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This blog documents the creation of Rose, my final year honours project. Rose is an exploration based tablet game following the narrative of a brother and sister. Accompanying a research project focusing on the application of situational awareness in gameplay animations, the characters in Rose elicit reactions to their changing surroundings whilst expressing mood and personality.

I have separated my blog out into categories based on the evidence required for each module. Please use the menu above to find the content you are after. A description of each category is below. Semester 2 work begins on Day 95: The start of production (12 Jan 2015).

Final Artefact
Every post related to the development of my final artefact for my honours project is documented here.

Theoretical & Contextual Research
Under this category is all the research I have partaken into my study area of game animations. Here I document theories or practices relevant to my project and reflect on the application of this research to my project. I also detail observations from current games and show how these have influenced my project.

Technical Development
In this section, I identify areas of technical learning I have undertaken and demonstrate the application of this knowledge to my project.

Conceptual Development
Here I detail how the ideas of my project have evolved.

Professional Practice
Over the course of the year, I have been involved in industry working and events, most notably EGX & GDC. This section details the preparation and execution required for these events, and documents how I have conducted myself in the industry as a professional.

Trips
These include trips for inspiration and professional trips.

Showcase Research
Over the course of the year I have visited many art galleries and experienced several game exhibitions. These posts detail my reflection on places I have visited and culminate in the design for my showcase.

Day 210 – 213: Finale

And here is my final showcase. I’m really happy with the final layout, I think it is cleanly laid out and not cluttered, yet shows off my work.

I’m also really happy and honoured to win the Ninka Kiwi More Awesomer Award for Visual Design. I was not expecting to win an award, so this was an amazing way to finish my year. And I can’t believe that this is it, I’ve finished my fourth year!

Day 209: Herald

Today Rose was featured in the Herald! You can find the link here:

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/mood-games-at-abertay-university.125069739

I’m really touched and happy that Rose is considered good enough to be featured in the press. I’ve come a long way from the beginning of the year when I wasn’t even sure if I was able to complete fourth year due to illness. I’m so happy my project turned out this way.

Day 208: Cake

I’ve finished my cake for the showcase! The cool part bout this one is the sails will turn, they are driven by a small motor set-up my dad configured for me.

Day 207: Presentation

Today was my final presentation – I can’t believe that is my last one for university!

I had originally built a presentation in Unreal Engine 4, so I could showcase more of my honours project and immerse the viewer in the world of Rose. However, the presenting PC did not have direct X installed, and thus my presentation wouldn’t open, and I had to use my back-up powerpoint (I came prepared).

Instead, you can see my original presentation below, and I’ve added in the commentary so it gives a holistic view of my project.

 

Day 206: Cake

Today I started building my cake for the showcase. I always said I wanted something interesting and would draw peoples eye, and I’ve decided I couldn’t be more me, than if I baked a cake.

I’m doing the windmill, as it is a fairly simple shape, but also where my project started. I’m up to the point where the outer sections are now coloured, next I need to add in the edging woodwork to tidy it up a bit.

Day 204 & 205: Presentation Creation

Over the last two days I have been working on creating my final presentation. I have created it inside Unreal Engine 4, so that the environment of Rose can be seen in the background. This allows me to showcase a little more of honours project (due to how in-depth my research is, there is only around 3 minutes of time to show my final artefact) and I can have my character show some of her animations too.

I need to do some testing tomorrow to see if it will run on the uni PC, but my back-up plan is to take a video capture of it, which I can then talk over.

Day 204: The Skinny

 

Today I found out both myself and Sandy’s work have been featured in The Skinny to represent the showcase 😀

You can read the article here: http://issuu.com/theskinny/docs/theskinnyscotland-may2015/1?e=1069858/12580763

Day 203: Posters Arrived

My two large poster prints arrived today! I will admit I am very happy with how they have turned out. Combined with the other two posters which arrived last week, my showcase space is almost complete.

 

Day 202: Dissertation Hand In

I can’t believe it, I’ve handed in my dissertation! It is such a strange feeling knowing that that is my last piece of university project work complete. It’s been an amazing four years, and I’ve learned so much, it’s weird to think that it is over. But I’m really looking forward to the next chapter of my life!

 

Day 201: Final Showcase Pieces

Today I ordered my final showcase pieces from Moo. I’ve ordered some business cards – which instead of using as business cards (as I already have ones from GDC) I’m going to use as flyers.

I’ve also ordered some stickers, again so people can take away something to remind them of my project.

 

I’ve also started to collect the bits I need for my cake – which is (hopefully) going to be epic!