showcasing the next generation of digital expertise of... · another dull day at the office. what...

School of Computing

Showcasing the nextgeneration of digital expertise

2011

Inspiring success

7198 Expotees11 Brochure AMENDED2:6743 Expotees10 Brochure 29/3/11 17:09 Page 2

EXPOTEES 20112

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EXPOTEES 2011 is our sixth annualshowcase of students' work from the Schoolof Computing, it includes a diverse and widerange of projects from our final yearstudents focusing on advanced softwareengineering and programming to computergames, music, media and animations.

EXPOTEES is an illustration of the best thatstudents from the School of Computinghave to offer. This brochure is evidence ofthe outstanding world-leading work, which isan exemplar to universities worldwide.

It is a great credit to our students and to thestaff who have taught, enthused and

supported them during their studies, that ourgraduates enter employment with many ofthe world’s leading organisations.

I hope that you enjoy your time at ourexhibition and use it as an opportunity tomeet our students, and find out more abouttheir wonderful achievements.

SIMON STOBARTDEAN

Celebrating digital expertise

WELC METO EXPOTEES 2011

O

EXPOTEES is a celebration of our students’innovation, research and development in awide range of computing subjects – fromadvanced computer technology to thosecentred on entertainment.

Our students undertake an in-depthexploration of a chosen subject area anddemonstrate the ability to research, analyse,synthesise, and creatively apply what theyhave studied. The project is often in an areathey have gained an interest in either via awork placement or through their studies.

Some students undertake projects which haveexternal clients and require project managingto industry standard.

Exhibition content represents a cross sectionof final year work and demonstrates the fullspectrum of subjects taught at the School ofComputing.

Find out more about our digital expertise andthe range of programmes offered by theSchool of Computing, call 01642 342639,email [email protected] or visitwww.tees.ac.uk


EXPOTEES 2011 3

ANIMATION & VISUAL EFFECTS

GAMES PROGRAMMING

COMPUTER GRAPHICS

DIGITAL MUSIC & CREATIVITY

WEB DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

COMPUTER SCIENCE & NETWORKING

GAMES CONCEPT AND DESIGN

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These projects focus on a variety of roles within ananimation/post production studio environment, including conceptdesign, motion graphics, 3D modelling texturing and lighting,character animation, compositing and visual effects, as well assound, film theory, the production process and studio practice.They use a wide range of tools such as Softimage, Maya, 3dsMax, Combustion, After Effects, Mudbox, ZBrush and ToonBoom. Our BA (Hons) Computer Animation degree has Skillsetaccreditation. The Skillset accreditation scheme has beencreated with the games and animation industry to signpostcourses which fulfil professional criteria and prepare students forthe real world of work.

ANIMATION


THOMAS DIDYMUSBA (HONS) COMPUTER ANIMATION

PAUL FELTWELLBA (HONS) DIGITAL CHARACTERANIMATION

We have created a3D animated shortabout anencounter betweentwo solitary robotsin a junkyard.Bucky is a clumsy

and inquisitive little robot. His curiosity causeshim to happen upon a humble junkyard wherehe meets Robo-rilla, a playful gorilla and thejunkyard’s sole inhabitant. Our goal was todevelop believable and likeable characterswithin an animation by studying realmovement. The animation was created andanimated using Softimage and edited usingPhotoshop and After Effects.

LISA STONEHOUSEBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

I animated a short filmcalled Beware of thedog! using Softimage,Photoshop and AfterEffects. The animationrevolves around Peter thepostman as he does hisdaily rounds. We see himdeliver post to two

houses; the first is a nice normal house andthe second is dark and gloomy. Walking to thesecond he is blinded by ‘beware of the dog’signs. He reaches the letterbox after tip toeingpast a large doghouse and as he retrieves theletters a weird sound comes from within thehouse. The postman reaches in to pull out asmall robot dog put there to impersonate avicious dog, much to the postman’s relief.

ANDREW TONTABA (HONS) DIGITAL CHARACTERANIMATION

Introducing LarrySaunders, a quietsubordinate individual,who is just trying to makeit to the end of yetanother dull day at theoffice. What ensues is aseries of humourousscenarios as he is

pushed well beyond his mental limit. I usedToon Boom Studio as the method ofanimation for my 2D short, it is inspired byRen and Stimpy and the good old classicsfrom Warner Bros Studios, and demonstratesmy current abilities of character animationwithin a 2D environment.

EXPOTEES 20116

THOMAS DIDYMUS, PAUL FELTWELL LISA STONEHOUSE ANDREW TONTA


ANISA NADHIRAH SANUSIBA (HONS) COMPUTER ANIMATION

My project is a visualexpression of musicthrough 2D animation.The story centres on agirl who is submergedinto a dream like statewhere she uses themusic as a form of self-expression. To get the

feel of my animation right, I had help fromperformance art students from the School ofArts & Media as well as a recent musicproduction graduate. The interdisciplinarycollaboration was key to producing auniversal themed art piece. To animate I usedToon Boom Studio. I also used otherprogrammes for editing and postproductionsuch as Photoshop, After Effects, and FinalCut Pro.

JOSH ATKINSONBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

I created a children'sbook in the style of a popup story that can beviewed on the Appleipad. I aimed to create adeep and meaningful talethat teaches childrenabout friendship, loss,and independence. The

story, That Girl and Her Fish, revolves arounda young girl who befriends her emotionlessfish. The story, while very deep and somewhatsad, is for ages five and upwards, but it is aform of media that also allows adults to enjoyillustrated literature. The project is hand drawnand enhanced in Photoshop.

ANDREW DIXONBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESDESIGN

I have created a series ofcharacter models ofhighly detailed digitalsculpts, as well as gameready models that meetcurrent industrystandards. I used Zbrushas my primary tool forcreating the characters

as it offered the ideal set of features. I usedthe experience of creating these models toidentify weaknesses in, and improve upon,both my artistic and technical abilities to betterprepare myself for a career as character artist.

Animation & Visual Effects 7

ANISA NADHIRAH SANUSI JOSH ATKINSON ANDREW DIXON


JEANETTE HELEN EITERNESBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

I examined general visualeffects productiontechniques, andproduced three visualeffects shots for afictional company. Usingthree different live-actionfootage clips I createdthe visual effects which

included set extensions, removing unwantedelements and incorporating 3D elements intothe footage. I used techniques such asrotoscoping, matte painting, 3D modellingand colour grading for these effects. I alsoproduced breakdowns of the shots for use inthe ‘making of’ part of a DVD. I compositedthe various elements together, building up thefinal shot one element at a time, andcompared the footage before and after. Tocreate the shots I used 3ds Max for modelling,Photoshop for texturing, Boujou formatchmoving and After Effects forcompositing as well as colourcorrection/grading.

JONATHAN DOUGLASGRIEVEBA (HONS) WEB AND MULTIMEDIADESIGN

My project is a musicvideo produced as a 2DFlash animation; I alsocreated a website toaccompany theanimation. The animationis based on the musictrack An Awful Lot ofRunning by independent

rock group Chameleon Circuit and works intandem with the music to represent the lyrics.A visual representation of the lyrics is seen onscreen as well as a definitive storyline tuckedinto the visuals. The website is primarily amedium for viewing the animation however,users have the opportunity to find out moreabout the band and the making of theanimation – including some downloadableexamples of the conceptual design work thatinfluenced the final animation – it also givesChameleon Circuit some free publicity.

KENN HEDIN KALVIKBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

I created three visualeffects shots for a storyabout a coastguard air-sea rescue mission inwhich a coastguardhelicopter rescues asurvivor from a shipwreckstranded on a reef. Tocreate the visual effects

shots I combined live-action footage of anactor captured using green screen with acompletely computer generated environmentusing compositing techniques such askeying, motion tracking and rotoscoping. Iused 3ds Max for creating the helicopter andthe DreamScape plug-in for simulating thesea and the sky. The textures for the 3Dmodels were created using Photoshop. Thelive-action footage was motion tracked inBoujou and composited together with the 3Drenders using After Effects.

EXPOTEES 20118

JEANETTE HELEN EITERNES JONATHAN DOUGLAS GRIEVE KENN HEDIN KALVIK


CRAIG MARTIN MILNBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

I have created ananimation about threepeople’s opinions onrelationships. Theobjective of my piecewas to display myknowledge of advancedfacial animation. My maininspiration for the piece

was Creature Comforts by AardmanAnimations Ltd. I was especially fond of howcaptivating conversation could be whenaccompanied with an entertaining animation.By recording three voice actors, and editingthe sound file in Audacity, I had a naturallyflowing piece of conversation which I thenused as inspiration for my character designs.The characters I chose were drawn by handthen modelled and animated in 3ds Max. Tofinish, I added additional sound files to thevideo using Premiere. When animating thecharacters, I paid close attention to facialdetail and secondary animation as they reallymake an animated feature feel realistic.

MARIANNE OHMEBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

ANDERS LORENTZENBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

RENATE JOHANSENBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

NAVINE SAMUELBA (HONS) COMPUTER ANIMATION

We made a short film based on an idea byone of the team members. The story is aboutMatthew and his desperate attempt to reachthe Jar. He knows he's not allowed in there.He knows he's not allowed to touch hissister’s stuff. But sometimes temptationsbecome too strong. And what do you dothen? You do your best to get it. To make theshort film we used 3ds Max to create themodels and the animation, Photoshop fortextures and Premiere to edit the film.

SEBASTIAN ANTONSENBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

I have produced aproduction ready bipedalcharacter rig in Maya.Coming from a 3ds Maxbackground this provedan interesting opportunityto see the differencesbetween the twopackages, in terms of

character set-up, and to develop new ideasand workarounds in a new softwareenvironment. During the course of the projectI developed several tools to help the riggingprocess along. These included options forstoring poses for the different body parts –and methods for copying them over to theother side of the body, and blending the facebetween a morph target setup and a purebone setup. Working in an unknown softwareenvironment forced me to stop and thinkcarefully about everything I put togetherinstead of forcing solutions through.


CRAIG MARTIN MILN MARIANNE OHME, ANDERS LORENTZEN, RENATE JOHANSEN,NAVINE SAMUEL

SEBASTIAN ANTONSEN


EAMONN BLAKEBA (HONS) COMPUTER ANIMATION

I created an experimentalparticle simulation drivenusing audio wave data.The aim was to learnmore about Softimage'sinteractive creativeenvironment and generalparticle simulationtechniques, while

creating a piece of animation that was bothvisually and technically exciting. Coming froma less technical background, I had to split upthe audio wave data by replicating eachmusical element manually using a MIDIkeyboard and recording each layer by ear.This method gave me far more control overeach of the animation layers and simulatedelements in the scene using multiple objectsthat correspond to, and are driven solely by,the individual sound patterns in the music.

KEITH PAUL BROWNBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMES ART

I wanted to accuratelymodel an interesting andanatomically correctfemale game characterbefore animating andimplementing the modelwithin the UnrealDevelopment Kit gameengine. This involved

learning the complete character to gamepipeline as well as working with varioustutorials and references so ensure my workwas high quality, while also considerablyincreasing my anatomical knowledge andtechnical skills. After having constructed andtextured the character within ZBrush thecharacter was then taken into 3ds Max to beanimated manually using the biped skeletalsystem. This was chosen over motion captureto showcase my animation skills. Theanimations have been created to be asrealistic and fluid as possible, while eachaction is organised into an individual loopedcycle so that the character’s movement isseamless within the game environment.

TAT CHIANG CHEAMBA (HONS) COMPUTER ANIMATION

My short animation isabout a rogue assassinreturning to retrieve aserum that contains hisDNA so he can ensurethe scientist who madehim does not createanymore engineeredhumans like him. My

concept for the character is inspired by thecharacter Hei from the anime Darker thanBlack. His personality and combatcomposure is loosely based on Hei too.Betrayed and used by the man who took whatwas his and monopolised it for his own greed,the mysterious figure named Tiburon returnsto his previous headquarters to retrieve whatbelonged to him. But someone was watchinghim…waiting for him... I used Maya for the 3Dmodels, environment, props and lighting,Photoshop for textures and Zbrush foradditional textures and character modelling.During compositing I used After Effects andCombustion to composite and edit the video.

EXPOTEES 201110

EAMONN BLAKE KEITH PAUL BROWN TAT CHIANG CHEAM


CHRISTIAN FLOYD ERTVAAGBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

I have created a short 3Danimation featuring afemale action hero.Inspired by classic videogames and the visualstyles of renowned 3Danimation companiessuch as Pixar andSquare Enix I designed a

cool, stylish character people would want tobe in a game and showed off the character inan intense teaser animation – styled as theintroduction movie for the hypothetical game.The primary focus has been on thecharacter's design; my goal was to createsomething a bit different from the usual actionhero. I used 3ds Max for most aspects of the3D production. Other applications usedinclude Photoshop and Premiere.

GREGORY KELUBIA IDEHENBA (HONS) COMPUTER ANIMATION

I have created a shortanimation integrating 2Dtraditional characters with3D environments andprops. The story revolvesaround a young manexploring the vastrecesses of his mind andmemories. A mysterious

and cunning raven stole his voice when hewas a child and in order to regain what wastaken from him, he has devoted his life tochasing and capturing the raven. Every timehe gets a little closer to his feathered foe itescapes his grasp. To create my film I usedSoftimage for the 3D environment and assets,Toon Boom Studio for the 2D elements,Photoshop for the colouring/effects, AfterEffects for the final composting, and Pro Toolsand Audacity for the audio.

JIA YUNG HUEBA (HONS) COMPUTER ANIMATION

I have created a shortanimation film based onthe concept of wanting tobe free and different. Itdemonstrates how wehave to fight for ourfreedom of action,speech, thought andbeing. The story is about

a gynoid who wants to be free of thehumdrum similarities she has to otherandroids. She is locked away to be re-integrated into the unified system and beginsto fight her way out of the cell before the dateof her re-integration. I used Maya for 3Dmodelling and animating and After Effectsand Combustion for compositing and editingthe film.


CHRISTIAN FLOYD ERTVAAG GREGORY KELUBIA IDEHEN JIA YUNG HUE


EMILY JOHNSONBA (HONS) DIGITAL CHARACTERANIMATION

An old man and his twofaithful, yet competitive,canines take a walk in thecountry; it ends in afriendly game of fetch.Will the young, sprightly,yet inexperienced pupMisha steal the show,and their master’s

affection? Or will the old, shuffling, yet wiseShan prove you don't need to teach an olddog new tricks? A 2D, digitally animated shortfilm.

RACHEL KEHOEBA (HONS) COMPUTER ANIMATION

I animated a short filmabout the meetingbetween a little girlnamed Lily and a sleepystar named Wish. Thestar falls asleep and fallsout of the sky, he iscaught by, and cared for,by Lily. I hope it is the

start of many adventures together for them. Ihave a huge passion for animation, which iswhy I chose to create this sequence for myfinal year project. To create my short film Iused Toon Boom Studio for all 2D animationand Photoshop for backgrounds and effects.

RICHARD STUART KEMPBA (HONS) DIGITAL VISUAL EFFECTS

I created a short movietrailer. The story is based33 days after an alieninvasion of earth, and isfilmed in a documentarystyle. Each shot wascreated to demonstratedifferent aspects of visualeffects such as, motion

tracking, character animation, set extensions,particle and fluid simulations andcompositing. The project required specificsoftwares for each task. For animation,modelling and effects, Maya was used. Tosculpt I used ZBrush. Boujou was used for themotion tracking and Nuke and After Effectswere used for compositing and postproduction postproduction.

EXPOTEES 201112

EMILY JOHNSON RACHEL KEHOE RICHARD STUART KEMP


MIKE LAWRENCEBA (HONS) COMPUTER ANIMATION

For my project I createda piece of 2D conceptanimation for a musicvideo based on the songRe: Your Brains,performed by internetmusician JonathonColton. The animation isabout a struggling office

worker who is approached by his boss, nowturned zombie, who wants to eat him. Theanimation contains three main characters, aswell as a handful of interchangeable zombiedesigns. The tone follows the movie OfficeSpace meets Dawn of the Dead, with a mix ofthe Evil Dead movie. It’s a humourous storyabout the bitter pencil pusher, surviving thezombie hordes of his dead co-workers, as hisboss taunts him through song. I have usedanimation and art software, Flash andPhotoshop. All rough work was drawn outusing pencil, paper and light box before beingcleaned up with digital programs.

CHRISTOPHER MATTHEWLINGARDBA (HONS) COMPUTER ANIMATION

I have created a short 3Danimation that looks intothe use and effectivenessof different techniques,styles and emotionsused in acting. Myanimation revolvesaround the relationshipbetween a very nervous,

but keen young new actor and an incrediblypicky director. Set in a TV studio, we watch asthe actor is coached by the director on how toperform his lines. As time goes on the directorcoaches the actor to deliver more and morebizarre performances until it’s too much andthe actor gives up! To concentrate on theemotion the actor portrays as he performs hislines my focus has really been on animating aconvincing range of acting styles andemotion. To create this animation I usedSoftimage and edited it in After Effects.

JONATHAN MACDONALDBA (HONS) COMPUTER ANIMATION

I created a character fora hypothetical gamecinematic trailer. Usingself taught skills I createda character and thedesign needed to modelthe character, along witha final colour conceptpiece to see what the

finished character should look like. Thecharacter was created in Maya by making alow poly base mesh then exporting over toZBrush to add high amounts of detail as wellas texture, and normal and displacementmaps. Textures were taken straight fromreference images and painted on usingZBrush's polypaint feature. Some textureswere edited in Photoshop.


MIKE LAWRENCE CHRISTOPHER MATTHEW LINGARD JONATHAN MACDONALD


JORGEN MAELANDBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

I have created a shortmovie set in a dystopicfuture where memoriesare looked down upon.Big companies pay goodmoney to removememories and sell themto the rich and powerfulas pleasure trips or

simulations. We follow an old man who stillpossesses his original memories, andbecause of this is considered an outcast byhis family, friends and government. With nohope for a job, he lives on the street. And withno job, he cannot afford medical care. He'sdying. We follow him in his last moments, afterhe has made a life changing decision. Butwhat can he change if he's dying?

ADAM PILKINGTONBA (HONS) COMPUTER ANIMATION

I have created ananimation usingSoftimage 2011 andedited in Final Cut Pro, toshow my abilities as acharacter animator andmy modelling and riggingskills. In an interviewroom, taking inspiration

from the introduction to the Pixar film TheIncredibles, game consoles are being askedin turn ‘Why do you think you are the greatestconsole ever?’ Each console is alone in theroom but is aware the others are being askedthe question too. This leads each one toanswer the question in their own way, withdifferent personalities, trying to disprove theothers. The animation ultimately ends with oneconsole stating that none of them are thegreatest, and that they are all good in theirown way. The lighting and camera actionsreally helped give the interview a realistic feel.

BENG EU TEHBA (HONS) DIGITAL CHARACTERANIMATION

The year is 2040, manhas achieved newmilestones in technologyand lifestyle. People relyon robots for manyregular activities andman continues todevelop robotic weaponsfor military purposes. A

series of robots called Gigantic-EX5 arecreated, equipped with powerful nukecannons. They get out of control and ignorehuman commands, turning their weapons tokill all humans. Within a week, almost half ofthe human population have been wiped out.The story begins with two survivors – Fatty, acaring and kind robot and its beloved masterJenny, who has lost her parents in theincident. Despite her nightmare Fatty, with analmost human heart convinces her to live onbravely. Their peaceful moment is destroyedwhen one of the loveless and cruel dark redeyes of a Gigantic-EX5 spots and gets readyto attack. Fatty tries to protect Jenny but dueto the size is no match against a Gigantic.Fatty decides to sacrifice himself by using allhis strength to defeat the Gigantic. Jennycries as she loses her very last friend.

EXPOTEES 201114

JORGEN MAELAND ADAM PILKINGTON BENG EU TEH


LAURA SAINTBA (HONS) COMPUTER ANIMATION

For my project I animateda short film based on thecomedic relationshipbetween men andwomen. The story iscentred on a cavemanwhose simple aim is toimpress his lady friend;unfortunately this proves

more difficult than first anticipated. My aim forthe project was to use a real life situation andover exaggerate it to create a comical piece ofanimation. My vision for the animation was tocreate a narrative that would capture theaudience and to design an environment thatwas not necessarily realistic but had a senseof real beauty about it. To make my film I usedmainly Softimage for the character and theenvironments, and After Effects.

REBECCA OXFORDBA (HONS) COMPUTER ANIMATION

I have created a shortanimation to showcasemy skills at animating acharacter and theirpersonality throughmovement andexpression alone. Mydragon character, Taika,has been designed to

look more like a large cat while still beingobviously a dragon in appearance. Hispersonality reflects his cat-like qualities; theanimation focuses on him being curious andgetting into trouble. My project has helped medevelop a range of skills, including effectivetexturing, animating particles and animatinganimal movements both on the ground and inflight. I used Softimage to model, simulateand animate everything seen in the finalproduct.

WEI XING YONGBA (HONS) DIGITAL CHARACTERANIMATION

Self-Conflict is a 3Danimated short film abouta man's conflict withhimself. We allexperience conflict in oneform or another. My aimwas to create abelievable characteranimation with an

emphasis on acting and performance thatcomplements the story. The primary softwareused was Maya. I also used After Effects forpostproduction and editing. Audacity andSoundbooth were used for audio editing.


LAURA SAINT REBECCA OXFORD WEI XING YONG


EDWARD LEE TREVINOYOUNGBA (HONS) DIGITAL CHARACTERANIMATION

I created a 3D character-driven animated short,set on a cargo ship, inspace with a pilotattempting to makebreakfast and a faultygravity machine getting inthe way. It was createdusing Softimage and

Photoshop. My goal was to achieve a greaterunderstanding of character animation, makingsure that the story allowed the protagonist toshow actions, reactions, changes in emotion,weight and fatigue. Not limiting myselfhowever, I studied more advanced modelling,rigging, texturing and lighting to createeverything that ended up on screen.

SCOTT ROBINSONBA (HONS) CREATIVE VISUALISATION

I have animated ademonstration of a 3Dcharacter I developed inresponse to a live Disneybrief. The story wascreated with the influenceof popular Americancartoons including the artstyle of Stephen Silvers

and Pixar’s The Incredibles. Jack is a 16 yearold happy-go-lucky, super popular school boyliving in Carnival City with his single, busy,company executive mother. Over the summerholidays while she works abroad, he stayswith his uncle, a weird ringmaster for a groupof really creepy but talented circus performerswho work in the Twilight stadium. One nightafter the show Jack discovers a secret; amirror connected to a parallel universe. He re-activates the mirror, opening the gate andallowing mischievous creatures to escape.Jack must find a way of capturing these oddcreatures, with the help of his uncle, to stopthe mirror world taking over but without ruininghis reputation in school. My work wassketched out on paper with story boards andbrought to life using Photoshop, Softimageand Maya. I have edited the final product inPremiere and After Effects.

EXPOTEES 201116

EDWARD LEE TREVINO YOUNG SCOTT ROBINSON


GAMESThe imagination of game designersmust be turned into a reality by thegame programmers. These projectsrequire skill, both technical andcreative, to enable all manner ofideas to be implemented efficientlyand effectively on contemporaryhardware. Often these projects willfocus on prototyping new gameplayfeatures, developing flexible butefficient software architectures, orconstructing software technologiesto better realise a virtual world tothe user


MICHAEL JAMES MACKIEBSC (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESPROGRAMMING

With game environmentsbecoming ever morecomplex, calculatingviable paths for ArtificialIntelligent agents in anefficient manner is agrowing issue. One of themost well knowalgorithms for grid based

games is A*. This algorithm is used a lot as itis guaranteed to find the shortest/quickestpath, if one exists. Because of this the speedof the algorithm dramatically decreases as thesize of the grids increases. For my project Idecided to research and implement a methodknown as Hierarchical A* Path Finding. Thisinvolves splitting the grid into clusters tocreate a higher level view of it. Possible pathsare first looked for in the top level, if one isfound the lower levels are then searched toreturn a more detailed path. I wrote theprogram in C++ using Visual Studio 2010. Sothe implementation can be seen in action Ialso created a 2D interface using the SimpleDirectMedia Layer and OpenGL.

ROBIN JAMES BRITTONBSC (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESPROGRAMMING

I have developed a pieceof software to randomlygenerate a city full ofunique buildings usinguser input. The aim wasto find a balancebetween randomnumbers and user inputwhen generating a

realistic looking collection of buildings. Ifperfected it would save developers a lot oftime as they wouldn’t need to model everypart of every building manually. The programworks by generating the geometry used forthe buildings based on parameters chosen bythe user, and adding a random element andoutputting this information to a T3D file. Thefile can then be imported into the UnrealDevelopment Kit (UDK), used to visualise thelevel from a first person perspective. Theprogram was written using Visual Studio 2010using C++. Areas of research included howto randomly generate the geometry andbuilding architecture and how to use the UDKand its T3D file type.

MATTHEW COLLINSBSC (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESPROGRAMMING

For my project I createda 2D game engine thattakes advantage ofmultiprocessor systemsby operating usingmultiple threads, whichimprove the speed andperformance of theengine. The engine has

its main components separated into their ownthread, so that they all run concurrently. Thiswas done in order to utilise the multipleprocessor computer systems, which arecommon place today. Creating the gameengine in this manner allowed me to improvemy programming knowledge and showcasemy programming skills. The game engine wascreated in Visual Studio 2010 using DirectX 9as well as using Boost Library to creategames for the PC.

EXPOTEES 201118

MICHAEL JAMES MACKIE ROBIN JAMES BRITTON MATTHEW COLLINS


DANIEL FISHERBSC (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESPROGRAMMING

iPad Defense is a towerdefense type of gamecreated for the AppleiPad. The game wasdesigned with the iPad’ssize and touch screen inmind. The game alsotakes into account thelimited resources

available while developing for a mobiledevice. My demonstration was created usingiOS and Xcode and was written in Objective-C. I learnt a lot about programming for the iOSplatform and the different ways to creategames that use iOS device capabilities.

JOSH HEYDEBSC (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESPROGRAMMING

I analysed and recreateda series of pathfindingand unit navigationtechniques used inmodern real-timestrategy games. I thenconsidered where theycould be extended to forbetter applications within

set scenarios. I looked at a variety oftechniques for generating the most optimalresults. These techniques were applied to thesame groups of units to compareperformance in different situations. Thespecific aim of the pathfinding revolvesaround groups travelling together efficiently,with a variety of obstacles such as tightcorridors or groups moving in the oppositedirection. The methods were profiledthoroughly to ensure maximum efficiency sothey could be used within a game engine withonly minor changes. The simulations weredeveloped in Visual Studio 2010 using C++.The visual representation was rendered usingOpenGL.

ROBERT EDMONDSBSC (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESPROGRAMMING

I created a program thatgenerates proceduralplanets for use in realtime graphics. Thesoftware renders acomplete planet that canbe viewed from space,on the ground oranything in-between

without a loss in detail. The terrain detail ismaintained by increasing or decreasing thenumber of polygons, with detail leveldepending on the camera’s position and viewdirection. The surface terrain is generated witha fractal algorithm that has many parameterswhich can be altered to generate differentplanet variations. To organise my progress Ihave used the scrum method of projectmanagement and recorded everything on myblog. I wrote the program using Visual Studio2010 using C++ and used Direct3D graphicsAPI.

Games Programming 19

DANIEL FISHER JOSH HEYDE ROBERT EDMONDS


DOUGLAS JAMES HINDBSC (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESPROGRAMMING

For my final year project Iwrote a server and anAndroid application thatmaintains a shared set ofdata in a consistentmanor, using consistencyprotocols. The Androidapplication allows usersto share their location

using GPS and displays this data usingGoogle Maps. Clients connect to the serverover the internet, to ensure all clients areseeing the same locations as other clients,network consistency protocols are used. Boththe server and the Android application areprogrammed in Java using the EclipseIntegrated Development Environment. TheAndroid application makes use of the AndroidSoftware Development Kit (SDK) and theemulator included with the SDK.

MICHAEL JOHN HODDSBSC (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESSCIENCE

I researched methods forprocedurally generatingtextures and models.Many of the algorithmsare highly parallel, so Iexplored methods tooptimise assetgeneration by offloadingprocessing onto the

graphics programming unit. I have always hadan interest in procedural algorithms since Iexplored fractal art and B-spline (NURBS)surfaces in 3D modelling packages. Thesoftware created provides the user with a 3Dsandbox, and an interface for tools toprocedurally generate textures and geometry.The program allows users to quickly createcomplex models, and varied textures. Whenthe user is finished with their creation, theycan export the geometry as a standard modelfile. I followed the rapid applicationdevelopment approach and split the softwareinto individual components that are black-boxed, so that future versions of thecomponents can share the same (or anexpanded) interface

ALEXANDRE LAURENTBSC (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESPROGRAMMING

I simulated the evolutionof a civilisation entirelymanaged by thecomputer with the aim ofcreating moreentertaining backgroundenvironments in games.In my program, thecivilisation lives and

evolves without any user interactions. Theproject is separated in two different sections –world representation and Artificial Intelligence.To create the world representation I looked atstrategic games like Sid Meier's Civilization(Microprose, 1991), I also looked at newdirections of thinking about living resourcesmanagement using Conway's Game of Life.The goal was to create an Artificial Intelligenceable to create a new solution by itself. Agenetic algorithm was one of the solutionsused to do this. The project was completed inC++ using the Simple and Fast MultimediaLibrary and is available for Windows andGNU/Linux.

DOUGLAS JAMES HIND MICHAEL JOHN HODDS ALEXANDRE LAURENT

EXPOTEES 201120


ARON SPRINGFIELDBSC (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESPROGRAMMING

I programmed a self-learning ArtificialIntelligence pokeropponent to play againsta user and beat them; Iused C++ and VisualStudio 2010. I created abasic poker userinterface purposely

similar to that of online poker sites so thatusers feel immediately familiar with theprogram. Poker by nature is a veryunpredictable game where decisions arerarely explicitly correct or incorrect at any time,this makes it difficult to give fixed parametersfor an AI opponent to follow. To overcome thisI created the AI using a combination ofgenetic algorithms, weighted probabilities anda slight random element to try to find theoptimal decision at any given time to beat thehuman opponent. When a decision results ina positive result, it is more likely the AI willmake a similar decision in future situations.

RYAN SULLIVANBSC (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESPROGRAMMING

My project assesses thesuitability of the AndroidPlatform for games. Toachieve this I produced a2D tower defence gameusing the platforms API's.The Implementationmakes use of both theAndroid Software

Development Kit (SDK) and NativeDevelopment Kit (NDK). Using NDK allowedme to write C++ libraries for the criticalsystems and profile these against their Java(SDK) counterparts. The project allowed meto develop skills in Java, Java NativeInterface5, C++, Android, profiling,optimisation, Agile-development and unit-testing. I have also improved my ability tocritically assess and improve various softwareimplementations.

ADAM TURNBULLBA (HONS) WEB AND MULTIMEDIADESIGN

I have created a webgame based on thechildren’s book CheekyMonkey by CurtisJobling. At the start ofthe project I contactedvarious schools andasked if they would beinterested in testing the

game. I kept the schools updated throughoutthe project and once the game was nearcompletion I sent them a demo version. Thefeedback I received helped me to finish thegame. Keeping in contact with Curtis duringthe project meant I could send him designsand ideas and receive feedback regularly. Thegame was created in Flash and programmedusing ActionScript, I also used Illustrator andPhotoshop to create high quality images forcertain characters and backgrounds.

ARON SPRINGFIELD RYAN SULLIVAN ADAM TURNBULL

Games Programming 21


CHRIS WALTERBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

I have created a shortgame aimed at teachingchildren basic typingskills. Using acombination of brightcolours, a simplistic artstyle and an easy tograsp objective I tried tomake the game

accessible to young children. The game isbased around a young wizard trying to castspells using words. It has several levels withincreasing difficulty, with a relatively shortvocabulary that focuses mainly on correcthand placement and typing technique, whileremaining relevant to the theme of the game.The game was created using Game Maker 8and all art assets were created usingPhotoshop.

WILLIAM WALTONBSC (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESPROGRAMMING

I have created anadaptive ArtificialIntelligence agent for thegame Connect 4. Myinspiration came fromplaying Microsoft’sChess Titans. I becamebored of beating theCPU on an easy setting.

After increasing the difficulty however, I did notenjoy being consistently trounced by brilliantAI. People can quickly become tired of anotherwise fun game because of the difficulty.An agent which adapts its tactics to match theplayer’s skill level may be the answer, andcould hold the key to making a game fun,which so many have failed to achieve. Thegame was tested on players of varying skilllevels to assess this theory. My agentimplements a partial minimax algorithm, andthe game was developed in C++ usingSimple and Fast Multimedia Library for 2Dgraphics. My project also explores adaptive AIin past commercial games, their relativesuccess, and how adaptive AI may changegames in the future.

MENG HOCK YAPBSC (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESSCIENCE

I have created a programthat dynamicallygenerates 3D levelsusing some assets and alayout. Environmentobjects are placedappropriately accordingto the layout. Layout alsodetermines the paths

around the level. I used the UnrealDevelopment Kit (UDK) for my 3D engine,developed a program to use UDK assetsconverted to text format. The programgenerates a level in text format to be importedback to the UDK.

CHRIS WALTER WILLIAM WALTON MENG HOCK YAP

EXPOTEES 201122


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COMPUTERConstructing software technologies to visualise virtualworlds and mimic the beauty and complexity ofreality efficiently on contemporary hardware requiresdetailed understanding of the software, hardware, andassociated mathematics. These projects are often highlytechnical in nature and can focus on a range ofapplications from computer games through to scientificresearch and development. Our BSc (Hons) ComputerGames Programming degree has Skillset accreditation– the first BSc in England to be awarded the accolade.


JORGEN DRONNENBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

I have created anarchitectural visualisationof a modern houseexterior. To build themodels of the house andenvironment I usedvarious modelling toolsand techniques in 3dsMax. Photoshop was

used to apply painted textures with the help ofaccurate UV mapping, so I could laterexperiment with different materials andachieve a realistic result. The aim of myproject was to create a photorealistic, fullytextured and lighted exterior architecturalvisualisation. The piece was created using3ds Max. To render my piece I used V-Rayrendering system. Textures were made usingPhotoshop, or from CGTextures. I also lookedat how to generate realistic looking plants andorganic environments using different Ivygenerators and Vue.

CARL BUTTONBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMES ART

My objective was toshowcase my modelling,sculpting and texturingabilities when creatingcharacters for nextgeneration consolegames and renderedscenes. I created fourrealistic looking models

including a self portrait bust. My decisionswere inspired after seeing how characterswere created during my placement year atUbisoft. I was able to see first-hand a fullprofessional production pipeline for nextgeneration characters. The knowledge frommy experience influenced each character’sproduction process. I researched humananatomy, both male and female, as well asresearching traditional and modern daysculpting techniques. I also researched newmethods of reference gathering such as 3Dscanning.

ROBERT CARL KAVANAGHBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMES ART

I have created a realisticself portrait of myself foruse in the VR cave aspart of Project X. ProjectX is a PR tool that will beused to promote theUniversity. The basicpremise is a zombieapocalypse based

around Teesside University. The maincharacter is a typical university student, so Icreated the main character as a self portraitwith a purpose. The model was created using3ds Max and Mudbox, this allowed me tocreate a believable model which I thentextured using Photoshop. For the animationsI used motion capture to create fluidanimations.

JORGEN DRONNEN CARL BUTTON ROBERT CARL KAVANAGH

EXPOTEES 201126


ALEXANDER EDVARDFUSDAHLBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

I created a fantasy-photorealistic characterin a detailed environmentwith highly detailedtextures, shaders andlighting. A large part ofthe project involveddocumenting theproduction in a close to

tutorial-like fashion to show my expertise withnear industry quality rendering, lighting andcompositing. The final product consists ofseveral high resolution still images of thecharacter in several poses within theenvironment, and without. It also contains acomplete animated breakdown of the renderelements and compositing with 360 degreeturntables in full texture, clay-render andwireframe render to show the construction.This challenging project demonstrates mytechnical and artistic skills.

MATTHEW JOHN OAKLEYBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMES ART

I have recreated theenvironment, twovehicles, and assets for adriving game based onthe 1971 film Duel bySteven Spielberg. A fluidand consistent series ofin-game assets anddetail has been created.

The visuals capture the style and era of thefilm and convincingly create Duel's cat andmouse elements transposed into a videogame concept. The project required therecreation of the protagonist’s 1971 PlymouthValiant saloon car and the antagonist’s 1960Peterbilt truck. The canyon road environmentand garage location, and correspondingprops have been recreated faithfully.Following a successful placement year at UKgames developer Bizarre Creations, creatingenvironment art for the AAA game JamesBond 007: Blood Stone, I adhered, and builtupon, current game requirements to achievethe desired outcome for my project.

SVEIN CHRISTOPHERRAKKESTADBA (HONS) DIGITAL CHARACTERANIMATION

I have always believedthat a good character isthe basis of any story, asa good character is thestory itself. For myproject I created acharacter inspired byNorse myth and Vikingsagas. It is suitable for

industry standard AAA game titles. I wanted toshowcase my character in a way that showsoff the model and his personality. With this inmind, I have created a short cut-scene, in thestyle of epic role playing game cinematics.

ALEXANDER EDVARD FUSDAHL MATTHEW JOHN OAKLEY SVEIN CHRISTOPHER RAKKESTAD

Computer Graphics 27


ELLEN RYE JOHNSENBA (HONS) DIGITAL CHARACTERANIMATION

I created an architecturalvisualisation of ashowroom. This projectwas made in cooperationwith the Norwegianfurniture companySignatur – Møbler &Interiør. To build themodels of the showroom,

furniture and environment, I used variousmodelling tools and techniques in 3ds Max.For texturing and materials I used Photoshop.I designed the room myself in a very modernstyle. The aim of my project was to create aphotorealistic, fully textured and lightedinterior scene to help costumers and thecompany. The showroom is able to givecustomers a clear visualisation of how thefurniture they want to buy will look together.The showroom can be used as it is, or a newshowroom can be made to the costumer’sown preferences, with any selected furniture.

EMILY KNOXBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

Penrith Castle in the LakeDistrict sits primarily inruins. I have conductedextensive research intothe historic purpose ofthe building, whichbegan life as a peletower built by a localcleric William Strickland.

The site was later owned by the Neville family,one of the most powerful land owners in theNorth of England. Penrith suffered frequentlyfrom Scottish raids, fortifications added bylater owners began the transformation frommerely a tower in 1379, to an imposing motteand bailey castle with two towers and a greathall almost 100 years later. Using Photoshopand 3ds Max, I have built and textured a 3Dreconstruction of Penrith Castle as it stoodbefore Richard III’s reign began.

ELLEN RYE JOHNSEN EMILY KNOX

EXPOTEES 201128


Digital creativity is now embedded in the creativedisciplines. It pervades and influences all aspectsof the creative process from drawing to film-making,from story-telling to creating music, sound andbeyond. The digital tools available provide a 21stcentury canvas onto which any modern dayPicasso, Hitchcock or Beethoven can ply their trade.These R&D projects demonstrate the wide rangingtalent in the art of digital creativity

DIGITAL


THOMAS BUCKMASTERBA (HONS) DIGITAL MUSICCREATION

I have created a piece of3D audio demonstratingwhat surround sound cansound like on a portabledevice through stereoheadphones. Portabledevices are being usedmore than ever, and whileyou can get surround

sound for your television at home, you cannoton your portable device. The enjoyment of avideo game or film can be enhanced by theaudio, so 3D audio allows the user to feeleven more involved when using their portabledevice. After exploring different ways ofcreating 3D audio, I settled on the one which Ithought worked best and used the specialmicrophone techniques to make the audiothree dimensional. All of the audio has beenrecorded using Pro Tools.

GREGOIRE LLORCABSC (HONS) MUSIC SOFTWAREDEVELOPMENT

My project is a piece ofsoftware that generatesbacktracks (guitar, bassand drums parts) for 12bar blues grids. Usingthis software, a musiciancan improvise (or jam, aswe usually say) and beaccompanied by three

virtual instruments. If nobody plays a realinstrument the software will sound just like akaraoke version of a 12 bar blues. Thisapplication is not a composing tool foradvanced song writers, it is meant to be easyto use. The musician will select their chords, atempo and a number of repetitions of the grid.As soon as the music starts the user can playtheir part and start jamming. Features will bedeveloped to improve the application. A usercan save or load a grid, play or stop thebacktrack and mute or un-mute a click track.The software is called Blues Kitchen as itgenerates a 12 bar blues grid. Imagine theprogram as a pan – one a user can add theirown ingredients to (tempo, chords) and whatcomes out of the program is ready to beconsumed.

MARK MURRAYBA (HONS) DIGITAL MUSICCREATION

My project is a five trackconcept album inspiredby the variouslandscapes of the earth.The aim was to recreatethe characteristics ofthese environments andportray them as anemerging musical

experience. Every track on the album wascomposed in a different style and each onedepicts the characteristics of one of fivelandscapes that make up our environment:jungle, ocean, urban, arctic tundra and space.Each track was composed using Avid musicsoftware Sibelius and instrument sounds werecreated using Xpand2 (plug-in for Pro Tools).The album was fully mixed and masteredusing Pro Tools. This project allowed me toput all my skills learnt at University intopractice, as well as incorporate my ownmusical ability.

THOMAS BUCKMASTER GREGOIRE LLORCA MARK MURRAY

EXPOTEES 201130


TIMOTHY MATTHEWPEACOCKBA (HONS) DIGITAL MUSIC ANDDIGITAL MEDIA

DANIEL OAKLEYBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

We have created aprototype for aproposed servicefor live musicians,local venues andmusic fans whichsupports the grass

roots music scene within a local area. Theidea behind the service is to tailor-make anapplication based on an individual artist(s)within a local area, and includes backgroundinformation, songs, video of liveperformances, a blog, digital artwork and aplace for fans to contact the artists directly.The application can then be sold by theartist(s) at their gig as a direct replacement toa demo CD and can either be housed on aUSB card or downloaded directly from thewebsite. The user then has access to theapplication database to keep up to date withrate gigs, post comments and discover newperformers within their local area. You canalso buy new music, get information onupcoming gigs and keep their application upto date. The service consists of an applicationbuilt by Timothy in Flash using ActionScriptwhich is linked to an e-commerce websitebuilt by Daniel using Dreamweaver and PHPprogramming language.

KATHERINE SMITHBSC (HONS) MUSIC SOFTWAREDEVELOPMENT

I created a piece ofsoftware aimed atprimary school childrenwhich teaches musictheory and practice usingthe aims and objectivesin the NationalCurriculum for Key Stage1. The software works by

encouraging children to learn through music-related games, and by learning how to playthe piano using an interactive keyboard. Thesoftware was written to be so easy tounderstand that a child could interact with it,and also fun to use. The software was writtenusing Visual Studio 2010 using C#.net.

ALAN STEWARTBSC (HONS) MUSIC SOFTWAREDEVELOPMENT

Computers areemployed in manyaspects of music but canthey extract or analysean underlying musicalstructure? Three areas toconsider are tonal, serialand aleatoric. Serial – ifwe introduce a tone row

into a computer, can it return the inversions,retrogrades, retrograde and inversions? Tonal– the most straightforward for a humananalyst, but not for a computer. Rather than afull harmonic rhythmic and stylisticbreakdown, I concentrated on smallerelements such as interval classes, cadencerecognition, parsing data for voice leadingelements and bass progressions. Aleatoric –this entails extracting the pitch class series,computing the set numbers and setting outtheir relationships in a way that makes senseof the data. The music data comprises of midiinformation (musical instrument digitalinterface) and MusicXML. The programmingis mainly C#.net (and some C++). Thedevelopment environment used was VisualStudio 2010 using the built in Winmm andXmlReader. Additional libraries such asgraphics and audio were used. Control wasvia a graphical user interface with additionalcontrol involving musical keyboard, computerkeyboard and mouse.

KATHERINE SMITH ALAN STEWARTTIMOTHY MATTHEW PEACOCK, DANIEL OAKLEY

Digital Music & Creativity 31


CRAIG JESSUPBSC (HONS) COMPUTING

My project focused onThe Decisive Moment, aphotographicphenomenon madefamous in the late 1940sby the photojournalistHenri Cartier-Bressonwhich details the perfectmoment to take a

photograph, as well as the photographer'sability to recognise it. With the constantlyevolving nature of technology and myunashamed love of classic photographictechniques, I wanted to see if this decisivemoment was still relevant with contemporaryequipment. My ultimate aim was to see if thisstill applied to photography in the digital age.After sizable research and analysis of thesubject, a series of experiments were carriedout, both with classic and modernphotographic techniques, to determine justhow useful this phenomenon is to a modernphotographer. A short film was produced withPremiere, detailing the objective of eachexperiment, and showcasing the resultingphotographs.

ADAM BOXALLBA (HONS) DIGITAL MUSICCREATION

I have created a series ofexperimental,electroacoustic musicpieces composed forquadraphonic soundand based on the themeof nature. The pieceswere created usingrecorded sounds and

recorded found objects; which wereprocessed using different methods andtechniques to explore the settings and themesof the piece. The aim was to explore andcreate an interpretation of the differentatmospheres, sights and sounds that arefound both in nature and the modern world ina different and unique way. Creating musicand sound in this way also allows me toshowcase my design, composition andrecording skills. The piece was created usingmainly Pro Tools, however several other toolswere used for processing the soundsincluding Spear and Paul Stretch, an extremetime stretching program, as well as manydigital signal processor plug-ins in Pro Tools.

CARL RAYMOND PINDERBA (HONS) DIGITAL MUSIC ANDDIGITAL MEDIA

Electroacoustic music isa highly abstract musicalart form that is arguablystill very much open tofurther innovation. In thisproject I take the ideasthat were pioneered bythe likes of PierreSchaeffer and bring

them into the 21st century. The results are asignificant departure from the methodsemployed in the early days of the genre; forexample using a digital audio workstation asopposed to tape and the seemingly endlesssupply of effects and sonic manipulationavailable on today’s market only broaden theartistic palettes available. This project is ahighly atmospheric piece with sections in theform of movements. These movements takeon influences from different genres whilstkeeping the electroacoustic ethic and are allcreated in the space of one continuous track.The research involved extensive listening ofseminal electroacoustic works from pioneerssuch as Pierre Schaeffer, Xenakis, Ligeti andStockhausen. These fuelled much of theinspiration for the piece.

CRAIG JESSUP ADAM BOXALL CARL RAYMOND PINDER

EXPOTEES 201132


Digital Music & Creativity 35

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WEB DESIGNWeb design and development are at theforefront of innovation in many areasincluding commerce, business-to-businessweb services, education, social networkingand the growing entertainment deliveryservices. The R&D projects in this sectionpresent work that reflects the creative andinteractive aspects of website and multimediadevelopment.


SEAN MARTIN CURRYBSC (HONS) COMPUTING

I have created a fullyfunctioning online e-commerce site for afictitious furniture store.The website allows usersto browse through arange of differentfurniture products,adding them to their

basket and then making purchases using adummy payment system. To help find the rightproducts you can search using the onlineassistant, which also makes suggestionsbased on the type of products you recentlyviewed. The website also has facilities anadministrator login and edit facility through thecontent management system. The e-commerce site was built using Visual Studio2010 using C#.net with an SQL Serverdatabase. I expanded my knowledge of AJAXtechnology by using it for the online assistant.

MARK HARTBSC (HONS) INFORMATIONTECHNOLOGY AND NETWORKS

I have created acollaboration facilitywhich provides one ofmany features to the upand coming Flowplatform from Argent &Waugh Ltd. The Flowplatform is a centralbusiness tool

incorporating common business functionsinto one software application. My project hasallowed the platform to contain collaborationfunctions such as real-time chat and a wikiknowledge base, helping the platform toappeal to a larger corporate audience. Myinspiration was taken from popular socialmedia tools such as Facebook and LinkedInwho provide their users with simple and easyways to communicate with each other, forexample Facebook chat. After completing myindustrial placement Argent & Waugh offeredme this project in recognition of my hard workand dedication. To develop the collaborationfacility I produced a website application inVisual Studio 2010 using ASP.NET and C#.netto provide the server side functionality. For mydata source I used an SQL database which Iconfigured through SQL Server. To provide thereal-time chat capabilities I used JavaScriptwith the popular JQuery library to providesupport for the user interface and AJAXimplementation.

JON LEVETTBSC (HONS) WEB DEVELOPMENT

I have created a fantasyfootball game based onthe Barclays PremiereLeague. I am acompetent webprogrammer and an avidfootball fan, so the abilityto combine these twomade this project very

appealing to me. Using industry standardpractices in MSSQL and ASP.NET I was ableto create an engaging user experience. I usedSubsonic to create the Data Access Layer,this is appropriate as it keeps design andlogic separate. I have used Paypaltechnologies to charge users to compete inthe game so they can win prizes at varioustimes throughout the football season. Thereare similar games but charging users to enterincreases the prize fund dramatically and thiswill entice more entrants.

EXPOTEES 201136

SEAN MARTIN CURRY MARK HART JON LEVETT


SIMON LEMOINEBSC (HONS) INTERNATIONALBUSINESS INFORMATIONTECHNOLOGY

My project is a websiteapplication forcompanies who want tobe closer to theirworkers, allowing them toshare information, sellproducts and inform vianewsletters. The projectincludes another website

which presents the application, containstutorials and also manages customers whowant to buy the application. It is designed tobe hosted as a cloud system. The websitehas been coded in PHP and XHTML. It hasalso been coded within the Symfonyframework; a French framework, growing inpopularity. The database will be developed inMySQL.

ADAM HOGGBA (HONS) WEB AND MULTIMEDIADESIGN

The Clifton Road Centreis a small communitycentre with a churchattached in Darlington.The centre is a charity-run organisation offeringa variety of rooms andfacilities for eventsranging from indoor

bowling to birthday parties. I designed anapplication that gives the centre an onlinepresence for potential visitors/clients to view.The application achieved this bydemonstrating the space, facilities and eventsfrom a 360 degree view point. Using Flashallows the user to interact with the applicationand encourages them to investigate furtherwith the aim of increasing event bookings,attendance at events and awareness of thecentre in the surrounding community.

CHRISTOPHER MASONBSC (HONS) SOFTWAREENGINEERING

Within any companywhose employees doshift work, hours ofmanagerial time is spenteach week ringingemployees to see if theyare available to work ashift. Shift Managerreduces these hours by

providing employees with the capabilities ofviewing their timetable, picking up extra shiftsand swapping shifts with other employees. Ideveloped Shift Manager in the Eclipse HeliosIDE. Shift Managers back-end database iscreated using PostgreSQL and the front endis created using Java which corresponds toJava Server Pages using the StripesFramework. Styling is created by using CSS;but it has purposely been kept simple toensure it is user friendly.

Web Design & Development 37

SIMON LEMOINE ADAM HOGG CHRISTOPHER MASON


ANNITTA NOEL NALUBWAMABA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

I have created aneducational interactivepiece based on Africanhygiene awareness forchildren between theages of four and ten. Thisinteractive piece worksby watching threedifferent short animated

films, each featuring a different character withdifferent challenges. The user interacts with acharacter of their choice by going through thesame challenges step by step to show thelevel of their understanding of the animation.At the end of each challenge, the useranswers some questions to test how well heor she understood the whole challenge. Tocreate the piece I used, Flash for 2Danimation and scripting, Photoshop to addcolour and effects and Pro Tools for differentsounds and music.

MATTHEW ROBERT PETERSBA (HONS) WEB DESIGN

I’ve created a mobileteaching aid to supportpart-time maturestudents studying theNCFE Level 1 MusicTechnology qualification.From previously studyingon this course I foundmany fellow students

would have liked some kind of interactive aidto help them get to grips with some of theinformation being taught. There were manystudents on my course coming back toeducation for the first time in years and I couldsee that an interactive teaching aid, to helpease them back into the educational learningprocess, would help them greatly. The mobileteaching aid was created using Flash,ActionScript and Air and will be used on theAndroid Platform via the Air for Androidextension for Flash. It will include interactivemini-games and tasks to help the studentunderstand the topics being taught.

SCOTT GEORGE SMALLMANBA (HONS) WEB AND MULTIMEDIADESIGN

I have prototyped awedding website whichallows users to plan theirwedding and create apersonal webpage fortheir special day.Nearlywed.co.uk is asocial networking sitewhich combines the

planning of a wedding with the excitementand social aspects of the build up to thewedding. The website works using a contentmanagement system concept with usersregistering. It gives users access to aselection of wedding planning tools and arange of templates for their personal profile. Italso allows invited guests to register withrestricted access. It allows friends and familymembers to receive the latest information thatthe couple decide to post and share withthem. The concept art was created usingPhotoshop and Fireworks, the website wasprototyped in Dreamweaver using HTML,CSS and PHP. MySQL was used for thecontent management system.

EXPOTEES 201138

ANNITTA NOEL NALUBWAMA MATTHEW ROBERT PETERS SCOTT GEORGE SMALLMAN


These diverse R&D projects encompass topicsranging from service management to devicesand systems and from computer programmingand networks to cloud computing, but all haveone thing in common – innovation.

COMPUTER


EDDY JENKINSONBSC (HONS) COMPUTER NETWORKS

Working for Heridian Ltd,I have designed thenetwork addressingscheme for theirHopscotch communitynetworks. The projectalso involved determiningthe specifications anddimensions of

ruggedised PCs to be used as routersdeployed in microwave communicationstowers. Visual Basic (VB.Net) was used towrite the control and accounting packagesand the Vyatta, community edition, routingsoftware was installed to perform the actualpacket routing. To reduce costs and increasefreedom of use for the communities that needit, all software used is either free, or written byHeridian. Remote communities that have littleor no access to the internet can now installone or more of Heridian’s communicationstowers and bathe the local area in a Wi-Finetwork, connecting them, through the chainof towers, to the Internet. Towers can bespaced up to 50 miles apart and have afootprint radius of up to 30 miles. As proof ofconcept, I built a small scale version of theHopscotch network model at home using 4PCs, two wireless routers and two switches.End-to-end connectivity was established anda laptop was able to join the wireless networkand access web pages on a web server.

SEBASTIEN BERTHIERBSC (HONS) COMPUTING

I have created aversioning system forMINIX 3 operatingsystem. It is a freeproject, under BSDlicence, which consiststo the development of acomplete system likeGNU/Linux or FreeBSD,

and POSIX compliant. It is based on a micro-kernel architecture which means eachcomponent of the system is a separateprogram – process management, file system,and so on. I have modified the system inorder to have a concordance among allcomponents when the system is updated.This makes it is possible to have severalMINIX systems in one computer. Integration inthe MINIX's package manager, pkgsrc fromOpenBSD, facilitates the upgrade of thesystem. I have worked with QEMU/KVM on aDebian GNU/Linux, and with GNU Emacs,and in C and sh languages. Synchronising offiles between the two machines has beendone with OpenSSH.

DAVID ROBERT ELLIOTTBSC (HONS) COMPUTER SCIENCE

I have designed andimplemented a cross-platform client-serverbased instantmessenger program withaccounts. The projecthas covered many areasincluding softwarearchitecture, databases,

networking and Human Computer Interaction.The program was created using the Javaprogramming language and MySQL.Interesting characteristics include predictivetext, private messages using encryption,ability to run on different operating systems,historical chat messages search function andcustomisable notifications. I have used avariety of software to produce it includingEclipse, NetBeans IDE 6.9.1, Ubuntu 10.4 andMySQL Server.

EXPOTEES 201140

EDDY JENKINSON SEBASTIEN BERTHIER DAVID ROBERT ELLIOTT


MICHAEL PEMBERTONBSC (HONS) COMPUTING ANDNETWORKS

This cutting edge projectinvestigated thetechnologies andmethodologies used inthe design andimplementation ofnetworks, ultimatelyleading to the productionof a service design

package for a company and aligned with theirbusiness requirements. I have a naturalfamiliarity with networks as a CISCO certifiednetwork associate and studying for a degreein networking, this project satisfies mycuriosity. Also, having worked in the ITdepartment of a large public sector employer Ibelieved I could bring real-world experience tothis project. The project draws on areas ofCISCO’s design principles using bestpractices such as the Enterprise CampusNetwork Design for a resilient infrastructureand IT Service Management in the form of ITILfor documenting the design. The design alsointegrates network concepts such as VLANs,remote access and voice over InternetProtocol.

JAMES WILLIAM FLETCHERBSC (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESSCIENCE

Turn any surface into agraphics tablet withoutthe need for a specialpen! For example, aprojector can be used asa touch screen. You cantouch the screen withanything, your finger, apencil and it will detect

the pressure you apply – a cost effectivesolution with off-the-shelf components whicheliminates the need for cameras and infraredand functions purely on sound.

ANDREW SIMPSONBSC (HONS) COMPUTING ANDNETWORKS

My project researchescloud computing andhow it can be used inhealthcare practically. Iproduced a technicalcloud computingsolution specifically forGP practices so they canshare data with each

other from a centrally managed location. Itallows patients to attend any GP practice andfor practices to share data with hospitals. Italso deals with policies and proceduresneeded. I have a passion for computernetworks and service management andwanted to investigate cloud computing as thisis an interesting and rapidly growing area of IT.During my placement at a local school Iexplored virtualisation using VMware. I usedthe Information Technology InfrastructureLibrary for policies as well as the servicemanagement aspect of my project.

Computer Science & Networking 41

MICHAEL PEMBERTON JAMES WILLIAM FLETCHER ANDREW SIMPSON


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Teesside University is an award-winning trainingprovider. Your business – however large or small –could benefit from a spark of inspiration from theSchool of Computing.

We are a centre for excellence in the technical and creative aspectsof computing, web, multimedia, music, games and animation, andwe’re best placed to help your business and your workforceimprove, expand and succeed.

Staff can make or break a business, so keeping staff up to datewith the right skills and development opportunities is a majorpriority. The School of Computing offers a wide range of industryand University accredited CPD courses. We can develop and writelearning programmes to suit your company and employee needs,or accredit your in-house training programmes, if appropriate.

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Training and developmentfor professionals and business


GAMES

The birth of a computer game occurs within theimagination. The concept, creating the world, thecharacters that inhabit and interact through game play,the game play structure and level design are allrepresented at EXPOTEES. These projects reflect workin games such as storyboarding, interface design andlevel design.


JAMES RUSSELL RENNIEBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESDESIGN

I have designed andmodelled a series of carsbased on the idea ofcreating a uniquenational identity for eachone. Inspiration wasbased on my opinion ofcurrent car design andhow many cars,

regardless of which country they come from,tend to look very similar with no real character.Cars from the middle of the 20th century hada lot more charisma, for example the JaguarE-Type can be considered one of the mostbeautiful cars ever made even though it is 70years old. This was the main drive behind mywork, making cars objects of people’saffection rather than a just a disposableproduct. The cars were all designed inPhotoshop, then usied 3ds Max to model andtexture them.

MATTHEW GRAEME HUNTERBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESDESIGN

I chose to design andcreate a 3D environmentplayable as a multiplayerlevel. Loosely based onMiddlesbrough trainstation, I re-imaginedand applied my ownartistic judgement toaccommodate common

level design principles. The leveldemonstrates my knowledge and ability todesign and produce a working environmentwithin an industry standard game engine. Iwanted to create a realistic texturedenvironment using photo referenced imagerythat I had taken personally on location. Thescene was created using 3ds Max, texturedwithin Photoshop, and then imported into theUnreal Development Kit.

MOBASHIR IQBALBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESDESIGN

I decided to tackle thelack of innovation in first-person shootermultiplayer level designby creating twomultiplayer maps, uniquein both design andgameplay. The first mapwas designed for 1v1

gameplay; the map itself mutates as bothplayers duel. Doing this adds a fun twist onhow the game is played and also introduces atype of exploration element which is onlyusually found in the single player experience.The second map was designed forcompetitive 4v4 games which meant I neededto create a well balanced/flowing and funmap. Both maps were created within the HaloReach in-game level editor Forge, which Ichose as I find it user friendly and easilyaccessible.

EXPOTEES 201144

JAMES RUSSELL RENNIE MATTHEW GRAEME HUNTER MOBASHIR IQBAL


CHRIS JOHNSONBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESDESIGN

Based on a personalgame concept, I chose touse my project as anopportunity to researchand design a complex3D environment for usewithin a single playercampaign. Takingadvantage of current

graphics capabilities, I developed thisenvironment from concept and design,through to asset modularisation, modelling,detailing, rigging and texturing, usingworkflows employed by studios. I usedindustry standard software 3ds Max,Photoshop, ZBrush and the UnrealDevelopment Kit. The project has allowed meto showcase both my skills and artisticabilities while exploring new technology andtools to help me become a stronger gamesartist.

JAMES KELLYBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESDESIGN

My project was basedaround a computergame design idea – afuturistic space colonynamed Frontier. I created3D assets whichincluded several currentgeneration charactermodels with concept art

pieces to support the creation and designdocumentation. The inspiration behind theproject was from my interest in futuristic andsci-fi games such as Dead Space and theHalo series, and my interest in Real TimeStrategy games. To create the 3D assets Iused 3ds Max, using Mudbox to create thehigh resolution detail needed. To finish theassets I used Photoshop for texturing.

DAVID STUART GRAFTONBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESDESIGN

I set out to master a toolof my trade and in doingso created an interestingand fun-packed gamefull of action. Dive intothe suspense filled worldof Project Larry, a thirdperson adventure gamethat requires the player

to survive the horrors of the undead. Useitems found around a hospital to fight, andbarricade against, and ultimately escapefrom, your undead pursuers. To create thissubversive world I taught myself how to usethe Unreal Development Kit (UDK) to create aworking game. Then, by applying myknowledge of 3ds Max with the UDK, I wasable to create a working demo for ProjectLarry.

Games Concept & Design 45

CHRIS JOHNSON JAMES KELLY DAVID STUART GRAFTON


SHAUN SPALDINGBA (HONS) CREATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

I have created a shortpuzzle game as part ofan exploration of puzzlesand riddles. My mainfocus has been the mindof the player and theapproach people taketowards problem solving.Attempting to build

puzzles that are interesting and challengingwhile being welcoming and fair toinexperienced players is a design challengeI've been fascinated by for years. My projectexplores the depth of a simple puzzlemechanic, and how it can be a challengingexperience, while presenting an accessibleand welcoming world for the player to bedrawn into. I used Flash and Photoshop toproduce art assets and Game Maker 8 toconstruct the engine and game levels.

DALE TUBBBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESDESIGN

I have designed andcreated several 3Dassets and sections of avideo game design biblethat include a character,a vehicle and a worldoverview for my ownpersonal game designbased on a post-

apocalyptic world where the economy iscentred around the mining of precious ores.The 3D assets are the main focus of the workand are all built for current generation gamesplatforms and constructed to industrystandards. The design bible sections provideinformation about the game design and theworld that the 3D assets are designed for. All3D models were created in 3ds Max andadditional sculpting detail was applied usingMudbox. All textures were created usingPhotoshop.

NIKITA DAWSONBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMES ART

I have compiled an artbook centred on an ideafor a fighting game. Thebook includes asummary of the gamesplot, and then goes ontothe process of designingand creating numerouscharacters and

environments to fit into the story. I addedsome extra drawings such as pictures ofcharacters fighting or general images thatfurther express something about thatcharacter. To create my images I mainly usedPhotoshop, although some images werecreated using traditional media. Finally, I used3ds Max to take one of my characters throughthe modelling process and then Zbrush tocreate normal maps and texture my character.

EXPOTEES 201146

SHAUN SPALDING DALE TUBB NIKITA DAWSON


MATTHEW HARRINGTONBA (HONS) DIGITAL MUSIC ANDCOMPUTER GAMES DESIGN

My project is made up ofthree parts. The first is acomprehensive designdocument for a gameentitled Shade, whichcovers the gameplay,plot, characterprogression and otherelements of the game.

The second part is a 3D interactiveenvironment based on this document, built inthe Unreal Editor which serves as a visualrepresentation of the atmosphere of the gameand as a theatre for the showcasing of thethird part of my project – a soundtrackcomposed in ProTools. The intention behindthe unified parts of the project is to convey thespirit of the game in more than just the wordsof the design document, by using the visualand audio aspects of the environment and themusic.

KYRA LEIGH HILLSBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMES ART

I have created a currentgeneration character fora survival horror gamegenre. This characterundergoes atransformation,mimicking that of aviolent reaction to aninfection and becoming

zombiefied. The aim of my project was tofollow the process of creating an appealinggame character, from conception tocompletion, with the added challenge ofhaving the character transform. To create anappealing character, it was necessary toresearch and review the survival genrethoroughly. The transformation itself had tocomply with in-game constraints, whichrequired a mix of different current generationtechniques to successfully achieve thedesired outcome. The character was createdusing industry standard tools such as 3dsMax, Mudbox and Photoshop.

TIMOTHY KONGBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMES ART

I created artwork for ahypothetical steamfantasy game thatfeatures uniquecharacter, environmentand creature designs.The design inspiration isfrom a combination ofVictorian and Oriental

periods and to create a convincing fictionalatmosphere I researched different cultures, artmovements and historical times. All work hasbeen put together into a concept documentthat has several finished character designs,environments, creature designs and leveldesigns, as well as a back story on the worldand characters. This is to be used in a pitch toshow art direction and the theme of the game.Artwork was primarily created in Photoshopwith sketches done in pencil.


MATTHEW HARRINGTON KYRA LEIGH HILLS TIMOTHY KONG


EXPOTEES 201148

JAKE HOLDENBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMES ART

I created a remake of aclassic Playstation 1character from the gameVagrant Story developedby Squaresoft using thelatest techniques andsoftware complying withindustry workflow. Usingthe original concept art

from the game I created a high resolutionmesh in ZBrush and added details such asskin pores, scar tissue, muscle definition andabrasions to clothing and armour. They wererendered out as a normal map to give detail tothe low polygon in-game model. The in-gamemodel was produced using 3ds Max. I usedthe graphite modelling tools to effectivelydraw the geometry and topology of a newmesh onto an existing model. This approachwas very versatile and allowed me to makequick and easy adjustments. To texture themodel I used Photoshop and a combinationof photo reference and hand paintedtechniques to create the diffuse, specular andopacity maps.

CHRISTOPHER GEORGEPEPLOWBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMES ART

My project is acompilation of 3D assetsand environmentalconstructions for use in agame using mainly 3dsMax and Photoshop.These were made into anactual level using theUnreal Development Kit,

and will be integrated into a game beingcreated by the University. My level is a sectionof the University which has been overriddenwith zombies, and is fully playable. The gameplays using the University’s own gamesystem, and also other students’ assets, suchas enemies, to turn it into a complete level,meaning it is not just a simple environment.My aim was to create a fully playable level todemonstrate my skills, adaptability andversatility. Along with my creations, and theassets of others working on the project, mylevel is representative of what a small sectionof the final game will be like. In the future, itwill also be compatible with the University'sAdvanced Visualisation System, The Cave.

BEN BRYAN WATSONBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMES ART

I have created a real timeenvironment based onthe Velociraptor penscene from the hit filmJurassic Park (1993). Ibased my initial concepton scenes from themovie, and began tobuild more of the world

around the enclosure. I tried to imagine whatthe park would have been like if it hadn’tclosed down and how things would look if youwhere simply visiting it as a tourist. Theintention here was to create an aestheticallypleasing scene that could be explored. Thisgave me a lot of creative freedom to makeevery aspect interesting and unique. I createdthe assets using 3ds Max, Mudbox andPhotoshop. I then imported these props intothe Unreal Development Kit where I designedand built the scene.

JAKE HOLDEN CHRISTOPHER GEORGE PEPLOW BEN BRYAN WATSON



DANIEL ROBERT BAILEYBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMES ART

I have created anindustrial section of aprosperous, futuristic citythat has been ravaged byits once faithful servants,the OMEGIS robots. Thiswas based on a gamedesign idea I had manyyears ago. Also created

are two survivors, a cop who lost his job to theOMEGIS and a secretary who is trying toescape. Created in 3ds Max, the environmentis built with several modern-day architecturalstructures in mind but with added futuristicflare, as seen through its texturing and assets.The survivors are dressed appropriately totheir professions but are textured to showwear and tear on clothing, and bruises,scrapes and bandages on their skin tocoincide with the attack. Generally everythingis low poly, with the detail coming from thediffuse and normal texture maps. Lighting isused to convey an eerie, crumbled andbloody ghost town.

JAMES CASHMOREBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESDESIGN

I created a workingartefact for a game level.It is set on the ScottishIsle of Auchendorf in theOuter Hebrides in theearly 1800s. The story isabout a young mancalled Alexander, whoseeks to take back the

castle he was brought up in. But the enemy,his father, is not so well relaxed. Theinspiration was based upon my ownenthusiasm and keen interest of castles andfortresses, with a liking for big scale in mind,and with a keen interest in Scottish history.The level was constructed and put togetherusing the Unreal Engine, as well aspostproduction effects. Assets were createdusing 3ds Studio Max and texturing wasimplemented in Photoshop.

JASON THOMAS HARDYBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMES ART

I have created a fictionalmedieval village, for acomputer game,recovering from a recentattack by a dragon. Thisparticular scenarioallowed me to furtherexplore 3D environmentart and destructive

scenery. The village is set in a fictional locationbut has been influenced by the architecture of12th century England. The aim of this projectwas to develop a realistic environment thatcould be implemented into a currentgeneration computer game. I used the UnrealDevelopment Kit to build the scene andpopulated it using binary space partitioningand imported static meshes built in 3ds Max.Texturing was handled in Photoshop and highresolution meshes were sculpted in Mudbox.

DANIEL ROBERT BAILEY JAMES CASHMORE JASON THOMAS HARDY


ANDREW MORGANBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMES ART

I chose to concentrate onproducing a number ofconcept art pieces for anoriginal game idea calledTribe. I created a concisegame bible as well as aseries of finished conceptdesigns showcasing avariety of approaches

and art styles. I focused on designdevelopment for the main characters,environments, enemies and props forproducing artwork in traditional and digitalmedia. Tribe involves a group of peoplemarooned on a desert island. This aims to bea refreshing take on the popular post-apocalypse theme in games, as it asks thesame question – would a modern day personcope in an environment where vital resourceswere scarce?

JOVAN MURRAYBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMESDESIGN

I created a gameconcept called JusticeArms: Twin Fates anddeveloped characterconcepts and userinterface (UI) designs.The concept art wascreated from initialsketches then put into

Illustrator, where the line art and colour wereapplied, then into Photoshop for the finaltouches, to create the final conceptual artworkfor the six game characters. The UI designs Icreated are part of the in-game menus wherethe player can access such information asstatus, equipment and skills and also thebattle system UI designs. This was created inPhotoshop, where all the assets for the menuswere created, then taken into Flash andcompiled to create the interface with workingnavigation to pages using ActionScript,animations and music that give an insight intohow the interface operates in game.

LEWIS CHARLESSANDERSONBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMES ART

I have undertaken all thenecessary tasks requiredto accomplish a playablegame character. Idesigned fourcharacters; all part of thesame story in a gameand modelled, riggedand textured one of

these characters. To demonstrate myunderstanding of anatomy I created ananimated skeleton mesh of that character. Themesh was exported into the Unreal Engineand made playable.

EXPOTEES 201150

ANDREW MORGAN JOVAN MURRAY LEWIS CHARLES SANDERSON


JASON PHILLIPSPENCER-JONESBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMES ART

I modelled and texturedfour low poly characters;a realistic pirate andthree fantasy creaturesbased on a monkey, birdand lizard. They are alsorigged with the intent ofgoing into a nextgeneration game. The

pirate’s head was modelled using a photo ofmyself; I wanted to create a virtual avatar toexplore an in-game environment. I alsowanted to experiment with different textures,which is why I chose different animals. I amfascinated by animals, mythical and real, sothis project gave me the opportunity to studyanimal anatomy from a fantasy perspective,thus allowing creativity and to developcreatures that are unique. The characterswere initially modelled in 3ds Max, withadditional higher resolution modelling donewithin ZBrush. Afterwards, the Normal mapsand AO maps were derived from the highresolution meshes. They were combined withthe diffuse textures created within Photoshop.These assets were exported to the UnrealEditor and then materials added. In the finalstage, the assets were placed within theengine itself.

JAMES WALSHBA (HONS) COMPUTER GAMES ART

For my project I createda series of models usingmodern charactercreation techniquesemployed in the videogame industry. Thetheme for the modelswas the search forSolomon’s gold. Each

piece was created to use within the UnrealDevelopment kit games engine, so Iconstructed them with a constricted polygoncount and texture size in mind. To create thecharacters I used Zbrush to sculpt and texturethe models, as well as Topogun toretopologise and create the low poly meshes.Xnormal was used to capture the lighting anddetail information and Photoshop was used tocolour and correct the textures. The last stagewas to set-up rigs using 3ds Max so eachcharacter could be posed. I chose this projectto gain a better understanding of the pipelinesand processes used to create games content.


JASON PHILLIP SPENCER-JONES JAMES WALSH


EXPOTEES 201152

ANIMATION, GAMES &COMPUTER GRAPHICSUndergraduate

> Computer Animation, BA (Hons)

> Computer Character Animation, BA (Hons)

> Computer Games Animation, BA (Hons)

> Computer Games Art, BA (Hons)

> Computer Games Design, BA (Hons)

> Computer Games Programming, BSc(Hons)

> Games and Animation, Foundation Year

Postgraduate

> Computer Games Art (Character), MA

> Computer Games Art (Environment), MA

> Computer Games Art (Vehicle), MA

> Concept Art for Games and Animation, MA

> Digital Animation, Sound and VisualMedia, MA

> Digital Character Animation, MA

> Digital Effects for Film and Television*, MA

COMPUTINGUndergraduate

> Computer Science, BSc (Hons)

> Computing, BSc (Hons)

> Computing*, FdSc

> Computing (Networking), FdSc

> Information and CommunicationTechnologies (ICT), BSc (Hons)

> Information and CommunicationTechnology (ICT), FdSc

Postgraduate

> Applied Computing, MSc

> Computing, MSc

> IT Management, MSc

> Network Systems, MSc

> Networks and Communications, MSc

> Advanced Computer Science*, MSc

WEB & MULTIMEDIAUndergraduate

> Creative Digital Media, BA (Hons)

> International Business InformationTechnology (direct entry Year 3), BSc(Hons)

> Web and Multimedia Design, BA (Hons)

> Web Design*, Fdsc

*subject to approval

The School of Computing at Teesside University offersword-class computing facilities with studios and labs equippedto the highest industry standards, providing one of the UK’sbest teaching environments. We offer an innovative andexciting range of undergraduate and postgraduate coursesstretching from the highly creative to the very technical.

Inspiring success

To find out more about ourdigital expertise and the rangeof programmes offered byTeesside University contactthe School of Computing on01642 342639,[email protected] visitwww.tees.ac.uk/computing.


EXPOTEES 2011 53


EXPOTEES 2011

O2011

EXPOTEES is the result of the hardwork and dedication of manycolleagues and supporters, andthe EXPOTEES team would like tothank everyone who hascontributed to the success ofEXPOTEES 2011. We wouldparticularly like to give ourheartfelt thanks to our sponsorsof the event and of the EXPOTEESAwards. We are very grateful forthe support and dedication givenby the School of Computingmanagement team, the WorkforceDevelopment team, the Instituteof Digital Innovation and theDepartment of Marketing& Student Recruitment.

Every final-year undergraduate studentis guided through their project with thesupport of a project supervisor. Wewould like to express our gratitude toDave Eagle, the projects co-ordinator,all the project supervisors for theircontinuing support and of course tothe stars of the event, the final yearstudents for their hard work andenthusiasm.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

For any questions about EXPOTEES pleasecontact Joanne Noble at [email protected] on 01642 342639.


EXPOTEES 2011

SPONSORSHIPEXPOTEES has been enriched by the support given to us by our sponsors.

If you would like to consider being part of this fantastic event, or sponsorone of the EXPOTEES Awards, then please contact Justin Greetham [email protected] or on 01642 342692.


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This publication is available in alternative formats on request. Please contact theSchool of Computing on 01642 342649 or email [email protected].

Teesside UniversityMiddlesbrough T: +44 (0) 1642 218121 Tees Valley F: +44 (0) 1642 342067TS1 3BA UK www.tees.ac.uk


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