Elements of game technology, part two: sound for games

When mentioning sounds for video games one of the first things that comes to mind is the Super Mario theme, very limited in its technology but so iconic as it backs one of the most well known characters in the gaming world. Another memory that comes back right away is the Pokémon music from the game boy games, as you went to each town and into specific buildings the music would change to help players get a feel for the different environments. In today’s video games sound plays a dominant role in convincing players of credibility for example, running through a forest must contain effects like leafs being crushed, sounds of the player’s movement, the weather (wind, rain, etc) and even the player breathing. I can also recall during my time on Call of Duty MW2, when using the scope on a sniper you would hear the player take a deep breath followed by a heartbeat. Developers can also source out composers for original soundtracks, almost like a Hollywood film. Skyrim (follow up sequel to Oblivion – multiplatform game) brings a 4 CD line up of music for the game and it is no doubt that the developers have put a lot of time into this as they must realise its importance in gripping audiences as it can help tell stories and create stronger memories.  

Skyrim Soundtrack listing and brief info http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Skyrim_Soundtrack

Whilst doing some research I found this quote on an article referring to the ‘Best Video Game Music of 2012.’ “You press a button, and the beat drops. Forward you fly, straight into the perilous unknown, beats pushing against your eardrums as you push back against the controller. Tempo and harmony swim together, and you lose yourself in the rhythm of play”. This article does great reviews of a large variety of games released in 2012 and their soundtracks. One in particular, Max Payne 3 I can agree with. Though I have never played the games its sophisticated soundtrack represents how the developers considered gameplay and articulation of the player. Its fast paced, gritty and almost rebellious. Telling a story through music is very important today and I think this is a prime example. Another reference to a great OST is the original Metal Gear theme, it represents exactly what the game is all about.

 

Game Soundtracks of 2012

http://kotaku.com/5968289/the-best-video-game-music-of-2012
Metal Gear Solid Theme
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqqq8uqSDnk

I also found an article on a music composer who tried to find work in Indie films for seven years which was unsuccessful, and now has turned to video games for a far greater career. Baranowsky talks about his journey and how he makes his living today. " Isaac was a fairly successful game, but I made ten times as much money on the Steam bundle option as I did on Bandcamp. It just goes to show that although Steam isn't where you would go to get music, the reach of Steam is… it's fucking amazing." This quote shows that Steam (popular online place to purchase games and content) has a far greater impact on music sales considering video games as players can directly download their favourite OST’s from the same place they may have purchased the game. The article goes on to talk about a traditional trombonist, orchestrator and arranger from L.A who worked on huge games like Batman: Arkham City and God of War 3. It seems both of these people worked in very different areas of the same industry and it can vary in terms of media as not all projects will be games. Both earn a great living and claim that video games are a great place for musicians, producers and composers as there is now more interactive content that needs sounds than ever before.

Article on People working in this industry

http://kotaku.com/5887745/video-games-are-the-new-best-way-to-make-a-living-composing-music

Something I didn’t think too much of is the voice acting behind the characters and the mixture of animal sounds for creatures. There is no way to find out what some fictional beast would sound like so developers get producers to work off animal sounds as a foundation. I found some prominent voice actors that play very major roles in the games industry and it is strange to see that a single actor has covered so many characters. A voice actor like Nolan North has worked on the Uncharted series (Nathan Drake), Hades from God of War and Deadpool from Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Looking more into sound I came across this video from the guys at Wabi Sabi Sound that go through the different roles and process of building sounds for games. It seems using human voices is sometimes a must and after adding filters and editing the sound you can get a very convincing outcome.

Voice Actors

http://unrealitymag.com/index.php/2010/07/07/the-best-video-game-voice-actors/

Wabi Sabi Sound http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udQOi5cgIqo

As far as the song Good Times, I can say I recognise this but have no idea really where from so it does seem that it has spread in many media platforms and in various other music genres as well. Though I do not think of this as too important because I think in a scenario any song has great potential to be sampled. I can say that I am a fan of Hip Hop and James Brown seems to be number one on the list of most sampled song in the genre.

10 most sampled songs in Hip Hop

http://www.kevinnottingham.com/2009/03/16/top-10-most-sampled-songs-in-hip-hop/

Elements of Game Technology, part one: Game Engines

So what is the game engine? After importing the Blitz project into UDK some time ago now I got firsthand experience into what a game engine is. It is the editor in which all assets are compiled in. Factors like lighting, particle effects, physics, and rendering are predominately involved. Level design plays a huge role as commonly most artists ‘whitebox’ their levels in engine to assess the playthrough, scale, and accuracy. So in simple terms it is where everything a game artist does ends up. But with so many developers using exclusive engines such as Infinity Wards IW Engine used predominately for the Call of Duty series as well as Crytek’s CryEngine for the popular Crysis series, where do we start? Instead of giving a history lesson on how the game developing world became with Game Engines in mind, I decided to look more towards the future and how everything is developing for the next generation.

http://www.gamecareerguide.com/features/529/what_is_a_game_.php
Article on ‘What is a Game Engine’

UDK is a very popular game engine that many game developers use today, it is free to download for anyone to use and many tutorials exist amongst the vast library that is the internet. Many developers have used this engine and it has done really well in proving itself to bring great visuals and level customization. Recent games to use the engine are Batman Arkham City, Army of Two, Mass Effect 3 and Gears of War 3; just to name a few. UDK4 is the latest development kit by Epic Games and has been in the works since 2003. Though not released yet, a video demo was put on the internet to show off some of its latest features and things are looking very Epic indeed.

(udk4 interface)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZmRt8gCsC0
UDK4 cinematic showcase

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VitLyrynBgU

Breakdown of UDK4 features

When I think of high end graphics one of my personal favourite games comes to mind, the Metal Gear Series. With the release of the PS3 Kojima Productions came out with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, even today the game’s graphics are spectacular and it’s unique gameplay and art direction will always make it a iconic title. Kojima Productions announced their latest engine, the FOX engine during 2011 for E3 and have said they started work on it shortly after the release of MGS4. A trailer to Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes was released and show’s some very impressive graphics that this new Fox Engine will deliver. It is mentioned that the game will be cross platform but no details as to what platforms specifically. Another trailer released for a up and coming game called ‘The Phantom Pain’ is also very impressive and there is speculation that the game is also running on the same engine. The character in the trailer resembles Snake from the MGS series but nothing is confirmed. These visuals for both trailers clearly indicate that these latest games will be an amazing experience and the Engine looks to rival anything else out there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjFWLEBFlOc
Kojima going through top secret Fox Engine (2011)

http://www.examiner.com/article/the-phantom-pain-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-next-metal-gear

News on The Phantom Pain trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltH1eWxZutE
Metal Gear Solid Ground Zeroes trailer

http://uk.gamespot.com/news/kojima-showing-off-fox-engine-at-gdc-6403861
Details about MGS Ground Zeroes 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSfajBs2nyQ
The Phantom Pain trailer – Fox Engine.

http://www.examiner.com/article/the-phantom-pain-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-next-metal-gear
Details on The Phantom Pain

(Fox Engine comparison to real life, can you guess whats what?)

Ubisoft are another major player in the gaming world. One of their most popular titles the ‘Assassins Creed’ is an amazing open world role playing game series, featuring dramatic gameplay in which the player can interact with all assets and NPC’s, it also has intense cut scenes and an in depth narrative. To develop the latest in the series Assassins Creed 3 Ubisoft used the AnvilNext Engine. The new technology for this title assists the vastly different environment compared to the previous games. The fight sequence animations have all been done from scratch and due to the organic environment, the way the player articulates through trees and snow have all been focal points with this new Engine.

http://www.oxm.co.uk/40389/features/assassins-creed-3-ubisoft-talks-anvil-next-technology

A look into the game and AnvilNext Engine. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kwC6aPHvwI
Analysis on the AnvilNext Engine trailer.    

Ubisoft unveiled a brand new title called ‘Watch Dogs’ in 2012 and the game is set to come out on the new generation of console for late 2013. This game is being worked on a brand new engine and looks stunning to say the least. With this much detail and so many different animations/systems working at once, not to mention the high end graphics, it will be very interesting to see more from the Engine.  

http://www.videogamer.com/xbox360/watch_dogs/news/watch_dogs_is_being_built_on_a_brand_new_engine.html
Details on Watch Dogs game engine. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtBh4QzZKz4

Watch Dogs gameplay clip

As a student still with a year to go, this all does seem overwhelming because of the fast pace everything is developing, Game Engines are capable of so much more than they were say 3 – 4 years ago. The new ones being developed seems to not only make it easier for the artists working with them to speed up the production process (UDK4 for example) but give so many more options ready at the arsenal of developers. It will be a great experience in the final year when I go toe to toe with building levels and the current group project is helping us understand game Engines at a good pace.

Elements of game design, part eight: Documentation

Documentation is very important as it is the stage that needs the green light before any real game development can begin. It is the pitch, the ideas, the technical specifications and limitations. It is defining the genre, art style, demographic, platform, budget, time, and software. As second years we will need to prepare something like this for our FMP’s next year, doing this and reflecting or reverting back to it consistently is a great way to build functional game levels. So let me take a shot at this!

The Overview:
An open world Massive Multiplayer Online FPS. 5 different factions in game and 4 classes per faction. The Medic (healing class), The Sniper (long range class), The Rouge (quick close range class) and The Tank (does a lot of damage, takes a lot of damage). Each faction has its own back story and player can choose to role play or just get stuck in combat. 5 large cities exist, one to each faction and here is where players will purchase upgrades, armour, weapons and can choose Arena 2 v 2, 3 v 3, 4 v 4, and 5 v 5.

Screenshot - Planet Side 2)

Gameplay: Across 2 Continents, more than 30 bases exist and players fight in many numbers to secure these locations for XP and bonus content.

This pitch is not specific to a demographic but will have a 12+ . The aim is to create a pick up and play game such as Call of Duty but consist of the complexity of something like Guild Wars 2 for the more interested players. Attributes like Arena PVP, unlock able content depending on level, xp/leveling process and faction cities will exist.   

(Open World Map - Guild Wars 2)

 

Objectives:
Create one of the high detail environments and unique cities for one out of five factions, differences in factions will include race, size, as well as historical and cultural elements.

Aim for current gen pc graphics, referencing games such as Crysis 2, Uncharted 3, and Batman Arkham City.

Software
Autodesk 3ds Max
Autodesk Mudbox

Adobe Photoshop CS6
Pixologic Zbrush 4R4

Cry ENGINE 3
Main Character:
Depending on which faction you choose, the character will vary. All classes and races will have a 9k Tri Budget. As it is a FPS, you will not see your character in 3D except in the customisation screens, but other players will be visible in game so detail is very important. Weapons will be of high detail, 7k will be the maximum tri budget for any weapon. 

Main Character: 9K

Two 1024x1024 Diffuse, Normal, Specular maps. 

Main Character Weapon: 7K

One 1024x1024 Diffuse, Normal, Specular maps.  

(Main character from Mass Effect)

NPC:

One of the most reoccurring NPC’s will be the Kings and Queens of each city. Players can invade other faction’s cities and kill the royalty, to gain high XP, exclusive content and achievements. This will reset every 24 hours in game. As these characters will be highly sought after to kill, they must be powerful and high in detail. Up to 15K tri’s will be set for each King and Queen.

Main NPC’S: 15K

Two 1024x1024 Diffuse, Normal, Specular maps.  

(king concept from World of Warcraft)

Vehicle:

As the open world will be very large, vehicles will play an important role. Tanks, bikes, infantry carriers, as well as air support will all be usable in game. For air vehicles the budget will be 9K. For ground it will be up to 12k. This is because wheels can take up a high amount of detail. These are the limitations and smaller vehicles may be lower in tri count.

Air vehicles: 9K
Ground vehicles: 12K

Two 1024x1024 Diffuse, Normal, Specular maps. 

Environment:
There will be 5 focal points (faction cities) as well as bases that can be conquered, each base should be around 50 – 100k depending on location, and there will be several buildings with between 15 – 20 high detail modular assets around.
The cities could be pushed up to 200k+ as they will have monumental structures like statues and very large exotic architectural pieces.
If I were to present this as a 3^rd year FMP project for a level, I would go over all the challenges I would be facing, such as:

Time constraints,

A schedule to have things done weekly and stay on track,

Limiting the idea to one city or one base location and one character,

Getting a certain FPS out of the level once it is done so it all plays smoothly,

Software and pipeline learning curves,

Maximising texture and tri budgets,

Not losing the narrative and story throughout the process,

(to name a few).

Props/Assets

These will vary from barrels, boxes and trash, to standing posts that mark faction territory. Also things like chairs, Inns inside the city, PvP Arena props, smaller customisable assets like armour, weapon attachments will all vary from size and importants. Anything armour based could go up to 3K and any modular assets could be limited to 1.5k but these are just guidelines.

In an article I found about educational game development, Subject Matter Experts and Instructional Designer’s seem to be at the hierarchy of gameplay and instructional aspects. So as an artist I would not have any say in the outcome of these factors, I would simply be doing the ground work to create what is needed. I am guessing that these guys will also have a strong input on any pitch or design document as it is their vision that becomes the final outcome.  

http://www.e-games.tech.purdue.edu/GameDevProcess.asp

On another website it suggests that the pitch cannot always be simply a design document, but something called a ‘vertical slice’ may be created. This is because a document may not be enough to convince funding for the project; investors may want to see something in 3D before they are willing to back it. This is when the design team could have an input. It 

doesn’t seem like a bad idea at all because before I get into 3^rd year, I could even use time in the summer to build a ‘demo’ or ‘vertical slice for a FMP pitch’ with the document so my tutors get a better idea of what my idea is. Just a thought!    

 http://www.alteredgamer.com/game-development/36166-the-game-development-process/

Elements of Game Design, Part Seven: Level Design

Before I go into detail about Level Design and its purpose, elements, and functionality, let me give a brief description of what I think this whole thing to be. From my understanding, level design appears as the foundation to any game. It is almost like the blueprint of every video game for every asset to sit on and every character to articulate around. It also seems to have a hand in defining genre, for example FPS games such as Call of Duty or Halo would consist of maps. Various sizes and proportions, but none the less, closed of maps where the player can only roam around a limited space. MMO’s or open world games such as World of Warcraft and RPG’s like Skyrim tend to have a much larger space for the player to explore, not limited as such by closed off areas. In such cases players are encouraged to use transport within the game to reach locations which could take several minutes on foot, mounts can also be incorporated for the players to get from one location to another whenever they see fit.  

Whilst learning a little more about level design I came across a plan that takes you through the steps of the process. Initially you would go through its purpose before making any decisions at all. Why does it exist? What is it for? What audience is it aimed at? Bearing in mind that Level Design does not necessarily mean games such as Crysis or Uncharted: highly detailed and polished environments that should convey a great deal of credibility. Considering handhelds and mobile gaming, Level Design is a very open eneded building block to game development. The guide goes through the process, beginning with photo referencing and idea generating, to get a strong overview of what you initially want, photos and sketches help a great deal. Using mood boards to decide Location, interior/exterior, set design, lighting style and time period is also key. First hand photo referencing should be done very early on for textures and real life locations to assist the level.  

An easy way to confront something as open ended as maps and the general layout, is to first break down the obstacles you will create for the player. What kind of objectives will the level consist of? What kind of elements will constrict or challenge the player and why? Another element to the design process is ‘focal points’. Visual landmarks are very important in any game because for one, it helps the player navigate, so they understand where they are in relationship to the focal point. Aesthetics are very important, a landmark should not be a general asset dotted multiple times around the map/world/level but a unique structure to its location. Drawing attention using landmarks can sell the level, not to say it should be a enormous, majestic architectural masterpiece; more so a distinctive addition. Although majestic architecture is always a bonus.

After figuring out what you want, and how you want it to look, a key building block in this pipeline is concept design. Developing strong artwork that depicts your level as accurate as possible can be a major help down the line when it comes to modelling everything in 3D. The more artwork that is produced, the greater idea the 3D artists will have when it comes to the final thing. This is also why there can be tons of concept art churned out by a team but only maybe 25% of it actually used. White boxing out levels is a great step in visualising concepts in 3D space. This typically will occur around the idea generation period where by using basic shapes in software such as 3DS Max you can get a very quick overview of scale and design. It is also helpful as drawings are 2D so the very angle illustrated is what the artists have to work with; in 3D space you can view your design from all angles and ofcourse do paintovers.

The visual side ofcourse is a very large step in this pipeline; in fact visual design and development is almost the entire pipeline. However, we must not forget narrative. Storytelling is something I think can be overlooked with all the next gen consoles delivering high end graphics and aesthetic appeal. Before the previous generation of gaming (around the early 2000’s) selling points like high end graphics and online game play were nonexistent. Developers had to involve players on COOL narratives and clever story telling just as much as gameplay, ofcourse. As an artist hoping to break through into the games industry in a few years, I think it is very important to learn these steps so there is no confusion as to why things happen a certain way.    

Link: http://www.worldofleveldesign.com/categories/level_design_tutorials/how-to-plan-level-designs-game-environments-workflow.php