ANOMALOUS SOUND

https://soundcloud.com/lundlocked

This links to my personal soundcloud page, where I have uploaded all music made for the game (which was composed, mixed and produced in LOGIC.) Each track is entitled with the prefix ANOMALOUS as to avoid confusion.)

Menu: The menu music was written to inspire an inquisitive, yet hypnotic atmosphere. Using a pentatonic minor key played at a low tempo with some basic rhythm flourishes to evoke an aura of intrigue and mysticism. I feel this menu music stands as an effective prelude to the narrative of the game. 

Reactor Room: This piece of music was written as cinematic accompaniment to the spoken narrative occurring when the player activates the main engine reactor. The piece is written as two-part build up. It starts with ambient machine/energy sounds which intensify as the melodic arrangement begins. The first, a high frequency drone/pad, which is then followed by a manipulated flute timbre that raises in minor scalic steps. This is to evoke a sense of 'happening' as the music builds into the first section's crescendo. The second section of music introduces a regular kick drum beat as to symbolise the workings of a machine/engine, linking directly to what is happening visually (contextually) in the game. Long held bass notes and syncopated snare hits arrive after the introductory two kick beats,  to give a sense of motion and dynamism as the reactor begins activating. The flute and bass melodies then build using the high frequency drone/pad as a chordal base to establish the crescendo stating the end of the track/music. 

Archives & Ending: This piece of music accompanies the final scenes of the game. Again, it begins with engine/energy noises as an introduction to a solo piano. The solo piano track has been edited with reverse echo and 1/2 beat reverb as to follow a ‘horror’ archetype of the notes sounding like they are being ‘sucked’ into reality. The keys of the piano follow a diminished scale for the first section, then as the bell timbre enters, the piano slows to chordal stabs that variate between minor chords and dissonant chords of the same key to retain melody. This symbolises the bleak and epic nature of the narrative denouement, and closes the game appropriately as you stare out at the starscape of the final room.   

I feel I have achieved an atmospheric cohesion between the ambient droning sounds that populate the game, and the melodic arrangements that act as the cinematic accompaniment. This was achieved by using similar engine/energy sounds to the ambient environmental noises, to introduce the melodic arrangements.  This cohesion was the primary aim of the overall sound design, as I didn't want the melodic pieces to contrast too heavily with the game ambience.

(There were several tracks that weren’t used in the game, and I will include them in the playlist I will have playing through separate headphones at the summer show to show the other ideas I had for the game that we as a team ultimately decided not to use due to the length of the game narrative.) 

ANOMALOUS YOUTUBE (GAME WALKTHROUGH) LINKS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0ljiC9Iyag

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKeTnnUMYRQ

DUE TO BLOGGERS RESTRICTIONS ON THE AMOUNT OF CONTENT AVAILABLE ON A SINGLE PAGE, PLEASE CLICK 'OLDER POSTS' TO SEE ANOMALOUS II & I. (ALTERNATIVELY, THE ARCHIVES SECTION ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN ALSO ALLOWS NAVIGATION TO THE HIDDEN PAGES.)

Anomalous Summer Show Works (PROMO).

This post shows the posters designs for the summer show. Following the work from previous modules as a template (and sharpening an old idea as it received positive feedback in presentations), I designed three different posters,  as they all convey aspects of the atmosphere we want our game to evoke. Sticking with one idea and forever refining that one idea locks you into one specific design aesthetic. This is why I designed more than one - to show the different angles and tones the game COULD take if it was developed further. 

The 'Great Black': This poster was designed to convey a sense of isolation and awe using one monolithic image created from a personal photograph of scaffolding. I wanted a sense of inquisitiveness to surround the image, as to entice onlookers to sit down and play the game. My main inspiration for this image was the Final Fantasy series front cover designs, as they have always convinced me of the massive adventure behind the simple cover designs. 

The 'Amalgam': This poster design features the renders of objects used in-game. The focus here is to achieve a sense of voyeuristic surveillance, (the mechanic 'eyes' of the ship's A.I.) - establishing the A.I as an ever present, omniscient essence within the game space. Using models from the game physically connects the poster to the game idea, and images of vintage cameras to instil an aura of the real world within the fiction. 

The 'Rorschach': The final poster idea was primarily influenced by the the psychological testing procedure of symmetrical inkblots being shown to patients on a regulated basis to analyse their perceptions of the world and emotional functioning/stability. The element of the Rorschach testing that inspired me is the notion of individuated perception - everyone sees something different depending on their mental state at the time of viewing. This idea of 'perception is locked to the individual' is the idea that stood as a catalyst for this image. 

Using 2D side perspective renders of the models to build the image relates to the previous poster idea in that using the models from in-game would intrinsically connect an audience member to the game space. Yet, using the Rorschach ideology of self perception, any audience member could see any amount of differentiating things in this image, but they will all relate to the primary thought of the game, as the models that make the game, make this image. 

The following two images depict two smaller presentational ideas for the summer show that illustrate the design journey from conceptual drawing stages, to implementation in a 3D space. This gives a great sense of design workflow, and should tell that this is how all the models were made. 

Anomalous Assets V

The two images below illustrate another engine part idea. These feel a little more at home in the level than the other engine idea I had. These seem less ostentatious and more functional. They will be used as the moving engine parts in the level! Simple reflectivity added to increase their tactility at early stages (pre-import). 

The three images below illustrate some other camera ideas that will be put into the level. I experimented with some different bump map settings in the material editor to achieve the results below. 

 The following five images depict two modular wall pieces and how they can be stacked/multiplied to function as walls themselves. Both these will be used in game at any point they are deemed necessary! Again, some simple material applications bring the models to life, thus give us a more feasible result of how they will look in game. 

This final image was a deeper practise in using the material editor and spot lighting to convey what they'd look like in game. Phong nodes were used for all the parts that would be metal, and lambert with leather bump maps, and increased cell size and density on those bump maps. Threshold increased slightly to accommodate the spotlighting. I feel they look far nicer than the simple grey lambert that is automatically applied to the low poly meshes of the previous post!

Anomalous Assets IV

The following series of images depicts the design journey of the modular screen assets. I experimented with lighting again to achieve at least a conceptual tone around the models. Adding simple texture materials allows for a deeper comprehension of what the models could look like when imported into the level structuring program.  

The modular aspect of these models is crucial due to their commonplace nature aboard the game's starship/environment/spatial area, so each different one needed to look similar, but not TOO similar. Continuity in design harbours a convincing fiction. 

The images below are an illustration of how adding simple smaller screens to a larger screen give a very functional, yet sci fi aesthetic. 

 The following two images were CV curve tool experimentation in finding more machinery/pillar parts. Attaching simple reflective materials and well places area lighting give a great sense of dynamism and depth. 

The following series of images depict the model of the ship. This model was only going to be used as some form of failsafe menu screen in case we couldn't get the menu to work the way we desired. Alas, the vision for this model came from the technical drawing and sketching in module ADGD31, and for a low poly model that was only ever supposed to be used as a silhouette, I feel happy with the result. 

Anomalous Assets III

The following images depict further evolutions of console ideas. (consoles can be used to clear modular effect exhibited in such games as Fallout 3, Half-Life). They can also be used as data banks to support a deeper narrative, and stand as a point of interaction. This means having multiple different models of consoles can help make a wall look interesting and varied whilst enticing people to the models, thus involve themselves with the narrative. 

Two more variants on console design. The first, more a control station. The second, a sort of over sized tablet on a stand. 

This is a quick H.U.D design for the consoles for when the player interacts with them. A simple yet effective idea that again could be used throughout the game's screens. (Type-face obviously sitting nicely in the centre two panels.)

 The following images illustrate a few camera designs. The use of cameras in the game is to establish a sense that the computer system has a constant eye on you. Watching your every move. 

A simple panel light that could adorn any corridor/room of the ship.

 A showcase of the strip light and box light against a plane. This shows their ability to multiply together effectively. 

The following two designs were slightly abstract, but also following the game idea. The first is a light/flux light, but the long arm like fixtures protruding from it further inspired the poster idea I will talk about in the summer show section.  

The second, a simple heavy duty door lock/handle. Sturdy.