The element that brings everything else together, story and character, and makes them truly come alive, is the environment. It is the one factor that brings out the full mood of the game entirely.
Let’s further discuss environments, and not only in games, but also in books and movies. Environments can be absolutely anything, and look like anything the person puts their mind to, with any number of variations. So long as there is imagination, the environment can only grow. It is one of the elements that put the main character in place. The environment can be simple, and contrast the character, or reflect the current mood of the character.
Early on, the environment in games was no more than very simple, textured shapes and corridors meant only to guide the player in a path through the world, while providing minimal setting. But, as technology progressed, the environment became one of the most important and integral parts of any game, and serves several purposes. Again, the most basic use of the environment is to guide the player, to make it obvious where and where not to travel. A simplistic example of this is found in DOOM 3, and Halo: CE. DOOM 3 consisted mostly of small, rooms and corridors, leaving no freedom on where to travel, and generally guiding you to the final but. But, it served its purpose extremely well. The level of detail in the environment allowed it to work. The tight corridors make you feel claustrophobic, and because of its detailed design, could allow a demon to attack you from almost anywhere.
In Halo, the environment was beautifully sculpted and detail, and gave the illusion that the level was vast and open, when it was merely guiding you in the same manner as DOOM. The lovely backgrounds and sky-boxes, of forest and mountains, gave the environment the feeling of being completely open. This is one example where the scale of the environment affects the gameplay. It may be a linear game, but you have much more space to maneuver and strategize.
A game that broke these boundaries in a good way was Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl. This massive sandbox-style game presented the player with the opportunity to go almost anywhere they wanted, in any order, and complete missions as they desired, while being able to use the environment to their advantage. The setting was huge, and portrayed the post-apocalyptic feel almost perfectly, and captured the Chernobyl meltdown quite well.
Environments are there to set up the mood and atmosphere for the game. They can bring out emotions of power, feebleness, fear, or happiness. For instance, in Dead Space, the environments in most of the game worked against the player, to keep them on edge, feeling uncomfortable, and scared. The amazing sound and lighting effects bring out the mood even more. Walking down a corridor with the lights flickering, going out, and then suddenly coming back to life with a monstrous growl makes the player ready their weapon to defend themselves. In the end, though, it turns out to merely be the environment playing mind games with the player, to keep them constantly alert.
As stated before, environments aren’t only important in games. They’re an even bigger factor in movies. And so, let’s discuss some of my favorite environments. As a big fan of old western movies, I love the way in which Sergio Leone captured the Wild West, something classic, but not new or fantastic. However, the overall feeling it creates is incredible. George Lucas’ Star Wars (4, 5, and 6) captured so many different environments wonderfully, that your eyes were always pleased with the result. As you watch, you don’t realize it, but everything in the environment, the character, the lighting, and the mood, are all connected in a great way.
Color is a major key to movies and games, specifically with the emotions they evoke. For instance, black and red are commonly signs of evil, but they can also represent passion and love. White and blue are signs of goodness and freedom, but they can also be cold, and represent a sterile environment, such as a hospital. A good director that captures these elements is Ridley Scott. In his famous Alien, the environment is mainly white corridors, almost like a hospital. The level of sterility gives you an uncomfortable feeling in your gut. In Blade Runner - by far one of my favorite settings – Syd Mead creates an epic city that captures both old and new with a lovely dark, noire feeling to it. The overall decay and darkness enhances the mood of the story.
As an artist myself, I love capturing a combination of old and new elements when I design an environment. Looking at the past, I see that everything that I need to make a future design is already being influenced by the older designs, and all I need to do is reach out and grab it.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Elements of game design, part three: character
The greatest focus of any game, aside from the plot itself, is that of the characters within them. Without dynamic characters, you are left with a simulated world, though beautifully designed in itself, with very little more. Static characters are just as bad, as they lack definition, emotion, and any tie to the character. For any game to succeed, the characters have to be memorable and dynamic, and thus a great deal of work and care is put into them.
Main characters are the figures within the game whose boots you step into for the journey ahead. The story most likely heavily involves them, and what happens around them during the course of their great adventure. But what exactly is the role of the main character in a game, book, or movie? Are they meant to be the most important individual? Do they alone dominate the focus of the game? A main character is usually the figure given the most attention, no matter if they are in a movie, book, or game.
A main character can be either protagonist or antagonist, depending on the type of game, and what the creators want out of them. Throughout the story, you are given perspective of the character in various ways. You can see what they look like, how they dress, and this grants an idea of their personality. Through their actions you find more about their ethics and morals, whether they are loved or hated, or even neutral. However, it is difficult to truly define a main character alone.
In any game, movie, or book, there are certainly secondary characters which compliment the main character, build their characteristics, and tell a much deeper story about them based on their interactions. These secondary characters are most likely dynamic characters as well, with their own histories and individual personalities. This grants a much greater variety in your cast. You don’t always have to adore the main character, as aspects of a secondary might be far more interesting, given the individual.
What elements make the characters, whether they are primary or secondary, most appealing to the reader/player? Mainly, I will discuss characters from games. There are many ways with which to accomplish this. On one hand, the character can be the most amazing and profound individual in the game; a hero or otherwise, but with their own faults to grant a balance and dynamism. Or, they can be a very simplistic character; a normal person with which the reader/player can envision themselves as that character, mixed in with the action, and taking part of the adventure firsthand. Some games can fulfill both of these tasks quite well. Two examples which I will focus on are the Half-Life series, and Dead Space games. The characters within these games have left the greatest impression on me.
In Half-Life, your character, Gordon Freeman, is a silent protagonist. He started as a mere scientist who is drawn into a terrible situation, which he alone is left to resolve despite all odds. Despite lacking many features, the player can impose their own characteristics upon Gordon, which makes him all the more dynamic. Silent characters tend to have this effect, much like RPG’s where you can define your character immensely. Another factor that allowed me to put myself in Gordon’s boots was the setting of the game, Half Life 2 specifically. The game takes place within Eastern Europe, and the setting reminded me a great deal of my home city. As with Half Life, Dead Space as well features a silent protagonist – at least in the first game – which allows you to step into his heavy, body-dismembering boots. These are the types of stories which I find irresistible, as they create an emotional tie with the player.
One of the most basic techniques a writer can use to draw a player to their character is sympathy. If you can become sympathetic of the character’s situation, you have all the more reason to play the game, and form a more emotional bond with the character. A more dynamic character requires emotions, which in itself takes good writing, designing, and animating to make the character real. The way the character moves, gestures, appears, talks, and interacts with their environment and other characters makes them truly appealing and dynamic. Many developers will hire celebrities to voice their characters in an attempt to make them more popular, which is sometimes unnecessary. Your character should be unique by themselves, without needing a famous voice to draw attention to them.
In the end, there are many ways to make a character successful. But essentially, their has to be a balance between realistic and supernatural qualities. The character, above all else, has to be believable, so that the player can bond further with them.
Main characters are the figures within the game whose boots you step into for the journey ahead. The story most likely heavily involves them, and what happens around them during the course of their great adventure. But what exactly is the role of the main character in a game, book, or movie? Are they meant to be the most important individual? Do they alone dominate the focus of the game? A main character is usually the figure given the most attention, no matter if they are in a movie, book, or game.
A main character can be either protagonist or antagonist, depending on the type of game, and what the creators want out of them. Throughout the story, you are given perspective of the character in various ways. You can see what they look like, how they dress, and this grants an idea of their personality. Through their actions you find more about their ethics and morals, whether they are loved or hated, or even neutral. However, it is difficult to truly define a main character alone.
In any game, movie, or book, there are certainly secondary characters which compliment the main character, build their characteristics, and tell a much deeper story about them based on their interactions. These secondary characters are most likely dynamic characters as well, with their own histories and individual personalities. This grants a much greater variety in your cast. You don’t always have to adore the main character, as aspects of a secondary might be far more interesting, given the individual.
What elements make the characters, whether they are primary or secondary, most appealing to the reader/player? Mainly, I will discuss characters from games. There are many ways with which to accomplish this. On one hand, the character can be the most amazing and profound individual in the game; a hero or otherwise, but with their own faults to grant a balance and dynamism. Or, they can be a very simplistic character; a normal person with which the reader/player can envision themselves as that character, mixed in with the action, and taking part of the adventure firsthand. Some games can fulfill both of these tasks quite well. Two examples which I will focus on are the Half-Life series, and Dead Space games. The characters within these games have left the greatest impression on me.
In Half-Life, your character, Gordon Freeman, is a silent protagonist. He started as a mere scientist who is drawn into a terrible situation, which he alone is left to resolve despite all odds. Despite lacking many features, the player can impose their own characteristics upon Gordon, which makes him all the more dynamic. Silent characters tend to have this effect, much like RPG’s where you can define your character immensely. Another factor that allowed me to put myself in Gordon’s boots was the setting of the game, Half Life 2 specifically. The game takes place within Eastern Europe, and the setting reminded me a great deal of my home city. As with Half Life, Dead Space as well features a silent protagonist – at least in the first game – which allows you to step into his heavy, body-dismembering boots. These are the types of stories which I find irresistible, as they create an emotional tie with the player.
One of the most basic techniques a writer can use to draw a player to their character is sympathy. If you can become sympathetic of the character’s situation, you have all the more reason to play the game, and form a more emotional bond with the character. A more dynamic character requires emotions, which in itself takes good writing, designing, and animating to make the character real. The way the character moves, gestures, appears, talks, and interacts with their environment and other characters makes them truly appealing and dynamic. Many developers will hire celebrities to voice their characters in an attempt to make them more popular, which is sometimes unnecessary. Your character should be unique by themselves, without needing a famous voice to draw attention to them.
In the end, there are many ways to make a character successful. But essentially, their has to be a balance between realistic and supernatural qualities. The character, above all else, has to be believable, so that the player can bond further with them.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Elements of game design, part two: art direction for games
Game design is a massive team effort, and while there are many leads for each aspect of design, the final decisions rest mainly on the art director. The art director is the person tasked with coordinating the flow of art in any game. Essentially, they decide what type of art should be implemented into the game, how the characters look, and how the environment blends with the overall style. The responsibilities of the art director are huge, since in the end, every approval or disapproval falls to the director, giving them control over the final product.
But what exactly is an art director? What kind of influence does he have on the game? And is he the person responsible for the whole game? The role of the art director is quite important, and though their decisions hold a great deal of weight, they must still rely on a team to make final decisions. Developing the art of a game is a process that requires a lot of people, power, and time. The first task for the art director and his crew is to brainstorm ideas for the overall art style. All of their ideas have to be incorporated in such a way that they will fit with the story and genre, and not look out of place.
A very important factor in modern games is the environment. Without a well developed environment, you end up with a potentially well-designed character that simply feels out of place in the surroundings. Deciding on a working environment concept sets the overall mood and feeling of the game, and thus a great deal of emphasis must be placed on it.
The art director for a game is quite similar to an art director for a movie. Both of them have to make important decisions about the look of a set/game level, and characters. With an art director in a film, they must coordinate with set builders, wardrobe teams, and the actors themselves, much the way a game art director deals with the lead artist, writers, and animators.
The job of the art director can be quite difficult at times. They have many responsibilities they have to keep up with, and are constantly moving about getting feedback from the various teams under them, and planning for the project’s future. Personally, I think the role of art director is amazing. There are times that I would probably hate it and the stress that comes with it, as well as the massive responsibility, but in the end, I would hold a great deal on influence over the concepts in the game. Having my own design ideas incorporated into a game is a thrilling idea.
As far as the creativity of the job goes, I’m honestly not certain how much actual designing the art director does on their own accord, since many of those tasks fall to the lead artist and their team. Simply giving orders to other artists doesn’t appeal much to me, as I’d much rather draw what I have in mind myself, instead of tasking someone else to do it. It’s much more effective than giving another designer a vague idea of what you want done. They can be creative in that they guide the other artists
In effect, the art director has many roles. They guide their team, keeping them on track with the overall style. They manage ideas, giving their input, getting feedback, and making final decisions for the product at hand. And most importantly, they ensure that every member works together and blends ideas, so that no aspect of the end product conflicts heavily with another.
But what exactly is an art director? What kind of influence does he have on the game? And is he the person responsible for the whole game? The role of the art director is quite important, and though their decisions hold a great deal of weight, they must still rely on a team to make final decisions. Developing the art of a game is a process that requires a lot of people, power, and time. The first task for the art director and his crew is to brainstorm ideas for the overall art style. All of their ideas have to be incorporated in such a way that they will fit with the story and genre, and not look out of place.
A very important factor in modern games is the environment. Without a well developed environment, you end up with a potentially well-designed character that simply feels out of place in the surroundings. Deciding on a working environment concept sets the overall mood and feeling of the game, and thus a great deal of emphasis must be placed on it.
The art director for a game is quite similar to an art director for a movie. Both of them have to make important decisions about the look of a set/game level, and characters. With an art director in a film, they must coordinate with set builders, wardrobe teams, and the actors themselves, much the way a game art director deals with the lead artist, writers, and animators.
The job of the art director can be quite difficult at times. They have many responsibilities they have to keep up with, and are constantly moving about getting feedback from the various teams under them, and planning for the project’s future. Personally, I think the role of art director is amazing. There are times that I would probably hate it and the stress that comes with it, as well as the massive responsibility, but in the end, I would hold a great deal on influence over the concepts in the game. Having my own design ideas incorporated into a game is a thrilling idea.
As far as the creativity of the job goes, I’m honestly not certain how much actual designing the art director does on their own accord, since many of those tasks fall to the lead artist and their team. Simply giving orders to other artists doesn’t appeal much to me, as I’d much rather draw what I have in mind myself, instead of tasking someone else to do it. It’s much more effective than giving another designer a vague idea of what you want done. They can be creative in that they guide the other artists
In effect, the art director has many roles. They guide their team, keeping them on track with the overall style. They manage ideas, giving their input, getting feedback, and making final decisions for the product at hand. And most importantly, they ensure that every member works together and blends ideas, so that no aspect of the end product conflicts heavily with another.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Elements of game design, part one: from Pong to next-gen…
There are many aspects of game design; writers, world designers, level designers, concept artists, and many other individuals building their creation around the central concept of gameplay. One of the key elements of the game from the very beginning is the gameplay, and it is the fiber that keeps the game alive and interesting. Before a plot or concept can be made, the designer first has to decide what type of game they’re interested in making, whether it be FPS, RPG, or even MMORPG. Gameplay is basically the interaction of the player with the game; the mechanics of that interaction make it rich and intriguing for the consumer.
We’ve traveled a long way in game design and development, but has the gameplay really changed that much from that of games in the beginning? And why is gameplay so important for the gamer? An entire team of designers is required for any game, and each individual has their own purpose. There are the writers, the concept artists, and so on. Normally they work as a team under a lead designer, giving some direction to their work. Art Direction is usually dependant on the genre of the game. Obviously, a fantasy game will look extremely different from a sci-fi. Thus, the art has to fit the overall genre. As such, so does the gameplay. In the end, if the team doesn’t work together, and compare their ideas, the final product is going to be a jumbled mess of mixed ideas.
Every game has a task or goal to meet. On one hand, it could be simply to make the highest score. In another, it could be to save the princess from the castle, only to find she’s always in another castle. And again, it could be to kill the evil boss at the end. But, are they all so different? The concepts haven’t evolved much, only the way in which we interact with the game. In the beginning, you had Pong, Pac-man, Space Invaders, and so on. The goals of these games were high scores, advancing to the next level, and defeating the enemy. Games today are exactly the same, only their gameplay is more evolved.
Sooner or later, you’ll either get to the end of the game, or get bored along the way. The main goal of gameplay, though, is to keep your interest in the game for long enough so that this doesn’t happen. To meet that goal, developers have to have an understanding of what their consumer wants. A more recent way of keeping the player’s interest is to reward them for their efforts. Almost every platform has thus evolved an achievement system, or item drop system. Examples of these can be seen everywhere: Achievements in Halo and other games, item drops in Team Fortress 2, and a combination of both in WoW.
Most modern games have the same principal today as they did many years ago; run and collect as many points/kills as possible so you could get to the next level, or else the bad guys will kill you. It changed in a way that is more complex in structure and the way it looks. The RPG genre has had an effect on other game types and gameplay. Now you have options that give you the chance to complete a task that is given to you, or not to, in various ways. Then there are plot choices, in which your decision will have an influence later in the game. This influence could either have a dramatic affect on the plot, or be negligible. BioWare is well known for this element, with games such as Mass Effect and Dragon Age. This is also an example of genres overlapping; both RPG and Shooter, among others, combined in one game. The game masks the linear experience perfectly, making you think that it’s a vast world and you can do whatever you want.
Gameplay has become one of the most important elements a consumer recognizes before purchasing a game. Years ago, most consumers were amazed by the pretty colors, and the thought of a new game. But now we dissect it before it has even hit the market to determine if it’s any good. Graphics are certainly high on the list as well, but that’s a topic for another time. If gameplay has changed in any real way, it is mainly that interactivity has greatly increased, and that the line between genres has been blurred and even mixed significantly, leaving each game somehow unique from another.
We’ve traveled a long way in game design and development, but has the gameplay really changed that much from that of games in the beginning? And why is gameplay so important for the gamer? An entire team of designers is required for any game, and each individual has their own purpose. There are the writers, the concept artists, and so on. Normally they work as a team under a lead designer, giving some direction to their work. Art Direction is usually dependant on the genre of the game. Obviously, a fantasy game will look extremely different from a sci-fi. Thus, the art has to fit the overall genre. As such, so does the gameplay. In the end, if the team doesn’t work together, and compare their ideas, the final product is going to be a jumbled mess of mixed ideas.
Every game has a task or goal to meet. On one hand, it could be simply to make the highest score. In another, it could be to save the princess from the castle, only to find she’s always in another castle. And again, it could be to kill the evil boss at the end. But, are they all so different? The concepts haven’t evolved much, only the way in which we interact with the game. In the beginning, you had Pong, Pac-man, Space Invaders, and so on. The goals of these games were high scores, advancing to the next level, and defeating the enemy. Games today are exactly the same, only their gameplay is more evolved.
Sooner or later, you’ll either get to the end of the game, or get bored along the way. The main goal of gameplay, though, is to keep your interest in the game for long enough so that this doesn’t happen. To meet that goal, developers have to have an understanding of what their consumer wants. A more recent way of keeping the player’s interest is to reward them for their efforts. Almost every platform has thus evolved an achievement system, or item drop system. Examples of these can be seen everywhere: Achievements in Halo and other games, item drops in Team Fortress 2, and a combination of both in WoW.
Most modern games have the same principal today as they did many years ago; run and collect as many points/kills as possible so you could get to the next level, or else the bad guys will kill you. It changed in a way that is more complex in structure and the way it looks. The RPG genre has had an effect on other game types and gameplay. Now you have options that give you the chance to complete a task that is given to you, or not to, in various ways. Then there are plot choices, in which your decision will have an influence later in the game. This influence could either have a dramatic affect on the plot, or be negligible. BioWare is well known for this element, with games such as Mass Effect and Dragon Age. This is also an example of genres overlapping; both RPG and Shooter, among others, combined in one game. The game masks the linear experience perfectly, making you think that it’s a vast world and you can do whatever you want.
Gameplay has become one of the most important elements a consumer recognizes before purchasing a game. Years ago, most consumers were amazed by the pretty colors, and the thought of a new game. But now we dissect it before it has even hit the market to determine if it’s any good. Graphics are certainly high on the list as well, but that’s a topic for another time. If gameplay has changed in any real way, it is mainly that interactivity has greatly increased, and that the line between genres has been blurred and even mixed significantly, leaving each game somehow unique from another.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Writing about Games, Previews, reviews, commentary and lies
New games are developed all the time, and with them come reviews, preview trailers, and many other statistics. Before they even appear on the market, the games have been analyzed and criticized by various people. However, these reviews are something I really don’t care much about. There are two kinds of people that usually review these new games: the people who are attempting to show the game’s positive qualities and raise the maximum amount of money in sales, and the people who want to see the game crumble, and tear it apart with criticism, all before it is released. You hardly ever find a reviewer that looks at a game from an unbiased perspective. Most reviews depend on whether the writer is an honest person, who actually played the game before giving their opinion, or if they’re merely someone who was paid off by the company to write about the positive aspects only. In many cases, the reviewers are paid directly by the company they represent
Like many other things, computer games are a vast market. As such, there are people who have to develop the game, publish it, place it on the market – and those that have to make it successful enough to sell. To help them achieve this goal are the reviewers that give their comments and opinions about the game to the public. Of course, there are so many that have never played the game, but still give reviews about it in either a very positive or very negative way. But of course there are also the honest people that actually give a good opinion, based on facts, for the game they are reviewing. Subjective reviews usually work to increase game sales, as they can up-sell the product, whereas objective reviews only give the facts about the game. Because of an objective review, the company can lose money if they’ve made several mistakes. For the buyer, of course, an objective review would be the best kind, since they would know exactly what they’re buying, without the sugar coating.
Every new game on the market is like a pop star, it may succeed quickly, or crash and burn. As every celebrity they get a lot of interest, and sometimes a lot of fans. The first look we ever get at a game is from its reveal trailer which hasn’t yet been reviewed, and just gives you an idea of what to expect. I enjoy this part of it, since I can make my own opinion based on the trailer. After this, though, the comments and previews follow, and then the reviews, which is the usual cycle of the NGJ. At the preview point, critics start tearing apart the reveal trailer, judging the graphics quality, and many other aspects. They usually go way too far with their opinions, since they don’t even have access to the game at this point. Personally I don’t pay much attention to that, I may read a preview or 2 and that’s all I need, the judge of the game will be myself. I do follow one noteworthy site that is mostly for upcoming trailers of games, gametrailers.com, and sometimes they give a review of a game which usually is close to my own opinion on the product.
Other types of games writing are previews on games made by so called ‘Fan boys’, who give only high marks on their favorite games, no matter how bad the product actually is. There are also people who do the opposite: if they hate the game or just the developer, they give low marks. But that’s mostly commentary from people who don’t work in any area of game design or reviews.
There are plenty of people who review games as a profession. I find it somewhat weird, playing a game and then writing about it. It sounds too easy, but it can be great for future sales. From the review, a future buyer can decide if they’ll buy it or not
Personally I’m the subjective type of reviewer. If somebody asks my opinion for a game, movie, or something else, I give my personal point of view. Because it’s my opinion, and if somebody doesn’t agree with that, then he shouldn’t have asked, and he just simply doesn’t have to agree with it.
Like many other things, computer games are a vast market. As such, there are people who have to develop the game, publish it, place it on the market – and those that have to make it successful enough to sell. To help them achieve this goal are the reviewers that give their comments and opinions about the game to the public. Of course, there are so many that have never played the game, but still give reviews about it in either a very positive or very negative way. But of course there are also the honest people that actually give a good opinion, based on facts, for the game they are reviewing. Subjective reviews usually work to increase game sales, as they can up-sell the product, whereas objective reviews only give the facts about the game. Because of an objective review, the company can lose money if they’ve made several mistakes. For the buyer, of course, an objective review would be the best kind, since they would know exactly what they’re buying, without the sugar coating.
Every new game on the market is like a pop star, it may succeed quickly, or crash and burn. As every celebrity they get a lot of interest, and sometimes a lot of fans. The first look we ever get at a game is from its reveal trailer which hasn’t yet been reviewed, and just gives you an idea of what to expect. I enjoy this part of it, since I can make my own opinion based on the trailer. After this, though, the comments and previews follow, and then the reviews, which is the usual cycle of the NGJ. At the preview point, critics start tearing apart the reveal trailer, judging the graphics quality, and many other aspects. They usually go way too far with their opinions, since they don’t even have access to the game at this point. Personally I don’t pay much attention to that, I may read a preview or 2 and that’s all I need, the judge of the game will be myself. I do follow one noteworthy site that is mostly for upcoming trailers of games, gametrailers.com, and sometimes they give a review of a game which usually is close to my own opinion on the product.
Other types of games writing are previews on games made by so called ‘Fan boys’, who give only high marks on their favorite games, no matter how bad the product actually is. There are also people who do the opposite: if they hate the game or just the developer, they give low marks. But that’s mostly commentary from people who don’t work in any area of game design or reviews.
There are plenty of people who review games as a profession. I find it somewhat weird, playing a game and then writing about it. It sounds too easy, but it can be great for future sales. From the review, a future buyer can decide if they’ll buy it or not
Personally I’m the subjective type of reviewer. If somebody asks my opinion for a game, movie, or something else, I give my personal point of view. Because it’s my opinion, and if somebody doesn’t agree with that, then he shouldn’t have asked, and he just simply doesn’t have to agree with it.
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