The beginning of BA7!

BA7 Research

Into our game for BA8

To begin with, here is my ‘What I going to do’ section from my learning agreement:

For these projects, I will be working in a team with Liam Gallagher-Vaes and completing 2D concept art. After working in a team for previous projects we decided that we could work successfully together, and using both our skills create a variety of concepts for a game. We will be creating a complete game idea together, giving it life through both 3D (Liam) and 2D (Me) work. Both Liam and I are extremely passionate about Japanese culture, with myself having a great love for Anime and Manga and how they are drawn and created. Being a Manga Artist myself, I wanted to create concepts for a game, which created a new western style to a traditionally Japanese type of art form.

And here is the part in my learning agreement where I discuss the type of game we want to make:

Looking closely at Studio Ghibli films we decided to set our games narrative in the early 1900’s, in pre-war England. The art style as well as designs for both the environments and characters will be influenced by a variety of both western and eastern animations. The game will create a fight for survival in a non-combat type gameplay situation, with dark powers and magic being a key part of this world. The narrative for this world will be based on the life a child in a world full of wonder and magic, which are both key themes that have always inspired my artwork as well as my life. Being a strong lover of both Disney and Studio Ghibli films, I want our game to be magical and beautiful and capture the spirit of childhood.

Here is a summary of our game:

• Third Person
• Anime art style, watercolours, cell shaded
• Story Driven game with no combat
• Magic based
• Child Main character
• Unique world, magical

From this idea, the first step is to look into influences of our game. This includes films as well as games. Here is what I will be looking into:

Films

• Howls Moving Castle - Narrative, Characters and Environment Design
• Princess Mononoke - Characters and Environment Design
• Kiki’s Delivery Service - Narrative and Characters Design
• Studio Ghibli Films (In general) - Art Style and Techniques
• Tangled - Characters and Environment Design
• Disney Films (In general) - Art Style and Techniques

Games

• Ni No Kuni - Narrative, Art Style and Gameplay
• Fable series - Character and Environment designs
• Dishonoured - Narrative and Environment designs
• Bioshock Infinite - Narrative and Environment designs

Artists

• Osamu Tezuka
• Victorian style artists

Techniques and Programs

• Studio Ghibli Films - Art Style and Technique
• Disney Films - Art Style and Techniques
• Watercolour Paintings
• Digital paintings
• Manga
• Photoshop
• Manga Studio
• Premiere Pro

Final Design Ideas and Influences

• IVY - Design and Personality, influences and connotations
• Spirit Guardian - Design and Personality, influences and connotations
• Mount - Design and Personality, influences and connotations
• Wizard - Design and Personality, influences and connotations