26/2/2025 - 15/3/2025 : (Week 4 - Week 6)
Ting Wen Yi / 0361799
Major Project 1/Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Task 2 - Design Proposition
INSTRUCTIONS
TASK 2 - DESIGN PROPOSITION
During Task 2, my goal was to refine the designs of both main characters, Cynthia and Timothy, by giving them unique characteristics that connect to the storyline. I also focused on sketching different variations to explore their looks further. To achieve this, I redid their moodboards to better capture their overall style, outfits, and personalities.
For Timothy, I ensured his mood board reflected his personality traits and physical appearance. He is timid and nervous, easily startled, and hesitant to take risks, often second-guessing himself. He is cautious and sneaky, preferring to move carefully, avoid direct confrontation, and hide when danger is near. Despite the terrifying world he is in, he remains innocent and soft-hearted, showing empathy even in difficult situations. He panics under high stress but always tries to push through. He also experiences deep loneliness and longs for connection, but his fear makes him hesitant to trust others. Though he is often afraid, he is resilient, finding small moments of courage to keep moving forward. He is quiet and soft-spoken, rarely speaking, and when he does, his voice is gentle and uncertain.
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Figure 1.1 Brother Mood Board - Week 1 (1/3/2025)
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For his physical appearance, Timothy is 14 years old with a lean but slightly broader build and a slightly hunched posture. He is not very tall, fitting the typical height of a teenager. His hair is messy and unkempt, either slightly wavy or straight, and medium in length. So, I sketched out Timothy in various designs to explore different outfit options and stylized looks. I wanted to see what fit best with his character and the overall story. Through these sketches, I experimented with different clothing styles to reflect the early 2000s setting while making sure his outfit matched his timid and cautious personality.
Figure 1.2 Brother Sketches Variation - Week 4 (1/3/2025)
I also sketched different facial expressions for Timothy to capture his emotions and personality. I focused on expressions like sadness, fear, anxiety, and panic to emphasize his timid and nervous nature. These expressions help convey his vulnerability and how he reacts to the haunting presence of Cynthia. By exploring his emotions through these sketches, I aimed to bring more depth to his character and make his fear feel more real and relatable.
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Figure 1.3 Brother Expression - Week 4 (2/3/2025)
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In addition to facial expressions, I also sketched various action poses for Timothy to explore how he moves in the game. I focused on actions like crouching, hiding, running, and sneaking to highlight his cautious and fearful nature. These movements reflect his personality—timid and always on edge, trying to avoid danger rather than confront it. By drawing these action poses, I aimed to show how Timothy would behave in different situations.
Figure 1.4 Brother Actions & Movements - Week 5 (3/3/2025)
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Similarly, for Cynthia, I explored various design possibilities to express her dual nature—her normal mode and rage mode.
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Figure 1.5 Cynthia Mood Board - Week 5 (3/3/2025)
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During my sketching process, I experimented with different features. Some sketches included wings, others had multiple limbs, while some showed her with no hair or even horns. I explored various combinations to see what best represented her transformation and emotions. This phase was important in shaping her final look, ensuring her appearance reflected both her sorrowful and vengeful sides.
Figure 1.6 Normal Mood - Week 5 (4/3/2025)
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Figure 1.7 Rage Mood - Week 5 (4/3/2025)
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During the tutorial session, Mr. Kannan suggested that I test whether Cynthia’s flowing bottom part could be achieved in the design. This was important to ensure that her ghostly appearance and movement felt natural and believable.
To test Cynthia’s flowing bottom part, I used 3ds Max and experimented with gravity and wind force. At first, the cloth kept flying away, making it difficult to control.
Figure 2.1 3Ds Max Testing - Week 6 (11/3/2025)
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To fix this, I created a plane with many faces and applied cloth simulation. This allowed me to better control the movement and see how the fabric would behave under different conditions. Through this process, I was able to achieve a more natural and believable flow for Cynthia’s ghostly form.
Figure 2.2 Wind Force 3Ds Max Testing - Week 6 (11/3/2025)
This week, I also worked on Timothy’s turnaround. Since he plays a crucial role in the story, I wanted to highlight his personality through his posture and clothing. Timothy has a slightly hunched back, which emphasizes his timid and cautious nature. His wide, expressive eyes reflect his constant fear and anxiety, as he is being haunted by his sister, Cynthia. I also paid attention to the details of his 2000s-inspired outfit, keeping it simple yet fitting for his age and personality.
Figure 2.3 Timothy Turnaround - Week 6 (11/3/2025)
Since we had a very short time to complete Task 2, I prioritized finishing the turnaround for my character, Cynthia. This turnaround was essential in finalizing her design, ensuring consistency from multiple angles. I carefully refined her proportions, making sure that her ghostly and fragmented appearance was well-represented.
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| Figure 3.1 Cynthis Normal Mode Turnaround - Week 7 (16/3/2025) |
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Figure 3.2 Cynthis Rage Mode Turnaround - Week 7 (16/3/2025)
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After completing Cynthia’s turnaround, I quickly moved on to preparing the presentation slides.
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Figure 3.3 Task 2 Presentation Slides Progress - Week 7 (16/3/2025)
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Figure 4.1 Miro Board - Week 7 (17/3/2025)
Figure 4.2 Presentation Slides (Task 2) - Week 7 (17/3/2025)
FEEDBACK
Week 6:
When simulating gravity for clothing in 3ds Max, avoid excessive movement. Make sure to pin the clothing in the appropriate areas, such as the shoulders, neck, and other necessary spots.
Week 5:
Start testing using the apps—there’s no need for an advanced version at this stage; a rough prototype is sufficient. In the game, unnecessary details can be simplified if players don’t interact with them. For example, if players can only flick books on a shelf without picking them up, there’s no need to model each book in detail.
Week 4:
You can exaggerate the proportions of furniture, doors, and tables to create a more stylized look. When adding textures, make sure to apply all necessary texturing techniques to bring out the details effectively. Consider what style you want to achieve—whether it’s Cuban, Moroccan, or something else—and incorporate those design elements into the environment.
When blocking out the scene, use simple cubes and basic shapes to establish the composition and layout. Not every asset needs to be highly detailed; some parts can be extruded slightly, and textures can be used to add depth and realism without excessive modeling.
REFLECTION
Throughout Task 2, we frequently held meetings to discuss our progress and ensure that we were on the same page. My main focus during this phase was sketching and refining the character designs. However, for me, character design goes beyond just drawing; it involves carefully considering their personalities, emotions, and how they fit into the overall narrative.
I wanted to make sure that both Cynthia and Timothy were not only visually interesting but also believable within the world we were creating. This meant thinking about their backstories, how their personalities would influence their body language, clothing, and overall appearance. For example, Timothy’s nervous and cautious nature had to be reflected in his posture and expressions, while Cynthia’s dual nature—gentle in normal mode and terrifying in rage mode—needed to be evident in her design.
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