Blog task4, part3: Cinematics in Games (re-submitted)

After I took a look at the history of video games it was clear to me that over the past few decades, video games have experienced many changes. They are not two bars hitting a ball across a screen anymore; they have become an interactive form of art.

Current video games combine elements from narrative fiction film, music and sports. The amount of work to produce a single game can be very large, especially in terms of art. The development of game environments is an intensive process involving the creation of level maps, lighting sources, setting detail and visual texture complexity.

“Another important element is a belief that creators are artists. At the same time, however, it’s necessary for us creators to be engineers, because of the skill required for the creations.”

                    -Shigeru Miyamoto- (Game designer and producer of Nintendo’s biggest names)

Knowing that art plays a very important role in video games, one of the things I find that makes them very enjoyable it is when they are telling a story. If the story is good, the player would want to discover more by playing the game. They would want the game to take them in a journey and feel like they are living someone else’s life.

In my opinion, cinematics are key to set the game mood and to tell the story.  They add depth and substance to the game. The gaming industry knows it and they make sure to make a good use of it. Such is that, it is common for videogames to start with cinematics. They are used to sell the idea of a game sometimes months before a player will ever get behind a controller.

A well-crafted cinematic will succeed in total immersion of the player before the game even begins. Also, powerful narratives in games like Red Dead redemption and Uncharted 2 have helped show the world that games can be just as meaningful as any other form of art.

On most of games, especially on Japanese games, cut-scenes come across quite often. They are essentially pre-rendered sequences in which the player plays the role closer to that of a detached observer. They are often used to establish the initial setting and background storyline or to push the story forwards.

Some may say that cut-scenes are overused. That it turns the game into a movie and videogames are made to be ‘played’, engaged with in a manner that it is much more active. They might be right, but to me, cut-scenes are quite important. They narrate the story, and guide the player through a journey. They make the gaming experience much better because the player gets to know the characters and immerse himself with the game mood. 
Cut-scenes have the opportunity to convey emotions that would be otherwise disregarded by the player. Game developers can now present emotion through complex facial expressions and body language. The ultimate goal in games is to make them as realistic as possible, and that’s the reason why developers use film techniques in games, to enhance realism.

It is true that sometimes, too many cut-scenes make the player disconnect from the game. When a cut-scene begins all the tangible elements of the game that the player has grown accustomed to become obsolete. That is a thing the industry must be careful about. To tackle this problem, they should provide minimum disruption of gameplay flow. The use of written material such as signs or notes inside the game might be a possible option. In the game world they can be read as the player explores the environment and therefore push the storyline forwards while playing. Also, NPCs (Non Playable Characters) could make interventions to give out clues or tell part of the story plot but without the need to stop the game.

Ultimately what the player wants is to feel like he/she is part of the game. Until now there’s usually been a clear visible gap between the higher quality graphics found in cut-scenes and the lower-quality images that characterise more interactive periods of gameplay. I believe that as the gap reduces with the introduction of more powerful technology, games would lower the number of cut-scenes. It will reach a point where the player would interact with the gaming environment to progress along the storyline as if it were real life. Like if it were a movie, with the distinction that the player would not be viewer, but the central figure.

In conclusion, a video game while cinematic it is not a movie. To make the gaming experience truly engaging is to find a point of balance. Resorting to film techniques to engage with the audience should be avoided but not to the extent that the game lacks all sense of emotion. If cut-scenes were to be abolished, it would strip away one of the most effective storytelling techniques.

Games are a form of art and just like books, ballet or films, they have a narrative. As technology allows the industry to use better graphic engines, cut-scenes will not differ from actual gameplay, making the player feel like the protagonist of the game.

As a future game artist I believe my task is to make the industry push its limits. It is my task and the rest of future generations of game artist’s task to make better graphics, better characters and better stories. Our goal is to make games as visually attractive as possible since I believe, art is key to a video game success.

Thank you for reading,

Carla Chanquia.  

References

1.  Cinematic Camera Control in 3D Computer Games. http://front.cc.nctu.edu.tw/Richfiles/12146-G31.pdf

2. Computer Games / Cinema / Interfaces. http://www.digra.org/wp-content/uploads/digital-library/05164.41114.pdf

3. Publications by Henry Jenkins. Games, the new lively art. https://wiki.brown.edu/confluence/download/attachments/7143524/jenkins.games.pdf

4. The Best Opening Cinematics in Video Games. By Hanuman Welch. August 8, 2013. http://www.complex.com/video-games/2013/08/best-opnening-cinematics-video-games/

5. Dusty Cartridge. Dusty Cartridge Debates: Are cut-scenes outdated?  November 2013. http://dustycartridge.com/features/dusty-cartridge-debates-are-cutscenes-outdated/

6. Contemporary Aesthetics. Are Video Games Art? By Aaron Smuts. 2005. http://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/ca/7523862.0003.006?rgn=main;view=fulltext

7. Wired. 5 film violations in videogame cut-scenes. By Jason Schreier. September 2011. http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2011/09/videogame-cutscenes/?pid=1984&pageid=38345#slideid-1984

8. Google images. 

Blog task 4, part2

For my blog task I wanted to talk about games graphics and in the end I decided to base my argument in cinematics and cut-scenes.

Current video games combine elements from narrative fiction film, music and sports. The amount of work to produce a single game can be very large, especially in terms of art. The development of game environments is an intensive process involving the creation of level maps, lighting sources, setting detail and visual texture complexity.

Knowing that art plays a very important role in video games, one of the things I find that makes them very enjoyable it is when they are telling a story..

Cinematics are key to set the game mood and to tell the story.  They add depth and substance to the game. The gaming industry knows it and they make sure to make a good use of it. Such is that, it is common for videogames to start with cinematics.

Also, powerful narratives in games like Red Dead redemption and Uncharted 2 have helped show the world that games can be just as meaningful as any other form of art.

On most of games, especially on Japanese games, cut-scenes come across quite often. They are used to establish the initial setting and background storyline or to push the story forwards.

Some may say that cut-scenes are overused. That it turns the game into a movie and videogames are made to be ‘played’, engaged with in a manner that it is much more active.

To me, cut-scenes are quite important. They narrate the story, and guide the player through a journey. They make the gaming experience much better because the player gets to know the characters and immerse himself with the game mood. 

It is true that sometimes, too many cut-scenes make the player disconnect from the game. That is a thing the industry must be careful about. To tackle this problem, they should provide minimum disruption of gameplay flow. The use of written material such as signs or notes inside the game might be a possible option. In the game world they can be read as the player explores the environment and therefore push the storyline forwards while playing. Also, NPCs (Non Playable Characters) could make interventions to give out clues or tell part of the story plot but without the need to stop the game.

To make the gaming experience truly engaging is to find a point of balance. Resorting to film techniques to engage with the audience should be avoided but not to the extent that the game lacks all sense of emotion. If cut-scenes were to be abolished, it would strip away one of the most effective storytelling techniques.

Carla Chanquia.  

 References

1.  Cinematic Camera Control in 3D Computer Games. http://front.cc.nctu.edu.tw/Richfiles/12146-G31.pdf

2. Computer Games / Cinema / Interfaces. http://www.digra.org/wp-content/uploads/digital-library/05164.41114.pdf

3. Publications by Henry Jenkins. Games, the new lively art. https://wiki.brown.edu/confluence/download/attachments/7143524/jenkins.games.pdf

4. The Best Opening Cinematics in Video Games. By Hanuman Welch. August 8, 2013. http://www.complex.com/video-games/2013/08/best-opnening-cinematics-video-games/

5. Dusty Cartridge. Dusty Cartridge Debates: Are cut-scenes outdated?  November 2013. http://dustycartridge.com/features/dusty-cartridge-debates-are-cutscenes-outdated/

6. Google images. 

Blog Task1, part 1

From mechanical machines to small handheld devices, computers have clearly changed dramatically over the past century. I believe that computers are split in two categories, those used for work (industrial or business) and entertainment. It was probably around the 1980s that this shift occurred. With the launch of apple computers in 1975, a computer could be used by anybody. He also made the first computers with pretty calligraphy and that was probably the first hint of art in computers. Computers could do much more than just solve algorithms.

Then the arcades games took over. They were just pixels on a black background but people liked it and games and entertainment seemed like it had a good potential.

Another shift took place during the development of computers and it is woman participation. They used to work managing the super massive computers of the 1950s but after the cold war they didn’t play major roles in creating new computers, they went silent for a few decades until recently.

Regarding videogames, they have become more realistic thanks to better engines capable of rendering awesome graphics.  With that, a big controversy have been circulating for the last decades. Violence. Game nowadays are more gore than they used to be due to the graphics.

Some people attributes crimes carried out by young people to games. Although I believe that if you are psychologically healthy, there’s no reason why a game would turn you into a violent person. Old games can be as violent as current ones, but because of the limited graphics, it doesn’t seem that bad.

As an artist I do appreciate the art work behind any game. It always tells a story, or at least it is entertaining. How many times I just like to walk around the game map observing the graphics. Countless.

I prefer games that take you through a journey, that have plot and interesting characters. Pastime games, which I like to call (wii sports, dance central, street fighter, etc). They are good, and entertaining, specially if you play with friends but you get bored of them quite easily.

But a game with a fascinating storyline will grab your attention for years. The gameplay also makes the whole gaming experience better. If it is too hard or too boring the game won’t succeed.

For my blog task I believe I will focus on graphics in videogames, as I really enjoy visually striking games.

Carla Chanquia

References: History learning site (2000—2013). The personal computer [Online]. Available at: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/personal_computer.htm

Are you not entertained?

Hello! Here I am with more 3D!

This project was a whole new challenge. Modelling was not too bad, as it was similar to the strip modelling I did with the ford transit van but this time it was a character, in other words, rigging.

Let me introduce you to my gladiator.

The maximum of triangles allowed for this project was 2500. Therefore, we were creating a low polygon character, probably for a platform like PS2.

Texturing this model has been the hardest texturing I have ever done. Unwrapping was not easy either. My UVs did not lay completely flat and I had to move then around and change them so that the textures would look right.

I painted the props, but the skin was hard. My pictures had all a different skin tone and then I had to worry about the seams as well...

I have to admit that rigging was fun. I loved my model coming to life. Well, at least I could put him into different poses which was always fun.

It was a fun, yet hard project. I need to practice more!

The 3D struggle 2

I haven't posed anything 3D related in a long time, so here it is.
I am finding this module the hardest and it brings me to tears many nights when I can't make my models work, but I have to keep on going. I will become better in time.

Here's my ford transit van project. This task was very different to what we had been doing so far. The construction of the model was little strips put together. Like a Lego castle, slowly building from the foundations.

I enjoyed making the model but then I had to texture it. It would've been much easier if we could just paint it but we are asked to manipulate images so that it looked photo realistic.

I always struggle with that part. That and time management. I have the tendency to believe that things would take less time than they actually do. Therefore I end up very stressed by the time I have to hand in the project.

I am getting better at it, but I need to work more on it.

The van is about 5000 triangles (including interior), therefore it is not very high poly but I think I managed a good job in terms of shape. It looks fairly similar to the original.

Here I was just having a bit of fun :)



Carla Chanquia

Life under the sea

Hello! Another character design project, yes!
We all were given a theme, well, in fact it was a word.
Reef.
We could interpret it as we wanted it. We had to do research on that word and come up with mood boards to stimulate our imagination process.

Here's one of my mood boards for this project. Form here I picked a few colours and created colour palettes.

Next, the character! I drew a few silhouettes very quickly, without thinking. Pure imagination process. I asked friends and classmates which one they liked the most and I had a tough time deciding one.

Most of the people went for the mermaid looking one, but I didn't want to do a mermaid. It is not original so I made something that was pretty as a mermaid but it wasn't one. Also, it had to be humanoid, in other words, no monsters.

I liked the idea of an ancient civilization underwater, like Atlantis. And so I went down that route.

Orthographic painting of the character. The final result looks a little bit different than this because I tend to change things along the way. The jellyfish head didn't convince me in the end. Also, the colours of the skin changed a little as well.

I had a hard time making a digital painting for the environment. It is hard to draw from the top of my head. It is like my mind has a very nice and clear image of what I want and then my hand cannot produce the same image. I got so frustrated that I left unfinished for weeks.

One day though, I went back to it and worked patiently and somehow I ended up with something decent.

And this is the end result. It is not what I imagined but it is all I can do with my ability at the moment. I will keep on working hard to become better and better!

AND....yes, we had to sculpt again...

But this time it wasn't too bad!

I really enjoyed this project, even though I got frustrated with my digital painting. But I can't be annoyed because I love drawing, it is something I need to do on daily basis, I only wish I could become better faster!


Carla Chanquia

Lonely man

If a vehicle wasn't enough of a challenge, we were asked to create a character this time! They sent us all to town to draw and take pictures of interesting people so they would inspire our designs.

These are a few of my sketches. I thought I'll go with an ex military person, around their forties. Maybe with psychological trauma.

After a few sketches, this is what I came up with. Not very original sadly. I know I could've done better.

Just like the vehicle, we were asked to sculpt it and well...I created a monster...

Sculpting is hard! But it is all about the experience. Next time will be better!
I felt a little disappointed as I didn't produce anything out of the ordinary but I am still learning and I really want to improve and some day, become a conceptual artist!

Vehicle Design project

Most of the second uni term, we learned about design. We created vehicles and characters. I really enjoyed all of these projects as they involved lots of creativity!

On this post I am going to focus on the vehicle project. The task was simple, or so it seemed.
The tutor asked us to bring a random object in class and a couple of books with interesting pictures in it. We were meant to draw silhouettes. By just having a blob of paint on a paper was meant to stimulate our imagination to see beyond the original object.

We first drew the object and broke it down into very basic shapes. We also looked at perspective.

Next we drew the object silhouette from all sorts of angles. Up, right, close, tilted, any possible angle to have as many shapes as possible.

Now it was time to what I was actually drawing. What do I see in those silhouettes? At first I thought I could do some fort of underwater vehicle, because it was slim, but then when I drew from other perspectives I saw the possibility of a two wheeled vehicle. In the end I decided to go with my second idea.

I went back to the original object and studied it closer. What is it made of? What elements has it got? Could I use this on my final design?

The first sketch I created was that of a motorcycle, I did a good amount of research on bikes and motorcycles but in the end I decided to go for a warfare vehicle.

And then, my design changed again! I had the shape but I didn't like the idea of a war vehicle. Therefore as I did some research of tanks and trucks for my vehicle I came across with diggers other excavating vehicles and I liked the idea.

Once in Photoshop, it was all about trial and error. See what worked and what not.

 And here's the finished piece.

My vehicle is an underwater digger, although it can be used to carry equipment and materials. It can also be used to explore a shipwreck as it can lift heavy things.

The main point of this project was to get our head around in terms of design. I should have done industrial drawings and worked more on the vehicle and its component but I didn't know how to approach this project at first.

Next time I will be more prepared. That's why I am learning!

And then they asked us to sculpt our vehicles! That was hard. I used clay and I think it looked quite cute, but it took a long time!

I had to change the design a little bit as my sculpting skills are not that great.

Overall it was a very interesting and fun project to do!


Carla Chanquia

Some of my work

It is time for me to post some of the drawing I have being doing for my visual design module.
At the begining it was all about drawing a certain scene and trying to improve our knowledge of perspective, composition and proportion. As we progressed the projects became more personal and more fun to do!

The part I struggled more on was perspective. I didn't even know how to start a perspective drawing to begin with! But the teachers have been all very helpful and they always kept me motivated to try my best.

So here's a review from week 1 until recent.

During the second term we had more personal projects which I'll show in detail on another post (This are all observational drawings only!) But I had lots of fun during the second term.

As for the third term we went back to basics, in other words, pencil, rubber and a sketchbook.
Here are the results of my second attempt at observational drawing:

I think I have become more confident on my drawing and that I have improved in terms of technical aspects such as perspective. There's still lots to improve though! But I'll keep on drawing, because it is something I love to do and I will do for the rest of my life.

Art Direction

This project consisted on finding a picture or a series of pictures from film,game, painting or photograph and analyse it.

 I decided to do my presentation on the film ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ by Rob Marshall

You may like or not like the film but when I was trying to look for something that inspired me I realised the amount of times I watched this movie. The plot is not that great, so why do I find it so exciting?

To me it is the beauty in the film that makes it great. In fact this film won the Best Cinematography Academy Award which is saying something.

The film starts very dark and with horrible weather as the protagonist is taken to a geisha house. The colour palette used throughout the first twenty minutes of the film is mainly composed of grays and cold colours. It is curious that in a movie based on geishas which wore fancy bright dresses, always surrounded by beauty and art, the movie starts very grey. Because of that the viewer can rapidly guess that she is not happy. And that she lives in some sort of a prison. But then there's a certain scene in the movie that adds a little bit of colour to the movie.

Here she meets with someone who is gentle and nice to her for the first time. Everywhere he goes is covered in colour and I think this moment is quite symbolic. The viewer can observe that the protagonist sees a light in him, her exit from the grey world she lives in.

She’s the main character. One can tell by the way she dresses she is a sweet innocent girl. Good mannered and polite. She is cheerful and full of light.

On the other hand, the antagonist, she always wears dark and vibrant colours. Just by looking at her it is easy to picture the kind of person she is. Arrogant, vain and jealous.

I quite like the contrast between the two of them. Every character has a certain colours palette regarding their clothing which helps us understand their personality in a visual way.

Again one can see the fiery personality of the antagonist which becomes real flames in the movie.

I like the scene when the antagonist is vanished from the geisha house for starting a fire. It tells me she is going to disappear into the mist and most likely, never come back. Like the smoke of the flames, after it consumes verything there's nothing left, just grey ashes. She’s just a shadow now, no light remains on her.

Something similar happens here as well. She’s not wearing fancy colourful clothing which tells a void in her existence. She has no happiness; she’s just a tone of grey.

To summerise, I like how they played with the colours to tell the mood and the personality of the characters. As I game artist I think it is important to use these techniques in all of my work as it can tell so much information and convey emotion into a scene.

References from google images.