I'm Alive

Cool video:

Resident Evil Trailer

Did my presentation of my 3 trailer ideas today. The class were torn between two of my ideas. I think I prefer the 3rd of my ideas which is to film someone playing a Resident Evil game to show their reactions. The gamers surroundings would then become as if they were a part of the game and would finish with a zombie in the room. This idea relies heavily on location and special effects which I'm not sure I can achieve in the timeframe availiable. The other idea favoured by the class is to film someone being mauled by a zombie after a build up of suspense using only text and music. The mauling will not be that obvious images and text will flash on screen. Music should build suspense and become louder by the end. The trailer should end suddenly.
The first idea to rotroscope over actors performing key scenes from the game was not as popular with my clients, ie the class. I agree that it is teh weakest idea.

I need to decide which idea to carry out, before I can start storyboarding. I intend to develop the two favoured ideas a little further and decide then which my favourite is.

Resident 1 Intro

Links Crossbow Training

Scoring, and timelimit elements would be ideal for my recycling shoot 'em up game.

Proposal: Games Development Brief

Theme: The Environment

“Every day our planet is changing and there are signs of need that we must address. Polar bears are drowning. Glaciers are melting. Forests are being cut down. At the same time, there are good signs: people and businesses are recycling more, and learning how to reduce their carbon footprints. Scientists are researching renewable energy such as wind and solar power, and cities are taking steps to improve air and water quality. Artists are informing and inspiring us about what's at stake if we fail to act. The world needs solutions, and the good news is that everyone can help.”

I propose to create one level for a game themed on the environment as outlined in Microsoft’s Imagine Cup. I intend for the game to be similar to a First Person Shooter the main difference being that there will be no killing involved.
One of the many things we can do to preserve our environment is to reuse things we no longer need. The protagonist’s goal in my game will be to recycle rubbish in his environment using a specially designed gun. The game will be controlled in a fashion familiar to anyone that has played a first person shooter.
The game will aim to make players more aware of the need to recycle rubbish at the same time as providing an engaging and enjoyable playing experience.

The game will have a cartoony appearance, in a style that has been made popular by games such as Zelda Windwaker or XIII. There will also be comical elements e.g. the option to turn a homeless person into a post box.

I intend to make a mock up of my game in flash, and will use game maker or unreal engine to construct my final level.
I would like to learn some visual basic during the course of this project but feel it would be too ambitious to create a whole game engine from scratch, bearing in mind the current level of experience I have. Learning some visual basic during this project will no doubt assist me in the construction of my game, giving me a better understanding of coding as a whole.

I plan for this level to be based in a forest environment, which happens to be a popular tourist location, so has a bit of a rubbish problem. The rubbish that has to be recycled will be alive – e.g. an empty coke can with legs, this will make the targets more difficult to hit and add to the comic element of the game.
There will be an overall time limit; each item of rubbish will be worth a different amount of points. The goal of the game will be to recycle as much rubbish in the level during the given time limit, similar to some of the mini games in the recent wii game Links Crossbow Training, and older games such as Time Crisis. The final game would have an arcadey style, intended for short bursts of play.


Plan of action:

Sketches of trees and like to prepare for creating forest environment.
Complete unreal engine tutorials to make creating game possible.
Complete game logs on shoot ‘em ups with similar game functions.
Create flash mock up.
Start creating level in unreal.

Today I have started to explore the unreal engine and have some tutorials on how to use it. I like the idea of creating an environment I know quite well in 3D and then using the Unreal to navigate and interact with this environment. I would like to do some form of 3d work for my final major project possibly.. Although I quite like the idea of using flash again. I need to think about this more extensively.

An animation possibly? I'm really quite undecided as of now. I intend to update this blog more regularly from this point I believe it could prove a useful tool for developing any ideas for project that may come about and is an excellent place for pooling research. As of last week I am without a computer at home, hopefully I will have one next week which should

I would like to come out of this current unit with some knowledge of programming. I have started looking into using visual basic and intend to complete a few tutorials over the next few days. Hopefully by the end I should gain skills that would enable me to make a game level as outlined by Microsofts Imagine '08 brief. Whether of not I will be able to achieve this in the time frame which is currently unknown to me is yet to be discovered. I fear I may be being a bit ambitious, as I have very little knowledge of coding other than that involved in Flash and the construction of a website. Theres no harm in attempting to do this however and it in turn could turn into something I could use in my Final Major Project.
Currently I a, without a computer at home, hopefully this will be rectified next week so I can start delving deep into the world of visual basic and beyond. Hopefully the college machines will have a copy installed soon which will of course be a great help.

I have not been playing many games in recent months, my games log is suffering as a result this is something I need to sort out. It could prove useful inspiration wise of course.