Pixel Art

                                                                       

Photoshop Intro 

  In these last two classes, I spent my time researching and experimenting with Photoshop, a software I had never used before, and trying to learn simple functions, tools, and techniques to be able to edit and create new images, like the one I made for the header of my blog.

I learned methods such as:
- how to apply an image to another one you've already placed, and you can do this by simply picking the picture with your navigation arrow and sliding it into your file. 
  I used this to add all the characters and objects to the background of my header, the tetris screen.

- how to rotate images and modify their size, to do this all you have to do is click on the image you've placed and either rotating it, when the navigation tool turns into rounded sideway arrows, or changing the size, when the navigation tool turns into a square of arrows.
  I used these two technique on all of my images, first for the background, so that I could crop the image in the desired position and for the characters and objects, so that they all had similar sizes and had the effect that they were standing on the tetris blocks.

- changing the brightness, hue, and saturation of images, by clicking on the sideway bar and finding the colour modifying tab.
  With this tool I changed the brightness and saturation of the background.

- making images, either visible or hidden, by clicking on the eye by the side of the file's layer.
  This technique was used for my header to hide certain characters that I found didn't match the overall picture or those which were placed incorrectly, but that I already had sticked to the background and couldn't remove.

- there are many ways to crop a file, depending on the shape, size, and precision you want. A simple method, to crop squares or rectangles, is to use the tool, on the left sidebar, which appears as a dotted square. After choosing this tool, all you have to do is to surround the area of your image that you want to save, and then clicking the crop button. 
  This last tool was one I used quite a few times to make characters the right size or to simply crop the background image, which was the first thing I did.

  These were a few of the tools and methods I learned, but I still have much that I need and would like to learn about Photoshop.


Finished Header:











Original Images I used, and their links:

 
http://pa1.narvii.com/5808/405f4b28976ea251e1c855781cf19f6ecc687566_hq.gif

http://jacksbox.de/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/coin.png

http://piq.codeus.net/static/media/userpics/piq_307048_400x400.png

http://pixelartmaker.com/art/ffd836077a0d98d.png

https://orig00.deviantart.net/152f/f/2012/283/6/f/16_bit_sprites__pikachu_by_toshirofrog-d5hcjfu.png

https://t00.deviantart.net/4x5bvUuT71suWbs0qd52RdVgClA=/300x200/filters:fixed_height(100,100):origin()/pre00/cc35/th/pre/i/2015/113/a/f/16_bit_ocarina_of_time_link_by_truehands-d5t5yt9.png

http://25.media.tumblr.com/6a7aa973cdf90a6c8241265354e906b4/tumblr_mgyue8PWna1rby4vso1_r1_1280.gif

Tetris Background:



https://images3.alphacoders.com/239/thumb-1920-239007.jpg


Finished Background:



I wanted a more simple background, so I created it by cropping the image in photoshop, then changing the saturation, brightness, and hues.

Game Designer Skills

Skills I'm more comfortable with:

Creative Writing
  I don't have much experience with writing stories, but I enjoy making them, I have created a few for English projects and in rare occasions, tried to write ones with friends or by myself. However I believe everyone has the ability to create stories, because everything has a story and the more we watch movies, read books, or even just play video games, the more we attain knowledge and ideas.
  If I could use this skill in video game design it would probably be by creating characters, story lines and imagining different settings.

Games
  I find it important to discover and try different games, and it's something I try to do whenever I have time, for when we do, we start to understand how each creator makes unique games and what techniques he uses, and once we have this information we can try to apply these skills into our own games, to make them better.
I think it's also good to play popular games, compare them and see what types of stories, genres, game play, and characters each one has, then you'll know what types of games the majority of people enjoy, and be able to apply these into your own creation.

Music
  I don't posses too much experience adding songs to games, but I have added sound effects and music to videos I've edited. I find it to be a key factor to bringing games to life, and I think I could apply this skill to video game design by adding music that can immerse people in the setting, emotion, and story of the game.

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Mathematics is a skill I think I would have more difficulty with, even though most times I am able to complete math problems, I find it more challenging to have to be able to use it naturally and constantly, like writing words, for game coding.