{"id":643,"date":"2025-11-20T12:04:46","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T12:04:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.wsagames.com\/stw1g24\/?p=643"},"modified":"2026-01-10T19:55:35","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T19:55:35","slug":"week-8-reflection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.wsagames.com\/stw1g24\/2025\/11\/20\/week-8-reflection\/","title":{"rendered":"Week 8 Reflection"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This week was about Character Design and the practises that work best when creating them. For the lecture on Monday we were given a crash course on what an art bible is and other elements related to art. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Semiotics<\/strong>: study of signs and symbols and how they are used to create and communicate meaning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signifier – physical sign, sounds, images or letters that convey meaning . <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signified – Personal interpretation of a signifier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Art Bible <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A style guide or rulebook. It that ensures artistic consistency across the project by aligning expectations, and comunicating aesthetic intent. It should evolve over time and help build up the team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visual Pillars<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Much like the game design pillars these also communicate the vision for the game by stating aesthetics and themes that be conveyed in the art and looks of the game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example with Desta: The Memories Between<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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  1. Dreamlike, pastel colours, floating islands camera angle. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Simplicity clear UI, serif typography<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Boardgame like, grids space, low-poly, sharp shapes\/edges<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Reference Boards <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    My research<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    For the activity in the lecture, we paired up and got given a synopsis of a game idea. We then had to create the visual pillars for it and make a reference board for each pillar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Our synopsis was:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In a sprawling desert archive, players act as “future-keepers” tasked with recovering fragments of possible futures people abandoned. Each fragment carries emotional weight and clues. By sorting, restoring, or remixing them, players reshape imagined worlds and confront the tension between innovation, fear and hope.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Razor:<\/strong> All mechanics revolve around interpreting, combing, or reimagining fragments, no unrelated systems.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    X-Statement:<\/strong> We build tomorrow from the futures we choose not to forget.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The pillars we came up with were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Desert, warm colours, sand, lifelessness<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Cyberpunk\/medieval mashup<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Time is represented through character design<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      These are the reference boards for each pillar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      On Thursday we had a guest lecturer, Abby. An alumni of WSA and current freelance character designer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      She covered the three core principles of character design. <\/p>\n\n\n\n