BA7 Research: Visual Storytelling

Visual Storytelling

Visual storytelling is a way in which a medium can tell a story through visuals, whether this be through cut scene, assets or just visual clues such as a discrete sign. In video games visual storytelling is an important design element and forever getting bigger. It allows the creator to put across more story through visuals than just plain out right saying it. Examples of visual storytelling can be found in games where there are cut-scenes, although some can be tedious and some can be overdone, this mechanic is a clever way of producing a story easily that the viewer can understand. A good example of this is in Bioshock through the subtle assets left throughout the game such as ‘a teddy bear left on the floor of a child's room, small remnants of humanity that echoed through the now hollow city. These small things communicate much bigger themes that would perhaps be much duller had they been explained verbally.’ – (Team Infestation Blog) or ‘A pile of luggage left at an elevator door’ –
(Team Infestation Blog).

These small visual assets really help to communicate a story and like Team Infestation said ‘small remnants of humanity’ that can be seen through these objects. Within my scene I hope to achieve similar design elements such as a bit of clothing hanging from the rope bridge or a rope hanging from the pub sign, these little assets will help to create something that will tell a story, something that may or may not have happened. Hopefully it will make the viewer intrigued, feel curious about what might have happened before. Through research around the area that I am creating and some creativity in the assets I make I hope to achieve some form of visual storytelling within my scene, giving it a story.

A great blog talks about visual storytelling and more specifically how Left 4 Dead (Valve, 2008) did a really good job on providing visual storytelling in the game. Joe, the author of the blog speaks about how there isn’t much story in the game, you simply kill and run away from zombies but within the environment there are brilliant design details that tell a story such as ‘graffitti in the safe rooms tells the stories of those here before you, corpses covered with sheets tell of those who didn't survive whose friends didn't just want to leave their bodies to the elements, but couldn't take the corpses with them.’ – (Joe, Shakewellbeforeenjoying blog).

Visual storytelling in video games –
http://shakewellbeforeenjoying.blogspot.co.uk/2008/12/visual-storytelling-in-videogames.html

BA7 Research: World of Level Design

World of Level Design – Horror Fear Level Design

Reading from a tutorial on World of level design I read about Horror fear level design. (Link can be found here: http://www.worldofleveldesign.com/categories/level_design_tutorials/horror-fear-level-design/part3-survival-horror-level-design-story-environment.php). I found it a very interesting read especially how it talks about the fact that it’s better to build an environment if it has a story behind it. For instances it discusses about the idea that if a horror game takes place in a newly built office then the viewer may not be scared or feel fear from, however you take the same viewer and put them in an older office building then they may be scared or feel fear. The older office building has a history, it tells a better story than the newer office building. Below is an extract from the tutorial.

Location.

 (There are certain environments that are more effective in communicating horror and fear then others. For example abandoned buildings and old hotel rooms are scarier than brand new office buildings. Reason is because they have history and past associated with them. There are traces of human history in the environments. Brand new spanking environment doesn't have that. So we already are seeing traces of clichés in the story of the environments.) – Worldofleveldesign, Horror fear level design.

It then proceeds to discuss ‘What is the mood you want to communicate? The environment has to compliment the story and the purpose you are trying to achieve. It also has to drive the story forward.’ – Worldofleveldesign. Reading this it has helped to me understand that I need to create a better story and history for my scene. Doing so it will help me to create a scene convincing the viewer that it’s a somewhat dangerous place to be, making them feel uneasy and uncomfortable. It lists in bullet points about identifying the environment:

·          

• What is the location?
• What is the setting?
• Time of day? Season?

To take these point into account I have decided to try and answer those best I can for my own environment scene.

What is the location?
The location of my scene is in Southmere, England. A small village residing in rural England. A medieval town now is present day.

What is the setting?
The setting of the scene is in present day, based on medieval architecture. The scene itself take shape from a real location: Norwich. Elm Hill to be exact.

Time of day? Season?
Time of day will be a night around 9pm and the season will be around August.

Next it talks about collecting reference images and then creating a location that people can recognise such as in 28 days later. ‘Now, you don't necessarily have to have visited the location, but being able to relate to it, is important. Most people know what London looks like and were able to relate to it in 28 Days Later.’ – Worldofleveldesign

Lastly it gives an exercise that you can do:

•  Write a story of your environment. Think as if you are telling a story to your friend. Who lived here? How did it get to be how it is? Why did everyone leave?
•  How it was created, what happened to it.
• Think of the emotional impact and how this story can be used to create more depth in your environment and relate it back to the character and the player.

This is something that I will be doing for BA8 when I have more research on the environment scene.

BA7 Research: Game studies

Brief studies on video games

Brief studies on video games that possess qualities I want in my scene.

A brief study of Alice Madness Returns

Looking for some similar game environments that relate to my studio work is somewhat difficult. One game that I have studied is Alice Madness Returns. I remember seeing some screenshots of the game through a presentation that was made by one of my friend; Jess Smith. The environment that I saw was bizarre and this intrigued me.

This image is a screenshot of the game taken from (g4tv.com) http://www.g4tv.com/games/xbox-360/62949/alice-madness-returns/articles/71503/american-mcgee-r-j-berg-on-alice-madness-returns/

The walkway seen just to the right I feel can relate to my scene with the bridge. If I were to walk on the bridge/walkway in the game I wouldn’t necessarily feel safe, I’d feel uneasy. I really like the art style of this game also, the grunge, dirty textures really work well in contrast to the environment. The environment is very surrealistic but still I find this intriguing. 

Another screenshot from (Neo Seeker) http://www.neoseeker.com/Games/Products/PC/alice_madness_returns/userreviews.html?reviewid=35479

A quote from Neo Seekers user reviews ‘The graphics and atmosphere for this game are very well done. I would sometimes just stand there and look at Wonderland, because of how lovely it looked. The atmosphere and noises sometimes put you on edge at some places, but since this is a horror game, it was pulled off rather well.’ – (haalyle's Alice: Madness Returns Review)

The image above I feel is one that relates to what I want a player to feel if they were in the environment, on edge. Although seeming quite the obvious and Alice being on the edge this element of being so close to edge and being able to fall off again relates to the bridge in my scene as well as the walkways.

The main design element with Alice Madness Returns is surreal, although my scene won’t be surreal the design elements of the environments in this game are really inspiring and very intriguing. I feel this is because it’s so different, it make me question why it looks like it does.

A brief study of World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft might not spring to mind when thinking of horror games or ones that may make you feel uncomfortable however the design of the buildings have a peculiar construction. I will say however though that parts of WoW are quite creepy thus relating to horror in some ways. Below are pictures that I have taken from ‘The Art of World of Warcraft, Cataclysm’ book. Each image I feel in some ways represents a connection to my studio environment scene. 

This concept piece is of a small house in WoW. The perspective and architectural construction of this house is different from the norm. Given the obvious design work flow for World of Warcraft is has a very distinct cartoon design however I really like the way that it has been designed, the odd angle in which the roofs take shape intrigues me for my environment scene.

This concept piece I chose because I felt that it was creepy and if in game could potentially be scary. The street scene on the top right I find especially interesting is because I find it resembles my scene somewhat, the buildings are within the same design genre as mine. 

The image above I picked out because of the broken floor, this same design will most likely be found in my scene along the walkways. This design is something that I feel will help to make my scene in particular uneasy and hopefully uncomfortable. The way the concept has been designed so that the broke rocks can be found beneath it suggests that it isn’t safe and so therefore you would be cautious about walking over it. 

This piece I chose because of the dangerous environment that it has. Being a top of a rock tower with no guard rails around from what I can make out to be a house would make my or the viewer nervous and very cautious about walking around it.

The next concept piece has similar attributes to those above with no guard rails. The broken indent in the floor on the right signifies some erosion is happening. 

These two concept pieces represent a bridge before and after destruction from a creature in game called Deathwing. This destruction design is interesting and something which I hope to achieve within my scene.

  

A brief study of Silent Hill’s environment

 

A screenshot of Silent Hill: Homecoming

This image can be found at: http://my.spill.hollywood.com/profiles/blogs/947994:BlogPost:337109

In the image above it represents a typical seen that can be found in the Silent Hill franchise, a decaying and eroded hallway what can presumed is either a hospital or a school. The level of detail in the grunge texture and the decaying walls is what I aspire my scene to look like. I want my scene to have a similar quality of texture.

A screenshot from Silent Hill: Downpour. This image can be found at: http://xba.psuni.com/new-character-art-and-screenshots-for-silent-hill-downpour-1387/

Another screenshot from Silent Hill: Downpour. This image can be found at: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?444943-Silent-Hill-Downpour-%28And-General-SH-Discussion-Thread%29

The screenshot above shows the fog used in game, for my project I studied a way in which to create a fog material in UDK, this method can also be applied to my scene along with the water material, although I may achieve the same depth of fog as in the screenshot above I still find inspiring as it really changes the gameplay and how the player may feel when playing the game. 

All three games possess the qualities, design and technical elements that I desire for my scene. They inspire me to create a piece that conveys the same story, the same rich history that they have. Through looking at these games briefly it has given me an insight into what can be achieved, what I can potentially achieve with my project.