3D Environments

Richard Marshall

The Task

I have been given the task to create an environment for a video game which was released after 2008/2009. The environment should be available/accessed via downloadable content. I will create a walkthrough of the environment in 720p mp4 file.

Because it's for a game released within the last 5 years I'll likely look into polycount and rendering speeds for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC so that I have an idea at how many Polys I should be aiming for with my environment.

Possible Games

There are many games which I could create an environment for – which would allow me to be creative.

Choosing an Idea

Instead of thinking of a game I thought of an environment that I would really like to take inspiration from.

When thinking I remembered a scene from an anime I watched recently. 'Laputa - Castle In The Sky', there is a scene in which the two protagonists are being chased by bandits down a railway that's running though a large mining town.

Suitable Games

After choosing the style/environment that I would like to take inspiration from I then thought of what game it would most likely be relative to, which would be something familiar to the Fable series by 'Lionhead Studios'

Why Fable?

The theme that Fable follows is very similar to the anime that I want to take inspiration from. Both very steampunk-esque. The game is very colourful too and have very unique asset styles which I feel I could be really creative with.

Fable is now a series and has 5 unique games with various DLC’s meaning that it must be somewhat successful, There hasn’t been many new Downloadable contents available as of recent, a new DLC with a new environment will probably do really well within the Fable fanbase or community.

Concepts

Slight Changes

Instead of a railway like shown in the anime, I’ll be using the transport system used in fable so that the environment will link with the main game.

I’ll be making a ravine with houses attached to the sides, similar to the mining town in Laputa, This will be more of a self sustaining dwarves village with water wheels, windmills and other power sources. Farm lands and mining zones.

Legal Considerations

In a professional situation I would have the rights for the video game in order to make a DLC, It’s likely I would have been hired to do this job and Lionhead studios would be the ones distributing the product.

I currently have the Student version of Autodesk Maya, I would not be allowed to distribute any of the models created within this, I would need a licence – costing roughly $3500, again in a professional studio it’s likely my clients would supply me with the keys and licence.

Ethical Considerations

In fable there are enemies and scenes what are somewhat grim, I should take these in to account, there are some monsters called Hobbes which are described as kidnapped children that have been turned. I should not include any miscellaneous assets depicting this kind of content.

Technical Considerations

Before I was planning on creating an environment for Dead Rising 3, which would have allowed me to use more Polygons or Tris in my assets as it is for a newer console that has a better processing unit.

Rendering speeds would be an issue too, if the scene is too full there will be issues rendering everything in time for the consumer to see it.

Any Questions?

Thanks for Listening