What did you do and how did you do it?
For this unit we had to create a GUI interface that would be used for our game's 3D environment. This being all theoretical we'd use a frame in our game and conceptually develop an GUI based upon that frame. Before placing a frame, I created 3 concept designs based upon typical or popular GUI designs. These concepts are available on through this link. After penning these designs I recreated them using Photoshop, these Photoshop versions included a frame from the my part of our trailer. These designs are available here. From these Photoshop versions I selected my favourite which was the Role Playing Game example, then I recreated it again using Flash. With Flash I created roll over buttons on the GUI elements that would change when players either selected these elements or on screen prompts told the player about them.
Does the final graphic user interface meet your original intentions? If it does match your planning explain why?
Since I've completed this unit relatively quickly I pretty much matched my original designs, well at least my first concept which was the RPG example. I developed this design on Photoshop with a frame from my game environment. After the Photoshop example, I finished my original design using Flash. The concept to final product is pretty much 100% identical.
How did you manage your time?
I managed my time extremely well with this project, everything regarding the project besides this reflection was completed within two days (2 actual days). I spent around 5 hours on planning which 2 were allocated to concepts. I wanted to construct the planning properly so I spent a good amount of time on it. Photoshop didn't take that long as I used simple tools to get the concepts looking right and with colours it looked like a real GUI. Flash had taken slightly longer than Photoshop even though I only had one to do but this was due to playing with settings and remembering how to make roll over areas (buttons) over the GUI. All in all the time on this project was used well and effectively.
What did you struggle with?
To be fairly honest, pretty much nothing. The only place I slightly struggled with in this process was with Flash but I eventually remembered the skills I learned last year when I made my Flash questionnaire game. Here is my evaluation for that project.
How does your finished graphical user interface compare to professional examples?
In my planning I showed my inspirations for my concepts, I then developed the concepts to look realistic in colour on Photoshop. Finally I finished my RPG example on Flash with roll over areas. My final GUI looks very similar to the professional example I showed at the end of that blogpost. The only additions were the mini-map in the top right and a constant level bar at the bottom of the GUI. Here is a professional example of Skyrim's GUI and below it is a screenshot from my final Flash GUI.
What could you improve upon?
I guess I could of done more with my final Flash GUI, I'm more than satisfied with it but I could of done a lot more. I achieved what I wanted with it so it's not a major issue and it isn't bothering me but that's were I could of done more.
If you were to do it again what would you do differently next time?
To repeat what I said in my last statement, spent more time with Flash and padding out my GUI with multiple GUI layers.
What did you learn?
I learned that using my time effectively I can complete work in a relatively quick amount of time. I started this unit on Sunday and completed everything besides this reflection by Tuesday. If I applied this concentration and motivation to all my work I'll probably achieve better across all my work on this course.
Here are some more screenshots of my final Flash GUI.
Continuing from my concepts, here is my Photoshop versions which include my 3D environment which I completed early in the month and was shown during the digital showcase on the 10th of May. I'll run with the same order as the last post, Role Playing Game example first.
Second example would the Open World example.
And last is the action / adventure and shooter genres.
The graphic user interface or GUI is a information device used to convey data from the screen to the user. It's available to the user visually, more prettier than text but with colours and shapes. Seeing the content present on the screen, but it seems like it's talking to you rather than you just reading it, that's the sensation I get anyway.
A great example would be the dashboard of a car, everything is visually seen but you understand the information like it's second nature. Translating a game GUI and a car dashboard is done in similar ways, visual data is fired at you in both circumstances. Game simulators today, especially car simulators use either virtual GUIs or it forces the player to understand the car's virtual dashboard as the real thing, this works extremely effectively, increases immersion and feels incredibly real.
Below is an image of a brainstorm / mind map of GUI features used for either Action / Adventure games, open world games or action RPGs.
Subtitles would be the only feature I'd possibly add to this list, subtitles obvious let people read what they hear. Subtitling has become more effective in the games industry of late were the text reads like it's told.
I've created 3 conceptual examples of graphical interfaces that represent 3 different yet similar genres, these examples have been influence by popular game franchises.
My first example is heavy inspired by Bethesda's 'The Elders Scrolls V: Skyrim', Skyrim's GUI offers maximum screen real estate. The GUI doesn't intrude on gameplay and the opacity changes depending on what the player is doing. For example, if you're simply roaming the landscape you'll only see the compass bar across the top. Other features may also appear like stamina and if a weapon is drawn. However, if you're battling in the game, most if not all of the GUI elements will be present during gameplay. The only additions on this GUI compared to Skyrim's is the inclusion of a mini-map in the top right corner and a experience / level bar at the bottom. I believe this examples is clean, provides tons of data than can be consumed and would look brilliant in an actual game. Considering this was at 1920x1080 the screen real estate would be immense.
This second design is similar to what you'd expect for an open world game like Grand Theft Auto. The mini-map is usually sitting in the bottom left with a health and armour protection bar surrounding it. The inventory slot is usually located in the top left or right which leaves plenty of room for other features. Simply adding a stamina bar to the right of the mini-map gives players more data. Ideally it would be more attached to the map but this is just a concept and not what a final version would look like. I've also added a on screen command or prompt below the cross-hair and a objectives box in the top right to balance the GUI more. This example seems to work for the genre it's used for but offers much less data to the player that the RPG example. With that said, franchises like GTA also include items like page devices, phones or PDAs that appear on screen. These devices offer much more visual data and which also increases the realism of their games.
And finally, this GUI is more suited to the action / adventure and shooter genres. Information is limited as the user is usually told information via dialogue or through game events that can be dynamic or completely scripted. In the top left is information about the players inventory or arsenal. Primary and secondary weapons are displayed so the player can see their equipment, this usually includes highlighted bullets and grenades that are available for player. A more advanced cross-hair is in place with a on screen prompt that features below and finally a objectives bar and can also be used to convey subtitles. A health reticule usually appears as a filter when players take damage with their game character unlike the previous two examples. A GUI of this nature is common with games like Gears of War and the Uncharted franchise. This type of interface probably offers the best nature screen real estate but also offers much less data to the player.
All in all, I believe the first example (RPG concept) offers the most visual content and if programmed correctly, would offers the best screen real estate.
These actual game examples below are the basis of my concepts; the first being Skyrim, then Grand Theft Auto IV and finally Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception.
What did you do and how did you do
it?
The idea was to create audio that was needed to add realism to the trailer, sounds like; footsteps, door sounds, wind howls and more. I decided that Foley artistry would be the best technique to capture these needed sounds. Audio is massive to a viewing experience, visuals give you the sense of the content but sound adds depth to the viewing experience that brings trailers to life. Getting the sounds through was the preferred process. Originally it was planned that sound samples would be gathered by recording in a nature environment, so for example a park. I attempted to do this for several weeks (during my sound sessions) but with no luck. Almost every attempted was spoiled by background interference or sample wind effecting the audio device during recording. The focus shifted soon after towards creating the sounds in a controlled environment in the sound studio at the college. This was more successful with over 9 minutes of audio recorded and having a large amount of samples to work with. I used wooden planks to simulate walking on wooden flooring, gravel in a container to simulate someone walking in a park or through ruins. Other sounds were capture during this session that were more experimental.
Does your final audio product meet
your original intentions? If it does not match your planning explain why?
In all honestly, I'm very disappointed in the final audio that was produced by myself. It did resemble in some capacity my original intentions but didn't live up to the quality I hoped for. Sounds that were planned for were captured and sounded well enough individually, however they didn't mix well at all with my team's trailer. This could be down to several reasons but I believe the time management throughout the team was an issue that pushed audio editing to the very end of the production, the narration almost missed the final cut.
My personal belief is that, if the team had all of the 3D components complete a week prior to the final audio cut, all audio elements would of been present in the final trailer. Since I was proceeding over editing the final trailer I decided the best decision was to cut my Foley sound samples out of the trailer, I believe this was the best decision and this benefited the final trailer.
How
did you manage your time?
I can only criticize myself during this undertaking, management was poor during this task and time was wasted with failed attempts trying to capture audio in a nature environment. Additionally, more samples (and of better quality) could of been recorded in the controlled environment during this wasted time. Furthermore, I attended the studio for additional hours (which is a slight positive) to mix the samples capture, this was in vain however as the samples didn't sound much better and was ultimately unused. If I had to score my time management skills with this task a 1/10 would be more than generous.
What
did you struggle with?
On top of time I'd say understanding the software used to created and mix sound, Cubase is a great piece of software but to a none musician it was terribly hard to understand and work with. My tutor helped my with the software and introduced me with the key settings but I just wasn't comfortable with the software, this probably contributed the final product being below my hopes and expectations. Modifying the audio was a challenge in itself, it seemed like there were thousands of different modifiers available and finding one that worked was a headache. Even with the modifiers I chose I wasn't completely satisfy with the feedback.
Foley was harder than expected also, I love the idea behind Foley and massively respect the professionals in the industry. I'd like to think I'll have a second crack at this unique technique in the future, with this experience I'm sure it'll run much more smoothly.
How does your finished audio compare to professional examples?
Comparing my final audio piece to professional examples wouldn't be fair to professional examples. I removed the audio because it would of been unfair to have included it in the trailer. I'd say it would be hard to find an audio piece even remotely as bad as mine, maybe I'm being extremely harsh on myself but it isn't comparable and comparing it would be disrespecting professionals out there.What do other people think of your
finished audio?
It's impossible to receive criticism regarding my audio as it never made the final cut. My teams members felt it sounded rather repetitive and it did since it was mostly walking sounds with only a few sound bits in between. The general response regarding the rest is varied, some positive and others negative. The main criticism is that the soundtrack doesn't work well with the 3D content and it's repetitive throughout. The main positive is the trailer's introduction with PEGI age rating, radio broadcast and story narration.
What could you improve upon?
As stated above, probably nine tenths of the process would be improved upon if this was done again. Motivation would be much higher knowing my mistakes, developing my skills with the software would be up there on the list. Using controlled environments to produce sounds would give me more time to play with the audio and finally having more pieces of tat about to help create the sounds would increase the sound libraries needed for something of this magnitude.
If you were to do it again what would
you do differently next time?
Again I'd repeat my thoughts above, more motivation, developing skills and definitely more planning. My planning was all in my head and not fully recorded, the 3D was my focus throughout and this may have contributed to the low quality of my sound.
What did you
learn?
Firstly, that audio production and this process was extremely stressful but secondly, I've learned that my skills regarding audio need to be improved across the broad. I'll probably never record Foley in a nature environment again and concentrate on creating sounds in a studio setting as the results are far better in my experience. Finally, throwing everything at it (literary), especially when recording sounds can actually pay off.
