Saturday 9 November 2013

Starting the Coursework

Starting the official coursework now for Advanced Character Animation as November trundles by at an alarming rate. The brief given is, like the other modules, very open:


You will develop and produce emotionally engaging character animation.  To lead the development of your animation, you should select one of the following fields in which to specialise:

Narrative animation

Animation for visual effects

Animation for computer games



You will conceive and produce character animation(s) appropriate to your research within one of these fields.  Your animation will:

Utilise an emotionally expressive character

Be appropriate to your chosen specialisation

Be a maximum of 2 minutes in length


I have decided to go with the specialised field of animation for computer games. In particular, I plan to make an animation show reel of a 2D creature. It will perform common actions such as walking, running, attacking, etc. 

Firstly however, I have decided that it would be prudent to research into creatures not just from games, but from films also as good reference. I believe from these I can define archetypes with which I can create my own creature from.


Dead Space







   

Dragon's Crown






Final Fantasy









Gears of War













Metro 2033






Monster Hunter












Oddworld series











Silent Hill










Avatar





Pacific Rim









I shall now develop a creature generator system that involves a series of questions and randomised options that, in theory, should help to produce creature silhouettes.  
 
From all the creatures above, I have deduced that there are 2 main categories into which I would place them:

- Humanoid
or
- Animal

The category of 'Animal' could then be split up into:

- Avian
- Mammal
- Reptile/Amphibian
- Insects/Arachnids
- Fish/Sealife

Whilst looking up animal categories, I came across the term 'Endling', which I found to be incredibly moving and potentially a good idea to be used. It means a creature that is the last of it's species/subspecies and when it dies, it will be extinct.

Then I would ask, is the creature:

- Native
or
- Invader
  Furthermore, is the creature a:

- Mutant
or
- Monster
or
- Regular Creature

Then it must be questioned if the creature is:

- Docile
or
- Aggressive

It must also be considered as to what genre the creature would be placed in:

- Sci Fi
or
- Fantasy
or
- Alternate Reality

These can then have further options, such as:

- Adventure
or
- Horror
or
- Documentary

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