Ual l3 project1 intro to skills brief

UAL Level 3 Diploma in Creative Media Hopwood Hall College Arts and Performing Arts

Introduction to processes and technical skills!

Units Covered: Unit 1 Introduction to media processes and technical skills Unit 2 Introduction to design and research skills in creative media production Project Start: 04/09/17 Project Deadline: 06/10/17 ASSIGNMENT AIM AND PURPOSE: Provide you with an introduction to a range of processes and skills used in industry and to the particular characteristics and methods of communication needed to work within games development.

You will be introduced to a range of activities as well as skills workshops centred around 2D games production. In addition you will develop an understanding of the vital roles that design, research and evaluation play in informing and developing your own ideas.

ASSIGNMENT SCENARIO: You are an intern at a 2D Indie games company where they expect you to know and understand all of the different types of production and workflows that happen within the company by the end of your placement.

Your job is to complete all practical workshop tasks within each area of production.

Each task must be researched using primary and secondary resources and the final results evaluated, assessing the effectiveness of your processes and techniques.

Your written work needs to be saved as a Word document with all tasks together named appropriately e.g J.Snow_workshop_writeups.

UAL Level 3 Diploma in Creative Media Hopwood Hall College Arts and Performing Arts

iLearn Activities To compliment your in-class learning you are to follow and complete the following Pluralsight course in the iLearn centre and in your iLearn sessions and at home.

You will need to download the course exercise files and will hand in your completed tutorial work with an overview of the skills learned within your final unit 1 and 2 assessment.

You will learn how to harness the power of Adobe Photoshop CC to create superior images and artwork. This course is the first in a series designed to help you master one of the world’s most popular software applications.

You can download the exercise files either from the Pluralsight course itself using this link https://app.pluralsight.com/library/courses/photoshop-cc-fundamentals/table-of-contents Or you can go to: My Computer - U: Drive staff/student shared area - Games Design - Games Level 2 and download from here chapter by chapter EVIDENCE REQUIRED FOR SUBMISSION: • Digital evidence of completing each module in the Photoshop CC Fundamentals course • All completed course files from the course

UAL Level 3 Diploma in Creative Media Hopwood Hall College Arts and Performing Arts

TASK 1 - DIGITAL DRAWING:

Task 1 - Secondary Research - Explore a minimum of 3 pixel retro games e.g Mario, Sonic, R-Type, Zelda and Double Dragon etc. You need to document how they have approached the design of their characters and levels to help you produce your own retro pixel character and level concept - Primary Research - You will need to create a minimum of 1 A3 sheet of colour pixel thumbnail characters and level concepts influenced by your secondary research Task 2 Using Photoshop to create your character and level concept based on your research in task 1. These both need to be set-up as 300dpi and saved as a 1080x1920 file and an A3 print-ready file: - 1 Final portrait character concept in colour - 1 Final level concept in colour Task 3 - Evaluate all digital artwork comparing your final outcomes to your secondary and primary research and original references - Evaluate and compare the effectiveness of digital tools that you used to create your artwork EVIDENCE REQUIRED FOR SUBMISSION: • Written Word File including secondary research, a picture/scan of thumbnail drawings and evaluation • Digital Retro Pixel Character • Digital Retro Pixel Level Concept All files need to be JPEG and PSD format and appropriately named e.g duke_nukem. jpg

UAL Level 3 Diploma in Creative Media Hopwood Hall College Arts and Performing Arts

TASK 2 - GAME DESIGN DOCUMENT AND 2D GAME ENGINES:

Task 1 Before you start you will need to download the following resources from It’s Learning in Unit 1 Introduction to media processes and technical skills 2D game engine: - Download the game assets provided - Download the ebook ‘GameMaker Apprentice’ Task 2 You will be required to make and complete 6 mini games using GameMaker: • • • • • •

Evil Clutches - Basic Shooter Galactic Mail - Top down Asterioids-style game Lazarus - Simple platform Super Rainbow Reef - Breakout-style game Wingman Sam - Multi-player, top down, scrolling shooter Tank War - Multi-player, split screen tank game with mini map

All games must contain all assets and fully function.

Task 3 - Look at each completed game and give an overview of the skills you have learned (eg importing sprites).

- Log any issues such as no menu, sprites going through wall etc.

- Explain how you have fixed those issues.

- Make some improvements and explain how they were created.

- Collect peer reviews and discussions based on the game improvements that you have made.

EVIDENCE REQUIRED FOR SUBMISSION:

• 6 mini games (exe and GameMaker files appropriately named e.g duke_nukem.exe) • Written Word File including evidence of methods and problem-solving used to make 6 mini games, evaluation and peer reviews

UAL Level 3 Diploma in Creative Media Hopwood Hall College Arts and Performing Arts

TASK 3 - 2D ANIMATION:

Task 1 Secondary Research - Explore a minimum of 3 pixel retro games e.g Mario, Sonic, R-Type, Zelda and Double Dragon etc. You will review a range of animations from each game commenting on how effective they are against the 12 principles of animation.

Task 2 Before you start you will need to download all of your chosen sprites from: http://www.spriters-resource.com/ (or your own chosen website) Task 3 Using your own choice of sprites, you will be required to create, as a minimum, the following animation sequences in Fireworks or Photoshop: -

Walk cycle Run cycle Jump sequence Explosion Death sequence

Each animation must be placed into a single Game Maker room with appropriate keyboard functionality if required Task 4 Critically evaluate the effectiveness of your animation sequences considering, timing, smoothness, weight and believability EVIDENCE REQUIRED FOR SUBMISSION: • Game Maker room with all 5 animations within appropriately named e.g duke_ nukem.gif • Written Word File including secondary research, sprite resources used and evaluation

UAL Level 3 Diploma in Creative Media Hopwood Hall College Arts and Performing Arts

Task 4 -Sound Effects and Music:

Task 1 - Secondary Research - Research 3 pixel retro games finding a short YouTube clip of gameplay. Write a short analysis of how effective the sound design is within the clips and how it compliments the visuals of the game Task 2 - Using your own choice of found sounds from sound libraries, you will be required to replace the sound effects and music for a minimum of 3 mini games that you make.

You will want to consider a range of sounds such as: - Looped in-game music - Walking/running footsteps - Jumping - Pick-ups - Death - Game over - Menu/button selection Task 3 Critically evaluate the effectiveness of your sounds using the following criteria: - Timing with on screen motion - Suitability of fade in and fade out timings - Volume levels for individual sounds and priority over other in game sounds - Believability of sounds EVIDENCE REQUIRED FOR SUBMISSION: • All edited sounds to be saved as a wav or mp3 appropriately named e.g duke_ nukem.mp3 • Gamemaker Exe files with integrated working sounds • Written Word File including secondary research, audio files used and evaluation

UAL Level 3 Diploma in Creative Media Hopwood Hall College Arts and Performing Arts

Assignment Week

Suggested Assignment Tasks

WEEK 1 04/09/17

Induction and introduction to project brief

WEEK 2 11/09/17

Skills workshops and written work

WEEK 3 18/09/17

Skills workshops and written work

WEEK 4 25/09/17

Skills workshops and written work

WEEK 5 02/10/17

Finish and prepare all files for digital hand-in on Its Learning

UAL Level 3 Diploma in Creative Media Hopwood Hall College Arts and Performing Arts

This assignment covers the following grading criteria: Unit Unit 1 Introduction to media processes and technical skills

Learning Outcomes 1 Understand processes and technical skills used in creative media production.

Assessment Criteria 1.1 Apply understanding of a range of processes to support media activities.

1.2 Apply media processes and skills safely and appropriately 2 Understand the characteristics and methods of communication within a media context.

Unit 2 Introduction to design and research skills in creative media production

1 Understand design and research tools, methods and skills used in creative media production.

2.1 Critically compare a range of communication methods used to convey meaning in creative media production.

1.1 Critically compare a range of research tools, methods and skills.

2 Understand primary and secondary research sources.

2.1 Critically compare a range of primary and secondary research sources.

3 Be able to use design and research tools, methods and skills to inform ideas for creative media production.

3.1 Apply design and research tools, methods and skills to record and interpret information and develop ideas for creative production.

3.2 Evaluate the effectiveness of design and research tools methods and skills to develop ideas for creative production.