Wednesday 20 February 2008

Proposal


Brief overview of project

For this project, We will be working as a team of three. We intend to create a convincing video game demo for the Nintendo DS console. Our main focus will be centred on the animating aspect of the demo, rather than the game programming itself. So there will not be any playability as such, but rather a 'taster' of the how the game will work and what the story/plot consists of. In terms of method/software, we will use Macromedia Flash to compose the intro/outro/cutscenes and in-game animation. Characters will be drawn and scanned into Adobe Photoshop for finishing, and imported into Macromedia flash to be animated.

Christopher's main role will consist of being the storyboard artist, whereby he will compose the necessary shots needed for the cut scenes. He will also be the lead game play animator where he will animate the main actions for the characters to perform e.g. running, jumping. This role will also include animating the stylus movements and scrolling the background to indicate the character is progressing through the level. He will also contribute to the brainstorming process and final editing.

Dominic's main role will be to design and compose the level structure, indicating where any platforms will go, any obstacles that will appear etc. this will also include background art. he will also be in charge of designing the graphical user interface (GUI), constructing buttons, ingame / outgame options and menu design, and other game play assets such as items and power-ups.

Radhika's specific role within the group will be Character designing and animating, whereby she will create character sketches, profiles and render them in Photoshop, while creating simplified vector-friendly characters for the animation itself as well. Then after the group has agreed on the sequence of events, she will begin to animate the scenes. She will also contribute to the initial brainstorming of ideas and have a say in the final editing process.

The game’s genre will be fantasy-action based on a platform game formula. An added feature for this game will include a ‘rubber and pencil’ mode, where the player can alter the characters surroundings e.g. draw barriers or even holes for enemies to fall into. This drawing aspect of the game is also carried through to the storyline and concept.

The story centers on an ordinary boy with a talent for creating comics. The local school bully terrorizes him while on his way to the comic book store and is pushed to the ground. He is left shaken and dirty. He seeks refuge in a nearby decrepit bookstore but witnesses an other-worldly sight – the dark damp room is lit by a levitating glowing book with a hoard of spirits circling it. The boy, curious, steps toward the book, but the spirits take over his body and he is sucked into the pages of the book. The bully eventually breaks the door down and sees the glowing book. Before he has a chance to think, a renegade spirit takes over the bully but glows a sinister purple instead of the pure white glow of the boy. He gets sucked into the book as well and the glow fades. The camera then zooms into the pages and the game play begins.

Proposed schedule...

WEEK 1: Research and experimentation on possible outcomes.

WEKK 2: Brainstorming, collate thesis info, storyboarding, character sketches

WEEK 3: Storyboarding, interface design, character sketches, level sketches, experimentation of character movements,

WEEK4: PITCH, experimentation with character movements, start intro animation, (spring break -1 week), make adjustments from feedback

WEEK5: Continue intro animation, complete level sketches, sound recording

WEEK6: Animation, UI and level mock-up,

WEEK7: Continue animation, UI and level mock-up,

WEEK8: Continue animation, UI and level mock-up,


WEEK9: Continue animation, UI and level mock-up,

WEEK10: Work in progress presentation

WEEK11: Animation, final editing with sound

WEEK12: FINISH

WEEK13: Polishing/finalising

WEEK14: Submit

* Team meetings to be held every Monday at 12pm to discuss progress, problems and action plans for the week.

Posted by
Radhika


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