Lecture reflections - Weeks 2-4

Real Representation

As a game developer, I'm often forced to consider the balance between performance and visual fidelity when designing virtual environments. As the game has to run in real-time and at a solid frame-rate, it's important to ensure the user experiences it at optimum quality.

As such, the question of art style is vital in informing the performance of the game. Can the artist get by with less-realistic assets if it means the player gets a smooth frame-rate, or is it vital that the environments match real-life. In cases where the art is displaying aspects of real life (e.g. a realistic driving simulator), any obviously-CGI assets will immediately destroy any immersion.

Clay models as environment art in The Swapper

Sometimes the problem can be solved by using innovative techniques to produce art. Facepalm Games' The Swapper [http://theswappergame.com]  uses clay models and other everyday materials to create a realistic - albeit stylised - vision of its environments.

Picturesque

The use of perspectives and giving a sense of scale has always been paramount in ensuring games hold the player's interest. It is not enough to give players an interesting mechanic to mess about with, as it must be tied together with a strong visual direction, both in terms of character and environment art. 

The lake and mountain in this Uncharted: Golden Abyss screenshot aren't modelled, but a Skybox.

Technically, producing art for games is a challenge unlike any other. Artists cannot simply model every element of an environment. Memory and processor limitations requires artists to budget their resources with great emphasis placed on objects near the area of play. Thus, some creative techniques such as Billboarding and Skyboxing are used to provide a sense of scale for the player.

Sublime

The practice of creating wonderment and inducing awe has been one of the focal points of game development, ever since 3D motion graphics were made common. As game budgets rise each year, emphasis is placed on scale and intensity over all else. The recent Call of Duty series has been a prime example of games built to take players on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, with its immense set-pieces, plot points, and James Bond-esque action sequences, all set in a thoroughly unbelievable world of chaos.

The Citadel building in Half-Life 2

Above all, however, stands the Half-Life series. Half-Life 2, widely regarded as one of the best games of all time, innovated heavily when it released in 2004. Its dystopian atmosphere and unprecendented storytelling, as well as its iconic visual scenery, is a prime example of the power of interactive narrative and worldbuilding.

Progress video of Island - Sublime

Shows the island's different navigable areas, some interesting lighting schemes, and the use of fog, clouds, and vegetation to show aspects of the sublime.

A shorter video at sunset, showing a waterfall.

Extra reference image

Picturesque, part 2

Claude Larrain

William S. Galpin

Solving the 'hole-in-the-ground' problem

I needed to create a massive underground structure in my environment,

but the CryEngine ocean is just a flat plane. 

Before, with the default CryEngine ocean. Note the middle terrain filled with water.

After, with Water volumes. The middle terrain no longer filled with water.

- How did I solve this problem?
- Water Volumes

I removed the Ocean first. Then, I created 2 Water volumes, one to cover each side of the centre structure. After creating and matching volume vertices with the terrain, I was able to keep the central area clear of any water.

 

After this, I can use Environment Holes to create some space in the middle terrain for the station.

Image from the Week 4 lecture

JMW Turner - Fishermen At Sea. A very dark and desolate vignette, this image inspires astonishment and a little horror. You wouldn't want to be stuck at sea like this.

Dramatic lighting and scene creation

Creating a dramatic scene in CryEngine is quite simple. I used a combination of sky lighting, Light Entities and played around with the light colours and shadow effects to create this effect.

 

The tower is a placeholder object which will be replaced by a massive structure (see previous post.) The striking silhouette against the moonlit sky inspires a feeling of foreboding.

Using Light Entities and changing the colour settings allows objects to appear to throw their own light on the environment. For example, I combined an orange light with a stock Fire particle effect to illustrate a burning campfire. The assorted wreckage in the background is highlighted by a warning light in red. This also guides the player in the direction of other interesting elements.

As the player climbs through the wreckage, they are greeted with the sight of some foliage. I have added some draft lighting for the player to navigate by, and will complete the scene with some overhead lamps.

On the far side of the island lies a series of icy mountain ranges. These are relatively untouched and barren. In the night sky, they provide a calming sight.

A panoramic shot of the island. The central zone has been dug out mechanically, whilst the rest of the island is unmarked (apart from some wreckage.) The silhouette will be dominated by the central structure as well as the 3 mountain peaks.

Sketches and design ideas

Before jumping into CryEngine and starting work on the environment, I thought it best to sketch some design ideas on paper first. It allowed me to pick and choose good ideas, and see how those ideas translated into visual form.

My first idea was to create a space station colony on a deserted island. This island would not be on Earth but a distant planet that overlooked a planet similar to our own. The idea behind this was to create a landform completely ravaged by civilization to the point of destruction. The only moving objects would be the man-made structures.

Once I set upon the idea of creating a desolate landscape with a striking central structure, I decided to design the stru

cture itself. Instead of placing it tall and striking in the sky, it was pushed deep underground, almost invisible to the untrained eye.
Only when standing atop the taller surrounding cliffsides would anyone be able to see this massive creation.

I also designed the topography to incorporate the letter 'H' and number '3' as per specifications. There are three peaks from which to view the station, and the island itself is H-shaped.

Inside the station is an intricate maze of robotics and computer hardware. It seems the station is completely unmanned, and as such, the machines have taken over the island. The contrast between the picturesque nature of the outer areas of the island and the machinery of the station will be interesting to create.

I wonder if it's possible to create this sort of landform in CryEngine.

The Picturesque

JMW Turner

Humphrey Repton

Scale of the island

First map iteration progress

I was able to change the Time of Day to accurately reflect the mood of my environment.
 

 

Instead of using World Creator, which didn't produce the 'digital' results I wanted - I was going for a sharp, square look for my terrain which was outside the bounds of the 'natural' style of World Creator's heightmaps - I used Inkscape, the vector graphics tool, to produce a pattern of squares for my heightmap.

  

I'm still not happy with the look of the environment. 

• Firstly, the heightmap texture needs to be scaled down and repeated, to get a more interesting and diverse pattern.
• I'm convinced that heightmaps are not the right solution for my problem. I need to find a way to create the environment using primitives (simple geometric shapes.) This is possible in Unreal Engine via the use of BSP meshes, so I'm sure CryEngine has it's own solution.

I need to re-evaluate whether this is the right direction for my art style. The tutorials and lectures seem to focus on natural environment creation, and I might be making more work for myself by doing things differently.

Landscape Reference

Monaco

Hilly landscape with bright colour variations, in part due to the complexity of the builds contrasting with the stark greenery. Overcast skies create an even lighting tone.

Dubai

Flat, desert terrain is punctuated with a series of pointed skyscrapers, particularly the iconic Burj Khalifa. Excess use of artificial lighting contrasts the usual, intense sunshine created by the desert sun.

The Grid (TRON)

The digital world of TRON tries to personify the intricate workings of a computer system. Components of the city mirror their real-world counterparts, but with amplified digital overtones such as the use of neon lights and dark shades. There is no natural formation or any foliage.

The Ark (BRINK)

Created for the wealthy to avoid a plague, the Ark is an island purpose-built for comfort. Echoed in the light tones of the buildings and its own weather system that repels the cruel original weather of the planet. Artificially produced plants create oxygen, supplanted with the use of technology to ensure the existence of a unique biosphere for the Ark.

 

Container City (BRINK)

In contrast to the Ark lays the ruins of Container City, another island built by the less-fortunate. Purposed from wrecks and ruins of old technology, this city feels the full wrath of the damaged Earth's weather systems. No foliage or natural growth is seen.