This is the first week, and we’re starting a new module for the second year. By the end of this module, I need to be able to convey my game design ideas through written text, images, and models, using the industry-standard Game Design Document (GDD) format.
I discussed with my teacher the skills I want to improve this semester: 3D modeling, and, more importantly, my 2D digital painting skills. Monday’s assignment was to search for an image related to the word ‘Movement’ and discuss it in class on Thursday. I first created a mind map for this topic; it’s a very broad concept, with many things that can be called ‘Movement’. I ultimately chose the movement of water, brainstorming in three directions: where is water, what forms water movement takes, and research on water-themed installation art.
The last image I found was about an art installation called “Clinamen” (Celeste Boursier-Mougenot, 2024) that was exhibited at the Paris Commodity Exchange this summer. I chose this work because it encompasses three “movements”: the flow of water, the collision of bowls, and the sounds they make. These are all integral parts of the installation. When people view it, they can hear ethereal and irregular sounds of collision, the echoes reverberating in the retro-decorated, spacious hall, creating a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere.
We had a group discussions and created mind maps to categorize different movements using environment, motion, action, story, and event. Misty’s image was about linear light produced by time-lapse photography, representing the speed and time movement of a race car. Kevin represents the tension between a fist and the water surface, and the resistance the water provides when the fist strikes the surface. Alex’s image was the famous ukiyo-e print ‘The Great Wave off Kanagawa’ (Katsushika Hokusai, 1831), which also depicts the movement of water; the spray from the waves is expressed with lines, and the artist captured this frozen moment in his work.
We ultimately chose the image I provided to develop a game, reflecting on the questions we answered in class about what kind of thinking the image evoked, such as what aspect of the game it focused on: competitive, chance, or thrill-thinking. We finally decided to make a game about dreamcore and threshold space, with an initial concept of a complex yet spacious map interspersed with nostalgic rides to create a nostalgic experience for the player.