how to plan your last year project | advices

hypnos

hello guys im going to create a game level from scratch including
concept art , if you were in my place how would you aproach it , i need you opinions ! thank you !:)

DrunkShaman

I would personally start sketching the environment randomly keeping the theme of the environment in mind, roughly. Then pick the best ones that are appealing, refine them and paint them. Then I would break them down in to sections as to 1-10 and work it in sections like they do in the monthly noob challenge.

StephenVyas

Jotting down a few notes might help the flow in the initial planning

A few ideas such as..
1-What's the purpose of the level. The circumstance?
Is it an exploration level
Rescue & Escape mission
Finding the purpose of your lvl will help help determine the lay of the land and what obstacles you'll need to have in there- Whether it's ambushes to puzzles or other conflicts etc.

2- Time Setting
Determining whether it's in the prehistoric age or future, will help with assessing the architecture as well as props you can toss in

3- Environment / weather: help to add to the atmosphere of the level as well as help to choose your color palette.

4- And reality: What theme or genre/style are you going for?

These would be a few questions off the top of my head that i'd try to nail down first.

hypnos

Nitewalkr wrote: »

I would personally start sketching the environment randomly keeping the theme of the environment in mind, roughly. Then pick the best ones that are appealing, refine them and paint them. Then I would break them down in to sections as to 1-10 and work it in sections like they do in the monthly noob challenge.

very clear and simple pipeline , thnaks for sharing

hypnos

StephenVyas wrote: »

Jotting down a few notes might help the flow in the initial planning

A few ideas such as..
1-What's the purpose of the level. The circumstance?
Is it an exploration level
Rescue & Escape mission
Finding the purpose of your lvl will help help determine the lay of the land and what obstacles you'll need to have in there- Whether it's ambushes to puzzles or other conflicts etc.

2- Time Setting
Determining whether it's in the prehistoric age or future, will help with assessing the architecture as well as props you can toss in

3- Environment / weather: help to add to the atmosphere of the level as well as help to choose your color palette.

4- And reality: What theme or genre/style are you going for?

These would be a few questions off the top of my head that i'd try to nail down first.

nice explanation

but i still find problems in choosing architectural style and color palette , would you explain how you would aproach such things , keep in mind im going for a sci fi style combined with some natural elements like jungle and forests...

StephenVyas

Building a reference library of architecture photos that you enjoy would help to focus in on the style you're going for. By taking a bit from each photo that you like, it's possible to build upon that premise.
For a color palette, you can search through google and read about color theory and how light affects the environment. A quick google search came up witha gamasutra link that had an artcle about "the difficulties of color"using an old game called Spyro the dragon as reference.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3173/lessons_in_color_theory_for_spyro_.php

hypnos

StephenVyas wrote: »

Building a reference library of architecture photos that you enjoy would help to focus in on the style you're going for. By taking a bit from each photo that you like, it's possible to build upon that premise.
For a color palette, you can search through google and read about color theory and how light effects the environment. A quick google search came up witha gamasutra link that had an artcle about "the difficulties of color"using an old game called Spyro the dragon as reference.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3173/lessons_in_color_theory_for_spyro_.php

i have an old reference folder , i think i will find some useful things ther .. , and thanks for the link thats what im looking for