rpgse7enx4

[rpgse7enx4]

Problem solving - Presentation - By RPG.

When I was designing an "advert"-like set of posters for the presentation of my final outcomes, and for my project in general, I came across an issue with Photoshop.

Normally, when you copy+paste or add in an image into photoshop it will utilise something called "Bicubic image interpolation"; this usually works best with images that are of higher resolution and higher quality, and not so well with images that are imported with low resolution or pixel art.

I was confused about it, trying to see what the problem is myself so that I could import my pixel art final outcomes onto the presentation poster. What I decided to do was message my course director about the situation:

I asked him whether or not he knew what was going on with the photo becoming blurry as I tried either scaling it up or scaling it down. He suggested that it might be a scaling method issue, where bicubic scaling is being used instead of nearest neighbour scaling. This turned out not the be the case, and I later problem solved by going back into the edit settings, going into preferences and selecting nearest neighbour as an image interpolation setting; all along it was just some resampling method I had forgotten to switch over from bicubic to nearest neighbour.

The different between bicubic and nearest neighbour is the fact that bicubic treats pixels differently to nearest neighbour; bicubic regards pixels in a manner where if the image is manipulated, the pixels will react to that warping and develop themselves to the image. However, nearest neighbour interpolation keeps the edges of everything in the image fixed; meaning that the quality of pixels will not become lower through scaling, because the edges of the pixels are fixed.

RPG-7

[rpgse7enx4]

Professional Outcome - The Comprehensive Law Enforcement Asset Pack - By RPG.

A reflection:

Where the designs successful?

Yes, I think they were. For the style of art I focused on, which was pixel art, its difficult for such a low resolution asset pack to be so detailed; but because I knew what need to be detailed and what didn't, the depth shading and outlining came out really well in my opinion. Not only do I think they were successful in a design aspect, but also successful in portraying what they are supposed to actually be in pixel art form.

What thought went well?

In my opinion, the ideas for constructing pixel art assets from the theme of law-enforcement and criminality was a good niche that I explored; not only did I learn a lot about the history of the items used, but their importance as well. Because police have existed for many centuries as both a concept and a force, the understanding of today's police is accentuated by historical events; especially in the US after 9/11 when the country was coping with the threat of both domestic and international terrorism, and the loss of many NYPD officers on Ground Zero.

If I could change something, what would I change?

If given the opportunity to change something, I would push myself to create more detailed pixel art assets; maybe in a higher resolution for easier adaptation into a game or game concept. But, I wouldn't just change the development of the asset pack; I would also change the way I think, research and reference anything to do with the project because my time management wasn't the best and I can admit that...but further research into more historical details could unveil a whole new thought into the development of further adaptations to the asset pack.

What did I learn from developing, processing and presenting?

I learnt a lot about everything, really. Not only did I have to learn a completely new image editing program, but I started to become more in depth with the way I portray my ideas in pixel art; my research became way more in depth (even though I wrote loads, which now I think was slightly unnecessary) and my referencing was more generic towards my subject matter. To be truthful, learning how to develop the asset pack wasn't the only thing I had learnt; becoming better with time, and never backing down from the opportunity of improving an outcome are things that I can learn from, even though I might have been a little bad with time this project it is still something I can improve on in the future.

The Comprehensive Law Enforcement Asset Pack - a creation by RPG-7

RPG-7

[rpgse7enx4]

How I made my assets with GIMP - By RPG.

I will show how I created one asset (using similar methods to create the others) in GIMP, and how I used detail to create depth within the asset.

Here are the steps:

First, I decided to set the resolution for this asset pack at 64x64; a suitable, but small resolution.

I did this by making another canvas, and setting the resolution at just that:

After, I went straight to configuring the grid size, gridlines and spacing for my asset. I did this by going to "Image" then "Configure grid":

When the prompt opened, I decided that I wanted to have the horizontal and vertical spacing at 1; meaning for every 1 pixel within the 64x64 resolution, there would be a block:

To display my configured grid, I went to "Show" and then "Show Grid":

Now my canvas looked like this:

Immediately, I decided to add an "alpha channel"; a layer of some sorts that lets you take away the background. This was important because I was working with lighter colours and its harder to see them with a white background.

Using the fuzzy selection tool, known otherwise as the magic wand tool, I removed the background.

Now, to place the first pixel.

I started with the basic shape of the asset, which was supposed to look like a court document:

Then I started bringing depth into the equation:

And then I started placing text:

I finished up with the text on the side, shaded it to give it depth and decided to add a stamp and more ingrained lines; to check if everything was good, I took away the grid.

Everything looked good, but for the stamp I decided to give it some more depth during the creation of this asset so that's what I went with.

And the final product was done!

A reflection:

Overall, creating the assets was done with relative ease; however, there was one issue which I encountered just before producing the assets, and this was the fact that I had started them off on Photoshop but then transitioned to GIMP. This was because I found that Photoshop's grid formatting wasn't very concise for getting the right spacing for each block; and this is something that GIMP had that was better, the fact that I could change the spacing horizontally and vertically without the need for changing gridlines.

Another issue I encountered was with asset creation was the fact that Photoshop's magic wand tool relies on tolerance levels to get rid of background; testing Photoshop to see whether or not it was good for pixel art found me making an example and then seeing if some of the pixels disappeared in the process of removing the background, this turned out to be a thing and when I removed the background and some pixels had either faded or just completely went. GIMPs fuzzy selection tool worked a whole lot better with removing the background around the actual pixel art itself and I never encountered any pixels fading out.

One way I counteracted both issues with Photoshop was to see if any other programs were to work well with pixel art creation; and I was surprised when I found out that GIMP could be used for it, because I had only really known it for being a program that you could edit textures on for games. If given the chance, I would've used Aseprite; but because it is payware, it would've required me to be able to properly invest in it.

RPG-7

[rpgse7enx4]

Asset moodboard - Asset pack - By RPG.

On the left:

DEA flip badge, and its real life equivalent.

Interpol passport outside and inside (for separate uses), and its real life equivalent.

Middle:

FBI badge, and its real life equivalent.

FBI JTTF (Joint Terrorism Task Force) Jacket, and its real life equivalent.

Right:

Blood-stained M9 Photonis II and its real life equivalent on a gun.

Bankruptcy court document (fictionalised) and its real life counterpart.

Burned out cigarette (normally used for DNA analysis), and a relative image.

RPG-7

[rpgse7enx4]

The process of creating my assets, using GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) and Photoshop - By RPG.

Steps (Photoshop):

To open a new canvas, go to "New File" on the home screen:

This should bring up a prompt asking you for your preferred resolution, in this case I used 64x64. When the canvas has opened, you want to make sure you make another layer:

To setup the grid, after you have created the project, go to "Edit" and then "Preferences" followed by "Guides, grids and slices":

Clicking on this should bring up a prompt:

For pixel art, you only want to focus on the "Grid" section:

Change the "centimeters" to "pixels", and chose your preferable gridlines and subdivisions; for 64x64 I prefer 16 gridlines and 16 subdivisions.

After, to display the grid, go to "View" and then "Show" followed by "Grid":

This should display the grid on the canvas.

Once you are ready to draw onto the canvas, select the pencil tool (like in GIMP, as the brush tool will not work); if the pencil tool isn't already selected, you can selected it from the brush tool by right clicking.

Once you have the pencil tool selected, you can now get on to changing the colour; to do this, you can use the colour picker on the right; or if you click the top or bottom colours on the left, you can chose to use a hex code or advanced settings to pick the colour.

Once your pixel art creation has been drawn, and if you want to have it in front of a transparent background, you will need to select the magic wand tool from the taskbar and click onto the canvas:

It should appear like this:

(As an example, not an actual asset I have created)

The same applies with deleting the background, you just simply unlock the background layer and then press delete; the background should just disappear.

To save the project, go to "File" and then "Export" followed by "Export As":

This should bring up a prompt:

An alternative method is to go to "File" and then "Save a copy":

This should also bring up a prompt where you can either save it directly to your pc or to the creative cloud.

And that's how you produce pixel art on Photoshop.

RPG-7

[rpgse7enx4]

The process of creating my assets, using GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) and Photoshop - By RPG.

Steps (GIMP):

To set up a blank canvas that is of any resolution (as long as it is 64x64, 128x128, 256x256 or 512x512 resolution), go to "File" and then "New"; this should bring up a prompt that will ask you for a certain resolution in pixels.

Once you have your blank canvas, and it is in whatever resolution you want it to be in, go to "Image" in the top taskbar and then "Configure grid"; this should bring up a grid that can be configured

If you want a perfect "pixel art" grid, I recommend setting the spacing in pixels (top section) to 1 for both horizontal and vertical spacing.

After configuring the grid's spacing, go to "View" and then "Show grid".

This should enable the grid to be seen on the canvas.

To draw on the canvas, between the spaces, you will need to have the pencil tool equipped (the brush tool will not work, it will add colour to the canvas but not in between the spaces).

To change the colour of the pencil, their are two colour swatches; a primary (in grey in the above image) and a secondary (white in the above image). Clicking on either of the swatches will bring up a "change foreground colour" menu:

With this menu, you can either chose the colour from the left colour picker, the sliders, an eyedrop tool or an HTML notation (or hex code).

When you've chose the colour, you will need to make sure the pencil size is set to "1", this ensures that the pencil will draw in between the spaces.

Once finished with the pixel art drawing, and if you want to save it as a transparent image, you will need to add an "alpha channel" (this instantly makes the background transparent).

Once this is done, you can take away the background by using the "fuzzy select tool"; clicking on the background will highlight it, and pressing delete will get rid of it.

The result should look like this:

To save the project as a PNG file, go to "File" and then "Export as":

A prompt should come up asking you what you want to name it, and in what folder you would want to put it.

And that's the simple way on how to make any sort of high or low quality pixel art on GIMP.

RPG-7

[rpgse7enx4]

3 assets that I have chosen for definite to make - By RPG.

For an asset pack themed around law-enforcement, both in modern and historical contexts, reference material is important to guarantee realistic implements for realistic assets, and inspiration for fictional ones.

3 assets that I have chose to create (and their reference images):

FBI Raid Jackets:

The reason I have chosen to create this as an asset is because of its notoriety, and it being such an iconic and recognisable piece of law-enforcement history. For me, it is important to not only captivate the iconic retro design of the jacket but also the importance it has; with it being seen used during many major historic catastrophes and events, such as the Waco Siege, Ruby Ridge incident and 9/11 to name even a few.

(John P. O'Neill's FBI Jacket at the 9/11 Memorial)

Interpol passport:

The reason I have chosen to create this as an asset is because of its unusual nature, and the limited knowledge there is around this document that Interpol agents use to get from country to country without raising suspicion. I think it would be nice to incorporate a fictionalised version of something that would both be a niche and also a nice representation of something that isn't exactly well represented.

(Interpol passport and inside card)

DEA badge/insignia:

Police/law enforcement agent badges are synonymous with pop-culture, whether its seeing it being used by Crocket and Tubbs on Miami Vice or by Clint Eastwood on Walker, Texas Ranger. The sole reason I have chose to recreate this in pixel art form is because of its importance; and the power that is held behind the badge. A fictionalised version would work the best as it wouldn't be as controversial as adding in a fully realistic version.

RPG-7

[rpgse7enx4]

What are asset packs? An explanation - By RPG.

An asset pack for a game is a curated collection of pre-made visual, audio, and interactive elements specifically designed to aid game developers in creating and enhancing their games more efficiently. These packs are invaluable as they significantly reduce the time and effort required to produce high-quality game assets from scratch.

These can include:

Textures and Sprites: These are 2D images used to create the visual elements of the game. Textures might be used for surfaces like walls, floors, and skies, while sprites are often used for characters, objects, and user interface elements. These assets can range from simple icons to detailed character designs.

3D Models: These are digital representations of objects in three dimensions, essential for 3D games. They include characters, environmental structures, vehicles, weapons, and other interactive objects. High-quality models often come with detailed textures and can be animated for more dynamic interactions.

Animations: Animations bring characters and objects to life. They can include movements like walking, running, jumping, attacking, and various idle behaviours. For objects, animations might include things like doors opening, vehicles moving, or environmental effects like trees swaying.

Audio Files: Sound is crucial for creating an immersive gaming experience. Asset packs often include a variety of audio files such as sound effects (explosions, footsteps, weapon sounds), background music to set the mood and ambiance, voice clips for characters, and ambient sounds that create a sense of place (birds chirping, wind blowing).

Scripts and Code Snippets: These are pieces of pre-written code that can add functionality to the game without the developer having to write it from scratch. They can include things like AI behaviour for non-player characters, physics interactions, special effects, and user interface controls.

Particle Effects: These are used to create complex visual effects like fire, smoke, rain, magic spells, and explosions. They add a dynamic and visually appealing element to the game.

Asset packs can be categorised based on their purpose and style. Some are designed to be versatile and generic, suitable for a wide range of games, while others are highly specialized, tailored to specific genres or themes like fantasy, sci-fi, horror, or realistic simulations.

These packs are widely available through online marketplaces such as the Unity Asset Store, Unreal Engine Marketplace, and other third-party sites. They can be purchased, often under various licensing agreements, or downloaded for free, depending on the creator's terms.

For indie developers, small studios, or anyone working on prototypes or game jams, asset packs provide a valuable shortcut to producing polished and professional-looking games without the need for large teams or extensive budgets. By leveraging these resources, developers can focus more on gameplay mechanics, storytelling, and overall game design, rather than spending time on creating every asset from scratch.

RPG-7

[rpgse7enx4]

The rules for my project; project analysis - By RPG.

Guidelines that I have to meet to guarantee the best possible outcome:

Making sure to use appropriate software, such as image editing tools GIMP and Photoshop (for developing the asset pack assets, and for showcasing them); or, using specialist websites/software like pixelart.com and Aseprite to complete outcomes.

Showcasing the asset pack professionally, using websites to "advertise" my asset pack like Itch.IO or Artstation; and including any process used along the way, like developmental processes.

Blogging any progress with the asset pack, like a guide on how I used GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) and its internal component tools to create a blank canvas and using its 126x126 colour palette to create an asset.

Asset must be within a certain theme/subject matter, in this case my asset pack will revolve around the topics of the criminal underworld and law-enforcement. This is important to establish appropriate colour palettes, and to make sure that the assets are appropriate to fit with the theme in question.

Using reference images to compare to my outcomes after they have been made, this could be anything from pictures of clothing items worn by law enforcement personnel to evidence that would be collected during investigations on crime scenes (for example, fingerprints, documentation and weaponry).

Making sure that the resolution for the assets is suitable, whether that is 64x64, 128x128, 256x256 or 512x512 resolution with regards to how much shading and detail that would want portrayed onto the assets (for example, some games would demand for lower quality assets to fit in with the style of game; and some would demand for higher quality, shaded, assets).

RPG-7

[rpgse7enx4]

CS2; video game analysis - By RPG.

CS2, also known as Counter-Strike 2, is a multiplayer first-person shooter (FPS) video game developed and published by Valve Corporation. It is a sequel to the highly popular Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). The game features various modes, including competitive and casual matchmaking, where players are divided into two teams: Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists. Each team has objectives to complete, such as planting or defusing a bomb, or rescuing or guarding hostages.

Key Features of CS2:

Updated Graphics and Engine: CS2 uses Valve's Source 2 engine, providing enhanced graphics, improved physics, and more realistic environments.

New and Improved Maps: The game includes classic maps with updated designs and new maps to explore.

Advanced AI and Physics: Better AI for bots and more realistic physical interactions within the game world.

Skins and Customization: Players can customize their characters and weapons with a wide range of skins and cosmetic items.

Competitive Play: A ranking system and matchmaking ensure players are matched with others of similar skill levels.

Connection with Law Enforcement:

Counter-Strike games, including CS2, have an interesting and somewhat complex relationship with law enforcement agencies.

Training and Simulation: Some law enforcement agencies use modified versions of games like Counter-Strike for training purposes. These simulations help officers practice tactical decision-making and team coordination in a controlled virtual environment. The realism and strategic elements of CS2 can provide valuable training scenarios.

Research and Development: Academic institutions and research organizations collaborate with law enforcement to study behaviour and decision-making in high-pressure situations using video games. Insights from such research can inform police training programs and operational strategies.

Community Engagement: Law enforcement agencies have participated in gaming events and communities to build relationships with the public, especially younger demographics. These interactions can help in fostering trust and understanding between the police and the community.

Counteracting Extremism and Radicalization: Law enforcement agencies monitor online gaming communities, including those in games like CS2, to detect and counteract extremist activities and recruitment efforts. The social aspects of these games can sometimes be exploited for radicalization, and monitoring these platforms helps in early intervention.

RPG-7

[rpgse7enx4]

Ready Or Not; video game analysis - By RPG.

Ready Or Not is a tactical first-person shooter video game developed and published by VOID Interactive. The game focuses on realistic and challenging gameplay where players assume the role of a SWAT team member. Its development emphasizes tactical realism, making it distinct from other shooter games.

Aspects of Ready Or Not's gameplay:

Training and Procedures: The game’s developers have consulted with real-life law enforcement professionals to ensure that the tactics and procedures used in the game reflect those used by actual SWAT teams. This includes room clearing, breaching techniques, and suspect handling.

Single-Player and Multiplayer Modes: The game offers both single-player and multiplayer modes, allowing players to experience the missions either solo with AI teammates or cooperatively with other players.

AI and Realism: The AI is designed to behave in ways that mimic real-world behaviour of both hostages and suspects, increasing the immersion and difficulty.

Weapon and Equipment Customization: Players can customize their load-outs with various weapons and tactical gear that are modelled after real SWAT equipment.

Links to Law Enforcement Protocol:

Ready Or Not is deeply intertwined with actual law enforcement protocols, which is evident in several aspects:

Training and Procedures: The game’s developers have consulted with real-life law enforcement professionals to ensure that the tactics and procedures used in the game reflect those used by actual SWAT teams. This includes room clearing, breaching techniques, and suspect handling.

Rules of Engagement: Players must adhere to strict rules of engagement similar to those of real law enforcement, such as using non-lethal force whenever possible and avoiding unnecessary civilian casualties.

Scenario Planning: The game’s missions are designed to reflect the types of scenarios SWAT teams might encounter, including hostage rescues, terrorist threats, and drug raids.

Links to Historical Events:

While Ready or Not is a work of fiction, it draws inspiration from historical events and real-life incidents involving SWAT and law enforcement:

Historical SWAT Missions: The scenarios in the game are reminiscent of famous SWAT operations, such as hostage rescues and standoffs. These missions reflect the kind of high-stakes environments SWAT teams have historically dealt with.

Modern Policing Issues: The game addresses contemporary issues in policing, such as the use of force, the importance of de-escalation, and the public perception of law enforcement.

Realistic Settings: The environments and situations in the game often parallel real-world locations and events, providing a sense of realism and urgency that mirrors true SWAT operations.

RPG-7

[rpgse7enx4]

Farcry 6; a video game analysis - By RPG.

Farcry 6, developed by Ubisoft Toronto and published by Ubisoft, is a first-person shooter game set in the fictional Caribbean island of Yara, inspired by modern-day Cuba. The game, released in 2021, centres on themes of revolution, oppression, and the fight for freedom.

The setting, Yara, is a tropical paradise that is both beautiful and deadly, featuring lush jungles, beaches, and urban areas, as well as decaying industrial zones. The capital city, Esperanza, serves as a critical battleground for action within the game.

Farcry 6 is set in the present day, blending elements of contemporary society with the aesthetic and political atmosphere of mid-20th century Latin American dictatorships.

Yara is ruled by the tyrannical dictator Anton Castillo, portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito. Castillo's regime is characterized by severe oppression, forced labour, propaganda, and violent suppression of dissent. The dictator’s goal is to restore Yara to its former glory, but his methods have plunged the nation into chaos and rebellion.

Metaphorical Representation of a Police State:

Authoritarianism: Castillo's regime exemplifies the characteristics of a police state. The government exercises extreme control over every aspect of life in Yara, from public behaviour to private thoughts. This is enforced through a pervasive military presence, secret police, and widespread surveillance.

Propaganda: The game world is filled with Castillo’s propaganda. Billboards, broadcasts, and speeches glorify the regime and demonize the rebels, reflecting how police states manipulate information to maintain power and control the population.

Suppression of Dissent: Citizens live in fear under Castillo's rule. Public executions, arbitrary arrests, and brutal crackdowns on protests are common, mirroring the real-world tactics of oppressive governments to stifle opposition and maintain an iron grip on power.

Forced Labour and Economic Control: Castillo's vision for Yara involves forced labour in tobacco fields to produce a powerful drug called Viviro, which he claims will save the nation's economy. This element of the game highlights how police states often exploit their citizens for economic gain, under the guise of national progress.

Players take on the role of Dani Rojas, a local guerrilla fighter determined to overthrow Castillo's regime. Dani joins forces with Libertad, a revolutionary group, to ignite a guerrilla war across the island, aiming to liberate Yara from its oppressive rulers.

RPG-7

[rpgse7enx4]

Battlefield Hardline, a video game analysis - By RPG.

Battlefield Hardline is a 2015 first-person shooter developed by Visceral Games and published by Electronic Arts. Unlike other instalments in the Battlefield franchise, Hardline focuses on the mission set of law enforcement entities, the effect of crime and police conflict instead of military themes.

The setting of the game is of a "war on crime", this is unlike any other game in the Battlefield series; and represents the two main factions in the game, law-enforcement special operations teams and criminal enterprises. As the player, you are given access to military-style equipment such as firearms and armoured vehicles; one of these armoured vehicles is the Lenco BearCat. Additionally, the player has access to non-lethal aid like handcuffs, batons and tasers.

In Battlefield Hardline, there are multiple game mods; these include:

Heist: The criminals break into a bank vault, or in some maps break open the doors of an armoured bank car, and then extract packages of cash to an extraction point; the police must intervene.

Blood Money: Both factions must retrieve cash packages from a open crate in the centre of the map, then move the cash to their respective side's armoured truck; players can also steal money from each others trucks. The first team to collate 5 million USD within a time frame wins.

Hotwire: In game drivable cars are used in a Conquest-style "capture the flag". Like traditional Conquest, players must hotwire vehicles and drive within a certain speed limitation; this will bleed supply of the oppositions re-enforcement tickets. The team that has the most remaining tickets left wins.

Rescue: 3 minute long 5v5 competitive mode, where both teams clash whilst SWAT teams make an entrance in attempt to rescue hostages kept in captivity by criminals. Cops can win by killing all the criminals, or saving the hostages in time; and criminals can win by killing all the cops or keeping hostages captive even after negotiations. Each player has one life, meaning no respawns.

Crosshair: A second competitive mode in Hardline, 5v5 and 3 minutes long. In Crosshair, the objective for the police is to defend a player controlled VIP who is under fire from criminals. Criminals can win by killing the VIP, and the police can win by defending the VIP until he has reached an extraction point.

The setting for Battlefield Hardline is primarily in urban environments across the United States, with major action taking place in fictionalized versions of Miami and Los Angeles. The settings range from gritty inner-city neighborhoods to luxurious suburban areas, providing a diverse backdrop for the game's narrative and multiplayer maps. As for the time it is set in, the game takes place in contemporary times, reflecting the outlook of modern-day crime, law enforcement technology, and urban life.

Hardline's central theme revolves around the war on crime, specifically drug trafficking, organized crime, and corruption within law enforcement agencies. This marks a significant departure from the military combat themes of previous Battlefield games. The single-player campaign follows Nick Mendoza, a young detective in the Miami Police Department. Players experience a narrative-driven story where Mendoza navigates through the criminal underworld while dealing with personal and professional betrayals. The storyline is structured like a crime drama, complete with episodic formats and cliffhangers, drawing inspiration from popular TV police procedurals.

Unlike traditional Battlefield games that emphasize large-scale warfare, Hardline’s campaign incorporates investigative elements. Players gather evidence, interrogate suspects, and make arrests, adding a detective-style gameplay layer to the usual first-person shooting mechanics. This makes this Battlefield instalment all the more analytical, and forces the player to take a different approach to dealing with things in the game.

As for the customisation aspect, players can choose to play as either law enforcement or criminals, with distinct equipment, vehicles, and technology available to each side. Customization options allow players to tailor their load-outs to suit their playstyle, whether they prefer heavy weaponry, stealth tactics, or vehicular combat.

RPG-7

[rpgse7enx4]

Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA V), a video game analysis - By RPG.

Grand Theft Auto, also known synonymously as GTA V is a 2013 action-adventure game and the seventh installment to the Grand Theft Auto linage. It is set within the fictional state of Los Santos, based on SoCal (Southern California); which is divided into two regions, Los Santos and Blaine County.

The single-player story follows three protagonists, all of which with varying qualities and traits, carry out a series of criminal acts (such as large-scale heists, contract murders) against a corrupt government and a vast array of wealthy and powerful criminals/entities. These protagonists are known as Trevor, Franklin and Michael in game; based upon their real life counterparts Steven Ogg, Shawn Fonteno and Ned Luke respectively.

You can chose to travel round the map by foot, or by vehicle; from either a first person, or third person perspective. The player can control which player they play as, by switching to them during or outside of missions. The story mainly focuses on the criminality of the trio, where they set up banks, and involve a lot of shooting and driving involvement; this is all sanctioned and governed by a wanted system, that as you climb the rungs more enforcement of the law occurs and the response of police and law-enforcement agencies gets progressively more intensified.

The basis for game research, idea generation and referencing came from the use of reference imagery taken by Rockstar development teams. As for the soundtrack of the game, it was composed by many different collaborators over several years.

(Screenshot of Franklin, one of the three protagonists, outside of his house in story mode within the game).

The prologue is set in 2004, in a fictional town called Ludendorff in a fictional region named as North Yankton; where Trevor Phillips, Michael Townley and Brad Snider fail at partaking in an armed heist of a bank depot, resulting in Michael being presumed dead for 9 years. Nine years after, Michael lives with his family in Los Santos under the moniker Michael De Santa having made an agreement with the FIB (GTA's take on the FBI, Federal Bureau of Investigation) agent Dave Norton to keep his true identity hidden. As for Franklin Clinton, who lives across Los Santos, he starts off working for a corrupt car salesman by the name of Simeon Yeterian who meets Michael whilst illegitimately "repossessing" his car. Both Michael and Franklin become friends after this dispute and, when Michael catches his wife sleeping with her tennis coach, give chase to this tennis coach which leads them to a mansion. This is where Michael decides to heavily damage the mansion by hooking a rope to a pillar that supports the mansion to a jeep's tow-hitch, and pull at said pillar until it gave way; leaving half the mansion to completely collapse. After this, the mansion owner (a man called Martin Madrazo, a drug kingpin) demands repayment for the damage caused to his mansion from Michael and forces Michael to rob a jewelry store (Vangelico, in game) to get the necessary funds to pay off this debt. Trevor, who is living in squalor-like conditions in a trailer in Blaine County hears of Michael's heist and takes the opportunity to reunite with him. Further, Trevor tries to consolidate control over various criminal enterprises within Los Santos, such as waging war against The Lost MC, Latino street gangs, rival methamphetamine dealers, Blackwater PMC (Private Military Company) and triad Wei Cheng.

In my opinion, this game symbolises the hidden world of criminals; whether it is arms-running, narco-trafficking, contract murder, kidnapping or any other aspect of organised crime. Additionally, it shows the ever-relevant and prevalent public corruption within law-enforcement agencies; and how these agencies can sometimes slip under the net when faced with controversy...this can be seen in GTA when a FIB agent asks Michael to trespass into the IAA headquarters and defile/remove information linked to said FIB agent.

In the game, all three characters are involved and linked with multiple varieties of criminal acts; Trever is involved with the importation and export of controlled substances and arms-smuggling, whilst Michael has a history of committing bank robberies, the unlawful use of illicit weapons and being a brigand, and Franklin's involvement with gang crime, especially unlawful use of firearms and his involvement in the drugs trade.

This links really well with the situation, not only in the United States, but worldwide with the issues that crime and fraud have in society; GTA showcases the destructive nature crime can have on one's mental sanctity and on one's decision making, and the future of their wellbeing, dependent on what actions they have taken in the past.

RPG-7

[rpgse7enx4]

F-15 Strike Eagle (video game), a pixel-art game; an explanation - By RPG.

F-15 Strike Eagle (the video game about the F-15 fighter jet), is a flight simulation game released initially for Atari 8-bit computers in 1984.

In 1991, an arcade version was released by the name of "F-15 Strike Eagle" which share most of the fundamental components of the Atari version for home computers.

The game tasks the player with carrying out missions, or sorties, within multiple locations of the player's choice; these locations include Libya (similar to missions carried out during Op: El Dorado Canyon, in retaliation to the West Berlin discotheque bombing in 1986), Vietnam (During the Vietnam War) and The Persian Gulf (During early conflicts in the Middle East, too early for the Gulf War).

Notes to make:

The game's layout is basically a HUD style "cockpit" (or the canopy's Heads-Up-Display and altimeter), where three other viewpoints are available to the player: the fighter aircraft's armaments, radar, and sortie/targeting map.

Pixel art in this game is very very simplistic, with the HUD only really being comprised of a altimeter and crosshair and counters like the altimeter, speed, Mach, heading and RPM indicators.

There is practically no level design; in this screenshot, the "level" is just a plain shade of green (to signify a plain grass landscape) and could change depending on the mission set the player follows (with green more likely being Vietnam, and a tan colour more likely to be Libya or the Gulf).

Again, no real colour palette set; it tends to just be plain shades of darker colours. The only real "outsider" shade is the black, as it outlines most of the cockpit/canopy and the armament and radar displays.

For being an early flight simulator, the attention to the radar display is quite good; to replicate an early-warning radar of the late-70s to mid-1980s (the F-15 being produced in the 1970s, and undergoing radar system overhauls throughout their deployment to foreign conflict zones) they have used a lattice-style to indicate coordinate grids (pinpointing opposition aircraft based on distance and coordinates instead of modern radiation tracking).

Conclusively, there is not much to the game other than its mechanics; and of course, the way it portrays the speed of the aircraft. Shading isn't shown at all, and outlining is only really kept to bare minimums. The aspect of the game is clear, to be a very simple representation of how it is to fly and use armament (non-realistically) with the F-15.

RPG-7

[rpgse7enx4]

Out Run, a pixel-art game; an explanation - By RPG.

Out Run (stylised as OutRun) is an arcade driving video game initially released by Sega in September of 1986.

Upon release, the game was renowned for its pioneering mechanics and graphics, non-linear gameplay and its selectable soundtrack; along with its peripheral hydraulic motion simulator deluxe arcade cabinet.

The idea generation for the game was done by Yu Suzuki, who travelled to Europe for the development of the game's levels/stages; bearing in mind that Suzuki only had a small team and a guidelines to follow, including the deadline of ten months to finish such project.

It is classified as a psuedo-3D game, meaning that it gives the illusion that it is portrayed as 3D but within a 2D setting. The objective for the player is to drive a red Ferrari Testarossa convertible, from a third-person rear perspective.

Notes to make:

The HUD is done in pixel-art style, and is very simplistic.

The designs for the car in the game were based upon pictures taken by the game's design team when on a trip to European countries and their respective cities (for example Milan and Monaco), of the Ferrari Testarossa. When this design team arrived back into Japan, they furthered the process by finding a suitable example of a Testarossa in Japan so that they could also have local reference photos.

The level design is done in very minimal detail, mainly utilising the stylisation of pixel-art. No outlining is really that present in any of the levels in the game, with most of it being dedicated to highlighting objectives like signs and other vehicles. The skymapping/skyboxing is done very minimally, too; where the clouds are thickened and placed so that they can fill the skybox (kind of in an act of desperation, I think?).

Objects: Signage, vehicles, foliage (both on the side of the roads, and the foliage present at a further viewpoint), water.

As the entirety of the game is in pixel-art, it is hard to render an exact resolution to which the pixel-art in question is being framed at. In my opinion, the objects/assets in the game look like they have been done in a smaller resolution, or in many pieces and then put together to form one bigger asset. Another conclusion is that the assets are done in a definite lower resolution, but had more detail added on to them during the creation process (basically, exactly like texture filtering; or anisotropic filtering).

Conclusively, pixel-art is used in a very simple manner in Out Run; but, this shouldn't be taken as a negative thing but more as a positive thing. In terms of rendering, and what power it would take one device to load it in comparison with another (optimisation at its most basic level) it is more-well suited for those with less powerful devices because of the lack of high-intensity shading. Overall, its a sensibly designed game in that regard.

RPG-7

[rpgse7enx4]

Streets of Rage, a pixel-art game; an explanation - By RPG.

Streets of Rage (titled as "Bare Knuckle" for the Japanese market), is a series of side-scrolling beat-'em-up games.

The setting for this game is the the focus on the efforts of several ex-police vigilantes, on trying to expel of a crime syndicate operating within the fictional metropolis of Wood Oak City; in a case of public corruption.

There are two categorisations for the Streets of Rage franchise; the "Original Trilogy" which consists of the first three releases of Streets of Rage, between the years 1991 till 1994. Additionally, the second categorisation is anything after 1994, up until its most recent release in 2020; being Streets of Rage 4, decades after it was set to release prior.

Streets of Rage 2 is notable for its use of 90's club music as inspiration for gameplay, as well as its newly defined graphics and advanced selection of moves.

(Original rendition of Streets of Rage, and the first instalment into the franchise)

Notes to make:

The stylisation of the game is VERY retro, with it intertwining with most early Sega Genesis releases; there are notable similarities with other beat-'em-up games like Street Fighter II, with the use of similar mechanics and an overall indifferent perspective.

Pixel-art is used not just for the character and level designs, but also for the HUD layout. For games developed around the 1990s, this was a common sight; especially for fighting games, and games that revolved around combat.

The colour palette is minimal, but also is used to highlight certain things; in my opinion, I think this is done on purpose to create a dingy atmosphere for the player (the setting, of course, being a corrupted cityscape) and the use of teal and darker shades helps envision that. Additionally, this is different for the signs which show the only real light in these designs; it can also be said for the character designs, that are made vibrant to enhance their importance and relevance in the game.

Objection in the game is made very clear. The clever use of pixel-art for explosions and the showcasing of movement keep the game uniform.

RPG-7