Game Jam - Flip It

We decided to have a game jam session and this is one of our first successful games.

Flip It V1:

Setup:

• 2 decks
• one red
• one blue
• Arrange reds in a grid of n x n
• Add a ring around the red area with the blue cards
• Distribute remaining blue evenly across all players

Claiming Suits:

• Check your hand; pick the highest card of your desired suit
• At the same time, all players reveal their chosen cards to contest for the suit

Goal: 

• Cover red grounds with your suit

Player Can:

• Flip card
• Place card on a face up RED card
• Track blue cards (wether up or down)
• You can also flip cards that aren't locked (stacked)
• Flip red cards back down
• Maybe: You can flip blue cards back down

Game ends 1 round after all reds have been flipped up. 

The person whose suit covers the most ground wins.

Analysis - Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker

Got a hold of an interesting post with some information and shots of WindWaker on polycount. Short, but sweet. This footage probably came from the Dolphin emulator, which is really great and runs better than the Wii itself (if you're computer's good enough). Reminds me I need to keep playing Skyward Sword and post my own findings.

At any rate, here's a sample of what you'll find in the article, which you can read here. :

Additionally, there's a thread in which they try to replicate a waterfall in UDK right here.

Hero

Sometime during the second semester, we worked on a movie still in order to get some practice in the way cloth folds. This one is from the Chinese film, "Hero".

I really like how the faces came out. I tend to struggle a lot when drawing faces, so I was really happy with these! Still rather satisfied, actually.

Nostalgia Drive

This was definitely one of my favorite projects for the second semester of freshmen year. The class? 3D Design for Game Art & Design. The assignment was to make a kitbash out of at least two different kits while incorporating at least one item that does not belong to any kits. The final product is meant to look much different from any of the two kits. A narrative in order to explain its function and purpose was also needed for this project.

I called mine: Nostalgia Drive

This vehicle is an experimental research device which grants the user the ability to physically travel through time. The current image shows the Nostalgia Drive with its back hatch open. In there reside two fuel tanks, generator, etc.

The machine allows for one to choose a time sector by selecting a point of divergence, however, due to the constant magnetic pull and push caused by Attractor fields, the point of arrival cannot yet be determined fully. In order to offset this problem, the Nostalgia Drive has been designed as a hybrid vehicle. This will lessen the risks of unexpected typological changes from one space boundary to the other in accordance with Geroch’s theorem.

Features:

• Sturdy metallic hull for durability, with thrice reinforced material for the cockpit that allows a one-way view from the inside to the outside of the machine.
• Three Vortex Diffusers mounted at the back of the vehicle, powered by liquid Mako.
• Two Gravity Distorters on larger wings for maximized stability and performance.
• Hydraulic-based top for easier access to fuel, generator, and extra supplies.
• Wind breaker functionality for front wings.
• Time Displacer and Regulator mounted on top of the machine to work in conjunction with a Gravity Distorter, employing an easier way of using Kerr type singularities to our advantage.

Fun Fact: The Fuel Tanks, Vortex Diffusers, and Gravity Distorters are all actually car air fresheners. 

Recap ver. 1.1

First year at Ringling was quite the change. I transferred from Florida International University to do learn about an area that has interested me more since my early days. 

But enough about that, here's some work:




First 2D Design project. We had to create a couple of abstract shapes-- both geometric and organic. We cut out various quantities and different sizes for those shapes out of black construction(?) paper and design the outer panels of this triptych as follows:

Left: Organic shapes.
Right: Geometric shapes.
Center: Connect both pieces sides using any combination of shapes that we had already used.

This was certainly not something I expected to do, but it was a fun project.

One New Thing - Arduino Fun

Got my Arduino kit in the mail and immediately started looking everything over!

Here's what the case looks like:

I had already tried out the first circuit with Eddy's kit, but I want to do it over and take notes on it, so I'll be writing about that in another One New Thing post...But I do have a video of a simple blinking LED:

Turning Motion Into Music

The V Motion Project, developed by Jeff Nusz and Paul Sanderson, uses the Kinect as an instrument by tracking a person's movements and turning it into music. This happens in real time, with amazing visuals to illustrate the idea of an instrument being played. 

You can read more about the process here.

Game Production Roles - Research

Game Writer 

Duties  Writers work closely with the game design staff, usually under the senior game writer, lead game designer, and creative director. A Story Writer is primarily responsible for pitching creative and engaging stories, writing out game dialogue, and working with visual artists to fine-tune the realization of characters, environment, and props. Geek Meter: Technical < - - - - - | - - > Art Main Skills: Mastery of language, Research, Narrative Practice, Strong Characterization Secondary Skills: Story analysis, Character analysis, Knowledgeable in various subjects Software: Word Processing and Presentation Programs Passions: Reading, Writing, Research, Story-telling, Character Development Responsibilities Cooperating with other game design staff in order to create an effective mix of narrative, design and mechanics Consulting with said team to pitch scene ideas and adjustments Creating outlines, story treatment goals, character descriptions, game dialogue, casting documents, and other support material Researching different cultures, traditions, mentalities, etc. in order to create truly believable characters, realistic interactions, and meaningful narrative experiences Writing interactive scripts to supplement character, story, and theme development while accounting for gameplay interactions and instructions. Constant editing and revising of work Often times required to assist with marketing or packaging drafts of the game Qualifications  Usually a Bachelor's Degree or Equivalent Professional Experience (preferably in Creative Writing / Screenwriting / Script Writing) Courses focusing on fiction, literature, storytelling, and narrative voices preferred  Usually at least two years of professional writing experience are required Being able to analyze games and their story components Being able to communicate ideas in a clear and concise manner Being able to use different tones and voices in writing Understanding of game design and mechanics and how they affect the narrative as a whole Portfolio  Writing Samples (at least 2) demonstrating mastery of: Various Narrative Structures (i.e. serious, comedic) Character Development and Interactions Dialogue (different tones) Information Sources Get In Media: Game Writer Get In Media: Technical Writer Konami: Writer/Scriptwriter TellTale Games: Game Writer Zynga: Content Writer