Ha2 Task 3

PIXEL ART
CONCEPT ART
TEXTURE ART
BACKGROUND GRAPHICS
PRINT MEDIA ART

Choose a wide range of examples and remember that you are trying to describe and explain your findings. Illustrate as required and remember to cite any sources you have used in your research, both written and visual.

Pixel Art
Pixel Art is the original art style used in video games mainly prominent in the 70s-90s but are still used for some games today, I will provide two examples of Pixel Art in games.

1. Mega Man 2

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[2]

Mega Man 2 is an action side scrolling game released in 1988. The game is very creative with its pixel art, as it is used in a wide variety and colours, for example if the player were to face Metal Man the art for the level is very industrialized to suit the character, likewise goes for other characters such as Bubble Man, who has an underwater themed stage.

2. Street Fighter II

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Street Fighter II is a fighting game that was released in 1991, The game has a much more advanced look with its pixel art, with the characters having lots of detail and have a realistic look to them, also various distinctive looks were given to each character to make them look unique (green skin, mask & claw, distinct hair etc).

Concept Art
Concept Art is the design process Video Game artists have to make their characters, it shows the various stages of how the characters came to be as well as other designs that were toyed with at some point. I will provide two examples of concept art in video games.

1. Half Life 2

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Half Life 2 is an action fps released in 2004, the game went through several different ideas with concept art before the game was released, some of the characters shown in the art have a very different appearance in the full game, but the art goes with the similar dark, eerie setting with a post-apocalyptic vibe to it.

2. Gears Of War 3

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Gears Of War 3 is an action third person shooter released in 2011. The Concept Art for the game was very detailed and stayed mostly the same in the full release, what is noticeable about the concept art is that all the characters have the same gritty and toughened look to them, and also that they all have similar, dull colours, yet still goes with the setting of the game.

Texture Art
Texture Art is the design of an object and how it looks in the game, these can range with many different varieties. I will provide two examples of texture art in video games.

1. Team Fortress 2

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Team Fortress 2 is an action first person shooter released in 2007. The resupply pickups in the game are a good example of Texture Art, the main pickups are the Health Box and the Ammo Crate, The Health box has a noticeable blue colour on it while the ammo box has a brown to distinguish it from the other,  one thing to notice about them is they have a few tears on the logos on each item, probably to give it that battlefield feel.

2. Minecraft

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Minecraft is a survival adventure game released in 2011 and has some of the most unique textures, specifically because of the blocky style the game presents, the textures appear basic yet detailed, and it can be easily noticeable on what they are/what they're function is.

Background Graphics
Background Graphics are the design and style of the backdrop and how it is shown to the player. I will provide two examples of background graphics in video games.

1. Super Mario Bros 3

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Super Mario Bros 3 is an side scrolling adventure game released in 1988, the Mario games have some of the most famous background graphics, as they are well known, particularly for the fact that some of the objects presented in the backgrounds such as hills and clouds have eyes which give it the feel that the background is alive itself.

2. Super Smash Bros 4

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Super Smash Bros 4 is a  fighting game scheduled to release in late 2014. The Smash Bros series's stages are mainly taken from other games but have some unique ones as well such as the one above, the background has tons of detail, with the appearance of a mythical, destroyed utopia which provides an epic scale for the game, and this is one of many presented in the game.

Print Media Art
Print Media Art is essentially the piece of art that is presented on the cover of the game, this can be the selling point for some people as the cover can persuade them to think if a game is good or not. I will provide two examples of Print Media Art in video games.

1. Left 4 Dead 2

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Left 4 Dead 2 is a cooperative first person shooter game released in 2009. The focal point of the game is that it is set during a zombie apocalypse, and the print media art does well to show this, the colours presented on the box art are eerie and gruesome looking, giving a feel to what the apocalypse is like, also the main focus of the print media art is the hand with the thumb missing, the hand is pulling a gesture as if to call for help but is also showing the number 2, to signify that this is the second game in the series.

2. Heavy Rain

[14]

 Heavy Rain is a Drama Action-Adventure game released in 2010. The story centers around Ethan Mars, a man who after suffering a tragedy involving the loss of one of his children, his other son gets kidnapped by The Origami Killer, however he also experiences "episodes" where he blacks out and starts dreaming about being in certain areas whilst it was raining. The Box Art shows an origami figure (which belongs to the origami killer) on a floor in the middle of a rainy place (mirroring the main characters episodes he experiences).