Game Art GCD62004/Project1

Game Art

GCD62004/Project1

LIU CHENG RUI  (0370930)

GCD62004/Game Art/ Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University

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INSTRUCTION

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PROJECT 1 :

Designing a Hero Prop for Your Game World

Select a unique world or theme in Week 1 (e.g., post-apocalyptic jungle, sci-fi city, dark fantasy ruins). All projects contribute to building a consistent visual universe through modular prop and asset design. *(This is run simultaneously with Exercise)

Design and render a hero prop (e.g., weapon, terminal, totem, vehicle part) aligned with your chosen world. Focus on silhouette strength, story function, and production-ready presentation.

Deliverables:

3–5 concept thumbnails

Detailed orthographic views

Material and function callouts

Final painted render or clean line + grayscale render

week5

This week, we were asked to make a prop based on the game we chose previously. It could be a weapon or an environmental prop, etc. I chose a set of weapons, which was designed for the protagonist of my game.

Regarding the weapon I designed, I chose bamboo as the main material and decorated it with jade and other materials. In addition to the main hero weapon designed at the beginning (the one in the middle), I also designed other types of weapons, including short swords, machetes, etc.

Fig5.1 3–5 concept thumbnails

Regarding the prop views from different angles, I still chose the main weapon as the object. I drew its front view, rear view, left and right views, top view and bottom view respectively. As for the top view and bottom view, in order to make them look easier, I correlated their structures with the front view.

Fig5.2 Detailed orthographic views

Regarding the material and function diagram of my weapon, I choose to divide the weapon into several parts, namely the attack part, the grip part and the decoration part. Each part is marked with specific materials and functions, which makes it look clearer.

Fig5.3 Material and function callouts

As for the color selection of the weapons, since my weapons are mainly made of bamboo and jade, my overall color focuses on various shades of green.

Fig5.4 Final painted render 

week6

This week, we need to continue to complete our project1. For me, it is necessary to keep improving my weapon design. In class, Mr. Kannan believes that my weapon design should be accompanied by an iterative process of the design rather than a result diagram. Besides, it should show various forms of characters when using weapons.

So, I first completed the iterative process diagram of the weapon.

Fig6.1 iterative process diagram of the weapon 1

Fig6.2 iterative process diagram of the weapon 2

After I completed the iteration diagram, I refined some weapons and colored them.

Fig6.3 Some attempts at coloring weapons

After completing the iteration diagram of the weapon, I focused on the functional material diagram of the weapon. Since the first functional material diagram I made was not complete and lacked the character's holding state, I made improvements again and added the shield of the same set of weapons.

Fig6.4 Functional material diagram of the weapon

After that, I designed different actions of the characters and the forms when they held weapons.

Fig6.5 The different actions of the characters（colorless）

Fig6.6 The different actions of the characters（colored）

Fig6.7 The different forms of weapons held by characters

After completing this series of tasks, I began to make my individual production sheet again.

Fig6.7 individual production sheet 

The following is an overview of my project1 assignments.

Fig6.7 3–5 concept thumbnails（colorless）

Fig6.8 3–5 concept thumbnails（colored）

Fig6.9 Detailed orthographic views

Fig 6.10 Material and function callouts

Fig 6.11 The final coloring picture

Fig6.12 The different forms of weapons held by characters

Fig6.13 individual production sheet 

week7

This week, I presented to Mr. Kannan the progress related to my project1, including the iteration of weapons and the decomposition of various forms of weapons equipped for characters. Mr. Kannan thinks my overall design is very interesting, but attention needs to be paid to the form of the characters, especially in some places where the center line needs to be symmetrical. Besides, there are also some problems with the production of my shield. It is somewhat flat and the form is not good, and it needs to be modified.

Regarding the modification of the character's form, I listened to Mr. Kannan's advice and modified the spherical form at the center of the character's chest to make it conform to the side perspective of the character. Besides, a small part of the structure of the right leg of the third character was not expressed clearly, and I also added it again.

Fig7.1 The modified character form

Fig7.2 Modified character form (after coloring)

Fig7.3 The modified form of the character's equipped weapons

For the modification of the shield, I gave up the previous flat shield because it looked really out of place. I redrew a shield that was more in line with the character. Because Mr. Kannan said that when the character was designed, there was no bone component, so your shield with bone structure would look out of place.

Fig7.4 Modified weapon disassembly and shield

Fig7.5 The modified individual production sheet

week8

I continued to refine my Project 1. Mr. Kannan believed that there were some morphological issues with my character. For instance, the structure of the pelvic part seemed to cause the upper body to be about to slip. Besides, the color is too green. I should enhance the saturation contrast of the color.In addition to the color of the character, I also modified the color of the shield to make it look clearer and have a stronger saturation contrast.

After that, I attempted to modify the morphological structure of the characters and the overall color, and finally obtained the final work.

Fig8.1 Final iterative process diagram of the weapon 1

Fig8.2 Final iterative process diagram of the weapon 2

Fig8.3 Final 3–5 concept thumbnails（colorless）

Fig8.4 Final Detailed orthographic views

Fig8.5 Final Material and function callouts 1

Fig8.6 Final painted render 

Fig8.7  Final 3–5 concept thumbnails（colored）

Fig8.8 Final different actions of the characters（colorless）

Fig8.9 Final different actions of the characters（colored）

Fig8.10 Final different forms of weapons held by characters

Fig8.11 Final Material and function callouts 2

Fig8.12 Final individual production sheet

Project1  PDF compilation

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FEEDBACK

week6

Mr. Kannan believes that my weapon design should be accompanied by an iterative process of the design rather than a result diagram. Besides, it should show various forms of characters when using weapons.

week7

The overall design is good and very interesting. However, pay attention to the form of your character, especially the sphere on the character's chest. Its perspective does not conform to the character's perspective. Also, the structure of the legs in your third character form is incorrect. A part is missing. Regarding your props, your shield should adapt to your character. Your character has no bone structure, but your shield is made of bone, which is rather abrupt. You can try to continue using bamboo to make the shield or combine it slightly with bones instead of making it all of bone.

week8

Mr. Kannan believed that there were some morphological issues with my character.  For instance, the structure of the pelvic part seemed to cause the upper body to be about to slip.  Besides, the color is too green.  I should enhance the saturation contrast of the color. 

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REFLECTIONS

Experience

In this project, I went through the full process from coming up with ideas to turning them into a finished design. I learned a lot, especially in how to choose the right materials, plan the functions of the design, and include cultural elements in a meaningful way. With the help and feedback from my supervisor, Mr. Kannan, I kept improving my work and gradually learned how to clearly show my ideas through visuals — like front and side views, design changes, and character action poses. This whole experience really helped me improve the way I present my designs and explain them more professionally.

Observation

During the project's advancement, I found that the combination of design and story background is the key to making the work more profound. At the same time, details such as structural proportion, material texture, and character movements will also directly affect the integrity and persuasiveness of the design. Furthermore, the continuous feedback given by my supervisor also made me realize that an external perspective is extremely important and irreplaceable in the process of improving design.

Findings

Through this project, I realized that a successful design often stems from repeated thinking and multiple revisions, rather than just the initial inspiration. At the same time, I have also learned that in game art, visual aesthetics and functionality are equally important, and one cannot focus only on one aspect. Finally, I found that presenting the design ideas in an organized manner not only enables the audience to better understand the work, but also helps me to review and think more clearly about the logic and choices of the design.