Understand theory and applications of 3D

Understand theory and applications of 3D

Zac Argo

Applications of 3D:

3D is everywhere films, TV, cartoons etc.. Almost every single film released on the big screen nowadays is also released in 3D. However the first ever 3D film was released on the 27th September 1922 believe it or not. Many childrens cartoons are rendered in 3D now. Most games are 3D as it adds depth and realism to the game.

Displaying 3D polygon animations:

Many things use Direct3D to display 3D polygon animations. Direct3D is an API for Microsoft Windows, it’s used to render 3D graphics where performance matters, such as games.

A graphics pipeline is used in games and it is a sequence of steps used to create a 2D raster representation of a 3D scene. This includes modelling, lighting, viewing, projection, clipping, scan conversion, texturing and shading, and display

The two most popular methods for calculating realistic images are radiosity and ray tracing. The difference between the two is the starting point. Ray tracing is a very good method at simulating specular reflections and transparency. Radiosity stores illumination values on the surfaces of the objects,as the light is propagated starting at the light sources. These are rendering techniques.

This is rendering, the process of changing a 2D image into a 3D one.

Geometric theory

Vertices: In geometry, a vertex a special kind of point that describes the corners or intersections of geometric shapes

Lines: A line is a collection of points along a straight path that goes on and on in opposite directions. A line has no endpoints. A line segment is a part of a line having two endpoints.

Curves: an object similar to a line but which is not required to be straight.

Edge: In geometry, an edge is a particular type of line segment joining two vertices in a polygon.

Polygons: Polygons are many-sided figures, with sides that are line segments. Polygons are named according to the number of sides and angles they have. The most familiar polygons are the triangle, the rectangle, and the square. A regular polygon is one that has equal sides.

Element:

Face: In solid geometry, a face is a flat (planar) surface that forms part of the boundary of a solid object; a three-dimensional solid bounded exclusively by flat faces is a polyhedron.

Primitives: The term geometric primitive in computer graphics and CAD systems is used in various senses, with the common meaning of the simplest geometric objects that the system can handle

Meshes, for example wireframe:

Coordinate geometry (two-dimensional, three-dimensional):

Surfaces:

Mesh construction

Box modelling

Extrusion modelling

Using common primitives, for example cubes, pyramids, cylinders, and spheres.

3D development software

Software, for example 3D Studio Max, Maya, Lightwave, AutoCAD, Cinema 4D,

File formats, for example 3ds, .mb, .lwo, .C4d, and plug-ins.

Constraints

Polygon count, file size, rendering time.

Unit 20 - Assignment 1 - Game Platform Types / Wayne

Unit 20 Assignment 1 - Game Platform Types

Zac Argo

XBOX One: 

Size -  (LxWxH) 13.1 x 10.8 x 3.1 (33.3cm x 27.4cm x 7.9cm)

Processor power - Custom 1.75 GHz AMD 8coreAPU (2 Quad-Core Jaguar Modules)

Memory - 8GB DDR3

Games available for platform - Currently 384 Xbox One games.

Series - This is the latest generation of Xboxs

Playstation 4:

Size - (LxWxH) 12 x 10.7 x 2 (30.5cm x 27.5cm x 5.3cm)

Processor power - 8 Core x86-64 AMD Jaguar 

Memory - 8GB DDR5

Games available for platform - There are 184 Playstation 4 games

Series - This is the latest generation of PSs

 

Wii U:

Size - (LxWxH) 10.5 x 6.8 x 1.8

Processor power - IBM power based multi-core multiprocessor.

Memory - 786MB

Games available - 530 games for the WiiU

Series - This is the latest generation of Wiis 

XBOX 360:

Size - (LxWxH) 11.5 x 12 x 7.2

Processor power - Custom power-PC based CPU

Memory - n/a

Games Available for this platform - 1139

Series - This is the previous generation console

PS3:

Size - (LxWxH) 11.4 x 11.4 x 2.6

Processor power - 256MB RAMBUS XDR DRAM

Memory - 256MB XDR main RAM @3.2GHz/256MB GDDR3 VRAM @700MHZ

Games available for this platform - 1013

Series - This is the previous generation console

Unit 20 Assignment 2 - HCI / Wayne

Unit 20 Assignment 2

Zac Argo

PS3:

The PS3 came with a kettle lead, controller and a HDMI cable, it cost £250 at launch. Plug one end of the HDMI into the TV, the other into the PS3. Insert the power cable into the back of the PS3 and plug the plug into the plug socket and turn it on. Insert and game in the disc slot and play.

PS4:

The PS4 cost £400 at launch and comes with a controller, the console, a HDMI cable and a power plug. Insert the end with the 2 holes of the power lead into the respective slot on the PS4, insert the other end in the plug socket. Using one end of the HDMI lead plug one end into the PS4 and one end into your monitor. Press the 'on' button on the front of the PS4 and wait for it to boot up. Insert a disk and play.

Xbox 360:

The Xbox 360 cost £200 at launch and came in a box with the console, a controller, power cable and the HD AV component cable, it also supports HDMI. Insert the component cables into the TV (colour coded) then tke the other end of the component cable and plug it in to the corresponding spot on the back of the Xbox. Insert the end of the power pack into the back of the Xbox 360, then insert the kettle league into the back of the power pack and plug the plug into a socket and switch the plug socket on. Press the on button on the front of the Xbox and wait for it to boot, then insert a disc into the disc tray and play.

Xbox One:

The Xbox One cost £400 at launch and came with a console, a controller, power pack, HDMI cable and Kinect. Insert the HDMI cable into the HDMI slot on the Xbox one and then insert the other end into the TV. Plug the end of the power pack into the corresponding hole on the back of the Xbox one. Plug the kettle lead into the power pack and plug the plug into a socket and switch that socket on. Power on the Xbox by pressing the Xbox one logo and wait for it to boot. Insert a game into the disc slot on the Xbox one and play.

 

 

Unit 20 Assignment 3 - Blackjack game / Wayne

Blackjack game assignment

Zac Argo

Task I: Mobile gaming

The Blackjack game I am creating will be able to be shrunk down to fit on an iPhone 6 screen. The iPhone 6 screen is 4.7” and it runs on iOS 8. The specifications required to run my game won’t be that high meaning that I won’t have to change too much of my game – just the sprite sizes. Most computers nowadays are essentially portable PCs; the iPhone 6 will be able to run my game.

The game will be played by touchscreen, I will leave the buttons you need to press a little bigger than the other sprites so people with big fingers can touch them easier. This will be done by setting virtual buttons over an object. I will have mute, play, pause, stick, twist and volume on and off buttons. It will be the same as my PC game just scaled down. This is done through adding a script, Display_set_gui_size [67, 138]. Using the code virtual_key_add(x, y, w, h, keycode), x and y being the coordinates that the key on the screen, w and h being height and width and keycode being the key that is activated when you press the button.

The game will look essentially the same as on PC, only difference is it will be smaller and touch screen.

This is what it would look like.

This is how I’d convert it (this is an option in GameMaker).

Task II: Web gaming

For my web game I’ll have to scale up my sprites as it will be bigger than my game.

To put my game on a website I’d have to embed it. Web based games often work on tablets and phones but it’s usually better on a computer as it has higher specs.

This is how’d I’d convert it (this is an option in Game maker).

                                                                                 

                                

                     

Unit 73 Assignment 2 - Sound for Computer Games / Josh

Unit 73 Assignment 2

Sound for Computer Games 

Zac Argo

Plan:

My plan is to create a western themed Blackjack game. I've taken inspiration from spaghetti westerns, particularly Black Jack. 

The sounds I'm going to create are:

• Cards shuffling
• Glasses being put down (drinking)
• Handing out of the cards sound
• Yeehaw sound (when you've won)
• Whip crack sound (when you lose)

• One sound track

I will be creating the sounds myself, recording them with a Dictaphone. I will then edit the sounds using Audacity, following that I will add them to my game (in GameMaker) at appropriate points correlating to what I described in my earlier bullet points.

I will create my soundtrack in GrooveShark. Using the array of tools and instruments it provides I believe I will be able to create an acceptable sound track for my Western Blackjack game. After I've created my sounds in GrooveShark I will edit it in Audacity, to edit any mistakes and loop so it's long enough for my game.

Creating:

Aforementioned I am creating my sounds using GrooveShark and editing my sounds using Audacity.
Here is a screen shot of me editing my track using Audacity.

I have uploaded all the sounds I've created here:
Zac Argo sounds for Josh Rai Unit 73


I made the sounds around the library and at home, mainly at home. The sounds I created at College were recorded by a Dictaphone, the ones at home were recorded using a microphone.

Proceeding this I uploaded the files to my computer and edited them accordingly (if they needed to be).

Both devices that I recorded with allow you to record in both mono and stereo. I recorded all my sounds in stereo, however one of the sounds (card dealing) I wish I could have made it go from left to right [sound in your ears].


I persevered to make my sounds as original as I could, however, in my opinion, the western sounds are quite restricted as it was a period that only revolved around certain topics (eg. gun showdowns, horses, carts etc.) therefore it was hard to make a sound that wasn't extremely dissimilar than the next western piece.

As well as looping I edited my track to highlight a certain sound. I made my track go quiet and added in a "YeeHaa!". I did this so the "YeeHaa!" was a prominent and memorable in an otherwise forgettable piece.

Evidence:

Evaluation:

I think my sounds are okay but due to the sprites that are in my game there is no context. Essentially it's western sounds on a blank canvas. I could have developed my sprites a lot more (eg. wooden table, sprites with cowboy hats, shot glasses on the table), I believe my sounds and sprites would have helped each other out if I put more effort into my sprites. That being said I believe my sounds could have been a lot better, more specifically my soundtrack (not the sounds [card shuffling etc.]) if I had put more effort into developing my soundtrack.

As far as hardware and software are concerned I'm certain I used the best quality equipment and software that was available to me. If I practiced more with said equipment/software I am adamant that the quality of my production skills will improve.

To conclude the sounds work as intended although the sounds aren't the epitome of effort-driven work. I believe with more practice and effort my sounds/game could have been a lot better than it is.

Unit 72/22 - Computer Games Design / Wayne

Unit 72/22 - Computer Games Design

Zac Argo

The game concept is simple - BrainBox (the protagonist) has to go level-by-level collecting gems and answering math questions to advance. 

The design didn't take too long, ultimately I decided to go with a pretty neutral coloured protagonist, I decided to give him a drill to keep with the theme of my game.

One of the main problems I encountered was layers. I had multiple problems where the player would be stuck between walls presumably because the (BrainBox) sprite was on a lower level however, this was simply fixed by putting the sprite on a lower level than the walls. Another problem was you could simply dodge the question at the end of the level; it was fixed by putting it on a higher layer than everything else.

Playing the game required you to use standard WASD (W UP, A LEFT, S DOWN, D RIGHT).

At the end of the level you're asked a math question that get progressively harder the higher the level. It's multiple choice, get it wrong and you have to restart the level, get it right and you advance.

I went with a simple level design just simply for time reasons, both sprites and levels.

Sprites:

BrainBox:

Wall:

















Problems:

Level:

                                   

Unit 1 - Task 1a - Josh

Unit 1 - Zac Argo

Task 1a

What particular pre-production requirements will you need for Wayne's maze game?

Finance:

Wayne's Maze game is a project for College so all the facilities I use are free to me. 

However if I was to create the game the software and hardware I'd have to use would be quite expensive, probably costing upwards of £1000, and to a student that's a lot of money. If I bear in mind that this is a solo project therefore I only have to worry about myself then I do not have to take into account salaries and such. 

If I was to create a state of the art maze game then I'd have to consider hiring a small team (to create sounds, help with coding, artwork etc.) This would be fairly expensive to somebody like me although if it was a group project with friends then it would only take our time and wouldn't cost much. 

 Time:

As it is a class project I am working on a deadline otherwise I'd fail the course. Time management is still important though for example I'd have to balance out playing games with going out with friends with designing/creating my game. 

If this was a project for the market I'd have loose deadlines depending on if it was a solo project or a team project for a company.

 If I was working on my own I could release the game whenever I felt it was done and ready.

On the other hand if I was working for a games company then I'd have to get my part of the project done by a certain time and date, much like college.

Personnel:

As this is a project assigned to me and for me only to work on it means I have to be the one to create every part of the game.

If it was a team project however I'd have to distribute the workload evenly and could bring someone in for parts of the project that aren't my strong point (such as artwork/concept art). 

The pros to this is that I don't have to pay anyone a wage and I can be proud of my work because I know I've done every aspect of the game.

Facilities:

The facilities I have access to are those at college and at home, things such as "Game Maker" and "Photoshop". Photoshop for example is a very expensive piece of software and if I had to buy 5-10 copies of this I'd be bankrupt. This is an advantage of working alone, it means I don't have to provide for other people and in turn save a lot of money.

If I was working in a small team that I was the leader of it'd mean I'd have to facilitate for everybody (software, hardware, facilities) and would be quite expensive. This is why you don't often see small indie game companies with a headquarters, it's too costly and not worth it in the long run, most small indie game groups are a group of friends who thought it'd be a fun idea to do.

Materials:

I'd have to make my own materials considering that it's my game and it's what I've been asked to do. This means I'd have to create my own sounds, sprites, logos etc.. 

If i was working in a team however I could employ people to do the jobs I'm not great just to further improve my project. 

The sprites/logo would be created in Photoshop and the game itself in Game Maker, both are provided. Sounds I can get from free sound libraries, free of charge and no copyright laws, if I don't manage to create them myself.

Contributors:

As I don't know many famous people there's no personalities that could contribute towards my project. I could create a kickstarter project if I needed money for any materials or facilities for my game but as everything is provided for I do not need to. As this is a solo project nobody could work on my game for me however I could seek advice from a professional who could give me lessons on how to do certain things if I was stuck and did not know how to do an aspect of my game. 

As I'm not a musician and don't know how to make music I could get free music from sound libraries, alternatively I could ask permission to use peoples music that way I'm not going to get prosecuted.

Locations:

In a maze game where the view is top down it's harder to create an environment that people would recognize although it's not impossible. For example I could add iconic structures (Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Uluru etc.) but it'd be very hard to create an environment that people would recognize where there aren't many iconic structures such as Leicester.

Codes of practice and regulation:

I need to be wary of copying somebody's idea even if I do not know that it exists or not. I am going to create all artwork by myself so I cannot be sued for stealing somebody's artwork. I wouldn't want to create a project where half of the work is stolen as it doesn't give me any confidence in my ability to make games and also it could land me in a lot of trouble. 

All game genres have the same basis (Maze games are figuring out a way to the exit and getting the goal at the end of the level essentially) however the plot, artwork, intro, music etc. can't be the same as somebody else's work, it's got to be original.