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Sci-fi graphics specialist – Anthony Ur interview

Anthony Ur is a graphics designer supporting the military but spends his free time helping design graphics and special effects for an independent science fiction show, Dark Operations: Terminus. I interviewed Anthony at Far Point 2018.

1:16 – The graphics designer for Dark Operations Terminus tells me how he works on the project. He’s been an art director for the US Army in using graphics for training.

3:01 – Anthony is an avid gamer which inspires his work. He played a lot of Dungeons and Dragons and watched a lot of Star Trek.

3:41 – His most important tools are Autodesk studio suite and the Unreal Game Engine for rendering. His Transformers toys around his office gets him into the right state of mind for his work.

5:21 – Anthony’s favorite element of graphic design is figuring out how to turn his 3D models into actual physical reproductions. Small items like laser pistols are printed in segments.

6:44 – He got into graphic design when he was working in Visual basic in high school. He saw another student working on computer animation and he went in that direction. He started in 3D and then got into art. He continues because it’s a passion. He thinks of his designs in an engineering way.

8:31 – Over time he’s learned to adjust to what a client wants rather than trying to push his vision of a design.

9:55 – Graphic design touches everything. Products and independent films all have elements of graphic design. Designers think about how an item will interact with people ergonomically.

11:01 – Cartoony sci-fi does not need to look realistic. But other sci-fi might need more believable looking technology.

11:52 – Animation inspires Anthony. Cartoon network has stuff that inspires him. Early stop motion films inspire him. Disney animation quality inspires him. Pen and paper work can provide very good animation compared to digital.

13:06 – He likes to read quantum theory and quantum mechanics. He also loves LOTR and wanted to do Hollywood videos. Music from sci-fi shows and movies inspire him. Howard Shore for example.

15:01 – Some older games can grab him more than newer games. People focus a lot on multi-player but he likes more of the single player. Puzzle Quest is one game he loves.

16:09 – He was fascinated with the Nightcrawler power to teleport. Techie-wise he’d be interested in having a bionic part. He’d also like to create a game where someone terminally ill could go into this game and forget about their problems while they’re inside. He’d also like create a game where people might not even know they’re in a game.

18:51 Dark Operation Terminus is on facebook. His work is also on Nextgenimaging.com

Links

https://www.facebook.com/DarkOperations/

http://www.nextgenimaging.com/

For more “Creating Sci-Fi and Fantasy – An Inside Look” please follow me on Facebook at crisalvarezwlc, on youtube at Cris Alvarez and on Instagram @crisalvarezscifi

Guests: Anthony Ur

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: science fiction, sci-fi, graphics design, 3d, 3d printing, puzzle quest, video games, spaceships, transformers, howard shore

Game developers Christian Plummer and Zenas Bellace interview – Super Magfest 2018 – youtube

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I met one of the programmers and one of the developers of the indie game Super Rock Blasters at Super Magfest 2018 and interviewed them about making games.

1:36 – Christian explains what Super Rock Blasters is about. It’s Asteroids but blowing up each other.

2:27 – He’s worked on various projects in the past. He’s done a lot of game jams too.

3:42 – He uses Unity to port the game to other systems. It’s better than in the past but it’s not an easy process.

4:58 – His most important tool is a white board and markers.

5:46 – Special effects is what he most likes working on.

7:25 – Computer games are like raising children.

8:55 – He defines success as people spreading interest in the game through word of mouth.

9:50 – One of the the programmers, Zenas Bellace joined the conversation.

13:35 –Zenas talked about his method in developing games.

14:50 – They see games as a form of information and communication between people.

16:10 – Dune has been an inspiration for Zenas. Christian has been inspired by anime. The hero’s journey also.

17:45 – Zenas would like to create a sort of role playing type video game. Overall, they said to just make games if you want to. Just do it.

19:49 – The game can be found at rockblasters.quadratron.com or on twitter @quadratrongames

Links

http://www.quadratron.com/portfolio/super-rock-blasters/

For more “Creating Sci-Fi and Fantasy – An Inside Look” please follow me on Facebook at crisalvarezwlc, on youtube at Cris Alvarez and on Instagram @crisalvarezscifi

Guests: Christian Plummer, Zenas Bellace

Host: Cris Alvarez

Game developers Nick Beauregard and Bryan Depuy interview – Super Magfest 2018 – youtube

Nick Beauregard and Bryan Depuy are friends who decided to collaborate to develop a video game. Nick is a professional programmer and Bryan is an artistic type who got into programming to c0-create the game Bit Rat. I interviewed them at their booth at Magfest 2018.

0:50 – The developers talk about their game Bit Rat. It’s their first serious long term project.

2:04 – They talk about how they approach completing the game. The game is set in 1991 but a futuristic retro idea. It has an early 90s cyber punk aesthetic.

4:13 – The developers talk about what inspires their work. They were in punk bands together in the past. Puzzle games have inspired Nick.

6:00 – They trade off on who does work in creating the game. Nick programs professionally. Brian got into programming for the game development.

8:36 – Brian likes to balance elements within the game. Nick likes working on the core mechanics of the game. Turning a puzzle into code is his favorite part.

10:01 – They started making games a few years ago during a camping trip. They chose a project that they could jointly work on. A digital project is much easier to collaborate on being hundreds of miles apart.

13:58 – Game makers are like any other creative artist. Bring your honest whole self into the project to help it resonate with the consumer.

15:39 – Neuromancer and Gibson’s trilogy have inspired Nick. He really likes the game The Witness. Brian loves Octavia Butler.

17:38 – They’ve played Shadowrun but a digital version. Flashback was one old game and Nick played a lot of Mario.

22:06 – Portal was a game that inspired Nick because it took a cool puzzle idea and told the story through the puzzles.

23:04 – Bucketdrum games is the name of their company at www.bucketdrumgames.com. They’re on twitter @bucketdrumgames.

Links

https://www.amazon.com/Neuromancer-William-Gibson/dp/0441569595

http://store.steampowered.com/app/210970/The_Witness/

http://octaviabutler.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadowrun#Video_games

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flashback_(1992_video_game)

http://store.steampowered.com/app/400/Portal/

www.bucketdrumgames.com

For more “Creating Sci-Fi and Fantasy – An Inside Look” please follow me on Facebook at crisalvarezwlc, on youtube at Cris Alvarez and on Instagram @crisalvarezscifi

Guests: Nick Beauregard and Bryan Depuy

Host: Cris Alvarez