Ongoing Game Logo

After conducting a survey of the best styles for the camera for our logo it was down to 2 and here they are... one thing i am not sure of is the colour, so next job is to have a play with the colour schemes.

Font Agreed

After agreeing that the font for our game should be in the style of handwriting both myself and Clare brought to the session (25/10/11) the ones we preferred. Still undecided we carried out an opinion poll, results are shown below.

Minutes - 25 October 2011

Minutes

Date:     26/10/11

Meeting points

1.     Went through items from last week’s ‘to do’ list – see below for details (BS & CWH)

2.     Drafted product and team evaluation for Working Presentation (BS & CWH)

3.     Got large version of B&P logo.jpg and seascapefish.psd from BS for CWH

4.     Completed personal Gantt (CWH)

5.     Completed group Gantt up to start of meeting (CWH) updated after meeting and file AGAIN became corrupt! Need to report issue to IT!

6.     Put game logo (BS) and game fonts (BS&CWH) out to tutorial group to see what is the preferred.  Looks like the top faves are v1 and v6 of the logo and Peppa Pig for the font.  BS to trial versions and open out to the social networks for their feedback.

7.     Ran through game location allocations – approved – Mountains (Flash, Castle), Under the Sea (Shutter Speed), Beach (focus), Countryside (aperture, depth of field)

8.     Agreed on running order for the Working Presentation flash file.  This will just be a very basic navigation tool showing how the user will get from the start and move around the games.  It will not have any working individual games at this stage.

9.     Did not get time to start planning/ writing the game instructions.

10.  Not shared our sounds

To do/ outstanding

1.     Draft instructions and welcome information (BS & CWH) – 01/11

2.     BS to update blog with shortlisted game logos and fonts – 28/10

3.     Email/ upload our sounds to each other (BS & CWH) – 28/10

4.     Upload images to blog (BS) – 28/10

5.     Email shipwreck.psd to CWH (BS) – 28/10

6.     Complete castle outside.ai (BS) – 01/11

7.     create castle inside.ai (BS) – 01/11

8.     Introduction/ instruction screen – Falling polaroid animation – (BS) – 09/11

9.     Location screen – Falling polaroid animation – (BS) – 09/11

10.  Complete island map – include thumbnails of school, game logo and return key. Save as .psd and email to CWH (BS) – 01/11

11.  Complete congratulations banner with game colours save as .psd and email to CWH – 01/11 (BS)

12.  Write up notes on team and product evaluation for the Working Presentation (BS)

13.  Write individual contribution – (BS & CWH) – CWH to email to BS asap – 01/11

14.  List examples of our best work for Working Presentation - (BS & CWH) – 01/11

15.  Produce charts/ diagrams showing percentage completed for Working Presentation – from details in Gantt charts – (CWH) – 01/11

16.  Download Flash – (BS) – ASAP – for build –

17.  Both start building the Working Presentation Flash file – see which is most promising at next meeting! (my money is on Becky’s!!)

18.  Update self Gantt chart for this and last week (BS)

19.  Update self and group Gannt chart for this week (CWH)

A.O.B

1.     BS is having an operation this Thursday (27/10) and may not be mobile for the next few weeks.  An extension has been agreed in principle, but need to find out the terms from Doctor after the operation.  We will still work to plan until we hear from him!

2.     BS not got Flash or Project on her laptop – BS to see if she can download CS5 version of Flash.  If this is successful perhaps she can focus on build aspects? (wishful thinking J?!)

3.     CWH not got Project on her Mac – twice now the college PCs have corrupted her Gantt charts.  IWH advised we could use illustrator to show projections if needs be.  CWH acquired a version of Project for PC, will get a copy to BS and se if she can borrow RCH laptop to  install Project and work from home rather than having to go into college and risk another corruption!  CWH to speak to Holy Cross ICT about the issue again.

Corrected Logo

After an error being pointed out in the company logo i could no longer sit and stare at it- am surprised it lasted this long to be honest!!! all good now though, errors corrected and new logo emailed to Clare to update website.

The build schedule - planning

Here are the functions as an overview as outlined in the pitch document.

We need to have all elements ready to start building this tomorrow so we have something to show at the Working Presentation.

The finer elements and individual games can be built after we have delivered the presentation, should we not have time to do beforehand.  This will at least give the tutors/panel an idea of what the product looks like and how it operates.

In terms of the elements that we need to start building, these are the designs that we have been working on for the past few weeks.  So we need .JPEG or .PNG files of all the areas that the game will land.  These images will be as place markers/ holders, to indicate what happens at each location.

The above plan is very loose and still includes the post production and gallery areas that we are ditching for this version.

So the images required are as follows:

• Black & Pink Logo
• Game Logo
• Island Map
• School
• Character/s
• 3D image of camera
• Countryside
• Beach
• Under the sea
• Mountains
• Points/ Prize display

Meeting Agenda - 25th Oct

Meeting Agenda - Date: 25th Oct 2011 - 1800-2100

1. Check to see if there are any outstanding items from last week’s minutes (BS & CWH)
2. write product and team evaluation and also individual contributions (BS & CWH)
3. Portraits for website (CWH)
4. Get fish from BS seascape .psd file (CWH)
5. Complete personal GANTT (BS)
6. Complete personal and group GANTT (CWH)
7. Choose game font from shortlist (BS & CWH)
8. Get updates B&P logo from BS and upload to blog and website and amend in pitch doc (CWH)
9. Build schedule - MUST BE DONE TODAY!!!!
10. Run game allocations by BS (CWH) 
11. Agree on game to location allocations
12. Set key tasks to key dates
13. Break down game components.
14. Plan and start writing game instructions
15. If we have time.... start the build

Game Logo Changes

After Discussing the game logo with clare and the both of us not being entirely happy with the camera i have been working on variations which can be used. I rather like the very sketched look (images 4 & 6) i also like the 2nd and 13th image. Will run these by Clare and others to see which is their preferred.

Becky's Chosen Fonts

Here are the fonts i have searched out after suggesting we use a hand written font. I will run these by Clare Tuesday and we can shortlist our favourite.

Mountain Castle here we come...

At last the mountains has the castle for the games. still in early stages but looking brill even if i do say so myself haha

Sound effects

One of our tasks for this week is to find sound effects for the games.


I have had a look and listen to what Audio Network have to offer and have found my favourites.

At the beach:

S_008811 - Exterior - Medium Close Up - Surf, On Beach with People, Wind

S_033133 - Ocean Side, Many Seagulls, Low Background Waves On Shore, Occasional Splash In Water, Like Rock Or Bird Lands In Water

Under the sea:

S_083676 - Close Up - Big Gurgly Breathing, Long Trailing Bubble Streams

S_379706 - Medium Close Up - Big Burst Of Bubbles Released

S_379707 - Medium Close Up - Streams Of Bubbles Released

Countryside:

S_381426 - Exterior - Overlooking Small City From Castle Area, Birds, Very Gentle Breeze, Distant Off Stage Children Talking, Woodpecker Pecks at Tree, Nice Countryside Background

S_019045_001 - Exterior - Light To Medium Wind In Trees, A Few Birds, Tractor Working In Distance

S_057809 - Exterior - Off Stage - Beetles Hiss In Open Field

S_377587 - Exterior - Light Wind In Trees, Distant and Close Up Steer

Mountains at night: 

S_081367 - Exterior - Mountain Tree Wind, Light Gusts, Occasional Fly Buzz

S_081381 - Exterior - Mountain Tree Wind, Heavy Whipping Gusts

S_321519 - Exterior - Cicadas Ratcheting, Dense, Late Night, very Active Insects, Lots Of Depth, Not Too Intense

S_381375 - Close Up - Big Castle / Dungeon Door, Man Fiddles With Giant Set Of Keys, Opens Huge Door

S_381396 - Large Wooden Castle Door, Heavy Wooden Door Opens and Closes Slowly, Creaks and Squeaks, Large Room Ambience

Shutter - 

S_321836_011 - Close Up - Single Shot, Fast Shutter Speed

S_321836_021 - Close Up - Single Shot, Long Shutter Speed

Cheers - 

S_016363_003 - Medium - Male and Female - Medium - Medium Heavy Clapping with Multiple People Yelling 'Yeah' and Whistling

Some more versions of the points display.. found vignette tool too!

After months of faffing with ways to create vignettes I stumbled across the vignette gradient tool.  How have I never seen this before.  Thanks Gareth for pointing me in the right direction!

Here are a few versions of other points displays.

Obviously the font hasn't been chosen yet, and I may use different colour and more info, but it gives a sample idea.

Seabed design finalised - avec coral

Here is the final design for the under the sea game - was simply the addition of the coral.

To build the actual game itself I just need some of the fishes from Becky's picture, I'll get them on Tuesday.

Colour scheme agreed

School Fete! This is our chosen colour scheme.

Clare's Font Shortlist

I created a sentence for each of my shortlisted fonts.  This was to see how legible they were, particularly for a younger reader as our gamers will be 6-11 years old.

I don't want to use Childs Play because I have used it before, in fact it is my brand font for Clare Waterfall Photography, but it does work well!

Tomorrow I will look at these with fresh eyes and critique each.  Becky may have a favourite that jumps off the page, she may hate them all.  Shall see Tuesday.

Font shortlist

Fonts for our game

Becky suggested that the font we use is a handwritten one and asked that we see what is out there and pick our favourites.

Here are some that I found appealing, I will shortlist perhaps my top 5, download the fonts and trial them to pick my faves.

Countryside game - designs complete, ready to build into game!!!

Following a return look at the designs and consultation with Beck, I have ditched the details and brightened up the colours.

I used the gaussian blur tool on several of the layers to create various depth of field effects.  These were .ai files were exported to Photoshop to create a .psd with each version on a different layer.  Tis will be imported into Flash to flick between layers to simulate the aperture being changed.

I suspect I could have done the same with a new.ai file with each image on a seperate layer.  I have also exported the individual frames as .jpgs in the event that this should be a simpler way of moving between images.

Here are the designs in the .jpg format, in the new 1024 x 768 aspect ratio for the game build.  The viewfinder will sit on top of the designs.  I'll need to change the aspect ratio of the viewfinder also!

Small aperture

Mid aperture

Large aperture

Countryside Icon

I am really struggling for an icon that can be associated with the countryside any suggestions?

Would you associate a tractor with the country? (trying to think from kids point of view)

Introduction and Instruction Page

After much debation on whether to keep the Introduction, Instruction and Location Page the same i have made the executive decision as to do this, hope Clare does not mind!!

Brainstorming sessions have taken place of how the above pages could be done and at first i thought it would not be possible to keep them the same format, making it a lengthy process of having to design 3 different pages but i have a had brainwave in the mist of the 'fluy' symptoms and if the location page idea can be done and am almost certain my idea for the Introduction and Instruction Page can be.

Again same background as the Location Page (simplified faded version of the island map) with falling poloriods revealing the written introduction or instruction. This means the text would have to be short keeping the player wondering what will be coming next...

Minutes - 18th October 2011

The beginnings of flu like symptons have set in and much to my annoyance at the moment i am finding it very hard to concentrate which is not what i or Clare need right now... To be perfectly honest i am not sure even what day it is!!!

Due to my forgetfulnessand lack of concentration at the moment Clare and i ran through the minutes of the previous meeting and what needed to be done. Check list completed and slightly back on track revised list of what needed to be done for 25th October was completed, including any forgotten bits from the previous week.

This week due the unforseen and once again VERY annoying circumstances of Clare's lost Ghannt Chart it was decided she would concentrate most of her time this week on completing a new one... big hugs Clare.

Becky was set the task of completing the group Ghannt Chart, check, and also her own- which she decided to properly update next week 25th October (TOP PRIORITY)

Both listened to Flash Tutorial and picked up some rather good ideas on how to create games that appear to be rather effective and fingers crosses quite simple to set up, but hey, we shall see. Further discussions on this next week i feel.

Discussions for this week were:

Music/sound
Colour Scheme, which we both felt had to be decided this week
Build Schedule, which we decided on creating a flowchart first to give us more of an idea of what would be involved and what needed to be done we could then assign the tasks equally.

Clare To Do:

2/3 different versions of the points display
Brighten simple version of the countryside
Add coral to under the sea image
Search Fonts
Search realistic sound effects for each location

Becky To Do:

Scan Sketchbook and add images to blog
Shipwreck/ Castle inside and outside versions
Introduction Screen
Location Page
Instruction Page
Complete Island Map
School
Search Fonts
Search realistic sound effects for each location
Congratulations Screen

**25th October 2011**

First Job for Becky and Clare- write product and team evaluation and also individual contributions

Contextual research - trees and brambles

Location Page Idea

An idea which i ran past Iain and can be done...

So the player has chosen his or her destination, by clicking on the icon, the screen fades revealing a faded simplified version of the map. At this point poloroids begin to fall showing locations of the other places on the map. The final poloroid lands showing the chosen destination.

Icons

An idea first thing in the morning must be a miracle but had to quickly sketch and post before it was forgotton and i had to dash off to drop my son off at nursery and get to work. These are what the player will click on the map to take them to their chosen location

Moutain Scene in colour Minus the castle

I am rather pleased with this design, fingers crossed hope Clare is too, all that needs to be added now is the castle.

Island Map in working progress

the beginnings of an island map, very much a work in progress. the colour cheme has yet to be decided by clare and myself but so far so good

Footprints

the idea of the footprints is to inform the player where they are heading. Each footprint appears separately as if the player is shown walking on the map to their chosen destination

Points display - work in progress

So this can also be the inventory screen.

Work in progress, more designs to come.  Also want to work on a vignette to drop over the last viewed screen (see beach as example).

Countryside game design

Here are two versions.  One I have used some Illustrator symbols for details.

Think I need to go away and come back with fresh eyes to see which I prefer.

It feels like cheating using the symbols, my artist's pride is telling me that I should draw these elements by hand... maybe for the purpose of the working presentation I can use the version with the symbols, then when I have time, draw the details myself.

Either way, whichever version we opt for, I will be producing 3 versions.  Each version will have varying levels blurred/ out of focus, to demonstrate the effect that aperture has on depth of field.

With 'cheating' symbols

simple versions

Bloody bastard Gantt chart - IT problems!

So my gantt chart is corrupt, as are the 2 back up versions.  I took the file into work and had our IT guy James look into it.  It would appear that as I transferred it to my desktop some how it created a freaky file.

2 hours worth of input down the drain :(

I remain hopeful that the IT chap from uni has some more promising news for me.

So if not, this week I will complete my Gantt chart for the last 2 weeks as well as all previous activity!!

I'll ask Becky to complete the group one for the last two weeks so I can re load all the information.  Arse!

More contextual research - Game Company Logos

Here are the game company logos that I found.

Games Company Logos

Contextual research - display screens and logos

As part of my ongoing contextual research, I have been obtaining images of game points displays, intro screens/ menus, game over, game logos & games company logos.


Oh the exciting things we do when the other half is working for the night!


These should help get an idea of what is commonplace in the industry's market, if they all have a common theme, that suggests it is a method that works.  This should help us steer our design development along the right path.  It is all well and good being different to show our creative abilities, but if it is not in keeping with a market's tastes, we may alienate a proportion of potential sales.


Here are the points display screens.

Here are the games logos.

Other Game Logo ideas

Here a couple of alternatives. will run these by Clare and also ask friends their prefered design

Game Logo

Game Logo i have been working on...


Like the simple yet effective design, also like the style of the graduation hat representing 'Academy' part of the logo and the camera representing the 'Snaps' part of the logo. After various camera designs i decided a childs drawing would be more appropriate and asked Mia, my friends 8 year old, to draw me one. Only thing i am not sure of is the polaroid... does this work????

Mountain Scene

Rough Sketch of the mountain scene for the location poloroid and also the game. Only one thing missing in this though the castle where the game is played.

Final Design sketch for the Game Logo

After finally coming up with this design i was too impatient to hear Clares thoughts on it. Could not even wait long enough for me to upload to the blog so i sent her a text asking her opinion. she really liked this... the go ahead to take this to the next step... creating a colour version. the above camera image is based on drawing my friends little girl did, possibly thinking of using her design in the colour version to give the logo the child like feel i am after.

Colour schemes continued...

Here are the swatches for the colour schemes with the themes 'photograph' and 'school'.

The 'island' themes are on a previous colour scheme blog article.

Becky and I are going to give consideration to our favourites over the weekend and agree on the brand colours on Tuesday.

Photograph inspired colour schemes

School inspired colour schemes

Island Map

After looking at various island maps the above is the final drawn out version of Snaps Academy island. All set for exploration and playing fabulous games. now to get started creating the final colour version in photoshop.

i have also decided to add icons for each game destination to make it feel more map like.

School Shop so far....

Not sure if we are using this as we are probably going to award a set piece of equipment upon completion of a game.  However this will be introduced in version 2.  The design still needs some edits.  I will export to Photoshop to add more shadow and texture.

I'm going to wait until the brand's colour scheme is agreed first to ensure uniformity, at the very least to be sure the designs do not clash with the interface that Becky is designing.

Even if we do not use the shop, it is still worthwhile designing.  We may use the kit designs as icons for the awarded items upon completion of games.

Had another idea that perhaps there would be a kit bag to show what the player had earned and is able to use, so the kit designs can again be used there!

3D models complete!

Here is the camera, flash gun, lens, memory card, battery and waterproof housing unit... phew!

Tomorrow's tasks are to create the shop and the colour scheme swatches.  I can design the layout of the points display but the colours may depend on the branding which will not be agreed until Tuesday's meeting.

Game Logo Designs

Thinking about the Game Logo

3D Lens built

I have built the lens for the 3D equipment tutorial, using the usual Google Sketch Up.  The tricky part was the convex lenses, but I worked it out through trial and error using the arc and follow me tool!  There is also the addition of lens mount on the camera.

Minutes - October 11, 2011

Meeting points

^1.             Agreed allocations of designs to be completed in Illustrator/ Photoshop as .PNG or .JPEG format  by 18/10

a.     CWH

                                                                    i.         3D Flash gun

                                                                  ii.         3D lens

                                                                 iii.         3D waterproof housing

                                                                 iv.         3D battery

                                                                   v.         3D flash/ memory card

                                                                 vi.         Points display screen

                                                                vii.         School shop – the location and the thumbnail for Polaroid

                                                              viii.         Sketches for details in the Countryside and the Beach

                                                                 ix.         Produce the colour schemes as per list below.
                                 x.     Complete the design for the countryside.

b.     BS

                                                                    i.         Mountain scene – Flash game

                                                                  ii.         Design frame style for menu – instruction page & intro page

                                                                 iii.         Complete Polaroid design – the location indicator

                                                                 iv.         Design game logo

                                                                   v.         Complete Map

                                                                 vi.         School – the location and the thumbnail for Polaroid

                                                                vii.         Complete Shipwreck

                                                              viii.         Sketch and produce static version of the animation ‘winning’ sequence.

                                                                 ix.         Sketches for details in the Mountains/ Castle and Shipwreck

                                                                   x.         Footprints

2.     Assigned other items to do for next week

a.     CWH –

                                                                    i.         Type minutes

                                                                  ii.         Email Game template and Under the Sea layers to BS for her Shipwreck

                                                                 iii.         Update the group GANTT chart (all actions done and new projections – see below)

                                                                 iv.         Try and recover the corrupt version of self GANTT chart and update

                                                                   v.         Update Production Diary

b.     BS –

                                                                    i.         Email Group GANTT chart to CWH

                                                                  ii.         Test photography games

                                                                 iii.         Update self GANTT chart

                                                                 iv.         Update Production Diary

3.     Set new deadlines and tasks – to input into GANTT

a.     Practice presentation and demonstration of working product – 01/11

b.     Produce diagrams of percentage completed of work (from GANTT) – 01/11

c.     Write evaluation of team’s performance so far – 25/10

d.     Evaluation of the product as it stands – 25/10

e.     Write each team member’s individual contribution to the project – 01/11

f.      Plan the build schedule – 18/10

g.     Start the build – 18/10

Other items discussed

4.     Portraits for the website – CWH 18/10

5.     Music and sound for the game – to be planned into the build schedule – 18/10

6.     Post production areas – these although wonderful ideas are a big ask for us in terms of our present abilities and the time constraints.  We agreed to bump this to ‘Version 2’ this would be a development opportunity for a next generation of Snaps Academy.

7.     Delivery material – we cannot really start the design of this until we have a brand/ logo and contents – we will start this after our next deadline - 08/11 onwards.

8.     The ‘winning’ animation can for the most recent deadline, be static or animatic – it is for demonstration purposes only.  The final animation can be started after our presentation - 08/10

9.     Although BS is designing the winning sequence, we have not yet agreed the build schedule.

10.  Iain is happy for us to chose whether to submit the time plan (Gantt), minutes and production diary in our chosen format.  He is happy for the production diary to be the blog so long as it was obvious which submissions were who’s.  We decided that we would have a projection of this, with maybe one hard copy of each incase someone wants to flick through a copy.  This hard copy would simply be a print out of the blog and Gantt chart, bound. No fancy, time consuming, designs!

11.  Iain said we do not need to simplify the Gantt chart, the more detail the better!
12. CWH's bloody bastard Gantt chart has become corrupt since it was produced last week so couldn't update this evening!  IT chappie will look into it for me.  BS has the group Gantt chart on her pen drive but didn't have it with her so will need to update next week.  

13.  Colour schemes – we looked at the 3 schemes suggested based on ‘Island’ looked at ‘Photograph’ and ‘School’ – CWH will be producing the colour scheme charts to make decision next week.

·       Photograph

a.     Across the Sea

b.     Golden Gate Bridge

c.     Stop photographing me

d.     Photograph (by awakening)

e.     Old C print – too girly

f.      Acid Handbags – too girly

g.     Scrapbook

h.     Lost Photograph – too manly, too muted

·       School

a.     Old school bag

b.     Primary School – too pastely

c.     School colours