Sculpting Faces and Revamps!

So have got myself into practice with some high poly modelling.. I felt I should have these to show off in my portfolio to show the detail I can go into creating a human face. Now, being my second time at grasping high poly modelling I thought this attempt of an elf wasn't bad. I'll post the pictures here and feel free to leave any comments about it. I also decided to go and revamp one of my old character sketches. Tell me how it is!

Front View

3/4 View

And the Side View

It's not perfect but it's an improvement!

Oh and about the game: I have done my first sketches of the main character and I am now starting with the others. Floor plans are (sort of) done and I am now writing up an asset list for the environment.. As I may have mentioned, this is going to be a long process, but believe me it is going to be worth it!

So I'll leave the pictures here and...... have a good rest of the week! Oh and Happy Thanksgiving to you American readers across the pond!

https://www.facebook.com/afdesign92 Likey-Like! Sharey-Share!

Mapping, pitching planning... Drawing!

So I'm going to take a break from the story for a bit.. I have it quite settled now which is a good thing after shifting so many things around with the plot and the general character personalities. To shuffle things round, I'm going to start with asset lists, a start of the game brief and a few sketches to get the arty side going.

Since I was in charge of Character designs at uni for my last project, I didn't really take note of how much assets needed to be created from the smallest thing such as a pint glass to a massive tree. This game I'm creating is going to have a lot of assets but I may need to rethink and shorten the list.

It's been a while since I touched a pencil and a pad of paper so I'm going to be very rusty... I may even move forward and start digitally on Photoshop as I have been practicing my digital art skills. I may not be able to realistically paint, but I can certainly create fun and imaginative characters and environments and that's good enough for me and hopefully good enough for the people playing it too. Although I am learning to paint realistically still... I'm always going to keep feeding my mind with arty, businessy, gamey knowledge. Especially if I'm going onto the self employment and business route.

As some of you may know from my facebook design page, I am creating floor plans to help me see what sort of assets I would need to place into the game itself. The plans are a mess containing a mixture of pen, pencil and possibly a blood sacrifice I don't know, I was on a sugar high, it could have just been a paper cut... anyway, it's a mess. But it helps to map out plans to show how it's going to be built for the player and to keep them in the playable space.

Over this week, I have decided that if I am going to pitch this idea to something like kickstarter, a trust fund or even a bank for a loan, I can't make a whole game to show them. By the time I finish it I would probably be living in a gutter somewhere... so I'm going to create the first part of the level that I have written for, very much like a demo. Hopefully that would be a good enough pitch if I get the publicity right. That's why I'm asking you guys to look at this, share my page, like it and so on... I thank the guys who have done this already! It's what's helping me get my name out and I appreciate it! :) I might also start vlogging if anyone is interested in seeing my large, English mug on the screen. I won't be offended if you feel sick... I have that effect on people...

So I guess that's me for the time being, I might post some of the plans and sketches depending on how secretive I want to be... and I shall speak soon! Oh and here's my FB page for liking and sharing. Please continue this for me as it produces lots of cookies for me to digitally distribute through the power of the cookienet! cookies are tasty.

https://www.facebook.com/afdesign92 - Go on, a click on the like button won't hurt you. But it will hurt my feelings if you don't... not really, but do like it :)

A Little Reminder... Give me a like

People who view this probably don't know this but i do have a facebook page, so if you like what you see so far and think you would want to see more posts before the blog, give that page a like! I'll appreciate it :) I'll even create a machine to digitally deliver cookies and cheese to you! I like cheese...

https://www.facebook.com/afdesign92

So go on, give me a like! :)

Changing Ideas and Thinking Business...

Ideas seem to go through a massive cycle of design processes. For example, the main character sketch for our final year project at university went through several iterations until we finally settled for the first idea again. This is a fun part of the process, especially for designers as it gets their creativity flowing and they can find a design that settles in the right places within a game. Kind of like a puzzle...

This is what my design process has been over the past few weeks. Shifting and changing everything that would make a healthy game. Unfortunately i do not have a team of people to critique my work to see if i can make it better, but i will get there later. First, i want to get a story straight. I layed out the rough concept that has been in my head onto paper and started weaving it from there. Changing things such as characters, their personality, who i would need as NPCs and what buildings would there be. I then went for the setting of the place, one that wasn't too big, but one that was small enough for me to work on. Since then i have been devising a story. Now i am no literary genius, but it is something for me to recognise and to work on. I am trying to make it dark humoured or a little 'Pythonesque' British humour

So that's the story so far.. Onto another topic.

So, over the past few weeks, i have been deciding whether or not i would want to venture into the industry head on by starting a business of it. Now, to some who know me are probably thinking, 'But you have no idea about business or leading a project!' Neither did a lot of entrepreneurs but they still went for it. Some didn't even know where to begin, or even know of the product they wanted to sell. Fortunately, i know what i want to sell, i have the skills (hopefully) to get myself to where i want to be. Take out all of the negatives and think of the positives and what ever is a negative ask yourself, 'How can you manage? How many ways can you get around this? Who else is your competitor?' Think of all the ways to turn them into positives or a benefit in the long run. If you can't do this, manage it so that it does not eat away at you, stealing every last bit of hope of your business ever making it. This is something i have dealt with. I did always think 'What if I'm not good enough? What if i get this loan out and i can't pay it back? What if no one endorses me or supports me?' But i soon got over it. I boosted myself in confidence of my ability and idea and i am going for it! While this process is going on, i will be looking for a job still, because i need some money to get me off the ground and to get me going on this adventure, but i will also keep planning my company and then start looking for people i can work with comfortably not as their project leader, but as their colleague who works alongside them.

So in short, I'm doing things!

Let's make a game shall we? - Introduction to madness!

A blur. That is what Summer felt like.  After the great feeling of passing University, beach outings with friends and picking up music related hobbies again, I knew that Summer would come to its inevitable end and Autumn would soon come creeping up to the door asking to make days shorter and colder.

With Autumn coming in I felt like I should do something worthwhile since the weather is going to get rough. Considering i finished a degree in games design, why not make a game?

Now I know some of you are like, 'Isn't that a big task for you?':

And people who know me are like, 'Isn't that a big task for YOU?' (imagine pointing fingers)

Yes. That's the simple answer. I'm not one for making anything simple. I like to go in big and loud like when I enter a room drunk.... *ahem* i digress...

I've had an idea in my head since the end of second year and I have wanted to pursue it for quite some time.

Now some of you are now saying: 'Well why didn't you do it in uni?'

Because at that time I wasn't confident in my ability as a designer or artist. My skills grew tremendously over the final year of uni and I now think I'm ready to take this task, grab it by the horns and ride this bucking bronco experience. Speaking of, I've never rode a bucking bronco... I wonder if it's fun... *ahem*

Well, I guess that's all I have to say at the moment. I spend every minute I have spare working on this so progress to update will be slow, depending on if I like certain ideas or if I have time to blog. But this will be a great place to vent some things I have with any project related problems, like hurdles that I can't jump over... No, seriously, have you ever seen a big guy try to jump a hurdle? Not a pretty sight.......

....*ahem*.....

Anyway, if problems arise, game inspirations or small pieces of project work goes well it will be out here so keep your eyes on here for more! :)

(BTW the old blog will no longer be used... sorry for that inconvenience, this one is much better!)

LET'S DO THIS!