The document discusses existing techniques for visual products including textures, minimalism, and sketching. Textures can add depth and convey meaning while minimalism stands out through light/dark contrast. Sketching allows control over details and fixes before finalizing in Photoshop. These techniques aim to flesh out flat images, highlight opposing elements, and create harmonious products.

1. Research
Your Name

2. Existing Product
Cartoonish and exaggerated
character designs that are still
somewhat semi-realistic, and are
not offputting or disturbing. Effort
is made into making the
characters as visually striking and
recognisable as possible, through
the use of colouration,
accessorization, and a diversity of
physical features. This helps to
create an easily noticeable and
memorable cast that becomes
synonymous with the game’s
themes and principles.
The varying shades of teal in the
background project a sense of mystery
and confusion, the way they’re laid
out resembling deep fog. This further
enforces the investigation-based
nature of the product by portraying
the environment as mired and
obscured by mysteries.
This screenshot details the confusing
and labyrinthine puzzle design of the
game, tying in with the seemingly
random mishmash of materials in the
background of the promotional
artwork. This demonstrates the
borderline anarchic basis of the
gameplay and smaller hints towards
further elements, such as time travel.

3. Existing Product - Context
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a puzzle adventure game developed by
Capcom - a Japanese games studio world famous for their fighting game
franchises – for the Nintendo DS console system. Players take control of the
recently deceased amnesiac ghost named Sissel, who can possess objects to
manipulate them and turn back time by four minutes when possessing fresh
corpses. Together with possessed lamp and ghostly mentor figure Ray,
secondary playable character Missile the dog, and earnest young detective
Lynne, Sissel seeks to discover anything he can about his lost memories. The
game takes place over the course of a single night, at the end of which
Sissel will dissipate, and the plot unfolds into a convoluted tale of
meteorites, family tragedy, and government conspiracies, told through
flashbacks through time and manipulating the environment through
possession and anticipating the movements of the surrounding characters.

4. Existing Product
This image successfully manages to display the opposing yet interconnected themes, styles,
and worlds within the setting by juxtaposing the two different environments in the same
position. It helps to reinforce the dualistic format of the game, and how it is nearly
impossible to understand the whole plot without exploring both storylines.
The different colours and shapes in the opposing sides represent each environment’s
natural and technological, traditional and revolutionary themes, diametrically opposed to
each other yet obviously all too similar.
The brightness of
the left-side image is
linked to many
themes, such as the
bright light of hope
that is central to
Vella’s story, and the
how the light is
illuminating all that
it touches, indicating
the large and open-
ended environment.
Light can also be
used as a symbol for
life, knowledge, and
revelation, all of
which are themes
present in Vella’s
storyline, and are
central to her
motivations.
The cooler aesthetic
of Shay’s half of the
artwork is used to
show that his
environment is more
controlled and
measured, with less
warmer tones to
represent a lack of
emotional
connection. The
prevalent darkness in
the image is also
connected to Shay’s
story, with him being
kept in the dark
about a lot of things,
which allows him to
be easily swayed by
the words of others.

5. Existing Product - Context
Broken Age is a point-and-click adventure game developed and
published independently by Double Fine Productions, originally intended
for Microsoft Windows, but later adapted to many other platforms.
Directed by Tim Schafer, who was the mind behind the video game cult
classic, Grim Fandango, Broken Age achieved similar acclaim upon it’s
release, being a notable subject for media coverage in the ensuing
weeks, helped in part thanks to it’s enormous success in the
crowdfunding scene, helping to elevate the venture capital source to
partial mainstream attention. The story is divided between two
characters; Vella, a hard-working baker’s daughter who is to be offered
up as a sacrifice to the latest in a long tradition of ravenous god-
monsters; and Shay, a boy who is suffocating within the space vessel
that has been raised aboard for his entire life, completely isolated from
any form of companionship apart from his caretakers. Both of these
characters have their worlds turned upside-down when they choose to
deviate from what is expected from them, and the game explores their
parallel stories as they endeavour to solve the mysteries in their lives.

6. Existing Product
The primary colour of the piece, being variously tinted and gradated magenta,
helps to invoke the game’s themes as being a union of light and dark aspects,
being firmly on the border, which harkens to the focus on morality and the
actions taken to pursue goals. This in itself is represented by shading
technique used, symbolising the question of where the man ends and the best
begins.
The comic book-esque,
heavily colourised style is
prevalent throughout the
whole game, using light
and shadow to successfully
sell the noir aesthetic, but
blending an element of
fantasy into the setting to
emphasise the story.
The unique mix of vibrant
colours and deep shadows
symbolises the combination
of fantastical and realistic
elements, with the underlying
motif of the supernatural
nature of the characters being
cloaked by modern society.
This magical realism is
enforced through the
inclusion of real world
conventions alongside the
more fictional issues the
characters face, for example,
magical creatures being
mixed up with murder
investigations, poverty, and
illicit activities. The narrative
tone is similarly odd yet
effective, with yet another
example being a truly tragic
piece of exposition on a
character’s backstory,
effectively delivered by a
neon-green flying monkey.

7. Existing Product - Context
The Wolf Among Us is an episodic interactive fantasy
mystery graphic adventure video game based on Bill
Willingham’s Fables comic book series. The developer was
Telltale Games, a studio renowned for their episodic games
series’, with a focus on storytelling over intricate gameplay.
This series in particular focuses on a hidden civilisation of
fairy-tale characters, called Fabletown, set in 1986
Manhattan, after most of them fled from The Homelands
after they were conquered by a being known only as the
Adversary, settling down in colonial America. The main
character is Bigby Wolf, the Big Bad Wolf and sheriff of
Fabletown, as he tries to discover the culprit being the
murder of a Fable prostitute. Assisted in his investigations
by Snow White, the Magic Mirror, and flying monkey
Bufkin, the mystery gradually expands to include multiple
members of the Fabletown community, and leads towards
something much more sinister prowling in the shadows.

8. Existing Product
The abundance of red within the image
indicates a chokingly violent nature, and
the imagery of an execution implies a
fatalistic and dark story, fearlessly
displaying its character without regard for
propriety or restrictions. The blatantly
supernatural elements and somewhat
sacrificial framing of the image invoke
connotations of dying for something else’s
sake, which is a very good indicator of the
game’s more in-depth plot elements. By
even making the title of the game red, it
sets the tone of the entire product, and
drives home that conflict is a major part of
the game’s atmosphere.
The design of the game world is
simplistic but effective, and leaves a
lasting impression on the audience.
Using only several shades and tones of
a single colour, the dungeons are slick
and immersive, and truly convey a
sense of otherworldliness.

9. Existing Product - Context
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne is a post-apocalyptic JRPG for the
Playstation 2, developed by Atlus, and is part of one of the
company’s flagship franchises. You play as a nameless
protagonist, later termed as the Demi-Fiend, as they navigate
through a transformed Tokyo called the Vortex World. Other
than two of the protagonist’s classmates, a journalist, and two
cult members, one of whom is the protagonist’s homeroom
teacher, all of humanity is rendered extinct by the formation of
the Vortex World, in preparation for the birth of the next
iteration of reality. The Demi-Fiend must either ally himself with
one of the Reasons, a philosophy generated by one of the
surviving humans on how the new world should be, or become
independent, fighting and recruiting demons to their side as
they progress through the game’s stages. The SMT franchise is
one of the prime contenders for the most popular JRPG series,
and is spectacularly popular both within and without of Japan,
easily coming out as number one in it’s week of release on sales
alone, and staying comfortably in the top ten in the ensuing
weeks.

10. Existing Techniques
Textures
These can be used to give greater presence to a certain part of the image, and depending on the type
of texture used, can convey a deeper meaning of the product, further enticing the audience. Textures
impart a sense of touch to an otherwise solely visual product, and can be used to provide depth to a
two-dimensional face. I would use these to impart a more solid aesthetic to the image-based products
I plan on creating, fleshing out anything that seems to be too flat or without impact.
Less Is More
By utilising a minimalistic aesthetic and contrasting light and dark elements, it stands out more than it
would if it was inundated with either tone by itself. The combination of these two characteristics
enables the user to highlight opposing elements, forging a more nuanced relationship between the
aspects of the piece. I plan to incorporate lighting and shading a lot in my project, and minimalistic
techniques can be used to highlight or downplay elements to create a more harmonious product.
Sketching
Drawing out the idea before transferring it to Photoshop gives greater control over its intricacies, and
is easily fixable in case any improvements can be made and errors corrected. This method allows for
tightly targeted details and alterations that can be made without interfering with the other assets,
along with a more simplistic approach to its’ construction. By leaving out any more concrete details it
allows for improvisation as the project is in the actual production phase, allowing for more freedom.

11. Research Analysis
• What common features do the researched
products have?
– The framing, shading, and artistic aesthetics are all used to represent the internal themes of the
games being advertised, which can be as attractive to the audience as the flashy glamour in the
designs of the researched products.
• What aspects of the research will you include
within your own production work?
– Primarily, each of the researched products represents the most key themes to what they’re
advertising, and they do it to the extent where said themes are easily inferred. The promotion of
these themes and the primary content of the product, most often the characters, are the central
focus, and are usually the most attractive aspects to the audience. Secondarily, the in-game
aesthetics can be seen from the promotional material alone, providing incentive to become invested
in the game’s world.

12. Questionnaire Analysis

13. Audience research
• Observation:That my audience consists primarily of teenagers, but has a periphery demographic
of early adults.
• What this says about my audience:The primary audience demographic is of
young to early adulthood.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:By incorporating elements
and themes that matter to this generation.

14. Audience research
• Observation:While there is a more-or-less equal amount of both genders, the audience
is made up of around twenty times more women than men.
• What this says about my audience:That there is a definite appeal for
both genders, but is slightly more apparent to women.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:Portray
characters and elements that women want to see in the products they consume.

15. Audience research
• Observation:The audience consumes advertisements across many different mediums,
and is primarily drawn towards those that break away from the conventional mold.
• What this says about my audience:That they would appreciate
something different to catch their eye.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:Be original and
true to the unique style of the product.

16. Audience research
• Observation:My audience is mostly drawn to bold and eye-catching products, and likes
the visual aspect the most.
• What this says about my audience:That the most effective way to
appeal to them is through imagery.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:By focusing on
the image quality first and foremost, to make sure that it is effective in attracting an audience.

17. Audience research
• Observation:The varying interests of the audience presents a wide variety of preferred tonal
viewpoints.
• What this says about my audience:That there is no grand unifying trend upon
which to base the plot.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:By sticking to the
original story themes of the project, and making it stand out against what else might be on the market.

18. Audience research
• Observation:Most of the audience prefers to have tones of realism and relatability in the
characters they see.
• What this says about my audience:That they value a diverse and
nuanced cast to find sympathetic and likable.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:By having an
environment based on real-world themes and attitudes, with appropriate characters to match.

19. Audience research
• Observation:The audience mostly dislikes overly aggressive and exclusionary advertisements in
favour of a specific demographic.
• What this says about my audience:That they prefer subtlety and the freedom
to engage with what they’re being presented with.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:By focusing more on
itself and the design than what it can present to the audience, prioritising its own merits over hooking in
viewers.

20. Audience research
• Observation:The large majority of the audience frowns upon negative portrayals of
certain demographics, like women or minorities.
• What this says about my audience:That they prefer advertisements
that are inclusive and respectful.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:By making sure
that absolutely nothing can be taken offense at within the product.

21. Audience research
• Observation:That the audience’s personal preferences are broad and diverse.
• What this says about my audience:That there is not a concrete
certainty that they will enjoy the material the product advertises.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:Ultimately, the
product is best off sticking to its own qualities, as it is impossible to please everyone.
Note; Due to an oversight the
question allows one option.

22. Audience research
• Observation:The audience is split on how much video games are prevalent in their lives.
• What this says about my audience:While some may be attracted to the
product for its video game qualities, others may be drawn to it for the design style or other factors.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:Dedicate a
satisfactory amount of time to each aspect of the project to flesh it out properly.

23. Interviews

24. Interview 1
• What is the most engaging story that you have ever seen in entertainment?
• The try guys
• Do you like light-hearted stories or ones with a darker tone?
• Either I watch both
• What settings, characters, and elements interest you the most and why?
• Outdoors as I like to see how people capture nature
• Are you drawn to a product through its story or its visual aspects?
• visual as I like to look at the surroundings
• How do you prefer the entertainment products you consume to end?
• Nicely no cliff-hangers

25. Interview 1
• Observation:The interviewee is clearly more into the visual elements,
and is drawn towards happier storylines.
• What this says about my audience:That they are more
comfortable with an easier product to digest, and prefer something that doesn’t
require in-depth investment.
• How will your product appeal to this
audience:By prioritising the visual atmosphere of the project first and
foremost.

26. Interview 2
• What is the most engaging story that you have ever seen in entertainment?
• James Cameron's Avatar.
• Do you like light-hearted stories or ones with a darker tone?
• I prefer Light-hearted stories.
• What settings, characters, and elements interest you the most and why?
• I like settings in fantasy worlds or in real life events like war films and the characters to be designed with
that in mind for the story to then be driven forward by both.
• Are you drawn to a product through its story or its visual aspects?
• I tend to be drawn in by the visual aspects more than its story
• How do you prefer the entertainment products you consume to end?
• I like them to end with a definitive ending rather than an open ended story

27. Interview 2
• Observation:The interviewee likes to escape to different worlds, and
appreciates an immersive aesthetic.
• What this says about my audience:That they care more
about the overall flow of the product rather than any intrinsic details.
• How will your product appeal to this
audience:By making sure that all aspects of the product are in their proper
places and complement each other.

28. Bibliography

29. Bibliography
1. Stewart, William. (2018) Target Audience Research Survey (conducted on
13/4/2018)
2. Haw, Rachel. (2018) Target Audience Interviews (conducted on
13/4/2018)
3. Littlewood, Tom. (2018) Target Audience Interviews (conducted on
13/4/2018)
4. Capcom 2010, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, Nintendo DS, Japan.
5. Double Fine Productions 2014, Broken Age, Microsoft Windows,
America.
6. Telltale Games 2013, The Wolf Among Us, iOS, World-Wide.
7. Atlus 2003, Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, PlayStation 2, Japan.