Animation Discourse:

Coursework 1: Presentation on Article 10%

Attached Files:

groups for coursework 1 .docx (15.93 KB)

•Three people in one group choose one article from either Animation: An Interdisciplinary Journal or Animation Practice, Process & Production, to give a presentation on 5 Feb. (Do not choose the same article)

•Submit your presentation and peer assessment to Blackboard by 8 Feb. 2019.#

The group :

The Article For our presentation:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16U1gZPjpk940mlKL1bkVV8DJ2NrGL1Am/view?usp=sharing

Presentation:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1e8RTvKhnZUgt5C_K29rwqc6rtE5zDTqw3KY-nmsZfWc/edit?usp=sharing

Coursework 2: Two Blog Posts 10%

Choose two topics covered in the module that you are interested, and develop two blog posts to show your in-depth research on the two topics. You can include texts, pictures, clips, and so forth to demonstrate your research and understanding. A reference list is required.

12/02/2019 Animation Documentaries Lecture By Ryan Hollinger and my own research

Ryan is a former student and makes a living as a Youtuber, he is the creator of Pethood Zara's story. He now makes a living mainly doing videos breaking down films and applying film theory to them he also does reviews and critiques of these movies. He said for Animation Documentaries you have to do a lot of research and create a list of references and develop a mood board of ones you like or a list of ones you like and enjoy and reasons why you like them. Then from these you should try to devise your own style or a guideline for creating your own and you should aim to try and do something new, unique or different.

Blog : https://ryanhollingercritic.wordpress.com/final-year-major-project/

Other sites:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphlppLaedKn0BgXAszs5dQ

https://www.patreon.com/ryanhollinger

I glanced at Ryan's final year dissertation paper which was roughly 30 pages in length within was the essay proposal, followed by a brief introduction and overview of the topic that he chose to write his dissertation on"Animation Documentaries" which was what the class PowerPoint and the lecture was based on. He began with a quick introduction on the reasoning for choosing the topic along with the references and the sources in the bibliography appended. It seemed very well put together and i plan on trying to replicate this when it comes to doing my own for final year.

The paper was on the topic of "The acceptance of animation to represent reality." he also had his statement of intent and his CV to accompany his work, The folder contained everything one would need to sell and showcase your work it was the complete package it was logical it was well formatted and followed the directions and had a very detailed references and followed the Harvard style and most of all it was tidy and not to cluttered also the content was quite good as he was straight forward and kept on point and touched on multiple areas..

The whole class was on Animation Documentary and the recreation of memory's and experiences of stepping into a memory and walking through it, focusing on the interpretation or recollection of events as memories and the ways you convey them in animation .

Is a Documentary fact or fiction ? Or is it from a particular persons point of view or perspective conveying their own opinion as fact and reinforcing their views. Documentaries are always influenced by their creators / directors in which methods they use they ways they use to convey or attain their vision and convey their points of focus and the areas they want to illuminate and highlight, spending more time and money on getting these done to their standard or how they envision it and invest in the interstices and detail trying to keep it consist. They can hide or misrepresent facts or sometimes not presenting them at all based on the directors bias.

Certain points are highlighted like the good and not the bad or the opposite, they can very often be one sided and be conceded as biased. Documentaries are very often black or white and rarely show the grey it must fall into a category to either of these extremes, there is very rarely any middle ground or comparisons in documentaries.

They are strict and follow a certain pacing or flow and have a set run-time or duration and have to be entertaining or engaging throughout for the audience otherwise they will lose interest. The audience has to come to their own conclusion , as documentaries are often left open ended or open to interpretation this is often done to induce controversy amongst viewers and as an attempt to get them to talk about what the documentary is about often having different and conflict opinions.

Ryan was responsible for the final year short "Pet hood," where by the story of a pet is told in a unique documentary format in which i have never seen before. Ryan had created it as his final year short it is conveyed and presented is as if it was a collage of memories in a rough timeline - time lapse in which it tells the story of a family dog until it's death and reminiscing about the dogs life and it's behaviour in the form of inception into old memories.

Ryan gave the advice to render shots in layers rather than using depth of field when working on animated shorts or films as it is easier to fix problems and it takes less time to render but it does take some time to piece it together and stitch the layers in the correct order to produce the final outcome/ video.

Fig1. Video of Zara's Story Pethood

In this topic that Ryan presented it is clear he has gone into great depth for his work which can be seen in his vast amount of detailed and relevant research and the methods and processes in which he researched and interpreted. The use of such a diverse range of different sources and the steps he took to complete his dissertation and implement these in his dissertation he has developed from inception to final outcome.

He looked at some interesting points and basically relayed his work in digestible manner in the form of a PowerPoint presentation in this class. He went on to discuss that the data and information that is used in any documentary has to be Quantitative (measurable) and Qualitative (quality). Documentaries can also be interpreted in a variety of ways and as a result they can subsequently create a dialogue or evoke a reaction , emotion or feeling in the audience and has been know to start a dialogue or a conversation on different topics.

The methodology of this is that it is very subjective, you have to consider the validity and truthfulness of representations and facts that are depicted. There are other factors like the different ways it can be interpreted and the consistence and flow of information and the speed at which it is conveyed and in what manner. Does it create stimuli? Does it stimulate any emotions or does it try to evoke an emotion in you , what type of response do you have or gauge because of this and what thoughts does this cause you to have and what way does this make you feel.

He showed us several different forms of animated shorts each conveying Animation Documentaries in different format and using alternative techniques creating unique visuals .

Observant film making Walking Life (2001) by Director Richard Linklater.

Fig2. Waking Life by Richard Linklater

Look at the Book : The film Experience , an introduction( 2012) Corrigan T and White.

ISBN-10: 1457663546

Through the use of animation documentary can emphasise what is being conveyed and the way it is visually depicted determine if it will be more memorable to audiences, it also allows you to convey anything you can visualise or imagine and doesn't follow the same rules of reality but instead the world of creativity with limitless possibilities. This is a problem when it comes to setting a standard and keeping it consistent throughout and maintaining it from start to finish in animation companies as they have to fight with many external factor like financial problems and especially when working to deadlines and working to a budget sometimes employees have to work overtime and sometimes they don't get paid. Unlike in reality animation can be merged and integrated into life action formats using layers and special effects.

This is due to the vast expanse in technological developments and the improving capabilities of applications in this field and the expertise of professionals that make a living learning, teaching and utilising these for a range of reasons but mainly for learning and creating stuff for the industry like for freelance work ,personal stuff and for companies.

only certain things are in the scope of possibility to convey without the use of special effects and even when it is used. For example it needs to belong and believable otherwise it will stick out like a sore thumb and will distract from the experience. This is why animation is used to bridge this gap or to replace it entirely as it makes the impossible attainable and believable it creates a fiction world that we accept and believe in but we know it is not real or true. As well as it being cheaper as you don't need to hire actors and pay for all the other expenses it can be favourable as such the surge since animation documentary's first inception.

Documentary fiction - portrayal of event that are fake or make believe that leads us to believe something is set in reality introducing unreal or fantasy elements in the story or the narrative.

Fig3. Ryan (2004) Director Chris Landreth

Re-enacting Ryan : The fantasmatic and the animated documentary

in this the author discusses the animated documentary " Ryan"(2004) by Chris Landreth. It covers the use of staging and re-enacting events/ memories in the form of an animated short and in documentaries overall. It looks at how Landreth utilises the fantasmatic visuals in exaggerating and translating emotions and emphasising them with actions and conveys information more dramatically and dynamically. It is unique and seaming dangerous way in how the character it attach and consumed by himself to convey the situation and state of the real life version of Ryan and his battle with substance abuse and goes through his history as an animator and highlight touchy areas and brings his story to the modern times, it like the historical retelling of a story using as animation as in platform to recreate memories hence and convey his personality and character this is the reason he is in pieces and is horrible disfigured in his design as are all the other people in the facility in the short to convey the problems we face and the detriment they are to us if we don't keep them in check or try to recover. It is " partly to explore the current status of animation (and animation tools) in the realm of visual simulation."

Steve Fore Vol 6, Issue 3, 2011

First Published December 6, 2011

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1746847711416561

It is evident that alot of thought and consideration was involved and invested into looking at ways of conveying the state of Ryan and the visual manifestation that warps this depiction of false reality the audience takes at face value despite there being no way to validate thus it falls under documentary fiction.The animation and effects it includes illuminates the time and devotion that Chris dedicated to specific scenes that are dramatic and impactful leaving a lasting expression of the fragility of this character and help to give us an insight into his state of mind despite it being very fragile and broken this is shown as a recurring theme for example in one of the many transitions or transformations scenes that Ryan undergoes where he is ultimately consumed by himself and his actions that lead him there.

There is film makers bias which is evident in Ryan based on the directors point of view and his portrayal of others in the documentary, it is a very touchy subject and has many different interpretations as is shown in the depictions of both the main characters and background characters it is clear that the depiction of the main character and subject of discussion and the person the documentary is based on that it doesn't show this person Ryan in a heroic or positive light of fighting against drug addiction but instead as a flawed and broken / disfigured man that's life is in pieces which is reinforced by his horrifying design.

Cultural interpretation and presentation of animation documentary can vary and be very different depending on what directors what to convey and in the ways they want to accomplish this, using specific styles to create certain aesthetic.

This is also influenced by the target audience and their demographic and identity that are key to the research for marketing and design animation aimed for these groups in mind as potential audience. It can be directly influenced by external factors like audiences that it is aimed at and internal like the employees and animators that work in specialist areas that determine the final outcome and it is their influences and work that determine what way it will be conveyed and if it will be successful or not.

It is the approach and the bridge to the ways information is presented or conveyed in visual format in animation or alternative methods like live action, audio or visuals like sequences or a series of image that can create the illusion of a narrative or story and thus "a picture is worth a thousand words" (idiom).

Original quote was actually 'A picture is worth ten thousand words' as stated by Fred R. Barnard, of Printers' Ink, 10 March 1927.

"This refers to the notion that a complex idea can be conveyed with just a single picture, this picture conveys its meaning or essence more effectively than a description does."

Ryan brought up the issue of recollection and memory and how it can be distorted or presented falsely it is not the most reliable, as things can be miss represented or the recollection could be fabricated there is no way to measure the accuracy of the account other than taking it at face value. It would be biased from the re-collectors point of view. It has to be able to measured in both Validity in truthfulness or explain it is documentary fiction and presenting opinion as fact while still having quality and quantity , there is not real proof of us remembering stuff.

Nudity themes is a very touchy area for documentaries as they have a specific target audience in mind and this would limit their demographic as it would be for an older more mature audience.

We all Share personal experiences or situations that we can relate to one and other as human beings regardless of colour race and sexual orientation this is what a lot of these recollection of memory documentaries rely on to keep your interest as you will have something in common.

Animation can be used to present something that is unfilmable. By combining reality and fantasy elements into one in a way in which we think is real or believable even if it is or not we remember things and it shows us how others see the world.

I was intrigued to see the different ways animation can be used to convey a documentary and i wanted to find different styles and methods used to do this from traditional animating methods implemented in documentaries to more modern day techniques and forms for projecting information, analysing different examples and why this is and what it does for the documentary.

Example 1 :

Fig.4 Pixar story(2007), Director Lesie Lwerks

Pixar story is a hybrid animation documentary as it uses real life documentary mixed with the different forms of animation used over the years in the Pixar studio showing early works using traditional animation and would combine this with the documentary. This gives it a historical portrayal as it covers the early stages of animation and its development and progress over the years looking at examples like Steam boat Willie and progressing to the hand painted era of Pixar and then the drawing and storyboards of Toy Story and Monsters inc being the most recent examples on how they are done and the way they are developed using storyboards.

It does not use a single type of animation and is disrupted with interviews with people which adds weight and depth to the documentary and helps create quality as someone is speaking directly to you educating you on the topic. It helps keep the information relevant and the documentary informative and making audiences invested into the story as there is more than one topic of discussion but instead a wide range of the history of Pixar studios and how they have progressed over the years showing examples thus creating immersion and interest as it highlights the development and change in the methods and techniques used over the years and how they became more or less popular and why this is due to demand or new and better ways of animating that would save time and money enabling them to produce animations in a shorter time scale and being able to accomplish more intricate storytelling and conveying this in a worthy manner using visuals that enabled it to be possible to be created.

It is like a synergy of styles and techniques which is integrated into a real documentary and covers the history of animation from early styles to drawing frame for frame to story boarding and producing more modern day animated films.

Example 2:

Fig.5 March of dinosaurs(2011) Directed by Matthew Thompson

March of the dinosaurs is all done using CGI it is clear that it is not realistic but is a recreation of the world as it looks very artificial even in the way the plants and environments look as they are quite bear and even the dinosaurs look to much like cartoons rather then the real thing. It can be distracting and at times break the immersion. all done using 3d software

In comparison to this Walking with Dinosaurs a similar style documentary that is on the same topic of dinosaurs combines the use of CGI and real images hybridising them and blending them seamlessly working them into the animation and helping to create and emphasises different actions and movements through enviornment making it feel more alive and lived in it doing this it creates an informed narrative through the enviornment and through the actions of the dinosaurs.

The last example i looked at:

Video games the movie (2014) Directer by Jeremy Snead

It conveys the history of games over the years and uses characters and animated sequences and snip its from these along with showing the different consoles and the development of games and how the creation of games have changed with time and the new possibilities with the change in technology from the earliest computer in both graphics , narrative and game capabilities. Shows how things have changed and adapted and illustrates this by using parts from games to show the dynamic and drastic change over the years. It is used to help visualise the impact that the game industry has had and to reinforce the drastic change that has occurred in such a short time period. The games start off with the earliest pixel games on the computers and the 1st consoles and show the history of games over the years showing all the different example globally and cultural examples and the different styles of games and genre . It is new and is quite different as it uses alot of the iconic characters to help reinforce and capture the audiences attention and has lead to other things like the use of game characters and animations to be implemented in games such as Ready player one which also convey alot of the same material but not as a documentary but as a action thriller cg movie.

This also ties into the other topic i have researched for my second blog post.

Conclusion :

Animation is used to show what is attainable and can be utilised in many different formats and styles to achieve the desired outcome, using what has come from before as examples and influences for developing new and unique twists and spins on these and in doing so creating something new and visually stunning and make it difficult not to be invested or engaged as a audience member it draws you in as you want to watch on and learn more. It also determines what is current and relevant in this area and changes with the time as it has to stay ahead of the curve to be relevant and successful and if it is it is revered as being innovative and visionary.

References:

Animation documentaries:

Figure1: https://toonimator.wordpress.com/2017/05/19/final-year-student-film-pethood-zaras-story/

Figure2: https://youtu.be/4hmSELTAKZQ

Figure3: https://youtu.be/nbkBjZKBLHQ

Figure4: https://youtu.be/aU1fVeYzYlI

Figure5: https://youtu.be/rjn-WM2pUgo

Figure6: https://youtu.be/Ci5j0A4kPbQ

Journal:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1746847711422496

19/02/19 Story telling in games with Brian Coyle and my own research

I have chosen this as one of my research pieces as i know a lot about the gaming industry and i have been an avid gamer since i was a very young age. I have first hand experience of the subject and have developed my own views and opinions in this platform if entertainment and escapism it can provide . I also have seen the evolution of games from their early stages to the most modern renditions and the development from humble beginnings, pixel based games on the Game Boy Colour to the the most recent console releases for the Xbox one and the Playstation 4. Over these many years i have played nearly every console and had the personal experience of playing or watching others play the majority of available game titles. I also have insight into the different genres and the different franchises along with what they have to offer and how and why composed. This fundamentally comes down to the stories or the narratives that the games are comprised off. It also depends on who they are targeting for and the particular main demographic to focus on and make the stories relatable and impactful . As the years have went by games have become more immersive with more depth and detail with better graphics and better capabilities with realistic representations, making the imaginary possible. It assists in generating a a deeper and much richer narrative with the use of modern technology and motion capture. The story's usually depict a transition of a character from start to finish having different dramatic character archs which dictate the way the character turns out, they may involve the use of an already established strong character, and place them in a vast worlds to explore, create or destroy in these so called "Sandbox Worlds." an enriched atmosphere and a engulfing story which player struggle to stay way from or take their eyes off the screen as they want to continue on to see what happens next, with the use of cliffhangers to keep the audience hooked like most modern a-list TV shows leading up to the penultimate act or finale.

In these game the story is helped and given direction, purpose and drive in the form of the player using the in game character / protagonist as a vessel to control and influence their actions and the world they inhabit. In doing this you can create your own narrative and influence a sequence of events or moral choices determined by you actions or abstain . For example being good or being bad like in the game Red Dead Redemption 2 by Rockstar Games.

Fig.1

Plot:

The term plot and narrative are interchangeably, they don't necessarily mean the same thing but they do over lap. The plot of a game refers to the pattern or sequence of events in a narrative eg. Main quest lines and side quests these are very popular in any RPG game with a world rich with lore yet to be explored and experienced by playing though and exploring all areas and completing quests to progress and unlock new areas it is the chain of events displaying what has happened why and where to go next are conveyed in cutscenes and though gameplay and has strayed from instructional text instead using HUD's and icon. the sequence of events: the causal chain of “what happened and why.”

"Narrative is the larger narrated story. This can exist without a plot or as a larger system in which plot exists. – Narrative does not necessarily require a causal chain. Could be a history of events or sequence, technically the level progression in Tetris could be a narrative." http://www.few.vu.nl/~vbr240/onderwijs/pim/Narrative%20in%20Games.pdf

Narrative Descriptors:

A narrative descriptor is an element of a game that communicates aspects of its story to the player.

Cutscenes: used a lot in triple A games to bridge or convey story or conjoin events and scenes so the narrative is easier to follow.

A cutscene is a Video game cinematic or a sequence in a video game that is not interactive, breaking up the gameplay.

Writing, text and audio:

Writing and text in game is usual instructions or providing you with information, this can also be done with sound in the form of a narrator or characters instructing you on what to do and when.

Environment narrative :

Is an enviornment that tells a story or aids in establishing a narrative or developing the already established one it is when notes are written within the scene or if the environment tells a story or has something to do with the overall arch and it conveys this in some way like writing on the wall or the state of things depicting past present or future events that can open be foreshadowed.. For example rubble and destroyed buildings to convey the theme that you are in a post apocalyptic wasteland, like Mad Max video game.

Fig. 2

morality systems, Darkest Dungeon, This war of mine , talk about spec ops the line as an example. This is where you as the player make choices that will impact the narrative.

Ludonnarrative Dissonance:

Bioshock harvest or save little sisters.

Narrative informed Gameplay:

Narrative through Gameplay:

Ludunarrative dissonance: is the conflict between a games narrative told through the story and the narrative told through the gameplay

Game structure narrative: see power point for diagrams

Linear narratives: Bioshock, Uncharted and portal

Branching narratives: Mass Effect, Dragon age , the Telltale games series

Open House: Metal Gear Solid 5. Grand Theft Auto 5. The Witcher 3

Emergent narrative structures: Shadow of war due to the nemesis system and the main story , sims control other aspects of the game or influence characters actions

Embedded vs Emergent narrative:

Embedded narrative – Pre-generated narrative content that exists prior to a player’s interaction with the game – Cut scenes, back story – Are often used to provide the fictional background for the game, motivation for actions in the game, and development of story arc

Emergent narrative – Arises from the player’s interaction with the game world, designed levels, rule structure – Moment-by-moment play in the game creates this emergent narrative – Varies from play session to play session, depending on user’s actions

Game design involves employing and balancing the use of these two elements

How we got here:

- The Stanley parable when you go against the narrator. Easter eggs.

-Narrative informed gameplay

-Narrative through gameplay / morality systems, Darkest Dungeon, This war of mine , talk about spec ops the line as an example. This is where you as the player make choices that will impact the narrative.

Ludonnarrative Dissonance:

Bioshock harvest or save little sisters.

It gives the player a choice of following the narrative or going against the narrative. Allows the player to do actions they would never be able to accomplish or do in reality.

Ai has the potential for the future of gaming and will someday dictate what games will become but we need to have another technological advancement. How we got here today – fake 80-90's TV dramas. No stakes or changes. – syndication

As if a reset button was pressed at the end of an episode , no changes are actually made.

It is like subscription TV allows for a full story , linear to be released eg. Breaking bad or Game of Thrones are determining and influencing what is currently being created and produced.

Smart Devices and mobile devices are on the rise ffor gaming and is an every increasing and developing market just like and facebook and free to use /play games that or freemium games that include micro transactions or DLC that ruin game play and players experience and audiences become dissotated from the game. It is seen as cheating and gambling a way to make more money for these companies hence the rise in popularity in free to play games and battle royale games like fortinte , Apex legends which originated from PUBG. Companies are trying to bring console games to mobile devices this is both good and bad allowing you to play anywhere and be mobile but at the same time causing problems like the fiaco with you children playing games in school and not paying atttention which is thelatest pandemic which has lead to a huge problem for parents and teachers and onluy promotes gaming addiction swapping one screen fro another.

Home system/ Pc- current state of games and there is yet to be another jump but there is development every few years with the release of new consoles and upgraded games that can only run on the latest hardware requiting you to fork out and buy them to play the latest games as your old one won't run it this is seen as a money making scheme as overall there is no massive impact or change that this creates other than the games being design for that console in mind other than making gamplay and graphics better and the running be smoother.

In some open world games there is no set path for you to follow so you are free to roam and engage with the worlds inhabitants and learn about the people and the environment and the detailed history or backstory of the game by exploring and searching . There are usual quest to accomplish to progress the story but this is not always needed in some cases, instead you can make your own decisions. This can dramatically impact the overall narrative or result in minor variations of alternative events resulting in the branching narrative. Examples of this would be Telltales games's The Walking Dead game which revolutionised the gaming narratives as it was the first one to successful use the branching narrative and even Until Dawn By Supermassive Games use the Butterfly effect and it can have a effect on future events or a chain reaction leading to one of many ending. These have very diverse time lines but in the Walking Dead telltale games there is only minor changes that you can make that don't really effect the overall outcomes unlike Until Dawn where your choices really are life or death. It is much more engaging, with the PlayStation controllers built in functionalities to make it more interactive and immersive and scarier.

Since i have such knowledge like this in this particular area i feel like this would be a good topic to delve into and research more in-depth into and analysis specific areas of gaming narratives and the use of storytelling has changed and evolved over the years looking at key points in history. I will use a range of sources and my own knowledge to create my own refined research based on the topic awhile trying to keep it relevant and on topic. I will use several examples and videos to aid my research and to help its validity i will look at reliable sources and relevant materials for development and direction and why storytelling in games is so important, how it has evolved over the years and where it could possible go in the future.

Videos i looked at but didn't take notes on as alot of the stuff i already know:

References :

Storytelling in games:

Figure 1: https://www.dualshockers.com/red-dead-redemption-2-review-ps4-xb1/

Figure 2: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/vdxyv8/lines-in-the-sand-documenting-the-barren-but-beautiful-world-of-mad-max-020

https://medium.com/@Tarnimus/3-approaches-to-storytelling-in-games-4e62de86ef30

https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/the-best-videogame-stories-ever/

https://parade.com/301954/camayak/the-evolution-of-storytelling-in-video-games/

https://medium.com/@Tarnimus/comparing-storytelling-in-games-literature-4e5ff6ca5a73

https://www.ceros.com/originals/narrative-design-video-game/

https://www.techtimes.com/articles/84016/20150914/how-video-games-have-become-the-perfect-storytelling-medium.htm

https://www.gamedesigning.org/learn/storytelling/

https://www.theverge.com/2013/6/13/4427444/lucas-spielberg-storytelling-in-games-its-not-going-to-be-shakespeare-usc

https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/291662/Watch_top_devs_discuss_video_game_storytelling_in_new_vid_series.php

https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/ChrisStone/20190107/333798/The_evolution_of_video_games_as_a_storytelling_medium_and_the_role_of_narrative_in_modern_games.php

Books:

Video Games and Storytelling Reading Games and Playing Books

Authors: Mukherjee, Souvik

ISBN: 978-1-137-52505-5

Video Game Storytelling: What Every Developer Needs to Know About Narrative Techniques

by Evan Skolnick

ISBN:978-0-38534-582-8

Other Class notes on lectures:

26/02/19 Perception of digital realities and the believability of characters: Henry Melki

melki-h@ulster.ac.uk

Reality: construction of reality or scheme, believeablitiy holism

Holism reductionism- a way of viewing the world , where everything is connected to everything.

The whole thing/ plot is coherent.

Figurative vs embedded animation:

Repetitive 1.Developed personality
Character does’t require depth 2.Character present depth and back story
Slapstick humour eg. Looney toons 3. Complex

Look up lookarama

Additional psychological models: Perception from an ecological approach

Affordance theory ( knowing what sum it is/ works) relationship between character and environment.

Tolkiens illusion of depth

Language names that are descriptive
History / lore elaborate parts need to keep the reader entertained
Culture poems and culture

Affordance in games :

In gaming it’s important that the player has a way to interact.

Oclus Henery game.

The players must also know where something goes eg. Key goes in the lock otherwise thing sbecome to complex or disinteresting.

Applying cognitive decoupling – knowing something isn’t real but accepting it. Eg. A movie is a lie but you believe in it for 2 hours immersion.

Contract between the director and the audience applying contextual recognitition

Film editing and composition – character design – phrasing -prop design

Game design – news

Video exploring (Alfred Hitchcock) and how he visual tells a story.

Greeble / Grebling

Boba Cili effect- how shapes tell a story or a theory

Adding something to create meaning/ giving context

Realitiy is always relative to the present world

Realism Referential to perceptual Realism

What about photo realism does it = realism

VFX studios can become bankrupt due to working overtime and not being paid

The uncanny valley

Masahiro Mori 1970 Realistic incredibles – creepy realism like polar express- photorealism

Photorealism in a realistic setting / different application

Solutions to the the uncanny valley : limitations and additional theories

Think of hansel and Gretel. Cooking the witch is morbid but as the story is built up we tolerate and accept it accepting it and becoming desensities

The process- the narrative , design , technique and community

The industry – finance and royalty , character believability, pans labyrinth.

05/03/19 Tuesday Visual novels: Rebecca Crawford Crawford-r15@ulster.ac.uk

Creative writing : creating a story

Manga and anime Japanese style and even in games where this narrative is used.

Multiple endings

Western style with multiple endings skyrim and fallout (compared to eastern traditional visual novels)

Key features not really interactive.

Example for eastern Steins Gate

Eastern Japanese chracters pop up when talking and text appears on screen usually have backdrops or environments to ground characters. Giant textbox communicate dialogue as it is important to ground the scene and add depth.

Backgrounds are usually still images.

The only animation used is minimal and is usually the mouth and eyes it is extremely limited.

It may not be 24 frames a second it could be as low as 12.

Character bodies change along the way with an aspect of the background using layers to do this.

Very cheap and can reuse assets and work to save time and money.

More like manga comics using layers to emphasis the text the visuals and textures all contribute to the depth and immersion.

Don’t use panels.

Text over chracters is old method more recently they use text boxes and or use computer generated graphics 2d image to draw and build the scene to work or create special menus.

Choice boxes

Cheaply made Rpg follow this trope and trend

Sound novels originate from the early 80s and where done in games using pixel art.

Dating sims are the latest rise to prominence for visual novels which use anime art and look like they are from the 90’s.

Café’s attached to games shops called maid cafes in japan simulate dating sims in real life, has created a lineage for these games.

Branching path narrative

Steins gate timetravel and branches help to identify the path you are taking.

Branching path in action

Generic novel

Typical genres: Dating simulators

Mystery

Horror

Fantasy

Sc-fi

Anime tie in games.

Why ? Escapism

What has changed Manga gauntlet

Anime school battle royal Dangra

Climax and comedy

Early Metal gear soild comms examples etc.

Pokemon games, meta bots

It has a lot of suggestive adult content or may contain sexual scenes all for one thing fan service.

12/03/2019 Yuan’s Class essay writing:

Research Methodologies:

Dissertation topic plan and research for final year, you have 3 months for writing the essay for the hand in. Don’t show up empty handed.

Have your topic chosen and make sure it is relevant to animation studies. Make sure the question is good and that the essay will address this question and present solutions to it. The title should not be a question , it should be short and sweet being straight forward and condensed. There should be several points or sub questions you address in the essay that answer the components or parts of the main question. Don’t divide up the main question or it will become cluttered and chaotic keep it tidy and have make it flow well and keep the information relevant.

Plan out what you are going to write and in what order you plan to write it. Use bullet points and a logical layout and format it so it is easy to follow and is not to packed. Use word count on paragraph to try and stick to work counts so you don’t go over. Split it up into paragraphs so it flows easier.

Apply the Harvard referencing style and captions. Reading list,as long as it is relevant or utilised.

Bibliography use if quoting or phrasing specific things from an external source only use quotes if it is to help support or aids your argument or point of view.

Do proof reading and get other people to help you spot any mistakes . Have the title stand out and be distinguishable from the question.

Academic writing should be 2000 words for the essay , develop your own ideas andarguments , stay focused and stay driven make people invested in it and leave them wanting to read on.

Narraow the area of scope for the essay don’t just copy and reiterate the lectures in class or the slides. Do not plagerise

The dissertation for final year is in the 1st semester so before coming into final year gather the resources and information and that aspect done have all your materials gathered and organised , don’t leave it last minute.

Go to Animation studio 2.0 website to look for examples and inspiration.

Compare and contrast examples using captions and the correct citation

The images in the essay should reflect and support the point you are making and should support your argument and should be relevant to the topic.

Captions should be used to indicate whatit is and a listing of what fig. it is and the source should be in the bibliography.

Use google books as a good source to get snipits of books and get insight into the way it is written and why and how it is done. It also gives an alternative perspective and insight into another persons thoughts and opiniions on the matter.

Google Scholar : articles and academic writing and papers / journals.

Plan out the structure

Your own ideas should be unique and different and should only use what is necessary.

500 words for an intro is to long 200 – 300 max. Give yourself deadlines the most time should be spent on the main body of the essay.

Balance out the essay spread out your tiee and resources equally.

Check references are accurate and correct.

The intro should be like a map to find where and what the essay is covering , it should contain any relevant background information establishing the topic or outlining the subject you intend to interpret or present through your own research and findings it sets the tone for what will follow in the rest of the essay.

Conclusion should wrap up the essay and address everything you have covered breiefly providing an overview and wrapping up the essay with any last minute thoughts or feeling or anything that you may have missed out on.

The terminology should be established in the beginning using a list for keywords and defined.

The whole essay should be 1800 – 2200 limit 10% either way

The main body is the answer to your sub questions or the whole main question this shou;d be divided into paragrahs. Each paragrach will cover one single topic only.

Each paragrach needs its own structure , have a topic sentence for each paragraph. Expand on the idea giving evidence when necessary. Use case studies and quotations to support the topic sentence.

In academic writing a paragraph should contain more than one sentence. Keep an eye on paragraph length one line is not a paragraph append it onto another area or repurpose it or add in more information.

If a paragraph id more than 300 words it is to long.

Use expressions to help the reader understand and use conjunctions.

A conclusion should wrap up the work aand should emapsises your argument or / paint a picture finishing up the piece by bring everything together and to a close.

You cannot cover everything so pick and choose the most important or relevant information and just show you are aware of the other stuff or if you have forgotten a crucial poin then simply append it or add it to the conclusionand give a ratrional why it is not in the essay due to the word cap.

Write in short high quality paragraphs.

19/03/2019 Developing for VR Daryl Randall

Develop an idea specifically targeted for VR

Keep movement to a minimum , do not make people sick

Maintain 90 fps or higher, avoid hard cuts , do not rotate the camera , have smooth transitons and no fluctuating frame rates.

Use game engines to render real time for vr

2 cameras need to be rendering at the same time and need t be merged to form one image using lenses to see how much you can fit on screen at any one time.

Tracking movement using leap motion tracking

Knuckles at GDC

Leading the eye in VR, used for storytelling.

3D quill , create an experience , sound VR sound is just as important as the visuals.

Oclus and vive hardware check Samsung site survey for th user tests ,movies and shorts.

Do your research

VR interface design pre-visualisation methods look at youtube for examples

Use unity and Unreal free to use game engines to start the process of creating and experimenting with vr.

Unity uses timeline and unreal uses blueprints , key and autokey for timing.

It is challenging working with VR for the First time you have to relearn everything again.

User testing is crucial

Special audio

Guide the users attention

Post user testing changes and improvements

Different iterations andstages of development on going refinement produce different and shape outcomes.

Use lights and sounds to attract and direct users attention to what is important

Try mapping it out and the sequence

The last sentient(NOPikikgGames)

VR Challenges:

Vertigo

Movement

Opitmistation , lights and high quality texture maps programmers and coders will say no to everything for possibilities , test the limit and see what works but don’t be silly with what is attainable.

Level design

Mechanics and in game physics

Should it be turn based or free moving , seated or a walking experience.

Level design , limitations of space , restrictions preventing people from entering walls, challenges used correctly and the possible integration of enemies.

Mapping, real life enviornents.

When something happen( boom clap play) abstract take on the big bang / universe to a digital canvas landscape today

Prototyped.

Camera movement

Visualising events in time with th poem

Frame rate

User interaction

V Ray for rendering

Forward render cheaper , light touches an object , 2 lights touch an object means an object will be rendered twice.

Camera movement : redesign the experience

Speed or how fast the camera will move

Matching the poem in a limited space syncing

Cutting between scenes / load screens

Increase pacing

Trick takes a lot of time and refinement is time consuming

Testing flow get an outside perspective to see obvious flaws you may not have noticed

Make sure scenes blend seamlessly

Films reloading or use fasdes which act as a buffer zone for the next part being loaded.

Interactions , how would they interface with the experience

Will they users concistently look for them when you shouldn’t how much time should be spent on them or on other objects so that it doesn’t distract from the experience.

Setting up gaze queues

Optimisation : minimise draw calls to GPU

Share materials- textures atlas

Minimise lights

Occlusion calling

Batch rendering

Lightmapping

Texture consistentence , 4k textures take up a set amount of allocated disk space/ cpu space.

Transfuser gaming

Stick to something more passive and use the timeline.

Use unity or inreal to render 4k textures in 1 second.

Coursework 3: