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tetrapanax

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Mobile Device Technology Assessment 1a

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Adobe Photoshop Express: Easy & Quick Photo Editor

Available for both iOS and Android devices.

This is a free app version of the Adobe Photoshop program, but for mobile devices. As it says in the title of the app, it is designed for editing mobile photography; making photo editing accessible at any place or time. It does not have all of the original programs features but is a compact version with most features you need for quality photo touch-ups.

This is probably the best app to use for basic purposes when you want full customisation and not just pre-determined ‘filters’. You can change basic image features or adjust contrast/sharpness and various colour/lighting aspects. It supports many file formats from various cameras and mobile devices.

Prisma

Available for both iOS and Android devices.

This app is for editing photos with “arty” filters which generally aren’t customisable. However the effects can sometimes look impressive if paired with the right image, it’s very hit or miss as to whether it will work with your chosen image. Final images tend to be low in quality as they are processed rather quickly.

Previously this would create only square photos with a watermark but apparently this has been changed in a later update.

Pixlr – Free Photo Editor

Available for both iOS and Android devices.

One of many photo editing apps, this one is most ideal for creating compositions of photos or collages. You can customise these to your liking. It also has generic effects and overlays as well as the filters that every mobile app seems to have nowadays. However this app would be good to use due to its customisable features. You can also layer images over top of each other for a unique effect.

Dreamscope

Available for both iOS and Android devices.

This is a photography filter app that allows for various customisation, and it is readily updated to have different artistic effects. It also has a platform for you to publish your works through the app, to share with other users. There is also a computer website version of this app for desktop/laptop users. iOS and Android versions also have different features. If you don’t want your work published to the app/your profile there is a private option (but only changeable after posting in the iOS version).

The downside to this app is that it can literally wait hours (even up to a day) for one image to process due to how the final images are generated and the volume of images that people try to create. Sometimes they do not publish at all.

PicsArt Photo Studio: Collage Maker & Pic Editor

Available for both iOS and Android devices.

As per the title of the app, another photo editing app that also has collaging capabilities implemented into it. There are many tools this app has (as per the standards, but also unique ones) that you can use for your photos. There’s even drawing capabilities where you can use the touch screen to sketch right on top of your images.

This app also has a community where you can share your images and participate in regular daily challenges/contests against other people. You can even participate in editing sessions collaboratively with your friends one-on-one or in a group.

GIPHY Cam

Available for both iOS and Android devices.

This app allows for creation of edited photos, GIF/Animation and Video creation. There are presets but you can also customise effects and there are basic photo/GIF editing features implemented in this app. You can also keep adding as many features as you like (in stages or at once) to get a final piece of your desires. There’s even features such as face-tracked accessories, stickers, text, and frames. These get cycled through on a weekly basis so if you were creating things for other purposes (i.e. not personal artwork creation) there will always be new things.

The GIF recording features are what are most beneficial to Mobile Device artworks.

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Game Design References

 Generators

➤ http://www.fakenamegenerator.com/

➤ http://k4supply.com/nametown.php

➤ http://www.springhole.net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/itemgens.htm

➤ https://www.randomlists.com/random-street-names

➤  http://mewo2.com/notes/terrain/

➤  http://freefantasymaps.org/

Writing 

➤ http://www.stormthecastle.com/video-game-design/write_a_video_game_script.htm

➤ https://www.reddit.com/r/GameWritingLab/comments/2b6k6h/the_ultimate_game_writing_database/

➤ https://fonts.google.com/ 

➤  https://fontlibrary.org/en 

Game Art (Pixel art, Spriting, etc.)

➤ http://theartcenter.blogspot.co.nz/2012/10/wouter-tulp-thoughts-on-character-design.html

➤ http://pixeljoint.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11299 (Basic pixel tut)

➤ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFvsRvo_78Y (Tileset creation)

➤ https://www.reddit.com/r/PixelArt/comments/gxmgh/pixel_art_tutorials/

➤ https://finalbossblues.com/pixel-tutorials/

➤ https://www.raywenderlich.com/14865/introduction-to-pixel-art-for-games

➤ https://gamedevelopment.tutsplus.com/tutorials/creating-isometric-worlds-a-primer-for-game-developers--gamedev-6511

➤ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbgIA3pwpHc (Sprite editing - Unity)

➤ http://kenney.nl/assets 

➤ http://www.reinerstilesets.de/ 

➤ https://pixelsticky.wordpress.com/2015/06/27/free-ui-resources-for-game-developers/ 

➤ http://lpc.opengameart.org/static/lpc-style-guide/styleguide.html *

➤  https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/25468

Audio 

➤ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCht8qITGkBvXKsR1Byln-wA/videos 

➤ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwV6AE6ngKOeSO4h6dnUa1vB8nrVgN2VN 

➤https://www.reddit.com/r/gamedev/comments/2ynqyo/10gb_of_highquality_game_audio_free_download/ 

➤ https://www.audioblocks.com/

➤ https://www.pond5.com/free

➤ http://www.audiomicro.com/royalty-free-music 

➤ http://www.bfxr.net/ (SFX creator)

Tools and Resources

➤  http://www.pixelprospector.com/indie-resources/ 

➤ http://www.gamasutra.com/ 

➤ http://www.pixelprospector.com/the-big-list-of-game-making-tools/ 

➤  https://www.spriters-resource.com/ 

➤  https://itch.io/game-assets

➤ https://opengameart.org/

➤ http://www.mapeditor.org/  (Tiled)*

➤ https://www.raywenderlich.com/29460/collisions-and-collectables-how-to-make-a-tile-based-game-with-cocos2d-2-x-part-2

➤ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72x3jaJrc-0 (Tiled Collision Editor) 

Unity Specific

➤  http://ragepixel.com/ (Pixel Drawing Toolkit) 

➤  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWtQnZsSdEU (Menu Tutorial)

➤ https://www.lynda.com/Unity-tutorials/Unity-5-2D-Building-Tile-Map-Editor/384876-2.html

➤  https://blogs.unity3d.com/2016/06/13/2d-experimental-preview/

➤ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_4rJ_acBNMH3SExL3yIOzaqj5IP5CJLC (2D RPG Tutorial)

➤  http://www.unitygeek.com/free-assets-unity-assetstore/

➤ http://www.procedural-worlds.com/blog/best-free-unity-assets-categorised-mega-list/

➤ https://forum.unity3d.com/threads/2d-tile-mapping-in-unity-demystified.441444/

➤  https://www.lynda.com/Unity-2D-tutorials/Set-up-project/513588/570252-4.html (Adventure Sidescroller Tutorial)

➤ https://forum.unity3d.com/threads/texturepacker-to-sprite.217408/

➤ https://unity3d.com/learn/tutorials/projects/2d-roguelike-tutorial 

➤ http://bigrookgames.com/portfolio-items/making-rpg-unity-5-tutorial-part-1-intro/ (3D) 

➤ http://www.unityrealm.com/2d-sprite-lighting-in-unity/

➤ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDkZ5QIkfSc (End Credits Tut)

➤ https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/38546

➤ https://anima2d.com/

➤ http://www.seanba.com/tiled2unity *

Unity Assets

➤ https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/79530 

➤ https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/12571 

➤ https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/29825 

➤ https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/9416 (VN Toolkit) 

➤ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzevVXwTX9wj4KQds3YZtI8f7EblZiB9W (VN Tutorial)

➤ https://forum.unity3d.com/threads/visual-novel-toolkit.217122/

➤  https://github.com/Honeybunch/VNKit

➤ https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/list/13726-rpg-assets

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Motion Graphics/VFX Artist

Cyriak Harris is a UK based artist who produces animated films.  He studied traditional (hand drawn animation) at an art school and worked in graphic design before ‘discovering the internet’ and thus teaching himself digital animation using Adobe After Effects. 

Unlike the process of storyboarding and planning that was taught at art school his way of art relies more on inspiration and personal ideas. 

Using photo or video footage he manipulates them into pieces that are very strange. With mutated creatures and unusal movements/placements and flow, these are works that stand out to most artists. 

He has been commissioned for working on advertisements, title sequences, music videos, shorts etc.

http://cyriak.co.uk/animation/

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yU+Co

yU+Co is an Emmy Award winning digital design company founded by creative director Garson Yu in Hollywood. He has worked on over a hundred title sequences for television shows and film himself. Not only this but there have also been cinematics and trailers produced for videogames by yU+Co. Since around twelve years ago they have functioned as a full business for interactive design; using a combination of graphic design, animation and other elements.

There are three regional companies that operate under this name, located in Hong Kong, USA, and China.

Some media that this company has produced works for include 300 (2006), Enchanted (2007), Hulk (2003), Misson: Impossible II (2000), The Walking Dead (2010), Ugly Betty (2006), Warm Bodies (2013) and many more…

  One particular title sequence produced by this company was the one for the comedic drama/mystery show Desperate Housewives (2004). It ran for 8 seasons to a total of 120 episodes.

The concept of this show involves the lives of women in a fictional town, telling stories of their family life and interpersonal relationships as well as crime and secrets.

Instead of taking a traditional approach and having a collaboration of video sequences showing the characters and their situations, for this introduction we see a series of classic artworks animated slightly into a contemporary environment. This gives the viewer some insight mainly to the “type” of characters of which the show is about and to their relation between women and how they have a “place” (whether in society or the environment they are in).

Some of the artworks seen are a more historical like Adam and Eve, Nefertati, and Jan Van Eyck’s Arnolfini Wedding. We also see more moden works such as Grant Wood’s American Gothic, and pop art by Andy Warhol and Robert Dale.

Site: http://www.yuco.com

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http://www.silenthillmemories.net/creators/team_silent_en.htm

http://www.gamesradar.com/why-silent-hill-2-so-high-our-new-top-100-because-its-perfect-game/

http://www.psu.com/feature/24775/The-History-of-Silent-Hill--Part-1---The-Team-Silent-Years

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Les Triplettes de Belleville (2003)

A movie by animator/director Sylvain Chomet; about a professional cyclist who is abducted by mafia during Tour de France and the old woman who attempts to save him with the help of their dog.

It’s known and acclaimed for its unique art and animation style.

The setting consists of tall and typical-European style architecture (as the story is based in France, however the inspiration and research for the city design was taken from actual cities in the USA and Canada). Perspective is used a lot to show scale of the environment in comparison to the characters as well as distance etc.

Indoor locations retain the same quaintness by use of the decor and limited colour palettes.

The ‘style’ of the background gives the impression of traditional styled art with its use of thin, sketchy lines.

Daytime lighting (warm tones) are reflected in film characters and their settings. Stark whites aren’t really used. Lighting gives things yellow tinge from the sun’s lighting – for the cycle race scenes it emphasises the race and the suffering from heat and exhaustion.

Lower mood parts of the film are portrayed with either dark places or dingey rooms and night time scenery. Slightly denser lines are used at some of the “downtown” shots of the city to further the characters disposition. Weather is also used to boost this for example the rain storm.

Other interesting aspect of the environmental design is the addition of ‘historical’ or ‘nostalgic performance’ scenes by the Triplets being sepia toned, or the dogs dream which is monochromatic and set on a giant train...

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A GDD/Game Design Document is a booklet or “pilot” information for a videogame, which includes all the core information about what is going in to the project. But it has to be done in a compact way that while it conveys all necessary information that it isn’t going to overwhelm whoever reads it.

Inside a GDD there must be information about all the aspects of the game: the plot, the characters and their design, game mechanics, level design, soundtrack, art of the game, etc.

The developers can use this to compile this info for both themselves as well as the other people involved in game production. Core information won’t get forgotten. Having all this information compiled also benefits everybody because it allows for refining the development of certain things. It can also be used in the long run for promotion/selling the game…

Potentially useful information:

GDD template https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-I08qX76DgSFyN1ByIGtPuqXh7bVKraHcNIA25tpAzE/edit

http://seriousgamesnet.eu/assets/view/238

Example https://www.saxion.nl/wps/wcm/connect/f37e93da-898d-4d7a-8bc1-e066c9d32d13/Design+Document.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

Example 2 https://vfs.edu/downloads/game-design/pdf/Gravitos_DDDoc_3.0.pdf

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