Group Meeting and Notes:
The main project development points discussed at this point involved storyboarding concepts and character/ asset modelling in regards to my and Marianna’s aims on the 3D animation side.
Personal Goals Outlined in Meeting:
.Asset Modelling- Ice Cream, Sand Shovel, and the Ice Cream Cart
. Assist Marianna in storyboard drafts and Story development
VR Story-boarding and Multidimensional Narrative in VR Interaction
Storyboarding for animated films in comparison to Storyboarding for virtual reality differs largely due to the potentiality of player possibility. Due to the unpredictable nature of player interactivity, more than one straightforward narrative has to be planned and accounted for in pre-production. Storyboarding in 360 degrees allows for planning and also allows for the environment and spatial awareness planning which helps to gain a better understanding of environmental interaction between players and objects. Taking this into consideration, it is important to consider examples in the industry that really stress the idea of player control. Games such as ‘Detroit: Become Human (Sony, 2018) offer a very clear example of the pre-productive planning involved in creating a narrative in the language of game design.
Expanding on the storyboarding produced last week, the were several issues in the presentation of narrative development that I had not previously considered, such as the 360-degree nature provided by content produced in unity. Enlarging on this idea further, in the following week the intention for narrative planning will be done psychically in 3D space using a VR compatible software called ‘Tilt-Brush’. Looking to the book Storytelling for virtual reality: methods and principles for crafting immersive narratives, Bucher expands on the ‘sense of self-created by virtual reality engagement that is not congenitally restricted by the rules and laws of the natural world (2017). Considering this it brings into a light a further exemplification of what exactly one is a storyboard and how this is applied
An example of Tilt brush being employed as a story planning tool is demonstrated clearly in the example below and offers great reference and understanding of how we will intend to utilise this tool in the next week.
Modelling and Sculpting
Pose Capture Feature In Storyboarder VR – Wonder Unit – YouTube
3D Models- In the book Game Character Creation with Blender and Unity, Totten discusses how digital sculpting is used to create a high detail resolution model that can be projected via ‘normal maps’ onto a low poly model to allow for constant rendering to function at the best speed it can 2012). Following on from this, and using my low poly mesh creations in Maya and exporting them into Nomad ( A software recommended by the VR collaborators on this project ), then export these aspects as FBX files which are compatible with unity’s engine.
Adapted Sculpts in Nomad
Utilizing and educating myself on new software, especially in use with unity, I explored the use of a digital sculpting app called ‘Nomad’.
References-
Bucher, J (2017), Storytelling for Virtual Reality: Methods and Principles for Crafting Immersive Narratives, Taylor & Francis Group, Oxford. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [7 Feb 2022].
Chris Totten (2012) Game Character Creation with Blender and Unity. Hoboken, N.J.: Sybex (Sybex Serious Skills). Available at: https://search-ebscohost-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=459449&site=ehost-live&scope=site (Accessed: 11 March 2022).