Drawing 18/9

Split the thumbails and enlarged to save them as single files for finalising the linework. Ive got a few more references at new angles now too which I think has improved the composition of a lot of the panels. Not to mention the drawing quality!

Im going to have to play catch up due to a 2 week coding workshop taking over my usual classes this week and next.

Programming 17/9 - 27/9

joe.simmonds@sit.ac.nz - contact email.

Intro to Programming

Script has 3 elements: Variables, Functions and Methods.

Variables

• Programming deals with a lot of data
• Data could be numbers, words or true/false
• ie. string playername - "Joe"
• Strings are variables that can contain letters, numbers and other characters
• Can not be used for calculations
• Used for names, text, passwords
• Int
• short for integer
• variable for storing numbers with no decimal place eg whole numbers.
• used for Mario style lives e.g 0 to 3
• Float
• Variable used for storing numbers that can have a decimal place
• Used for RPG style health where it can be between 0 and 100% eg 95.24%
• Bool
• Short for Boolean
• a variable that has one of two possible values
• True or False

Functions

• Sets of code that runs at certain times depending on what language you are using
• Common functions are
• Start() which runs at start of script
• Update() runs on each frame refresh (fastest script can run)
• FixedUpdate() runs on each fixed rate frame refresh. (think movement speed)

Methods

• Commands can be wrapped into a set of instructions called methods
• e.g Step 1: Take Bread
• Step 2: put in toaster
• Step 3: turn on toaster
• Can be wrapped into a method called MakeToast
• This saves us having to re-type the same steps over and over

Syntax

• The specific way we write the code
• Similar to english language using punctuation
• Computer knows a line of code is complete with a semi colon (;)
• A simple out of place ; can stop all your code from running so it is important to understand the programming language syntax

• C# variable syntax example: private string playerName - "Joe";
• It is important that strings have " " around their values. Thats how we know its a string
• Private must be lower case p
• Lower case = methods, Upper case - variables
• The string must be written how it will be referenced later in the script
• Public variable can be accessed by any script in your project, private can only be accessed by the script the variable is written in.
• More examples of variable syntax
• public float playerHealth - 100;
• public bool isJumping - false;
• private sprite heart1In;
• private sprite heart1Out;

• Function syntax
• 3 main functions, Start(), Update() and FixedUpdate()
• written as void start(){    code goes here        }
• void means this script wont return a result

• Method syntax
• void inputs(){    player input related code goes here       }
• this can also be private or public
• once methods are written, we have to call it in our script. this is usually done within one of the main functions
• inside of our function, we type the name we called our method followed by () and a ;
• e.g Update(){          Inputs();         }

Extra bits of syntax

•  = symbol tells the variable what it is
• == is checking whether the variable equals something e.g If(health == 0)
• if statements check the value of something before we run a piece of code.
• !jumping can replace jumping = false

if(health == 0){

             

If else statements - similar to an if statement but has additional conditions and codes if the first part isnt true.

if(velocity.y == 0){

             OnGround = true;

}else{

             OnGround = false;

}

If the first line is met, the second part wont run.

&& symbol is used if we are trying to check more than one variable before running some code.

e.g if(health == 0 && score == 100) both variables must be true to run the code.

|| symbol means "or". This is used to check if one variable or another is correct before running the code.

e.g if(health == 0 || score == 100) means code will run if health is 0 or if score is 100.

Writing variables quicker

• in most cases bool variables can be shortened 
• e.g 

Putting into practice

19/9

Collectables and Globals

Collectables have two functions, score and economy.
Collectables for score is simple, the more u need, they harder they get. Incorrect use of collectables can break a game economy. Too easy to get, and the game becomes too easy. This makes the game boring too quick.
Doom(1993) has one of the best approaches to collectables. A lot of the level puzzles are directly related to shortage of ammo and being able to complete the level. Alternatively like in Gears of War 5(2019) u get the big gun right away but with very little ammo so the player has to be picky about when they use it.
Same with health packs, too many means theres no fear of dying. You can restrict how many the player can hold, or how many per level.

All UI text, buttons sliders etc must be on a canvas.

Text in Unity
Must be on a canvas system to display. Text Mesh Pro system or standard unity text ui system but the standard system is pixellated and low quality. Must import using TMP Essentials.

Buttons can be custom import, or can use the built in unity ones.
Two ways of dealing with imported buttons, standard button sprite or 9 slice sprite. 9 slice sprite splits the button into 9 sections, with the 4 corner sections not being modified when resizing to keep the resolution.

Unity projects are made of scenes, each scene is a level, or a main menu, settings menu, intro splash screen. Scenes can be linked using a scene manager but first need to go through Build Settings and make sure the scenes we want included and what order they are, are showing in the build screen. SceneManager must be included in our script to be able to use it.
using UnityEngine.SceneManagement;

Any script in the build must include this at the very top of the script. Within the script all you need to do is add the code
SceneManager.LoadScene(1);
or
SceneManager.LoadScene("MainScene");

We can use either the name(string) or the index(number)

2D Animation 16/9

Finally got the rigging done for Simba. Next is walk/run cycles since i need them for gaming as well. Had to take a breather for 5min cos I was getting frustrated with the deformer tool, turns out Im just an idiot and wasnt hitting the right button to complete the deformer creation.

Research 16/9

Text Analysis of Effective and Evocative.

• Hamilton, J., & Jaaniste, L. (2014). The effective and the evocative: A spectrum of creative practice research. In E. Barrett & B. Bolt (Eds.), Material Inventions: Applying creative arts research (pp. 232-255). London, UK: I. B Tauris

Research 15/9

https://www.creativebloq.com/digital-art/tips-composition-31514496

http://www.floobynooby.com/ICG/artvalues.html

http://www.workingmancreative.com/digital-marketing/how-to-create-a-dramatic-composition-with-multiple-characters/

Screen Arts 5/9

Project Resources

10

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xerox_art

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHvvihFqxrM 1991 short film by Chel White using a mono-colour copier to create the image sequences.

Jolie Ruin - https://jolieruin-art.tumblr.com/post/186357595768/xerox-art-by-jolie-ruin




Rebecca Cofa blog post - https://rebeccalistonart.tumblr.com/post/45254618618/for-team-7-here-are-some-examples-of



George Hajian - https://blacktoner.tumblr.com/post/173509313724/7-may-2-2018-21x42cm-george-hajian



101 Dalmatians - The New Era of Disney Animation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWwU8jd04-I

Wiseguss Illustration - Shortcut to Paper Animation using a photocopy machine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=690PYfFQxdk

Screen Arts 3/9

Watched this week: Jupiter Ascending (1995) - https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/jupiter-ascending/#gallery

What a campy, cliche movie! Standard boy saves girl, girl falls in love, boy denies it then admits it later on, cue happy ending. Visually it has a lot of stunning CGI backgrounds, but the cgi around the actors seems a little 1990's quality imo.

Directed by the Wachowski brothers, you can definitely see elements of The Matrix in the action sequences and its nice to see Sean Bean actually survive a movie for once. Mila Kunis is ok as the female lead, but I think the story restricted her a bit. Bonus eye candy is Channing Tatum running around in guyliner with obligatory shirtless moments.

Overall its one of those movies you can just chuck on and veg out to without having to think too hard while watching it.

Drawing 21/8

Just working on the proposal due on friday, I still have a lot of panels to actually sketch but at least my cover page is coming along nicely.

2D Animation 4/9

Working on Simbas rig now, the sooner I get it finished, the sooner I can use it for my gaming animation loops as well as my actual animation. After somehow screwing up the  save as new version somehow, I had to use a backup version and separate out the original files into individual projects due to some weird crossover making parts get modified in both versions at once. Thankfully it was only a small amount of work that broke, and easily remade.

Drawing 4/9

Today is using feedback from Chris to adjust and improve my comic before I finalise the linework. Yet again a lot of it was using the same viewing angle over and over so by changing it up it should be an easy fix in theory. Using a layer to white out the panels I want to change and a 3rd layer for the changes so i can revert it easily if I dont like it. I am feeling more positive about it though so thats a bonus!

Screen Arts 4/9

Finally watched hedgehog in the Fog by Yuri Norstein. What a cute little kids tale about getting lost, and the magic of exploring the unknown. The animation is a beautiful crossover of realistic and cartoon style which fits the short story that Yuri wrote.

Hedgehog in the Fog - Yuri Norstein 1975
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS5mxXtStOY

2D Animation 2/9

If I want to use this to make Ghostie blink, I need to redesign her eye a bit as her iris/highlights dont really work with this method. At this stage just playing around so I learn how to do it, although I need to get part of this working for when the two characters narrow their eyes at each other.

Research 2/9

Define and analyse:

Effective Practice Research - According to Hamilton and Jaaniste (2014, p. 233) research targeting a stated goal or solving a specific problem with the aim to improve the situation or process in some way. A research question is created in response to a specific situation and then determining what is required to solve that question using empirical analysis, defined by Merriam-Webster as "originating in or based on observation or experience" (empirical, n.d)

Evocative Practice Research - research with no particular goal, rather the exploration of some creative interest to provide insight in that area. Evocative research most often does not have a specific resolution initially, rather it seeks to broaden the researchers experiences through experiments and speculation. (Hamilton & Jaaniste, 2014, p. 234)

Use these methodologies to explain:

"Visualising Resilience" - Effective


"in another light" - Evocative


"More than half a life" - hybrid evocative to effective


"Designing Sound for health and well-being" - hybrid evocative to effective


"Investigating the Bat/Human problem" - hybrid effective to evocative



Analyse where my project fits within the Effective/Evocative paradigms. Use vocab from the reading, reflect on what impact this has on my project: Refining my question, Defining my outcome/artefact, Articulating my process of working.



References:

• Empirical. (n.d.) In Merriam-Webster’s dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empirical
• Hamilton, J., & Jaaniste, L. (2014). The effective and the evocative: A spectrum of creative practice research. In E. Barrett & B. Bolt (Eds.), Material Inventions: Applying creative arts research (pp. 232-255). London, UK: I. B Tauris