Modeling the Companion Cube, from Portal

Recently I have missed quite a few lessons at Uni due to personal problems, however I have been very kindly filled in by a group of friends in class (thank you very much!)
In the time I've been away, there's been some Maya workshop lessons in which I have been told that they are being taught how to model the companion cube. Although I know it would be much more handier to go to these workshops, as I explained earlier, a fair amount of problems have got in my way and therefore I am running behind on these lessons.
So with a scheduled day off in the timetable today, I decided to have a go at modeling the companion cube myself with some trusty help of reference pictures from Google. Admittedly, I have never played Portal before, so up until a few days ago, I had absolutely no idea what people were talking about!

Using features such as the UV Texture Editor, Hypershade, Photoshop, a few lights set up and a new camera placed, I managed to end up with this as my model:

My take on the Companion Cube - rendered using Mentalray in Maya.

Debating on whether to leave it there and carry on with other projects, or take it into Mudbox to add some bump and specular maps just for the fun of it.
:-)

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Inspiration: A collection of L.A. Noire door pictures

Lots of different styles and shapes of door pictures that I have collected together for future reference - will definitely come in handy when designing my game asset, texturing and adding colour to the model.

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Inspiration: A collection of L.A. Noire window pictures

Lots of different styles and shapes of window pictures that I have collected together for future reference - will definitely come in handy when designing my game asset, texturing and adding colour to the model.

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Inspiration: A collection of L.A. Noire room pictures

Lots of different styled environments that I have collected together for future reference - will definitely come in handy when designing my game asset, texturing and adding colour to the model.

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A new Contextual Studies brief - 'Representation and Space'

With the start of our last term this year, we have been introduced to three new projects - one of which, is a Contextual Studies brief.
Due to some recent personal problems, I have been unable to attend the brief and various workshops and thus, my knowledge on what's happening is certainly limited, despite being filled in ever-so-kindly by a friend.

The brief's title is "Representation and Space" and I believe we will be exploring game character's development (in terms of technological advancements), character's cultural differences and the development of game worlds, whilst considering the disappearing boundaries between 'real' and 'virtual' worlds.

As far as I'm aware, instead of creating a 1000 word essay like the past two terms, we have been told to present a ten minute presentation instead. To say I am least excited about this is a complete understatement, I cannot stand presenting to anyone, friend, foe or stranger. Embarrassingly enough, I go as red as a tomato, I stammer, forget my lines and my voice shakes. Brilliant.

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L.A. Noire: Design and Architecture Podcast Series

Just finished listening to the L.A. Noire: Design and Architecture series of podcasts - truly inspiring, interesting words within each podcast! ] Perfect for research as it speaks to members of the games industry and historians!

http://castroller.com/Podcasts/KcrwsDesignAnd/2318754

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Historical and Social Context referencing in L.A. Noire

It is clear to see how Team Bondi have added further elements of realism in the game through closely intertwining reality with historical referencing. Above, the screenshot taken from the game presents a promotional banner for the US Representative Elections of 1947, which Nixon would have won a little time before the time that L.A. Noire was set in.

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L.A. Noire - a true likeness to L.A, thanks to aerial photography?

 L.A. Noire's true similarity to L.A is partly due to Team Bondi's research into the area through using aerial photographs taken by Robert Spence during the 1920s.

Above: an in-game shot of the City Hall, next to a real-life shot taken by Spence of the City Hall.

Above: In-game and real-life shot of Roosevelt Hotel.

Above: In-game and real-life shot of Bullock Wilshire  Department Store.

Above: Real-life and in-game shots of Westlake Saving and Loans Bank. 

http://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/16081/la-noires-los-angeles-landmarks.html
http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-05/using-extreme-aerial-photography-1920s-rockstar-rebuilt-1940s-los-angeles-la-noire
http://videogameaficionado.com/2011/06/rockstar-games-la-noire-part-v-real.html
http://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/16081/la-noires-los-angeles-landmarks.html

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In-world decorative fine art - interior design in L.A. Noire

Clinical lighting takes all warmth out of what would usually be a homely, cheery atmosphere. 

This painting works well within the jazz-themed club, what with the USA being the world art hub, during the post-World War 2 era. Despite the anti-abstraction movement in the 30s, abstraction had spread and this is quite obviously shown in the portrait above.

In-game props such as the soap boxes work well in mimicing the styles of advertising during the 1940s and 50s. 

The 1940s B&W photos were still in abundance and of course, cheaper than coloured photographs. Portratis of boxers abound in bars and clubs can be found widely across the game. This has worked well in adding elements of realism because this sport was popular at the time, and even held a spot in the plot of the game. I hope that the game's art directors used liberally to reaffirm it's film noir appeal.

A clue within the plot of the game - Team Bondi have worked props well into the storyline. 

The lino flooring used on the kitchen's floor is typical of the era  in terms of it's material and it's quirky patterns. 

The unwashed dishes work well within the plot as their messy positioning and dirtiness add to the idea that not everything is well within the quiet, suburban street. 

http://videogameaficionado.com/2011/05/rockstar-games-la-noire-part-iii-loving.html 

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The Neo-Noir theme of L.A. Noire

With a title such as 'L.A. Noire', it is extremely apparent how Team Bondi is conciously presenting the game within a defined light - the noir film genre, to the extent that the studio entered the game into the Tribeca Film Festival. 

Above: A screenshot of the menu players are greeted by when playing L.A. Noire - the shady scene coupled with a black and white filter instantly reflect the film noir aspects of the game. 

"For those wrapped up in the allure of 1940s Los Angeles and the hardboiled detectives, conniving criminals and glamorous femme fatales that inhabit it - and for those PC gamers out there getting ready for L.A. Noire's release in just a few weeks - we've got another in our continuing list of favorite and apropos Film Noir entries for you to check out." 
http://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/19171/rockstar-recommends-scene-of-the-crime.html









http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/decade40.html
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_was_life_in_America_like_in_the_1940s
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090907225549AAMa1VR
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1947_in_art
http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1947.html

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An interview with the Head of 'Team Bondi', developers of L.A. Noire

http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/114/1148209p1.html


IGN: Set the stage for us. Obviously it's shortly after the end of World War II, but what is the state of the city of L.A. at the time (not just the police department)? 

Brendan McNamara: LA in 1947 was a city in transition. Its population was to grow by a half million people from 1940 to 1950, boosted by returning serviceman who had done their training on the West Coast and were lured by the weather and the lifestyle. Before the war, Los Angeles County was mostly known for its farms, but quickly became one of the engine rooms of the war effort with aircraft production rivaling any other center in the US and being second to only Detroit in automobile manufacturing -- as well as being the capital of the movie and new television industry. 

But the war brought other changes. While the men were abroad fighting, a shortage of skilled labor forced women in to the workforce, taking on new roles, doing technical work, driving their own cars and making use of the newly created child-minding services. For the men to come back to find the women of the city newly independent and unchained from their narrow household duties meant a time of great social tension. 

IGN: How does all this impact on the game? 

Brendan McNamara: From our research, we found at least 10 very violent murders of women that went unsolved in the period just before the Black Dahlia in January 1947 and ending around 1950. Some of the cases you'll investigate while on the Homicide desk are inspired by those cases, and determining whether those murders were indeed linked in some way or simply the work of opportunistic copycats will be a big part of your time on that desk.  

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The making of L.A Noire - Aspects of mise-en-scene within the game

Locations and set design:

http://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/13361/behind-the-scenes-of-la-noires-painstaking-production-design-par.html

Costume and wardrobe:

http://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/13391/behind-the-scenes-of-la-noires-painstaking-production-design-par.html

Props:

http://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/13431/behind-the-scenes-of-la-noires-painstaking-production-design-par.html

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