Images

1. What is a pixel?
A pixel, also known as picture element, is 1 single square out of a thousand or so, that makes up a picture. Usually when you zoom into a image on the computer, the picture quality isn't as good because you can see all the pixels, which are squares. Each of the pixels are a colour and many of them are usually different colours or shade of colour. All of the different coloured and shaded pixels make up all of the detail on the image when you're not zoomed in.

Image of computer (Normal and zoomed in)

The image on the left is normal but when you zoom into the image (Image on the right) you can see that some of the pixels are now showing.

2. What is resolution?

Image resolution gives out details about the image such as the size of the image and how many pixels it's made up of. The higher the resolution means the more detail the image has (bigger the image). E.g. if the image's resolution is 200 x 250 pixels, you can times the two numbers together (200 x 250 = 50,000) and it will tell you how many pixels there are all together in the image, in this case it's made up of 50,000 pixels. 72 - 100 DPI (Dots Per Inch) images are usually used on the Internet; 300 DPI images are for printing.

3. What is Bitmap / Raster?

Bitmap / Raster uses pixels to display images. The quality of the image will usually be pleasing enough for the human eye, but when you zoom into it, the quality won't be any good because the pixels will become more noticeable. Each pixel holds a single colour and it can display loads of different colours; this will show plenty of detail, which is why it's really useful for photos.

4. What is a Vector?
Vector doesn't use pixels; vector uses mathematical lines, shapes and polygons to display the image. This is good because when you zoom into it, the quality of the image will always stay perfect. However vector can only be used for basic graphically drawn images on the computer and nothing too complex such as photos.

Vector drawn image

This is a image of an apple and although it does look quite realistic; it isn't real. Vector is very good for displaying logos and cartoon images with perfect quality.

Textures

What are Textures?

Textures are skins that are added over a 3D model to make it look more realistic or stylised. Most textures are photographic pictures of different materials; wood, metal, etc. To bring a model to life, you'll need textures to create the effect of what it's suppose to look like, e.g. If I created a 3D model of a table, the colour will be grey and plain, I would use a wood texture to make it look more realistic and pleasing to the eye.

Image of 3D wolf model with no textures

Image of adding textures to 3D person model

Image of face texture

With the face texture, they'll wrap it around the character's head of the 3D model and it will look like a normal person so long everything is in the right place.

Concept Art

What is Concept Art?

Concept Art are detailed pictures which are drawn by hand to give the 3D modellers an idea on how to model the character or object. Without Concept Art, the 3D modellers would be clueless as to what to model. Concept Artists will draw the characters, weapons, vehicles, environment, etc and hand them over to the 3D modellers who will then turn the pictures into reality on the screen. Not all the pictures are used though, they are mainly there to give the 3D modellers an idea as to what they need model. Concept Artists will also colour the pictures. Heavenly Sword has a lot of Concept Art which is unlockable content in the game.

Nariko - Heavenly Sword - Concept Art

The "Heavenly Sword"

Kai - Heavenly Sword

Different styles of video game images / graphics

Photo Realistic - Killzone 2 & 3

Photo realistic video game graphics are trying to look as realistic to life or live Hollywood films as they possibly can; including light & shadow effects, weather effects and water movement. Killzone 2 & 3 are very photo realistic because of the small graphical details (e.g. the amount of detail on small rocks on the ground, etc) and they also use dull colours on purpose to make it appear like real life. 

Cel Shading - Fur Fighters

Cel Shading is similar to cartoons and works nicely in 3D. Cel Shaded video games are kind of like watching a CGI cartoon / anime but you're controlling what goes on screen. They use black outlining a lot to make it look like it's hand drawn and stand out (another good example; Afro Samurai game).

Exaggeration - Ninja Gaiden 2 / Sigma 2

Exaggerated is a unrealistic representation of something. E.g. anime characters usually have bigger eyes than real people. The Ninja Gaiden series is very exaggerated and in my opinion, it makes the series more enjoyable. Ninja Gaiden 2 / Sigma 2 are exaggerated because of the gore, people and demons with muscles the size of tree trunks and women in skimpy costumes fighting the demons. The character models also have a mature anime feel to them and anime tends to exaggerate human character features.

Abstraction - Super Stacker 2

Abstraction is a style of art which is often used a lot for online Flash games (e.g. newgrounds.com). Abstraction in Flash / video games aren't trying to look realistic at all, they're actually trying to look the opposite to make it look more fun and stylised. They will often make cartoony faces and purposely don't give it a nose or ears. The styles of gameplay are also quite creative and interesting.

Click here to play Super Stacker 2

Favourite game & answers to questions / 2D & 3D

Heavenly Sword

I like the artwork because it looks like it was hand drawn and coloured. There’s a lot of detail and I like the sharp looking sword pointing towards you.

The artwork tells me that the game is a fantasy game and the main character is a woman. It also tells me that your main weapon in the game is a giant sword known as the “Heavenly Sword”.

In my opinion I think the box art does a very nice job at making the game look Hollywood, interesting and good quality.

I think the game is targeted to people who like to play games like God of War and other similar fantasy hack and slash games.

Yes I think the artwork does sell for the main target of audience because you can see it’s clearly going to be a fantasy game by the art style and the title. The main character has very long hair which is quite unrealistic but people think it's cool like the Final Fantasy games.

There is one thing I would to change about the cover because there’s another character you play as in the game and her name is “Kai”. She’s very small in the bottom left corner on the cover; I would've had Kai stand out as clearly as “Nariko” (the main character holding the sword). Nariko’s image is larger and in colour, Kai should be near the same.

2D & 3D

2D is two dimensions, length and width.
2D is basically flat like a hand drawn image. Usually with a 2D image, they will add shade to make it appear more 3D. With 2D video games, you can not look around the image and this limits the gameplay style to only moving forward, backwards, up and down.

3D is three dimensions, length, width and depth.
3D is realistic because everything in reality is technically 3D. You can look around 3D objects and in video games, you're not limited with which direction the player can move. The player can also move and look around the image placed in front of them.