Research and Analysis : Death Stranding's E3 OST

How are these guys not more known than that ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdz03uvUldk

Thanks to Hideo Kojima for your masterpieces ( Silent Hill, Metal Gear, ... ) and to make me discover this little pearl in your next universe trailer ( with Norman Reedus - Daryl Dixon from "The Walking Dead" ).
I think they should include a part of sound design in my Games design course, it really deserves to be a complete module because a music can bring a game from regular to outstanding (Mario OST ? Tetris OST ? )

https://youtu.be/i2nuHEGhwiw

You can join them here :

Low Roar

Research and Analysis : Toniko Pantoja

Today, while I was doing some research about the correct steps to create a good character,  I just discovered Toniko Pantoj, an Indonesian Animator and Story Artist who done is art studies in Canada. He made a Youtube channel  where he puts tutorial videos, there isn't a lot of video, but the quality of explanations are really nice. I advice any animator to at least check his 5 main videos which are really nice !

 

Weekly Reflection : Silhouettes

I'm quiet happy with the last silhouette I draw for my last first year, in game design project.

The character is a ultra violent gang boss, usually using weapons such as baseball bat or american fist he can also threaten using guns or more heavy weapons. This doesn't makes him a weak fighter, he can also easily defeat many adversary bared hands.

Research and analysis : Playful cinema

 Today, I discovered who was Brad Bird, an amazing film director who is known for animation movies such as The Iron giant, The incredible or Ratatouille.

His specificity is to avoid cuts between different camera angles, he doesn't switch between many camera but uses simple slides from a subject to an other. This keep the logic of the scene and create small story in each shot. The great majority of his work uses a 3 slides set up which makes hi kind of cinema to be playful.

 HERE is the link to the explanatory video about how to set up a playful cinema as Brad Bird. 

Weekly Reflection : Summer studies ?

For this summer I would like to keep working on the different software in relation with the video game industry as well as boost my drawing skills but it might be interesting to diverse my learning and range of skills. That's why I started to look for telestudies which could allow me to study at my own rhythm and have certificates to prove my learning.

After some researches, I found an interesting website doing this, OpenClassroom.

A great variety of skills and competence are teach there, in majority multimedia and programming. That's why I will apply for the premium which is 108€/year, approximatively 75£/year. Some of these certificates are recognize by the state as professional and some others even can be validated by university to get University credits. I can't wait to start these modules and see if it's really bringing a plus ! I'll post a new when I will have done a certificate to give more information on the open classroom system.

Research and Analysis : Volume light 3DS max

I've just seen an explanatory video on the rendering by using mental ray under 3ds max. The rendering of this light can quickly and effectively add depth and life to a scene.

 The video comes from the  Andrew Smith's YouTube channel who is digital artist and an university professor. Through his videos, he explains how he creates his designs or characters by peeling(analysing) the stages or by growing shorter during the videos of speed painting.

 In the present video HERE, Andrew is going to explain the power of the volumetric light tool as well as the use of the ambient occlusion and the use of simple materials. 

 

On this first image, it is a raw render without texture nor specific light. Only a simple light source allows to see the inside of the building. 

The second step is the creation of the volumetric light via the light creation and allow the global illumination.

 

The third step is the addition of ambient occlusion. For this, he is going to add a mentalray material in the whole scene.

 




For the fourth step, he is going to add a directed light, which he is going to aim through windows at the character. Then he is going to activate the shadows and to activate the beams of the shadows. Then in the effects of environment, add a volumetric effect. 

Research and Analysis : Total war warhammer

There is a game I can't wait to put my hands on, Total War : Warhammer. The talent and the quality of the team Creative Assembly added to the rich and dark universe of Warhammer only can give birth to a marvellous serie of strategic game.

The environment design is absolutly marvellous in all the area of the world map. You can clearly see the fidelity of the architecture in the buildings like in in the following picture which take place in a dwarf area.




The character design is very accurate to the Warhammer universe, with a very diverse and high quality bestiary. From the undeads, to the empire or the chaos as we can watch in that video presenting a battle between dwarves and chaos armies

Even the battle looks very realistic with tons of interactions between every units. The animator have created high quality duels and executions for all kind of units which give a plus to this game in this battle, you can see how the manticore execute the gyrobomber.

Weekly Reflection : Grease pencil

I just discovered a new tool in Blender, which make me be really curious about this software. Throught the quick breakdown of the "Kairos" video breakdown that you can find HERE, I've just seen a tool called blender grease pencil. This tool allows to mix 2D and 3D and the render is just amazing !

I feel that I need to get blender which look way more ergonomic than 3DS max. Soon or late I will have the time to play with that software, I can't wait for it !!

Research and Analysis : Infinite universe.

I've just checked the making of from no man sky, a procedural space exploring game which looks amazing ! You actually can explore 18,446,744,073,709,551,616  planets !! Even in an entire life it would not be possible to complete the game, you can meet aliens and tonnes of different creature and vegetals aleatory generated ! For me it sounds really great, I'm really waiting a report about the technology they have use and the algorythms they have use to build the game. Moreover I really want to take a ride in that universe to dicovery new lands. Check the news about this game HERE !

Weekly Reflection : Photogrammetry

today, I've seen a very interesting video on jeuxvidéo.com talking about photogrammetry which is a technic who create a 3D version of anything based on many pictures using a software to calculate the subject.

representation of a statue using photogrammetry

 These software are mostly open source (free) and allows people to have a stunning result with very few ressources.


Photogrammetry have been used in video game industry, recently in the awarded "Vanishing of Ethan Carter" which looks absolutly amazing !

Vanishing of Ethan Carter developpment blog where you can see how did they used photogrammetry

Weekly Reflection : graphic tablet and Imac ?

        Today I checked on the Wacom website for the graphic tablet WACOM Cintiq 27 HD. The price is quiet hight, but if I'm working hard during summer, I might be able to buy it after 1 month and half of work. This tool sounds necessar to be "more professional"in this job.

          Then, I been on Apple website to look for a powerful mac that I wouldn't have to change for a long time but more specificaly for the 5K retina screen which is absolutly amazing, exaclty like the price .. I still need time and information to be able to decide which one to chose.