VIZA 644 - Time Based Media
Back to the VIZA644 class agenda.
Back to Tatsuya's VIZ home.
NOTICE: all materials presented here are for educational purpose only.
The project
Updated 03/30/05
The spy ant is listening the conversation in the underground nest throught the transmitter he installed.
The transmitter is working but they never notice.
They are talking about their drag deal which will be made tonight.
Updated 11/18/05
Soprants comic Episode #0 - Gameover
Soprants comic Episode #5 - The Spy Who Irritated me.
Soprants comic Episode #17 -Meet The Queen
Updated 10/20/05
Updated schedule for the final presentation
Updated 10/13/05
The game specification
Updated 09/30/05
Ants game scenario ver 1.1
The Soprants (code name)
Updated 09/15/05
1. The story
Two ants group "black" and "red" exist in underground world. The blacks are leaf-cutter ants and they are growing fungus in their underground nest. The reds get you spy in the nest and you are to explore it and report what is going on there without being noticed or killed by the blacks.
2. The purpose
You are a "flipped" ant, like the mafia guy who is working with FBI. As a member of ants family, you are acting a soldier ant in the black ants group. Your everyday job is ants business. You are foraging food to your nest, growing fungus inside the nest, and sometimes fighting with enemies. But you have to report the information about black group family and business to the red ants agent regularly.
The game scenario itself is not directly related with any existing mafia story on TV or movie.
3. The visual style
The game visual style includes two different styles: 3D ants environment view as an interactive part and pre-rendered cinematic animation sequences (so called cutscenes). The player manage the ants action within the 3D ants view. Once you met with other ant you need to talk, the view is switched to the cinematic sequence.
FORM
The goal of this project will be an 3D interactive game environment. It will be a technological showcase of my thesis.
The thesis includes ants' behavior implementation with 3D complex environment - the 3D ants' nest model translated from the real nest with GPR.
CONTENTS
- 3D nest model
Translated from the real nest and sould be edited for the game environment.
- 3D Ants models
The models for the interactive part look similar shape as a real leaf-cutter ant. The models for the cinematic part are closer to the human head and upper body..
- Ants behavior implementation (main part)
The ants' routing process is used for animating them in the interactive part.
- Cutscenes (extra)
Some pre-rendered 3D animation clips for the cutscenes.
METHODS
- 3D nest model
Reducing polygons from the translated model.
- 3D Ants models
3D polygonal modeling and rigging with Maya.
- Ants behavior implementation (main part)
Scripting with free/open source game engine.
- Cutscenes (extra)
Character animations and rendering with Maya.
RELATED LINKS
Ants
Atta Texana Leafcutter Ant Colony Visualization
The Behavior of Ants
Leaf cutter ants, Attini, Fungus growing ants
A Pheromone Based Ant Foraging Simulation
Ant Foraging Simulator
Games
Blender free 3D creation suite with a game engine
Others
The Sopranos HBO's official site
