Here’s the final environment I put together in UDK. You can see how the foliage on the ground and in the trees is affected by the wind. There is a flag, simulating cloth physics also. These are all affected by the same wind actor, to give the scene cohesion. I have also recreated fire and smoke effects, as well as rain. It’s been really interesting (and time consuming!) getting to grips with the particle systems and setting up materials to make these effects. I’m hoping that by showing this video to my seminar group that they understand what I am trying to achieve with this artefact.
For artefact 3 I want to take a bit of a depature from what I have been doing so far. I have some really good ideas for how artefacts 4, 5 and 6 will work together. Before I get to those I would like to try out working with dynamic elements in UDK and get feedback from my seminar group in regards to how this effects immersion. By dynamic elements I mean moving objects in the game world. This might include fire, weather effects, wind, cloth simulation and foliage movement. When I was researching for my PRP document I discovered that these are being used more often in current gen games. Players tend to believe the game world more when it contains moving, rather than being a static space.
I want to first of all learn how to create these effects, and build up a library of them to use in future artefacts. For artefact 3 I will put together a small scene which utilises a range of dynamic elements and show this to my seminar group. In later artefacts I would like to see if moving objects such as these can affect player movement and be used for a functional purpose rather than aesthetic/immersive.
My client has taken a look at my early shots and suggested that while it’s a good start, I need to capture the 1930′s more. Up until now I hadn’t really made the most of the Art Deco references I’d found during the research phase, so now is the time to. If I can get these unwrapped and textured in the next week then add in my 1930′s car and some street furniture then I should have the client project ready for around 3 weeks time. This will allow me a couple of weeks to make adjustments and finalise things. Phew!
Take a look at the video of this map being played by one of the testers. It should give you a better idea as to how the experiment works.
This artefact built upon feedback provided via the presentation and questionnaire of artefact 1. It was suggested that game goals, enemies, weapons and pickups were incorporated to create an environment more fitting of a first person shooter. The purpose was to take what had been learnt about lighting and use that it a game space, but also bring in new techniques at the same time, with the intention of using them in such a way that the player would follow a predetermined route.
UDK was used to make the environment, in the same way artefact 1 was built. An environment with multiple paths was made, some of them dark and some of them lit. Artefact 1 showed that this influences the player’s movement, but this time other factors were introduced. Weapons were placed in front of lit paths to tempt the player in that direction. A texture with a yellow line was used on the walls, which acted as a subtle queue as to which direction to take. Capture the flag game mode was also utilised to offer the player a game goal. A focus group of 10 played through the environment, and their movements were recorded in fraps.
With the addition of the above stated factors, it was evident that players still tended to follow the lit paths. It also highlighted the importance of weapon placement, as they provide a powerful temptation to the player. Where they are situated not only affects the balance of a game, but also where the majority of the action takes place. This artefact further enforced the findings of artefact 1, in that light can guide a player without them being conscious of its affect. This experiment proved that this also works within an action orientated game world.
The branding is now complete. Portfolio, business cards, CV, covering letter, application forms…it’s all there (pretty much). I received my business cards today, and got 250 delivered for about £16. Good price especially for double sided prints. If anyone’s interested in getting their own check out vista print. Be warned though, delivery takes around 3 weeks unless you pay £12 for postage!
Other than adding vehicles and architecture typical of the 1930s it’s very difficult to really capture that period in time, especially when you have no narrative or characters to support it. Here is my latest screen capture with some 1930s advertising (amusing stuff you should check it out). What else do you guys think is typical of the 1930′s gangster era?
Here’s some shots of the map coming together. You can see the stronger contrast this time between the lit and unlit areas. I’m hoping this will serve as a stronger influence over the players decision. Any feedback or ideas? Let me know!
My modeling, texturing and lighting is coming along now so I decided to have a play around with dynamic elements. Part of my brief was to show of the capabilities of UDK, so I’ve decided to test out the following.
Lightmass: A lighting system which produces ambient occlusion, bounced light, and global illumination. Soft cloth physics, fire, smoke, wind and dynamic trees. I’ll probably add rain at some point as well. Take a look at the appallingly captured video below! I’m still learning how best to encode videos for UDK.
I'm Philip Howlett, and I'm a games Artist. I create environments, models and props for current gen platforms. This blog articles some of my learning process as well as showcasing my works in progress.
