Secret Garden
By Kerris Ganeson
The Game Concept
The initial brief is to create a picturesque ‘secret garden’ level.
Full Project Outline
I plan to create an action adventure level based in the walled garden of an Edwardian mansion. The level will be just a small section of the garden which I imagine to be part of a huge estate. The area will be split up in to several small areas, giving an enchanted atmosphere. The garden should feel mysterious and intriguing, consisting of hidden sections, winding paths and old locked doors.
In order to accentuate the feeling of discovery, the layout will consist of a larger ‘open’ area with the hidden parts of the garden then leading off of it. I feel like the contrast between the spaces will make the smaller areas of the level more mysterious. To add to the contrast, the larger area will appear more formal and will be based loosely on the Hestercombe Edwardian gardens I visited in Cornwall. The smaller areas will be more rugged and unplanned.
The smaller sections of the garden will be separated by different ‘themes’ which will be suggested subtly by use of planting, lighting and architecture. They will all be tied together by the surrounding wall which will be consistent throughout. These areas will be separated by staircases and doorways; I want the planting and architecture to hide the way, so the player is always curious to what’s around the next corner. The use of lighting and framing will also be used to help intrigue.
As the level is split off into smaller sections the scope of the project can be adjusted to fit the time frame. Any section can be ended with a mysterious locked door or dead end. On the other hand, these doors can be unlocked so the level can be expanded on given the time is available. The primary area, though large, will consist of repeating modular assets, reused planting and simple pieces of architecture (see ref A/B for temp white box/example) so will not be too expensive on time and assets. The smaller, hidden areas can be adjusted and scaled up or down according to the limitations
Although I want the level to feel almost magical, I want the player to still feel like they are in a friendly environment on the path of discovery, rather than violence. This atmosphere will be created by the lighting, colour themes and sound effects to help relax the player and allow for exploration.
Technical Specifications
Style
The level will be in a ‘photo realistic’ style.
Reference Pictures. The reference pictures to be used are those from the several gardens I visited in Cornwall. These show a great mix of plant life, garden style and architecture that is relevant to the brief. As Cornwall is on the south coast, the varying temperatures allowed me to take reference of vast range of planting that are both familiar and exotic.
Scale. All models must be built using the scale one unit = one centimetre.
Platform. PC, PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360
Polygon Count: 100,000 triangles. The level of detail should be consistent throughout the level, with any assets that are deemed more ’important’ having a relevant budget to allow for higher detailing.
Texture Space:
Maximum 120MB.
No comments:
Post a Comment