Nimbo Trailer

Here is what I have designed on Affect effects so far for my trailer, I used all my assets i made the other day and feel that it has worked well. I could improve on how fast it plays as its quite long for an opening as well some areas are abit plain. I have left space for a video to be played on the IPAD in the video.

Here is the video so far:

http://youtu.be/ONVP4glk7f8

I kept close to my plan as i still thought it was a good way of showing that my game is about a cloud traveling around the world protecting plants.

I have been working on a trailer for Nimbo as i said i would in my learning agreement. I said that i would create a gameplay animation however because i have been working with john on a demo of the game i thought that i could record the working game and include that into the trailer along with animated sequences. As this would convoy both gameplay as well as advertising in one video.

 I started on the animation and designed a simple opening intro in which shows the title, Nimbo, and many different environments that lead up to a ipad which will show recorded footage of gameplay. To start i thought i would need a simple plan to follow for creating the trailer as i most likely would need to create assets and make everything fit the screen size of the video. I designed a simple plan on photoshop and looked at how i could make it and what would happen. here is the quick plan:

What the image above shows is that a cloud will scroll across the screen which will then make the title 'Nimbo' appear. These then leads onto the character Nimbo swirling onto screen above the title. After Nimbo will then appear to fly down towards the floor then appear to fly over lots of different levels. Nimbo would then reach IPad in which Nimbo would disappear then a gameplay video will play on the IPad.

I have spent the rest of the day preparing all the assets i will need, i firstly made a couple of PNG clouds that can scroll across the start of the video with then the title. I reused Nimbo and had to then edit all the levels to be the same size as well as be long enough to scroll. I made a couple of small extras to make more depth and show advertising as i made a small-clouded text saying 'join nimbo on his wild ride around the world.' This would show as the background starts to change into different environments.

Today i started to prepare and make my showreel for BA8 as well as the degreeshow, after having a catch up session in Final cut pro i felt more confident in using that software to make my showreel in. I also thought it would be worth while learning this software while making my showreel for future purposes. The practicality of the software is good as well as the user interface. after have a play with the general text effects, transitions and colour balance i chose to design a background as well as a small avatar to cleanly contain my work in the area of the screen. I thought that is would bring the viewer attention more towards my work as well as give of a simplicity and refinement.

 Here is the background:

 

I choose to make a 'loose' avatar of myself to sit in the corner of the screen to give off a feeling of character and to show my personality, i personally feel that it makes the border less dominate and less plain. I designed the avatar quickly in illustrator.

 Avatar:

I next started to piece the showreel together, i started with a simple animated text shown in the image below. It has my name, area of design, degree, course and university.  Its a non distracting animated text and easy to read, i also gave it plenty of time to be read on screen. I animated the avatar to appear first before the background as a que to the audience that its now starting, as well as to look at it before it becomes part of the background. i will also be using the avatar appearing as a starting point for the music to enter.

I next added the background and started to place in some images, i have started with my latest pieces and more stylised to me to get across my character and my personal preference to design rather than showing older work that may look better but not what i want to go into. I've kept as many images as i can using a white background to fit with the background. In animatic terms i didn't want to make anything overally fancy or moving as it can be a large distraction. I have used mostly fade as the transition for the images as its clean and the next image can appear in the same spot as the last. I also have shown a transition from line art to coloured to show how i work. As i feel this makes the showreel look better.

Creature Design Illustrator

This is a create I designed using illustrator was i wanted to see what I could come up with in the software. I felt that by designing more artwork in the software I would get better using it, I didn't have a original idea I just worked on shapes and tools. I liked the outline and chose to develop the design to a finish ready for my showreel. I am glad because it gives me more stronger art work to show in my portfolio.

This picture is another i have designed using illustrator, i designed it based around the other ones i have done in illustrator to keep a theme running. Again i will be using this piece as part of my personal practice as well as more work to be displayed on my showreel. I feel confident using the software now and feel that my process of designing a piece using the software is getting better and faster. I also like this style and theme i'm going for as its showing my strong expression for simple creature designs and quirky personality. I hope it brings across that i'm looking at becoming a indie games designer looking at designing loveable character, stories and new gameplay. I coloured the piece to make it look finished and so it can be featured in my showreel.

Competitions and holiday

I have been working strongly on Dare to be digital over the last week and haven't had much time to focus on my BA8 project, However i do believe all the work and time I am contributing to this competition will strengthen me and a game designer as well improve on my ability's to work with others. I'm hoping for the best with the work and team as our entry is getting towards completion. I do feel that using my holiday time working on competitions as well as developing drawing and software skills will be best and return focused to BA8 when I return back to the help of tutors.

I have been busy a lot lately preparing for the upcoming deadline for Dare to be Digital, however i have been looking at my work lately and seen a lack of personal development. My last couple of pieces of work have been to help develop my skills at using new software and how to paint and colour in new ways to my previous style. I have been looking at how i could better myself in my type of style i have and i came across a blog of a artist who gave out a couple of interesting points. One which i did take into consideration and try was to draw in the style i want to practice people and faces i know well. The blog talked about how you know the faces around you and are easier to picture in your head than random faces or copying off other images, the point made as to draw these people in the preferred style you want to practice. I personally prefer disney/pixar style art with every over the top expressions of shape and characteristics. I chose to have a go and creating this effect by drawing friends as i could picture what they looked like in that style. These are what i drew. I also created them in illustrator to help me again strengthen my skills in that software.

Tshirt competition

I entered a couple entries into a Deviantart competition to design a teeshirt which has a cute monster design on it. You could enter as many teeshirt designs as you like but you had to design your own monsters to add to the design. They gave us the teeshirt templates in which to use when designing the tshirt. Unfortunately I was unable to place in the competition but I enjoyed designing the work and it helped me practice my skills on photoshop. It was also a great way to develop my personal practice as well as get viewers looking at my work.

2D Art and Practicing New Software

To continue my development on Illustrator i developed an creature design. I started with a similar doodle to the first attempted I did and then placed it into Illustrator. I used Illustrator tools to outline the creature to have smooth edges and have vector feel. I then exported the creature out into photoshop for colouring, I spend a while designing this creature because I though it would look goof as a part of my portfolio as well.

Learning Illustrator

As part of my learning aspects for BA8 I said I would have a look and use illustrator. As I haven't used the software before I had to play and test the software first. I doodled a creature in which to use as practice in Illustrator as a way of getting used to different elements of the software. I mostly used the pen tool to outline the creature in Illustrator as well as then used the brush to paint other lines into the image. I saved out the outline of the creature then painted it in photoshop.

New Website Design

I looked back at my old website design and thought it didn't show me personally as a character. Professional websites would be a lot less artistic than this design but i want to get across my character as a person and my abilities rather than trying to push other qualities in which can be seen through my CV and or Interviews, I also feel like its more attracting for a viewer to see rather than a website that may look in a similar style to other designers and artists. Having a site that is rememberable is also important as i have personally heard from a number of designers how because of simple elements on there cv, art or websites have stood out they have got jobs because they are the person the employer can remember.

My idea is to create this site either on Iweb or dreamweaver. I haven't used Dreamweaver before so i will have to learn how to use the software if i am going to use it. I also have heard how Icloud, are no longer going to be avaiable from april, this may effect my using Iweb based on Iweb uses Icloud to host Websites.

Mummy Enemy

Here is a mummy design for the Egypt level of Nimbo, This creature was designed to slowly walk and eat the plants on screen with its main weakness being wind has it is only held together by the its linon wraps. It will strong agaisnt lightning and ice.

Enemy Theme Design

This enemy is for the artic/snow levels, typically a snowman is commonly refered to winter and christmas. Dispite snowmen not being alive also known for attacking or eating plants the comic concept that they are in game should keep players less worried about the practical sence and keep them for focused on playing. There weakness would be heat, and they would have a medium amount of health.

Locust

This is a design i did for another enemy for the plants in Nimbo. Locast are known for eating plants and crops which makes them a perfect natural enemy for the game. I looked at real images of the insects to see what they look like in detail so i can make my cartoon version look semi realistic. I will be grouping them together small to they will appear to fly as a group into the level as an enemy. Their weakness would be to wind, though they will have low health anyways being so small.

Catapillar Enemy

Today i thought that a potential enemy for plants could be a small group of catapillars due to the fact that are notorious for eating plants and there leaves, I doodled some designs out as well as worked up a finished version which i think works well in the style and looks fun and amusing.

Moshi Monsters Music

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/social-media/9119099/Moshi-Monsters-signs-record-deal-with-Sony.html

I came across an article on how moshi monsters has signed a record deal with sony to release an album. This shows how when a game becomes really popular more opportunities egmere, it also means that if the game as many strong aspects they can then be extracted out more such as the sound and music from Moshi Monsters.

First Stage of Plants

Plants will grow through different stages in which players will recieve points from. I am currently looking at designing the flowers themselves but i have designed some level one plants in which players can find on the level before they grow. I have kept them simple and similar in which players will have to grow them before they will be able to tell what plant they are.

Here are the designs:

Bonus in game items

In-game players will be able to recieve random bonuses in which will help the player and keep the player feeling that they are achieveing something over long periods of gaming. I already had mentioned and had a couple of different Bonus powers for the older game document, what i have done is expanded on them and created a range in which bonus the player in different ways and different abilitys.

Access to Music

Today i went down to Access to Music in order to colaborate with music students in which can develop a soundtrack for my game 'Nimbo' I went with 4 other students and had to firstly meet at 10 and then give the students and the teacher a brief presentation of what i am doing, what my game is and what i am looking for in the form of a soundtrack. It was a good day out and was able to meet a couple of other students in which seems capiable of making some great soundtracks. After having a good talk and a discussion on what is needed and how they will go about designing the sound i now have to wait to here back from them to see what they have created. This means we will work together again and hopefully be able to communicate strongly to acheive the best outcome.

I am looking forward to what will be created for my game and will continue with my own sound work with recording sounds for voices and attempt creating a soundtrack with another nuca student.

I also spent half the day working as student ambassidor taking tours for new students around the uni.

Extra Credits

I have been invited to attend a collabiration meeting with Access to Music along with 5 other pupils to get help from professional musicans as well as music students. The idea is that we show our work for BA and discuss how and what music we need and would like for our work and/or showreel in which they would try to experienment and create sounds for us to freely use. This is a great chance to get some experienced artists to create us some great soundtracks and potentially more in which will help us with understanding how to create music.

As i also was going to be creating a soundtrack to use for the prototype of nimbo and the animation this will firstly help learn how to go about the design of the music as well as have some great people create my music (potentially alot great music in which i would of made in the time i have) What i am doing im prepiration is to look at different soundtracks of music in relation to my game, so games like farmville and angry birds and listen to what they include and how it makes you feel.

I also will then try to find examples of songs and sound to take or reference to be able to explain what want from access to music. It will also make me clear of what i am looking for and why.

Farmville soundtrack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dF96UFfGrw

Angry Birds Soundtrack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZJheq_a-T0&NR=1&feature=endscreen

Tiny Wings Soundtrack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7afcpk8TV_c

Scribblenauts Soundtrack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nCOi1Aflso

Jetpack Joyride Soundtrack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LfIh8Cqu8s

I have also re-watched Soundworks Video on Angrybirds in which i watched earlier durin my project. The video is helpful and shows how the song in which is now many started as a simple catchy beat in which has been modifided in many ways to create different good soundtracks.This would be good to get a catchy beat or noise in which people will remember and reconize after playing, even potentially get stuck in there head.

I like the feel and sound of country and folk music on the acuostic but i feel like that it will nimbo feel to country rather than bubbly and fun, hopefully finding a compromise will between a digitalize sounds with country or folk.

Credit Design

I completed the Credit and information screen today labeling simple information about the game as well as the credits for who has done what currently for the prototype of the game.
Shown here:



I have also talked to Cian McNabola in which to discuss music and audio for nimbo. My though on the game was that it could have a light acustic sound which could play quitely in the background of the main game as well as maybe the menu screen.

I also designed a potential loading screen for John incase needed, it also makes the game feel more complete and have the components that other Iphone games have. Here is the loading screen design:

The idea was that this screen would appear after the logo screen, this screen shows the game name, character and each small bubble cloud below the name would pop up as the game loads. When all three appear the game has loading and the menu would appear shortly. the first cloud would appear at 25% loaded, then the next at 50% and then the 3rd at 75%.

Sound Design and Credits

Today i spend looking at making sounds for my game concept 'Nimbo'. I wanted to create buttons sounds and a simple voice sound in which to use potentially in the game demo in which is being put together by john. I started today working in sound looking at loops and prerecorded sounds in Logic in which i can use and edit for the button noises, after playing around changing different sounds, cutting and whiching noises i was unsure of what would work for my game in terms of sounds. I had a strong idea in which i want Nimbo to sound (squeeky and young). With my loading opening screen i thought i could have someone voice over the word nimbo telling players how it sounds and people wil understand the cloud as a child.

I recorded Ryan Pentney preforming the voice saying nimbo in which to use. I like how it turned out although i may have to test it with john and get other oppinions of the sound. From this sound i thought that some buttons may have voices in which say words rather than simple typical button sounds. Because of nibmo moving as a anamatic for the menus i recorded 'Here we go' as the sound that could be used for the items, play and buy buttons because it will look and sound like nimbo is moving to the next area.

I also got some simple mummbled versions of nimbo and nimbos fathers voice in which i could place over the speech bubbles during the simple introduction anamatic.

First finished menu Design

I have spent the last couple of days designing the different menu screens as one image in which should be in the correct size and format to be transfered to gamesalad. I had to design many different layers and elements to create buttons and elements to make it appear strongly refined. I will take this to john and see what he can do with the assets and hopefuly create a really good working animated menu.

Menu Design

After meeting with john again to discuss how to create layout for the menus in design to fit gamesalad and potential Ios devices. He had designed a new way of animating the menu design, orginally i was having the menus appear over the last when buttons are selected but john learnt that if a large screen image was designed it could be anmaticaly moved which would give the apparence of sliding menus. This in the demo form looked more orginal and exciting than appearing menus. He also intergrated the concept of nimbo being on the main menu by making nimbo move to the other menu screens through animation. The prototype shows a box move from one secton to the other but when the character is added it would appear like he is flying from one menu to another.



Video of demo menu in gamesalad created by john:

Menu and App Design

Flowchart Edit

This is my updated flowchart:



I also have spent my time designing my own personal company name and logo to make the game have a feel of realism, as it will look like a company has made the game.

Design:



Because i am designing the game and creating the assets but john is creating the playable game i have asked if him if he has a company idea or logo in which he has. I will also be adding his logo next to mine to show that is was a joint effort in making the game.

Flow Chart edits

After getting in touch with john, he was happy to continue working on the Nimbo prototype. He is happy to have a least a simple full level working prototype which may include menu's and buttons to navagate. This would allow me and him to both show a working game as well as show that we have the ability to create a product.

We sat to discuss what i am currently doing and were i am up to in the re-design of the game document. One main topic was the menu design in which i have started to draw out. John had a look at the flowchart and pointed out different ways i could improve the flowchart to make a more practical design in which could be made by him as well as general observations. I took his advise and we looked at how improve the design in which worked for me and for him.

this is the image we worked on in context of redesign, the red indcates changes i could and should make:

This is my first attempt at the design layout of my potential menus for Nimbo. I created it in theme with nimbo to make it more presentable as well as trying to keep practical and simple.



After getting some feedback from other students and teacher there were a few adjustments that would make it more understandable and readable. The lines needed changing to understand the direction as well as what it on what menu. I also changed the text to make it more plesant to the eyes and readable. This is the updated version.

Menu layouts

As i am currently designing and painting environments for my game refining the art style and look i was thinking what i could design for the game menu's. During resent sound inductions i have been thinking about hopefully using and recording sound to get some early practice and i thought having a quickly animated menu system might be worth trying soon so i can try using sound. Firstly before i can design my menu screens i must know the layout of how my menu system will work. This would take the form of a flowchart, to enable me and others to see were the different screens lead on from each other. As early preparation for this i have had a look at games on the Iphone to see how they have laid there game menu's out. There is a recurring theme with similar buttons on the main screen as well has similar looking buttons and layouts.

Brief notes made by me:

Angry Birds -

Click Gamer - Revio - Loading screen image - Menu screen

Play - settings and credits/info - leader boards - Achievements - buy eagle - connect to online.

Play - Chapters on scroll - levels - Pick level.

Jetpack Joyride

Half-brick loading - menu screen

Play - stash - missions - home - leader board - connect to Facebook.

play = play.

stash - clothing, jet packs, vechicles, utilities, profile, achevements, get coins, also shows total coins on this page.

Mega Jump

Get set - Play - Free MP - Store - Facebook - Twitter - Youtube - Mega Code - Help - settings

Settings - faint, game centre - sound - screen.

Store - Characters to buy - Buy star - wallpaper - buy coins.

Play - Level

Minigore

Loading screen image

Play - Options - Leaderboards - Achievements - Communities - Credits - Encyclopaedia

Play = Choose character - play

Options = Music, SFX, Voice, Show Pads, Show Radar, Game centre.

Encyclopaedia = Images of different characters and enemies.


These notes are for my to remember how these games have laid out there menu screens, I will look over these games and others again when i design my flowchart of the menu system. I will also look at how games have also used mechanics to save space on menus as well as the artist direction and the typical layouts of menus in the iphone.

Nimbo Coins

I did a series of designs looking at what would be the best design for the credits players would receive in game. I made a different series of designs to see what would visibly look best but i also had to consider what credits might look like as they tend to have the iconic coin look and i didn't want to confuse players to what they are. I like the seed design along with the Numbered leaf and Numbered Gold coin, i feel like the coin is a great way to make players already recognise that it can be used to buy items. The seed design shows money and might inform players that it needs to be bought with real world money.

I think that i will be using the coin due to its iconic look and that having a number on the coin i can then make it a way to showing how much an item can cost as well as use the N gold coin as a base for a totalled number of coins players have earnt. I can then add in a way of making players by numbered coins showing there value.

More Enviroments

I have been working on more enviroment designs for my game project, these are just simple selections of what the possiable scrolling background.

New enviroments.

I have been designing new enviroment designs which i entend to improve on and use for my game project. These new areas are based on locations as i talked about in my last post. The areas i have done are rural england, alaska, Amazon jungle and a enviroment based on new yorks centeral park. Before i did my designs i looked at basic online images to get a grasp of what these areas look like then combining those ideas to what typically you expect from those locations.

For rural england you expect fields, bushs and things like gloomy weather and haybails in which i tryed to include to make it feel more like the location.

Images i looked at:







By looking at images of the locations it gave me a better idea of what people might expect and how i should design my game level enviroments. These are the 2 early designs i have made:

Game Levels

As part of my design of my previous game document i have been designing new concepts for my levels in which the player could play in and/or potentially buy as extras. My orginal plan to create changes to the levels and enviroment was to have the Nimbo travel to new locations around the world. it would also allow for more new opitunites for new enemys and plants that also fit into the location and theme.

In the first game document i had one other level in which was in the desert. I also mentioned how maybe in certian locations it could change due to the area of the location such as urban or rural. The main other areas i said were if the levels could be beach, mountain or desert based.

My early designs looked like this:





I liked this images because it allowed for a simple background which was easy to understand what was foreground and what was background. They were also easy to recreate quickly. I also designed them to be simple to re-tile meaning i could use the same layers to create a large re-tiling background in which the player could scroll through. I tryed to recreated the game in my new designed but i also wanted to make them more aesthetically pleasing. I did this by firstly choosing a location in which to base the area of, i then also looked at images from the area to understand what the player might expect to see there if they were in that location. I have created my own versions of these real world places.

These level concepts are based on if the location of Egpyt:

Designing Nimbo Merch

I have been looking at creating merchendise for my game, i want to allow players to buy gifts codes for the game in which they can then buy virtual items in game with. I looked at various if different ways that the games market does this. The most popular method is by selling plastic cards that people buy and scrach off that reveils a code that gives them the virtual goods, usually in game currency.

The most popular known version of this method is the Itune gift cards in which people can buy and then when the code is entered it transfers the cost into the Itunes market place.



In games usually extras for pre-ordering items players recieve a similar item but its more paper based and the code allows players to access a download which gives them certian items. These are usually in the game case. If i was going to allow this i could create cards with speical virtual items on in which customers might potentionally buy from stores.



As a quick example i created what one might appear like as a early concept in which i will later go back to and consentrate on details and will create a prototype version of.

Story Screenshots

This is a storyboard I have designed that shows a potential opening scene for the game, what it is showing is Nimbo racing forward, thus showing the character at the start. It next shows Nimbo with a larger cloud (its father Nimbus) at this point there are speech bubbles that show there will be text dialog in the scene, it starts with Nimbus telling nimbo to calm down and nimbo asking how he can be big.
Next its the same but from another perspective as Nimbus tells Nimbo if he wants to be big he needs to travel the world and help grow and save plant, thus starting his mission.