Proposal FMP

Name Jake Hilton

Your Project Title Gears of the Undead

Pathway (Preferred Media ‘specialism’): 

Games development, Animation, Graphics, Film, TV, Photography, Journalism, Radio, Web. This may be a combination of one or more. 

3D Modelling

Section 1: Project Rationale (approx. 250 words) 

Since starting the course in September, what do you know now, and what does it mean to you, (compared with what you knew and could do before you started the course). How does what you know now influence your choice of pathway and your project proposal? 

Since September, I’ve learnt how to model objects and environments in 3DS Max, code basic movement (and more) in Unity and have learnt to animate both 2D and 3D walk cycles. I’ve created two games: A 2D game by myself and a 3D game as part of a group. I think the area my skills and knowledge have developed the most in is texturing models to add realism and accurately designing models from reference images; this is why I have chosen 3D modelling as my specialist subject in the course. I’ve chosen to follow my passion for 3D modelling and will be creating the 3D assets in our game (such as weapons, buildings, landscapes etc.). Without the knowledge that I have learnt so far, including texturing and topology, I wouldn’t be in this position, where I am able to develop games of my own. 3D modelling is time consuming; as a result of this, I have learnt to efficiently manage my time. I want to make models that are detailed and precise to achieve realistic results that reflect real life.  I wish to further my education - specifically in 3D modelling - to eventually become a professional 3D modeller. I feel I would work well in a professional environment as I work well with others and have proven that I can pick up skills quickly. To get better at 3D modelling, I would like to begin learning how to sculpt in 3DS Max to get a detailed and refined result to my models. In order to work to my highest standard, I will also use video tutorials online to learn new techniques of 3D modelling (although I will only use the tutorials for research purposes to put my own slant on my designs rather than copy those I find) as I love a challenge. As yet, the steampunk/Victorian era hasn't been well explored in first person shooter (FPS) game, therefore, creating a game set in this time period could provide it with a unique selling point that is different to other games in the FPS market as most FPS game are set in modern times such as Call of Duty Modern Warfare.

Section 2 Project Concept: (approx. 200 words) 

Clearly explain the concept and aims of your project and the context, research and ideas that will support its development. What are the historical, economic, social, mass media, cultural, political influences?  What is it you want to communicate and who is your audience? What access will you need to workshop, how will you use independent study? 

For this project, I plan to work with a group to create a fully functioning, high-quality video game. This game will be a zombie survival game, themed around the steampunk/Victorian era. I anticipate that this game will appeal to a range of users, as older gamers will be drawn to the familiarity and retro-feel of an FPS game, while teens and younger adults playing the game will be exposed to both a whole new environment (through the steampunk/Victorian element of the game) and a less-explored sub-genre of single player game (through the FPS aspect). This means I will have to research games of similar themes/genres so I can keep the target audience interested and entertained. I aim to create this while also providing the players with escapism by adding an element of fantasy. In this game, everything from the weapons to the scenery will match the Steampunk/Victorian theme, allowing players to learn about both the Victorian time period and the Steampunk movement. The game must be unique so that players feel they are experiencing a new and enjoyable challenge. I plan to be responsible for the 3D modelling aspects involved in this project (as described in the previous section). We plan for the game to last approximately 1 hour of in-game playing (subject to change as we research ideal game lengths). I plan to pack the game full of interesting and varied 3D assets, so the project will last the whole 12 weeks, utilising the range of techniques I have learned so far such as UV editing, texturing models and being effiecient as possible with my topology. I’m in charge of modelling the weapons and the landscape of the game as I feel I am most confident in these areas and will produce eye-catching models.                 

Section 3 Evaluation and Reflection: (Approx. 100 words) 

Explain how you will reflect on, and evaluate your work, as both an on-going activity and at the conclusion of the project. You should describe how you intend to record your decision making and how you will document changes to your ideas as work progresses.  The evaluation should be referred to your aims. It must be reflective (‘why? Because?’) and analytical rather than a description of actions completed.  

Over the course of this final unit, I plan to develop a blog in order to document my process in making my project. In doing this, I will constantly self-evaluate the pros and cons of my choices over the course of the process. I will refer back to my research to compare and contrast my aims and findings to see whether my choices are reflective of what I want to carry out in our game. I expect to come across obstacles as my work evolves and changes and will document my journey to overcome these challenges in my blog. I will consistently refer back to my time management schedule in order to identify what is going well as well as analyse which areas need more attention. I aim to keep videos showing the game at different stages of production and record how development is progressing. I will add these clips to my Google Sites so everyone can see the progress we are making.

Section 4: Research Sources and Bibliography: (Approx. 50 words) 

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. 

For my research, I intend to use Youtube tutorials to better my understanding of 3DS Max. I will also use Sketchfab for inspiration towards my models. As this game will be set in a steampunk/Victorian environment, I will also research cityscapes of the Victorian era and common tropes in Steampunk art and fashion. As a great team player, I will also ask fellow modellers in my class/group for direction and advice when 3D modelling. I will set up questionnaires for people to answer. This will be done so I can gain feedback from others about my models and to get a different perspective.