Embedded Files
1. Semester
Week 36 - Game Prototyping Workshop
Credits: Xinru Liu Fog
In this week, Jesper took us through the foundational aspects of game design and its intricate processes. It was like unraveling the mechanics behind the magic of the games we love. We were split into groups to tackle an exciting assignment.
We immersed ourselves in the challenging yet exhilarating exercise of revamping the classic game Tic Tac Toe. The seven rules on enhancing the fun factor in games acted as catalysts for our team's ideation and proposed the following breakthroughs:
1.Increasing the number of players, transitioning from a two-player to a three or four-player format.
2.Elevating the game from two-dimensional to three-dimensional, presenting the grid as a 3x3x3 cube for the gameplay.
3.Incorporating physical effects, such as allowing pieces to stack but not float in the air.
Following extensive game testing and iteration, we settled on what we believed to be the most engaging and enjoyable concept: a four-player Tic Tac Toe battle. We expanded the game board to a 6x6 grid, while retaining the traditional Tic Tac Toe rules. Each of the four players took turns placing their pieces, aiming to be the first to connect three pieces in a line. The game evolved into a strategic battle of wits and teamwork, adding layers of complexity that heightened the excitement and unpredictability of the gameplay.
Subsequently, we developed a coherent narrative and setting for the game. We envisioned a scenario where four individuals each aimed to invite their two friends to the cinema. Their competitive quest revolved around securing three tickets in the same row, sparking an intense and competitive battle. To enhance visual distinction, we represented the player pieces as four different-colored figurines and illustrated the grid to resemble a cinema layout. It was remarkable to witness the transformation of a simple game into a multifaceted and engaging experience.
Overall, this week's workshop not only expanded our understanding of game design principles but also underscored the importance of fostering a collaborative and imaginative environment. It's amazing how every idea, no matter how quirky or conventional, has the potential to be transformative.
It's interesting to witness how a combination of innovative thinking, strategic planning, and creative storytelling can transform a traditional game into a captivating and immersive experience.
Week 37 - Blender 3D: Environments Assets
Credits: Xinru Liu Fog
In this week's Blender 3D course with the guidance of Andrés, the primary focus was on understanding the fundamentals of navigation, key elements, functionalities, pipelines, and the broader context of creating and utilizing virtual assets within Blender. I focused on creating a captivating low-poly 3D scene, leveraging my existing proficiency in Blender from my bachelor.
I made a submerged forest, with a colossal, glowing jellyfish gracefully navigating through. I used particles to create a lush grassy terrain, and created the shaders to bring the luminescence of the jellyfish.
Furthermore, the course provided valuable insights into the best practices and considerations involved in the process of exporting 3D models. Understanding the nuances of exporting is crucial in ensuring the seamless transition of models into different platforms or software.
Week 37 - Blender 3D: Environments Assets
Credits: Xinru Liu Fog
In this week's Blender 3D course with the guidance of Andrés, the primary focus was on understanding the fundamentals of navigation, key elements, functionalities, pipelines, and the broader context of creating and utilizing virtual assets within Blender. I focused on creating a captivating low-poly 3D scene, leveraging my existing proficiency in Blender from my bachelor.
I made a submerged forest, with a colossal, glowing jellyfish gracefully navigating through. I used particles to create a lush grassy terrain, and created the shaders to bring the luminescence of the jellyfish.
Furthermore, the course provided valuable insights into the best practices and considerations involved in the process of exporting 3D models. Understanding the nuances of exporting is crucial in ensuring the seamless transition of models into different platforms or software.
Week 38 - Unity and Game Engine Exploration
In the Unity and Game Engine course led by Andrés, a diverse array of topics was covered, ranging from discussions on collaboration and Git to practical sessions focusing on setting up scenes, code sketching, and understanding mechanics. The course also delved into the essential aspects of content creation, market reach, and the diverse platforms where games can thrive. Additionally, there was an emphasis on the artistic elements of game development, including lighting, visual effects, and enhancing the overall visual appeal of the projects.
Andrés showed us the process of importing assets, creating scenes, implementing interactions, and exporting projects as a build in Unity and UE5.
I tried exporting the character model and animation from Blender and uploading it to Sketchfab to see the status of the model. This export process can also be used for Unity and UE5's model import.
I then created a scene in UE5, added characters and an interactive element. I studied a plug-in that simulates water bodies. To my surprise, I successfully imported the character model, and the collision between the character and the water produced a feedback texture of water ripples.
Overall, the course provided a comprehensive understanding of the intricate processes involved in game development, laying the groundwork for further exploration and fostering a holistic understanding of game design principles and methodologies.
Week 39 - Story World Building & Interactivity
In this workshop, the focus was the foundational principles of Story World Building. Through discussions and group work in the early stage, we practiced imagining some story scenes, characters and their dialogues.
The workshop emphasized the utilization of theoretical, analytical, and creative methods to understand and develop innovative concepts. Practical exercises, discussions, and group collaborations were instrumental in crafting initial Story World Bibles or Manuals.
Assignmen.1:
We drew a map of our childhood world and design four special locations in your world, one safe, one forbidden, one secret and unknown location. I imagined this scene, the house where I grew up as a child, and I imagined that the water would fill the entire house, and I could lie at the bottom of the house and watch the sun shine through the water, and it would be a beautiful view. The safe place was at the bottom of the stairs on the first floor. I found an indoor photo with the stairs and used AI to combine it with the underwater photo.
I imagined this scene, the house where I grew up as a child, and I imagined that the water would fill the entire house, and I could lie at the bottom of the house and watch the sun shine through the water, and it would be a beautiful view. The safe place was at the bottom of the stairs on the first floor. I found an indoor photo with the stairs and used AI to combine it with the underwater photo.
Assignmen.2:
I then used Alex McDowell's Mandala model and star model to build my own world and give a presentation on Friday. These two models have helped me consider and develop my fictional world from multiple perspectives, including environment, story, characters, society, ecosystem and other aspects.
Setting of the World
Long ago, the sea submerged all of the land, along with all civilizations. After a prolonged era, a giant white tree emerged from the depths of the sea. Its roots, like the arms of a giant, hoisted a land back into the sunlight. This tree became the fulcrum of life, bestowing new opportunities and vitality. On this reemerged land, new forms of life appeared. Wisdom and civilization thrived over countless ages. Different tribes reside in various regions, adapting to unique resources and environments.
Here is the map that shows the vertical side view where I consider about the formation of the island: Firstly, when the roots of the giant tree break through, resulting in fragmentation and displacement. Over time, the surrounding landmasses spread outward along the shape of the roots, forming a tiered terrain with higher central areas and lower edges.
← Here is the map that shows the vertical side view where I consider about the formation of the island: Firstly, when the roots of the giant tree break through, resulting in fragmentation and displacement. Over time, the surrounding landmasses spread outward along the shape of the roots, forming a tiered terrain with higher central areas and lower edges.
This giant tree that brings land back to the sea is inspired by a tree in Zoroastrian legend, the Harvisptokhm, which grows in the Vourukasha Sea and contains the seeds of all the plants in the world. The story of this tree is closely tied to the spread of life, seeds, and the birth of creatures and civilizations, adding depth and mystery to my worldbuilding. The tree's presence will be more than just a geographical feature, but a core element of culture, beliefs and ecosystems.
Layout
The terrain can be divided into three parts as the concept art shows below, there is a gently sloping plateau on the top, valleys and forests in the middle, and a lower section consisting of shallow shores along the edge. Additionally, there are some caves and underwater environments where the roots intersect beneath the sea ↓
Creatures
To adapt to the environment, the residents here possess amphibious traits with the unique appearance that combines elements of plants, insects, and marine life. They hold a deep reverence for the colossal white tree, considering it the source of life ↓
According to the differences in the areas, tribes of different creatures also have corresponding habits, resources, and architecture ↓
Using the models as a pre-visualization and development tool, the design of the logic of the world takes precedence over the storytelling process, laying the foundation for a coherent and immersive narrative experience. The world transcends a singular narrative, serving as a dynamic container capable of accommodating multiple storylines, characters, and thematic explorations.
Week 40-41: Storyworld Building, Physical Installations & Interactivity
In these two weeks, the workshop focus shifted towards exploring the realm of physical installations and interactivity. We were tasked with designing a physical prototype in the designated AUD 14 space, incorporating skills acquired from previous training in Blender 3D and Unity.
I teamed up with Mads, Marta, and Tino. I served as a 2D artist in the team, responsible for drawing concept art that shows the three stages of the world's changes along the timeline, as well as some illustrations of creatures from each period used to illustrate cultural relics.
History of Arboran
History of Arboran
Educational installation displaying the history of Arboran through an interactive element and display of in-universe historical artifacts and archeological finds.
Credits: Mads, Xinru, Marta, Tino
Engine: Unity
Duration: 2 weeks
Purpose & Idea
We want to showcase the content and history of our storyworld. To this effect, we’re utilizing a traditional artifact display often found in time period displays of museums. We aim to display artifacts and archeological finds from the different time periods of the world (up to the in-universe current day). We will also be utilizing Micro:bit and Unity for our main point of interaction, wherein participants will be able to change an image display of the different time periods’ environments. This point of interaction will reflect the overall history of the world, which includes a great flood, by having the participants be able to fill a container of water, after which the monitor will display a different environment.
Premise
The idea is to have the viewer be immersed in the fictional world’s story through the lens of historical and archaeological curiosity and discovery.
Setting & Visuals
A container that can be filled with water by the participants will stand in front of a monitor. As the container is filled, the display on the monitor will change. Stages of the world’s time period will then be shown; when the container is empty the viewer would see a “pre-flood” environment, inversely when the container is full, the “post-flood” environment would appear. Behind the monitor, under a glass display, artifacts and archeological finds from the different time periods would be presented along with expository educational plaques. QR-codes would also be available for scanning, taking participants to the artifacts’ corresponding educational webpage.
Story World, Narrative & Characters
The story world is a combination of Marta’s (Stone World) and mine (Arboran). We have merged the environment and concepts of Arboran with the magical elements of Stone World in order to supplement a diegetic explanation for the events of our world’s timeline.
In this world civilisation has always been subject to high water levels, and most cultures that found any basis have lived in deep reverence of the ocean and the creatures therein. Magic would also partially be a part of their lives, in the environment, their culture and general existence. A potent magic exists in nature and especially in certain concentrated areas. As water levels rose and rose continually, eventually, over millions of years the world would become completely submerged. All life not already adapted to deep sea living would go extinct. Some would adapt, most would not, but over time, the concentration of magic in the world would become more and more dense, eventually giving way to new terrain, landscapes and life. Life that would brim more potently with magic.
Art Bible
By Xinru Liu Fog
Software: Publisher
Concept Art
By Xinru Liu Fog
Software: Photoshop
← Based on Stage 3 where the giant tree had already taken shape as stage three, I started drawing concept art for Stages 1 and 2.
The first stage will be the land before the flood period, when civilization still exists. The technology of this civilization is similar to that of a seaside village in the early medieval period of Earth 700-1000, so the houses are mostly built of wood and thatch. With the elements such as large cranes, decks and fishing nets to emphasize the harbor, fishing village atmosphere. In terms of topography, land, forests, mountains and rivers still exist →
← In the second stage, we have to show that the land has sunk into the sea. The former villages have been reduced to ruins by the erosion of the sea water, and huge aquatic plants have gradually replaced the original forests. In order to show the distance between land and water surface, I stretched the skybox in Stage 1 to represent the current water level.
← Returning to Stage 3, we realized that we could use the method of Stage 2 to show the underwater situation to more clearly express the development and structure of the giant tree. Therefore, I once again expanded the details of the underwater part of stage three and drew the broken land. It looked like it was entangled with the roots of the giant tree.
Later, for the sake of coordination, I expanded the skyboxes in the three stages to the same height. The following is the completed three stages of concept art ↓
Installation
Format & Technology
A large monitor will be used centrally. In front of this monitor a water container, with a Micro:Bit (using either light sensors, or gyroscope), will be used for filling up with water, changing the currently displayed image on the aforementioned monitor. Behind this are elevated glass displays with sculpted/printed and painted artifacts of historical and archaeological significance to the world.
Creatures (Stage 2)
I then drew some creatures from the latter two stages to flesh out the world's diversity and realism. I used overlapping lines and pencil-based brushes to mimic the style of the illustrations in the biographies.
The key word in designing these creatures is environmental adaptation, which is the evolution of animals and plants in order to adapt to the drastically changed environment. For example, the creature in Stage 2, the prototype of this huge creature, comes from the concept drawing drawn by Mads, which combines the fins of a manta ray, the mouth of a manatee, and the characteristics of filter feeders. In addition, there are jellyfish with fungus structures, and a combination of Christmas tree worms and crayfish.
The performence on the website ↓
Creatures (Stage 3)
For the creature in Stage 3, I drew the creature shown in the picture below based on the shape of Marta's clay skull model. In terms of setting, due to the reappearance of land, some creatures have re-evolved limbs that can move on land. Referring to the characteristics of leaf sea dragons and horses, I drew lizard-like claws on the limbs to make them more amphibious.
The performence on the website ↓
Week 42 - Autumn Break
Week 43-46: Collaborating with Filmschool students
During this 4weeks, we practiced character creation within the context of narrative, world building, and overall project coordination.
Week 43: Blender: Character Design
The focus of Week 43 is on understanding and creating compelling characters. Esben from The Film School shares insights on creating dramatic characters and effectively communicating character traits visually. He suggested two key points to consider when designing characters:
Want: Something your character desires, because they believe it'll improve their happiness
Need: The lesson they need to learn to overcome their inner struggle and achieve true happiness
The idea is to present a framework for thinking about characters as agents in a world. Bringing narrative movement (drama) into characters with a sense of purpose, relevance, and presence. The rest of the week, Andrés leads a workshop on character design. We translate conceptual ideas through 2D sketching, which will be used as a reference when we later create 3D models for the characters.
Character
Software: Photoshop, Blender
I designed a fantasy creature inspired by moths and named it Mo. Their intelligence matches that of a human, while their life phases follow the path of a moth. This means that their memories are lost when transforming from a caterpillar into their final form.
The transformation of the Mo mean they gain a second life, where they need to find their place once again. Whether that means following their former selves or creating a new one →
3D Model
Software: Photoshop, Blender
Using these as a reference, I made a 3D model of Mo →
Then I made textures for Mo using texture painting↓
Week 44: Environment Design /Animation in Blender and UE
This week we aimed to create a virtual setting using assets, setting up narrative context and thinking about the action that takes place in it.
I formed a group with Wiktoria and Joe. We have to create a narrative scene centered around my character Mo. After a group discussion, we decided to build the environment using assets from my Bachelor project in UE5.
In terms of narrative, we centered around the process of Mo's transformation and conceived the story of Mo losing her memory due to transformation and finally awakening from her cocoon under the guidance of a spirit. Here shows the mood board I made for following stage of the story:
Mo wakes up in an empty space (this space is a metaphor for Mo being in a cocoon)
→ She looks confused because she has lost her memory
→ She began to explore her surroundings and spotted something that stood out
→ Mo touched it and suddenly a spirit show out
→ She followed the spirit and passed through an increasingly narrow tunnel
→ After she really woke up, she found herself in Mo's village, and her family and friends were cheering for her completion of the change.
More detailed storyboard regarding camera angles ↓
Environment
Software: UE5, Blender
The cocoon
The place where Mo first woke up. This is Mo's dream while she is still in the cocoon. At this time, she has lost her memory due to transformation, and the surrounding is dark and unfamiliar to her. Mo needs to explore and break out the cocoon along a small, light-filled tunnels to the outside↓
The village of Mo
Regarding the setting of Mo's village, it is located in a huge hollow tree. Here shows the village I built up in UE5 ↓
The Houses
The Mo live in houses formed by the remnants of their broken cocoons, by time these become more overgrown and blend in with the surroundings. The Mo are always excited to see the colour of a newly transformed Mo, since this differs from Mo to Mo
Here are some screenshots of the environment we created during the first week:
Week 45, 46: Motion Capture. Vertical slice in Unity or Short film in blender
Capturing the desired scenes utilizing Rokoko suits / gloves / etc, importing to the scene, and finishing to dress up, light, and set up the scene
In week 3, we used Rokoko motion capture equipment to create interactive and narrative motion for Mo. Joe created the rigging for Mo and used Rokoko to connect to Blender and record the animations.
Joe in the Rokoko suit ↑
The animaions of Mo recording by mocap footage ↑
After that, I imported the animations into UE5 and recorded Mo’s movements in each storyboard. Joe and I then edited the video clips into the video below ↓
Mo Final.mp4Here shows the screeshots from UE5 ↓
Week 47: Entrepreneurship / Design Law / Game Economy
SMK Game Jam
Inspired by the unique SMK Fridays art event, I formed a group with Joe and delved into a creative gaming jam. According to ”how do we get people to want to come and interact with the exhibition”, we came up with a concept: The player will have the ability to explore the museum from a browser. Within the game the player will be able to look around and talk to other characters in the museum. Every character will reveal fun or interesting facts about either the painters or the specific paintings on the wall.
Art Style:
The prototype has been made with pixel art. Pixel art allows the player to quickly understand that they are in a virtual space, differing from the common museum experience. It also allows for the paintings to be the focus, when these are not pixels.
Characters:
A humoristic twist can be added by defining a couple of stereotypical museum-goers, and have these be some of the characters the player will meet, examples would be a snobby know-it-all or an eccentric art kid. Drawing these in pixels will minimise the references to real-life people and make it more clear that they are caricatures.
Here shows the playthrough video ↓
Week 48: GAME DEVELOPMENT / PROTOTYPING
Game with unique visual
I was under the weather this week, but luckily, Mads, Samuel, and Anastasia welcomed me into their group, and I tried my best to contribute to the concept they had outlined. They explained that they decided to make the game unique in its Visual Style, that is, to have no visual. The player assumes the role of a diver trapped inside a sunken shipwreck, having lost their flashlight and damaged their oxygen tank. Now, they must navigate and escape the ship in complete darkness, relying on circular sound wave prompts. My assigned task was to create the title and ending screens for the game. The following are two illustrations I completed:
The title screen aims to convey the player's identity (diver), location (trapped in the cabin of a sunken ship), and situation, setting the stage for the game. The drawing depicts the diver falling into the cabin, with the light gradually blocked by ship wreckage and rising bubbles to express the dynamic process of the fall.
The ending screen shows the player successfully escaping the cabin with the help of the dolphin's voice, creating a relaxed atmosphere. I adopted a third-person perspective, using bright, highly saturated colors to showcase the divers interacting with dolphins.
I made the 3D models of the selectable electric wheelchairs, experimenting with vibrant colors and intricate details to infuse energy into the design. In the meticulous 3D modeling process, my goal was to authentically replicate the structure of an electric wheelchair.
Week 49: Universal Design for Games
SMK Game Jam
In week 49, we gained insights into an unique sport by watch an electric wheelchair football match. Inspired by the experience, I collaborated with Anastasia, Thoram, and Wiktoria to embark on a project aimed at facilitating more accessible and effective training for Powerchair Football players. We created a game prototype with third-person perspective of a football field, enabling solo training sessions by simulating electric wheelchair operation through a game controller joystick. The idea was to emphasize user engagement by allowing players to customize their wheelchair's appearance, tapping into the immersive nature of virtual gaming. The top-down view is strategically aimed at enhancing players' observational skills during training. I made the 3D models of the selectable electric wheelchairs, and try replicate the structure of an electric wheelchair. On texturing, I chose vibrant colors and patterns to infuse energy into the design.
The 3D models of the wheel chair
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