Category: Year 3

Categories
Immersive Design Year 3

The Final Piece

This piece didn’t come out nearly as I originally planed for it too, throughout the entire process I attempted to make sure that scene where as planned by rendering scenes out to see how they would look, this worked out great as it allowed me to evaluate what needed changing and what reached the peak of which I wanted. Although there was one major problem with this, I was using the built in renderer for Maya instead of using Arnold (which was the software that I was told to use for the final render) which was where the problem was.

You see, throughout the entire creation of this I was also using the integrated lighting that Maya had, which for some reason isn’t compatible with Arnold Rendering. This meant that come to the final result, I had to try and quickly change out all the lights from ‘Maya Lighting’ to ‘Arnold Lighting’ which was problematic, as with ‘Arnold Lighting’ you need to alter the exposure of the light to allow the camera to see it.

With my resit, I am planning on not only fixing all the lights within the scene but also incorporating a small ball of light that will move around the environment to go and draw the viewers eyes and lead them on the journey they’re going to take. This light will also be used to emphasize the quotes within the scenes as well.

With this render of the animation as I was needing to use a different computer due to my laptop not being strong enough to sort it out. This caused one problem, the material colours that I had sorted out weren’t there anymore so everything is the same material colour. I also wasn’t able to add the light orb, but even without it I feel as though it’s a lot easier to follow where to look due to the quotes from the book that show up in the scenes.

Also after following every step on how to make it work as a VR Video this is how it came out and I don’t know how to fix it.

Categories
Immersive Design Year 3

The assets themselves

The Assets

These are the assets that were created by me to be used in the immersive design assessment. The theme and design that I tried to go for with these models were a low poly stylised look similar to that of the video I referenced. This is in an attempt to try and create a piece that is stylised, this is because in my opinion both games and videos that favour that of a stylised look instead of realism hold up and keep there charm for longer. This is because there is a constant progression when it comes to creating a world and environment that looks real, meaning that pieces that attempted to look real 3-4 years ago now look unrealistic and tacky in comparison to the technology of the present.

The first image that you see within the gallery above this is that of smoke cloud, this would be used as a transition screen after the caterpillar blows it into your face. The second image is a tea pot, this will be placed not only on the mad hatters tea table but also in the tunnel that you go through at the beginning. The third image is that of the red paint, this is once again used in the opening tunnel but is primarily created to be used in the later iconic scene of painting the roses red. The forth image is once again a transitioning effect piece, this is supposed to be tea that splashes into the viewers face after the cup is raised, allowing a seamless transition from the ‘tea time’ scene to the ‘painted rose’ scene. The fifth image is the tea cup that is used at the tea table and is also the tea cup that splashes the viewer. The sixth image is the ‘drink me bottle’ and the ‘eat me biscuit’ these are places on a side table and is used to represent the items that Alice uses to shrink and grow. The seventh image is a oversized mushroom, this is used to hold the smoking caterpillar on and after the transition also perch the Cheshire cat afterwards. The eighth image is that of the lock. this is the lock that protects the room that you enter after the tunnel to wonderland itself. Lastly the ninth image is a silhouette of the mad hatter himself, which is used in the ‘tea time’ scene to assist with the viewer understanding which part of the story there were up to. 

Categories
Immersive Design Year 3

Planning for the scenes

Scene Planning

This first scene consists of you traveling down the hole. Items flying past you as you continue down it, the lights being purple and green to mimic that psychedelic feel that the original movie tried to incorporate.

This second scene is that of the drink me potion and the eat me cookie, these placed on the table with the locked door in front of the viewer. The transition between this scene and the following scene would be inspired once again by the original movie, with her tears filling up the room an the waves taking the viewer through the lock.

This next scene consists of the mushroom that would have the caterpillar on it, smoking away. This would then transition into the caterpillar blowing smoke in the viewers face and being replaced by the Cheshire cat who would disappear after the viewer hears a boiling kettle from behind them, henceforth prompting them to turn around.

Once turned around, the viewer would see a table with a teapot, tea cup and the mad hatter at the other end of the table. This would then continue into the next scene by the tea cup being drunk from and the tea splashing on the viewers face.

Once the tea had gone the viewer would be greeted with a red rose and a paint bucket with multiple playing cards on the floor representing the iconic painting the roses red scene from the original movie.

The Queen of hearts would then appear above the hedge and be beheaded by a pair of scissors. This piece of cut off card would then fall down onto the viewer the screen going black and the sequence complete.

Categories
Immersive Design Year 3

References

Disney (2020) Cheshire Cat [Digital Art] Available online at: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/588353138794078871/

ClipartMax (2018) Alice Tale Character Fairy Fantasy In Wonderland Caterpillar – Caterpillar Alice In Wonderland Ornament [Digital Art] Available online at: https://www.clipartmax.com/middle/m2H7d3i8K9A0b1H7_alice-tale-character-fairy-fantasy-in-wonderland-caterpillar-caterpillar-alice-in-wonderland/

Chellew (2019) Medieval scissors [3D Model] Available online at: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/medieval-scissors-14023ed7bc1344319c5fd906b840b03d

Esteban Dln (2018) Low-Poly Rose [3D Model] Available online at: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/low-poly-rose-d526e8beceba4fbc81595721fff3954c

DudleyLong (2023) Playing Cards [3D Model] Available online at: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/playing-cards-793274af15df4f20848d83ab6d127493

Categories
Immersive Design Year 3

Navigation and Audio Considerations

The way I will be creating the piece is by having it almost in one large line and things appearing and disappearing out of the eyeline of the viewer. This line turning around at the middle stage with the tea table appearing. Another reason for this method is to hopefully minimise the chance of causing motion sickness to the viewer as they watch the video.

I will also be adding a floor to my animation as well, as not having a floor can cause issues for people, as instead of being grounded to the floor you would be floating which can cause a lot of motion sickness in some people.

Throughout the piece I will be using specific sounds to specify when it is that the scene will be changing. I will also be using sounds to draw the attention of the viewer to the quotes of each scene as well.

The music that will be playing through it is a sombre melody which sits nicely with the overall piece. Allowing other sounds to peek out whilst not having an uneasiness of there being no sounds at all.


BreakingCopyright (2022) Somber (Royalty Free Music) – “WARM SOLITUDE, COLD LONELINESS” by Arthur Vyncke [Video] Accessible online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2qQYoD9OPM&list=PLfP6i5T0-DkL6ZfuuFHO2gwNwNo1vG3TD

Categories
Immersive Design Year 3

Structure of the Piece and Digital Affordance

Structure of the Piece

With the piece I will be trying to adapt the entire book/movie(1951) into a short virtual experience presenting the viewer with a recap of the entire movie with the use of a simplistic low poly art style.

Schell Games (2017) ‘I Expect You To Die’ Opening Credits [Video] Available online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht1ZChKF4Ek

Through out the piece as well I will be keeping the viewer preoccupied with different models and sounds to keep them intrigued and keep them engaged with the parts that I want them to. I will be planning on doing this by using a variety of lights, sounds and colours.

The lights that I will add to the animation will consist of not only harsh lights that should draw the attention of the viewer by exaggerating a specific item within the scene, but I will also be using softer lights in parts where the scene encourages exploration and taking in your environment.

With the sounds, I will be adding different sounds within the animation to draw the attention of the viewer to different points of the scene. These sounds will be quick loud sounds that will stick out from the sombre music that will be playing in the background. These will be like this to attempt to perk the interest of the viewer and drag there attention to the next scene, and although it will be loud I will attempt to make sure it’s not too loud as I’m not planning on scaring the viewer only guide them.

Lastly the colours that I have chosen to use within the animation is a variety of greys, the only different colours being used to represent a specific mood within the scene or to drag the eyes as it stands out among the greys of everything else. This colour pallet is similar to that of sin city with its heavy reliance of monochromatic shades and only colouring items of importance.

I did think about adding both hands and a body into the animation to simulate that of the viewer but came to the conclusion that without either a full tracking system that simulates not only there hands but the rest of there body that it might be disconnecting to the viewer, definitely as during it, the viewer will be prompted to turn around. Though I believe adding either hands or a body into my animation would distract the viewer too much from the things that are happening around them, henceforth taking away from the experience that I’m trying to make.

The quotes that I’m planning on presenting within the animation itself consist of:

“Oh, how I wish I could shut up like a telescope! I think I could, if only I knew how to begin.” For, you see, so many out-of-the-way things had happened lately, that Alice had begun to think that very few things indeed were really impossible. —Chapter 1, Down the Rabbit-Hole


It was all very well to say “Drink me,” but the wise little Alice was not going to do that in a hurry. “No, I’ll look first,” she said, “and see whether it’s marked ‘poison’ or not.” —Chapter 1, Down the Rabbit-Hole


“Who are you?” said the Caterpillar.

This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, “I—I hardly know, Sir, just at present—at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.”

“What do you mean by that?” said the Caterpillar, sternly. “Explain yourself!”

“I can’t explain myself, I’m afraid, Sir,” said Alice, “because I am not myself, you see.” —Chapter 5, Advice from a Caterpillar


“In that direction,” the Cat said, waving its right paw round, “lives a Hatter: and in that direction,” waving the other paw, “lives a March Hare. Visit either you like: they’re both mad.”

“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked.

“Oh, you can’t help that,” said the Cat: “we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”

“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice.

“You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.” —Chapter 6, Pig and Pepper


“Take some more tea,” the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.

“I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone: “so I can’t take more.”

“You mean you can’t take less,” said the Hatter: “It’s very easy to take more than nothing.” —Chapter 7, A Mad Tea-Party


The Queen turned crimson with fury, and, after glaring at her for a moment like a wild beast, began screaming “Off with her head! Off with—”

“Nonsense!” said Alice, very loudly and decidedly, and the Queen was silent. —Chapter 8, The Queen’s Croquet-Ground

Categories
Level Design Year 3

New and Improved Level Blockout Assignment

Referencing from used packs:

Super Bug Models (2020) Sci-Fi Crates [Digital Asset] Accessed here: https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/item/01c417b56fd1489183bd24bc8d06dd97

Nexis (2019) Modular Sci Fi Orion Mars Corridors [Digital Asset] Accessed here: https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/item/1a9ced0794be4e14ad0ba31b96e1fc2c/reviews

Studio New Punch (2021) Female Scientist Zombie [Digital Asset] Accessed here: https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/item/3fcd952e4e2e4726b0024a0693ba6406

ProtoFactor Inc (2018) Animal Variety Pack [Digital Asset] Accessed here: https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/17c2d7d545674204a7644c3c0c4c58ba

^Blueprint of the level that I drew

Categories
Digital Storytelling Year 3

Digital Storytelling Final

To start off I ended up changing the software that I was using to create the 3D environment walkthrough from Maya to Unreal Engine 5. This is purely due to a large amount of use within the VFX module and understanding it a lot better than Maya, defiantly with me using found assets instead of creating my own.

To start off after I found the assets that I was going to use I started to build the environment that the camera was going to pan through. This environment was that of a futuristic space station/ space ship storage room. I tried to create this feel and look by using tiles that seemed more futuristic whilst keeping that streamline space feeling to them. I also used large crates commonly used within space game. After this I needed it to look slightly wrecked from the captive within freaking out and breaking stuff as they turn due to the spatial anomaly. I tried to capture this feeling by knocking over crates and other objects.

After this I added the lighting to the environment, within the room itself I wanted the main light to come from the hallway itself, having this looming effect as the camera pans around. The other lights that I added to the room was two red lights in the corner hidden behind the crates as you pan round watching not only the infected but you as well.

Once I had done all of this is was time to start the cinematic within the level, adding effects to models and lighting as well as moving things when needed.

Within this I tried adding pre made animation to a model I found, I couldn’t sadly get it to work so I will be rendering it with the mannequin instead of the model. Though this is the model that I would have used.

After creating it and rendering it out of unreal engine 5 I then added it After effects to add the correct sound effect and voice over from the survivors within the ship. With this I also decided to add some quiet horror music as well to add an ambient layer of sound to the entire piece.

I even added a mothman sound at the beginning to help assist the idea that mothman is the one who caused the problems in the first place.

Harvard References:

  • NANİGO Sound Effect (2022) Sound Effect – Muffled Talking [Video] Accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgYrVELhlM8
  • Mazellmi (2021) Mothman sounds [Video] Accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpxVPKscruI&t=5s
  • Everyday Cinematic Sounds (2022) Banging on Metal | HQ Sound Effects [Video] Accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvd4vUtpUpg
  • SILHOUETTE GEARS (2022) sci fi door sound effect [Video] Accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZVx53a2mWw
  • MATTIA CUPELLI (2016) Dark Tension Rising Music | (Download and Royalty FREE) [Video] Accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zvQoPyY2XE&t=21s
  • Super Bug Models (2020) Sci-Fi Crates [Digital Asset] Accessed here: https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/item/01c417b56fd1489183bd24bc8d06dd97
  • Nexis (2019) Modular Sci Fi Orion Mars Corridors [Digital Asset] Accessed here: https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/item/1a9ced0794be4e14ad0ba31b96e1fc2c/reviews
  • MoCap Online (2019) Zombie Starter – MoCap Pack [Digital Animation Pack] Accessed here: https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/item/c40ddd5538214d26b78f0cfb2ec28061/reviews
  • Studio New Punch (2021) Female Scientist Zombie [Digital Asset] Accessed here: https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/item/3fcd952e4e2e4726b0024a0693ba6406
Categories
Y3 Level Design

Level Blockout Assignment

With this assignment I decided to make an environment that is inspired by that of Egyptian architecture. To start off I decided to create a pyramid. Pyramids being a staple of Egyptian culture as they were used to bury people of power and wealth inside. The variation in size was there to show a variety in size within the level as well as relating to the fact that as the time went on within Egyptian culture multiple people of wealth would have pyramids hidden within the sand to try and prevent grave robbers from stealing from there tomb.

After I created these I decided to create a derelict worshiping site. These would be initially where people would pray to the gods and offer sacrifices to them. Though after a long amount of time it’s crumbled and broken down.

Finally the last thing that I made was a obelisk. These normally being used as weenies within real life to represent largely populated areas. Within this game world it would be there to assist with pointing out a look out across the rest of the world and would be were the player would initially be spawned. Also being used as a checkpoint as well as a weenie to help find there way back.

Within the level the pyramids will consist of mainly being a weenie that can be climbed to give the player a better view of the overall level.

Categories
Visual FX Year 3

Production Notes

Within this cinematic that I will be making I will be using a mixture between found assets as well as creating my own.

The found assets will consist of:

the house, the hand that wipes over the camera, the door.

I will be creating:

I low poly kitchen top, kitchen cabinet, fridge. Old box TV, the arms that will emerge out of the TV.

I will link/Harvard reference the found assets here once found.

Nice 3d (2018) Old House [Environment Assets] An old Russian House. Found Online at: https://marketplace-website-node-launcher-prod.ol.epicgames.com/ue/marketplace/en-US/product/old-house [Accessed on 10/01/2023]

Bugrimov Maksim (2021) Adventure Character [Digital Asset] Accessed here: https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/item/d943cdcf09364e0fb439dc5f00b66bbc/questions

Free Sounds Library (2017) Rain Sound Effect Short (2 Minutes) [Video] Accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6G0EuPAoKQ&t=7s

The Chest (2021) Walking on Wooden Floor – Sound Effect [4K] [Video] Accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaEnC7MqJIw&t=1s

ftus sound effects (2021) FOOTSTEPS IN MUD SOUND EFFECTS | Royalty free sound effects [Video] Accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9R2K_QED6s