Unit 11 Preparing for Progression in Creative Media Production
DISCIPLINE
Choose your path...
As I continue on this course I am having to consider a range of options concerning my future within the Games Development Industry. How I will be achieving this will be through attending a University and completing either an FdSc Degree where I will be needing to complete an additional year or I can attend a University that offers a full BSc (Hons) Degree instead. I have chosen three possible paths all of which focus on the different aspects involved in Game Development leading to a number of potential job roles within the industry such as Level designer, Engine programmer and Lead games designer.
Path 1 - Games and Animation Production, FdSc
Year 1
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Concept exploration and synthesis
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Concept to completion
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Past, present, future contexts
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Technical skills for animation and game
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Visual narrative forms
Year 2
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Collaborative production practice
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Independent production practice
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Work-based learning
UCW. (2019). Games and Animation Production, BA (Hons) - UCW. [online] Available at: https://www.ucw.ac.uk/courses/games-and-animation-production-ba-hons/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2019].
After visiting UCW last year with the college, I had a blast experiencing what I could be doing if I were to attend, plus the surrounding area is really friendly and inspiring as I enjoy spending my time visiting coastal towns. The duration of the course will be spent exploring my potential and working towards my goal as a game developer with this course offering an exploration into various subjects such as concepts, narrative forms and technical skills along with working independently and as a team. The entry requirement of this course is a minimum of CDD at A-Level, or a BTEC Extended Diploma at MMP, or equivalent, preferably in a related area such as UAL Level 3 Games Development.
Additionally, with this course, I will be needing to complete a top-up degree to earn a full BSc degree overall. During this additional course, I will be learning a better understanding of the business practises involved with game development, along with improving my skills even further as this degree can lead me towards a brighter future within the industry.
Weston University has since updated its course to be 3 years rather than 2 but many of the course details remain the same.
Path 2 - Games Technology, BSc (Hons)
Courses.uwe.ac.uk. (2019). Games Technology - BSc(Hons) - UWE Bristol: Courses. [online] Available at: https://courses.uwe.ac.uk/G611/games-technology [Accessed 7 Nov. 2019].
As I wish to stay close to Wiltshire I have looked into attending UWE Bristol as the course they have to offer has more of an insight into the programming and technology involved within games development as I am interested in how games function and work at a core level such as the engine that a game is running on. During this degree, I will be studying subjects such as Artifical intelligence, the evolution of games development and game engine architecture along with an additional module in either gameplay programming or game engine programming. As I am interested in the fundamentals of gameplay design this course may suit these interests as it covers the various elements involved. As for the entry requirement, I understand that I may currently not hold the grades required for this degree but with determination and dedication, I will achieve these goals.
Path 3 - Games Programming, BSc (Hons)
BSc (Hons) Games Programming
Sae.edu. (2019). Study BSc (Hons) Games Programming Degree Course | SAE Institute UK - Creative Media Courses in Audio Production, Music Business, Animation, VFX, Film, Games and Web Design. [online] Available at: https://www.sae.edu/gbr/bsc-hons-games-programming?did=172 [Accessed 7 Nov. 2019].
To extend my reach within the industry I have discovered this course offered by SAE, this course focuses on the core programming skills that are required within games development which can lead to interesting roles such as AI programming, Physics Programmer and a multitude of other programming related job positions within the games industry. As my interests lie within how games are built up upon these foundations the possibility of becoming a programmer is a career choice that I can consider if I am to acquire a position on this course. For the topics that this course covers such as the foundations of game design and game production, these are what drive the games industry forward with new innovations and ideas as I wish to pursue a similar goal within this industry and give something back to society. In terms of the entry requirements for this degree, again, I understand that I may not have these qualifications currently but I am determined and willing to learn these through the next year whilst attending Wiltshire college.
Benefits of Higher Education Talk
Ambassadors from the University of Gloucestershire presented a talk to us about the different aspects of attending university, ranging from accommodations, student life and the different types of degrees that you can earn. During this talk, I have learnt that much of the learning is performed through independent studies and that you must only attend a small number of lectures during this time, also that there are many different types of courses under a broad subject such as computer sciences that I may choose from.
Additionally, attending a university can also be very expensive as you have to factor living costs aside to education as you can live either in halls alongside other students and share a room with lower living costs or you can try and get an apartment through private renting however this will increase living costs. As I am looking to gain either a bursary or receive help through student financing I will be aiming to keep these costs down as I may need these funds for extracurricular activities or maybe just a new bag for any required work and or equipment.
In terms of travelling to university if I am unable to receive funding for student accommodation I will be needing to travel from home by either public transport which can be provided by the university at a reduced fee or my own which will be arranged if needed as I am hoping to move closer to one of the Universities of my choice.
Overall I feel that this talk has assisted me and provided clarity in any possible questions or issues that I may have regarding my next steps towards my future career.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
I feel that the skills I am confident with are using 3DSMax or Blender to create models and texture them efficiently, I also understand how to use the Unreal engine effectively with the use of blueprints and materials to create simple game level designs along with help from the Unreal Engine documentation available online. Additionally, by using Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro, I can create functioning animations and video clips using the assets that I have created.
Furthermore, I have a selection of programs and resources available to me at home such as the adobe creative suite, Unreal Engine, 3DSMax, Blender and Substance Painter. By using these programs, I will be able to build and create the assets required for this unit and other projects that I will be receiving in the future also the use of a laptop enables me to complete work remotely as I travel frequently.
Weaknesses
One weakness that has still caused me some issues that I wish to improve upon is my time management skills as I have encountered unforeseen circumstances out of college such as family life and work which had hindered my ability to focus on my assignments. Within previous projects, much of the work that is done is quite late into the development cycle and I feel that this has had an impact on the quality of my work as this may be due to focusing too much on one aspect rather than the whole piece.
Another aspect that I find to be an issue is writing up my work as I can find it difficult at times to put sentences together in a way that not only makes sense to myself but others. I also struggle to generate artwork as previously I had not engaged in the subject enough to learn the different styles and techniques, which in return causes an issue where I struggle to translate an image from my mind onto a screen or paper.
Opportunities
Over the course of the summer, I continued to work on developing my skills towards 3D modelling as I had found a great piece of software called Blender which after some research into this program and by finding a treasure trove of tutorials available online I decided to start working towards producing a couple of models for when I returned to the second year of this course which you can see at the bottom of this page under my summer projects title. With this newfound skill in modelling, I will be continuing to use this program in the future to assist me in producing a variety of projects and models as I become more akin to 3D modelling as a whole.
For my development towards my timekeeping can be tough as I am unable to control what happens in life unfortunately but I will have to be strong and focus on what is important and not become distracted by these facts. I will admit that this will be challenging but with the support of my friends, family and peers I will try my best to succeed and achieve my dreams and ambitions.
Threats
The threats that I may encounter throughout my development on this course and any future projects could cause an effect across my work and further hinder any if all development if left unattended, this is why I will be actively combating these problems and facing them head-on.
I admit that I do struggle to focus on some work which can be seen when I am producing any creative media as none of the written work is done which can cause me to fall behind timewise and further cause unnecessary stress which in turn would have an effect on my work and personal life later on.
By setting myself a schedule and add a to-do list to work by, I will actively be keying dates and tasks that are required to be completed by a set timeframe as not to fall behind. Additionally using any of my free time to curate any new ideas or solve existing problems will be beneficial towards my success and to also remember to have some downtime in order to refresh my thoughts and align what needs to be done first and to start with a clear mind.
Create your future London
A recent trip to London for the Create your future expo allowed me to go and view multiple universities and ask a few questions about them, such as what courses are suitable for me and any possible accommodation that would be available. I was able to ask about any open days at these Universities as I will be trying to attend these in my free time to better understand what these places have to offer alongside what the overall atmosphere/learning experience would be like and to decide if its right for me. Additionally, I was able to make it into the Brand Licencing area just before we had to leave but I was unable to talk to anyone during this time as many of the booths were busy. However, if I was able to ask some questions I was going to ask about the various job roles involved in corporate branding and how I would go about achieving one of these roles.
Career Plans
Throughout this unit, I have researched many possible job positions related to my interests within the games development sector such as level designer, Engine programmer and lead games designer. For these roles, I can take different paths in order to achieve my ideal career. This can be done through several courses that are available at select universities such as the ones that I have researched above, although, this is just a small selection that I have looked into based off of the location and what facilities are available. (Weston University has since updated their course to be 3 years rather than 2.) As for the career paths that I have chosen, I feel that the positions reflect on what I have learned about myself and what skills I have developed over the duration of this course which is geared heavily towards level production and game design as these are the key elements of game development that I have really shown an interest towards as shown in my previous work. I understand that there are many developers based around the UK ranging from powerhouses like Rockstar and Rare to smaller indie studios like Chucklefish and Introversion Software respectively, as I would like to get a job as a games designer many of these studios would have potential job opportunities available relating to this in the future after which I would be finishing with university and applying for a position with these studios.
During my visit to EGX this year I plan on visiting some of the developers at the event and playing a couple of games along with going to watch a gameplay presentation of Cyberpunk 2077. The two of these developers that I will be interviewing are Rebellion who are known for the Sniper Elite franchise and Chucklefish known for Stardew Valley, to ask them the following questions.
What kind of traits do you look for when employing?
What subjects would you recommend?
Is there anything that I should specialise in?
What could I expect from this course subject-wise?
Would this course be useful/compatible for what I'm looking for?
Is there anything that these courses specialise in?
I was able to talk to someone at the Rebellion booth although this person was not a developer who had worked on any of the studio titles there but instead someone from the marketing department at Rebellion. I was able to introduce myself by referring to a development book that was released by the studio many years ago this caused them to be intrigued as they had not heard of this book even though they have worked at Rebellion for over 7 years. I used this as an opportunity to ask about how the marketing team works alongside the development team during the final stages of development.
Rebellion. (2019). Rebellion | Official Rebellion website. [online] Available at: https://rebellion.com/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2019].
Amazon.co.uk. (2019). [online] Available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Making-Judge-Dredd-Death/dp/1904265243/ref=sr_1_57?keywords=judge+dredd+death&qid=1571555028&sr=8-57 [Accessed 20 Oct. 2019].
I was able to gain a little insight into how the two teams work together, I continued to ask questions relating to this such as how they choose certain elements to include when marketing as not to spoil the game too much. One story that they had mentioned was that of the collector's edition of the game, an undead shark model was to be included in this version although the development team had disagreed with this choice as it was said that it would spoil the surprise.
Game.co.uk. (2020). Zombie Army 4: Dead War Collector's Edition - UK Retail GAME Exclusive. [online] Available at: https://www.game.co.uk/en/zombie-army-4-dead-war-collectors-edition-uk-retail-game-exclusive-2617809 [Accessed 20 Oct. 2019].
Another question that I was able to ask was how close these two teams physically work together with the response being a little too close at times they chuckled, but this was because the teams must work together to create the different editions of the game along with any promotional material that would be used for marketing the game. After which I asked my final question regarding employment where I was directed to a second booth where I would be able to ask a developer some more questions regarding the development process.
I headed to the booth with a few more questions ready but I was unable to talk to a developer as they had become unavailable to talk at the time although I was able to talk to a member of their recruitment team who was happy to answer any more questions I had relating to getting employed by the studio. I was able to ask what they look for when employing which they said that they work together with multiple institutions across the UK, with some of their senior staff working directly with select universities such as Gloucestershire university where they specialise in game design. Another question I asked was related to what I am currently interested in game development where they responded with the multiple positions that they are currently hiring for which suited my interests such as a level designer or an environmental artist which proved insightful as I was still uncertain of what kind of role would suit me best. Overall, I had a great time talking to the staff at Rebellion and I was able to get more of an understanding into how developers market their games along with what type of careers could be presented to me later on in life if I choose to specialise in certain areas of development.
Unfortunately, I was unable to interview any developers at the Chucklefish booth as time was running out and I had a train to catch. I was, however, able to play a couple of games during the day such as PHOGS! and Valfaris two completely different games in both genre and style.
Store.steampowered.com. (2020). PHOGS! on Steam. [online] Available at: https://store.steampowered.com/app/850320/PHOGS/ [Accessed 20 Oct. 2019].
Store.steampowered.com. (2019). Valfaris on Steam. [online] Available at: https://store.steampowered.com/app/600130/Valfaris/ [Accessed 20 Oct. 2019].
Both of these games are each to their own in both style and gameplay which is why I chose to look at them as they have their unique audiences and themes.
PHOGS! being a cute, funny adventure puzzle game lets you control two ends of the same creature on your own or with a friend, think Cat-Dog but without the cat. Featuring two of the squishiest, bendiest good boys embarking on their grand adventure PHOGS! is being created by the team at Bit Loom Games, a UK based gaming studio creating experimental games to surprise and delight. This was a great game to play with someone else as teamwork is the only way to make it to the end of the level and have some laughs along the way.
Valfaris is a hard-rocking, headbanging side-scrolling shooter taking inspiration from games like Contra and Super Metroid with a little bit of the Doom formula thrown in for good measure. I am of course referring to the awesome soundtrack included in this title as the intense gameplay paired with a rocking good track is what makes this game great. Where PHOGS! is a cute, adorable game geared towards all ages Valfaris heads in the opposite direction with blood and gore as you rip and tear through countless enemies on your quest to uncover the truth of Valfaris's doomed fate.
Overall, my trip to EGX this year was most definitely different compared last years trip as this time I was able to spend a little more time exploring what the convention had to offer along with being able to spend more time asking developers questions. I really enjoyed being able to talk to someone from Rebellion about the processes involved in games development as there are multiple routes of entry into this career.
I was a little nervous about interviewing some of the developers on my own, but after meeting up with one of my classmates to devise a plan I was able to confidently discuss any questions that we had prepared prior to the event. As I am currently working on a plan for my final project, my trip to EGX may have not given me any additional ideas but has most certainly provided an inspiration towards it in terms of where I want to be headed in the future such as with my university choices and where it can lead me.
RESUME
What do I want to be?
To further myself within the games industry, I have created and updated my resume with a new statement of who I am and what I am looking for, more of my interests and what I enjoy in my spare time and any of the new skills that I have recently acquired whilst participating on this course.
I have chosen this style of a resume as it suits the kind of work that I wish to acquire as during my research into the different types of showreels I had found that many professionals in this industry use this style of a resume as a way to reflect their creativity. Additionally, I have created a Linkedin page with all of these details and included my social media account as I post any updates and artwork there.
Warming up...
Improve those skills!
Futurama is one of my all-time favourites and im pretty much sure ive seen every episode twice!
Stylized Vending Machine
For my first project of this year, I have been tasked with designing and creating a vending machine to showcase my progression during my time on this course, additionally using this as an opportunity to refresh my skills in 3D modelling.
For this project, I envisioned a vending machine similar to those found in the hit TV show Futurama as its basic design and appearance would give me a base to begin development on which would enable me to continue working on adding additional features and variations using games such as Fallout and Prey as references.
The style of these references is close to the Art deco design style which originates from the 1920s and 1930s in furniture, decorative arts and architecture in which these designs are influenced by its geometric appearance giving this particular time period its unique characteristics and ultimately shaping many design choices among various designers, architects and artists. However, as these elements take place in a fictional future where some changes have been made to the designs to give them a slick and sci-fi appearance where applicable as to fit in with their surroundings.
Modelling Basics
With these references, I began to work on the model by shaping its core and as this was my first iteration of this model something was bound to go wrong such as additional vertices or the incorrect placement of a face on the model which in return would cause visual errors during the process. After discovering these errors I decided to make the model again but this time changing my approach to how I would be creating it making sure not to create any unnecessary geometry which would impede my progress.
Much of my development has been associated with model creation ensuring that the models I create are up to a high standard that I have set for myself, this meant that when I produce these models I may have to go through various iterations in order to achieve the desired outcome. The example I have used here shows that with the machines text being its own component of this model meant that I would be exceeding the set polygon count by double of what is required. However, this is done as a variation of what could be done for the final product as I continue to model this asset.
This was the point where I had to make some serious decisions over how much detail should go into this model.
Model and Colour Variants
Didn't like the colour blue anyway!
As I continued with development I tried out possible variations with some changes being small whilst others more so. This meant different colours and changes to the model's overall structure. As seen in the image above.
Animation
As this machine looks more like an arcade cabinet, I had decided to include an animation showing how it would vend items to the player. This was achieved through the use of Blender a free and Open 3D Creation Software which I had discovered on youtube when researching different techniques on how to improve my 3D modelling skills through the use of tutorials for scenes close to what I wish to create.
In this shot, I am setting up the camera for the animation to be rendered. I have done this because Blender requires the use of a camera to capture any form of rendering as it does not allow any rendering to be made through the default viewport. Once the animation had finished rendering it is then placed into a folder as individual frames which are then required to be stitched together through the use of an external program.
Here is the finished animation with an item that dissipates as to give the appearance of an infinitely vending, vending machine.
I chose to include the item being dropped out of the vendor as this is what I would like the animation to consist of. Providing the player does not pick up the object in time this would require the player to interact with the machine again in order to retrieve the item.
Additionally, I have included a turnaround of the final model and animation in motion.
As this was my first attempt at creating an animation within Blender many attempts were made before I had decided on the final animation you can see here.
Final Renders And Evaluation
tITAN
INDUSTRIES
Looking back on my progress made during this short project, I had discovered where my skills were lacking and required some work and other skills where I felt I was progressing well, Such as my confidence in modelling using Blender which I had only started using a few weeks before this project.
I had decided to switch over to Blender as my prefered 3D modelling program as its presents within the Games development community has gathered a lot of attention due to its vast tools and ease of use when creating any form of multimedia, ranging from 3D modelling as shown in my work above to major film studios using Blender as a tool to create visual effects in their motion pictures.
As with any new software, many issues and problems will arise as I start to use Blender as I have been using other 3D software with a different workflow and toolset. An example can be where oversight has caused the model to exceed the set polygon count which I had encountered as this had increased the count from 5000 to 16000 which would not be acceptable within the professional workplace as standards have to be abided by.
I will be continuing to learn and use Blender during the remainder of this course as I feel I have only just begun to learn the basics as I wish to learn more and look forward to what I may create in the future.
Weapons Design Portfolio Project
For this task, we were given as an additional project to improve our 3D modelling skills and as a way to better present our designs through the use of concept images which are to be used for our portfolios. With this small project, the task was to create a weapon design which suited game titled Farmagedon in which the player is tasked with defeating mutated plants on a farm. For my approach to this, I liked how the sound of the game seemed like a game more geared towards children so with this initial idea I created a small thumbnail of something that loosely resembled a slingshot but with a catapult instead as you can see below with my original sketch and references.
When modelling and colouring this weapon I chose a low-poly appearance with a simple wood effect for a majority of this build as the idea is that the game is going to be cell-shaded and that its location would be on a farm hence the cobbled-together look and feel. One issue may be the inclusion of a gunstock under the weapon as this may not resonate with some parents but can be changed and modified to approval if needed, as the top of the weapon is kid-friendly and the gun is aimed to be a grownup element which is cool to a kid.
As for the presentation of this weapon, I had taken inspiration from much of the Borderlands 2 concept artwork available online as I feel this would fit in terms of style for the aptly named Farmagedon with the idea of it being suitable towards children with a little nudge towards parents given in the name of the weapon.
PORTFOLIO boards
Showing what I got!
SHOWREELS
Showing your best!
Game Design Showreel - Timothy Vincent
+Good intro to work with fast-paced cuts
+Cuts keep in time with music breaks
+Mostly gameplay
+Great art style
-No concepts
-Mostly gameplay
The way in which the person behind this showreel has proven their quality of work, gameplay and art style are all brought together in this fun and entertaining view into their game designs over the years. You can see that even though they have continued the use of this low poly art style during their development many gameplay mechanics are explored, with experimentations in multiple genres. However, towards the end of the video the audio used does not match what the gameplay has shown us as I feel that the gameplay is too slow-paced and not as in time to the audio, but this to my own opinion as this type of gameplay might be more suited for someone else. Nevertheless, this is a good showreel of what they can do and they understand what kind of audience they are looking for.
Game Design Demo Reel 2017 - Jakobsen Locke
+Details of what games are shown with titles of position
+Some animation with gameplay
+Varied use of skills shown
+Works in the industry
-No timeframes
This is the showreel of a professional who has been involved in the industry for a few years now and has contributed to many releases during this time. They have included titles to all of their projects that they have worked on however the release date or timeframe is not shown only the title that suggests what year, I wish that they had included a timeframe as some of these games may have taken some time to develop. The visuals used to transition between works is tied in with any animations that were created for those projects which adds a nice flow between work, this also is helped with the use of a smooth upbeat soundtrack. These transitions are clean and quick showing the viewer what is important and upfront and not going all out on trying to tell the viewer but instead informing them.
Game Design Showreel 2017 - Connor Martyn
+Title of projects, some with title screens
+Many in development projects shown with key features
+Short development time
+Independent mechanics
-No concept drawings
-Personal Blog unavailable
The basis of this showreel is geared more towards the element of game design, as the possibilities of different gameplay mechanics and how they might work is shown. This may be difficult to present as an image so recordings of prototype footage were used to better convey this although it would be nice to see their process on how they achieved this. During these clips, they show how long their development process has taken which I find to be a great addition to their showreel as it shows how long roughly, they take to produce these prototypes. However, their personal blog is no longer available which is a disappointment as I wish I could see more of this persons work and how they came to these prototypes and what stages were involved.
Game Design Showreel 2018 - Yasmin Curren
+Variety of Media
+Reactions from content
+Quirky music
+Titles of skills
-Smoother Transitions
This is one of my favourite showreels that I have found as its quirky music and multiple kinds of media are explored and presented in a fun and engaging way which is important for grabbing the viewers’ attention. From watching this showreel it shows what areas this person is skilled most in which as an employer is a great opportunity to understand where this person would be most suited within the workplace along with any additional software they may use. The use of a live reaction cam is quite literally showing us that their work has an impact on the people engaging it, this is an interesting feature to include as many showreels do not include this. However, the music may be quirky and energetic but the transitions used to display concept art are too rushed as I feel in my opinion, but as I’ve said before this is my opinion and this may vary from person to person.
Game Development Showreel 2019 - Daniel Roger
+Project titles with dates
+Job Roles
+Studio Name
-Only gameplay
-No concept art
-Separate Audio
The intro into this showreel shows us that the person behind these projects has created a studio for them and others to work under which is great as having a studio name attached to your work can add one simple name that people can remember if they are interested in your work and wish to contact you in the future. The inclusion of project names, job titles and dates is always a plus to include for a showreel, however, all of the footage shown is the gameplay with no concepts being on display which can greatly improve a viewers understanding of what the processes are and how they have achieved these projects. Additionally, by using different audio tracks for the projects shown majorly hinders this showreel as is feels too slow in presenting these ideas and ultimately letting down this showreel as these concepts can be good if presented right.
Game Development Showreel 2019 - Alasdair Hendry
+Title card with contact details
+Simple audio used
+Info cards with a short description
-Too short
-No concepts
This showreel is one of the shortest that I have found out of the selection that I have gathered and as such does not include much content as shown in the previous clips. Because of this, much of the desired concept work and any additional work that may have been present is unavailable to view albeit the footage has shown. The overall layout of this showreel is simplistic in design with limited graphics used throughout and with mild transitions between them. There are only a few noteworthy mentions to the design of this showreel which are the title cards giving a brief description of what the project consists of along with the engine used, any programming and what year it was developed and the use of a single audio track throughout which compliments the footage. My only concern is the lack of content and engagement that this showreel brings to the table which is required to get noticed by an industry professional.
Game Development Demo Reel - Lena Florian
+Strong introduction
+Multiple disciplines covered
+Contact Details
-No titles of projects used
-Loss of pace
This showreel has a strong attention-grabbing introduction telling us who this person is and what they are going to be showing us during the video along with their contact card which is present in both the end and the start of the video. However, the titles of the projects shown in this video are not shown aside from the menu screens just based from the two first projects featured first and I cannot find any other references during this showreel. The content featured in this showreel covers a multitude of different disciplines which is a great way to show what skills you have to offer although the clip at the end of the video showcasing this particular individuals lip-syncing abilities breaks down the videos pacing even if it has comedic value this should not be used if it is not fitting within the theming of the rest of the showreel.
Animation Demo Reel 2015 - Andrew Ford
+Main discipline
+Good transitions
+Credits at the end
-No concept footage used
The final showreel that I will be looking at is an animation demo reel as its focus is all about animations and just animations with no other type of discipline featured. As this is featuring animations no concept art was shown, but it would improve the quality and length of this video by including them. My only concern is that the animations don’t have their titles displayed or a brief description of what the author is trying to present. Additionally, credits were added for the models used in these animations along with the music composer on the last slide with contact details and the author's website which is always important to include in my opinion. However, the ending sequence with the lip-synced audio is ideal for this type of showreel as it really shows the extent of this persons works into this field as animations sometimes have to include audio as to better represent what they are conveying.
Wiltshire College: Games Development Showreel 2019 - Eoin Matthews
As I will be needing to create my own showreel towards the end of this course and this unit, this footage will be used as a test to see how I can show off a variety of work effectively from others that are on this course and those who have finished it. This involved the use of appropriate audio, timings and a proper visual flow as not to lose the attention of the viewer. I had chosen a relatively fast audio track with many repetitive beats so cuts that would be needing to be made to make the clips flow correctly across the showreel, this was done to maximise the impact made on the viewer as cutting a selection of clips paired with an upbeat track on time is imperative to the overall design of this particular showreel. I had originally chosen this type of audio as I wanted to have fun and experiment with what I can achieve for this project as I understood that using a fast repetitive track correctly would require much attention to timings and the correct patterns used.
Furthermore, the development of my showreel had garnered the attention of my tutor who wished to use it during a presentation of this course and as such, I was required to implement additional footage into my showreel to show off may of the other aspects of this course such as more 2D development titles and 3D titles along with other topics that are covered in this course. Personally, I feel that my produced showreel shows a great example as to what I could achieve in my own work when I come to create my own during my time on this course and potentially in the future if required.
Game Design Showreel 2019 - Eoin Matthews
Here it is, my first showreel showcasing my work over the past year whilst studying games development. Overall I feel that my showreel is good at presenting what I am capable of achieving, that being said there are many things that I would go back and change if given the chance but for now, I will just have to learn from these mistakes and make a bigger, better, cooler showreel in the future.
project summer
Fun in the sun!
Over the course of the summer break, I had been practising my modelling skills using a multitude of programs such as 3DSMax, Mudbox, Maya and Substance Painter. I had chosen to do this as I had felt that the final products that I had developed during my first year of this course were lacking in the quality that I wanted to give them and as such began to remodel one of the projects I was given last year to a much higher standard.
Radiant Worlds Loot Chest
I started by remodelling one of my works from the end of my first year as I wanted to see how far I could improve the quality and mesh of this object. I experimented with more of the tools available to me such as Mudbox in order to shape and mould a more organic looking chest along with following a few tutorials I had found online that teach how to achieve this look. It was during this time that I started to work on other projects such as the stylised crate seen above as the overall shape and method involved with creating that project was simpler and allowed me to translate some of the techniques that work well over to this project such as using modular parts to better modify the structure of the chest and to able to change and adapt accordingly. Unfortunately, I was unable to finish this project as the new term came closer, I was working on multiple projects at this time and learning how to use Blender which you can see my progress made below with my Pitstop project.
Stylised Crate
With this project, my aim was to create a crate similar to those found in games such as Crash Bandicoot, Ratchet and Clank as I had found a written tutorial online which showed me the steps on how to produce this style of a model by using 3DS Max, Mudbox and Marmoset Toolbag. This proved to be very useful and informative as I was able to bake a high poly mesh onto a low poly model using Marmoset toolbag a piece of software that I had not used previously and that I am currently still new to but as time goes on I will be trying to experiment with as it could prove to be an important step to my workflow.
On the topic of workflows, many of the articles that I have read online describe how they use a variety of different tools in order to produce their work. I understand that over time I will find what programs will suit my methods and improve not only the quality of my work but also the speed I spend on creating these works. Such is the case with Blender, a free to use program that allows me to model, sculpt and animate all in one convenient package which can save me some time as I am not required to switch between the various programs if I encounter any issues when producing any work which leads me onto the final project that I had begun during the summer.
Pit Stop
This was going to be the big project that I would use as a way to learn how to properly utilise Blender as my main method of creating 3D models and much, much more. After researching what Blender is capable of such as sculpting, animation and just overall user-friendliness this had tempted me to give it a try and dive headfirst into it by following this tutorial.
I found this tutorial online as I was following the creator on Instagram during the time that they posted this video, as I enjoy this style of low poly sci-fi I decided to take a closer look at their tutorials and had decided on this one although I do have a few others that I may try to follow in the future. Additionally, this will be a great way to learn even more about the processes involved with model creation within Blender.
This is currently a WIP, Final version will be available on Artstation
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Stylized Vending Machine
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Weapons Design Portfolio Project
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