Utilising product design methods in game prop concept design

Abstract

The thesis focuses on designing props for a game demo by using product design methods. The goal was not to reach full realism with the designs, since the style of the game is stylized and the genre of the game is a combination of mythology and sci-fi, but to achieve prop concepts that seem functional and plausible and do not break immersion when playing the game. This requires the author to pay attention to the joints and hinges of the props as well as requirements for functionality. To support the functional design of the props, it was important to figure out collision points of the possible surfaces based on the animation of the prop. To explore the subject, the thesis takes advantage of both the concept art creation process for game assets and combines it with product design and styling methods to create props with credible functionality for the game demo. The thesis explores whether it is beneficial or even necessary to use industrial design/product design principles when creating props for a game project. Although the focus of the thesis was more on the visual side of the concept development, the visuals were eventually heavily affected by the functionality of the prop. The final goal of the thesis was to create concept art for several props to be used in the demo. All these props were going to be animated which meant that the design needed to take movement into consideration. To showcase the process of the thesis, the author focused on a few selected props that require the movement element to some extent, for example, the player arm, crates and loot boxes with opening lids, and made the needed alterations for the concepts based on the research. The props that were selected are loosely based on real life objects movement-wise. They combine the aesthetics and visuals of both sci-fi and Norse mythology within the style of the game.