Project 7: The Penguins

Today we had to have some idea of what it is we were to base our concept around. We were able to come up with an idea that looks to be more original and different in this field area oppose to the standard treasure hunt/task completing style. It will be about getting the player to become immersed into this world by being taken to see various passages around this world like an exhibition. This will allow a way of explaining to the player important information about what the world is like without it seeming like they are just being introduced to it for the first time. The way of giving the information will involve some sort of visual or audio medium.

This idea has gained the most unanimous amount of interest so far and looks to be the one to take further towards a story concept. So far we have come up with a few concepts involving this idea and highlighted the values of each one. We agreed that this will need thorough discussion and maybe a few more concepts on Tuesday before we can finalise on what to decide on. Over the weekend we will look into researching other practices that have used similar ideas, including movies, games, books etc. to help with the creative thinking.

E3 2011, an exhibition of the world around electronic games. An example of what our idea is based about.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/playstationblogeurope/5813474839/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Our group name is also called "The Penguins"

Project 7: Alternate Reality

It is time for the final studio project of the year. This is where I will have to prove myself. Not just for the teachers, but for students seeking others to work with next year. This project I think has been left very broad for a reason, it allows us to use skills and knowledge picked up from the year and display them here in this experience. The group I am apart of seems to be very dynamic in their opinions. It is mixed with artists and movie enthusiasts. Like every group I have been apart of this year, I wanted to work with ones I have not yet had the chance to. I was lucky enough to be in a team with at least one different person. I would have liked to work with a few other different students as I have admired their work in the past. It would of been a good look into how they think and collaborate in groups before next year where it is too late to know. In saying that I am happy with the group I have.

On the first day we went straight into what was required on the brief and were eager to start on an idea to develop and take further. The next day, after some processing and thought development we felt that we needed to pull back and become more in depth with what it was we wanted to create and why. So we brainstormed possible experiences we could create that included what emotional and meaningful factors we wanted to be portrayed for the player.

http://www.sixtostart.com/onetoread/2008/everything-you-know-about-args-is-wrong/

After looking over the brief I have seen that it is required to include a group portfolio that talks about the group dynamics as well as reflection on each member and what they contributed for the group. I do not see how accurate this will be as it is very hard to be honest in front of a person when discussing their input that is anything but positive without offending them. We will make a daily record for the timeline by using weekly diary sheets that can reflect on each day explaining not just what the member did but also how they worked with other members. So far these sheets have helped develop more of an understanding at where everyone is at in the group and have helped me become more involved in the concept and story development of the project.

References

1. “Everything you know about ARGs is WRONG,” Six to Start, n.d., http://www.sixtostart.com/onetoread/2008/everything-you-know-about-args-is-wrong/.

Project 6: End Result

Final Hand In

I was finally able to print onto the CD Tuesday afternoon and start testing how visible the images looked. I found the visibility was sufficient enough with the black bars I had printed onto the transparent paper with to continue. I however, did think that I could of made the images bigger on the CD and used more time to do this. I was able to finish attaching the sides together on the package and have a CD inside for each one.  

The CD printing

My final thoughts:

I am satisfied with the concept and design of the product. There are a few areas I should have gone into more depth with, such as the physical components of the package that affected how the CD was placed inside. I also think if I had put more time into testing the CD printing I could have got the images at a decent size for the consumer to look at as well as made them look a little more encrypted since the faces were quite visible on the CD. The way to open the package is on the right side by opening the tab. Overall this project has improved my drawing techniques and has brought me into a world of design and production.

The CD design and package design.

Project 6: Printing Problems

Week 5

In the final days before hand in I was ready to print onto the CDs on the Monday afternoon. Unfortunately due to all the black ink from the cartridge being empty, my production process had to be further delayed until Tuesday morning when the new cartridge would be delivered. The testing of the black bars on the CD design would have to be postponed to then as well.

To use the remaining time constructively, I focused on printing and cutting out the net of the package. My original plan for this was to print white ink onto the thick black paper. I thought white ink would be an importance to have for customers wanting to print using coloured paper. As it turns out, white ink is a rarity to come across and was not possible to find in the time I had left. This led me to change to using the white thick paper and just printing almost a page worth of black ink onto it. The results looked very similar to the thick black paper and was a good substitute for the package material.  

The printing of black ink onto white paper.

The cutting out of the package net was very time consuming and slightly difficult to fold into place. Once they were starting to take shape I realised that holding the CD in place as well as spinning it still had to be tested. After coming up with a few prototypes I found the strongest supporting holder was using a door noise reducer, magnet, and the center part of a CD case. Once a hole was cut in the center of the package the pieces were glued together and allowed the CD to clip from the inside while being able to spin from the outside.

The center clip piece of a CD case.

Project 6: Digital Design Completion

Week 4

I have now finished with my design of the encrypted images and now have them in digital form. They have needed to be resized and modified from the sketches since they are really small and the details on their faces are not as visible. Since it is late Friday, I will not be able to print them onto a CD until Monday now which will delay the packaging process as the black bars need to be of the right size and changed if needed, before I print final prints onto the transparent paper and attach them with the package material.

The nine sketches traced into Illustrator and lined up in order.

The design of the package has been finalised and is ready for printing on Monday. I will print onto thick black paper and use a craft knife to cut out the packaging. I have considered using the laser printer to create a more accurate result in cutting but have talked with other students who have tried and it seems to have become a hassle to get anywhere close to using it because of how much of a disturbance it has been on others using the space. Because of this I have decided to use the time I have left getting a result I can use, then waste it waiting in line for a machine that I might be denied access to.

The final design created in Illustrator ready for printing.

The material I will use to print onto for my package. They include transparent paper, thick white paper and thick black paper.

Project 6: Being Square

Week 4

The final sketch of the round CD package.

I have developed some of the drawings into Photoshop form and tested the visibility of the image after it has been altered into its sections. It is not too visible under the black bars so I have had to increase the thickness. Doing this has made it a lot better to look at but might become totally different when its size is shrunk dramatically to fit onto the CD.

The monkey traced from my sketches and then altered into the black lines with an increase in line thickness.

After looking at my sketches for the CD package I have thought about how I will create this and with what material. I first tried a few tests with cheap CD cases and how well I could change them into the circle shape of my design. Since it is really weak plastic it makes it near impossible to get a rounded circle without cracking into the middle. After researching some more simple looking designs I was able to remember seeing the Flight of the Chonchords CD package. It looks very simple in design and is made out of just hard paper. This is more of the shape of the classic CD case and I think will be easier to create and cut out a net design. I will still include the final package design I made for the round package since the package shape does not affect its look.     

One of the earlier concepts for the round package design in digital form.

Project 6: Monkey business

Week 3

There is this morphing video of a monkey turning into a man and then an orange. This has inspired me to do something that could not only symbolise mans transformation in resources but maybe be mans transformation in evolution itself. It would involve a monkey, a human and a robot. I would have to look into how much I want to animate this illusion as the more different images I have, the longer it will take to start producing the package. I have decided on going with the rotating CD method as it will be more diverse and original. It also means i only need a section of the package to be covered in black bars on transparent paper since the rest of the images that are not in parallel will be out of place and ineffective.

My developments of a monkey transforming into a human and then a robot.

After researching these type of illusions, I came across an artist called Rufus Butler Seder who seems to be the creator and calls it 'scanimation'. He has made books and greeting cards with this effect and continues to use his invention for entertainment purposes. One of my more favourite scanimation books would be his Star Wars one that includes popular scenes from the movies and tells a bit about each one. I would want to consider trying to tell meaning out of my images and see if they can work in unison with each other.

One of my designs of how the CD package would look like on the cover. It uses a light/torch to reveal the images.

Project 6: Keeping it simple

Week 2

After talking with the tutors it would seem I am heading towards what is required of this project. It has been suggested too that I should keep it simple and straightforward, keep it within my concept and still look artistically appealing. Going with using only black and white as my colour choice works with the illusion technique as well as relating to my concept on the truth of our surrounding evolution not being entirely clear to us or understood.    
 

This would use the method of sliding the CD into the package to create the design illusion. This would be animated as it slides in and out of the package. It would either be constructed of one big animation or two small ones that split from left to right around the CD.
http://www.mediaheaven.co.uk/slidepack.htm

I have looked into the optical illusion and how it will work. It is possible to create in photoshop easily but will need to be precise in construction and line up the altered image with the black bars. I will need to try some tests first otherwise the end result could be collaborated wrong. I am deciding whether I should use the slide method and have the black bars on the front of the package with the encrypted image lines on the CD. This would make the design technique only in affect when the CD is slid in and out of the package. The other method would be to put a rotated design going around the CD so that only sections of the design would look obvious due to the black lines only working vertically. This method would cause for the CD to have to rotate within the package as well so the customer can easily change between images. The physical testing will only be relative on the final design since the cut out position and size of the lines will work in relation to how big the CD design is and how straight it looks sitting in the package.

Project 6: Optical Illusions

Week 2

Over the weekend I was able to come up with a way of keeping my evolution and transformation process but without the need of a motor or any other electronics. I remember stumbling upon a video about optical illusions. It involves a sequence of black lines on white paper positioned in ways that make them look completely random and don't unveil any sort of structure. A piece of transparent paper with black lines similar to that of a barcode is then moved over top of the first piece to reveal the animation and purpose of the assigned lines. The animation can be found here.

A concept drawing on the simple motor idea.

Upon further research I was able to find simple tutorials on how to make these animations without there being too much hassle. This means I can stay focused on the design more than the function of the package. I am also aware that it would be better to not complicate the shape of the package as it will most likely distract from my design. Upon thinking about how these design technique works, it is clear that the lines link up in parallel form, this may heavily affect my design process if I was to include the CD as part of the effect.  

A version of morphing a human morphing into some sort of raptor/alien. The mid points has one looking more human while other is more alien. About a 70:30 raito.
http://comedycrave.tumblr.com/

I have also come up with a few designs of what it is I want to transform from natural to technological. I have researched certain animations and transformations, this is how I came across morphing that mixes one image with another to create a mixture of the both. I will be looking into morphing and see if I can get something natural to turn into technological so i can relate back to my concept.

Project 6: Simple Motor

I have come to consider using the package as a way of interacting with the CD so that the package is used as a way to show the design to the customer just as our tubing system from the last project would let us hear the sounds. The design itself would be based on how our human evolution has come from natural to technological and is still continuing this way without a known stop. It would be of an animation similar to a zoetrope on the disc that could be evolving from one state to another. The disc would only spin when the package is completely closed, maybe once a button is pressed too. For me to get the CD spinning I would have to have the package carrying a small and simple motor inside like the one I found here. This would mean my design for the package would be based around the motor which I would have to consider as being a big impact to the look and shape of the package. The copper used to spin would have to either have to be attached or placed underneath the disc which I found the copper could also spin using magnets.  

Magnet, AAA battery, copper wire and CD

I experimented a little bit with making my own simple motor the night before critique, it seems to take a bit of precision to get the copper spinning and could be a possible mishap in the manufacturing process. I might need to look into other ways of spinning the disk.

Critique

After the critique I now have to make a choice about using a motor. As much as it would help with my concept it has been noted to take away from this project being about packaging and manufacturing, where as my design looks more like a device, which I agree. I have also been told that it would be possible to get a CD spinner from an old disk reader that would make it easier to create. I will now have to choose if I want to stick with the motor and develop it more so it is not so device like, or remove the motor and figure out a way of still getting the transition of natural to technological.