Start
Computer and video games of the 90s gave me my start. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) game KiKi KaiKai was one of the first games that I've ever played, which truly inspired me by making me feel connected to the characters and the world within the game. The anime inspired 2D sprite graphics using an action adventure gameplay to explore and encounter the world and beings of traditional Japanese folklore engraved a lasting fondness for not only the game itself but also for the entire medium as a whole. Merely the experience of playing the game through with my older brother changed the way I saw the world at the time. To this day, KiKi KaiKai grounds the way I think of games and art.
Eventually, my parents began to permit my brothers and I limited time on the family's computer. With it, we explored the world of massively multiplayer online role-playing games. The first computer and online game that I actually played was a Korean game called Darksaver. The game uses 2D sprites for the entire game: characters, environments, spell effects, and the user interface. The quality of the sprites were not up to par with 2D games of SNES, but the scale of Darksaver must have easily doubled, maybe tripled, most games of SNES. Also, due to the nature of controlling computers, mouse and keyboard, possibilities of gameplay were quite different than those of a console game. Specifically in Darksaver, it used a live-action (timed) tactics, grid-based combat as the games main gameplay mechanic. Finally, though I hadn't even learned how to write or type yet, this game allowed me to interact and fight with or against other gamers of all ages through simple manipulation of the mouse. I didn't know it at the time, but upon retrospection, I realize I was witnessing and partaking on a piece of history within the video game and its relations with the online world. With the turn of the century, as my family moved out of Korea, the conventions of video game graphics would never be the same.
Aesthetics
I would suggest watching old television episodes, like episodes of the Dick Van Dyke show, I Love Lucky, or the Honeymooners... observe how they move, how they walk, and interact with other people. |
After immigrating to Northern California, I had turned to video games more than ever and continued playing through the plethora of games that were available on the SNES. However, my first close friend in the States would introduce me to Nintendo 64 (N64), and everything that I had known had changed. With games like Super Mario 64, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Snowboard Kids 2, N64 opened the door of 3D computer graphics to me. A fully 3D space rendering at 20 to 30 frames per second that is open for me to run, swim, or fly around in is something, to this day, I still cannot step away from. Inevitably, when I was first learning Autodesk Maya, taught by iD Gaming & Development Academy, I pulled from the library of games that I had known and/or played for references and inspirations. As a result, I am primarily trained in low poly modeling with occasional attempts at high poly modeling. After learning about modeling and texturing, I learned the basics of animation and fell in love. The animation teacher, James Ditmer, taught the basics of timing and spacing, but when he saw that I really embraced animation, he gave me advice that I have never dropped to this day.
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To me, I see animation as a technique (or means) to combine my fascination with video game aesthetics and gameplay. In terms of aesthetics, animation takes a 3D model, ususally a character but not limited to, and gives it the illusion of life. 3D models would be nothing but a static art piece, but animation gives the models purpose and thought, which is what makes gamers like me feel invested and connected to these games and characters. In terms of gameplay, animation serves as the bridge between the programmer's codes (back end) and the artist's graphics (front end). If a programmer wants to incorporate a certain game mechanic for a certain type of monster, it's the animation that allows that monster to act out the game mechanic. How could I not love animation.
In order to study animation, I began to watch movies. Lots of movies. Lucky for me, I decided to begin seriously view movies of all types and ages in 2008 when Netflix's streaming collection had grown and contained many respected contents. Taxi Driver absolutely mesmerized me. I had never seen a character like Travis Bickle. I couldn't understand why he did certain things or moved a certain way, so it took me several subsequent viewings to begin to comprehend Travis. From there, I watched films of Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, and Dustin Hoffman. After watching any of their films I could get my hands on, I followed directors like Martin Scorsese, David Fincher, and Ridley Scott. Upon amassing a library of films I had completed, I noticed common aspects of storytelling among several of the movies. It helped me to view storytelling as a tangible element of film, and even games, that could be learned and worked on to make excellent. Since, I've always tried to keep up with the ever changing and developing film industry.
In the recent years, I have reduced the number of games that I play. I continue to watch shows and movies to study acting and storytelling, as well as I browse the internet, sites like Polycount, CG Society, and Pinterest, for inspiration and aspiration with my 3D work. I have studied and practiced animation more than any other crafts. I have even learned 2D and stop-motion animation. I continue to work on 3D modeling in order to hopefully one day become versed in rigging them for animation. In the immediate future, I look to learned high poly modeling, particularly through ZBrush, and texturing because they, in my opinion, are my weaknesses at the moment.
Ideals
My goal is to eventually become versed in all aspects, in terms of video game and film production pipeline, of 3D computer graphics. I don't want to stop until I have become satisfactory with modeling, texturing, rigging, animation, rendering, storyboarding, and special effects. This list may grow in the future as the technology changes or I learn of some aspects of the art that I have yet been exposed to. However, I want to prioritize on character animation as my focus. With animation, I hope to lead an animation department for either a video game studio or a media production studio. Ideally, I wish to work on projects for the up and coming Virtual Reality (VR) medium of entertainment. There already exist in-house film studios for Oculus that experiment with the possibilities of VR in relation to the traditional filmmaking techniques. I hope to take a shot at working on either games or movies produced with VR as its primary medium of delivery. These are, of course, very far-fetched and long term goals, but I can't see myself investing and being involved in anything more than I have been with 3D computer graphics. I say far-fetched because I try not to shape my future too deeply and focus on the work that I have in front of me. However, whether it be within the craft or the development of future technologies, I want to strive to push the boundaries of what was previously thought possible as well as mold and change the conventions.