Games Development - Task 2 : Art Asset Development
20.5.2024 - 9.6.2024 (Week 5 - Week 7)
Tan Yi-Tyng (0353327)
Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Games
Development
Task 2: Art Asset Development
INSTRUCTIONS
TASK 2
Art Asset Development
Instruction
Based on the previous
Task 1: Game Design Document, we are tasked with producing the art assets for our game. This
includes characters, environments, items, props, obstacles,
power-ups, and HUD design.
Sprites
Process
In week 6, I started working on the character design. Since I'm not the best at drawing, I looked online for any templates that could be used in the game. Finding free assets online saves me tons of time. However, finding characters in the same art style seemed to be quite difficult. I tried numerous methods, such as using AI generators and tracing characters from online sources, then refining them. Below is the outcome of the character. At this stage, the character is still in static form. Once all the assets and game backgrounds are completed, I will continue to animate it.
Main Character: Thief
Role In The Game:
The thief is the game's main character, players step into the shoes of an anti-hero and guide him through a series of challenging levels and missions. He was imprisoned due to being caught mid-heist, and he aims to escape from prison and involve in a museum heist to cement his legacy and plan to escape the city.
Character Design Explanation:
This character design portrays a playful yet mischievous thief, highlighted by his distinct and stylish attire. His outfit includes a classic brown hat accompanied by vibrant green hair, adding boldness to his persona. The character is wearing a black eyemask, an essential accessory for any thief, which lends him an air of mystery and intrigue. He is dressed in a simple yet functional dark outfit with matching brown gloves and boots, ideal for stealthy movements. He is also wearing a bright red kerchief tied around his neck, providing a striking contrast that catches the eye and emphasizes his roguish charm. This combination of clothing and accessories not only defines his role as a thief but also adds character depth, blending traditional thievery elements with a modern, cartoonish flair.
This character design portrays a playful yet mischievous thief, highlighted by his distinct and stylish attire. His outfit includes a classic brown hat accompanied by vibrant green hair, adding boldness to his persona. The character is wearing a black eyemask, an essential accessory for any thief, which lends him an air of mystery and intrigue. He is dressed in a simple yet functional dark outfit with matching brown gloves and boots, ideal for stealthy movements. He is also wearing a bright red kerchief tied around his neck, providing a striking contrast that catches the eye and emphasizes his roguish charm. This combination of clothing and accessories not only defines his role as a thief but also adds character depth, blending traditional thievery elements with a modern, cartoonish flair.
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| Fig. 1.1 - Thief Idle |
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| Fig. 1.2 - Thief Sprites (Running) |
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| Fig. 1.3 - Thief Sprites (Jumping) |
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| Fig. 1.4 - Thief being caught / Die |
Enemy 1: Police
Role In The Game:
The police are the primary enemy in the game, appearing as adversaries during levels 1 and 3 to capture the thief. Players must navigate carefully as the police go on patrol throughout the game, adding an element of challenge and stealth to the gameplay. The police's presence creates tension and urgency as players strategize to avoid detection and evade capture.
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| Fig. 2.1 - Police Sprites |
Enemy 2: Security Guard
Role In The Game:
Security guards are another enemy players encounter in the game, specifically during the level 2 museum heist. These guards patrol the museum's premises, adding an additional layer of challenge and stealth to the gameplay. Players must navigate carefully to avoid detection by the vigilant security guards, who are trained to catch intruders like the thief.
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| Fig. 3.1 - Security Guard Sprites |
Collectable Items
Key
In the game, key collectibles play a crucial role in progressing through different levels. In Level 1, the player's primary objective is to collect a key that unlocks the main door, allowing them to escape from the prison. Similarly, in Level 2, another key is required by the player to enter the museum. This key is essential for accessing new areas within the museum environment.
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| Fig. 4.1 - Key |
Smoke Grenades
Smoke Grenades are valuable items that can be found and used throughout all levels of the game. These grenades serve a strategic purpose, creating a smokescreen that allows the player to make quick getaways or evade detection. When encountered with obstacles such as police officers or security guards, players can strategically throw Smoke Grenades to obscure visibility and create confusion, giving them the advantage to escape unnoticed. The versatility of Smoke Grenades makes them essential collectibles for players, providing tactical options for navigating through challenging situations and enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
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| Fig. 4.2 - Smoke Grenades |
Stun Gun
The Stun Gun is a non-lethal weapon designed for incapacitating enemies silently. This valuable item appears in all levels of the game and is a crucial tool for players to collect. When facing challenges such as police officers or security guards, players can use the Stun Gun to attack them.
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| Fig. 4.3 - Stun Gun |
Treasure
Treasure is a valuable item that serves as the main objective in Level 2, the museum heist. It represents the ultimate goal for players, requiring them to enter the museum and steal the treasure without getting caught by security or police.
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| Fig. 4.4 - Artifact |
Game Mechanics
Ladder
The ladder is a versatile game mechanic that appears in all levels of the game. Players can interact with ladders to climb up or down. Its primary role is to allow players to navigate vertically, either moving between floors or accessing different areas within a level. Ladders provide players with the ability to go around obstacles, transfer between platforms, and access hidden or elevated areas that are crucial for progression.
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| Fig. 5.1 - Ladder |
Moving Platform
The moving platform is a dynamic game mechanic that appears in all levels of the game. It serves a crucial role in providing players with obstacles and challenges as they navigate through the gameplay. These platforms move horizontally, requiring players to time their movements carefully to traverse walkways and avoid falling.
As players progress from level 1 to level 3, the difficulty associated with moving platforms increases. This escalation is reflected in the speed of the moving platforms, which becomes faster with each level. This increase in speed adds to the challenge, forcing players to react quickly and make precise jumps to move across the platforms safely.
Failing to successfully jump from one side of the moving platform to another results in the player falling to the ground, leading to their character's demise and causing them to lose the game. This consequence adds tension and urgency to the gameplay, encouraging players to master their timing and platforming skills to overcome these challenging obstacles.
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| Fig. 5.2 - Moving Platform |
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| Fig. 5.3 - Example of the moving platform in the game |
Jumping Gap Platform
The Jumping Gap Platform is a unique game mechanic introduced in Level 2 of the game. It serves to enhance the difficulty and complexity of the level, providing an engaging and challenging experience for players as they progress through the game.
These platforms are characterized by having two separate platforms with a hole in the center. Players must navigate these platforms by jumping through the gap from one platform to another, which adds an extra layer of challenge and skill to the gameplay. The role of the Jumping Gap Platform is to test players' precision and timing abilities. It requires players to execute well-timed jumps to avoid falling through the gap and failing. Falling to the ground causes death and results in losing the game.
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| Fig. 5.4 - Jumping Gap Platform |
Laser Grid
The Laser Grid is a game mechanism introduced in Level 2 of the game, serving as an additional obstacle near the treasure's location. Its role is to provide extra protection and challenge for players as they progress through the level. To deactivate the Laser Grid and access the treasure, players must think critically and hone their problem-solving skills.
The Laser Grid functions as a barrier that prevents players from easily reaching the treasure. To deactivate the Laser Grid, players must locate and press the button. However, the button is not easily accessible, players must push a box located next to the button onto the button itself.
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| Fig. 5.5 - Laser Grid |
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| Fig. 5.6 - Button and Boxes |
CCTV
The CCTV camera is present in Level 1 and Level 2 of the game. Its role is to add an element of stealth and challenge for players as they navigate through these levels. Players must avoid being detected by the CCTV cameras, as being spotted by them results in losing the game.
The CCTV cameras are equipped with scanning red lines that move across their field of view. Players need to demonstrate precision and timing to avoid detection. They must wait for the scanning red line to pass an area before quickly moving through without being caught. These CCTV cameras are strategically placed, often near staircases, to provide additional challenges for players when transitioning to the next floor.
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| Fig. 5.7 - CCTV |
Surveillance Helicopter
The Surveillance Helicopter is a game mechanism introduced in Level 3 of the game. Its role is similar to that of the CCTV cameras, adding an extra layer of challenge and intensity to the gameplay. Like the CCTV cameras, players must avoid being detected by the Surveillance Helicopter to prevent losing the game.
The Surveillance Helicopter is equipped with scanning white lines that move across its field of view. Players need to demonstrate precision, timing, and strategic hiding to avoid detection by the helicopter. They must wait for the scanning white lines to pass an area before quickly moving to the next location without being caught.
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| Fig. 5.8 - Surveillance Helicopter |
Game Environment
Background - Level 1 (Jailbreak)
Background setting:
The Level 1 game environment depicts a thief trapped within a prison, designed to evoke a sense of urgency and isolation. The background features a dark grey brick wall constructed in a repeating pattern that enhances the claustrophobic atmosphere of a jail.
The color palette used in this game environment primarily consists of dark greys and muted tones, carefully chosen to reflect the theme and atmosphere of a prison setting. The use of a darker background allows contrasting game elements such as keys, stun guns, and smoke grenades to stand out. The contrasting colors ensure that these items are easily noticeable against the dark walls. This helps guide the player’s attention to potential tools and paths crucial for progressing in the game.
The level is structured with multiple platforms, indicating different floors or levels within the prison. The platforms' ground was designed with a concrete-type texture. These platforms are connected by metal ladders suggesting that vertical movement is crucial for gameplay.
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| Fig. 6.1 - Level 1 (Jailbreak) |
Gameplay:
The gameplay starts with the thief inside the jail, located in the top right corner of the top floor. He needs to escape from the elite prison by evading police, bypassing security systems such as CCTV and other obstacles, and obtaining the keys to unlock the exit successfully on the lowest floor to break out.
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| Fig. 6.2 - Level 1 User Flow |
Background setting:
The Level 2 game environment, set in a museum, presents a distinctly different atmosphere from the prison setting of Level 1. This shift is achieved through the use of a rich and sophisticated color palette and detailed architectural elements that evoke a sense of wealth and historical significance.
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| Fig. 7.1 - Level 2 (Museum Heist) |
Gameplay:
In the second level, the thief has successfully escaped from the jail in the first level and must now sneak into a heavily guarded museum to steal a priceless artifact and escape without being caught. The game starts with the thief on the lowest floor. He needs to exercise caution and precision to bypass all obstacles such as security guards, security systems, moving platforms, and jumping gaps. Once the player reaches the top floor, which is near the treasures, they need to deactivate the laser grid by pushing a box onto a button. After deactivating the laser grid and attacking the security, the thief can steal the treasures and successfully escape the museum.
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| Fig. 7.2 - Level 2 User Flow |
Background setting:
Level 3 of the game is set in a dynamic urban cityscape, creating an exhilarating backdrop for the ongoing chase and escape theme. The environment combines elements of city life and rooftop agility, crafted to challenge the player's quick reflexes and strategic thinking. The distant skyline features a myriad of high-rise buildings silhouetted against a vibrant blue sky, transitioning from day to dusk. This palette of blues captures the essence of a bustling city, reflecting both its vibrancy and the electric atmosphere of urban life.
The immediate play area consists of building rooftops, each at varying heights, which adds a vertical dimension to the gameplay. These rooftops are rendered in more solid, earthy tones of browns and grays, contrasting sharply with the vivid background, which helps them stand out as the main platforms for player movement. Scaffolding structures are scattered across these rooftops, serving as temporary bridges and ladders that the thief must navigate. Their metallic gray color and industrial design contribute to the urban construction aesthetic.
Gameplay:
Following a successful theft, the thief is now a wanted criminal. As law enforcement intensifies their search throughout the city, he must skillfully evade the police and a surveillance helicopter. His primary goal is to navigate through an urban environment fraught with dangers, including moving platforms and high jumps, to avoid capture. The intense chase culminates at a strategic getaway point where he must collect a car and successfully escape the city to complete the heist.
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| Fig. 8.1 - Level 3 (The City Chase) |
Things yet to be done:
- Animate the characters
- Start menu page
- The Level 1, 2, 3 Instruction Page
- Level Unlock Page
- Game Over and level successful Page
FINAL SUBMISSION
Presentation Video: https://youtu.be/m1K5UCEB5SgREFLECTION
Overall, I personally found that preparing and creating assets is not an easy process, especially for someone like me who isn't skilled in drawing and designing my own characters. I had to spend plenty of time searching online for assets or templates that matched the overall themes and consistent art style I envisioned. At the beginning, I struggled to choose between pixel art and vector art styles, weighing the pros and cons of each. Ultimately, I decided to go with the vector art style because there are more assets and templates available online, making it easier for me to revise and customize them to fit my vision. Through this process, I gained a newfound admiration and appreciation for how developers and game designers create a game. It's a lengthy and experimental process that requires patience, creativity, and attention to detail.
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