2. The Task
I have been given the task to create an environment for
a video game which was released after 2008/2009.
The environment should be available/accessed via
downloadable content. I will create a walkthrough of
the environment in 720p mp4 file.
Because it's for a game released within the last 5
years I'll likely look into polycount and rendering
speeds for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC so that I
have an idea at how many Polys I should be
aiming for with my environment.
3. Possible Games
There are many games which I could create an
environment for – which would allow me to be
creative.
4. Choosing an Idea
Instead of thinking of a game I thought of an environment that
I would really like to take inspiration from.
When thinking I remembered a
scene from an anime I
watched recently. 'Laputa Castle In The Sky', there is a
scene in which the two
protagonists are being
chased by bandits down a
railway that's running though
a large mining town.
5. Suitable Games
After choosing the
style/environment that I would
like to take inspiration from I
then thought of what game it
would most likely be relative to,
which would be something
familiar to the Fable series by
'Lionhead Studios'
6. Why Fable?
The theme that Fable follows is very similar to the
anime that I want to take inspiration from. Both
very steampunk-esque. The game is very
colourful too and have very unique asset styles
which I feel I could be really creative with.
Fable is now a series and has 5 unique games with
various DLC’s meaning that it must be somewhat
successful, There hasn’t been many new
Downloadable contents available as of recent, a new
DLC with a new environment will probably do really
well within the Fable fanbase or community.
8. Slight Changes
Instead of a railway like shown in the anime, I’ll be
using the transport system used in fable so that
the environment will link with the main game.
I’ll be making a ravine with houses attached to the
sides, similar to the mining town in Laputa, This
will be more of a self sustaining dwarves village
with water wheels, windmills and other power
sources. Farm lands and mining zones.
9. Legal Considerations
In a professional situation I would have the rights for the
video game in order to make a DLC, It’s likely I would
have been hired to do this job and Lionhead studios
would be the ones distributing the product.
I currently have the Student version of Autodesk Maya, I
would not be allowed to distribute any of the models
created within this, I would need a licence – costing
roughly $3500, again in a professional studio it’s likely
my clients would supply me with the keys and licence.
10. Ethical Considerations
In fable there are enemies and scenes what are
somewhat grim, I should take these in to
account, there are some monsters called
Hobbes which are described as kidnapped
children that have been turned. I should not
include any miscellaneous assets depicting this
kind of content.
11. Technical Considerations
Before I was planning on creating an environment
for Dead Rising 3, which would have allowed
me to use more Polygons or Tris in my assets
as it is for a newer console that has a better
processing unit.
Rendering speeds would be an issue too, if the
scene is too full there will be issues rendering
everything in time for the consumer to see it.
