Fortress of Solitude
“Soon, plausible alternatives to our world will emerge. You may have failed in this one, but what if you had a million new chances in a million different worlds?”
This course explores new approaches to interpreting, conceiving, and describing landscapes and architecture, along with the emotions they evoke. While traditional representation methods will remain dominant for some time, they often create a one-way cognitive experience with an “emitter” and a “listener” who barely interact. Game technologies allow for the creation of realistic, dreamlike, utopian, and dystopian universes. It is possible to use, disregard, twist, bend or re-invent the laws of physics, the flow of time, the hazards of weather, the perception of depth, but most importantly, it permits absolute freedom.
Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, meaningful connections will develop through studies in representation across art, film, and -not surprisingly- video games. Through exploring, designing, and constructing virtual “altered states,” you’ll acquire techniques to mature your ideas from early preparatory work through to deployment. This journey emphasizes imaginative solutions over technical prowess. Think of virtual fabrication as a mental blueprint, where elements must be arranged and framed thoughtfully–unless, of course, you want them to be jarringly noticeable.
Some topics we’ll cover include:
- Master planning and research
- Representation strategies
- Working with AI
- Realtime 3D/AR/VR
- Web3 / Metaverse / Multiverse
- Developing a graphic style
- Realism vs. Illustration
- Expressing emotions through technique
- Managing expectations
- Video game best practices
- Creating assets and textures for game engines
- Sound design
- Navigation and interaction
- Blueprints and code
- Dealing with stress and pressure
The project:
Build a “Fortress of Solitude” – a purely virtual, emotional space for self-reflection, detached from the real world. This space doesn’t have to be “pleasant”; while it could be peaceful and contemplative, it might also evoke discomfort, anger, or conflict.
The tools:
Our primary software tools will be Unreal Engine, an industry-standard real-time 3D engine for game world creation and simulation (easily transferable skills to other engines), and Cinema 4D, chosen for its stable and intuitive workflow. Students may use other 3D packages if preferred.
Nevertheless, the most vital tools will be a pencil, a sheet of paper, and your mind.
Class structure:
Each weekly class will have two parts: one focusing on theory, methods, and critique, and the other on technical skills, where you’ll apply what’s been studied so far. Occasionally, the structure will vary–routine is not the French way. There will be 3 assignments before the “Grand Finale”.
Class requirements:
Given the technical nature of this course, a relatively recent computer will be necessary. Review the minimum system requirements.