M.D.U. Textures Finished!

Here’s just a quick post to show off the finished textures for my M.D.U. model. In a few weeks I’ll have the finished renders along with a couple animations to show in my Portfolio section under 3D Art.

Games Defined?

Dear Game Industry,

At present I’m enrolled and active in a course taught by designer and professor Ian Schreiber calles Game Design Criticism and Analysis. Every game design major is required to take it, but for me I relished the opportunity to take it. What intrested me in the course initially was the opportunity to take a theory-based course analyzing games, what they are and what they do. I’ve had so many solo car rides where I’ve monologued out loud, as if at a television interview, about what games mean to me.

My schizophrenic orations to the invisible passengers in my car tend to fall on where my inspiration comes from for the projects that I’ve worked on [which in the case of these imaginary interviews are projects which are yet to be completed]. I’ll talk about my film “Janusch” [in post production; a stop-motion film featuring the acting of my best friend Colin Flanigan] or my game “BLIND” [at the moment a playable prototype is in the works]. When I delve into these projects there is always a core to my creative design, much like there is for a game.

One of the things that helps define my creative core is how I define the mediums that I work in. For my class, as in my personal monologues, I have a definition for what I believe a game to be. Of course, this definition is young, and it will no doubt grow into something much more refined as time goes on and as my experience grows. Here is how I have defined what a game is:

A game is a system, often times containing smaller systems, which provide a set of rules and constraints,  separate from the world, that units, either controlled by the systems or controlled by a player, work within to reach a goal or goals.

• Systems – The system of systems is equivalent to the mechanics and rules in board games and video games. Like a computer, a series of rules and constraints organize functions which organize play.
• Rules and Constraints – The rules and constraints provide limits for the units. They also provide obstacles that the units must overcome to reach their goal.
• Separate – The systems of the game are separate from the world in the sense that they may use or break the physical laws that govern our world, as well as step outside the bounds of politics, economics and society to provide a unique experience and/or challenge for the units.
• Units – Units, like Costikyan’s “tokens,” are players or their avatar representation in the game world. They also constitute NPCs, AI controlled opponents and party characters.
• Goals – Goals are conditions that must be met to proceed further in the game or to win it. These goals must be reached by units through overcoming and working within the rules and constraints set up by the game’s systems which exist separate from the real world.

So, I hope it’s evident that this definition is lacking or in some way flawed, because I know that in the years to come it will change and become more perfect in it’s analysis. Either that, or it will be thrown out altogether in lieu of a better more accurate definition. This is what is so exciting about a medium that is so much in flux and growing; a medium that in its digital form which is entering maturity.

The definiton by itself is only a framework upon which a game is built and play is created. When all the rules and players are entered into the equation, then the possibility for a fun and meaningful experience emerge.

Your young and eager pupil,
Z

Studio I in progress.

It’s apparent that I haven’t written in quite some time, but with good reason: I’ve been very busy. Things to note: a new board game premise based on the Metal Gear series. Also, I’ve begun texturing the M.D.U. ship. Here are some updates on that:

As you can see I’ve added all six arms to the front of the craft. What you can’t see is that I’ve locked all their attributes so that by selecting the group parents for each piece of the arm, they can be rotated and moved in only the way I’ve built them to. This will save me time on rigging, since I won’t have to do any for this ship.

This is another view in the same pose, simply showcasing how the arms looks when they are straight and when they are bent. You can also really clearly see the laser saws in the front of the ship.

Like everyone else at art school, I love these occlusionr renders. The reason I used it here is to help show some of the depth in the arms while they’re in this position. This position is a kind of “rest” position that the arms will take when the ship enters one of the docking bays in the larger Hunter Ship.

In addition to finally getting these arms arranged around the carft, each piece is UVed and I’ve done some basic occlusion baking to help add a little more life to my textures. According to my schedule, I’ll have the textures done for this ship by next thursday, so stay tuned for that!

On a similar note, I’ve all but finished the larger Hunter Ship. Here are some occlusion renders of that beast.

As you can see, the ship has really been fleshed out since that block rough in. I’ve designed each piece to appear like it has come from a different ship, as if scavanged from the various solar systems it would travel. Also, each piece is compeltely seperate geometry. In addition to what’s in the renders, there are also these large, moveable shields which will be placed across the front and sides of the ship. By the time everything is done, it should look pretty intimidating.