In order to be clearer, I shall explain the context of every element of the artwork:
Painted skyboxes with different hues and colors that change randomly overtime represent the uncertainties of life, along with rain and earthquakes. It has to do with one`s posture towards life and being aware of how you act. They are literally "painted" in order to play up the sense of reality versus real; also, as said before, the world also alludes to the mind of the artist, which means trying to figure out how he thinks - and which of it triggers creativity.
The scenario has lots of mountains but is, at the same time, lonely and scary and it looks the same everywhere you look. This was made on purpose to cause a sense of confusion. In "real life", things seems one thing when they are another and dealing with appearances and expectation breaks is key in order to observe and learn by living and having a better understanding of life itself.
The screaming box is the most mysterious object on the game. Why it drags itself to you? Why can`t you touch it? Why do you lose when you do so? The creepy box resembles a tragic comedy of past trying to catch up to you. The consequences of what was. This concept was highly inspired by this video also:
Last but not least, figuring out the kind of installation is key to the success of a piece. With that in mind, I wish to grant full immersion to the player. The focus is on the virtual context and making relations between virtual and non-virtual world based on the character`s actions towards in game situations. You must feel as yourself inside the artwork, therefore there is no need for avatars.
Brainstorming Log
8-29-2012: I`ve talked to Gladdys today about what kind of sensor would be nice to have as a means to explore the navigable space. We both agreed that I have to use '''analogic inputs''', such as bending, force, etc. I really wanted to use some aspect of the human body as a vector to, at least, change the direction or speed of the viewer on my navigable space. I`ve done some paintings to show how this world would look like.
8-30-2012: Perhaps the sole notion of space would be the absence of sight. The space being constructed by some kind of human sense (speech, sound etc). The space is there but you can only connect to it through your senses. That and your psychological notion of space.
I`ve just talked to Sam today and he pointed out this game, which is pretty awesome. Now I`m in doubt of what I`m going to do! Need to think more.
9-4-2012: I started thinking about development methods for the project. As I`ve decided to create a simple 3d environment in which you interact with the painted objects and, maybe, the colors of them change as you interact with them, I want to create some guidelines for working.
1. Use the basic Unity objects
2. Develop basic textures on Photoshop and put them on Mudbox
3. Create the animated textures
4. Study the interactivity and how to trigger the changing color animation LATER
In class, prof. Jack said that it is possible to stablish a workflow between Maya, Mudbox and Unity. You first have to create a project in Unity, then put the MayaScene folder inside the Assets folder on Unity projects. It is advisable to do low-poly modeling, import it to Unity and let it do the heavy lifting of updating the objects inside the project.
The change in the colors of the textures could be an ANIMATED TEXTURE that is triggered first through Collision detection and later on with a sensor.
USE A EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE FAT-32.
Workflow (subject to change):
a) Set up the basic project on Unity - DONE
b) Import the basic objects from Unity to Mudbox - DOESN`T WORK. REVERSE IT.
c) Paint the textures on Mudbox - DONE
d) Load them back onto Unity and save - DONE
IF IT WORKS:
e) Start working on the collision detection - DONE
f) Use fancy skyboxes and stuff - DONE
g) Develop the textures
h) Animate textures
i) Develop the code that triggers the animated texture based on collision detection
j) Think about the sensor interaction and research integration between Unity and Arduino
P.S.: the game engine only shows the side in which the normals are pointing IN MAYA, Polygons > Normals > Reverse normals. Also, if you want to add water, you`ll have to model the water container before putting the water. LOOK THIS UP. Although, I wouldn`t like it to have water... I thought about a more jungly environment. The interactions between the player and the water would be cool too, but very hard to do for now.
GOOGLE COLOR ANIMATION SCRIPT FOR UNITY.
9-5-2012: Tried working back and forth with Unity and Mudbox. Apparently, I can`t seem to import Unity`s prefabs but I sure can export Mudbox models and work them into Unity and update them on the go.
Consider every aspect of yout artwork. Why is it painted? What is the point you`re trying to make? THINK. ENDLESSLY.
9-11-2012: After doing some research and coding I`ve managed to change the colors of a Unity prefab. Now, i`m going to try and apply the texture on the Mudbox`s models. Then, I`ll try and make the objects move.
Finally got them to move through coding and I`ve edited the textures on Photoshop and painted them! Now the world is getting the feel I want it to have. next thing is research the Image Effects tab to see if I can create a code to change the saturation of the coloured objects based on the pressure of the sensor. Now, all I have to do is refine the 3D modeling, create the animated textures... Everything is coming along just fine.
LOOK INTO THOSE:
9-13-2012: Sam showed me some really cool painterly stuff to use with a brush as a sensor.
Today I also managed to test some painted textures. Now all I have to do is model the objects and add some more hue variation to my scenery and affect the colors through coding....
Sam also showed me the reason to be of my ball:
The ball might pursue you and you can use the brush sensor along with the textures shown on Paint Splatter Surface Effect to be able to build/reveal exits artistically. When the ball hits you, you go back to the beginning. This type of gameplay reminds me of the life of a freelancer artist where you have to constantly run from your deadlines and angry clients...
9-15-2012: I tried to mess around with the project some more and kept thinking about the concept. Something was not fitting into what I was doing... It`s a fun, painterly world, but it`s still pointless. Perhaps the point is not about a PAINTERLY world, but about MY WORLD. Not in the sense of my actual space, my room, anything like that. Maybe I was trying to do that all along... Expressing how one feel`s in an interactive way. This music is really inspiring me lately.
9-16-2012: The idea is starting to grow on me. Having my space, a navigable space... Something random, but beautiful. And scary. What happens if the player reaches the end of the space? He has to run away from something, like a storm, or an earthquake... And when he faces the end of the space, he has a choice: end up his own life willingly, or be defeated by the game. I think I`ll call it '''Pride'''.
9-17-2012: Thinking again, "Pride" is a rather snob name. I`ve managed to complete the scripting that includes the game play described above and added some audio listeners of rain. I want it to be a tempestuous place, a place of conflict, of dialectic. Specially, of change, tempestuous change. I`m thinking about a way to put a song to it. I`ve recently rewatched 2001: A Space Odissey and this part was really on my mind:
Also, this painting really translates what I mean by painterly and tempestuous:
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And, I wand to have a pursuing object, like a chase... perhaps a monolith, like on the movie. It is physically impossible for it to chase someone, but it does... Something creepy, scary, like screams coming from it. I`m always running from or to something.
After testing it a couple of times, I decided on the name: "Scream". The final product kind of reminds me of what I feel when I see this painting:
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