Final Render

"Critically evaluate the work you have produced"

I think that the model I have created looks like the concept art it was based on, as it included all of the same details as the concept did and to help this, throughout the process of modelling I had a reference image of the concept art placed on a “plane” object behind my model. This helped me to make sure the sizing was fairly accurate and made it easier to refer back to the design. Using this reference I made sure I included all the details shown in the concept art and that it looked similar. The model communicates the same themes as my concept art mainly because it follows the same design and colour scheme, which I think especially sets the theme for the model. The concept art had a rusty sort of colour scheme, making the design appear old and worn, even though the design itself it actually futuristic. I think my model shows that well as I textured it with a rusty worn effect, using bump mapping to make this effect more realistic. The only thing I added to the design was the handle bar ends. This was because I thought the original design of the handle bars didn’t look practical, there was no where to actually hold onto to, it was more of just a single shaped bar. I just added a grip to the end of each bars so it was a little more practical. If I could have done anything differently, I would’ve defined the shapes or even added more in so that it looked more realistic and defined. The way my model was made up of almost a single shape made it look sort of like a chunk of metal… If I’m honest! I would also have added more detail to model, making it look more realistic. Rather than just having the basic shapes I could have spent longer going in to depth of making everything appear realistic, like wise to my previous point. The thing I found most difficult was making it look realistic and not too simple within my skill boundaries and time given. I personally struggle with maya more than other topics (as much as I love it!) there fore I needed reminders on certain techniques. I found it hard to make it look more sophisticated rather than a simple shape as this requires detail and defining the shape which I struggled to do, however if I had spent longer on this then I probably would have developed techniques on adding depth to the model. I found bump mapping was a great technique for adding depth as it makes the texture appear 3D.

Simulated Pipeline Evaluation Sheet.

Name: Georgette Mutlow

Stage: 3

Critically evaluate the work you are given. What methods and practice will you use to complete this stage?

The concept art I have been given to work from is a hover bike, a very creative, unique design, demonstrated from two angles: a front and side view which helps me to have a better understanding of what the vehicle looks like from other angles. However, the turn-around isn’t very accurate, it would be a bit more helpful if each of the angles were to scale with each other as it might be hard when modelling to work out the sizing of things. The shapes have been quite roughly sketched which can make some parts hard to figure out, however I can either ask the artist if I get confused on the idea or work around it and go with what I think it would look like. Maybe another view of the design would be helpful to model it as the more views shown, the easier it would be to imagine in 3D.   I personally think the concept art communicates its idea effectively of representing a hover bike, I didn’t have to question the artist on the design at all as it follows the shape of a normal (motor) bike but has a twist to it as it hovers, which you can see by the propulsion units at the base of the design. I’m questioning how I’ll model this part but I will research into it when I come across it.   I definitely think the model is not too simple, and should take all the time given to model as it is quite complex but only a reasonable amount, not too difficult for the amount of time I have been given. The two designs are very different from each other as a bus and motorbike don’t have much in relation, almost so much that they could be from separate games, however they both include one main feature/theme which is the hovering system, this makes them link greatly.   When I begin modelling, if I come across any confusion in the design then I will ask the artist for more information on it and then if necessary note it down so I remember when I come to modelling it. Maybe if there’s parts of the hover bike that I’m not sure what would appear like in 3D then I could research to see what it would actually look like, if already existing. I might also sketch the other angles of the design once gathered more detail so that I can refer to it when modelling.   There are many modelling techniques I may use, some that I have in mind currently are using the curve tool which will help me to create a shape following the shape of the specific curve. Another being the edge loop tool which I will definitely use in order to keep my shapes smooth or to perhaps define the shape. As I mentioned earlier, I’m thinking that creating the flame like effect within the propulsion units may be difficult but if I get stuck on it after attempting it, I can research into ways of doing it.

"Critically evaluate the work you have produced"

Before I began my concept art, I researched the information that was needed in order to start designing ideas. My research consisted of creating specific mood boards which acted as references to my vehicle, providing ideas to use as influence, as well as giving me a general better understanding on the vehicles it is based on and then to gather further information from the document creator. I then began my concept art by sketching rough ideas of the shape of my vehicle. These ideas were based on an oval shape as the document suggested, even though they each had their individual characteristics. After getting down a variety of designs for the main body, I moved on to sketching ideas for another key element (suggested by the document, also) of the vehicle design. This was a glass barrier at the top of the vehicle. I then drew out two final ideas which were more detailed than the previous processes because they were to be used for my decision maker. I drew these designs at all angles to create a better understanding if it were to be modelled- how it would look. As well as a brief description of the designs, showing the thought going on behind them. I also coloured these designs using the colour pallet included in the document. My final step was to pick a design out of the two and then take it through a more accurate process. I chose my first design which was the one based off of a Lamborghini Aventador with a dome shaped glass barrier. This was my favourite design because I liked the way it looked futuristic and smart, at the same time as looking rough and post apocalyptic. I think it carried off that combination well. I also thought the dome glass barrier merged into the oval shape of the body, keeping it streamlined so it is able to move fast and smoothly. The colours consisted of metallic’s, presenting the smart side to the vehicle, but I made these metallic colours appear slightly old and worn to keep to the post apocalyptic aesthetic. I also showed that the vehicle was to be created from replaceable scrap parts from other vehicles, by drawing the body to look as if scraps have been nailed together. This was a key feature the document stated.  I drew a turn-around of this design, which I kept each view to the same scale to help the modeller understand the sizing. I scanned this into the computer which I then coloured in on Photoshop. During this process I changed the colours of the scrap pieces to bronze/brown and silver as I thought it was more realistic than just having all silver scraps. I also thought it would be a good idea to introduce more colours from the colour pallet rather than just the same few colours. I shaded my concept art to add some realism to the idea, which I also thought would help the modeller to understand it. Overall, I think I included all the things I was meant to in order for the modeller to understand my progress and final design. I also included all the features the document asked for and followed the theme and colour pallet provided. I think If I could have added any thing, I would have done more research, such as primary research where I could have gone out and documented pictures of other cars for influence to my designs. I could have also created more designs to work from during the beginning process, which may have lead on to a wider range of ideas.

Research Update:

I asked Malcolm what he meant in his document about the vehicle design being built using broken down parts and he suggested that the design looks like it has been created using scraps from perhaps other vehicles and materials. He wants it to look in tact, not falling apart but to look rough. I always questioned whether he wanted it to follow a futuristic theme and he said it was up to me. Therefore I think I will make it look futuristic as it is a futuristic vehicle (hover car), but as it is created out of scraps it will look sort of old and warn. I basically want the design to be futuristic but the visual texture to be worn as it used for fighting.

I began my research by creating a mood board of hover car examples. All these image examples follow a similar oval structure, likewise to my vehicle concept. This will also help my concept art as it shows what an average hover board actually looks like for reference, which could also influence my ideas.


This is part of my research for examples of streamlines/oval sports cars which I can use as influence for my concept art as it is a similar structure to my vehicle concept.

"Simulated Pipeline Evaluation.

Stage: 2

Critically evaluate the work you are given.What methods and practice will you use to complete this stage?"

There were two vehicles mentioned in Malcolm’s pre production document but I have chosen to create concept art on the “hover car”.  The work/document I have been given to work from contains most of the information I need to know and has a lot of detail on the vehicles itself and especially the background of the game. One thing I would like to have explained to me more is where the vehicle description states “These (hover cars) are built using broken down items or parts that are damaged and can be fixed.” I’m not sure whether this is asking for the design and texture of the hover car to look like it was originally created from broken parts for a purpose or whether it just appears damaged for style. I’m also not sure what the appearance of the “broken parts” would be, whether they would be bits of broken vehicle or something else for example. I would also like to know more detail on the colour scheme of the car however I’m guessing it would be along the lines of the colour palette for the game. I’m thinking that the hover car should look futuristic as it is a futuristic vehicle concept and the game genre is sci-fi, however the document doesn’t suggest it to be futuristic. The game genre is also western themed and set in the desert so it could be either futuristic or western/historic. Other than that the document is very descriptive, from the target audience, genre and style, similar games, plot/story, colour palette and vehicle description. The colour palette is particularly useful as they represent the theme of an apocalypse, camouflage, dirty looking colours, which I can demonstrate/use in my concept art.   Before I start my concept art I am going to gather more information from Malcolm on what he meant by the car being built using broken down items as well as the colours of the car so that I have a better understanding on the texture and build of it. I will also find out whether he wants it be futuristic or not. Once I’ve found out these things I should have a clearer understanding on the idea which will allow me to begin researching into it. I’m going to research into cars especially of a similar form/shape to “oval” as the document suggests, like sports cars as they have a streamlined figure making them shaped slightly oval. I’m hoping to get inspiration from this research on how I will design and fit together the layout of the car body. I will then research the same for hovercraft's to get a better idea on what is included within the body and how they generally tend to appear. I can also refer back to the reference images at the back of the document for further inspiration or understanding. When I begin designing I will do sketches using my blue sketch pencil then go over it in normal pencil, because the blue pencil makes rough marks and doesn't show up enough to get in the way of the final drawing. I will draw features I could include within further designs, I should get these key features from my research combined with the documents requirements. After I have achieved many feature ideas, I will start playing around with full ideas for my concept art, making sure to include some of those features. I will draw a variety of ideas so that I can then combine them or use them to develop into other ideas. Once I have created enough concept art to develop a final idea, I will work on the final idea alone, putting greater depth of detail into it and making adjustments to it along the way if necessary. I will also make sure to record the process and any adjustments made along the way and why they were made.

                     Pre-Production Document: Stage 1

My game is called Mechanical Marathon, I thought this would be a suitable name for my game as it is based on the mechanical side of fantasy, like the main feature of the vehicles and the steam punk theme is also very mechanical. Marathon also can mean a long or difficult activity as well as a race which fits the genre and plot. I've decided to go with Fantasy as my theme for my game. I started off looking into steam punk as my style and immediately thought of Howl's Moving Castle as it fits into that category well (top left on the mood board). After looking into Studio Ghibli vehicle designs I thought as I've looked into a film of this theme, I should look into a familiar game which was when I thought to take inspiration from the Final Fantasy games. Final Fantasy is a fantasy/steam punk game which links perfectly with my game idea. When looking into Final Fantasy, I came across many unique vehicles, however the air ships and motorbikes specifically grabbed my attention as their designs were the sort of thing I was going for, there fore I gathered images of some examples of these vehicles for inspiration and reference. I also like the idea of my vehicle being air based, because it's the most unusual kind of vehicle, like wise to fantasy which is also unique and unrealistic. My games target audience can be any one above the age of 12 as it involves violence which would be un suitable for any one below that age. Apart from that, any one of either gender who enjoys fantasy, arcade or racing type of games may be interested in playing this game.




This is my colour pallet for my game, I based it on steam punk colours which revolve around old colours like shades of brown, gold and silver. I got inspiration for the steam punk colour scheme from the images in my mood board. 

Plot/Synopsis:

This game is a light hearted, racing and shooter game based in a fantasy world, however it's not an open world as it's a planned route through out the game. The plot of the game is that there are two teams fighting to take lead of their land which they share (you're put on one of the teams). They decide on an idea of how to chose which team rules the land, the idea is to split both teams between air ships and bikes, then a race would take place both on land and in the sky, to collect 20 gems which are also spread across the land and within the sky. These gems are needed in order to take lead of the land. However both teams collide into a fight during the race which is the main struggle of winning the race. There are also obstacles along the way to interfere with the race. The winning team is the team with all 20 gems.


First vehicle:

My first vehicle is an air ship which is in the steam punk style. I also want It would fit in within the colour scheme of steam punk, like browns, blacks, gold, silver. The air ship is small because the only characters to be flying the air ships would be the smaller, weaker ones. I decided this because I thought that the bigger, tougher characters would be better placed on bikes/land as it involves more contact within fights during the race, which means they'd need to be tougher. Also, characters in the air ship wouldn't come in personal contact with other players, as the air ship is almost like a bubble around them, in the sense that they're protected by it. The air ship has a single ship like sail at the top (resembling air "ship") which would be an off white colour. I was thinking off white would be better than a normal bright shade of white as it'll create an older sort of effect, likewise to the steam punk theme which in general follows a rusty, old sort of theme. The sail would be attached to the space ship by ropes like normal ships would be. The rest of the air ship would be shaped like an old ship, and the texture would also follow an old ship theme, like wooden stripes on the hull and the old fashioned decorations. In the picture below it shows the kind of ship I'm basing my air ship off and it shows the sort of texture I explained (wooden striped hull). I want the control room of the air ship to be at the front with complete glass windows all around it, covering the front part of the air ship. The picture below the ship image shows an air ship with a similar idea of glass window fronting. At the very front of the airship I want there to be a long stem supporting the sail, the bottom image shows what I mean at the front of the ship shown. Finally, the air ship needs a built in weapons at the roof of the ship, I think a plasma turret would suit the fantasy theme, it would also rotate 360 degrees so the characters inside can aim it at enemies at any angle. I was hoping all these features would create an old, traditional looking ship but made futuristic by it being an air ship. This fits in well with fantasy as fantasy follows a theme of old features being used for futuristic models.

Second Vehicle:

My second vehicle is based on a motor bike, however the two wheels are about twice as wide than normal so that they can ride on most surfaces smoothly, it will also make the bike appear chunkier and make it more aggressive like the characters riding it. The motor bike is very large as it is built for the bigger/stronger characters. It also needs weapon/gun holders at the front of the bike on both sides so that the character riding it can fight off the other team whilst racing. I also think that have double guns would add to the power of the character riding it, which makes up for not being protecting like they are inside the first vehicle. I want the bike to be quite low so it forms a more streamlined shape and therefore goes faster. The back of it would have a huge engine and exhausts on show to make it appear more of an aggressive vehicle. I think it would suit metallic gold and silvers because as well as those colours fitting in with the steam punk colour scheme, it would look smarter and more towards the futuristic side of fantasy, opposite to the first vehicle. The body of where the seat is isn't the largest part of the bike, the wheels and other features like the engine take up the most space of this design. The handle bars in front of the seat would be tall to fit better to characters suggested to be riding it, they would also be quite wide but not extremely. The bike generally fits as one shape, everything is level with each other other than the exhausts and handles, this will also add to the streamlined feature so it flows faster. I like how both the vehicles are based on the same theme of fantasy steam punk, yet take off completely different directions within this theme (futuristic and historic) because it provides a variation for the game but fits in nicely.

The image to the left is a perfect example of what I explained with the large exhausts on display.