Character Design Brief

I must design two characters.

A protagonist (the leading character or one of the major characters in a play, film, novel, etc.) and a antagonist (a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an adversary.)

I must create two model sheets, Sculpted 3D Maquettes and 2D digital renderings on Illustrator.

Research

Suggested words to start with:

• Nanopunk: refers to an emerging genre of speculative science fiction (sci-fi) still very much in its infancy in comparison to other genres like that of cyberpunk or steampunk.
• Dystopia: an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one.
• Hipster: a person who follows the latest trends and fashions.
• Kitsch: art, objects, or design considered to be in poor taste because of excessive garishness or sentimentality, but sometimes appreciated in an ironic or knowing way.
• Host: 1) a person who receives or entertains other people as guests. 2) an animal or plant on or in which a parasite or commensal organism lives.
• Occult: mystical, supernatural, or magical powers, practices, or phenomena.
• Callow: (of a young person) inexperienced and immature.

Good example of vector

Let's Play Finished "String Theory"

String Theory

"Let's Play" Treatment file

Concept/ Idea

Young boy has a time travelling yo-yo that brings him to different times in different countries. The countries that he appears in in every level are based on the history of the yo-yo and where it originated and were popular. The goal is to retrieve the yo-yo from the thief so the boy can get back home. To help him on his travels he will find and collect other magical yo-yo's with different abilities to either defeat enemies or overcome obstacles. These other helpful yo-yo's will be kept in an inventory where the player can pick and choose which ever yo-yo needed. We want a simple aesthetic! Simple backgrounds and characters but with a pleasing and playful aesthetic. It will be a side scrolling game. 

Audio Description

The audio in the animation corresponds with the environment that the main character appears in. China we have Chinese music overlapped by sound effects in the scene such as running, jumping and fighting. There are also similar audio effects for the Greek level.

Mood Board

Simple line drawing aesthetic.

Good example of the Greek environment.

The light yo-yo. Portal like shapes and colours.

Attack yo-yo's?

Good technical example of how to get a sense of depth using stills.

Possibilities of how the yo-yo could be used in the environment.

Nice simple aesthetic.

French mazes. French level will be based on these.

Painting on the wall. Good example of Greek background.

Simple character design.

Example of the character movement breakdown.

Plot

String Theory

Sam is a young boy talented in doing tricks with a yo-yo. We first meet Sam playing with his yo-yo. He spins the yo-yo quickly and before he knows it the yo-yo glows and a portal/vortex opens up, pulling Sam and his yo-yo inside.

Sam appears out the other end of the portal in what looks like olden day China. We then see a hooded figure escaping through another portal with Sam's yo-yo. Sam has to track down this thief and get his magic time traveling yo-yo back in order to get home. Sam runs, jumps and fights his way through different worlds every time he enters a portal. On his travels Sam collects various other magical yo-yo's that will help him on his journey.

Finally Sam catches up to the thief who is using the magical yo-yo for himself. Sam and the thief battle it out to see who will possess the time traveling yo-yo.
The End.