Race Level Research

It has come! Preparation for my racing level for the spring sophomore semester. This is the big Game design project, and will incorporate my work from 3D and Programming as well.

STUNTS

First, I perused some movies and you tube for interesting stunts. My first stop was the Bourne Identity, which I remembered having a particularly exciting chase scene through the streets of Paris. Unfortunately there weren't as many stunts as I had hoped, mostly just skilled driving. The part that was most stunt-ly was a scene where Bourne drives a car through an extremely narrow alley, and then down some steep stairs. The Car barely makes it through, but it was a fantastic stunt. You can stop watching the video 1 minute in.



What is impressive is the drastic change of terrain. Taking a car on stairs is naturally stupid, especially at high speed. Incorporated into a racing level would be a thrilling way to drop the player down a steep decline, while also challenging them with such a violent terrain.

Another stunt I found was a backwards flip in the snow! How this works I simply don't know... yet. It would be an interesting challenge to find the precise distant and angle to make a ramp FLIP the player's vehicle backwards. Another video showing the same kind of stunt (but a failed one) showed a second platform at the tip of the ramp that snaps into place as the truck reached the top, aiding in creating a flip.



 Part of the reason this stunt driver lands this thing is because of snow. The snow provides cushioning on the landing, allowing the car not to bounce up and enter a roll upon contact with the ground.

THEME

 The theme of the level is going to be an otherworldly location. A strange landscape, another planet or dimension, with large geological pillars erupting from the ground. Man made structures wrap around the pillars, as does the track at certain points. The time will be dusk, with enough light to see the road ahead, but enough shadow to keep this strange world mysterious. I want the terrain of the track to be a bit rough and unpaved, but not noticeable enough to deter from the friction needed for fun racing. I want the track to interweave through some of the columns, and a brief part to hint at a lower part of the world, but not much. The following are some images I have taken some inspiration from. 

 

 From Naughty Dog's art book

Dragon Age: Inquisition art book

The Witcher 3

The crazy thing is, I found these images in books! (except for Witcher) Wow! Actually a very nice escape from the screen.

COLOR

My Color Palette!

For the color,  I wanted to use complimentary colors that create a strikingly surreal but natural world.
Muted Greens will accentuate the reds illuminated from the structures around the columns, casting strange lights across the level.