Task 3 - 3D Animation Research

Animation within Video Games:

Animation is crucial to video games and the industry as a whole. An example of an animation in video games is the jump animation. This allows the character model to jump up which would influence the gameplay of their game either positively or negatively depending on the game. For example, as seen below, is the jumping animation in Halo 5: Guardians. This benefits the game, because the jumping animations allow the player to traverse the game environment and to avoid enemy attacks. One simple animation allows for a large change to the gameplay mechanics and how the player interacts with the game world and it's inhabitants.

The importance of animation to video games in explored in an article from Gamasutra, named "The Necessity Of Interactive Animations For Games". In this article, they state many different reasons for animations role within the games industry and the medium of gaming as a whole. Their first reason is that  animation can be used as communication ("Animation is Communication") between the player and the game world, via the player character and the NPC's interaction. Another point they made was that animation allows the player to understand the thoughts of an NPC via expressions. A well animated character doesn't have to have dialogue, in order to convey their thoughts and feelings.


Brainstorming:

Upon the completion of my Dada Puppets, I began working on extra animations, in order to expand my animation skill set. As seen below is the planning for my extra animation work.

Idea 1:

My first idea is of a hero that is contracted to kill great beast's and is sent on his hardest mission yet.

Overall Narrative:

Many years ago in a world older than the bones of the shattered earth, there lived a hero named Jarvik. A legendary hero known for decimating entire armies and removing governments from power  single-handedly. He had recently returned from hunting a dangerous beast and was satisfied with his kill. He thought that his work was done, but alas, it was not to be.

He had returned to his hometown to rest having slain the beast he was contracted to kill. Before he could rest, a prominent member of the town’s community Porick arrived with a task for Jarvick. Porick had his ancient ancestral sword stolen and was distraught. It was an ancient weapon and was used by his father and his father’s father before him. It had been wielded in ancient times by the great warrior Gandon the Blue at the battle of Skanick Crag. Jarvick agreed to retrieve this weapon for a price he found suitable. With his goal set and his money pouch slightly heavier than it had been before, he set off to the mountain range where the sword could be found. Upon arriving at a tomb in the mountains called Tanrick’s Rest, he went inside in search of the blade.

Upon entering this ancient tomb, the reanimated skeletons and zombified denizens of the tomb rose in an attempt to stop Jarvick from fulfilling his quest. He fought his way down the vast tomb killing the inhabitants and leaving nothing behind. He finally found the pedestal upon which the blade of old has been laid. Upon his hand making contact with the blade, the ground sank down and a vast beast rose from the depression where the pedestal once stood. The beast was humanoid in physicality and wielded a great sword which had serrated edges. Jarvick drew his blade and the battle began. The monster swung his great sword upon which Jarvick parried. Jarvick feigned an attack on the creatures left arm only to swing for the right, cutting it clean off. Enraged, the creature swung his blade once more, only for Jarvick to counter riposte and kill the creature. He grabbed the ancestral sword and was once again on his way. On his way back to his village, his path was blocked by a creature as tall as a tower and built like a tank. He had no choice but to kill it. He slew the great beast after many hours of combat and returned back to town. Upon arriving, he found Porick who thanked Jarvick profusely and retreated to his home. However, something was amiss. Jarvick rushed to Poricks house to find him, holding the sword and pointing it at his armour clad son. It had turned out that his son was entitled to the family sword due to reaching adulthood and in spite, Porick hid it in the ancient Fane of Tanrick’s rest. In anger at being deceived, Jarvick beat Porick into submission. Finally cowed, Porick apologised and gave his son his birth right. Jarvick’s task has been completed.

Idea 2:

My second idea is that a prison ship is boarded by criminals and are taken to be added to a large criminal empire.

Overall Narrative:

Due to increasing criminal activity, the galactic police force has cracked down on crime. As a result, many prison ships have been created to hold such a large influx of captured criminals. Such is the increase in criminal capture, that a large prison ship called the Vantage is created to hold the galaxy’s most dangerous criminals. Having gained Intel on this ship, the galaxy’s most feared crime lords conspire to take the ship and annex the captured criminals into their own personal empires. To do this, they have paid off half of the prison guard who are told to strike when the time is right. Their orders are very specific, free the prisoners from their holding cells, and help them fend off the other half of the prison guard. When all opposition has been defeated, they are to signal a pirate warship which will then arrive at the prison ship, and the prisoners and the guards will be picked up and transported to the capital pirate ship for debriefing. Upon the jobs completion they are promised riches beyond their most grandiose dreams and places within the crime lord’s empires upper hierarchies. The main story begins when the ship is in deep space and the corrupt guards begin their plot to take over. If their mission is a success, the crime lords will have the galaxy’s most dangerous criminals within their organisations, and as a result, the galaxy’s police force will be outmatched in every way and criminal activity will see a height of which has never been seen before.

The plot begins with the assembled captains of the prison guard journeying to the criminal stronghold of Darv Enrak. They have been summoned by the galaxy’s most prominent crime lords to discuss a lucrative job that will set them up for life. Upon arriving, they are led into a chamber where the lords are waiting. They reveal that they know of the Vantage’s existence and that they have an offer to make. Their empires of crime and deceit have been badly affected by the crackdown on crime and the Vantage holds the galaxy’s most dangerous criminals. If the criminals are to be set free and saved, they would be able to make up the work force of their empires allowing for the damage done to their wealth to be reversed. In return, they are to be paid 50 million credits each and will named among the high lords of the criminal empires. To complete this task, they are to dispatch all non-corrupt guards upon the ship and too then set the prisoners free. Once this done, a warship will be sent to pick them up and transport will be given to the capital ship. Once there, their pay will be given out and their new status of high lords will be given out.

Idea 3:

My third Idea is of a Dystopian City that is ruled by ancient families who's ancestry dates directly back to the Egyptian era and as such, culture is styled after the ancient Egyptian empires, however technology is futuristic with space travel being the norm.

Overall Narrative:

It is the 25th century, and world culture is based of the ancient Egyptian empire. This is due, to the ruling families being direct descendants of Cleopatra and her dynasty. Proud of their heritage and their ancestors impact on world history, they model society itself on Egyptian culture in order to increase their impact on world history and surpass Cleopatra herself. However, not everyone is happy with this emphasis on Egyptian culture. A group of rebels from different backgrounds decide that they want to overthrow the ruling families and restore freedom for all cultures. It begins one summer night when the head of the ruling families, visits London in order to enforce their rule there. They have been losing support from the other ruling families, and they need their resources to continue their world order. As such, the presence of the head families leader is required to keep the rabble in line. Learning of this visit, the rebels decide to assassinate the patriarch of the ruling family and ensure confusion within the upper classes ranks.

They begin by sending their best men into the house of lords, where the patriarch is presenting a speech to the assembled MP's. The assassins shoot the patriarch in the head, which instantly kills him. In retaliation, the bodyguards kill the assassins, but not before they send a signal to the other troops stationed in London, and upon hearing the patriarch is dead, they begin their attacks on the national military stationed there. Since there weapons are well in advance of ours, lasers and mechs are the norm in this type of conflict which leads to mass destruction of many buildings, reducing the majority of London to a smoking pile of rubble. Hearing about whats happened, the other members of the head family, send reinforcements which quickly eliminate the rebels. The 3D animation would follow this assault in greater detail.

Mood Board's:

Idea 1:

Idea 2:

Idea 3: