Contemporary Design Research #2

Contemporary Design Research #2

Hyper Matrix Wall - Moving Styrofoam Wall - Retrieved 2012 - http://www.geekologie.com/2012/09/17/hyper-matrix-wall.jpg


This incredible 3 sided moving sculpture has been constructed by Jonpasang and is on show at Hyundais Motor Group Pavillion in Korea.

This awe inspiring feature was created by 3375 styrofoam blocks. They’re powered by a series of motors and actuators as part of a communication system for RS-485 and CAN. These communication protocols were designed for the automotive purposes.

However - Thankfully - Jonpasang found another use for it and created this stunning moving sculpture and entertainment room. Not only does this amazing wall move it is also a canvas for a projector. This will well and truly create a unique cinematic experience!

Mercedes1945 - Published 7th September 2012
“Hyper Matrix | Small Cubes”
Videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il_uF0jEAlE

I find this truly inspiring as it’s taken what most people would consider a mundane application ( RS-458 & CAN ) and turned it into something incredible, that almost everyone could understand, interpret and appreciate.
It’s inspires me in many different ways - from a technological stand point it’s outstanding. Visually it’s amazing! However the thing that inspires me the most is the way that they’ve taken a mundane application from one aspect of industry and applied it in a different manner! They’ve created something - That I think - Is truley incredible and should be an inspiration for many designers.

It helps to remind us and inform us that the most amazing things can be found in places you simply wouldn’t expect. It drives you to want to search for more and look for solutions and productivity in different realms and industries.

PDP

My Personal Development Plan;

I hope too become a better level and games designer during this project. My objective is too drastically increase the quality of my level designs. I want too understand all the different types of challenges that face designers in this field, and I want to learn to tackle them in new and interesting ways.

I've always had a passion for level design and it's the main thing I will criticise games for since it's such an crucial element of the game's design. They're the platform for the whole game, without well designed levels or interfaces the game simply won't be fun. Poor graphics, poor audio and poor narrative can all be excused providing the game and level design is good.

I do also like designing game and coming up with new and creative concepts that impress me or that I'd like too see be made into a game. Because of this I'm tying this passion in with my passion for level design so that I can get the most out of the project.
I hope too design a game that can be used too inform my level designs. This will give me the ultimate freedom to create something fun and creative. This style of working is similar too that of a Independent games designer rather than a commercial designer. My ultimate goal is too become a successful independent designer hence why I chose to structure my project in this manner.

 

Jail Game

Today we were tasked with making a game. We had only two weeks lesson time to do this.

The purpose of the task was to help show the importance of prototyping and working into different ideas.
Firstly we started off looking at creating a racing game in UDK. However after about an hour of deliberation about how to make the game. It became evident that the design was becoming restricted based on our UDK skills and what could be done within the engine.

So we went back to basics and we started to concept out a game that could be used as a board game or on the PC. The game takes much inspiration from the assassins creed multiplayer modes.

They're are 3 rules to the game;

Chicken Cross

Chicken Cross Game

Today we were given the task of creating a game in groups. Once we had been placed in groups and given the rules of the game we promtley started to concept out game ideas and theories.

The Rules were as follows; It has too be 2 player, On a fixed tiled board that is turn-based. The game also shouldn't last more than 15 minutes. These rules allowed for a lot of freedom within the design and concept but it also served as enough of a constraint to keep our designs and thoughts focused.  

We began discussing different ideas and theories on what we wanted to create, we eventually settled on the concept that we want too have chickens in the game. One thing lead too another and thus 'Chicken Cross' was born. 

The concept is simple; Two players roll a dice, and try to get too the other-side of the road before the other player. Sounds simple? However the map we designed was littered with obstacles and power-ups that each player could use too their advantage!

The power-ups are as follows; 

 Card                                        Effect

Cone                              Small obstacle taking up 1 grid space. Blocks player movement. 

Barricade                      Same as the cone but coming in various sizes and shapes. 

Traffic Jam                     Coloumn of cars crosses the board vertically blocking the players from
                                       moving  across the board horizontally for 2 turns.

Oil Slick                         2x2 Grid, If the player lands in it and rolls a green they move an extra
                                       2 places, if it's red they move move back two spaces.

Chicken Flight               Player can Jump barricades & cones. .

Citizen Help                   Enemy player miss a go.

Vehicular Drag Back    If dice roll is even, half opposing players next dice roll. 
                                        If dice roll is odd, half your next dice roll. 

Truck Smash                 If you roll green, the player will move forward 6 place If red they will move
                                        back 6 places. Can be used on either player.

We then went on too play test the game;

We found out a few things during the testing and prototyping process;

Fundamentally, we learnt that the game was fun! Which is good because it meant that it would be a game that would be worth refining and perfecting.

Secondly we learnt - Don't use origami dice. They're heavily weighted to particular numbers see pictures below!

We also found that the game was potentially a little bit too quick and it was easy for players too complete the map. We also found that if one particular player has a good start it's difficult for the opposing player too catch back up. 

The cone is pointless. No really, it did nothing in the way of hindering anybody. 

These are things that we'd address in an iterative process had we taken the game further. A few ways of fixing these problems would be to; 

A) Make the maps bigger.
B) Add more preset obstacles. 
C) Add more card pick-ups and alter card frequency of powerful cards. 


All in all I feel that it was a good experience, we had fun creating and playing the game and it also taught me the importance of paper based design and how theoretical ideas can never be perfect. We can make informed desisions in the conceptual stages however the only true way too find out if the game is fun and the mechanics work, is to play the game. 

Contemporary Design Research #1

Contemporary Design Research #1
Resin Fish.

Riusuke Fukahori is a Japanese Artist that takes his love of goldfish and his artistic talents into different and contemporary mediums with his 3D paintings.
Large Bowl & Spoon - Retrieved 2012 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/dominicspics/6592918249/sizes/z/in/set-72157628617194683/

Fukahori paints these amazing masterpieces using a technique similar to how a 3D printer works. He first starts off with a painted layer of the fish. He then pours a thin layer of resin onto the painting and then paints a new layer on top of that. After many iterations of this process the final result is what you can see above - A stunning 3D masterpiece that seems to capture a moment of beauty.

Fukahori has taken the ‘classical art’ medium and merged it with the modern concept of 3D printing. This is truly inspiring as a designer since it’s a perfect example of how different mediums can be unified to create something incredible. It opened my mind up to other more classical mediums and helps you to consider things that may have otherwise been overlooked.

Often I find myself as a designer overlooking concepts and ideas from the past and concentrate on the future. Foreseeing new ideas isn’t bad, but as Fukahori has proved here considering traditional techniques and uniting them with the modern concepts can create amazing results.
Metal Bowl 3D Painting - Reterived 2012 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/dominicspics/6592928907/in/set-72157628617194683

3D Dumpster Model.

Today we modeled a 3D dumpster. A simple task, that wouldn't have been too difficult for me before the summer. However I had become complacent over the summer and my 3D skills were rusty.

We had to model the dumpster from some reference photo's of a Pre-Modeled and textured 3D dumpster.
We also had to unwrap the model and hand paint the textures using Photoshop.

It wasn't a particularly challenging task however I still had some problems modelling it.
Often I would find the model becoming very untidy and found a lot of redundant geometry around the model that needed cleaning up.

This aspect of 3D is definitely something that I need to put more extra curricular work into. I had some issues remembering the correct procedure for unwrapping the dumpster. However I managed to finish it off in the end -

I painted the textures in under 30 minutes but found it quite enjoyable - I feel that it may be an aspect of 3D that i'll really start to enjoy. I think if i were to spend some more time on textures and look into them further that it could be one of my strengths in 3D.

At technique i've found useful whilst modelling the dumpster is when in doubt - Colour Ink!!!

Always seems to be a sure fire way of making your model look reasonable! In all seriousness it's not a great view to model in but it does have a unique and cool appearance to it!

Good Design Analysis - Dexter

Dexter is a TV show about a Serial Killer that work’s for Miami Metro Homocide as a blood splatter analyst. What separates dexter from most other serial killers is that he will only kill other killers.

That differentiation straight away strikes me as a good piece of “design” or story writing. The “rule” that dexter follows of only killing other murders straight away can raise a moral debate with people watching it. However it does this twice, firstly it will raise the debate in the viewers head first, it will probably happen instantly on whether they agree with what he’s doing or if they disagree. Their preference will then decide how they experience the rest series’.

If they agree with what he’s doing the viewer will wanting dexter too succeed in what he’s doing and they’ll want him to avoid detection. However if they’re against what he’s doing and they’re moral position is that all murder is bad they will want him too get caught.

So this instantly gives people a talking point socially which will increase exposure to the series’. So my intrinsically weaving a moral debate into the core of the show they allow the show to potentially grow through word of mouth; which is has done. So they don’t have to rely heavily on expensive marketing campaigns, as people will talk about the moral dissonance with their friends and colleagues naturally.

As you progress through the series’ and episodes you’ll start to notice the second thing about how they’ve designed the show. They give you an internal monologue of dexters thoughts and feelings. This then gives the viewer a chance to understand why he kills people and his feelings about doing so. This does two things simulateously; For the people who originally found that he was indeering and agreed with what he does - It will draw they even closer too the charchter so they can form a greater understanding of him and they will become even more empathetic to his cause. It will also give the people who originally disliked the concept a chance to understand the charchter and will give them an opportunity to potentially grow to like him.
(It’s also worth noting that they portray him in a positive manner throughout the show so the likelihood of this happening is high)

It’s important for the success of the show that people feel strongly in a positive way towards dexter because it gives the other aspects of the show extra emotional impact. Because many of the plot lines are run much better if you’re rooting for dexter. Since most of the storylines end with dexter coming out on top.

Although that sounds cliche and predictable they generally counteract the positive with something else that will complicate dexters life again or will add depth to the story. (More on that later)

Rather cleverly the writers realise that not many people can relate to serial killers so they will discretely add plot lines and character traits that makes dexter very relatable. For example they pose very real very common problems in dexter's life such as; Having a baby, having a complicated love life with his girlfriend rita. With those 3 plot lines that i’ve mentioned alone they’ve got the trifecta of relatable and thought provoking topics that are Life, love and death.

The show in my opinion could quite easily survive alone on the storylines that run through dexter’s life however they’ve designed the show so that they can use the supporting cast from his family and work colleague to manipulate the mood of the show. Often you’ll seem them using a comedic character called Masuka being introduced to a scene lighten the mood. Or they’ll use a scene with him in it as a precursor to a particularly dark scene so that the viewer doesn’t ever feel too down or depressed about, what is fundamentally a very dark and gruesome byproduct of dexter’s character.

 

It’s also worth noting they sometimes don’t take the ‘killings’ too seriously and play it off lightly. Once the viewer is 2 to 3  series’ in they’ll find themselves watching killings thinking “Dexter’s just doing his thing” and thinking nothing more than a byproduct of his addiction and thinking it’s almost normal for it to be happening. That is a true testament to the great design of story in the dexter series.

Generally towards the end of a series what ever overarching story that has been running will be resolved and in theory everything works out great because the initial problem has been rectified. However the writers counteract this by making dexter sacrifice something or present him with a problem. Not only will this build anticipation for the next series it also makes it more of an emotional journey since they want dexter to just be happy! ( For the most part)  They also use a similar device episodically and they'll generally end an episode on a high or with anticipation too keep the viewer interested. ( A well know design technique, but one the writers use very well and don't abuse it, they respect the intelligence of the viewers and disguise it well.)  

So what they’ve achieved by using many clever, well designed and hidden devices is making a topic that is typically very dark and disconcerting a completely acceptable act. They’ve created a canon and world which is incredibly rich in depth that can keep being expanded and changed around this one character. Many social and political issues are tackled within the canon seamlessly around dexters life and nothing seems out of place.

 

The writers have designed the series in such a way that horrific act’s seem more tame and manageable. It really is quite miraculous the way the series makes you feel and if looked in at more depth the devices used in dexter could be used in video games to tackle some of these more touchy subjects which video games have been afraid too tackle. Or if they’ve attempted too tackle them they’ve done in with an ironfist. It could help inform some writers how to tentativley tackle some of these issues.

Bad Design Analysis - TV Remote's

One of the most popular electronic devices of the modern day the TV. The advancements in the technology in this field has been phenomenal in terms of the quality of image reproduction from when TV’s were first born. 3D vision is now available in the home for less than £200. With all this amazing technological advancements its raises the question, why are the remotes and UI’s that accompany these amazing devices still so behind the times?

A lot has changed both aestetically and functionally from the first ever TV remote control as the technology inside the TV has changed and Evolved.

The remote has changed to accommodate these extra features and functions however this has resulted in a device that is - for the most part - a clutter of buttons.

It appears that some designers have recognised this and have taken action too irradicate these overly cluttered remotes that many people - especially the elderly - find difficult to use and function. This is all well and good since the result is a remote that is aesthetically pleasing unlike they’re cluttered counterparts.

However this then leads to the problem that you’re forced into using the onscreen user interface built into the TV. Which for the most TV’s is terrible, even some high end TV manufacturers haven’t been able to implement a good, smooth user interface. Often you will find the interface is a labyrinth of menu’s that are slow to load and difficult to navigate. Often it can take a couple of minutes to find what you’re looking for.

Often this is down to the fact that many TV interfaces have been designed for multiple languages and the translation can sometimes mean functions will be in a menu branch that you wouldn’t expect them to be in. Despite this most modern UI’s on TV’s are actually aesthetically pleasing!

A good example of this is a line of LED TV’s that Phillips produced. The UI and remote were both very nice to look at. However the navigation of the UI was far too slow and it took too many button presses to access functions that you need. - The sleep timer for example takes 11 button presses to simple find and potentially a further 7 more to select the amount of time you want the timer to be on.
The remote -

This results in the user being distracted from what they were watching which is the fundamental function of the TV - So this is a obviously a big problem for designers as consumers could very easily become disillusioned with the product and brand.

Another thing that I often find is a problem is that the ergonomics and anthropometrics of the remotes aren’t great. It’s a tough challenge for designers since the demographics that will interface with it can be from 2 year old, up to people at 100 years old. With this you obviously have to account for different mental aptitudes and different anthropometrical measurements. So it’s a difficult task,  however the result is often a remote that isn’t practical for anyone.

Ergonomically I find modern remotes are far too light, this results in an accessory that feels very cheap - which when some people spend £1000+ on a TV doesn’t feel justified. Some designers have recognised this and have added weights to their remotes - Cambridge Audio for example have; Their hi fi remote weighed in at 205 grams which is more than double what most the remotes in my house weighed. It weighed 60 grams more than the BT vision remote that I tested. Which doesn’t sound like much right? But it did make a big difference. It’s a pleasure to interface with, and feels very good in the hand.  Also something to note is that the majority of the weight is added to the front of the Cambridge Audio remote which sits above where you support the remote with your fingers. The majority of the weight was towards the back of the other remotes and was made up by the batteries.

Obviously cost will be a big factor with these accessories and they will ultimately be trying too produce them for as little as possible so they can spend more money on the TV internals to provide a better picture quality. However, the whole experience of using the TV is important and I feel it’s an area in which many designers could improve the products.

It seems in many way that the technology to improve interaction with TV’s is out there and widly available it’s just a matter of when TV manufacturers will take advantage of these technologies and start too implement them widly across they’re TV’s.

Noteably you can purchase a remote called the ‘Harmony ONE+’ which is made by Logitech.

It costs around £70 but it combines all your remotes into one well designed very functional device. It has a LCD screen with it’s own GUI to allow you to smoothly and easily interface with your devices. It’s neither too cluttered nor too bare and it has a real quality feel to it. It weighs in at 862grams which really makes a difference! Considering it can control nearly every device in your home it's remarkably uncluttered, If anything it’s potentially too heavy. But it’s a much nicer solution than most remotes currently provided by the TV manufacturers. Most TV remote's and UI's can be improved especially now that TV's are starting to implement more and more features. And with wireless connectivity they are becoming full media systems that stream more content too you than ever. So the need too have all this content easily accessable is even more important than ever. Hopefully this will mean that TV manufacturers will start to give more consideration to their remote's and UI's. The most important change that has to be widely implemented is the speed of the UI, i has to respond to the input instantly. Then secondly i'd say the anthropometrics of the remote need to be improved. Hopefully they will also move the technology used within the remote in-line with what's widley available to the mass consumers. Will touch screen remote's be something we'll be seeing in the future? Quite possibly as it would allow for a more intutive and contextually aware interface for the use