Just a general update this week, not really sure what to put
but I haven't done so in a while. Don't worry, I'll be back to doing my
coursework next week. Now I've caught back up with that a bit.
I was getting a bit worried, the visual design work was piling
up and I was still behind on my blog. I don't want to get bad marks like last
year. I really don't know how personal I need to make this blog, or if at all.
Anyway, completed my masters study painting, decided to go with Ivan Shishkin.
His art is so cool an detailed, I shouldn't have chosen him to be honest as my
final is nowhere near as detailed even though I spent a lot of time on it. I
also did a oil painting as well, but that turned out even worse.
The queens building project is still ok. It would be nice if
we were given some tutorials for udk, we've only had too and one was from third
years. Also there doesn't seem to be anything on blackboard to help out. It
feels a bit like starting out with 3Ds max last year, except worse. I know we
have to adapt and learn new programs, but it just feels like we could be taught
more.
This new Viking project in Visual Design, I'm not so sure
about it. I've got a feeling that people are going to go for crazy things like
huge warriors duel wielding giant battle axes. We had a choice, but the 1960's Paris
thing didn't seem appealing to me. I'm trying to take this in a realistic way,
but then it's difficult to make it interesting.
At first, arcade games had simple controls. You would usually
have a joystick, or maybe one or two buttons as well. Nowadays, with the
emergence of consoles as the main game systems, controllers that use many more
buttons and usually two analogue sticks are the norm.
One of the first things I thought of when starting this task
was this, the Nintendo power glove for the N64.
It sounds on paper like a good idea, controlling the game
with your movements. But it was so poorly executed that it just made the games
difficult to play. Each game needed a different code entered on the glove,
which was overcomplicated.
How The powerglove was ment to be
Currently, motion control has had a comeback. And once again
it was Nintendo with the wii console. This was extremely successful, as the wii
outsold other consoles on the market despite its lower graphical capabilities.
One of the differences could have been that the power glove is that the wiis
controls are easy to use and actually work. Most people can just pick up a
controller and go. However, some people have criticised that not all games need
motion control and that it is just a gimmick.
Both Sony and Microsoft have also brought out their own
motion control accessories. The move on the playstation 3 has been criticised
as being a rip off of the Wii controller. The Kinnect for the Xbox 360 is a bit
more inventive, as it uses the players bodies as the controller, but is still
now as wide spread as the games that use the wii remotes motion controls. The
real question is why. It could be because of a changing market, with a move
towards smart phone games. It is also possible that its because the wii has
gained a more mainstream following, with people who would not usually play
games owning this console. Or it could be a price factor, the wii being cheaper
than the other two motion control options.
There is also the emergence of 3D. A new type of 3D is used
currently, and 3D TVs have been on sale a while. However, even though some
games are compatible with 3D, the hefty price tag has dissuaded some gamers
from investing. There was also issues with the 3DS, with some players reporting
that 'the console had left them feeling
sick, suffering briefly with blurred vision and dizzy spells'. Personally, I
don't think 3D in games will last long.
Most people think in the future we'll have minority report
style computers, and that maybe that's what our games will be like as well. However,
I think that its possible that things could be getting too complicated. I know that
my mum can't use a playstation controller, it's something people that have been
playing games a while take for granted. If things become more complicated, then
it may alienate the mainstream audience.
The future
Another way things could go is that consoles become obsolete. Some people think
that playing games on smart phones is going to be the future of gaming. These
mostly use touch screen technology . Of
course, things could go all futuristic with guns and other specialised
controllers, but the problem is that these ways of playing can only be used for
one type of game. If you had a cockpit of a plane in your front room, then you
can't exactly play a plat former with it.
at this point you might as well buy a plane
Although I still hope they hurry up and build that computer
from minority report.
Sound is another elements of games, one that is often
overlooked. However, it is incredibly important. Successful sounds in games add
to the atmosphere of a game, creates tension, and adds believability.
Series of games will
often have a theme, or a recognisable style in its music. For example, the
metal gear series has its theme (I'm being biased, this is one of my
favourites) which is strongly orchestral.
As with other series, this theme has altered slightly
between games, but remains recognisable. Another example of this is the Elder
scrolls series, where the music is the same, but has been performed differently
to reflect the tone of each individual game.
Many of the current generation of games use an orchestra to
perform their scores, however, in the past this was impossible. The storage
space for games was minimal, as was the technology they were being played on.
This meant that composers only had a limited means of creating music. However, because
of these limits, some of these pieces of music are some of the most
recognisable video game themes. For example, most people will recognise this:
It shows that not all soundtracks need a huge orchestra to
be effective. Personally, I remember the battle themes from Pokemon to be very effective
at creating tension. Although I was a bit younger when I was playing them, I
still think they hold up today. (listening to this brought back a lot of
memories)
Some of the most successful soundtracks are actually the
ones you don't notice.For example, personally,
I find the Silent hill series soundtrack very effective in creating an
atmosphere. I don't think it would be nearly as scary if it had a different
soundtrack . Take this scene for example. if you watch it without sound, and its nowhere near as scary or threatening as
with the sound on.
It's the sound that adds that atmosphere. Without it the
game would not have the same effect, and this applies to all genres of games,
not just horror.
It's not just the
soundtrack that is important. The sound effects in a game can add realism and believability.
This can be the sounds of guns, footsteps, ambient noise, explosions, even
simple things like knocking a can over. If done correctly, the player shouldn't
notice these, but they really add to the emersion.
There is a lot of cross over between the film music world
and the game one. Composters that work in film or television often work in the
video game industry as well. For example Harry Gregson-Williams who has
composed for films such as X-Men Origins: Wolverine but has also made scores
for video games such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Another example is Greg
Edmonson, who worker on television programs such as Firefly and video games
such as the uncharted series. These two professions overlap, because both games
and films need a good score to bring them to life.
