Collating resources for Tuesday's build

We start the build on Tuesday before the tutorial session so Becky and I are collating our resources.

I completed the beach and updated the winning screen with the colours from the chosen scheme 'school fete' as well as adding a drop shadow (my favourite!)  I have not used the correct font for the winning screen as I don't know yet what the outcome was from the research, our shortlist font examples were put to the public to choose their favourites.  This can be changed quite easily in the psd. file.

I have not made any changes to the Countryside Game as this was completed last year.

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.

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

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

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.

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 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.

Designs needed for each game

Sketches and games ideas - Countryside & Under the Sea

How will the game function?

Here is the map of how the game will be laid out and the stages that the user can move between.

Seabed design

This is most recent version of the seabed design for one of the games.

It is by nowhere near ready, but it's time to cook tea and my eyes are going square!

Seabed version 4

Beachscape

Beachscape version 5

Beachscape version 3

This is the most recent version of the beachscape created in Photoshop. I used the pen tool to create paths for the waves. The horizon was just a rectangle shape that I have bent slightly with twirl, just to give it a more cartoony feel.

I then added a gradient to both the beach and the sky. I think it adds depth, makes the image more tangible, well as tangible as a cartoon by a novice can be.

Designs for the games' background theme

Test of graphic styles for game backgrounds.

Using the countryside background I have played about with some variations on a theme.

I have shortlisted my faves to 1, 4, 5 & 6, but wanted to put it out to test on other eyes to see what peeps think.

Please have a look at the attachment and see which you prefer, if you could put your 6-14 year old hat on when viewing these as they are the target audience for the game. Many thanks!!

Whichever the fave is, I will redo a wee bit sharper, prob put a grad on the hills, but still keep it simple.

Tweaks to the game viewfinder

I have had another look at the viewfinder graphics, this is the frame that will be used during each game.

I have added a little shade to the arrows. The object is not 3D, it never is in a camera, but thought it added a bit more eye candy. I did this using the 3D effect in Illustrator. 6 degrees on the X axis, 1 degree on the Y and Z at 0.

Using again Illustrator effects, I gave the viewfinder a friendly appeal with the bloat effect, set at 3.

I have placed an image in it to show you how it will appear with the games... beady eyes will spot this is a screen grab from Angry Birds... not my work, but certainly one of the games on my inspiration board!!

Game designs - Game frame & Controls - Work in progress!!!!

Rather a productive week! I have started to draw out the game designs, starting with the image that will frame most if not all of the games.

This is work in progress so looks very simple at the moment, but you get an idea of the concept. The game itself will be placed in the view finder 'screen' and the game will be played using the control buttons.

Sketches for games & viewfinder