Week 15: First Week of 2015

I had to check that this week was still only the first week back of term, as it has felt like an eternity already; I am still unsure if this is a good thing. Being the first week back we've been given our first project of 2015, which this post will cover.

Container City

The assignment for us is to create a small playable level out of shipping containers in a realistic, dystopian or futuristic setting, in a group of 4. This might sound quite restricting but we have a lot of exploration room in how these containers are used, maybe they've been refurbished for a space prison or a group of survivors have taken shelter inside a cluster of them. The main point is that the containers are visible in some manner.

Lest We Forget: Brink [1]

At first the brief of the project didn't get me hyped up for the new year, but after getting my head around it for a week I began to get excited for the potential of the end result. I've also spent a lot more time in studio and I hopefully plan to continue this trend, maybe the energy inside the studio has rubbed off on me, even if it might not seem like it.

Our group began generating ideas while also making a block-out during the early part of the week, by the middle of the week we had a fairly good idea of the level plan and a theme. Our idea is that a cargo ship crashed ashore and then a local tribe eventually moved into the wreckage of the containers, turning it into their home. The player will control a prisoner, who makes their way upwards through the container temple in hopes of getting out. Below is a rough plan and block out.

With a rough plan and a block out we could begin pushing into the concepting stage, which is what I have been doing over the later part of the week. I have kept the concepts to line art only for now, adding values to something as complicated as an environment is something I don't really have time to experiment with, it could be done at the end of the project though if I have time. The block out has really helped speed up the concepting as the perspective is for the most part sorted, I just used the block-out as an underlay and drew over the top.

Cells

Cells Exit, the statue changed slightly as it didn't look scary enough

The cells would be quite dark and covered in sand, with water in places. As the player makes their way upwards, the sand slowly disappears as the containers become more prominent which should signify that the player is leaving the beached area. As the player gets closer to the finish, natural light will begin to shine down through cracks and more over growth will be seen, until the player reaches the altar which is outside and clearly aboard the freighter. Adding values or doing a photobash would probably sell this idea a lot more.

Altar Entrance

I am at the moment in the process of concepting the opposite view of the altar, to try and give a complete view of the area. Next week my group should be well into the modelled stage, and hopefully have the base level built at least. I think if we don't begin to move will fall behind though, and I don't want another group project to end up in stress.

References and Notes

[1] Screenshot from Brink, developed by Splash Damage.