Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Backgrounds designed for full 3D movement are trickier. Designers are aware
that they have to deal with the x- and y-axes (up and down/right to left), as well
as the z-plane (depth). Games that allow for 3D movement render each frame
as the game is played, so the game engines are usually used to lay them out and
paint them; but many of the more detailed assets, such as houses and foliage,
are built in a 3D package and then imported into the engine.
Another approach for creating backgrounds uses an engine with elements
that can be used to build the background. The company Crytek has an engine
that will create all types of backgrounds, from dense jungle to a wide range of
architectural building styles. Figure 4.12 shows a background created using
the Crytek engine. During gameplay, the scene you're seeing is redrawn in real
time, frame by frame, as you, the controller, move through the environment.
FiGuRe 4.12
This background was created using the Crytek engine.
understand the physics of the World
While working on concepts for a game, keep in mind the physics of the world
you're creating. Is it underwater, in outer space, or in high winds? Is there
weather, and if so, what kind? These things are essential to understanding what
needs to be in the worlds you're creating—including props and backgrounds.
