An ancient tribe rumoured to have been in existence since the creation of the world has been tasked to keep the natural order for generations. A tradition was formed: as a rite of passage for the chosen youth of the tribe, they must track down beasts that come from another world and return them to their rightful place. The challenge does not require the child to kill the monster but does require that the monster no longer exists in their realm. After being granted the magic-infused talisman of the trial by the tribe shaman, Fiowek sets off on a journey to bring back balance to the world and learn of their heritage.
MAKE A GAME!
In the span of a semester (January to April), we were tasked with developing a completely original video game. We were put into interdisciplinary teams with people for computer science, music, and art & design. Created in the Unity Engine with supporting software such as Maya and Github, Beast's Domain is the result of a collaborative effort between students of two universities (OCAD and UofT). My role in this project was being the Lead Designer, 3D modeler, Texture Mapper and UX/UI Designer.
Download Beast's Domain and try it for yourself!
LEADING A TEAM
"A boss rush game with no armor or weapons. You have to use the environment itself to destroy the monster."
After my proposal had been chosen out of a pool of over a hundred, I had accepted the position of Lead Designer for my team. My main duties were to direct the creative vision of the game, manage tasks and milestones, provide communication between departments, and represent the team in presentations.
I learned a great deal about the different disciplines as I acted as an intermediary between departments. Having basic principles of each field allowed me to fill gaps when necessary and communicate what was needed. More importantly, I learned when to double check and when to trust my teammates. I found that a good leader is one that strikes a balance between friend and boss, and is always willing and ready to listen.
PROCESS
FROM CONCEPT TO 3D MODEL
Without a solid foundation it is hard to create an imaginary character, creature or world in 3D space. For each object in game, initial ideation sketches were passed around between the artists until one concept was decided on. Once a concept was chosen, modeling was aided by orthographic views of the subject. Not only the shape of the model was important, keeping track of types of polygons and the polygon count was critical in making sure there were no issues down the line. Modeling a solid foundation meant a smoother work flow during the rest of production.
Monster model
Player character model
COLLABORATORS
Throughout this project I was lucky enough to work with amazing peers form OCAD University and the University of Toronto.
PROGRAMERS
Pravir Adlakha
Kaori Tomihara
Jijun Xiao
ARTISTS
Evie Campbell
Ola Soszynski
SOUND & MUSIC
Jack Hughes
Adrian Punzalan
Project completed in April of 2020