2. Perspective, Scene Design, and Basic Animation4
Perspective, Scene Design, and Basic Animation

3. Explain game perspectives
Describe the elements of a scene.
Identify elements used to convey mood and theme.
Explain issues of clarity for scaled computer-generated images.
Describe how to construct 3D models.
Contrast static and active animation.

4. Define terminology used in artistic creations and computer-generated images.
Create artistic assets for a video game.
Summarize how pixel and vertex shading are used to create the illusion of depth.

5. Perspective How gameplay is displayed Position of player on screen
First person
Second person
Third person

6. First-Person Perspective
First-person perspective is seen through the eyes of the character
Like a head-mounted camera (

7. Second-Person Perspective
Second-person perspective is seen through the eyes of the opponent
Very rarely used (

8. Second-Person Perspective
In this game, the player is the batter and the computer is the pitcher

9. Third-Person Perspective
Third-person perspective is seen through the eyes of a spectator
Overhead
Behind
Profile or platform view
Many other viewing angles

10. Third-Person Perspective
These games have a classic platform view (

11. Third-Person Perspective
This game has an overhead view (

12. Changeable Perspective
“Switch view” button (player selects)
Switch view due to game action (game determines); for example:
Third person while running
First person while in targeting mode

13. Changeable Perspective
This game features a “switch view” button

14. Scenes Placement of game objects Attractive layout Obstacles
Objectives
Conveys story
Conveys mood

15. Object Placement Foreground Background Active objects
Background objects
Backdrop objects
Text objects or buttons

16. Scene Feature Examine the objects in this scene.
Identify and discuss the scene elements that do not match.
Why do these elements not match?

17. Design Objects Active objects Background objects Backdrop objects
Interactive
Can move
Background objects
Not interactive, like the sky
Backdrop objects
Scene elements, like platforms and walls
Player avatar
The character

18. Design Objects
Note the various types of objects in a game

19. Mood Through color palette Through object shape Red = passion
Yellow = cheerful
Blue = peaceful
Gray = gloomy
Through object shape
Sharp edges = scary
Soft edges = calming

20. Theme Through traditional or historic objects Cultural themes
Historic periods
Mythology
Religion
Holidays

21. Mood and Theme Feature Examine both scenes
Similar objects appear in both
How does color palette set the mood in each?
How is theme established by use of traditional objects in each?

22. Scene Design Feature Consider the scene on the next slide:
List five background objects
List one foreground object
List the active objects in the scene
What is the mood of the scene?
How does color palette help set that mood?

23. Scene Design Feature

24. Storyboards A plan to tell the game story Sketch important frames
Describe important action

25. Image Properties
Digital images
Measured in pixels
Clarity
Resolution

26. Clarity Pixel density Dots per inch (dpi)
High resolution vs. low resolution

27. Resizing and Resolution
Enlarging low-resolution images
Pixilation
Blurry
Interpolation
Color blending
Native poles
Dithering

28. Resizing and Resolution
The computer may blend colors when interpolating pixels

29. Game Map Game map often is larger than screen size
Map must scroll into the visible screen
Images can blur if movement is too fast
Game can lag if image resolution is too high

30. Digital Color Model RGB Red, green, and blue
Colors blended to create all other colors

31. Digital Color Model
Creating an RGB color in Microsoft Office

32. Digital Color Model HSL Hue, saturation, and luminescence
The values for these properties create all colors

33. Digital Color Model
Creating an HSL color in Microsoft Office

34. Two-Dimensional Games
Length and width only; no depth
Game frame
Includes all items needed to complete a level
May not be all visible to player at once

35. Two-Dimensional Games
Visible play area
Part of the game frame seen by the player
Scrolling if needed
2D assets are called sprites
Sprite character set (sprite sheet)
Movement direction animations
Stopped animation images

36. Two-Dimensional Games
A sprite character set from RPG Maker XP

37. Two-Dimensional Games
Game frame coordinates
Cartesian coordinate system has +Y up
The Games Factory 2 has +Y down

38. Two and One-Half–Dimensional Games
Hybrid
2D game map with 3D objects
3D game map with 2D objects
Isometric board games

39. Two and One-Half–Dimensional Games

40. Three-Dimensional Games
Length, width, and depth
Coordinates in X, Y, and Z directions
3D assets are called models

41. Three-Dimensional Games
Perspective
Visual perspective
Vanishing point

42. Displaying 3D Objects Pixel shading Vertex Light from light source
Results in light and dark areas on the model
Vertex
Point on a 3D object
Faces are between vertices
Wireframe view shows hidden edges and vertices

43. Displaying 3D Objects
Models are composed of vertices, edges, and faces

44. Scaling 3D Objects Rendering Resizing Proportional (A)
Nonproportional (B)

45. Moving a 3D Object Resizes in line with visual perspective
Distance between vertices is scaled
Reading edge programming
Bounding box programming

46. Round Objects
UV sphere
U = X
V = Y

47. Round Objects Geodesic sphere Faces may be any regular polygon
Icosphere most common type

48. What Is a Mesh? Mesh is polygonal shapes (polys) “glued” together
Provides the shape for the object
Texture
External color or image on the object
Tessellates over the mesh
Stretched on the surface of each poly

49. What Is a Mesh? Texture is an image stretched over a mesh
(Model courtesy of Autodesk)

50. What Is a Mesh? Poly count Increased poly count = smoother
Increased poly count = longer render time

51. Basic Animation Stop-motion frame animation Static animation
Flip book style
Static animation
No articulation
Active animation
Articulated movement

52. Static Animation
In static animation, the object retains its original pose

53. Active Animation
In active animation, objects change poses

54. What are the three types of perspectives used in video games?
First person, second person, and third person

55. List four elements found in a scene.
Background, backdrop objects, active objects, and player character or avatar

56. How is mood conveyed through the use of color?
Bright colors set a cheerful mood, while dark colors set a gloomy or scary mood.

57. What happens to the resolution of an image as the image is scaled up?
As the image is scaled up, the resolution decreases, which may result in the image becoming blurry.

58. What two dimensions define a sprite and what three dimensions define a model?
A sprite is defined by X and Y (or length and width) dimensions. A model is defined by X, Y, and Z (or length, width, and depth) dimensions.

59. What is the basic difference between a static animation and an active animation?
In a static animation, the object’s original pose does not change, while in an active animation, the original pose changes.

60. What is a pixel?
A picture element, which is the smallest point or dot a computer screen can display.

61. Explain dpi.
Dots per inch; it is a measure of image resolution. The higher the dpi, the higher the resolution.

62. How do pixel and vertex shading create the illusion of depth?
Pixel shading creates darker colors farther from the viewer and lighter colors closer to the viewer. Vertex shading moves vertices closer together in the distance and farther apart in the foreground.

63. Active animation Active objects Backdrop objects Background objects
An object changes poses while moving on the screen.
Active objects
Objects in the game frame with which the player can interact; can be programmed.
Backdrop objects
Objects in a game frame that the player can touch or walk behind, but do not damage or reward the player.
Background objects
Objects in the game frame with which the player cannot interact.

64. Bounding box Camera Clarity
Invisible cube inside of which a 3D object completely fits; used as a reference to rescale the 3D object.
Camera
Displays the visual play area of the game and follows the player wherever the character goes.
Clarity
How clearly images are displayed with either line or pixel density.

65. Color palette Dithering Dots per inch (dpi) Faces
Set of colors used throughout a scene to maintain mood and continuity.
Dithering
Computer process of scattering pixels of different colors to approximate a true color.
Dots per inch (dpi)
Number of pixels per square inch; the higher the dpi, the clearer the picture.
Faces
Flat surfaces on a 3D model.

66. First-person perspective
Gameplay view where the players sees through the eyes of the character.
Game frame
All items programmed for a complete scene or level of a game.
Hybrid
Created by combining features from two different items.

67. Interpolation Mesh Native poles
When resizing an image, the computer makes a decision to create a blended-color pixel where original pixels are moved.
Mesh
A 3D shape created with interconnecting polygons stuck together along their edges.
Native poles
Original pixels of an object before it was resized.

68. Pixels Pixel shading Pixilation
Picture elements; the smallest point or dot of color a computer screen can generate.
Pixel shading
Applying the principle of visual perspective such that as you move farther from the light source, things get darker.
Pixilation
Condition resulting in a blurry image; created by improper resizing.

69. Second-person perspective
Reading edge
Line between two vertices on a 3D object that is used as a reference to rescale the object.
Rendering
Adding color and shading to represent a solid object.
Scrolling
Game frame is moved so the player is always in the visible play area.
Second-person perspective
Player sees the game as if the player were an opponent or intermediary; rarely used in video games.

70. Third-person perspective
Sprite character set
Collection of poses for a single 2D asset.
Static animation
Object retains its original pose while moving.
Tessellate
Stretching of a color and texture map to apply a piece of the overall texture to each polygon of a 3D mesh.
Third-person perspective
Gameplay is viewed by a person who is not the player’s character or opponent, rather a neutral third person; spectator view.

71. Vanishing point Visible play area Visual perspective
Point in the background where the edges of all assets will meet at a single point if extended; the faraway point where an object seems to disappear as it becomes smaller.
Visible play area
The part of the game frame that is displayed on the video screen.
Visual perspective
Sense of depth using shading and narrowing to represent the third dimension of depth on a two-dimensional screen.

72. Wireframe
View showing objects as if they are built with wire with visible edges and invisible faces.