GD: PhysX Destructible Inspiration

And now we're learning about how to use nVidia's PhysX workshop to create destructible items for our levels! We were told to look for inspiration first, so here's mine:

I'd like to do a glass smash effect, like a large sheet of glass smashed into a thousand tiny pieces by a car running through it. I'm sure this won't be too difficult!

3D: World of Warcraft Blizzard Student Contest!

So now that the judging's over, I'm going to post my entry for Blizzard's Student Art Contest. I entered under the 3D Environment category, and though I didn't win, I'm still really proud of my entry! The concept started off as a caravan that would sell ill-advised tourist information to passing citizens.

... but then someone suggested a goblin caravan, and as I've really been digging the grungy blue-orange aesthetic of places like Kharazan, well, how couldn't I?

And so, after a winter's break slaving over Photoshop, Maya, and UDK, I resulted in this:

all in all, this was a lot of fun! I learned a lot about handpainted textures, and got a nice piece out of it! It's a shame I didn't win, but there's always next year.

GD: Barrel Test IN ACTION!

You saw that exploding barrel concept I made a bit back? Well here's the thing IN ACTION!!

Ah, the bait-and-switch dubstep routine. Classic.

GD: Racing Level Opening Sequence Analysis

As our racing level progresses on, we have to start thinking about how we're going to present it! Though many people will probably skip through it, a very important part of our game is the eyecatch matinee at the beginning that will serve as an opening view of the level for a first-time player. We were told to look for inspiration, and so here I am. The best and most consistent opening scenes come from the classic racing game, Mario Kart. Here are some examples from Mario Kart 7:

(for a shortcut, examples can be found at 000:42, 003:01, 005:47, 008:27, and 011:46)

What's great about these level intros is they're not just your basic establishing shots: each single shot not only sets the scene, but establishes the main obstacles of the course. It's atmospheric but it also helps the player understand what's coming up next and prepare for it. The panning is slow and peaceful, as the game itself isn't all that intense, and it gives the player time to soak everything in and come to grips with what the track will be like. It's also a great excuse for Nintendo to show off their beautiful tracks! A lot of the things shown aren't necessarily fully visible from the race track, so its a good time for the level designers to show off their craftsmanship!
So that's what I'd like to do with my opening camera shots: establish the areas of interest and show off the level so the player's interest is piqued and they're prepared for the level ahead.

GD: Programming: Exploding Barrels ahoy!

In Programming we have to come up with a basic 'Exploding Barrel' idea: i.e., an item that will react once when shot, and then explode when hit. The idea is that this 'barrel' must fit the theme of our level, so of course I'm going to do a post box!

When shot once, the post box will merely burn lightly. When hit more solidly, it will explode in a puff of spinning letters! Here's to hoping I can get the letter particle effect to work in a cool manner.