. Having my initial design further developed served to shows my iteration and communication skills which have been useful in conveying my intended goals for this module and working within others a function that is essential within the production pipeline .of the development of a character.

Ross came back with three designs for the demonic monk which allowed me to explore the benefits and negatives of each design before I settled on the first red design as I feel that it actually fitted the characters gothic themes and provided a concept that was visually complex and told through visual narrative elements that I asked him to accompany in the design and I am pleased with the result. The next task now I have a concept to work off I will begin to create the base of the 3D model using the software I have explored and to begin sculpting the character within the 3D discipline.

(Update) When I received the concept for the demon monk there was little that I wanted to change from its design. As this was to illustrate the process and production pipeline of a character artist following the concept was important in capturing the style and sense of danger me3nat to be conveyed through the character.

However, one aspect of the design I wanted to change was the yellow horns depicted in the concept. I felt that this feature stood out too much from the rest of the model the bright yellow took focus from the facial area I believe and this was an area I wanted to have to gain the attention of the audience. I mentioned this to the artist and decided against its inclusion and on reflection whilst I think it could have added a unique element to the character design I stand by the sense it detracted from the feeling of the rest of the character design. The red cloak being an important clothing asset meant that the horn may have become a distracting feature and for this reason, they were left out of the final character model shown in-engine.

From having the concept for the character completed I wanted to develop the character further through providing narrative context behind its design and by creating a character bio in which to explain its design and how I wish it to be perceived by the target audience. Having created a demonic monk character for this module I wanted to explain through its visuals The areas of religious imagery which has been distorted considering the monk's aesthetic design.

Using the horror genre and planing for how a player would interact with this type of character enemy I wanted to incorporate the design and narrative behind the monk into its in-game interactions. For example, I believe the distorted theme of the monks would serve as an engaging unique selling point behind the character motives and actions and through this could be used to proved a unique experience for the player with how the monk is perceived by the viewer.

Additional Props and clothing attire

Unique selling point

Having a unique aspect of the character will help in standing it out and providing more context behind its design producing a more effective hero asset that will appeal to the target demographic and elevate it from other similar characters. Having designed a character that would function as an enemy type researching ways in which it would interact with the player was an important feature in giving it a key selling point as a character model. I have researched many different features which could achieve this including voice recognition and the use of light as a weapon which has been inspired by the vampire reference or even transformation however these were very advanced and needed to be scaled back.

Distortion as a theme became the aspect of the unique selling point I wanted to convey As the monks are designed as alternative versions of what they are meant to represent from the real world this theme matches their design and the context behind them allowing for gameplay possibilities such as glitching or voices as the monks are distortions they should be used as such in a game scenario. Through this USP the monk character provides an opportunity for the in-game experience to involve the player in more depth and create a character that highlights its horror style and by creating an atmosphere of uneasiness and mention.

One key influence in the theme of distortion for the innovation factor for the monk character was from the game eternal darkness (2002) In this game example the use of a sanity meter which is used to affect the player experience through 4th wall breaking effects which include such actions as lowering the in-game volume to pretend deletion of the players save file. Through this feature, it engages the player through interfering with the reality of the game a feature which I found innovative in its approach to gameplay.

Following g from this research and my design of the monk character as a distortion of itself, I wanted to focus on the theme of distortion in how it could be used for the character model and its interaction with the player. From this influence, I feel that the use of static and glitching effects would help to demonstrate the monk's theme as well as highlight the horror aesthetic through the use of distortion involving the player not only in-game which is a feature I believe is innovative and engaging from the use of a character.

Gameplay Function

Understanding how in which the character functions in-game and the way it interacts with players is especially in the production pipeline for the model as depending on whether to include weapons or unique items which will affect the way the character moves within a game environment and interacts with the player. From the horror theme and design of the monk character, I have decided on creating the model as an obstacle for the player and to serve as an enemy in their way.

In a gameplay scenario for instance the player would navigate the environment whilst avoiding or disposing of the threat that the monks incur. From the design of the monks and their long sharp hands, I would intend for this to be their best attack option for the player in-game and this would serve as the characters biggest purpose. To serve as an enemy to attack the player this has inspired by similar characters such as the villagers from resident evil 4 (2005) and the wraiths from the elder scrolls 5 Skyrim (2011) This type of gameplay complements the horror aesthetic I believe as it keeps the atmosphere tense and personal and makes the character a more direct threat to the player.

Another way that damage can be dealt with the enemy could revolve around ways in which to visually convey the character's weakness which is illustrated through their design. For example in Alan wake light is used as the core gameplay function for dealing damage to the enemy's as the light is used to weaken the monsters as to allow for more direct weapon damage.

As a result of its inclusion whilst in another game the flock uses the enemy's within a permadeath environment which are frozen on impact with a light serving as a weapon to fight back the monsters and provides just like Alan wake a unique way to damage enemies in an innovative manner. and this type of gameplay that I will explore in more detail to provide my character and its design narrative storytelling for how the player could deal with such an opponent in a survival horror setting.

Character Motion & Pose

For the process of presenting the character within my portfolio and marketing, the character to the target audience the use of having the demon monk posed serve to enhance the characters appeal and visual design within the character production pipeline. Before creating the pose, however, I needed to research the best stances and postures in which would illustrate the character's personality and themes. I observed older and stiff poses during pre-production as the monk as a character would not need to be very limber instead focusing on more arm and head motion for capturing the older and more serious stance typical of the monk theme.

An idea I have for the pose for the monk would need to show power and intimidation this will convey the horror aspect of the character and demonstrate to the audience how this is an enemy model which is to be feared and is after the player in a game scenario.

I looked at media for references that would fit the intended there and found emperor Palpatine from the Star Wars franchise. The older and withered posture conveys less physical prowess however also illustrates a more thoughtful and calculated stance for how the character moves. from this research, I can better understand the ways in which poses enhance the way the character is perceived and also gives an opportunity to visually display the personality of the character an element I wish to have conveyed for the demonic monk.

Bibliography

Amazon.co.uk. 2002. Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (GameCube). [online] Available at: <https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eternal-Darkness-Sanitys-Requiem-GameCube/dp/B00005Q8M4> [Accessed 18 June 2021].

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Apex Legends Wiki. n.d. Revenant. [online] Available at: <https://apexlegends.fandom.com/wiki/Revenant> [Accessed 13 August 2021].

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