LESSON #9: Digital Playtesting & Introduction to 2D and 3D

Art Asset Production

DGMD E-70 Principles of Game Design

TODAY:1. Digital Prototype Testing/Sharing.

2. Introduction to 2D Asset Production: Adobe Photoshop for Painting and Photo Manipulation

3. Introduction to 3D Asset Production: Autodesk Maya for basic 3D Object Modeling.

PART 1: DIGITAL PLAYTESTING

SET UP (10 minutes):1. Teams Choose Tables

2. Set up game digital prototype on 3 laptops.

3. Decide initial Observers (1-2) and Players.

4. Discuss: 1-3 points/instructions to share with visiting players? Write them down!

PART 1: DIGITAL PLAYTESTING

PLAYTEST ROUND #1 (20 minutes):1. Observers stay to manage playtest, Players

find other games to play.

2. If team chose 1-3 instructions, give them.

3. Players attempt to play prototype (5-10 min). Observers take notes!

4. Players fill out questionnaire (5 minutes).

5. Time permitting, discuss answers.

PART 1: DIGITAL PLAYTESTING

TEAM MEETING (10 minutes):1. Convene at your team table to discuss

observations and questionnaire answers.

2. Discuss Production goals for the next week (next top priority Backlog items, potentially

influenced by tester experience/ observations) and divide work equitably.

PART 2: Digital Art Production1. Adobe Photoshop (monthly charge). Use a

tablet (recommend Wacom Bamboo). 3D texturing, 2D character sprites, background art, and VFX sprites: painting and photo manipulation.

Also consider Paintool Sai or Gimp.2. Autodesk Maya (free with .EDU email at

students.autodesk.com). 3D character, prop, environment modeling, surfacing, and animation.

Photoshop: 2D Art ProductionColor Scripts: Choose a Palette

Photoshop: 2D Art ProductionColor Scripts: Characters, Environment, VFX

Photoshop: 2D Art ProductionDrawing and Painting!

1. New file: 12”x12”, 72ppi

2. New Layer #1: [b] for brush, shrink with “[“, draw a quick/silly character.

3. Open 2D_ColorScripts.PNG for color reference.

4. New Layer #2 (above): hold [Alt] to pick colors, paint 5-10 colors in a corner for a palette.

5. New Layer #3 (below): Paint Bucket fill with medium color. Paint skin and clothing colors, highlights and shadows with brush (make larger with “]”). Use 30% opacity with [Alt] color picking to blend.

Photoshop: 2D Art ProductionBlending Modes:

Change Saturation to Control Focus1. Open 2_DullPhoto.png.

2. [Ctrl]+[j] to duplicate layer.

3. Set Blending Mode to Overlay.

4. Set Opacity to 60%.

Photoshop: 2D Art ProductionPhoto Manipulation: Copy/Paste, Clone

Stamp, adjust Hue/Saturation, Edit/Transform

Maya: 3D Art Production: Interface

Maya: 3D Art Production: Interface

Maya: 3D Art Production: Channel Box

Maya: 3D Art Production: Modeling Tools

Maya: 3D Art Production: Hypershade #1

Maya: 3D Art Production: Hypershade #2

Maya: 3D Art Production: Hypershade #3

Maya: 3D Art Production: Book Case

Production Scheduling: Course Milestones

• Due Week 8: Paper Prototypes: “Fun”• Due Week 9: Digital Prototypes: “Quantity.”• Due Week 11: Full Playable Prototypes: “User Clarity.”• Due Week 12: Revised prototypes: “Fun.” • Due Week 14: Prototype Complete: Multiple levels

populated, bugs fixed, full Art and Audio.• Final Presentations: Playable Game and Marketing

materials: Trailer, Website, Press Release, Icon.

Due Next Week:HOMEWORK #9: Final Game, 2nd Digital Prototype TEAMS: 1. Divide Unity production work evenly (art can be

concepted, but stay as greybox for testing).2. Meet with your team at least twice to discuss

progress, solve problems, and consolidate build.3. Test clarity with at least two new players.4. Submit second digital build to class next week.Individually: Progress Report #2: Submit typed page: What you agreed to produce, what you accomplished, self-evaluation/related screenshots.

Have an Outstanding Week!

And don’t forget to email us with questions:

Instructor: JASON WISERJasonWiserArt@gmail.com

Available an hour after class and daily email.

Unity TF: Julia Knightjaeteekae@gmail.com

Lab hours: Thursdays 7-7:40, daily by email