aesthetic design - Nicky-Nice-Games/ggk-UnityProject GitHub Wiki

Aesthetic Design Contents

Aesthetic Design

Art Repository Link

Note: repo will be renamed soon and link will need to be updated.

Theming

Our game is a whimsical, RIT-themed racing experience focused on the IGM department. Drawing visual inspiration from Mario Kart 64, the game leans into a nostalgic, low-poly aesthetic with exaggerated, cartoonish characters environments. Each racer represents a quirky archetype of an IGM student- nerdy tech wizards, tired artists, wired academic weapons– brought to life with bold colors and playful tracks. Tracks are set across imaginative renditions of RIT landmarks like the Global Village, the SHED, the Quarter Mile, and even a freshman dorm, all stylized in a low poly 3D look. The tone is light-hearted and chaotic, celebrating the creativity, diversity, and caffeine-fueled chaos surrounding IGM student life.

Look and Feel

The game captures a playful, nostalgic atmosphere through a low-poly visual style. Environments and characters are rendered in chunky, low-poly 3D models reminiscent of earlier Mario Kart titles with vibrant textures and angular proportions. The color palette is bold and saturated, with strong contrasts to emphasize gameplay elements and track hazards. The UI is clean and similarly inspired by retro racing games; and draws the player to the center, where their racer is located.

Aesthetic Moodboard

gameplay moodboard

Color Palette

Color Palette Design Thinking

The primary (or “condensed”) color palette consists mostly of warm colors to match RIT’s overall branding and to contrast with many other kart racing games that rely on blue or cyan. Yellow and green are used as secondary or accent colors to be used sparingly. The main color palette is vibrant and saturated with most colors having a skewed hue (e.g. the base “green” leans a bit toward cyan, “blue” leans toward purple).

Color Palette Guidelines

Brightness variations of the main color palette for highlights and shading are allowed as long as the hue is kept consistent with the base color; this is up to the artist’s discretion. Skin tone colors are allowed to be used beyond skin tones as long as they do not blend into a character’s skin tone (i.e. coloring a character’s hair a similar color to their skin). Most UI elements and menus should use the condensed palette with red and orange being the main colors. UI should also use the greyscale palette as opposed to the neutral palette, which is reserved for the characters.

Color References and Hex Codes

Here are the names and hex codes for each color palette:

Condensed Palette

condensed palette

Name Hex
Maroon 881A2E
Red DC3F2B
Orange F77128
Yellow EAF03A
Green 1FDB6A

Note: the condensed palette is merely a subset of the main palette, so colors of the same name (e.g. "Maroon") have the same hex code regardless of the palette.

Main Palette

main palette

Name Hex
Maroon 881A2E
Red DC3F2B
Orange F77128
Marigold FFBA2F
Yellow EAF03A
Chartreuse B2F300
Green 1FDB6A
Cyan 21E7E7
Cerulean 17A6D5
Blue 0077D1
Indigo 393492
Purple 8338B1
Magenta E23686

Neutral Palette

neutral palette

Name Hex
Ivory FFFBEE
Slate 93959D
Midnight 19121F
Beige DDAE6D
Brown 926C46

Greyscale Palette

greyscale palette

Name Hex
White FFFFFF
Light Grey 1 E6E6E6
Light Grey 2 CCCCCC
Grey A3A3A3
Dark Grey 1 737373
Dark Grey 2 474747
Black 000000

Skin Tone Palette

skin tone palette

Name Hex
Skin Tone 1 F9DAC9
Skin Tone 2 F8C3A6
Skin Tone 3 E59E6F
Skin Tone 4 AF6533
Skin Tone 5 844C29
Skin Tone 6 5D3421
Skin Tone 7 3C1E14

Note: the skin tones are listed in order from lightest (top) to darkest (bottom).

Narrative

TODO: Josh S.

Characters

Character Design Thinking

We chose our cast of characters with a few factors in mind: scalability, originality, and level of approval they’d need. As far as scalability goes, we are aiming to give most characters a generic Mii-like body, with their heads being individualized to the given character. This makes it easy to pump out a full cast of characters, with a focus on the heads pulling the weight of a silhouette since the back of a character’s head is most of what the player will see. Originality was very important as well, and this ties into needing approval, as planning for RIT mascots was our immediate thought– but these were not safe bets like general student characters. We still have 2 mascot characters along with the 4 main student characters, but they are more directly tied to IGM and are either original or pre-approved. Gizmo embodies the School of IGM as a whole, while Jamster represents the RIT Game Dev Club.

Character Moodboards

Vibe

  • Soft, rounded, marketable
  • Cartoony, exaggerated proportions

character moodboard

Character Process

Level 1 - Studies

  • super rough pencil sketches
  • trying multiple different expressions/vibes
  • forming ideas of first impressions

Level 2 - Reference Sheet

  • tighten design
  • label swappable accesory
  • front, side back turnaround
  • height relative to “normal”
  • pronouns, quick bio

Level 3 - Final Color Design

  • color!
  • aim for a palette of 4 colors
  • USE OUR COLOR PALETTE
  • hex codes and palette are in GDrive
  • name the character, final bio

Level 4 - Initial Model

  • delete camera and light in scene!
  • only their head, nose, and any accessory specific to character (use dev puppets for bodies!)
  • model hair/head/accesories as separate models
  • intersecting geometry is fine
  • use correct size dev_puppet model as a base
  • pivot point should be centered at the feet
  • DO NOT COLOR
  • place model in appropriate folder within ‘Models’

IF USING BLENDER: to work between maya and blender just go to the blender_plugins branch in our github and install the newest better_fbx ZIP so models rigged/animated in maya will work seamlessly!

Level 5 - Unwrapped Model

  • topology check !
  • ALL UV UNWRAPS ARE 1024x1024p
  • annotate your UV unwraps with a guide texture! (what unwrap/group of unwraps is what? arm, leg, front chest, back, etc.)
  • unwrap same limbs/meshes the SAME WAY so they can use 1 texture
  • color!
  • WHEN EXPORTING: HIDE THE UV GUIDELINE LAYER
  • rig and weight model!

Notes:

  • Bones should be orientated consistently
  • Spine should be facing forward
  • Try to retrofit the puppet rig into Jamster (or at least have the same arm/shoulder bones)
  • Structure the bone hierarchy similar to the hippo

Level 6 - Finished Model

Notes:

  • animations for each model (standing)
    • idle (make basic, if adding flairs make it small)
  • animations for each model (sitting)
    • idle
    • victory
    • getting hit
    • using item
    • drinking energy drink

Character Guidelines

Style Guide

Character Designs and Profiles

Below is the full list of characters developed for Gizmo Go-Kartz. Each character was categorized based on approval, consideration, and priority.

  • Tier 1: Fully designed characters in the final version of the game
  • Tier 2: Stretch goal characters with higher priority
    • Climber Sophomore
    • Fresh Freshman
    • Comp. Sci. Major
    • Unnamed Graduate
    • Super Senior
    • Richard the Big Cat
  • Tier 3: Stretch goal characters with lower priority
    • Engineering Major
    • Physics Major
    • IGM Ambassador
    • Biker Junior
    • Retron
  • Needs Approval: Characters that require external approval for consideration
    • Ritchie
    • Roarie
    • Bricky
    • President Sanders
    • Dean Matt
    • Director Dave
    • Sten
    • Weez
  • Unused: Characters no longer being considered
    • Juno (WiC Member)
    • Academic Weapon Junior
    • Tiny Freshman
    • Freshie Jones
    • Forgotten Cut Freshie
    • Jumbled Junior
    • Senior Senior
    • Sleepy Senior
    • Stylish Sophie
    • Bandy
    • Studio Arts Major
    • Business Major
    • Unnamed Trekker

Gizmo - the Ghost of IGM

Gizmo

About

  • Pronouns: any/all
  • Height: Short

Personality

Bio

  • A curious ghost that lingers in the IGM Open Lab
  • Carved a life-size wooden doll to possess as a physical body
  • Timid but optimistic; believes in a good future for games
  • Has a box of trinkets and knickknacks to share

Design

Gizmo's design is based on the now-unused IGM logo from 2011-2018, specifically referencing the 'M' as Gizmo's head. The ghost form and toy form were orignally 2 different potential designs that eventually got merged into the same character. The toy form was inspired by wooden string dolls that have similar blocky features to the ghost form.

Concepts

  • Level 1:

    gizmo level 1a gizmo level 1b gizmo level 1c gizmo level 1d gizmo level 1e gizmo level 1f gizmo level 1g gizmo level 1h

  • Level 2:

    gizmo level 2

    Note: Gizmo does not have a Level 2 reference at the moment.

  • Level 3:

    gizmo level 3

  • Final:

    [image]

Morgan - the Skater

Morgan

About

  • Pronouns: she/they
  • Height: Average
  • Year: 1st
  • Major: Photography

Personality

Bio

  • Knows a spot
  • Has never broken a bone
  • Eats hot food to "prove a point"
  • "C's get degrees"

Design

Morgan is based on the character's designer Yazmin during her first year at RIT: skating, baggy clothing, cool vibes. She represents a portion of the RIT population that uses alternative transportation to get around campus, as well as drawing influences from RIT Skate Club. Morgan was designed with fast travel in mind, wearing a tight beanie around her head.

Concepts

  • Level 1:

    morgan level 1

  • Level 2:

    morgan level 2

  • Level 3:

    morgan level 3

  • Final:

    [image]

Reese - the Dining Worker

Reese

About

  • Pronouns: he/him
  • Height: Average
  • Year: 2nd
  • Major: Packaging Science

Personality

  • Likes: Free stuff, Making mixtapes, Anime, Energy drinks
  • Dislikes: Angry customers, Waking up
  • Favorite Song: Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz

Bio

  • Always mans the playlist
  • Gives a lil extra scoop if you're cool
  • Has anime pins all over his backpack
  • Works 3 other jobs

Design

Reese is the only character in the roster who doesn't have visible eyes, which inspired his chill vibes and cheesy grin; the idea to make him a dining worker came later. His name also references Reese's™ peanut butter cups as a food pun.

Concepts

  • Level 1:

    reese level 1

  • Level 2:

    reese level 2

  • Level 3:

    reese level 3

  • Final:

    [image]

Emma - the Orientation Leader

sassy green man

About

  • Pronouns: she/her
  • Height: Average
  • Year: 3rd
  • Major: Game Design and Development

Personality

Bio

  • Orientation leader for several years
  • Always wakes up crazy early
  • Has all orientation dances memorized
  • Wants everyone to have fun

Design

Emma was inspired by an image of a real RIT orientation leader (pictured on the left) during the initial research. The character design is meant to feel welcoming, friendly, and cheerful by emphasizing rounded and curved shapes instead of sharp points. Her outfit also heavily uses RIT's main colors to show her enthusiasm towards school spirit.

Concepts

  • Level 1:

    emma level 1

  • Level 2:

    emma level 2a emma level 2b

  • Level 3:

    emma level 3

  • Final:

    [image]

Kai - the Hockey Captain

sassy green man

About

  • Pronouns: they/them
  • Height: Tall
  • Year: 4th
  • Major: Business

Personality

Bio

  • Hockey team captain
  • Very energetic and competitive
  • Often told they get too loud
  • Brags about losing a tooth (but not from playing hockey)

Design

Kai's name and personality is based on the character designer Joshua's high school friends. Their original design was more triangle-shaped with wide pants and slimmer shoulders, but the proportions were modified later to match the other characters. Kai's outfit is based on the RIT hockey team jerseys with a legally-distinct tiger logo on the front.

Concepts

  • Level 1:

    kai level 1

  • Level 2:

    kai level 2a kai level 2b

  • Level 3:

    kai level 3

  • Final:

    [image]

Jamster - the RGDC Mascot

sassy green man

About

  • Pronouns: they/them
  • Height: Short

Personality

Bio

  • Jam connoisseur
  • Constantly running in circles
  • Endless energy
  • Offers support in any way they can

Design

Jamster was designed by an RIT alum and former RIT Game Dev Club E-board member as a mascot for the club. Although the design was slightly modified, it still abides closely to RGDC's original guidelines. Jamster's magenta, cyan, and beige colors also had to be added to the color palette specifically for themselves.

Concepts

  • Original:

    jamster original

  • Level 1:

    jamster level 1a jamster level 1b

  • Level 2:

    jamster level 2

  • Level 3:

    jamster level 3

  • Final:

    [image]

Character Template

sassy green man

About

  • Pronouns:
  • Height:
  • Year:
  • Major:

Personality

  • Likes:
  • Dislikes:
  • Favorite Song:

Bio

  • Lorem ipsum
  • Lorem ipsum
  • Lorem ipsum

Design

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Concepts

  • Level 1:

    [image]

  • Level 2:

    [image]

  • Level 3:

    [image]

  • Final:

    [image]

Audio

Audio Inspiration

As most kart games do, a lot of the inspiration comes from the Mario Kart series, as well as the general low poly vibe (early 3D, N64, PS2, etc.). With this, the sound is meant to sound a little crunchy, not quite at that crisp quality we have nowadays.

Audio Theming

As previously mentioned, there’s a general idea for things to be a little crunchy, with a bit of a lo-fi filter. The music will be a bit more on the synth/techy vibe, seeing as we are a tech school, but will still have some natural sounds to ground things a bit. It will generally follow the environment in which it is being played, at least in terms of general vibe and drive.

Audio References

Mario Kart 64 - Sound collection https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLp_DT6KaWkXJxpV4EPvYpjTnro--kKjJq

Audio Content List

Completed Sounds

  • SFX:

    • Menu Clicks:
      • Directions (up/down/left/right)
      • Scroll/Clicks
      • Select/Back
    • Kart:
      • Bumping into obstacles (7 variations)
      • Accelerating/Engine
      • Drifting
      • Item Pickup
      • Boost
      • Hit/Spin-Out

  • Music:

    • Main Menu Theme
    • Map Themes (Dorm, Finals Brick Road)
    • Race results (Win and Lose)

  • Stingers:

    • Map Intro
    • Race Start Countdown
    • Final Lap

In Development

  • SFX:

    • Item Thrown/Used

  • Music:

    • Map Themes (Outer Loop, Quarter Mile)

  • Stingers:

    • Race complete

  • Voice Lines:

    • For each character (6 characters min):
      • Item used
      • Lap made
      • Racer passed
      • Get hit

Promotional

Branding

TODO: Production

Logo

logo

The Gizmo Go-Kartz logo is a wordmark in front of a waving checkered flag. The 'M' in Gizmo references the mascot's head shape in a different color to stant out against the other text. The "Go-Kartz" text is made of individual bricks as a nod to RIT's notable brick aesthetic.

Logo Moodboards

logo moodboard