Art direction - Final Compilation

24 April 2024 - 28 Jul 2024 / Week 1 - Week 14
Leem Sejin / 0362419
Art direction / Bachelor of Design (Honour) in Creative Media
Final Compilation

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LECTURE

Week 3

Week 4

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INSTRUCTION

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TASK

Week 1

Fig 1.1 Project brief ( 24/04/2024 )

This week, we are formed into a group of 3 and  tasked to play among us and similar game for observational study. Since we are recreating among us, we have to observe how its environment design, character, lighting, uiux and so on. 

I played several round through online, and screen shot and listed out the pros and cons.

Fig 1.2 Pros of Among us ( 27/04/2024 )

Fig 1.3 Cons of Among us ( 27/04/2024 )

Pros

• The colour of the tablet/chat box change based on the colour of the character
• simple map designs
  
  

Cons

• This text box is too small and cramp, and shows too many options, create confusion
• Mission screen is cover the background, and difficult to identify who I was with/ not aware whether the imposter is coming.
• The mission icon is really small/not visable colour ( yellow), sometimes get lost where is the mission

Week 3

Based on our observational study, we decided our theme of game and its style. For this among us game, our challenge is child friendly game and do not add any bloods or killing motion. After sharing the ideas and consultation, we decided to do alpaca in peaceful farm, and the farmer wants to shave the alpaca's fur.

We continued to tidy up our direction, and decided to do cartoonish art style and minimal shading.

Fig 1.3 Art direction

Week 4

This week, we discussed about our art style. Since we wants cartoonish style, we researched several mafia games and farming games for the reference

Fig 1.4 Design reference

Fig 1.5 Finalised style

After sharing the ideas, we decided to stick with " Cult of Lamb" style.

Week 5

This week, we spent time to select the lighting of our farm. I suggested the warm morning light and dark environment for inner part of the house to give a contrast. Also, the reason of choosing the morning light is usually farmers are working from early in the morning. After the discussion, we finally select warm and bright light for outdoor, and blueish darkness for inside.

Fig 1.6 Lighting reference

Also, I started with the sketches for the environment.

Fig 1.7 Environment sketches

I started with the exterior of the barn ( alpaca's house) , crop area and map design.

However I received the feedback that my design is too complex for the mobile phone.

Hence I decided to removed exterior or the barn house, and refer to Goose Goose duck, to see how they connect from outdoor to indoor.

Fig 1.8 Revised Map

Fig 1.9 Revised Environment 

Fig 1.10 Revised Barn

Week 7

This week is the presentation for the proposal. We compile all the exercises that we did during the class, and showed our rough sketches.

Final Proposal Slide

Fig 1.11 Proposal Slide pdf

Week 8 - Week 13

Start from this week, we are tasked to finish up the among us based on our proposal. My task is 2 environment design and help with UIUX design.

Environment Design

1. Alpaca House - Inside the barn.

Fig 1.12 Barn Sketches

For the Alpaca house, we reference inside the barn, and add the wooden fences, straw, waters for alpacas, and put the farm bell in the middle for the emergency meeting. Since Alpaca is our main character we make the alpaca having a meeting in their house.

For the task design, we are planning about placing the fake alpaca to trick the farmer.

Fig 1.13 Barn Clean Up

While I clean up the sketch, I placed the wools in the corner, but I find that it might be confused the players since our dead bodies are left over wools. Hence I removed the wools and placed the alpaca's food around.

Fig 1.14 Barn Coloured

Fig 1.15 Barn Lighting

I coloured the barn, mainly brown colours, and apply blue shadow on the top to show the darkness. Then, I add the warm light ray from the windows since our game is happening in the sunny day.

Fig 1.16 Final Alpaca House

2. Crop Farm

Fig 1.17 Crop farm sketches

Next environment is crop farm, and we are planning to put scarecrow in the middle and crop field is are surrounded. Also, we are discussed what props to add in order to fill up the space. We are thinking about the shovel, stack of soils, watering hose.

Fig 1.18 crop farm clean up

I cleaned up based on the sketches, and add extra props like vent ( holes covered by the leaves) and well.

Fig 1.19 Colour test 1

Fig 1.20 Colour test 2

I did several lighting test for the farm, aiming for the bright and warm lighting. I tested by adding the blue shadow below but still find the lighting is not strong. After exploring different colour scripts, I decided to make the bright yellow light ray and apply overlay on the top of the base colour. 

Fig 1.21 Final Crop Farm

3. Chicken Farm

For the chicken farm, I asked Agnes for the help, and after she passed me the final environment, I find that the lighting is not that appealing. After researching about the real chicken farm, I decided to add orange light and a round white light on the floor to show the spotlight from the lightbulb from the ceiling.

 

Fig 1.22 Chicken Farm previous ver

Fig 1.23 Final Chicken Farm

Map Design

For the Map design, we are planned to add the plaza in the middle and make the 3 environments surrounded by the plaza. However, due to lack of time, I removed the plaza, and let the 3 places connected by the soil road. This road is for players to walk around.

Fig 1.24 Map design sketches

Fig 1.25 Final map Design

UIUX

For the UIUX design, I designed 

• Dead body reported
• Emergency Meeting
• Lobby
• Crew / Imposter Game start
• Crew/ Imposter Ejected
• Victory / Defeat

For emergency and dead wools reported, I used the wood uiux panel created by Reenah, and add the illustrations on top. I refer to among us for the layout. For emergency meeting panel, I add the motion blur to bell and the alpaca arm to create the mood of shaking the bell urgently. 

Fig 1.26 Emergency meeting panel

For the lobby, I recycle the tree props and fences to save time. Also, I utilised the old sketches and placed the exterior of the alpaca house since the game starts inside of the alpaca house.

Fig 1.27 Lobby

In the start of the game, it shows whether the players are crew mate or imposter. In the among us game, crew mate is showed in blue while imposter is in red. Referring to their design, I create blue sky for crew mate screen while the sunset for imposter. We utilise these screen for victory and defeat as well.

Fig 1.28 imposter/crew screen

Task design

I received task design from Agnes, and I find some changes such as lines, and lighting.

Fig 1.29 Initial Task design

Fig 1.30 Updated task design

Hence, I redraw Agnes's work, playing with wood uiux design and passed it to Reenah for mobile testing.

Fig 1.31 Tested screen

However, when we placed the task on the top of the environment, it looks to busy and the task is not stands out. Hence, I created extra scene for close up view for each task, and make it faded away when the task panel is pop up.

Fig 1.32 Finalised task design

Week 14

We touched up based on the consultation, and prepare ppt slides for presentation.

Final Submission

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FEEDBACK

Week 6

We need to sketch based on mobile devices. If the building is too complicated, it will be pixelated. So simplified the map design

Week 10

Crop area seems boring and empty, maybe add more props and duplicate to fill up the space.

Week 14

- label the character properly ( character, dead bodies, imposter)
- ⁠complete the environment and apply the uiux on the environment
- ⁠the black colour font is bit strong explore the colours ( maybe grey)
- ⁠fill up the spot for farm
- ⁠chicken farm ( like the edited lighting and spotlight ) but add the gradient on the sides

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REFLECTION 

In the beginning of the module, I was excited with creating new design for the among us. I never study the good and bad design while playing the game, it was fun to do observational study on among us, and it was interesting to see different people's view. Also, deciding the exact art direction for the game concept is really helpful because I did not have to make any changes while producing the game arts.

However, the production stage was challenging and stressful for me, as I have to keep track with the other teammates' progress and giving the feedbacks and ideas. Moreover, keeping the same style was really difficult since all of us have different arty style. I still not satisfied with the final outcome, but the experience was really meaningful to me.