Wednesday 28 September 2011
Third Year College Blog
Here is my new blog dedicated to my third year studies of Digital Films, Games and Animationshttp://ifrazmohammedl6.blogspot.com/
Thursday 2 June 2011
Negotiated Study Week11:Castle Game Environment
The project is complete but not without disappointment as i feel i could have accomplished more and now that i can look back there is alot i would do different, listen to the tutors feedback, texture size, animations, character design and the quantity that i expected, although i am okay with the outcome i am disappointed in not achieving what i set out for.Unity Web Player - Ifraz Mohammed Castle Game Environment Web Player
Created with Unity »
Negotiated Study Week11:Last Minute Touches
I didn't want to focus too much on sounds for my character but wanted to mainly have sounds to set the mood and also wanted to involve some sort of background music specifically dramatic as the gamers character is storylined to be returning to an empty castle. So i found that the main source of sound i would have would be for the water and involve sound that represents their are waves and generally set the light mood. For the general background music i found two pieces of orchestral music which would fit prefectly with the game environment mood that i had been going for but decided on the final sound displayed below which i felt was dramatic enough to set the mood and general notion of the game.
I had left my animations till last as they weren't huge tasks to do and so i was able to get my character into my game environment and get the animations working and reacting after having trouble with baking the animations as the animations themselves hadn't appeared within the Unity assets but all became resolved. The animations of the character had gotten set and the next bit of animations had been the drawbridge which i had the animations connected and working until i had the problem of the drawbridge opening and closing in a weird fashion to which i later realised that it had been because of the mesh collider box which was set as the trigger for the aniamtion to be played and once that had been set right i was able have a respawn point to allow any drop offs from the castle to go back to the beginning of the game environment.
Friday 27 May 2011
Negotiated Study Week10:Extras
I have completed the setting of the game environment and re-texturing and decided to being to fill in more of a certain area of the castle. Deciding to fill in the ground floor area i started to model bits and pieces of background objects such as cloth for the walls, pots, shields, cups and candle holders. I started to focus on the ground floor and tried to introduce more objects to give a presence of living, modelling a large medieval pot to take up much of the spacing within the castle and modelling the pot had been simple because i used a tool which had been introduced to me from the very first year of the course, the CV curve tool which allows the user to create a outline of half the image to which will then be rotated and formed to a 3D mesh.
The next model that i had created was the chalice, very basic and using the same technique as the medieval pot process and using a basic texture, with a sample of shine and also i wanted to add a sign of living so added a model of spilt wine. After modelling the medieval pot and chalice i started to model a long draping cloth which i felt the castle needed to allow the cloth to cover the disappointing texture of the castle walls. I used a light crimson colour and applied a cloth texture to seem like the cloth is wrapped in places and placed the vertexes of the cloth so it would seem more like a cloth.
The final model that i could develop within the time that i had available was the candle holder which i developed as a basic model, thin which wouldn't take up much room and look like its placed upon the wall. After completing various models to add in the ground floor i started to bring them within Unity and place them around such as the cloth on the walls, shield and cup on the floor to seem like a sign of trouble and the medieval pot in places which the character shouldn't be able to access.
I placed the candle holders on areas of the wall which seem like suitable areas that would cover the area with light because i used the Unity standard assets of fire and placed the fire along with the candle holder which gave a more accepting idea that light is coming from the candles as well as the sun light. Also i added the drawbridge animation which worked fine until i went back into game mode and triggered the animation which started to be jittery and the drawbridge went backwards and forwards so i was shown that the trigger box had been too small and that the trigger had stopped once the gamer was out of the area, so i had solved the problem by expanding the trigger box.
The next model that i had created was the chalice, very basic and using the same technique as the medieval pot process and using a basic texture, with a sample of shine and also i wanted to add a sign of living so added a model of spilt wine. After modelling the medieval pot and chalice i started to model a long draping cloth which i felt the castle needed to allow the cloth to cover the disappointing texture of the castle walls. I used a light crimson colour and applied a cloth texture to seem like the cloth is wrapped in places and placed the vertexes of the cloth so it would seem more like a cloth.
The final model that i could develop within the time that i had available was the candle holder which i developed as a basic model, thin which wouldn't take up much room and look like its placed upon the wall. After completing various models to add in the ground floor i started to bring them within Unity and place them around such as the cloth on the walls, shield and cup on the floor to seem like a sign of trouble and the medieval pot in places which the character shouldn't be able to access.
I placed the candle holders on areas of the wall which seem like suitable areas that would cover the area with light because i used the Unity standard assets of fire and placed the fire along with the candle holder which gave a more accepting idea that light is coming from the candles as well as the sun light. Also i added the drawbridge animation which worked fine until i went back into game mode and triggered the animation which started to be jittery and the drawbridge went backwards and forwards so i was shown that the trigger box had been too small and that the trigger had stopped once the gamer was out of the area, so i had solved the problem by expanding the trigger box.
Friday 20 May 2011
Negotiated Study Week9:Re-Touching Textures
Now that i have completed the overall positioning and development of the game environment i started to go back to the texture of the castle and begin to re-texture the texture by adding a much simpler depth of the bump mapping and also add detail to the textures. The first two images are showing how disappointing the texture had been done with the bulky depth that showed how the game will come across as unrealistic. Also you can see how the textures are showing various stages of contrast which make the castle stand out to the point in which it seems fake and out of place.
So as you can see from the last two images i had re-done the textures to the point where the textures contrast is similar and not seem out of place by changing the contrast and brightness to match the surrounding textures. Another piece of the overall castle texture that i had re-done was the brick layout as from the before texture of the castle had been scaled differently and needed to match the brick layout as the surrounding layout.
So as you can see from the last two images i had re-done the textures to the point where the textures contrast is similar and not seem out of place by changing the contrast and brightness to match the surrounding textures. Another piece of the overall castle texture that i had re-done was the brick layout as from the before texture of the castle had been scaled differently and needed to match the brick layout as the surrounding layout.
Tuesday 17 May 2011
Creative Industries Level 5:Games Can Hurt People Too
When playing games most gamers don't tend to feel threatened unless your into the game your playing but no one expects to get hurt playing an unreal world, well games can still hurt people as a former Navy Fighter Pilot gained a seizure afer playing Oblivion:The Elder Scrolls IV and is suing Sony, Bethesda and Zenimax for the incident. Here is the full article from gaming news site Kotaku:
A former U.S. Navy F-18 fighter pilot is suing Sony, Bethesda and Zenimax claiming that the Playstation 3 version of Oblivion: The Elder Scrolls IV gave him a grand mal seizure, breaking his shoulder and permanently grounding him.
In the suit, John Ryan McLaughlin says that on March 28, 2010 he was playing the game on the PS3 when he experienced a grand mal seizure, the first in his life. The seizure was so severe he broke a bone in his shoulder, and injured his ribs, according to the suit. He was later diagnosed with a seizure disorder, something he blames directly on the game
McLaughlin also claims that the seizures resulted in the United States Navy taking away his flight privileges as an F-18 pilot.
Link to the article:http://uk.kotaku.com/5800745/video-game-gave-me-seizures-says-grounded-navy-fighter-pilot
Creative Industries Level 5:Sony's Playstation Phone-'Xperia Play'
With Sony being known as a gaming company it would only seem natural that they would use all forms of technology for gamers to game and when phone were able to play games you believed it would only be a matter o ftime when Sony stepped up and made their own gameplaying phone. Now Sony will release the Sony Xperia Play a smartphone which allows gaming to be played, being a phone and playing games on the move Sony seeks to branch out through more of technology for gaming, with Playstation Certified gamesand here are the specifics beind the Xperia Play:
The device will come in black or white, and work on a surprisingly large list of cell networks, according to the release. The 4-inch screen is a 16,777,216 colour TFT with capacitive multi-touch and 480 x 854 pixels (FWVGA). THe device will ship with a battery, stereo portable handsfree headset, 8GB microSD memory card, charger, micro USB cable for charging synching and file transfer and the user manual.
Battery life, right next to price, is one of the more important things we love to know about a new bit of gadgetry when it hits.
Here's what Sony Ericsson is saying about the Xperia Play:
*Talk time GSM/GPRS: Up to 8 hrs 25 min*
*Standby time GSM/GPRS: Up to 425 hrs*
*Talk time UMTS: Up to 6 hrs 25 min*
*Standby time UMTS: Up to 413 hrs*
*Talk time CDMA2000®: Up to 7 hrs 40 min*
*Standby time CDMA2000®: Up to 405 hrs*
*Game play time: Up to 5 hrs 35 min*
*MP3 playback: Up to 30 hrs 35 min*
Here's a run down of the rest of the specs:
Camera
5.1 megapixel camera
Auto focus
Flash / Photo light
Geo tagging
Image stabiliser
Send to web
Touch focus
Video light
Video recording
Video blogging
Music
Album art
Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP)
Google™ Music Player
Music tones (MP3/AAC)
PlayNow™ service*
Sony Ericsson Music player
Stereo speakers
TrackID™ music recognition application
Internet
Android Market™*
Bookmarks
Google™ search*
Google™ Voice Search*
Pan & zoom
Web browser (Webkit)
Communication
Call list
Conference calls
Facebook™ application (from Android Market™)
Google™ Talk*
Noise Shield
Polyphonic ringtones
Speakerphone
Sony Ericsson Timescape™***
Twitter™ application (from Android Market™)
Vibrating alert
Messaging
Android Cloud to Device messaging (C2DM)
Conversations
Google Mail™*
Instant messaging
Picture messaging (MMS)
Predictive text input
Sound recorder
Text messaging (SMS)
Design
Auto rotate
Keyboard (onscreen, 12 key)
Keyboard (onscreen, QWERTY)
Picture wallpaper
Touchscreen
Wallpaper animation
Entertainment
3D games
Dedicated gaming keys
Flash Lite™
Gesture gaming
Motion gaming
Video streaming
YouTube™
Organiser
Alarm clock
Calculator
Calendar
Document editors
Document readers
E-Manual
Flight mode
Google Calendar™
Google Gallery 3D™
Infinite button
Phone book
Set-up Wizard
Widget manager
Connectivity
3.5 mm audio jack
aGPS
Bluetooth™ technology
DLNA Certified
Google Latitude™
Google Location Service
Google Maps™ with Street View
Media Transfer Protocol support
Micro USB Connector
Modem
Synchronisation via Facebook™**
Synchronisation via Google Sync™
Synchronisation via Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync®
Synchronisation via Sony Ericsson Sync
USB 2.0 high speed support
Wi-Fi™
Wi-Fi™ Hotspot functionality
* The service is not available in all markets.
** Requires Facebook™ application installed on the device.
Google™ services*
* These services may not be available in every market Android Market™ Client
Gmail™
Google Calendar™
Google Gallery 3D™
Google Latitude™
Google Maps™ with Street View
Google Media Uploader
Google Music Player™
Google Phone-top Search
Google Search widget
Google Sync™
Google Talk™
Google Voice Search
Set-up Wizard
YouTube™
Facts
Size: 119 x 62 x 16 mm
Weight: 175 grams
Phone memory: 400 MB
Memory card support: microSD™, up to 32 GB
Memory card included: 8GB microSD™
Operating system: Google™ Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
Processor: 1 GHz Scorpion ARMv7
Creative Industries Level 5:Possible Companies to Work For
After looking at games companies based in the U.K. to aim for i also looked at games companies around the world to see if i could get a better development from and so i looked at various companies based on the games I've played from their artwork.
Santa Monica Studios-Based on the level of detail and artwork and overall presentation of the God of War series i would like to work for Santa Monica Studios as i purchased the God of War 1 and 2 combo and they have behind the scenes videos of the production from their ideas through development and release date. From that i saw how friendly and connected the work environment was and i think that the studio is another company which focuses on their artwork also as their focus with story, game play and the overall game.
Ubisoft-From my repetitive liking of the Prince of Persia series and artwork, i believe Ubisoft particularly Ubisoft Montreal the creators of Prince of Persia and Assassins Creed as many other games can offer me a greater development of skill and utilize my skill. As you've seen the artwork that is created for their games is so incredibly fluid, using shading rather than black lines around their character and environments so i truly see Ubisoft (Montreal) and attraction from games companies.
Visceral Games-Judging from the Dead Space games and Dante's Inferno game the level of detail and environmental usage attracted me to this company and after looking at the concept art for their games you can see how the mood of the game has transpired from the artwork.
Namco Bandai Games Inc.-Is another games company based off the Dark Souls game i would like to work for as they are a Japanese based company and knowing how Japanese cultures artwork is very vivid in getting the feel, look and visuals of the scene.
Another Japan based company is Capcom and basing this off the Street Fighter series i would like to work for them because their colour ad use of artwork in Street Fighter IV was pretty nice to see in a fighting game.
Santa Monica Studios-Based on the level of detail and artwork and overall presentation of the God of War series i would like to work for Santa Monica Studios as i purchased the God of War 1 and 2 combo and they have behind the scenes videos of the production from their ideas through development and release date. From that i saw how friendly and connected the work environment was and i think that the studio is another company which focuses on their artwork also as their focus with story, game play and the overall game.
Ubisoft-From my repetitive liking of the Prince of Persia series and artwork, i believe Ubisoft particularly Ubisoft Montreal the creators of Prince of Persia and Assassins Creed as many other games can offer me a greater development of skill and utilize my skill. As you've seen the artwork that is created for their games is so incredibly fluid, using shading rather than black lines around their character and environments so i truly see Ubisoft (Montreal) and attraction from games companies.
Visceral Games-Judging from the Dead Space games and Dante's Inferno game the level of detail and environmental usage attracted me to this company and after looking at the concept art for their games you can see how the mood of the game has transpired from the artwork.
Namco Bandai Games Inc.-Is another games company based off the Dark Souls game i would like to work for as they are a Japanese based company and knowing how Japanese cultures artwork is very vivid in getting the feel, look and visuals of the scene.
Another Japan based company is Capcom and basing this off the Street Fighter series i would like to work for them because their colour ad use of artwork in Street Fighter IV was pretty nice to see in a fighting game.
Creative Industries Level 5:Craig Shoji-Thor Movie Concept Artist
After getting replied by concept artist Mike "Daarken" Lim i thought i'd various other artists and i did but when i saw a link via @ConceptArtWorld's twitter for Marvels Thor film concept artist, Craif Shoji's work i took a look at the artwork and tried to find a means contacting him to give possible feedback. Going back and checking my e-mail i found that he said he would take look at the my concepts of my castle and give me feedback when he has time, so asking professional concept artists is gaining me more information about improving my art. Here is the e-mail he had sent me and i have replied back with images of my castle concept art and hoping for a reply from Craig Shoji in coming days.Link to artwork:http://conceptartworld.com/?p=7285
> Date: Thu, 12 May 2011 11:34:49 -0700
> From: craig@pensketch.com
> To: Iffy_02@hotmail.com
> Subject: Re: Form Submission - Contact
>
> hey ifraz,
>
> i'm a bit busy at the moment but feel free to send me any work you'd
> like me to look at and i'll do my best to give you some comments in a
> timely manner. best of luck with your studies!
>
> cheers-
>
> craig
>
> On 5/11/2011 7:07 PM, Squarespace Services wrote:
> > This email was transmitted via pensketch.com.
> >
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> > Your Name: Ifraz Mohammed
> > Your Email: Iffy_02@hotmail.com
> > Subject: Concep art
> > Message: Hi Craig Shoji
> >
> > I am ifraz and currently studying digital films games and animations at Leeds college of art in the U.K.. and was wondering if you could possibly help me with taking a look at my concept for my game environment of a castle and tell me what I could do to improve this or work on or anything that can help me in becoming a concept artist.
> >
> > Thank you
> > Ifraz Mohammed
Creative Industries Level 5:CryEngine3
After recently taking a look at the Unreal Engine 3 i wanted to see if there others maybe ones that were even more impressive than the Unreal Engine and i found another one which isn't but, just as impressive as the Unreal Engine 3. That engine is the CryEngine 3 which showcases textures and lighting as well as fine detail, gaming physics and sandbox options and this engine stands out alot more to me as environments are always the visual backdrop for the game to play within and this engine suits that and that is showcased through Crysis 2, with the gameplay, environments and overall visuals of the game.
Creative Industries Level 5:Unreal Engine 3 Environment Features
After seeing the incredible video of the Unreal Engine 3 i sought out more related videos to the Unreal Engine 3 and again i am loving the amount of things this engine can accomplish because i believe that i have only scratched the surface of game engines through Unity but seeing that there are advanced engines that are impressive makes me think that i could learn so much more. Liking the initial concepts of games and the visuals this engines truly can capture those concepts, particularly the environments and after seeing this video i realise where i can be at fault when creating my game environment.
Creative Industries Level 5:Assasins Creed Revelations
Being a fan of the Assassin's Creed series and the artwork and overall connection of the Assasin's Creed Franchise learning that there would another game released before the official Assasin's Creed 3 game was exciting as Revelations allows gamers to finish Ezio's story with Revelations being part of Ezio's trilogy and through Ezio playing as Altair once again.But as well the actual game i look forward to the artwork, environment and scenes that Assasin's Creed Revelations will bring as this is something that will inspire and alow me to reach that potential of visuals. Looking at Assasin's Creeds visuals is what i want to reach as standard, visuals and professionilism and knowing that Ubisoft Montreal are the creators of the Assasin's Creed series is a plus as i know that this is a potential company to work for as they have also created the popular Prince of Persia series which also has visuals that i aspire to.
Here is the info from computer and video games website:
Following a fair bit of teasing, Ubisoft has finally announced Assassin's Creed Revelations.
Labelled "the final chapter in the Ezio trilogy", the game's set for release on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC in November. It would be nice to see the PC edition release on time alongside the console versions for once, so here's hoping. You can see the first screenshot below.
As well as concluding the Ezio trilogy, Revelations will see the return of the franchise's highly regarded multiplayer component, which has been "refined and expanded" and features "more modes".
Here's the full press release:
Today, Ubisoft announced the development of Assassin's Creed Revelations, the fourth installment in the critically acclaimed and immensely popular video game franchise. Developed and led by Ubisoft Montreal with the support and expertise of Ubisoft studios Annecy, Massive Entertainment, Quebec, Singapore and Bucharest, Assassin's Creed Revelations presents the most immersive experience available in the series to date and the culmination of Ezio's adventure. The game is set to release on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC this November.
Initially launched in 2007, the first three Assassin's Creed games have sold more than 28 million units worldwide, and the franchise is now established as one of the best-selling series on next generation consoles. Recognized for having some of the richest, most engrossing storytelling in the industry, Assassin's Creed has transcended video games, branching out into other entertainment experiences such as comic books, Facebook, novels, short films and more.
In Assassin's Creed Revelations, master assassin Ezio Auditore walks in the footsteps of his legendary mentor, Altaïr, on a journey of discovery and revelation. It is a perilous path - one that will take Ezio to Constantinople, the heart of the Ottoman Empire, where a growing army of Templars threatens to destabilize the region.
In addition to Ezio's award-winning story, the acclaimed online multiplayer experience returns, refined and expanded, with more modes, more maps and more characters that allow players to test their assassin skills against others from around the world. The latest chapter in the Assassin's Creed saga also includes revolutionary gameplay, allowing players to manipulate the construct of Desmond's memories and the Animus to decipher the mysteries of his past and gain insight into the future.
"Delivering the final chapter of the Ezio trilogy is an important milestone in the Assassin's Creed franchise for us and for our fans," said Alexandre Amancio, Creative Director at Ubisoft Montreal. "Assassin's Creed Revelations includes lots of new features and some significant surprises. We can't wait to show our fans what we have in store at E3 this year."
Link to the article:http://www.computerandvideogames.com/300294/news/assassins-creed-revelations-officially-announced-first-screenshot-released/?cid=OTC-RSS&attr=CVG-General-RSS
Creative Industries Level 5:The Bitmap Brothers way into the games industry
Looking at The Bitmap Brothers site i came across their way of getting into the games industry and although it seemed to focus on becoming a games developer but later down the page there is a mention how artists can get into the games company and mentions certain software's which i have been introduced to during my tenure at Leeds College of Art.Utilities like Dark Basic (3D Games Maker - http://www.darkbasic.com/) are not used in the professional computing world, but do help beginners understand the process of creating a game. Individuals carry out each aspect of the creation of a game, e.g. we have artists to work on anything relating to art/graphics, programmers to code the game and designers (level and game designers) to create the levels and design the game. These types of utilities put everything into one and make things much simpler, but are limited. You would need to have in-depth knowledge and would need to be either fluent in at least one programming language like C/C++, be able to use software packages such as 3DStudio Max, Maya, Photoshop, etc., to be able to use programs such as Steinberg's Cubase VST for creating music or have used and created levels of such games like Quake, Unreal, Half-Life, etc. with their respective editors. Good Game Designers have all-round knowledge and perhaps have concentrated heavily on one area, e.g art. There's also the Internet or mobile aspect of gaming to think about. These are getting more and more important all the time so any skills or knowledge you have relating this is can be beneficial.
Going straight into artists, programmers, musicians or designers roles is harder and generally most companies (developers) in the games industry look for experienced people or people with high levels of qualifications, so for example, we generally look for people who have already worked on programming projects, preferably games, or have a degree, or equivalent, in programming, e.g. in C/C++ and have good demos of games or utilities they've created. Art/Graphic roles are more subjective, so good examples of previous work are very important.
There are more and more university degrees becoming available that are aimed for the computer games industry (programming, art, etc.), so check with them. Included below is a brief list of the courses and links to the university's sites below (taken from Issue 7 in 2001 of Develop (http://www.developmag.com/), an international monthly magazine for game programmers, artists, musicians and producers).
Creative Industries Level 5:Thor: Son of Asgard
With Apple's being the top selling product recently and Thor being released a week ago, it was a smart choice in utilizing another products popularity for your own as the Thor: Son of Asgard the iPad game will be bought by many due to the success the feature film has and this shows that a franchise being built such as Thor will branch itself out into other medias. The games industry is being used through more medias such as the iPad, Phones, Social Networking so having a game of a popular character seems fit and on the iPad is double joy for gamers and iPad users as you would have to pay around £40 for this type of game but on the iPad and other devices your looking around £3 so games are coming into play much more and heavily being used as marketing for other major products.
Creative Industries Level 5:Potential U.K Based Companies
Ninja Theory-After playing both Heavenly Sword and Enslaved:Odyssey To The West i found artwork from both games being brilliant and particularly in Enslaved Ninja Theory let you know that, which is why Ninja Theory's level of artwork is a an attraction to companies level of work.
Splash Damage-Looking at Splash damage as another company who's recent game Brink has visuals at the standards in terms of artwork that i would like to work at. Although being in London i would have to relocate closer to them but being a company who are big from the other companies in the U.K they certainly are a potential company to work for and reading this "We're currently expanding our team and are looking for self-motivated and enthusiastic people with a talent and passion for advancing the medium" makes things interesting as i will be able to work for a company who focus on artwork as much as the game play itself.
Rockstar Leeds-This company had been mentioned a few times during creative industries classes and so i decided to take a look at what job they had available and found they want an environment artist and although i would have tried and wanted to apply i know that my skills are still developing and wouldn't get the job so knowing what they are looking for i will develop my skills then try to see if there is a job available.
The Bitmap Brothers-With being recently revived to create games for the iPhone and iPad systems i think this company could be a potential one to go after as they stated on their website that "Continually striving for originality, attention to detail and new levels of playability" which i think could suit me in terms of wanting to do original stuff and create art that people haven't seen. But also with the company being resurrected only last year and working for iPad and iPhone systems there could be job vacancies available but after checking their were none and so because they create games for the two systems meaning they can start new projects allowing a more coverage of game art.
Atomhawk Design is a compay focused on the development of concept art and various games have used their artwork to create games and looking through their artwork on their site they are very impressive and residing in the U.K is a plus.Creative Industries Level 5:Sony's Playstation Phone-'Xperia Play'
With Sony being known as a gaming company it would only seem natural that they would use all forms of technology for gamers to game and when phone were able to play games you believed it would only be a matter o ftime when Sony stepped up and made their own gameplaying phone. Now Sony will release the Sony Xperia Play a smartphone which allows gaming to be played, being a phone and playing games on the move Sony seeks to branch out through more of technology for gaming, with Playstation Certified gamesand here are the specifics beind the Xperia Play:
The device will come in black or white, and work on a surprisingly large list of cell networks, according to the release. The 4-inch screen is a 16,777,216 colour TFT with capacitive multi-touch and 480 x 854 pixels (FWVGA). THe device will ship with a battery, stereo portable handsfree headset, 8GB microSD memory card, charger, micro USB cable for charging synching and file transfer and the user manual.Battery life, right next to price, is one of the more important things we love to know about a new bit of gadgetry when it hits.
Here's what Sony Ericsson is saying about the Xperia Play:
*Talk time GSM/GPRS: Up to 8 hrs 25 min*
*Standby time GSM/GPRS: Up to 425 hrs*
*Talk time UMTS: Up to 6 hrs 25 min*
*Standby time UMTS: Up to 413 hrs*
*Talk time CDMA2000®: Up to 7 hrs 40 min*
*Standby time CDMA2000®: Up to 405 hrs*
*Game play time: Up to 5 hrs 35 min*
*MP3 playback: Up to 30 hrs 35 min*
Here's a run down of the rest of the specs:
Camera
5.1 megapixel camera
Auto focus
Flash / Photo light
Geo tagging
Image stabiliser
Send to web
Touch focus
Video light
Video recording
Video blogging
Music
Album art
Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP)
Google™ Music Player
Music tones (MP3/AAC)
PlayNow™ service*
Sony Ericsson Music player
Stereo speakers
TrackID™ music recognition application
Internet
Android Market™*
Bookmarks
Google™ search*
Google™ Voice Search*
Pan & zoom
Web browser (Webkit)
Communication
Call list
Conference calls
Facebook™ application (from Android Market™)
Google™ Talk*
Noise Shield
Polyphonic ringtones
Speakerphone
Sony Ericsson Timescape™***
Twitter™ application (from Android Market™)
Vibrating alert
Messaging
Android Cloud to Device messaging (C2DM)
Conversations
Google Mail™*
Instant messaging
Picture messaging (MMS)
Predictive text input
Sound recorder
Text messaging (SMS)
Design
Auto rotate
Keyboard (onscreen, 12 key)
Keyboard (onscreen, QWERTY)
Picture wallpaper
Touchscreen
Wallpaper animation
Entertainment
3D games
Dedicated gaming keys
Flash Lite™
Gesture gaming
Motion gaming
Video streaming
YouTube™
Organiser
Alarm clock
Calculator
Calendar
Document editors
Document readers
E-Manual
Flight mode
Google Calendar™
Google Gallery 3D™
Infinite button
Phone book
Set-up Wizard
Widget manager
Connectivity
3.5 mm audio jack
aGPS
Bluetooth™ technology
DLNA Certified
Google Latitude™
Google Location Service
Google Maps™ with Street View
Media Transfer Protocol support
Micro USB Connector
Modem
Synchronisation via Facebook™**
Synchronisation via Google Sync™
Synchronisation via Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync®
Synchronisation via Sony Ericsson Sync
USB 2.0 high speed support
Wi-Fi™
Wi-Fi™ Hotspot functionality
* The service is not available in all markets.
** Requires Facebook™ application installed on the device.
Google™ services*
* These services may not be available in every market Android Market™ Client
Gmail™
Google Calendar™
Google Gallery 3D™
Google Latitude™
Google Maps™ with Street View
Google Media Uploader
Google Music Player™
Google Phone-top Search
Google Search widget
Google Sync™
Google Talk™
Google Voice Search
Set-up Wizard
YouTube™
Facts
Size: 119 x 62 x 16 mm
Weight: 175 grams
Phone memory: 400 MB
Memory card support: microSD™, up to 32 GB
Memory card included: 8GB microSD™
Operating system: Google™ Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
Processor: 1 GHz Scorpion ARMv7
Creative Industries Level 5:Getting Into the Business
Getting back in contact with the professional concept artist who gave me feedback on my castle concept art to ask him questions on how he had gotten into the games industry was easier than i initially thought as i had sent the e-mail just ten minutes and received a reply in minutes of sending and here is the reply i had gotten from him and below that is what i had asked him adn i have also sent e-mails and messages via twitter to artists and companies on the similar questions.Ifraz,
The way I got into the game industry is that I have a strong online presence and a website. All of my work has been from either word of mouth or from people finding my website. I haven't actually had to go and apply at any companies, they always just call me for work. You can try sending your portfolio to different companies. Look at sites like gamasutra.com for job openings and just apply. Be sure you have a strong portfolio together and that it is tailored to the company you are applying to. The only way you will improve is through practice. I hope that helps.
| | -------Original Message------- From: ifraz mohammed To: Daarken Art Subject: (none) Sent: May 12 '11 11:08am Hi Mike I just wanted to know how did you become involved with the games industry? and how can a concept artist get into the games industry and get to the level you are as a concept artist. Thanks Ifraz |
Creative Industries Level 5:DAPortfolio
Last year we learned how to copyright our artwork and we used Deviant Art to do that but as a person wanting to a somewhat professional website to showcase my artwork, a friend and also a concept artist gave the DA Portfolio website where artists can showcase there work without any ads, other artists links without you knowing and just an overall professional website.So i took up his advice and made a DA Portfolio website and as i was adding a images i became aware that there was a limitation on the amount of images and pages you could have so i felt that this wasn't a suitable site to have as a professional link but was ok for start off point. Perhaps making making your own site would be the best idea however joing upto an art based site where artists are linked by their work which can gain exposure as well as connections so ruling out DA Portfolio type sites isn't good but maybe show a few images and link that portfolio site to your own showcasing all images and information.
Creative Industries Level 5:Craig Shoji-Thor Movie Concept Artist
After getting replied by concept artist Mike "Daarken" Lim i thought i'd various other artists and i did but when i saw a link via @ConceptArtWorld's twitter for Marvels Thor film concept artist, Craif Shoji's work i took a look at the artwork and tried to find a means contacting him to give possible feedback. Going back and checking my e-mail i found that he said he would take look at the my concepts of my castle and give me feedback when he has time, so asking professional concept artists is gaining me more information about improving my art. Here is the e-mail he had sent me and i have replied back with images of my castle concept art and hoping for a reply from Craig Shoji in coming days.Link to artwork:http://conceptartworld.com/?p=7285
> Date: Thu, 12 May 2011 11:34:49 -0700
> From: craig@pensketch.com
> To: Iffy_02@hotmail.com
> Subject: Re: Form Submission - Contact
>
> hey ifraz,
>
> i'm a bit busy at the moment but feel free to send me any work you'd
> like me to look at and i'll do my best to give you some comments in a
> timely manner. best of luck with your studies!
>
> cheers-
>
> craig
>
> On 5/11/2011 7:07 PM, Squarespace Services wrote:
> > This email was transmitted via pensketch.com.
> >
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> > Your Name: Ifraz Mohammed
> > Your Email: Iffy_02@hotmail.com
> > Subject: Concep art
> > Message: Hi Craig Shoji
> >
> > I am ifraz and currently studying digital films games and animations at Leeds college of art in the U.K.. and was wondering if you could possibly help me with taking a look at my concept for my game environment of a castle and tell me what I could do to improve this or work on or anything that can help me in becoming a concept artist.
> >
> > Thank you
> > Ifraz Mohammed
Creative Industries Level 5:3DMark 11
After recently taking a look at the Unreal Engine 3 i wanted to see if there others maybe ones that were even more impressive than the Unreal Engine and i found another one which isn't but, just as impressive as the Unreal Engine 3. That engine is the 3DMark 11 which showcasing textures and lighting as well as fine detail and an available engine which is impressive and being able to use or test it as its available now would be a good choice.
Creative Industries Level 5:Unreal Engine 3 Demo
Here is the use of the Unreal Engine 3 dubbed the next stage of gaming graphics and this trailer proves the statement having textures, lighting that stand out than the average released game but also that the Unreal engine is too advanced for this generation of consoles, so perhaps the Unreal Engine is too advanced but trying to get the software upto t Unreal Engines standards will perhaps take time but if the visuals of textures and lighting and more that the trailer shows us the next generation of consoles will worth the wait.
Creative Industries Level 5:Possible Companies to Work For
After looking at games companies based in the U.K. to aim for i also looked at games companies around the world to see if i could get a better development from and so i looked at various companies based on the games I've played from their artwork.
Santa Monica Studios-Based on the level of detail and artwork and overall presentation of the God of War series i would like to work for Santa Monica Studios as i purchased the God of War 1 and 2 combo and they have behind the scenes videos of the production from their ideas through development and release date. From that i saw how friendly and connected the work environment was and i think that the studio is another company which focuses on their artwork also as their focus with story, game play and the overall game.
Ubisoft-From my repetitive liking of the Prince of Persia series and artwork, i believe Ubisoft particularly Ubisoft Montreal the creators of Prince of Persia and Assassins Creed as many other games can offer me a greater development of skill and utilize my skill. As you've seen the artwork that is created for their games is so incredibly fluid, using shading rather than black lines around their character and environments so i truly see Ubisoft (Montreal) and attraction from games companies.
Visceral Games-Judging from the Dead Space games and Dante's Inferno game the level of detail and environmental usage attracted me to this company and after looking at the concept art for their games you can see how the mood of the game has transpired from the artwork.
Namco Bandai Games Inc.-Is another games company based off the Dark Souls game i would like to work for as they are a Japanese based company and knowing how Japanese cultures artwork is very vivid in getting the feel, look and visuals of the scene.
Another Japan based company is Capcom and basing this off the Street Fighter series i would like to work for them because their colour ad use of artwork in Street Fighter IV was pretty nice to see in a fighting game.
Santa Monica Studios-Based on the level of detail and artwork and overall presentation of the God of War series i would like to work for Santa Monica Studios as i purchased the God of War 1 and 2 combo and they have behind the scenes videos of the production from their ideas through development and release date. From that i saw how friendly and connected the work environment was and i think that the studio is another company which focuses on their artwork also as their focus with story, game play and the overall game.Ubisoft-From my repetitive liking of the Prince of Persia series and artwork, i believe Ubisoft particularly Ubisoft Montreal the creators of Prince of Persia and Assassins Creed as many other games can offer me a greater development of skill and utilize my skill. As you've seen the artwork that is created for their games is so incredibly fluid, using shading rather than black lines around their character and environments so i truly see Ubisoft (Montreal) and attraction from games companies.
Visceral Games-Judging from the Dead Space games and Dante's Inferno game the level of detail and environmental usage attracted me to this company and after looking at the concept art for their games you can see how the mood of the game has transpired from the artwork.
Namco Bandai Games Inc.-Is another games company based off the Dark Souls game i would like to work for as they are a Japanese based company and knowing how Japanese cultures artwork is very vivid in getting the feel, look and visuals of the scene.
Another Japan based company is Capcom and basing this off the Street Fighter series i would like to work for them because their colour ad use of artwork in Street Fighter IV was pretty nice to see in a fighting game.
Creative Industries Level 5:Photoshop Touch for iPad
One of the reasons i wante an iPad was to draw and paint and develop my art skills with no excessive wires and when i found that a Photoshop app wasn't available i had to settle with other apps to make up for that but this article on Adobe Photoshop Touch is the app that perhaps i couldn't find but once i do this app can help me develop my skills and looks like a great app for concept artists. Here is the article from CG Record:(San Jose, California--May 10, 2011) Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) announced the immediate availability of the Adobe® Photoshop® Touch apps – Adobe Color Lava, Adobe Eazel and Adobe Nav – for Apple iPad in the Apple App Store. These three apps from Adobe were developed using the Photoshop Touch Software Development Kit (SDK) to demonstrate the potential for new interaction between Photoshop and tablet devices.
Adobe Color Lava for Photoshop, Adobe Eazel for Photoshop and Adobe Nav for Photoshop unite the fun and interactive experience of touch devices with the power and precision of Photoshop by enabling users to create custom color swatches, paint directly onscreen and drive popular Photoshop tools from tablet devices.‡ These applications take advantage of the iPad’s touch screen for a truly immersive, tactile, on-the-go experience, and expand upon inroads made by Adobe in the mobile and tablet market initiated with Photoshop Express, Adobe Ideas and Adobe Connect™ Mobile.Photoshop is a part of the recently announced Adobe® Creative Suite® 5.5 product family, enabling designers and developers to create for popular and emerging smartphone and tablet platforms. Current Photoshop CS5 owners can download a free update to enable new interaction between Photoshop and tablet devices.
Initial industry feedback for the Photoshop Touch applications has been overwhelmingly positive; in a First Look review by Macworld, Lesa Snider says that “By having nothing between you and your artwork, you can focus on creating in the purest sense.” Snider also notes the excitement for the new Photoshop Touch SDK, saying, “I have no doubt developers will be burning the midnight oil to push the envelope of this new technology and create other useful Photoshop integrated apps.”
The Photoshop Touch SDK makes development possible on numerous devices, including iOS®, Android® and BlackBerry® PlayBook®. Utilizing the SDK, developers will have wide access to Photoshop functionality with the freedom to innovate and create new apps or add capabilities to existing ones. Adobe has already engaged with a number of developers to incorporate tablets and other devices into creative workflows that empower Photoshop users in new and groundbreaking ways.
Link to article: http://www.cgrecord.net/2011/05/photoshop-touch-applications-for-ipad.html
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