Poster

Environment video

Video of the environment created. Really happy with the way this turned out. This was created using the cinematics in unreal engine 4. Mainly used for cutscenes within games as i wanted to show the environment in the game engine.

I've recently been creating a video to use as part of my submission to show my environment in game instead of still images. Following this tutorial I've created a video showing the use of the cinematic tool in Unreal Engine 4.

This is mainly used for cut scenes for within a game to show the story line, hints etc. I'll upload the video in the coming days as im still working on the camera movements and finishing final details.

Final Environment Images

The final concepts for my environment,

Environment Screenshots

Current images of my Horror Game environment   

Research - Cognitive flexibility

“Information processing speed (IPS) is a measure of the efficiency of cognitive function. It is assessed using timed tests that typically challenge relatively simple cognitive operations.” (Information Processing Speed. 2011.)

Cognitive flexibility can be improved through the use of video games. This skill can be developed and used both in the virtual world and the living world. Increasing this skill can have a beneficial effect on learning to understand certain circumstances or problems. The speed of information processing refers to the amount of time somebody can interpret incoming information and the speed in which they decide on what to do next.

For example, when a player is playing a video game they must adapt to the environment that surrounds them. They must adjust to any sudden changes in the goal of the level or the game as a whole. There may be a change in the story that requires the user to make a sudden choice (A betrayal of an ally etc.) or a change in the environment that affects health making the player decide to escape the area swiftly (poisonous Gas etc.). Developing this skill allows the player to increase the rate in which the brain can switch from and understand one task from another. The story may contain a part that requires quick and hurried decision to save one person over another. The mind has to quickly weigh out the positives and negatives of a certain situation and come to a final decision on what will be the best outcome for the progression through the rest of the game.

A paper by the Queen Mary University of London studied the brains response and effects of video games. The results Show:

 "Our paper shows that cognitive flexibility, a cornerstone of human intelligence, is not a static trait but can be trained and improved using fun learning tools like gaming.

Creative problem solving and 'thinking outside the box' require cognitive flexibility. Perhaps in contrast to the repetitive nature of work in past centuries, the modern knowledge economy places a premium on cognitive flexibility.

The volunteers who played the most complex version of the video game performed the best in the post-game psychological tests. We need to understand now what exactly about these games is leading to these changes, and whether these cognitive boosts are permanent or if they dwindle over time. Once we have that understanding, it could become possible to develop clinical interventions for symptoms related to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or traumatic brain injuries, for example." (Glass, B. 2013)

This study found that there was an increase in strategic thinking when playing video games. Especially strategic games where the player has to plan ahead and consider what his/her actions may bring. This could also be included within story based games as the user must think ahead to the future as any decision made at that time could have an effect in the rest of the storyline.

Other areas that have been improved in studies are improved attention. This has increased learning capabilities for both children and adults. Without having a strong attention span learning capabilities are greatly decreased as the learner is unable to process the information, both visually and audibly. Response inhibition is the increase in ignoring any form of distraction when being attentive towards a certain person. If there was a noise from a different room or something going on outside the room, the person who sustains attention has a greater response. An example of this in a game scenario would be attempting to pick a lock on a door or a safe, whilst there is a sound of an enemy approaching closer and closer. Players who cope with these situations better have a better response inhibition and are generally a lot calmer when under pressure.

Fundamentals of fear

The way all living things feel fear is due to a defensive trigger in the brain. This is a natural trigger that signals a threat of danger. Understanding how to create fear within a game, and how to create these emotions for the player is the first step in the research of this paper.

  “Fear is the great force that prompts to acts of self-preservation and operates as effectively in the brute as in the human animal. Even in plant life we can trace evidences that indicate the presence of a natural law operating very much as fear does upon brute in- stinct and the human mind.” (The Psychology of fear, p.250)

Fear has played a vital role in the evolution of life since the very beginning. It is what makes every living thing feel alive. For example, walking home down an empty dark street, adrenaline begins pumping and people will become more aware of their surroundings. Senses are heightened and even the smallest sound can put them on edge. Catching something at the corner of their eye can cause them to tense up and expect danger. Sounds and sights are elevated due to this natural response. An animals brain will also react in the same way when feeling threatened. For example, a small animal being hunted will feel threatened, thus causing the release of adrenaline to heighten their senses and evade the predator.

The process of the creation of fear is entirely unconscious. The area that causes this is the hypothalamus. This is the area of the brain that produces many of the hormones and different chemical substances within the body. Muscles will begin to tighten, heart rate will increase and the senses generally become more alert to the surrounding environment. If humans and all animals alike did not feel the effects of fear, they wouldn’t survive very long. There would be no fear of oncoming traffic, falling from heights, getting in a fight etc. Because of this people can judge what is safe and what is not. 

“Fear is generally considered a reaction to something immediate that threatens your security or safety, such as being startled by someone suddenly jumping out at you from behind a bush. The emotion of fear is felt as a sense of dread, alerting you to the possibility that your physical self might be harmed, which in turn motivates you to protect yourself. Thus, the notion of "fight or flight" is considered a fear response and describes the behavior of various animals when they are threatened--either hanging around and fighting, or taking off in order to escape danger.” (The complexity of fear 2011)

The use of this emotion has been seen throughout the evolving of games which is especially linked to the environment the player is in. Survival horror games such as Outlast (Outlast 2013) use the environment well to evoke fear into the player. The blood splattered floors and walls against the old, dark and grubby rooms emphasize the gore, provoking a more intense reaction of danger. The muffled sound of wind or noises in the distance also increase the feeling of fear as it makes the player anticipate what is ahead, which is usually danger. Understanding the reason behind these feelings is what leads to a truly terrifying experience and understanding the mechanics of the brain when faced with these types of environments is vital with the development of games. Many areas of these types of games are very poorly lit, which is done on purpose to increase the players anxiety. Darkness impairs a person’s vision which is a vital sense that allows people to understand and analyze their surroundings. It is a humans most valuable sense and without it, there is no control of the world around them and are unable to defend themselves against any approaching danger.

“In order to deal with conflict and problems in life, Freud stated that the ego employs a range of defense mechanisms. Defense mechanisms operate at an unconscious level and help ward off unpleasant feelings (i.e. anxiety) or make good things feel better for the individual.” (The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defence. 1966)

The feeling of being alone with nobody there to help in events of difficulty when things go wrong also effect the player on a psychological level. If they get injured or lost it is all up to the player to decide on how to move forward. This all adds to the experience of games. By being alone with no sense of guidance the player must make the decision to move through areas by their own will. This leaves the player in a constant state of stress and feeling “on edge” throughout the experience of the gameplay. Being in charge of personal decisions increases the thought over making these decisions and trying to see ahead to future consequences.

“new research indicates that certain games may actually boost brain power and improve strategic thinking. The study found that test subjects playing the real-time strategy game StarCraft exhibited more agile decision making as well as overall improvements in “cognitive flexibility” — the mental faculty of creative and lateral thinking.” (Video Games Improve Decision Making. 2013.)