Semester 2 Submission

My submission for Semester 2. Below is my updated Learning Agreement, and my finished Environment for Semester 2 'The Oasis'. (The screenshots below are the finished scene, development for this project can be seen throughout all of my previous blog posts.)

Learning Agreement

Name

Daniel Thornborrow

MA Course Title

Game Design

Status (F/T or P/T)

Full Time

Date

15/05/18

Version No.:

Brief explanation/ outline of project

Throughout the course of my Masters my main goal is to improve my Environment design skills so that hopefully one day I can get a job as an Environment artist. To do this I must work on all the different areas which are involved when creating 3D Environments in game engines, such as improving my 3D modelling, texturing, lighting and layout skills. I aim to look at lots of different game environments and artists to find out what qualities really make a great environment which can stand out from the rest. Then using this knowledge to further my own work and create 3D Environments of a high quality.

Context / Rationale

Environments in video games have only increased in quality throughout the years in the game design industry due to technological advances. Games 15-20 years ago are almost unrecognisable now in comparison to modern day titles such as ‘The Last of Us’ and ‘The Witcher 3’. Back then lighting and texturing didn’t have the same impact, as long as a player could tell certain objects and characters apart from each other, that was generally good enough. But now large game companies have whole groups of people dedicated purely to lighting and environment design, this is because players want and expect more now, they want to be immersed into a game and feel a connection with the characters. Designers now also use lighting and texturing to help evoke emotions such as fear (games like Outlast and Until Dawn) and sadness (The Last of Us), also using lighting and environment design to lead players in specific directions. This is why I want to focus my studies on this area and help develop my understanding of what can affect these players’ decisions and feelings within a game environment. While also ensuring that the Environment itself is aesthetically pleasing to the playing and not making pathways or objectives seem too obvious or unnatural.

Key areas of Research / Key Activities

Researching games which use lighting and texturing to affect players decisions and emotions.

Researching how lighting affects us in the real world and how this can link into games.

Research into other studies which around lighting and texturing within games.

Looking into better techniques to speed up my modelling and texturing.

Gather research and player feedback.

Researching Industry professionals and their design methods.

Explore different layouts and techniques used in Environment design.

Intended outcomes of project tended outcomes of project

Semester 1

Create a fully modelled and textured environment which players can interact with and which has decisions the player must make based on their environment.

Semester 2

Having looked at how lighting affects player decisions last semester my goal for Semester 2 is to create a larger outdoor Environment focusing on the Layout and Lighting of a Larger scene. While also improving on my texturing and modelling skills once again.

Semester 3

Final Outcomes of Masters

A blog showing my progress throughout the semester and somewhere I can keep track of my research, feedback and thought process.

Explore all areas of Environment design and develop a better understanding of the Lighting, texturing and design process which goes into the creation of a game environment. With the final goal of getting a job within the games industry.

Date:

10/11/17

I feel like I've learned a lot during this project and I have definitely noticed an increase in the speed of my work and also the quality, if I look back a year ago at the my Environment work I created for my Final piece in Third year there is a noticeable difference which is great to see. I also felt a real sense of passion when creating this Environment and it reminded me of my goals and why I chose to continue my Studies. I'm excited to see whats next for my 3rd Semester I am ready to give it my all and push my Environment work even further.