Character Concept changes

From looking back on to my concept for my game character, I realise that she looked pale due to her white hair and how bright the colour palette of her clothes were. So what I did was go back to last year's concept and tried  to analyse what colours would look good on her.
From player with the hue system again, I decided that she needed colour in her hair, so I gave her red to symbolise cherry blossom.

Did some concepts on the main character and a possible side character for the game. He was a character I made during last year for a project.

Making my Character in 3D

 Created my character in 3D on Mudbox.
This was from using the sculpt tool and the knife tool

During the making of my character, I need to get rid of the shoulder pad because when it comes to the animation of the model, it'll start to stretch the vertexes which will then become more complicated later on.

My Environment Concept Research

Research

For the design of my level, I plan to have it based in a fantasy world. The player will be placed in a sacred forest at night, with many illumination coming from the trees, plants, creatures and including the character the player will be controlling. I'am mainly aiming to do this so to make the game seem beautiful and enjoy the game visually as well as getting deeper into the game-play itself.
By doing research, I'll to get a better idea what I wanted to make for the level.

(http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/fantasy/images/17775682/title/teldrassil-tree-photo)
I really like how the whole land is a tree which really brings magic or fantasy to this landscape. My level might actually have a huge massive tree as a distant background so to show that the player has to head in that direction. 

(http://abstract.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/1122464/)
I like this because of the aqua like colours it uses. some parts of my level will have a river or a lake.

(http://abstract.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/1347222/)
I researched some other concepts based on a Chinese theme. Because I plan to make it seem magical, I also want to aim to make it look oriental. There will be some huts/houses in the level which means I could try add something like this to them.  

(http://digital-art-gallery.com/picture/4197)
This game me the idea of creating dead golems that would be laying around the map, indicating that they were guardians of the land and forest.

(http://wall.alphacoders.com/big.php?i=225875)
The tree design seemed to catch my eye because of how I could imagine how nice it would look like when it becomes night time. The design it self look nice and it does show signs of it being a magic and fantasy theme.

(http://wall.alphacoders.com/big.php?i=95624)
A bridge in the game's level design would be nice why get over the river or lake I plan to add to it. 

(http://digital-art-gallery.com/picture/gallery/gate)
This inspired me to add doors to the level design idea. they'll look old, displaying a symbol, indicating that the player can only open it when he/she has an item that carries the same symbol to the door their after. 

(http://sharememe.org/hd-fantasy-forest-wallpaper-22002-hd-wallpapers/)
lampposts in my game would make the level look nice and beautiful if place on the sides of the paths, just like this one.
The glowing of the lampposts would also be a good indicator in my environment so to show player where he/she would need to go, that is if I plan on making an environment that allows the player to freely go to any place on the map.

(http://www.thalskarth.com.ar/2011/09/05/lunes-de-wallpapers-iv-paisajes/)
Another Chinese themed concept chose to look at. A few objects such as the umbrellas or the windmills added around the bridge over the lake/river, would help strengthen the theme to the game.

My Concept 

In Photoshop, I used a larger brush so to get a better understanding of what my Environment will look like.
For now I've done the starting point of my level which will be in front of a cottage like house which is meant to be her grandma's.

New Character Concept

 By using a template of a female body made from Mudbox, it already leaves me the right sizes of my character and it also makes sure that she is symmetrical.

As you can, see I started to do a 360 view of my character.
When making her in 3D, it'll make it more easier to visualise her.

In order to get the right color I want for her clothes, I colour in part of her clothes which would be the same colour. While on that layer, I press Ctrl + U to open up the Hue editor window. There, I'm able to move the bars which will change the color in that layer to one I like.







I look back the old design I did last year to see if I could add anything similar to the new design. It also helps me to get the basic colors I want for my character straight away because of the sort of colur palette I'm after.

The color palette I going for is palettes of a forest.

"Kia Allynna" design concept Research

RESEARCH
Character Design (Kia Allyna)
To start off with, I choose the name "Kia" because to me, its still a feminine name but it brings the characteristics of some one strong and brave, which is exactly what I'am after. Her second name "Allynna", came from researching last year's assignment. I was researching on elven names in websites that were either name generators and other ones that showed a list of elven names. I came a cross the name Allynna on a site that listed names but also explained where that name came from and what it presented. The name "Allynna" Represents light and awakening. Not only does it sound good but it also represents my game's theme and what it is about.
Now for the appearance; From what I gathered from last year, I analysed each one and discovered that they seemed to have a similarity. They would be equipped with either a bow and arrow or a sword. They'd wear very light clothing and armour, which I'am guessing; allows them to be more swift when fighting.
Here is the images I gathered:

(http://eudetenis.deviantart.com/art/Elf-Archer-343898523)
As you can see, you can already guess that she is an elf due to her ears and how elves usually have brightly colored hair.
From looking at the whole design of this character, I can say that the light clothing seems rather nice and well designed. For my character, I would like something similar to her clothing design because of how native and strong it looks.

(http://den3221.deviantart.com/art/Elf-127585993)
This character concept tells me that she is more of a assassin due to the lack of loose clothing and mainly wearing tight fabric. This indicates that she is fast and very swift compare to the other female elf concepts.

From this design, I like the shoulder armour because how it make her look well equipped and more of a warrior than just a plain assassin.

(httpwww.creativeuncut.comgallery-07l2-elf-female2.html)
This character design shows a more noble side to a female elf warrior. Not only because of her stance, she holds a very thin, elegant rapier class weapon which shows that she has grace when she fights. Its a bit unusual that she is also holding a shield because from games and other concepts I've seen, I've never really saw any character use this combination before coming across this concept. Usually a rapier user has another hand free so to show balance and grace as she/he fights.

Personally I would use this idea of using combination weapons, but not like a sword and shield, more like a sword and staff, seeing that my character uses magic, I need to have her hold a item that possess magical powers.

(http://grayserg.deviantart.com/art/Elf-girl-72923394)
Now I chose to analyse this concept is because of how this concept can be similar to the other ones, but if you look closer and try to understand it, it becomes something completely different.

firstly, she has a bow that looks very 'raw' looking. When I mean 'raw' I mean that it looks like she got a branch and just tide a string to it. she has an spiritual presents because of the weird shadow creatures and her cloths looks like they're from a magical race, suggesting that she could use magic.

From this, I want that element that indicates that my character can use magic, besides indicating she can use magic only because she is holding a staff, I want to show it from what she wears and what kind of poses she is doing.

My Rough Character Designs
Here I've focused one different elements to each of the designs. This is so I get a better visual understanding to what my final design would look like.







Last year, my main character "Kia" concept design finalised to becoming more of an anime looking character.


Her design was very unique seeing that she had a very thin waist and her hair seemed quite impossible to do. As you can see she held a staff that would shoot magic, and on her back, she carried a big bag which was would be used to store all her items such as arrows, potions, maps, etc. Her secondary weapon was her bow, so during combat, she would be able to do long distance attacks.
The design of the skirt was to show that she is quite active but at the same time show her feminism.
The colours used for her were mainly greens, browns and red to compliment the forest like feel to the character.

Story Backgound (The Giants of the land)

Going back to the event of when the giants stop the war,
It was their decision to sacrifice their souls, seeing only pain and destruction over the people and the land, it was the only thing they could do. So in order to do that, the giants each selected a individual that would carry their soul and pass it on to the next in their blood line. Because each of the five giants carried only one of the elements, whoever was chosen individually, would only carry one of the elements in which belonged to that giant. Their souls became items that held immense power which could change an entire landscapes into a completely different elements.
Within the crowd of people who were saved, one shouted to give thanks and offered the giants to stay with them saying "We know nothing about peace nor harmony, we ask that you stay and guide us as our gods". In response, one of the giants looked down on them and said "We..can..only..pass..on..what..we..held..in..our..souls..."  another giant then spoke "You don't need to worry any more, for there is now nothing that can hurt you....nor your people" "Our bodies will create lands that will help give you and your people enough resources to learn how to live.
With that, the giants then slowly started to fade, becoming almost transparent as the light in the sky, started touching the land for the first time. Their bodies collapsed on to different part of the lands, creating mountains, rivers, forest, etc. With the lands resources, the people created a nation that had farms, houses to live in.
Until years later, power became too overwhelming to those who became king of the nation. Slowly a line was being made between being poor, and being filthy rich. The chosen ones who held the power to change the land, ended up becoming royalty. People were scared of their power. The chosen ones soon were being worshipped like gods, symbolising the elements.
A hundred more years later, the chosen ones, gods of the elements, argued over needs which lead to having the nation split in to five smaller nation, governed by each of the gods of the elements. Each nation would have stone, while another nation would have metal or wood. The nations would keep their resources to themselves but would greatly lack other resources.
Throughout the years, the people had not noticed that the darkness was becoming stronger within the shadows beyond their walls. A great wars was to happen. The wall gave in around all the nations, people panicked over what was happening. Over the years, the people had forgotten about the darkness.
As the monsters once again destroy and kill many people, the chosen ones agreed to fight together. By using their powers, they created weapons, made from the elements themselves. With this, they overwhelmed the monsters, sending them back to the darkness.
The chosen ones thought that it was about time that they become one nation so to protect they people but not all did agree to this. Instead they kept their nations as they did before but had a trading system that would bridge the nations together.
This brings us to the present, where poor and rich are still one going, but the people later learnt many thing such as magic and craftsmanship and many other skill. Light became the source of magic which became a shield that would protect all the nations from monsters that lived in the shadows. Light became the symbol of divine protection. Cites and giant building were made. Different kinds of people moved from nation to nation. The nations; even though they were still separate from one another, united to becoming a land called 'Sybackian'.
Recently the nation of light ‘Aaron’; which is the only nation that holds on to the crystal that ‘light’ was created from, has shattered all over the land of Sybackian by someone unknown. Without light, they can only be darkness and Because of this, the monsters are free to roam the lands again, killing people and destroying everything they see. All that’s left to protect the people is magic.
The granddaughter of a famous light elemental warrior who created the crystal itself, chooses to use her skills and magical abilities past down to her by her grandma, to journey out to all of the five nations of Sybackian and by re-lighting each of the crystals all over the land, the light will once again come back to Sybackian.

My Game Concept 'Illuminate'

From last years assignment, I created a concept idea called 'Illuminate'
The game was set in a world where tales, myths and legends were alive. Different kinds of creatures had to coexist in this world. there are those who are smart, resourceful,  lived in the light's ray and those who are monsters, lived in the shadows.

Magic existed, and from it, the creatures of light who could manipulate it, used it to help them harvest and manipulate minerals from the lands they lived on. But what also existed was five legendary items, given to them by the 'Giants' who are now gone, allows them to manipulate the elements themselves. The sole proposes is to protect the people from the monsters and create a land they all can live on.

(This was the first few sketches I did from my head. The one on the left is mean to be the main character. And in the middle is her grandma.)

The name of my main character is called "Kia Allynna", an elven name. She is an elf, raised by her grandma who is the sole protector of light over all the nations. Despite being next in line of becoming the next protector of light, Kia lacks the qualities. Because of this, she is trained by her grandma. she is taught swordsmanship,using magical items and archery. Unfortunately Kia could not use magic, which meant she would not be able to use light magic to protect the people.

07/11/13

Objective:  create concept of game idea

Done: Got a better idea of the game concept am working towards.

Next to do: develop a character concept design.

Introduction

I am a student currently being educated in Games Technology at Confetti studio, part of De Montfort University in Leicester and I am now on my second year.

This year, we have been assigned to create a game that will only consist of one level. The game we create will come from our own concepts and ideas we invented during last year's assignment.

I will be going through various stages of production in order to produce the game, as well as organising my time management in order to get milestones done before deadlines. Individually we will professionally act as though we were in part of a game company, creating a game from start to finish while documenting each stage of development.

Daily onwards, I will use this site to publish each piece work from pre-production to post-production, which will include concepts, 3D models, links to videos, music and a lot of self analyses.