Sound – Task 1

 

First of all i will be analysing sound from 2 different games, the first game being call of duty black ops 3 and the second game being need for need for speed payback.

I will be talking about how both games implement different types of sound and how they use it to further enhance there game , this may include aspects such as Diegetic sounds, Non- diegetic sounds , use of EQ, use of Reverb , Balance of higher and lower frequency sounds alongside balance of higher and lower amplitude sounds,

Before i start i would like to give a brief explanation on these terms, starting off with Diegetic sounds.

Diegetic sounds are from the game itself or the story, examples may include, a sound made from an instrument within the game, or the voices of the characters within the game, Non-diegetic sounds are sounds that come externally aside from the storyline such as the narrator’s voice, and music.

Use of Eq is if the sounds has been changed to fit the theme or storyline of the game or film or whatever it may be, the sounds can be changed via programmes in order to change the pitch or overall amplification of the sound, e.g. a voice may be altered to suit a youth instead of an adult.

Reverb is the sound that the brain has naturally tuned out, the sound is amplified more in larger rooms , an example may include an echo in a cave.

Balance of higher and lower frequencies means the pitch of the sound, high pitch can represent a happy type feel or a sharp high pitch slice of a sword, lower pitch can give out a more of a dark and less happy theme.

Higher amplitude means the sounds volume and how it effects the game, say high volume maybe trying to show the dramatic scene and lower volume could be a way to build tension and keep us glued to the screen.

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Call of Duty Black ops 3

Call of duty black ops 3 is a major first person shooter franchise, it uses a lot of the above methods of sound and implements it within its game. Today we will be looking at the trailer and analysing what method of sound it uses to further enhance and change the games tempo and overall feel.

We can see and hear a clear sense of Diegetic Sounds with in this trailer, examples include when the player jumps it releases a jetpack sound and the sound of ignition, this tells the viewers that the jetpack is active and can be used, it also gives the players a chance to feel what they cant in their day to to lives as jetpacks are non-existent.

There is also a numerous amount of Non-Diegetic sounds within this trailer, such as the soundtracks being used, which only the player base can hear and not the actors within the game. The soundtrack being used can sway the mood of the audience and the tempo, I.e. if the soundtrack was fast paced it would add more tension and if it was slow it would be less tense and more relaxed, in this case its quite a fast based sound track which keeps the audience on there toes.

Here we have a soundtrack of black ops 3 which uses high volume ( high amplitude ) sounds in order to make it more dramatic and more serious, the sound track has deep tone which also signifies a dark theme.

This second Soundtrack is a lot more fast paced and hasa balanced degree of higher and lower frequency sounds which give it a more welcoming theme and less dark and unsafe. It gives you a more high tech feel with the sounds aswell, much more electronic.

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Need for speed payback

Need for speed is one of the leading racing car game franchise which invokes high speed racing and a tense campaign with amazing multiplayer, today I will be talking about the sound methods they use to change up the games feel.

In this reveal trailer we can see a lot of Diegetic sounds implanted such as the speaking of the actors and sounds of the in game objects that can be heard such as the skidding of the tires, these diegetic sounds really help make you feel as though you within the game.

The Non diegetic sounds we can see and hear in this trailer are the sound tracks and the external sounds you hear when you pick up a nitrous or a speed boost, and generally sounds that only us the audience can hear. In this case we have a slow tempo sound track which slowly builds more tension and adds onto the tempo, this really keeps us glued to the screen.

In this soundtrack we have quite a relaxed theme, this can help set the mood when playing and helps the player to ease into the game. We can see that this soundtrack uses high frequency sounds to show a happy mood and balances it with a bit of lower frequency sounds in order to make it have a more serious tone to it at the same time. It also has an element of lower amplitude sounds which can again make it seem more happy and less tense, helps give a relaxed vibe.

Comparison between the two games

First of all call of duty tends to be more serious and violent thus having higher amplitude and lower frequency sounds, this helps aid the games genre and theme, its not really aimed at a younger audience as its a 18+ game, the music helps reinforce this even more. They balance the reverb and frequency sounds quite well as well, helps give it that dynamic effect and feel. On the other hand Need for speed uses more higher frequency sounds and lower amplitude sounds as well, this in a way compared to call of duty gives it a less violence orientated theme or dark theme and gives it a more safe and happy feel, this gives way to a younger audience tuning into this game.

Eadweard Muybridge

Muybridge was born in Kingston in Kingston in 9^th April 1830. He lives in England through out his earlier years but later decided to move to America in 1852 and worked there as a book seller for a while, after in which he decided to visit Europe, on his way there he suffered from a coach accident and went back to his home town in England. He used this chance to recover and at the same time he invented a washing machine and plate printing apparatus.

Muybridge travelled across America, Alaska and Canada, during this time he picked up his passion, which was photography and decided to pursue it, during his time across different countries, he took stunning photographs. During the time period 1872 Muybridge was requested to take a picture of a moving object in this case a horse, he was able to take the picture, which was extremely difficult in that period.

As Muybridge progressed he started to photograph newly built transcontinental railroads as well as urban and rural in scenes in different cities and countries, such as Nicaragua and Guatemala, he often liked to capture the ruins as well as new buildings in the area, further adding it to his photographs. Muybridge had a number of famous photographs, but one of the few that stood out was his panoramic view of San Francisco.

In the year 1878, Muybridge took 13 photographs, all right next to each other, side by side. This action caused a photograph of roughly 7 metres long, each shutter took photographs of speeds upwards to one thousandth of a second. If you was to combine all the photos you could clearly see the horse started to move, this further gave birth towhat we call animation, the advancement was immense and the world of animation took a step into a new era.

Muybridge travelled across America, Alaska and Canada, during this time he picked up his passion, which was photography and decided to pursue it, during his time across different countries, he took stunning photographs. During the time period 1872 Muybridge was requested to take a picture of a moving object in this case a horse, he was able to take the picture, which was extremely difficult in that period.

As the years progressed Muybridge invented many creations such as the zoopraxiscope, otherwise modernly known as the projector. He used this invention to further amplify his presentations and within 10years it was one of the most commonly used objects for presenting, in fact even inventors such as Thomas Edison were intrigued by the prospect of the zoopraxiscope, he gained enlightenment and new ideas, which further lead to the creation of the Kinetograph, which is one of Thomas Edison’s creates inventions.

Animation history

Magic lantern was the first image projector created, and is one of the back bones of animation. Magic lantern was invented in the 1600’s by Christiaan Huygens, who was a dutch scientist. The lanterns were initially illuminated by candles to project images but later on as technology progressed they were lit by better sources of light.

In order to get the magic lantern to work and produce the images you needed various equipment. those equipment being:

• A source of light
• The object or item you wish to project
• A device to form the image your trying to project
• a screen where you need the light to be projected on

The magic lantern used a concave mirror in back of a light source to direct as much of the light as possible through a small rectangular sheet of glass—a “lantern slide”—on which was the image to be projected, and onward into a lens at the front of the apparatus. The lens was adjusted to optimally focus the plane of the slide at the distance of the projection screen, which could be simply a white wall, and it therefore formed an enlarged image of the slide on the screen.^[1]Some lanterns, including those of Christiaan Huygens and Jan van Musschenbroek, used 3 lenses.

Originally the pictures were hand painted on glass slides. Initially figures were rendered with black paint but soon transparent colors were also used. Sometimes the painting was done on oiled paper. Usually black paint was used as a background to block superfluous light, so the figures could be projected without distracting borders or frames. Many slides were finished with a layer of transparent lacquer, but in a later period cover glasses were also used to protect the painted layer.^[2] Most hand-made slides were mounted in wood frames with a round or square opening for the picture.^[3

Game Treatment

Sonic Boom

Sonic Boom analysis

Sonic boom is a Racing game with a London based theme. It will mainly be focused on the PlayStation 4 platform , migrating to a PC or Nintendo switch is a major possibility as well. The game will not consist of a Campaign and will instead be mission and quest based, each quest and mission completed will award points to buy cars and packs, this feature allows entertainment for users and adds variety .Unlocked cars can be used in Multiplayer races and can be tuned to new heights with a all new never seen before garage system.

It has a all new 2 – 18 multiplayer system which you can play with your friends and have intense fast pace races, 18 player matches are extremely hectic and is literally a battle royal, the winner takes all. Your friend is able to join you in the car and is able to taunt the opponents.  Alongside 18 player matches we also have the classic 6 car races, this is less hectic and is more relaxed and is a good pace to enjoy the ride, its also very competitive, for the best rewards.

Sonic boom will also have the Pick up function which can change the odds of the race, picking up a nitrous pick up will dramatically change the match.

My game will be for both players, solo and multiplayer type, I have included secret missions and free mode for solo players to explore and enjoy.

Game Goals

My goals are to produce a all new unique game design using photorealism , cell shading and 3d design, I’m using this as my wow factor and want the players to be amazed by the graphics and interface. My aim is to make a successful game and be able to make decent profit from it so that I can invest the money into further updating an enhancing the game. The PlayStation 4 platform is what I will be using.

Target Market

Sonic boom is the ultimate game that will fill the current gap in the market for racing games. That gap being that Nearly all racing games are exactly the same, be it need for speed, Forsa sport or even the crew. I’m looking to change the view on that and introduce a new style to racing. It’s almost like a mixture between classic arcade racing games and your modern day Racing games. My target audience is 12 – 18+, as a lot of my functions and elements are suitable for that age range.

Contents

My maps Include a wide and diverse environment , iv made my maps this way so that the users can have a better playing experience.

As you can see, I have made a Luminant and vibrant map, I have used positive colours to compliment each other and give out that warm feel. Iv also stuck with the London theme and added the classic train bridges

I have included the London eye and other iconic London features to help make the user feel as though they are in London.

Characters

I have a wide range of characters, iv added this character feature for users to enjoy the game more and work towards unlocking better characters and cars. Below is a design of one of them.

Vehicles ( Cars/Motorbikes )

My game also includes Cars and motorbikes, this is to draw in all audiences, including car fanatics and motorcycle fanatics.

Exclusive Controller

• Exclusive Controller for Sonic Boom users
• Weather based difficulty system
• Pick up items such as nitrous, repair, grenades
• etc.
• Garage system that allows you to upgrade your char to new heights and allows you to perform better in online multi player matches.
• Missions/quests/Level system and an offline multiplayer for those that don’t have PSN +
• Massive free roam areas where secret missions and quests can be selected.
• Character system where different characters can give different boosts to the vehicle.

Design Goal: The main goal is to create the start of a colourful, fast-paced action racing series, which is notorious for its impeccable cooperative experience. The characters along with their unique stories and designs will be what draws players into further learning them and mastering the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My genre will be mainly action, sports , adventure

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pick up items

In this post I present my Pick up items, iv added this feature to add some clarity to my game and make it more enjoyable, players can also collect coins to upgrade their cars and buy new skins.

My first pick up is nitrous which fills up your nitrous bar, and lets you use more nitrous, iv added this feature so that I can enhance the speed of the game and let the users experience the nitrous ability, you can add upgrades so that the nitrous pick up lasts longer.

My second pick up is the repair one, this pick up allows the user to instantly heal the car from any damage, this can help as it will help avoid the car from exploding.

My 3rd pick up is the medic which can be used as a good long term item to heal, it has a passive healing effect, this is the superior version of the repair.

3rd pick up is the coins, this is just an additional feature to give the players coins.

Poster and evaluation

In this post I will be talking about my poster design and evaluate it. I will also be explaining my design and the development and the research methods it took to get my final product.

What research did I do for my poster?

In my initial poster design’s I used my character drawings as a way to implement a number of my ideas. I used a couple concept art before hand and I implemented it inside of my poster.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see I have several sketches done with different compositions, iv done this in order to reach my final product. I used the 3 way grid method and a couple more, compositions as shown below. This helped me develop my poster.

What does my poster portray to the viewers?

I think my poster is warm and welcoming and gives what it offers, iv used the right amount of colours in order to improve my poster as well, these selected colours are well suited with each other. As you can see with the rule of 3rd I was careful adding in my images, I added the helmet and the cars at each of the grids corners to make it even and compatible.

This is the colour pallet I used for my posters, I used these because they are warm and positive colours which appeal to the audience. The purple is a dark tone which compliments the lighter tons within the orange in my poster, it balances the poster out, if I used to many dark colours my poster wouldn’t be portrayed the way I want it, id like for it to be balanced with positive and negative colours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vehicle Development and designs (Cars)

In this post i will be presenting a number of my car designs and how i built my cars and what inspired me to do, i have included a range of designs from your modern day cars to your urban legends, from Aston martins to Ferrari’s, i have done this to add variety to my vehicle choices, each car in my game will be unlocked via levels , coins and additional missions.

First and foremost most of these car designs have been inspired by your classical and modern day cars that are within the London themed bracket. Below i will showcase a number of drawings i have done regarding these cars.

Here we have your classic English London cab, i have included this cab to again add variation and diversity. This car also suits within the London theme, i have also put the English flags on it, this car will be representing England. It will be one of the cars that will be unlocked via a secret mission, it cannot be unlocked via coins or levels. This car isn’t the fastest but can be the most destructive.

Below i have another car which i designed, it is a classic English Aston martin with a bit of my touch to it. I have included a front and side view to put it into perspective.

This English Aston martin will be un-lockable via levels and will be in the mid tier levels, it has a lot of speed but lacks mobility, this can however be adjusted at the garage via upgrades. I was inspired to design this car as it is a classic to England and specifically London.

Below i will showcase my initial designs of my cars and how i built it up, i designed 10 minute sketches of 3 cars and built up my end game cars from those. This is a method to create fast drawings and light sketches for 5 – 10 minutes.

As you can see these didn’t take me more than 10 minutes to draw, i use this as a way to brain storm ideas and built up initial cars/characters. This is the process.

Lat but not least i will showcase my fastest car, it is only unlocked at the maximum level,  it has the highest stats out of any car available in the game. Iv created this car as a milestone for players, this car is extremely fast and agile, as it speeds it has a never ending turbo. This is my final car, and my best one. Down below i will show you the design process i went through in order to create this car, it is a modern day sports car, these type of cars represent London and shows off status and wealth.

This is my last un-lockable car, it is has a metallic and unique design that i have tried to emphasize in this drawing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vehicle Development and designs (Motorcycles)

Here i will be presenting my concept art and designs for my  motorcycles.

I have designed a numerous amount of motorcycles for my players, ranging from your mobile and agile bikes to your extremely fast and all rounders, I have included all my un-lockable bikes and what they do, you will be able to unlock these vehicles via levels, coins and additional missions. This feature will give the user motivation to keep playing, in order to unlock the best characters and vehicles possible.

First of all i will be presenting my Motorcycle designs, i have added motorcycles to my game in order to attract motorcycle fanatics and fans, this allows my game to be aimed at various audiences and various age ranges. I have stuck with the 3d , photo realistic images as my base as i want my game to be more modern and also to give it that wow factor. I did not design any 2d variations as im not using a 2d art style as my base. Below i will sequence a few of my concept art and designs.

Above i have drawn a front view of one of my motorbike, this design was inspired from your modern day motorbikes. I have included an agile look to it, this motorbike represents mobility and speed.

Down below i will represent another design of a different motorbike that i have designed for my game Sonic Boom

This Motorbike is my Current fastest one, this is one of the last un-lockable motorbikes i will be having, the heavy metal and thick tires, with an immense engine that roars across the city will be my final one. This design was yet again inspired by the modern bikes. The speed of this bike is so fast that it is really hard to control and is only really meant for experienced players, as its the last un-lockable most players will be really experienced with my game and its mechanics by then.

Down Below is another design of a different motorbike that will be inside my game.

This is my 3rd motorbike and 3rd finished design, this motorbike is another variation of the first one, it has similar attributes and is used for mobility and getting passed cars as fast as possible, this version is just faster and overall better.

Last but not least my final design for my motor bike down below.

This is my 4th design of another motorbike i will be using, this is the second fastest motorbike and is designed to absolutely crush opponents with sheer speed and mobility, even though its not the fastest it is said be an overall all rounded vehicle. I added thick tires and grip for it to withstand snowy maps and rain, it is easily able to withstand any mountain terrain as well.

In my development process, i went outside and looked at vehicles and motorbikes and got a rough idea on how i wanted mines to look like, and so i designed it. Down below i include an image of initial motorbike development and how i do what i do. These are all London based as it is urban and modern.

 

 

 

Environment Sketches And map development – Lines and Perspective

In this post i will be showing you my current environment sketches and how it will suit my game, i will also be talking about the process it took to make the sketches and any other additional points. My designs will be directly below.

Directly i have an image that represents one of the maps in my game, i used bright vibrant colors as an initial color design. As you can see im using the black and white Kris-cross design in order to show the user that they are near the finishing line, this will get the player excited and make them want to get there and finish the race as soon as possible. I also tried to keep it in the London theme by adding your classical train bridge and road designs.

Another map example is below

As you can see i stuck with the London theme and added the classical phone box, London eye, river Thames and the urban city in the background. This was used to fit into the criteria and make the users feel as though they are truly racing in London.

I went around London specifically Kingston in order to get some pictures to fully bring out that London theme and implement it into my work. Down below are some pictures and references i used in order to create my maps.

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Exploring lines in order to help with Environment development, including vanishing point.

I explored various methods to help develop my environment and take it to another level, and for this i needed to learn perspective drawings and including a vanishing point, i explored with 1 way to 2 and 3 way perspective drawings, and have come with the outcomes and designs i have below.

Down below i put my research into action and i started to sketch my environment in different perspectives to give it that realistic feel.

As seen above i have included most of the sketches of my maps in different perspectives, i have used this method to my best extent and will continue to do so in order to develop my maps the best i can!

 

Final Character Sketches and Development

Here i will be showing you my current status on my character and car designs for my game.

Here we have the process of the drawing, as you can see i have added bright and vibrant colors to my digital version in order to be appealing to the audience and really pop out. I want to continue evolving my game by adding in new characters and features, these are my initial character designs with a lot more to come. As you can see i included a range of positive and negative colors such as black and yellow onto my character, i plan to make most of my characters this way so it can appeal to my target audience.

As you can see i used motorbike clothing to coat my characters, and make it as realistic as possible, this is done to really make you feel as though your inside the characters shoes when you are playing as him. I also added props for my charters such as gloves and shoes and even different helmet designs to show a sense of creativity. Designs of it are down below.

As you can see all props have been drawn and designed accordingly

A few more character designs are shown below, these designs are aimed at the racing cars more so than the motorcycles. Iv used your classical black and white Kris-cross style on a few of my jacket designs in order to give it that race feel, and of course have added different helmets and designs for them.

A final Design of my character down below.

Iv used different designs for different characters and have produced a variety of helmets for each character, i done this so that the user can have a diverse selection of characters to chose from, and with each character comes different clothes and helmets. Doing this keeps the user entertained and gives it a chance to play with other characters rather than just one , which would get him really bored and potentially not play which is what we dont want.

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