Over the course of my class learning the basics of animation, we were introduced to Adobe Animate and After Effects, designed for that very purpose. Now that the new unit is moving into audio/video editing, the newest software to us is Adobe Premiere Pro. All of these pieces of software have their pros and cons, with each one designed for a certain purpose. But I found some of them to be easier than others. The first two to compare are Animate and After Effects, with these two being the most similar of the three. I personally found After Effects to be easier to use and catch up on, even though I've only used it for one assignment so far. The process of creating movement in this software is simple, just set a keyframe somewhere on the timeline to signal where the movement starts, then move forward on the timeline, use the options on the side to change the certain objects position, and set another keyframe at that point. The system will automatically create how the object will move between those two points, which is much faster than doing everything manually. This simple process of movement doesn't mean that After Effects is perfect, since there is only the ability to move objects from point to point, it makes the options for certain kinds of movements a little limiting. That's where Animate comes in, with the options for movement being wider, but more difficult to put in place. Using Animate allows for cleaner movement, but can be a slight pain at times, but it proved to be relatively painless for me, most of the time. If I were to choose between the two, I would choose Animate, simply due it's extensive array of options, colors and tools to help with the animation, even if it can be frustrating at times. Now, on to Premiere Pro, which is meant for a different use than Animate and After Effects. Now, I've used it pretty little so far, but it seems easy enough to pick up on, with the use of putting items at certain points on a timeline, similar to After Affects. Although Premiere, has slightly more advanced options for the creation of videos, but I still see it to be simple, (that opinion will probably change later). The new kinds of software are being introduced more quickly than earlier in the year, where Photoshop took over a month to get past. For this reason, it's harder to look deeper into these new pieces of technology. Regardless, I seem to be using them without TOO much trouble.
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Next up to review is the newest Spider Man game for the PS4, gaining plenty of well deserved hype and respect for its incredible story and design. The developers of this game (Insomniac Games) not only has an office in Durham, but has been developing games that have caught my interest. And this new addition to their gallery has thrust the company in the spotlight. With collaboration from Marvel, Spider Man has pushed the boundaries of Marvel video games, by adding a new chapter to the story of Peter Parker. And personally, has greatly increased my respect for Spider Man himself, with the story sticking true to his personality and showing the player what he can act like at his lowest point. The gameplay itself is quite easy to pick up on, (at least for me), and incorporates the the technique of quick time events, and the use of item upgrades for gear and other gadgets. Speaking of items, the way you find them is by doing certain tasks around Manhattan, (you heard me completionists). But what appeals to me is that Insomniac was able to create a virtual version of the ENTIRETY OF MANHATTAN, (or most of it at least). Which is just perfect to swing around and catch bad guys. This jungle of concrete holds everything that happens in the game, but is large enough that every new event happens in a new location. Even with so much effort put into the design of the game, there is still plenty of thought on how the story and Peter progress. Showing many sides to not only Peter himself, but other characters as well, providing a new view into their world. The most interesting part to the game is the abundance of Easter eggs, with multiple mentions to other Marvel superheroes and buildings around the city such as Avengers Tower, and of course, there was a Stan Lee cameo. This new addition to the Spider Man franchise creates a new peek into how Spider Man and Peter's worlds mix, and the effects on both of them. Giving players another reason why to love the classic web-swinger.
Moving on from the concepts of animation, what's up next is the use of audio and video editing. While this concept was introduced only today, what was more thoroughly introduced was the careful use of color, design, and story used in every film. The perfect use of certain properties in a scene can convey a strong message, and mood to the audience. While color is a topic that I've already gone over, it will most likely pop up in this completely new topic to me. Correct use of color in a scene can drastically improve any part of movie. Actually adding the detail is also much more difficult than planning, since even if a scene is moving very quickly, massive detail is still needed in the background. I genuinely hope this topic doesn't prove to be as difficult as animation, but with my luck, that's exactly how difficult it WON'T will be. Since the process of making movies is very similar to games in certain aspects I feel this topic will interest me all the same, especially since I've heard so much about it. Hopefully this post will change you're opinion on how much work is put into movies, even ones people thought were pretty bad.
The use of idle animations is seen in almost every game around these days. Some even becoming famous after being use throughout multiple games. Its a perfect way of expressing that no matter what crazy situation a character is in, they're still humans, (or non-human with similar emotions). I personally favored the idle animation carried out through the Super Mario series, with Mario falling asleep if you leave the game alone for long enough. The most appealing part to me was the version of the animation used in Super Mario Odyssey, which is the same as the ones used in the previous games, but instead after a really long time, a bird will land on Mario's nose while he sleeps. What's extra detailed is that the appearance of the bird varies depending on the area of the game you're in. This animation not only looks quite natural, with Mario slowly falling asleep instead of immediately, but clearly depicts that even a person like him can get tired. Who wouldn't?, with Princess Peach getting kidnapped twice a week and still rejecting Mario's romantic gestures after he saves her, (his reaction along with Bowser's above). The cleverly used animations give players a peek into the personal side of even the most emotionless characters, proving that no matter how insane the current objective is, the heroes/ heroines still have time to relax.
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AuthorI have a passion for creating things, and hopefully one day those things will be video games. You can check over on this blog if you wish to see any updates on my work or other subjects. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not represent those of Durham School of the Arts or Durham Public Schools.
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