Digital Animation - Development of Game

For the digital animation module we were faced with the option of delving into the development of a game. This meant collaborating with other animators and of course games programmers. Working as a team we would then spend the rest of the year developing a game with 3 playable levels.

After meeting the games programmers and hearing their pitches on their games we then had to commit to a team if willing to participate. So with the idea being proposed to us from the programmers we then have decided to go away and come up with mood boards, visuals and thumbnail sketches.

Here is the brief outline of the proposed game:

Realistic style, Set in the near future, The main protaganists being part of a secret society/elite squad on a mission to save the world from an evil corporation. Currently it is still being discussed whether it will be 1st person or 3rd person. There are 2 other characters that assist the main character in the gameplay as well as 2 other characters that frequently radio in, the environment is closed contained areas possibly set in a warehouse, there will be 3 classes of enemy; each one harder then the previous with a few variations of each. We are looking at 3 to 4 different weapons, 1 of those being a bazooka. The weaponry should be hi-tech and advanced however not lasers.

These are some of the specifications that the programmers have decided on however the style, looks and feel of the game is completely up to us as the artistic side in the development.

RESEARCH

Here is some of my initial research and ideas:

Thinking about the background story to the game is important in developing a feel for the entire game, it helps us as an audience empathise with the characters and the situation.

- It is in the last quarter of the 21st century approximately 2075 A.D.

- World War 3 resulted in the near annihalation of the entire planet.

- A war profiteer appeared during the final years of World War 3 and uniting the greatest scientific and technological minds in the world, created a new sustainable energy source.

- With the new energy source exclusive to this corporation they were factioned into the government and eventually the world was united into 1 governing body tied directly into this mysterious corporation.

- Technology advanced rapidly due to this new energy source as the world was rebuilt into a new unified and peaceful state. Armies were disbanded as the state unified and a new global police force were instituted who took direct command from government(and the corporation).

- However this corporation is not what it seems as with every other government body, it holds many dark, disturbing secrets.

Some images that I think would suit this world and particularly the industrial area in which the gameplay is set in.







The idea was to base it in a futurist industrial sector of the planet where the gameplay will take place inside the various locations. Although we will not be modelling the exteriors much, I felt as though it was important to consider the environment around the game and these few images portray the image in my head when thinking about the brief.

More ideas coming soon =)