Can We Categories Transition Areas?

Putting Transition Areas In To Categories

Image from Christopher Bookers book 'The Seven Basic Plots' from Content Marketing Institute 

To help identify the techniques already used in transition areas, I'm going to look and see if these areas possibly fall into different categories. Similar to 'The 7 Story Archetypes', a list that categorizes types of story's and is theorized that all/most story's will fit into them. I'm hoping that this helps me to see if there are any similarity's and differences in the techniques used in transitions.

The Chase

 

Image of 'Crash Bandicoot 1 remastered' from 336GameReviews 

These kinds of transitions involve a push. Something such as a timer, object or creature that pushes the player character through the transition within a certain time. I find these interesting as how little of the environment you visually take in, so many details will go missed due to the time frame. However These sort of of techniques help the player interact and learn more about the environment, as the route often involves jumps and doges as part of the game play, the player has to learn these patterns and interact with the surrounds. The cool-down for this transition is also very minimal, making me think of how I can play with limits to the players cool-down period in my own environments.

The Aesthetic

Image from 'Bioshock Infinite' from Secondary Fire 

The aesthetic are the transitions that I have found that cool-down periods are the most prominent. Full of wonder, and plenty of visuals to take in at your own pace for the majority. A transition area that speaks for its self, a primary focus on the aesthetic feel of the world. These tend to have little in terms of active game play if any at all.  

The Maze

 Image from 'Tomb Raider 3' from Stellalune  

The maze is a transition that is built to be repetitive, trapping the player there so they have to find a way out. Strong visuals are a kind of hindrance, as repetition works best in these areas as the environment is used deceive the player. Giving an effective feeling of lost and confused. 

Story Revealing

Image from 'Bioshock' from Fandom

Focused heavily on ways that implement story into the environment. Whether that be through subtle visuals or the more prominent this category, scripted events. Using this transition as a way of revealing more story to the character. Giving the player the cool-down while also giving the player more to experience within the game via story. Due to this fact these areas tend to be found in more story driven games.

     Fun Travel

Image from 'God Of War 2' from Youtube AKeon  

Travelling through the environment is a large part of transitioning from one area or another. Some games use different transport methods as a way of enhancing the experience through the environment. Such as Flying, driving or ridding a creature. This brings a different way of experiencing the environment and gives the player a new way of moving. Enhancing the travel for the player compared to main game areas. 

The Battle Path

Image from 'Dark Souls' from Dark Souls Remastered Wiki

Usually these areas are filled with loads of small enemies. These transitions focus on player experience of the game-play. The environment wont be particular observed in most cases due to the pacing. However the environment enhances the players feeling of the battles, portraying different emotions by setting the scene. There is often a low cool-down as there is still lots of game-play going on, however the battles will be drastically smaller in comparison. The level of ease itself is the cool-down to the larger enemies. However this gives the player something to do during the time transitioning to the next area.

The Puzzle

Image from 'Prince Of Persia Sands Of Time' from Amazon

Typically bland in the amount of props in the environment, helping draw attention to the puzzle points within the area. This category focuses on using the environment as the mechanic to block the player. Time wise, typically restricted to the area till the puzzle is completed, but not always. Giving the player plenty of environment interaction and mental challenges for the player throughout the transition. Typically forming a cool-down between battles. 

The Free Roam  

Image from 'Legend Of Zelda Breath Of The Wild' from Polygon

Typically common withing open world games, these transitions are difficult but can be very effective if done well. Due to the wide open areas, the transitions try to guide the player to main areas while not limiting the player and trying to filling out the open world at the same time. They usually have a balance between making the transition areas simple to allow the player to roam them while still knowing visually areas of importance for their travels. These areas still act as a cool-down for the player, but majority via choice.   

Through this I have found some of the common techniques used for transition areas, and in what kinds of games they would predominately appear in. Although these can be roughly put into categories there are many games that will use multiple of these techniques, and some will use multiple in a single area. Increasing the intrigue into how effective these techniques are and in what ways they can be pushed to their limits to enhance the players experience. 

Yasmine

Taking a look into transition areas in realistic AAA game titles

Can Transition Areas In Games Be Improved?

From captivating visuals to interactivity, what really makes a transition area enhance a players experience? Firstly we'll look into what I'm defining as a 'transition area'. For this project i am defining a transition area as the part of the environment used to travel between areas of importance that drive the game forward. Such as a bridge between two temples. I became captivated at the idea on focusing on transition areas while talking with another 3D artist we realized how underutilized these areas are. I feel like due to the nature of them being a cool-down area, allowing the player a break from the main game, means that a lot of these areas can give an impression of an unused space in comparison with the rest of the game. Which can lower a players experience of that world.

Transition areas in realistic AAA games

Read Dead Redemption

Kicking of the examples we have Red dead redemption. An environment all about realistic immersion. Honestly i feel that they achieved this incredibly well, especially in the second game. With beautiful realistic scenery that fills massive areas, it does indeed achieve the goal of a environment that feels like the real world.

Image used from: an article written by Thomas Morgan 'Black water and beyond' 

However despite meeting this goal, a lot of the scenery in the two games give a considerably feeling of emptiness, when compared with the rest of the map. With little game play and a few cactus's and patches of grass for the player to look at while travelling in the areas. Leaving a common complaint among players that although is very realistic and beautiful, can be very boring and drawn out to travel through these areas. This is a very effective way of getting across that realistic environment, especially a desert environment. Were realistically it would be drawn out and exhausting, with a sense of wonder at our worlds scenery. In so many ways this effectively makes the player feel that emotional enhancement of what its like to be immersed travelling in a desert. However is there a way that could still achieve this form of realism and emotional enhancement while not leaving the transition areas with so little to them?

Assassins Creed

Image from 'Assassins Creed Origins' from Gameplay

Another realistic game that has a similar issue of wide open spaces filled with sand and little in terms of visuals in this environment. Used a creative technique to enhance the players experience within the transition areas while still making sense to the game world. Hallucinations. Spending to long in this area, or in certain conditions, cause the player character to have a variety of random hallucinations. These not only have a unique visual to the player, locusts raining from the sky's and people made of sand and fire appearing. But this also has the perfect balance between enhancing the experience without effecting the cool-down period of the player. The hallucinations only effect the visuals unless in battle, which in a sense brings a new flare to the battles within the desert area also. Introducing these kinds of visuals to the desert really managed to keep the feel of a Egyptian desert while enhanceing that experience.


God of War

Image from 'God Of War' from USG

Similar to assassins creed God of War uses similar tactics in transition areas to add a bit more flare to the player in that same realistic fantasy style. However i feel that God Of War manages to have this effect without making visual changes to the environment. One of the best examples is the boat journey to 'Lake of Light' which is one of the most beautiful scenes i think i have ever seen in a game. The details really make this scene leave a feeling of wonder, from transparent water with a beautiful waterbed underneath to all the magical plants. The narrowing of the cave revealing a big beautiful open area, and a beam of light drawing attention to the next story location. This shows that even an environment that draws as much attention to itself as it does, doesn't necessary mean that it will draw attention away from main locations if done well. Story elements also help to enhance this experience, with Kratos and his son Atreus talking in the boat while the player travels through the cave. This back and forth pushes the story, giving the player more of a story element to where they are, and why this area would become important to the characters. Giving a side of emotional depth to the experience.

From what i have seen in realistic AAA titles such as these, the more effective transition areas have a side of fantasy realism. This however does not mean that games that just try to be purely realistic don't work, as sometimes that pure realism with a realistic transition is the very emotion that they are trying to get the player to experience. However i do feel that like God Of War and Assassins Creed Origins use techniques that can be implemented to keep a realistic style to the environment while also incorporating fantasy to enhance this for the player. drawing from multiple areas of games design to enhance the transitions.

So why not have more to transition areas? and How far can i push this while still having that cool-down period for a player? I guess its time to find out.

Yasmine

Who Am I? And What Am I Doing here? i hear you asking.

 Introduction

Hey there guys! Welcome to my first blog post. My name is Yasmine Brough and I am an aspiring 3D artist. This blog is going to be a log of my projects and thoughts throughout my time here doing the MA. I'm looking forward to getting back in to my work. With lots to learn along the way and a portfolio to fill, I hope that you enjoy this journey with me.


I am inspired by artists that manage to convey a lot of emotion in their environments and manage to fill the viewer with feelings of wonder and awe and really bring a scene to life.

 Fantasy Library by James Schofield 

I find the 'Fantasy Library' render to be a beautiful scene. The sparkling blue effect really draws your eyes to the book and is the focal point of the scene and the fantasy. With the washed out brown and grey colors enhancing the focus, as well as the light from the window, all the attention is drawn to the desk area.

Forgotten Temple by Alan Night

'Forgotten Temple' another realistic looking scene that is directing the players attention. This artist uses the same principles as 'Fantasy Library' to guiding a player through an environment to a specific place using colors and lights. The orange lanterns illuminate the scene while the cherry blossom's bright pink leaves stand out against this and the rest of the environment.

Well In The Woods Vignette by Matt Wood

'Well In The Woods Vignette' is more stylized bringing a lot of charm to the scene. The lighting creates a warm yet open scene. This smaller environment gives a sense of secret fantasy, a hidden wonder, and brings a central focus on the well. The trees surrounding the well in a circle hold the players attention to within that area, using the trees as an aesthetic wall. A swirling path made for guidance and to make for a slow reveal of the focal point, while also getting the player to really look at the surroundings first. No little detail would go unseen. 

By the end of my MA i hope to have gained more practical skills to create beautiful scenes such as the ones above. Drawing skills from many different areas of games design to enhance the players experience in my scenes. Using the knowledge gained through my research and experiments that my future environments will hopefully reflect, helping me to pursue a career as a 3D artist and to bring something new to the role. I am really excited to see where this approach takes me in my projects.

Yasmine