Game Development: How did I start making video games? (Part 4)

Howdy gang, just want to let you know that I do have a twitter, and I’ll be sharing some GIFs from a small project that I’m working on with my friends from Cincinatti, JollyCroutonMedia and AustinPandemic.

It’s called…FRANCHISE WARS, a strategy game where two franchises engage in an all out war to dominate the food industry…

Logo Designed by Clayton Belcher

Programming done by Austin Huebner

Art by Brandon Song-………..Smith…John Smith

Motion Capture by Team Xbox

I’ll keep you guys updated as we get it wrapped up.


So let’s continue on from last time…

So now that I’ve entered my later high school days, I knew I wanted to get better at my art and learn new things.

During this time of my life, I took classes for computer graphics, where I’d learn how to use Photoshop, Flash Animation and make maps in Unreal Tournament 2004. These classes were my favorites to go to. Being able to finally use programs to create digital artwork was so exciting.

Flash Animation!

Below I’ll share some flash animation stuff I did, think of this as if it were a really amateur digital museum. Enjoy!

Shape Tween, pretty basic stuff, I remember getting the start to morph was difficult to figure out. Not sure what's going on with the 'M'.

Shape Tween, pretty basic stuff, I remember getting the star to morph was difficult to figure out. Not sure what’s going on with the ‘M’.

This was fun, I the ghost bottom part was my favorite part to animate.

This was fun, bottom part of the ghost was my favorite part to animate.

We'd learn to turn the bike clip art into a symbol, and manipulate it so it'd do cool stuff like flips.

We would learn to turn the bike clip art into a symbol, and manipulate it so that it would do cool stuff like flips. (And stop on a dime, defying the laws of physics, yes it is intentional, it’s my poetic interpretation, there you can’t criticize the landing anymore.)

I'm not even sure why I made this, I think were simply were assigned to work with pixel art, but then I took it to a whole new level with a stick figure getting GTA'd.

I’m not even sure why I made this, I think were simply were assigned to work with pixel art, but then I took it to a whole new level with a stick figure getting GTA’d.

I believe I just reskinned this guy’s tutorial: http://www.gotoandplay.it/_articles/2007/04/skeletal_animation.php

FALCON PUNCH…nah

I did this very late in my senior year. Man the characters lack weight to their movements but I like how smooth it is.

This running boy...

This running boy…

Photoshop stuff!

Here are several graphics I made photoshop CS3 (Yeah that’s right, the golden age before Adobe got greedy with Creative Cloud).

I’d learn to work with photoshop’s layer effects to create purty graphix.

My old cellphone wallpaper graphic, feel free to use and boast about me so I can never fulfill the unrealistic expectations of others.

My old cellphone wallpaper graphic, feel free to use it and boast about me so I can never fulfill the unrealistic expectations of others.

Logo design, such glow, very wow.

We were assigned to do a collage of our favorite characters I think? (But really this was the dream Smash Bros 6 Cast.)

We were assigned to do a collage of our favorite characters I think? (But really this was the dream Smash Bros 6 Cast.)

BOOM

We would use the Clone Stamp tool to remove elements in an image (This is an animated GIF)

We would use the Clone Stamp tool to remove elements in an image (This is an animated GIF)

Diamond explosion

A great avatar, I think I will use this in the future…

The class had a small graphics tablet, what a quality drawing by a quality boy.

not great

Pop Arte

A real business, give them a call

I’m telling you, it IS real

Unreal 2004 Map

I unfortunately don’t have Unreal Tournament 2004 to see the map I created.

The Map file does exist…

This was a super ambitious final project map that 2 other guys and I collaborated on to create a large scale map. The premise was that it took place on a large beach cliff island with two opposing bases, but then you could go inside the bases to enter a giant tunnel that connected the two bases inside the mountain. The cliff was pretty high up so you would die if you fell off.

Vague recreation of the map, I'm pretty sure the actual map did not have trees and islands.

Vague recreation of how I remember the map looked, I’m pretty sure the actual map did not have trees and islands. (can click this image to see the larger size)

I have very fond memories of Unreal Tournament 2004, what a great time to be a real boy. (wat)

Later when I would graduate from High-school, I would finally experience having a new computer. After finally putting it together, a whole new realm was opened up to me (Actually to this day I still use the same computer to make my artwork.). I’d not only be able to play games like Team Fortress 2 and Fallout 3 at high settings without hiccups, but I’d learn about creating videos and further developing my music making.

To be continued…

-Brandon

www.tinywarriorgames.com

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