WEEK 8 | Animamundi

WEEK 8 - 19th April

Scene Mockups/Testing, Asset Creation

Monday 19th April

Molly has sent through her Gust animations which we provided feedback for and Charisma has posted her new variation of clouds into the final Asset Google Docs.

WORK DUE THIS WEEK

Asset Creation

TO DO LIST

Scene mockups and testing using assets

Finalise butterfly concept

Send through assets

MONDAY 19TH APRIL: SLACK MEETING WITH TEAM SCHEDULED BY KIERA

Discussion of this weeks tasks and update on position in schedule.

DISCUSSION

Kiera provided us with a weekly plan outlining our individual tasks. We have been assigned our own tasks but informed to keep each other updated on our progress regularly. We will inform each other via Slack.

Plan below provided by Kiera.

NOTES FROM MEETING:

This week Kiera will be focusing on completing the background and sending her concepts.
She will also be organising Unity and bugs in regards to player movement.
Molly will be altering her ability animations and look into cloud loop animation for our background.
Charisma has been assigned additional assets 'shrubs' as Kiera thought the foreground looked bare.
Charisma has also been given access to Kieras unity file in order to help with this.
Daniella was informed on how to create the windmill by creating two separate layers, allowing Kiera to make it spin in Unity.
Daniella to post finished controller mapping so we can see this and make changes if need be.
I have been asked to post Bridge, Huts and begin creating scene mockups.
General health check up - everyone working on schedule and feeling ok! We will have another meeting at the end of the week to discuss again.
For now, complete the tasks listed.

EVALUATION/REFLECTION OF MEETING

My next steps now are to post my finalised assets into Slack so the team can see them. Additionally I will be using mine and Charismas assets to create scene mockups which I can review and give feedback to make necessary changes.

I have also sent through the current stage of the Asset List - I have colour coded what's been completed and what needs changing. Completed assets have been coded in Green. Feedback notes have been written.

MOLLY FEEDBACK

Concern about Gust looking too similar to the design of the Clouds and being unable to differentiate the two. Because of this I decided to create another variation of clouds to have iterations to test with later. Rather than making Molly alter the animation this is something I can do fast and easily. From this we can discuss the final cloud creation.

UPDATING ASSET LIST

I have updated the asset list accordingly:

ADAPT/OVERCOME - ASSET CREATION

I will be overcoming the issue with the differentiation between the clouds and the gust ability by creating another variation/iteration of clouds which I can test in the scene mockups. I have made the team aware that I will be working on this, and will conduct the first set of scene testing accordingly.

WHAT DID I DO?

Using my art bible and mood-boards created for Charisma I was able to create a variation of different clouds in a range of colour schemes. I experimented with the opacity of the clouds and implemented this into a draft scene, with 4 different shades of sky. To achieve a similar art style I used the thin outlines and the same brush type as my other assets.

PROCESS

My process included using the reference images and boards from my art bible to influence the shape. I then experimented with the colours taken from my final colour palette, and using monochromatic colours to achieve contrast. The most important thing is for the clouds is to contrast against the background sky but be in the same style as the other assets. I will evaluate the outcome of the clouds in our first scene mockup.

VARIATION OF SHAPE

FEEDBACK FROM TEAM

I sent these variation of clouds into Slack to get another opinion on the scheme I should test. Charisma and Kiera both agreed the clouds on the right were most suitable for this as they appear to be the most contrasting, despite the difference in background colour.

EVALUATION

I agree with the team in terms of contrast in the environment. This also ensures the clouds appear different to the gust ability which was our previous concern. My next steps for this will be to test the appearance of this variation within a scene mockup. The mockup will consist of the assets we have agreed on and marked complete and form a basic structure of this.

NEXT STEPS

Continue asset creation - Butterflies

Scene mockup with all new assets

I plan to create my first variation for a butterfly design. I will do this by using my board inspiration and initial colour scheme to make my first version. After testing, it may be that I will need to adjust colour schemes to choose the most appropriate one. This will be by evaluating colours against each other within the scene and pointing out any clashes/contrasting styles.

CONTINUATION OF ASSET CREATION

BUTTERFLIES

WHAT DID I DO?

I took inspiration from my mood-boards and referred to the colour scheme for the butterflies at all times. I used a series of brush strokes to achieve the realistic effect and depth within the wings.

NEXT STEPS

Within my scene mockups I will test with this butterfly to make sure the colours work well together. If they don't I will have to create other colour variations and test with those.

PROCESS

SOFTWARE: Adobe Illustrator

BRUSH TYPE: Selection

BRUSH SIZE: 0.25pt for details, 2/3 for larger detailing.

My process began by drawing a structure for the butterfly by using thin black outlines to form the basic shape/guidelines, which I will then be able to duplicate and use for other colour variations. I created a separate layer for the body of the butterfly and experimented on the side with colours beforehand. I used the colour palette to the best of my ability and I think I did this reasonably well. I started with the basic body in 2 shades of blue and added detail by using a lighter and slightly textured brush, on a lower opacity to make the butterfly look lighter and darker in different areas.

OUTCOME

I was happy with the outcome of my asset however the evaluation of this depends once it has been placed in a final scene mockup. This will be to evaluate its effectiveness by taking into consideration the colours used. From this I will create more variations and review this again.

FINAL OUTCOME

BUTTERFLIES, HUTS & BRIDGE

I posted my assets into Slack and the following:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g9XfMxKRRWdh4n7p8RprSkDxvpwselZglnNLOQ8by-c/edit?usp=sharing

WHAT'S NEXT?

Using these final assets I can create our first few scene mockups to evaluate the effectiveness of my designs within a final scene. I will also be using Charismas first assets to achieve this as well as Daniella's original Shaman design!

MINE AND CHARISMA'S PROGRESS

Updated Final Assets - Google Docs

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g9XfMxKRRWdh4n7p8RprSkDxvpwselZglnNLOQ8by-c/edit?usp=sharing

NEXT STEPS

SCENE TESTING - I will now use these assets to create scene mockups where I'll gather feedback from the team and make decisions based on this and my own thoughts.

ASSETS READY TO TEST

Platforms
Tree Animation
Bridge
Shaman
Huts
Clouds
Butterfly
Panpipes

I will be creating an Asset Testing schedule to keep track of these tests:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Cd_8L4Rqjv_GIfXImfcc5z_L_0qhrX2SvdA2nMsoRFs/edit?usp=sharing

TESTING 1

I will begin by using our pre-made assets and creating a draft scene mockup to evaluate the colour palettes used, the art style and to provide feedback based on what needs changing. As our assets were made by multiple artists this is necessary to keep the style consistent.

PURPOSE OF TEST

For this first test I implemented our first set of assets with different backgrounds. I experimented using gradients first to establish which background colour would look best and also used Kieras first background concept (left) to evaluate the composition of the clouds.

EVALUATION OF TEST

Clouds look a bit out of place, almost as if they were made in a different style and therefore don't work well with other assets.
The width of the trees take up most of the space on the platform islands and they also appear as if they are behind them rather than sitting comfortably on them.
Platform islands look great and the scale of these compared to other assets work well.
Eagle looks great however may need to create more variations of butterflies once chosen the final background.
Butterflies are a little dark, detail can't be seen as much as expected.

CHANGES

Changes that need to be made include experimenting with other background colours/compositions to find the most suitable one. Additionally the clouds feel a little out of place and do not appear in the same art style, similar to the trees. The trees currently take up a lot of space and do not use the exact colour scheme as provided. I will take this into discussion with the team to evaluate this and make decisions on how to change

AFTER CONSULTING WITH TEAM

Concerned about the puzzle interactions fitting on the islands but can alter the scale to fit them.
Worth implementing assets into the background as well as foreground - also creates depth.
Lower opacity of assets to create depth.
Clouds to be altered to transparent brushstrokes - feels too out of place comparison to other assets.
New tree designs with roots to make them appear as though they are sitting on the platforms with enough room underneath for Shaman to walk and for lanterns to hang - adds height to environment.
Experiment with sunset backgrounds.

NEXT STEPS

After discussing with Charisma I have decided to take on the task of recreating the tree assets and Charisma will be designing new clouds for the environment, specifically using a less dense brushstroke with lower opacity.

Provided Charisma with the necessary information to assist her creation of the new clouds. This includes board inspiration and a short description of their expectations.

(Via Art Bible)

FIRST ASSET TEST EVALUATION FOUND HERE

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Cd_8L4Rqjv_GIfXImfcc5z_L_0qhrX2SvdA2nMsoRFs/edit?usp=sharing

TESTING 2

I will be performing a small test to evaluate how well my Japanese Huts work in the environment.

WHY? To assist Kieras creation of the background sky I need to provide all assets to know which work best with the final background colour. Once we do this we can choose on a final sunset colour scheme.

PURPOSE OF TEST

To test the appearance of the Huts alongside the other assets within the draft scene.

EVALUATION OF TEST

Colour palette used for Hut is a bit too dark - use other variation of Huts I have made. Also the placement again takes up a lot of room on the platforms and may look silly made smaller. Because of this the huts may be more effective in the background instead and will move with the player as a result of Parallax Scrolling.
The appearance appears harsh in comparison to other assets so it may be worth adjusting the colours slightly, to something more warm. The vibrant red almost represents a sense of danger rather than comfort!
No depth within the environment - definitely worth considering assets to be placed in the background in order to create a sense of depth and space. This way the scene will appear much bigger and as if there is more going on around the player.

CHANGES

Create colour variation of Huts and experiment with this in the background once Kiera has provided us with a range of background concepts. In addition to this, it's necessary to create another variation of butterfly designs which I can test with an evaluate which one worked best. From this I can then proceed with animation.

MY TASKS

Asset Creation: New trees, Variation of butterflies and variation of Japanese Huts once provided with background iterations. I will provide the team with new temple variations and also experiment with these in our next few scene mockups.

HUT VARIATION

Sent variation of Hut into Slack to update team.

BLOSSOM TREE CREATION

Creating a new blossom tree based off the new requirements and in line with the Art Bible.

PROCESS

Using Art Bible Information and my own Pinterest mood-boards to influence the blossom tree design. I used the Japanese Illustration Art board as inspiration and looked at blossom trees to gather the correct proportions/look of the tree.

https://pin.it/6GNEqOt

GATHERING REFERENCE IMAGES

This allows me to take a more realistic approach on the design of the blossom trees! I intend to use detail to represent the markings in the trunk/branches of a blossom tree however to still abide by the art style guide and use the specific colour palette to do this. Using these images I can begin drawing the structure from reference.

TAKING THIS INTO ILLUSTRATOR

REQUIREMENTS:

Taller than previous trees to allow Shaman to walk underneath them.
Allow for space for lantern to hang from tree.
Use colour palette from Art Bible.
Variation of tree shape and size.

HOW DID I DO IT AND REASON FOR DESIGN CHOICES?

I have used the correct brush size and strokes. Outline set to 0.25pt.
Referred to the colour palette from Art Bible and values from illustration art board to influence the colours used in the final outcome.
Also used my scale mockup as reference to ensure I create the trees at a reasonable scale in comparison to the other assets, most importantly the Shaman. As you can see below the Shaman has room to walk beneath the trees and the trunk only requires a little bit of space, allowing room for other assets.
Using the platform islands ensured I made the trees look as though they were comfortably standing on the platform islands.
Scale can be altered in Unity if need be. (To adjust height and width)

PROCESS:

I began with the basic outlines for a tree shape, and did this using a thicker brush in brown almost like a silhouette. I then went in with a smaller brush size (round brush tool) and began adding details/markings to the trunk. As our art style is fairly simple, I wanted to keep this as minimal as possible. I continued to do this with a variety of shades to create depth and add shade. It was important for me to refer to the images at all time to ensure my outcome was as expected. Using the original pink tone from our initial colour scheme, I created a monochromatic palette of pinks to use for the cherry blossom flowers. I layered shades within the blossom to make the tree look full rather than flat. This can also be exaggerated during lighting production, by creating custom shadows to reflect this. Lastly, I used my smaller brush (size 0.25pt) to outline the asset similar to the production of our other assets and to ensure this is kept the same throughout our creation process.

FINAL OUTCOME AND NEXT STEPS

I am happy with the outcome of my blossom trees and I think they will be a great addition to our air region scene. The blossom being the national flower of Japan will also be a great detail to reflect the Japanese themed environment.

Now I have the final tree designs I will create another scene test mock up alongside the other new assets. I will do this before my creation of butterflies.

Team were happy with the outcome of the trees and we have decided to proceed with testing and creating other assets - 21st April.

NEXT STEPS FOR CHARISMA

Using my new designs Charisma was able to adapt and refine her 'Tree Restoration' Animation using the same colour palette as my own and markings on the trunk. This way we have guaranteed assets which work well together.

The animation looks great and fulfills its purpose within the game therefore we will be sure to test this and hopefully move forward with asset creation!

NEXT STEPS

Testing

TEST 3 - Friday 23rd April

Testing of these new assets must take place. I will be creating a series of scene mockups with different backgrounds and the new trees to come to a decision based on:

Colour scheme for Kieras background concepts so I can give her more information on how the background should appear.
Changes to assets

PURPOSE OF TEST

The purpose of this test was to establish whether or not the new trees work in the environment or not. As well as this I experimented with Kieras new background concepts to choose a colour scheme for the final one.

EXPERIMENT USING DEPTH

I reduced the opacity of the trees and duplicated them to act as background assets. These assets will be part of the Parallax background therefore will move with the player. This adds depth to the environment and it's a great addition to its beautiful appearance.

EVALUATION OF TEST

The trees work well with the scale in the environment and in terms of colour palette they work well with both the Bridge and Lanterns.
Trees add height to environment and allows player to walk underneath them/almost feel sheltered by them. This will make players feel a sense of comfort and give the environment a homely feel.
After experimenting with the first few background concepts I sent these through to the team to establish which one we thought worked best.
Personally I like the purple-yellow sunset and the top right sunset because these will work in showing the effects of the Lanterns. The lantern must cause an effect in the environment once turned on - researched and being completed by Molly.
Team liked the duplicated assets in the background to achieve depth and we have agreed to make use of this during my next scene mockups. We will also discuss other assets we could implement into this background.

CHANGES

I will feedback to Kiera the preferred appearance for the background and also experiment with backgrounds found online to help Kieras understanding of this. I will upload extra information to assist the development of this in the art bible.

Experimenting with backgrounds found online and sharing them with the team.

Updated QA testing / Asset List

TEST 4

Using online backgrounds to gather a better understanding of what the background should look like. Will pass these on to Kiera to assist her creation of the sky.

PURPOSE OF TEST

Doing this allows me to provide artists with a better understanding of how the vertical slice should appear. My Art Bible outlines key information based on our desired art style however doing this visually enables us to keep all asset creation to the same standard and with the same expectations.

NOTES

Team agreed a darker background would make it look less like an Air Region which still stands as our main aim.
The background must also take effect from the main element of the game being the Lanterns - once lanterns are on they must produce some kind of effect against the other assets. This cannot be done in a day time setting therefore works best in a sunset scene.

EVALUATION OF TEST

The Team and I decided the background which worked the best was the one consisting of blue and red hues. Anything darker would be more suitable for the Fire Region which we do not need for our Vertical Slice.
The sunset appearance suits Anima Mundi much better than a day time or night sky, this is essentially when everything looks prettiest! Taking advantage of this, we can use the reflection from the sun to add coloured tints and shades to our surrounding assets.
I will provide Kiera with this information and she can continue with the creation of the final background.

REASONS FOR DESIGN CHOICE

The team and I have concluded on this background as final (before refinement) because this works best with our current assets. The red tones from the Bridge and Lanterns correspond with the touch of red in the sunset sky as well as contrasting with the pale pink blossom trees. Additionally as mentioned before, the light produced by the lanterns will be more effective using a background in this similar style.

NEXT STEPS

My next steps now are to continue with asset creation by creating butterfly variations as now I know the colour palette of our background. From this we can adapt the next set of assets to suit this style. This will be my task for next week.

Updated QA testing / Asset List

END OF WEEK EVALUATION

PROJECT PIPELINE/MILESTONES

This week we have tackled the first set of scene testing and will continue this until we are happy with the outcome.

Next week we complete our first major milestone by handing in all completed assets! This week artists focused on finalising the last few assets by keeping in accordance with the feedback provided and evaluation from scene testing. Because of this we are set to complete all assets by Week 9 as scheduled in our following Pipeline:

ARE WE ON TRACK?

We are on track to hand in all assets both interactive and non-interactive as well as completed animations by next week. Using this Kiera can progress with coding puzzle interactions in Unity and providing us with feedback if there are any concerns or issues that need to be resolved.

By week 9 we should have fulfilled the following requirements for the vertical slice:

Game Architecture/Sprites/Assets

SELF EVALUATION

As we come to the end of asset creation I am pleased to say I am delighted by the outcome of our designs! The art bible was definitely a useful element of asset creation as we were able to produce assets in the same art style and keep this consistent between us, despite being so far away from each other with the inability to meet up and converse!

We have taken advantage of communication methods to ensure we keep each other updated and be available to answer any queries or resolve issues that may have arose.

WEEK SUMMARY AND REFLECTION

This week I have performed a number of tests which I am happy with and I am confident that the feedback is doable, meaning we will have adjustments and changes made within the next week. In terms of changes were mainly focusing on tying the last few assets together and overall create a beautiful scene as we intend. Next week I will be focusing on creating variations of the butterfly using Kieras refined background concepts and performing another series of tests to ensure the quality of our assets remain high.

This week our turn around time has been quick which we can use to our advantage by giving us more time to perfect the appearance of Anima Mundi. Our main objective is to give users a relaxing yet enjoyable experience, evoking a sense of peace and tranquility. To do this we pay extreme attention to visuals and sound.

The schedule for next week is as follows:

NEXT STEPS FOR TEAM

DANIELLA

Daniella has handed-in her Controller Mapping task and is set to create the windmill animation for the vertical slice.

CHARISMA

Continuation with asset creation: New assets to be made - New style environment clouds and rain loud. (Referring to feedback on asset list)

MOLLY

Molly finalised Charisma's tree animation (tree-restoration) which is now ready to be implemented into Unity. Next week Molly is scheduled to hand in her Boulder and Shaman Idle animations as well as beginning the rigging of the Eagle. Next week Molly will also converse with Nerice (extra staff) on VFX and Lighting.

KIERA

Kiera is set to hand-in her final background concept by Monday 26th April. I can then implement this into another scene test with the other assets. As well as this Kiera will be working on programming the puzzles into Unity.

EMILIA

Successfully set up and posted on Anima Mundi Instagram. I have begun a Spotify Playlist full of songs to influence my composition and inspire my development for the Sound Design. I will be working on this during the last 2 weeks of development. Next week I will also be handing in my finalised assets and working on the butterfly animation.

How am I feeling?