Reflection and conclusion

Reflection

       For this project I had hoped to include the winter section. A walk back through the transition you've just came through but its is now winter, cold and deserted. To really emphasis the loss of the main character. However in the end I felt that this may have had to much happening in the transition area, to actually keep it classed as a transition area. 

      The end results were surprising when having discussed with others about the emotional impact of the level. A lot of people I spoken to believed that it did have an emotional impact. However a common suggestion to me was that they felt it was more the combination of the level and the music. They were unsure, therefore, how much of an impact my more subtle techniques had on this. I do feel that this may be true, however the music was a purposeful choice to increase that effect. This has also given me more areas, such as audio, that I want to look into in future.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, I believe that a lot of the techniques I have learned to apply are effective at increasing the emotional impact of the transition areas. There are many more methods to fins and develop and I look forward to continuing this and working on bettering transition areas in games. 

Video and Description

 Video link: DanceRabbit

Rabbit transition scene video. By Yasmine Brough

The final peace included inspirations demonstrated in the scene

Stuff project- Throughout the transition level you can see the variety of stuff changes to reflect that atmosphere that I want the player to feel. From the bright props and foliage at the start to the deserted, barren, empty wasteland. 

Colour and light project- The colors are separated in to areas, based on seasons and that seasons reflection of emotion. Such as the pink spring section. The color pallets change depending on these factors. 

Sence of self projects- The other characters can not be interacted with beyond observation, to isolate the player and emphasizing the main characters feelings of loneliness. 

Library scene- I have included some smaller creatures to keep a feeling of wonder in the world. Such as the butterfly's and dragonfly's. The style of the spring memory section of the transition area was inspired by the sense of magic and exaggerated display. 

 

Progress shots

 Progress Screenshots

Progress screenshots done in UE4. By Yasmine Brough

 I have changed the sprite for the main character as his original one didn't suit the style of everything else very well. The fur was not as effective which the sprites size compared to the original concept. The assets that had more details on didn't look as good from the distance of the camera.

Original rabbit sprite. By Yasmine Brough

Original styled trees. By Yasmine Brough

Transition Layout and designs

Storyboards

Here are some layout designs and story bored frames I have sketched out depicting the level layout 

Layout design by Yasmine Brough

 

Frame 13- Rabbit sprints back home to check everything. By Yasmine Brough

Frame 12- Bird fly's over. By Yasmine Brough

Frame 11- Bird attack. By Yasmine Brough

Frame 10- Sandbags with barbed wire. By Yasmine Brough

Frame 9- Rabbit enters war torn area. By Yasmine Brough

Frame 8- Rabbit leaving forest. By Yasmine Brough

Frame 7- Rabbit final memory. By Yasmine Brough

Frame 6- Rabbit second memory. By Yasmine Brough

Frame 5- Rabbit in memory Forrest. By Yasmine Brough

Frame 4- Rabbit leaving. By Yasmine Brough

Frame 3- Rabbit leaving home. By Yasmine Brough

Frame 2- Rabbit seeing wife. By Yasmine Brough

Frame 1- Rabbit starting area. By Yasmine Brough

Rabbit Designs

 Designs for the main character and overall style 

I have made my designs in sections, like a puppet sprite, so that his is easier to move for possible animations. 

Rabbit design by Yasmine Brough

Design By Yasmine Brough

Design By Yasmine Brough

Design By Yasmine Brough

Design By Yasmine Brough

Design By Yasmine Brough

Design By Yasmine Brough

For the rabbits design I decided to go with the last image as the first few were a bit to dark I felt, for the main characters. The first rabbit I am still going to use in the transition but as an extra effect towards the darker side of the transition.. 

Where the past projects will feature

 List of past projects and where they will be featured in this transition

Stuff project- The stuff aspect of this transition, will be primarily environment base, such as tress, grass and bushes. However I am also wanting to include objects and perhaps other creatures that are symbolic of the mood and atmosphere of that area. 

Lighting project- for lighting I am wanting to restrict the color palate so that each stage of the transition area gives a different mood enhanced by the lighting. 

Color project- The colors used will be fitting in palates as well as will be very exaggerated to really increase the atmosphere and mood being portrayed in each area. Each area is going to represent each season in each area. 

Sence of Self projects- Other creatures will ignore the player character.

Library project- Sence of wonder and magic through the styles and colors of the sprites.  

Research

 Emotional Impact of 2d games in transition areas. 

Seasons after fall - The art style and the transition areas put emphasis on the magic aspect of the game. 

Image from Wikipedia 

Level image from BrutalGamer XBox 1 Reviews

This game uses very beautiful coloring and effective color palette giving each area a unique feel depending on mood of location.  

Ori and the blind Forrest - 

Image from Wikipedia

       I have researched this game during past projects also, however upon revisiting I have seen just how beautiful and impactful that opening scene is. 

You happily walk through the transition area with your friend, beautiful music plays, warm green colors, bouncing around with your friend. On the way back through the transition, you are alone, the music shifts, the colors are now blues and blacks and the whole atmosphere changes. Emphasizing a sudden feeling of loneliness. Shadows of memories play in the background during your return and the player can instantly feel something's wrong. The way players connect so early to these characters in this scene is in my opinion a bit underrated. 

After seeing this scene again, especially now I am looking to do a 2D emotionally impactful scene. I am wanting to do a scene closely inspired by this introduction scene in Ori and using the same form of transition. 

A new story

 Beth Stichter

'Kept-Variation in Cream and Grey' By Beth Stichter

Stichter is the reason that I learn towards rabbits in a lot of my artwork as her rabbit sculptures are my favorites  
Stichter is a common inspiration for my artwork. She uses animals to portray human emotions in the form of sculptures. She believes that this disconnection of familiarity allows people to connect and to talk more about normally uncomfortable and difficult topics. 

For this reason I am wanting to create a story that is about rabbits, that will be emotionally impactful. I am wanting to create a story through the transition of a male rabbit who has lost his family, starting with what he had and then just to memory's and on his own. 

2D

 After having decided to do a 2d style in a 3d environment, I began by making some quick examples to see how this may look. I wasn't a big fan of how this test turned out, I do feel like this approach may still work, I just feel that this would really impact the emotional impact of the transition area on the player and not demonstrate my past projects all that well. 

For this week I am wanting to do some research in to emotionally impactful transition areas in 2d games and see If there is a better way to achieve this goal. 

Project Changes

 Restrictions 

Having fell unwell I have decided to stick to my strengths and to restrict my project to fall in lines with these helping me to complete my project giving the best demonstration. 

I have decided to create a 2d style peace in a 3d environment. 2d is one of my strengths and I feel that this will help me to stick closer to my projects completion. 

Stuff

 Stuff Designs 

The items in the house are to be very representative of Darwin himself. Along with the story and its progression towards the story reveal through the transition walk through. 

Drawing of one of 'Darwin's Finches' By Yasmine Brough

Darwin's Finches: Image by Wikipedia 

Darwin's Finches is a famous study and sketch from Darwin. This would almost certainly need to be depicted in his house as its a recognizable sign of who's house this is. This design I will make in to a photo from to go up on the wall, early in the corridor of the house for the player to see.  

Designs for items to go inside the house. By Yasmine Brough

Design for one of the taxidermy creatures within the house. By Yasmine Brough 

Design of clockwork finch. By Yasmine Brough

Test model butterfly, to be pinned on to the walls of the corridors. By Yasmine Brough

Past projects

 Where the past projects will be featured

       a list of were each projected will be featured throughout the transition scene. 

Stuff project- The items and props in the house will be representative of the story. Along with some items that stand out more to emphasis this, such as the clockwork finches that they have been turned in to. 

Lighting project- Staring of in a colorful outside area, demonstrating beauty with the light in the greenhouse. Progressing in to a darker, bleaker area.  

Colour project- Colors to be exaggerated and representative of the areas mood. Such as browns and bleaker colors inside the house.  

Sense of self - Taxidermy creatures and statues along the route, following you with their heads and ignore you only talking to each other about the events of the house. As you go through gradually interact with you more and telling you directly. making the player gradually feel more personally involved. 

Library scene- Location inspired by this scene. The way you interact with the statues and taxidermy being based on the book blueprints and the narrative side of the library project. 

Layout

 The Start 

   For the start of the transition You begin in a greenhouse. This will lead to a garden pathway to the house and then inside the house to a single corridor walk through. The rooms and areas outside of this trail will be blocked of as 'main gameplay areas' and restricted to keep the path liner, keeping it a transition area. 

front garden layout Design By Yasmine Brough

Starting area: Greenhouse design By Yasmine Brough

Inside House Floor plan By Yasmine Brough

Layout floor plan design By Yasmine Brough


 

Block map of front of Down House By Yasmine Brough

Block map of route through house By Yasmine Brough

Darwin's house

 Down House 

         After several attempts at trying to find detailed images of layout for accuracy the images are very limited. Due to this location being a museum and so charges and restrictions are made for images, and due to Covid-19 visits are limited. So I am making some designs meant to closely resemble the real Down house, based of the images I could find and some floor plans. 

Photo from Darwin Online

Sketch of front of Down House by Yasmine Brough

Image from English Heritage

Image from The Guardian

 

Darwin's greenhouse: Image from Britain Express