Game package and play through:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UiqGOJD3klE6Hyy15MDgB2Au4-TwUZxR
Reflection:
In reflection I have joined with a group of animation and game design students to create a game prototype. I took on the role of texturing / hard-surface modelling, to develop artistic elements of this game in each production stage till the final test. This was a new experience for me as I have never made a game before, however it was quite an interesting project to work on.
I had teamed up with 9 other students to bring about a game idea and produce it in 16 weeks for this module. We brainstormed for the first few weeks, then came up with our horror toy store idea, ‘Toytopia’. We built ideas on what type of game it will become, what style it can be in, what its narrative or backstory is and how do we play it.
At the start of the project I took on the role to design the textures for the environment e.g. floors, walls, ceilings and other assets. I researched how horror game environments are designed, how I can implement that into a toy store, and gathered inspiration from other toy related horror games. During this stage I discovered Substance Designer, as it was a software that could help me make the textures I was looking for. I taught myself the software and produced a variety of materials for the game.
Further on, I produced environment layout pieces to help the game design students to blockout the layout and visual of some rooms in the game. Later into the project, I broadened my role to a hard-surface modeller. I aided my team with their models or textures, and would make my own models and textures for general models such as the toy store logo sign, the wooden blocks, screwdriver and more.
Lastly I produced a variety of art assets such as decals, signs and paintings to decorate the areas, and guide players for navigation. During the last few weeks I helped my teammates to produce any missing elements, and watch over how the mechanics were working to problem solve if needed.
I am happy with the outcome of the game and my input to the artistic elements. I am proud that I taught myself a whole new software to produce textures for this game. I am happy with how the textures turned out and how they appear in the environment. I am also happy with my development in modelling and texturing; becoming more confident in the tools on Maya, and using more skills in Substance Painter.
What I think I could have done better would be to have assisted with more modelling tasks, as some teammates with the modeller role did not participate as much for us to have the amount of models we wanted at first. There could have been more quantity, and better quality models if so. I feel I could have experimented more with horror themed art assets to make the game spookier than it is right now.
I was happy working with my teammates however some were quite insufficient in participating throughout the project. Most of the group worked hard in each of their roles to produce this game, and communicated well throughout the past few months.
In conclusion, I have participated in creating a game prototype from scratch with animation and game design students.