Visual Direction:
Week 12 - The direction of our Visual Design
PLAN
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I will begin by outlining our aims for Visual design and the requirements we must keep in mind.
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Explore our options for Visual Design and conclude on 3 art styles/directions.
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Examples, mood-boards, artists and experimentation!
Phase 4 - Decisions for Visual Direction
On this section, I will be documenting our options for the visual design of our project. Using my 'Visual Research' I can consider colour palette, environment and potential art styles, keeping in mind the colour theory and psychology of colour.
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Please also refer to Visuals Research page.
VISUAL DIRECTION
On this page I will be documenting my choices for Visual Direction with extra research to support it. Our Visual Design must be relevant and link to both our Essential Experience and Project Goals. To remind myself, in order to capture the essence of our essential experience, it was important to have an engaging visual design that captures focus and immerses players. Towards the end of this page I hope to have narrowed our choices down and be able to have a clear idea of what our game might look like.
WHERE DO I BEGIN?
I will begin my design thinking by outlining the purpose of visual design in our project and it's purpose. As I have established throughout the project, visual design plays a significant part in achieving immersion and player engagement. This is essential to our game, as we aim to capture player focus and divert negative thoughts, all for the purpose of regulation. Paying attention to what's essential to the experience is our main priority, and the game should eventually build itself around this.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF VISUAL DESIGN IN OUR PROJECT?
The purpose of Visual Design in our project is to give our game structure and 'aesthetic value'. However, similar to the purpose of our Sound Direction, visuals must be designed to engage players and appeal to our audience. In terms of our project goals, visual imagery plays a big part in immersive experiences and capturing the users full attention which players will essentially become mesmerised by, and as well as this, we plan to integrate interactions into the environment in Semester 2. The purpose of this is to redirect players challenging thoughts and feelings, to a more tranquil place. These elements of immersion combined will make players feel transported to an alternative environment, and provide them with a safe space to escape.
The way we plan to achieve immersion through visual design is the use of a 360 degree environment. We have established that we will either be using 'The 6m Cylinder' space or our own construction. Either way, we plan to take advantage of a 360 degree display by using projection mapping accompanied by surround sound. Furthermore, the visual design of our reflective mobile game is yet to be discovered, but we know it must be kept simplistic, clear and intuitive.
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BUT HOW CAN WE DO THIS?
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We can achieve this by communicating with our users. It'll be necessary to conduct surveys and interview our users to establish what exactly makes them feel safe and secure in an environment like this however, for now we can provide examples similar to those demonstrated in my Prototypes. During Phase 3, I documented inspiration for immersive visuals which included light displays and kaleidoscopes which are great examples of imagery used for meditative use, but I know we can aim higher than this. We must consider our skillsets when it comes down to the creation of assets and visual design because we don't want to aim for something we can't achieve and most importantly, we want to showcase what we do best!
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Referring to my previous research page, I gathered insight into colour psychology and the use of motion visuals, repetition and slow movement to have our desired effect on players. I discovered the use of blues, greens and purples to achieve a calming and stress-free environment. Keeping this in mind, we can direct our design this way.
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OUR AIMS FOR THE PROJECT
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Our aim for our final major project, is to create an immersive safe space for students to visit to reflect, remain calm and become more self-aware. We have also the considered the use of a supporting game application to channel their positive thoughts into an organised 'plan of action' or agenda to make tasks and responsibilities more manageable. We aim to achieve emotion and physical regulation through the use of immersive visuals, a unique soundtrack and subtle gameplay interactions.
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OUR AIMS FOR VISUAL DESIGN
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How do we achieve this just by designing our environment a particular way? Sound and visuals come hand in hand and without one, a whole dimension is lost. The visuals and sound must be designed in line with each other to ensure things are kept consistent and in coordination with each other - if not, the design will seem disconnected and a little random. For example, our sound must match the same tempo as the movement of the visuals for it all to 'just make sense'. Referring back to our Essential Experience, visuals must captivate, engage and immerse users - consisting of playful interactions.
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The design of the physical space environment must consist of a 360 degree display of soothing visuals tailored to reduce stress and require player focus - accompanied by calm inducing sound/audio. We aim for the design to consist of soothing colour, shapes and motion as we have both identified the physical effects of this on the body, resulting in a lower heart rate and steady breathing. The idea is that our users will approach this experience with sensations of anxiety and stress, and the effect of our visual and sound design will relax this.
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In summary, taking into consideration my previous research, we can use colour, motion, rhythm, shape and repetition to shape our visual design and achieve our project goals. This section will demonstrate what our visual design might appear like and using this, next Semester we can form a detailed 'Art Bible' to lead the direction of the creation of assets during development. An Art Bible ensures the style amongst visual design is kept consistent and of a high quality throughout.
THE REQUIREMENTS OF OUR VISUAL DESIGN
The requirements of our Visual Design are as follows:
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Emotional/Physical Regulation - what must the visual design do in terms of emotional/physical regulation for players?
Colour - what colour palette will be most appropriate?
Motion - how will we incorporate motion into our visual design?
Environment - what kind of environment will be most suitable for this experience?
AREAS OF RESEARCH THAT HAVE SUPPORTED MY DESIGN AND DIRECTION CHOICES:
(Linked)
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REGULATION REQUIREMENTS
The requirements for Visual Design to successfully achieve regulation in players include slow movement and delicate motion. We want players to engage with what they see on screen and become captivated by its beauty. Players will feel regulated if the visuals we display engage and captivate them and divert their focus therefore, they must be both appealing and interesting - to make players want to interact with it. The physical effects of our visual design must reduce physical symptoms of anxiety/panic and stress by using motions that are proven to lessen heart rate and steady breathing. On top of this, our sound should act in a similar way to support this and achieve full immersion in our physical space.
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COLOUR REQUIREMENTS
From my colour psychology research, I discovered that the colours in our best interest are blues, greens and purples. These colours have their own associations but evoke feelings of calm and peace. For example, blue paint is recommended to create a safe and stress-free environment. We do not want to overload players with a mixture of sound and visuals because this could result in sensory overload or simply just feeling uneasy/unsettled therefore, we must keep this simple and direct in our design - less is more!
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MOTION/SHAPE REQUIREMENTS
We should incorporate motion into our design because of its proven effects to reduce heart rate and influence steady breathing - the motion should be kept slow and fluid. In addition to this, the interactions we implement in Semester two can be inspired by the impacts of motion and rhythm in visual imagery for example provide players with the opportunity to be in control of the environment but this requires slow movement and focus. In terms of rhythm, my visit to the 'Lux Exhibition' inspired me to think about the rhythm of the overall gameplay. If we keep this steady then it'll encourage players to interact in sync with this. In terms of shape, I discovered that spirals and rounded shapes are best to create a sense of calm although, I also read about the use of 'natural shapes' to keep us grounded. In summary, natural shapes are things we can identify in the natural world with associations to feelings/emotions. An example of this is how a tiger is often associated with bravery or anger, whereas a red rose is linked to the feeling of love and compassion. It could be interesting to keep this in mind, and use the natural world to effect our visual design. (Which environments are most calming etc)
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ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS
The requirements for visual design in terms of our physical space will be as follows. Our visual environment must be able to wrap around a 360 degree display. This display essentially wraps around the player and surrounds them completely. If we are to use our own space, we will use projection mapping to curate our own immersive room. The design of this image must be of high quality and the correct dimensions for a 'panoramic' effect. These requirements are not dependant on the interactions we choose.
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We have also considered the technical requirements of our visual design and have come to the conclusion that a 2D environment will be best. WHY? Kiera and I discussed our abilities and decided that it would be a good idea to showcase our skills in our final major project. This way we will be able to perfect it and ensure a high quality result at the end. We do have the option for a 3D environment which similar to VR, can make people experience latency and stimulator sickness so for this reasoning we disregarded it. (Also based on skillset) This means we will not require training in a new area and can spend more time focusing on the aspects of our project that matter the most - such as interactions, sound design and curating the space.
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The environment we design for the space must reflect feelings of peace and tranquility. Players must want to engage with the environment purely based off curiosity and their interest towards it. We don't want gameplay to feel forced, especially during times of desperate need. The environment/visuals we choose to produce must be based off what people find most comforting which I have already started to explore in my Survey results. This included mountain-scapes, campfires and green spaces. But it will also be good to consider other visual imagery like I mentioned before.
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WHAT DO I THINK?
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I thought i'd reflect upon the direction I believe we should take for this project although, the outcome will be dependant on survey results and user testing during the first few weeks of Semester 2. Taking into account what we are best at, I feel this project would be a great way to showcase our skills in 2D illustration and drawing. We both enjoy intricate drawings with pencil, graphite and fine liner which is a style that's not often used within games. I believe our final project should capture the best of our skills and showcase what we're passionate towards, so I think this could be an effective combination for our chosen art style.
GAME STORYBOARD & BEAT CHART
By familiarising myself with my gameplay storyboard and 'Beat Chart' I can identify at which stage of the game visual design will be required. This allows me to think about each element step-by-step rather than considering visual design as a whole.
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Documentation of this can be found here: Refining an Idea
By separating each stage of the game, I can recognise that Phases 2, 3, 5 and 6 require visual design. For the first three stages, players are in the physical environment where they will be surrounded by a 360 degree visual display/screens - meaning it will be essential for us to design an environment for the duration of this experience. As well as this, dependant on what interactions we design, we must design interactive elements/assets for this environment which will most likely be in the form of small animations. During Phase 5 is the introduction of the reflective application, the mobile game will require User Interface and a clean and intuitive design. This will most likely consist of interactive icons and a clean colour palette.
VISUAL DIRECTION PLAN
So what do I need to document here?
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To further my Visual Direction, I need to consider the following:
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1. A uniquely designed 360 degree environment - with potential interactive elements
2. Clean Interface design and interactive icons for our supporting mobile game
RE-CAP
How do we visualise this?
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A selection of photos demonstrating 'The 6m Cylinder' in use and what it might appear like to users. Documentation of our physical space can be found here: The Physical Space and prototypes of it in use can be found here: Prototyping
User admiring 360 degree visual display:
Entrance to 6m Cylinder:
Comparison of User to 6m Cylinder:
NEXT STEPS
For my next steps, I plan to document examples of engaging visuals with a similar feel to how we'd like to design for our physical space. Within my Phase 3 Inspiration page I came across artists and existing immersive spaces that influenced the way I visualised our space.
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CONTENT
(What content might we display in the space?)
EXAMPLES
For Physical Space
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While surfing the web for Sound inspiration I came across a variety of videos used purposely for stress, relief, meditation and to feel calm. These visuals interested me because I liked the combination of colours and the effect of it's movement. I plan to prototype our physical space idea using my projector and the visual examples that I find today. This would be a great place to begin thinking about its effect on players.
WHAT IS IT AND WHAT DO THEY DO?
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Abstract liquid, smoke and slow motion visuals for stress-relief and meditation. These visuals often consist of slow-motion movement and a really high quality camera. You can see explosions of different colours and substances which create a mesmerising effect which can be found quite calming. These kind of videos can also consist of living organisms such as Jellyfish which transform in shape, colour and size. (Examples: Prototyping) I discovered in my Visual Research that motion is an important aspect of calming the body and reducing fast heart rate, so this is a useful example of this. I sat and watched the first video for around 10 minutes and I was fascinated by the way the colours combined and found it quite satisfying. I definitely enjoyed watching because it made me feel relaxed and caught my attention for the first few minutes, but I can understand how over time you might lose interest.
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DRAWBACKS
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I like the appearance of these visuals and it's effect could be of use to us, but the limitation of this is how would players interact? With something like this, players would most likely have to move or interfere with it's movement in some way but I think we'd have trouble 'gamifying' this. It could also become quite repetitive and boring. When I think about our Project, I know we can go bigger and bolder and combine our skills to create something amazing - in my opinion, these visuals are quite basic and niche. Although, it will lie in the hands of our users and I still plan to test with this.
"Abstract Liquid" - Relaxation Time
"Smoke Effects" - The Mood Sanctuary
HOW COULD WE ACHIEVE THIS?
For Physical Space
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If we were to recreate something like this, It would be necessary to train in Adobe After Effects and animation. Although I don't feel that this would best showcase our skills and we may not have time to perfect this as well as develop other game components. However, we could also use a good quality camera with high resolution to capture our own slow motion videos of different substances. This could include fire, smoke and maybe water. We must keep in mind the colour palette of our choosing and refer to colour psychology.
HOW MIGHT PLAYERS INTERACT WITH THIS?
Physical Space Gameplay
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This is one of our limitations with this art style - the interaction. It would have to be kept to a minimum and although this is what we're aiming for, it might become a bit too repetitive and eventually players would lose interest. However, players could potentially use 'Touch controllers' to manipulate the movement of the visual by grabbing, changing direction and swiping
WHAT IS IT AND WHAT DO THEY DO?
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Environments! Across Phases, I created a few Surveys to gather an understanding of what our Users would like most as well as other opinions regarding music etc. I understood the importance of music in relieving symptoms of anxiety/stress and documented a variety of environments that people found most comforting. Responses from this Survey included mountain-scapes, bedrooms, cosy cabins/treehouses and decorative elements such as fairy lights and candles. Using my Survey results we can give examples for our environment type which we know our users will find most relaxing and provide them with safety. (This way we know our physical space will have our desired effect on players)
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DRAWBACKS
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We can consider these environments but it will be important to think about art style. We have the option to either gather first-hand sources (e.g. our own videography of these environments) or recreate these environments in our own art style. It may be hard to recreate the elements of the space in our own style which could take away the element of comfort which we don't want to do. In addition to this, first-hand research of these environments may be hard to obtain due to weather conditions and limited time/travel.
SURVEY RESULTS - Environments Mood-board
PINTEREST LINK: https://pin.it/Y42mb4N
SURVEY RESULTS - Calming visual mood-board
PINTEREST LINK: https://pin.it/m8nBBgt
HOW COULD WE ACHIEVE THIS?
For Physical Space
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If we were to choose this route to take, we would have to establish an art style to take these forward. As we are both skilled in 2D art/illustrations/drawings we can explore our options for this and evaluate which one we think would be most suitable for our essential experience. We would also have to consider animating elements of the environment for both visual and interactive purposes.
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SOFTWARE WE MIGHT USE?
For something like this we could either use a traditional style of art or do this digitally. Software I am comfortable using include Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, and I am aware that Kiera enjoys using Pro Create on her iPad. This will allow us to create a digital environment and additional assets - we can then layer these in Unity.
HOW MIGHT PLAYERS INTERACT WITH THIS?
Physical Space Gameplay
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We have a plethora of options for interactions if we were to use an environment like this. Players could interact with different environmental elements to maybe add features, adjust features or simply just observe. Interactions could lead to animations of a particular thing in that environment. This could be possible through the use of gesture control or 'Touch Controllers' which would encourage players to be more active and use their physical bodies to interact. We also know that The 6m Cylinder can be linked to a tablet/mobile which players can use to interact as an alternative - this is all dependant on the interactions we finalise. This would be great to encourage observation of the users surroundings which from my research I know is a technique of both physical and emotional regulation.
NEXT STEPS
Now I have an idea for the content of our Visual Design, I plan to begin thinking about the Art Style! I will use artists and existing games to help me demonstrate this. Referring back to our requirements for design, the art style of our game must be in 2D because this is what we are best at meaning we can showcase our best work in our final major project!
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ART STYLE
(Which choices for Art Style do we have and which might work best?)
EXAMPLES
For Art Style
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This section will consist of artists, art styles and games which have inspired the direction of our Visual Design.
"INTERACTIVE MEDIA" - Alexander Perrin
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Who is Alexander Perrin?
He is an Australian technical artist, illustrator and interactive media developer. He designed and developed the game 'Short Trip' which I briefly analysed in my 'Game Analysis' section. Short Trip is a beautifully illustrated interactive game with a traditional art style. Perrin has also worked on other games such as 'Noirmittens' and 'Ropejacks'. His style consists of intricately drawn assets and a huge attention to detail.
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WHAT DO I FIND INTERESTING? MY THOUGHTS:
When I first came across the game 'Short Trip' I fell in love with its art style immediately. Perrin's illustrative works are exactly what I love doing and what I admired was how he made this interactive. I have always wondered how I could combine my love for detailed illustrative drawings and Games Design and this is the perfect demonstration of the both. Not only do I love the style of his games, but the gameplay itself. They consist of simple interactive elements that don't require too much thought but are incredibly satisfying and a little rewarding. Players move left and right to drive their tram and pick up passengers (cats) a long the way. Subtle gameplay allows for players to get lost in the visual environment which is similar to the approach we're taking for our project. Despite the lack of colour and depth, it's still just as engaging to players. This just shows that less is more and there's no need to overload the use of colour, shape and motion because sometimes keeping it simple is just as effective.
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DRAWBACKS
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The only issue with this art style is time! Something like this is extremely time consuming especially if you're a perfectionist like myself, I'd be spending days on it to make sure shading is right and all the little details are in place. But, if we were to choose a style like this I will make sure to consider the amount of time we have and organise myself accordingly.
ALEXANDER PERRIN'S ART STYLE
Examples of Perrin's work
LINK TO HIS WEBSITE: https://alexanderperrin.com.au/
LINK TO HIS GAMES AND OTHER PROJECTS: https://2pt.com.au/
'NOIRMITTENS' - Interactive Illustrated Game
'SHORT TRIP' - Interactive Illustrated Game
HOW DOES HE DO IT?
Illustrated, Interactive Environments
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Perrin uses pencil and graphite to achieve this effect.
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Pencil first - then scanned into photoshop where it's trimmed and "laid out in the scene".
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Interactive illustration - allows for players to interact with the environment using arrow keys. Simple yet effective gameplay.
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Animated elements - characters, tram wheels
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Sound effects - ring the bell to pick up passengers and nature sounds.
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Consistent gameplay - requires focus and allows players to sit back, unwind and immerse themselves into something so simple yet so enjoyable.
"ALTOS ADVENTURE - Vector Art/Minimalist Art Style" - Harry Nesbit
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Who is Harry Nesbit?
Nesbit is an artist, designer and developer from the United Kingdom, best known as the developer for game 'Alto's Adventure'. Harry Nesbit focuses on wacky playful illustrations and minimalist art styles for 2D games.
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WHAT DO I FIND INTERESTING? MY THOUGHTS:
I love Nesbit's minimalist approach to the environment designs in 'Alto's Adventure' and 'alto's Odyssey'. His works consist of basic geometric shapes to achieve a vector art style but his use of light and attention to detail is what makes it so effective. The game consists of a range of different environments, each with a different colour palette, interactive features and animations. I also like how he has represented the different weather conditions by using lighting, shading and other effects. Throughout the game, the environment is 'ever-changing' which could be an interesting approach to our game as an alternative to using one environment which eventually users might get bored of. I also love the soundtrack behind gameplay, it made me feel at ease throughout and blended with the visuals nicely. In summary, I love the vector style of this game because it's evident that you don't need a lot going on for an experience to be engaging or impressive. I admire its simplicity, similar to 'Short Trip' and I think this style could be interesting to take forward. It wouldn't require too much time to create and we can use our knowledge into 2D digital art to master this.
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DRAWBACKS
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The drawback of using this art style is deciding on what to display. For a style like this to really capture the interest of our players, I feel multiple environments would be better than one - unless we can integrate a series of interactions into one space but I feel this might be difficult to do. We would have to consider the transformation of one environment to another and think about how this could be incorporated into its gameplay. Lastly, it'll be important to take into account how long a series of environments similar to these will take to develop as we only have 12 weeks in Semester 2.
HARRY NESBITT'S ART STYLE FOR 'ALTOS' ADVENTURE
Examples of Nesbitt's work
LINK TO HIS BLOG: http://www.harrynesbitt.com/blog/the-making-of-altos-adventure/
LINK TO GAME ENVIRONMENTS: http://www.harrynesbitt.com/games/altos-adventure/
'ALTO'S ADVENTURE' - Minimalist Vector Art Style
HOW DOES HE DO IT?
Vector Art Style Environments
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Used the vector art style to take a more 'sensitive, stylised approach'.
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Bold minimalist art style - lighthearted with "hidden depth".
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Understood the level of detailed, depth and visual complexity needed to create the game.
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2D engine
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Geometric shapes to represent natural shapes for example triangles used to represent trees.
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Adobe Illustrator - can be used to achieve this same feeling. Great for exploring geometric shapes, silhouettes and adjusting this based on size and shape.
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Lighting - applied in Unity, 2D engine.
NEXT STEPS
Using my inspiration and ideas so far, I will be forming 3 mood-boards for the final three art style myself and Kiera have decided on. These art styles can be explored in Semester 2 where we will then test these with our users and come to a final conclusion. Our tests will be based on what makes players feel most comfortable and safe in a physical environment. As well as this, we can gather ideas of the potential interactions that might take place.
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After discussing art style with Kiera we came to these Design Conclusions:
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DESIGN CONCLUSIONS
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Art Style must be something realistically achievable so we can guarantee success
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2D art style to showcase what we're best at
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Art Style must catch players attention and encourage them to interact
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Must use this colour palette: Blues, greens and purples shades unless we choose to go for a more traditional style
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Must consist of slow gentle movement and motion to regulate breathing and heart rate as well as calm players.
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VISUAL DIRECTION
Our options for Art Style
TRADITIONAL DRAWING AND INTERACTIVE ILLUSTRATIONS
Art Style choice 1
MOOD-BOARD LINK: https://pin.it/3PoIwn4
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TEXTURES
A brief demonstration of drawing/illustrative textures that are of interest to me and that I think would be great for our project:
REASON FOR CHOICE
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Kiera and I decided to narrow down our choices and explore interactive illustrations further. We both thoroughly enjoy the game 'Short Trip' and were inspired by its unique style and subtle gameplay interactions. Using this style allows us to capture what we're good at - being 2D artists. Although this art style will be time-consuming and a lot of work, we are most passionate towards it and passion leads to hard work and dedication. This style will allow us to integrate small subtle interactions into the environment which players can then engage with and observe their surroundings. We can accompany our visuals with a uniquely composed soundtrack and ambient audio to complete the experience and achieve full immersion in the physical space, exactly how we intended. This style will be easier to implement and the simplicity is what makes is just as effective if not more - players will be fascinated by it and this will encourage them to interact.
HOW DO I VISUALISE THE EXPERIENCE?
Now we have established our first art style, I can picture players walking into the box or 6m Cylinder and immediately begin to observe their surroundings. This style will appeal and attract players, influencing them to interact with it out of curiosity and pure interest. If we were to use this style, we could illustrate one of the natural environments established (from surveys and testing) and animate elements that players would be able to interact with. This will be the main gameplay of the experience.
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NEXT STEPS
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Next steps for this art style would involve establishing our environment/content choice, and then from here think about what players might do in terms of interactions. We can then refine gameplay and begin creating a list of assets and additional components. We must also consider the dimensions of the space and the quality of our drawings after scanning because we must ensure they are clear and of a high quality. (Must undertake quality assurance testing and control)
ABSTRACT FLUID / SLOW MOTION VISUALS
Art Style choice 2
REASON FOR CHOICE
Our second choice of art style were abstract fluid/slow-motion visuals which can be applied to any content of our choosing. Although it's probably the hardest style to implement, we find it the most transfixing and the most captivating of our chosen 3. This is because of its slow movement which is often used for meditation and hypnosis. It's certainly the most generic style of the three but we believe we could integrate some playful interactions into it. This could involve players adjusting the speed of its movement and maybe even combine colours to create their own concoction. This would give players control over their space which we intend to provide. This would also allow us to focus more on colour psychology and use the most appropriate colour palette to induce feelings of calm and comfort to regulate players both physically and emotionally.
HOW DO I VISUALISE THE EXPERIENCE?
I can imagine players walking into our physical space with the ability to control their surroundings using their physical bodies and motion. We could achieve this through the use of motion sensors or touch controllers. Similar to Virtual Reality experiences, players can use controls to have their physical movement translated into the digital world, as well as being provided with haptics at the same time - this stimulates the senses. On top of this, interaction and visuals will be accompanied by soothing music.
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NEXT STEPS
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To achieve an art style similar to the mood-board above, it will be necessary to establish how we can create this effect. We may be required to train in Adobe After Effects which we will have to organise time for during Semester 2 but this depends on our schedule and time management.
VECTOR / MINIMALIST ART
Art Style choice 3
MOOD-BOARD LINK: https://pin.it/2G65GWq
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REASON FOR CHOICE
Our last choice for art style is minimalist vector art. After admiring vector art in games that exist already we agreed that simplicity is often just as effective as details and intricacy. Using this style, we can focus more on the lighting of the space and it's colour. These are components of the environment that will make it visually appealing and more attractive, similar to 'Alto's Adventure'. The use of geometric shapes will make it easier to implement into Unity and stretch across a 360 degree screen - I am already aware of how to make minimalist style designs as I am familiar with Adobe Illustrator and have experimented with this before. In summary, we can focus on intricate animations and components of the environment that will make it more immersive and engaging for players which fulfils our essential experience and we will have more time to focus on interaction and sound design. We can make uniquely designed environments that people will find both calming and visually engaging.
HOW DO I VISUALISE THE EXPERIENCE?
I visualise players walking into the physical space and having the opportunity to control the environment in some way. This could potentially be through the use of customisable elements such as lighting or weather conditions. As vector art doesn't require too much time, we could create multiple environments and allow players to transition between them based on preference! This would be playful and personal.
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NEXT STEPS
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If we were to take this art style into development, we must conduct surveys and user testing to evaluate which environment types people prefer. In addition to this, we must measure the effects of gameplay, sound and visuals on player emotions and heart rate - this way, we can evaluate if we have successfully achieved emotional and physical regulation through our design.
THE SUPPORTIVE MOBILE GAME
How do we visualise this?
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Our supportive mobile game is an additional feature to our gameplay experience which as of right now, we are unaware whether or not we will take this forward due to the size of our scope. However, I plan to document visual inspiration for the application to showcase our ideas.
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REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERFACE DESIGN
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Must be kept simple and clear
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Navigation must be easy
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Intuitive
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Accessibility options and advanced controls
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Compatibility with external devices if needed
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Clean art style
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Task Icons
MINIMALIST INTERFACE INSPIRATION
Interface for Mobile Game
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This mood-board can also be found here: Visual Research
MOOD-BOARD LINK: https://pin.it/7gmkXmp
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MINIMALIST TASK ICONS MOOD-BOARD
Task Icons for game
MOOD-BOARD LINK: https://pin.it/2fIqYbO
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REASON FOR CHOICE
After the gameplay experience, players won't want to begin interacting with something visually overcomplicated otherwise this will lead to frustration which we do not want to cause. If our supporting application is anything other than clean, simple and intuitive then our previous experience would have been pointless! Players must remain calm and still feel a sense of comfort and ease. Because of this, we believe the design of our application must be kept clean and sophisticated. Usability should be kept short and simple - at least 1 or 2 mechanics to navigate and create action plan. Task Icons will then have a simple illustrative style but also remain consistent with the art style of our physical space experience. These icons should be engaging yet not too complicated or require too much thought - tasks should be obvious.
HOW DO I VISUALISE THE EXPERIENCE?
Short and sweet gameplay. Interactions will be fairly subtle and not require too much from players. Players will be required to take out their mobile, respond to how they are feeling in that current moment, and choose tasks to create their plan of action. Then players will be able to go about their day, knowing they have a plan in place meaning their tasks will become a lot more manageable.
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NEXT STEPS
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User testing will be important to evaluate the usability of our design. Players must respond in a way that proves our design is pleasant and interactions were playful yet effective. It must also provide players with a sense of achievement and reward.
NEXT STEPS - How do we refine our art style in Semester 2?
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Our next steps for Semester 2 regarding visual design will be to experiment, test and evaluate. We should experiment with our three art styles and evaluate the success of this with our target audience. This will involve gathering students to user and play test our games and ask how they feel both before and after the experience. We can ask them which style they found most comforting and their reasoning for this. The most important aspect of the entirety of our project is our user - we have to ensure everything we design works for its intended purpose and expectation. (Emotional and physical regulation, reduce of anxiety and stress symptoms etc) I have also made a brief colour theme for our project using Adobe Colour Matcher and matching the colours to my mood-board inspiration and colour psychology knowledge.
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Aims can be found here: Project Goals
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Next I plan to experiment with the art styles we have established to further demonstrate how we can achieve our choices. I will be specifically looking at abstract fluid and motion visuals because this is the style that I struggle to visualise the most. By exploring ways we can achieve this, it proves that this style is achievable and that we can work towards this in Semester 2.
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EXPERIMENTATION
Further research & Experimentation
"BIOMEDICAL IMAGING" - Southampton University Biomedical Imaging Unit
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WHAT IS BIOMEDICAL IMAGING?
Biomedical Imaging is a technique and process that captures images for both "diagnostic and therapeutic purposes". These images are captured through advanced sensors and computer technology, similar to X-rays. (Microscopes)
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WHAT DO THE BIOMEDICAL IMAGING UNIT DO?
Our course leader Adam Procter introduced us to the 'Biomedical Imaging Unit' at the University of Southampton. They are based in the University Hospital Southampton and provide facilities to undertake electron microscopy and 3D imaging. Their 'instruments and facilities' consist of microscopes and "a wide variety of different imaging modalities".
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WHAT DO THEY OFFER?
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2D, 3D, 4D
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Correlative imaging using light, electrons and x-rays
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Use of microscopes
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Light-sheet microscopy
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Live cell Imaging
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Digital Microscopy
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General Photo-microscopy
WEBSITE LINK: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/biu/index.page
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RESEARCH LINK: https://www.embs.org/about-biomedical-engineering/our-areas-of-research/biomedical-imaging-image-processing/
"BIOMEDICAL IMAGING" - Southampton University Biomedical Imaging Unit
WHAT DID WE DO?
We visited their small exhibition on Winchester School of Art campus where we were able to discuss with professionals and students and were lucky enough to do some experimenting of our own! They had a selection of microscopic images displayed which Kiera and I found interesting and wondered if they could capture videography as well as still images - the answer was yes!
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EXAMPLES OF BIOMEDICAL IMAGING
WHAT IS THIS?
​These images are examples of different cells under the microscope! Which is crazy because you can interpret anything from them - that's what I like the most. Images include skin and blood cells. Fun fact - they don't always appear this vibrant, a lovely woman that worked for the unit told us that they edit the images by enhancing saturation and hue to make the images appear more distinct - editing software.
EXPERIMENTATION
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We were lucky enough to experiment with their microscopes such as the one seen below. Here I was placing different images and materials underneath the magnifying glass and witnessed the power of the microscope on the Nikon computer to the left. We were informed that if we wanted to experiment further, we could get into contact and bring our own materials to create a similar effect! Due to restrictions etc, Kiera and I didn't get to do this but it's something we can consider next Semester. However, we were able to use their mini microscopes!
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MINI MAGNIFIERS
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Kiera and I were most excited about these portable mini magnifiers! The Bio-med students allowed us to experiment with their small lenses on the back of our phone to get close up imagery and videos of different materials and substances. I loved the effect of it and it was quite fun to experiment with my clothes.
During this, I suddenly remembered I had been gifted a mini lenses from another University open day years ago! This encouraged me to experiment with different surfaces. I loved the convenience of just being able to magnify anything and see cool results.
MY OWN EXPERIMENTS AND TESTS OF VISUALS
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I dug up my mini magnifying lens and began to capture these really interesting videos and images. It made me start to think about how we could use these in our project - this would mean we would be able to create our own first-hand visuals in a quick way, without the need for other software or creation. This leaves us time to focus on other things.
HOW COULD WE USE THIS?
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Seeing this small exhibit was inspiring. It made me think outside the box in terms of how we could create our visuals and what they might be. If we were to use the technique and process of Biomedical Imaging we could create imagery similar to those on my 'abstract motions' mood-board. Then we can use software to further development this by enhancing saturation, hue and vibrance to make them visually appealing. The content doesn't matter as such, but the motions do. We know of the physical effects slow motion and movement can have on the body and something like this would be perfect for our 360 degree display in the space. We could take our own materials to the Biomedical Imaging Unit and explore the effect of different substances like water for example. This could create quite a mesmerising effect which appeals to the eye and impacts the way they feel.
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NEXT STEPS
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To conclude on my Visual Direction, we have 3 very clear ideas of how we'd like our visual design and art style to appear, for now we must focus on creating our Project Proposal and plan for Semester 2. Next Semester, we will spend the first few weeks establishing interactions, refining gameplay and finalising on art direction. In order to do this, we must test with what we have to establish the most suitable to create an experience that our target audience will benefit from as well as simply enjoy.
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For my own personal documentation, I will continue with the Sound Direction for our rpoject and provide examples to demonstrate our ideas. This section can be found here:
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