###### tags: `Collaborative Practice` `Games Art` `Art Portfolio` `Art Studio` `Nackanäs Project`

# <19096503>1J6Z1017_journal
(https://hackmd.io/@JunoFBX/r1t-RlL7C)

### Collaborative Game Studio Practice (1J6Z1017)
### Game Art BA (HONS) L6
### Junaid Sheikh

---
## Introduction
With Collaborative Game Studio practice, it is vital to understand how a collective of game artists can work collaboratively to produce an ambitious concept for a videogame. The objective of this project is to collaborate with my colleagues in examining cultural contexts within games and creating a project that accurately represents a chosen culture.

### Project Brief
'Ciollaborative Game Studio Practice' presents a challenging yet prominent opportunity to work alongside my allocated studio group, seek external contacts for further knowledge and overall, work towards creating a game that supports and protects the representation of a period in time, setting and cultural identity.
I decided that for this project I would like to work alongside my former studio group which consisted of Jack, Alex, Helena and Elin as these were peers of mine that shared a strong concept of creative workflows and our desire to utilise technologically intensive methodologies to produce high quality, semi-realistic games.

I decided to consult the group about my aims for the project, what I was comfortable working on and what I would like to pursue. My previous experience of working with this group gave me the opportunity to develop a high quality environmental assets which was an intense but exciting challenge. With the new opportunity of having a collaborative workflow, I would be able to share my resources, concepts and assets with the group to create a unifying theme for our project work.

---
## Game Concept
After discussing the options provided, my studio group and I chose to consult about creating our own theme that would fit the objective of developing a game that explores cultural contexts. As we had previously worked on a working game and had set up a strong theme, our group wanted to pursue the opportunity of further developing this former project into a fully functional game demo by the end of our Third Year studies. After pitching the idea to our lecturers and program lead, we received their approval for our custom theme: "10th-12th Century Norse culture and Mythology".

Following the development of our previous project which aimed to create a medieval, dark fantasy world, we believed it would be a smart decision to continue the development of previous work by creating a new, focused area that could exhibit all our work that contributes to the representation of our chosen theme. As a team, we had valuable experience working on a previous project with a medieval theme. This prior knowledge allowed us to have a deep understanding of the stylistic elements, asset requirements, and workflows necessary to create high-quality, realistic assets for our current game.

After discussing with the group we decided that our new area would feature a cave system for the player to explore, which would be enhabited by various new enemies, new opportunities to find important items and experience a different atmosphere underneath the former map. This new cave area would exist as a network of passageways underneath the main map, featuring a variety of new content that is heavily inspired by 10th Century Norse mythology and historical culture.

---
## Project Allocation
Once we received approval for our custom theme for exploring cultural concepts, our group began to allocate work according to each other's strengths. Given my proficiency in creating environment assets, I made a decision to shift my focus towards developing specific elements that I had not attempted and needed to strengthen. This involved transitioning from large-scale environment assets to smaller, more versatile hero assets that could be utilized across the entirety of the project, rather than limited to a single aspect of the game. Creating hero assets for a game is a significant undertaking, as these assets must be of high quality and effectively convey our image of a cohesive theme.

For this Collaborative Studio project I will focus on producing a vast variety of assets, ranging from tables, chairs, weapons, shields, weapon racks, banners, storage objects and specific elements of architecture such as pillars that could contribute to efficient procedural development of a map. The benefit of producing a vast selection of thematically strong assets would be the ease of use across the entirety of the project as well as providing a unifying theme that could provide familiarity for the audience.

---
## Moodboard and Visual Research
Prior to concept development, I produced a moodboard containing references for a variety of furniture, architectural elements and key items that could help to paint a strong representation of Norse society. I chose to center my area of research around Norse history and mythology, with the aim of understanding how traditions were integrated their lifestyles. During my research, I concentrated on important elements related to Norse culture, including personal items such as trinkets, jewellery, religious artifacts, and architectural structures. These findings are crucial for informing the design of my assets and ensuring they accurately reflect Norse culture.

*Moodboard depicting vital historic Norse artefacts such as carvings, artworks and jewellery.*

*Moodboard depicting various furnishings in 10th Century Norse housing as well as artistic recreations.*

*Moodboard depicting my concept for an underground fortress/encampment area that could be utilised as a focus point for my collective of Norse themed hero assets.*

My knowledge of Norse culture has broadened through extensive research, particularly in exploring the artistic representations found in tapestries and items like shields adorned with symbolic patterns.

After conducting this research and conversing with my peers, I briefly learned about the representation of Norse deities in games and how this could become a substantial development for creating a game with a centered focus on the depiction of cultural contexts in games.
I created another moodboard on the deity Angrboða, who would serve as a prominent figure in our game lore concept.

*Moodboard depicting various references to Angrboða in sculptures, historic art and modern depictions.*

---
## Environment Concept
My task as an Environmental artist in this collaborative project would be to conceptualise Norse inspired environments that could portray a 10th Century functional Norse society. In order to begin creating a cohesive environment that could symbolise the cultural identity of an early Norse society, I began conducting extensive research that could give insight into how intertwined their values were with their lifestyles.

As majority of the environment is situated in a cave system underneath the main map, I would need to look at a whole host of references, from cave networks to norse mythological representations for deities to historical accounts of combat and accurate depictions of their lifestyles.

---
## Initial Environment Sketches
After collecting a variety of references on my moodboard, I began to concept some ideas for what the cave would look like, focusing more on depicting the core point of my development which was the encampment/fortress area. I chose to keep my sketches loose in terms of design, as I believed my concept would be subjected to change once I begin 3D modelling assets and moving parts around to create a cohesive environment.

*Initial sketch depicting an altar/place of worship with swords planted into the ground, marking a grave of a Norse warrior.*

*Initial sketch depicting living quarters of a Norse home, adorned by prized possessions and creature comforts for a 10th Century Norse community.*

*Initial sketch depicting various influential artefacts that represent Norse culture, as well as some anatomical skull sketches following my concept of designing a statue of Angrboða.*

*Initial map concept used by the group, designating spaces within the game.*

---
# Fields of Research
After creating some simple concepts for an environment and sketching some asset designs, began to research further in order to find primary and secondary resources that could aid me in designing my hero assets for the project. I was particularly interested in looking at the artistic representation as well as architectural elements that have retained influences of Norse culture.

At this stage of the project, I had a variety of options to consider for my research within the scope of asset development for a Norse-inspired game scene. After careful consideration, I chose to focus my research on furnishings, weapons, and architectural designs. This decision was made in order to present myself with a challenging yet enriching opportunity to create small, intricately detailed models that culturally connect with Norse culture.

---
## Primary Research

Following the visual research I briefly conducted, our group decided to gather some primary research. I conducted research at multiple museums, cave systems, and natural landscapes in order to gather valuable information for the advancement of our project. These photographs would prove to be highly useful when developing the collective cave space and would prompt us to begin setting the scene for the game.

I was able to gather a variety photographs of the Manchester Museum, the National History Museum in Berlin, Germany and the Cango Cave system in Cango Valley, South Africa which would assist me and my team in accurately creating the appropriate atmosphere for an underground cave, particularly for optimizing functionality in level design.

*Photographs from the Manchester Museum's animal preservation exhibits, with various animal skeletons, skulls and rocks.*

*Photographs from various museums and public parks showing a variety of vases, storage items, natural objects and classical architecture components.*

*Photographs from Cango Caves, a cave network part of the Cango Valley in South Africa.*

After completing the collection of primary research for my team, I presented my selection of resources to the group as these photographs would prove valuable for developing the cave system functioning as our gameplay space. I found the collective resources of natural references that I gathered to be of great importance for me, as this would aid me in developing my ideas for my Angrboða concept.

---
## Research: Norse Artefacts

When investigating Norse culture and items of interest, I came across a variety of exceptional artefacts from various museums that would greatly influence my concepts for environment assets. These artefacts ranged from photographs of archaeological discoveries at the Coppergate dig site and photographs from a local church that my group gathered photographs from.

*Photographs of various artefacts discovered at the Coppergate archeological site, showing various common possessions of Norse people.*

*Primary research conducted by the group, showing a select few artefacts from Norse society or with Old Norse influences.

*(Silver hammer cross with an animal head from Foss, 1982)*

---
## Research: Norse Art styles

While researching Norse culture, it is important to consider not just physical representations of Norse life, but also artistic ones. I chose to look at a variety of historic references to Norse art as this would be a defining factor in making sure my work for this project connects with the brief of producing a game centered around '10th-12th Century Norse culture and Mythology'.

The following reference by Jonas Lau Markussen shows an extensive timeline of artistic progression in Viking society and provides a structured and descriptive analysis of how timeline events brought around new artistic expressions.

**(Markussen, Jonas The Anatomy of Viking Art - Timeline 2016)**

After looking at the above source, I made a decision to try and emulate Ringerike style art from 1000-1075 due to the style having complex but aesthetically strong concepts. The Ringerike art era also marks a significant amount of historic occasions such as the death of Cnut the Great, Harald Hardrada's rise to Kingship in Norway and the Conquest of England which resulted in King Harald's death at the Battle of Stamford Bridge.

---
# Case Study
## Depiction of Norse culture and deities in Media

The emphasis on warfare in Old Norse society and mythology may lead to the interpretation of Norse society as aggressive in nature. However it is essential to understand that in Norse society, their deities were often linked with certain emotions in order to help them understand their environment.

### Synopsis
Old Norse literature provides an insightful opportunity to deepen our understanding of how ancient cultures portrayed deities and their importance in Old Norse society.

The purpose of this case study is to gather an understanding on the depiction of Norse deities, specifically looking at the portrayal of Angrboða by studying two vital historic texts (Poetic Edda and Prose Edda), and compare these to modern depictions. By analyzing these texts, we are able to gain insight into the role of deities in Old Norse culture and their impact on mental beliefs and attitudes and compare these to modern interpretations.

### Introduction - Historical representation of Norse deities

The various classifications of powerful beings within Norse mythology often represent key values, aspirations and emotions that Norse society would follow.
In literature, Aesir are described as godly beings associated with warfare, while the Vanir are linked to agriculture, well-being, and success. Additionally, Jötunn (plural Jötnar) are depicted as a group of formidable beings, often characterized as giants, who frequently clash with the Aesir.

These classifications of mythological beings are often considered the embodiment of strong emotions to inspire feats of strength or warn those in the Norse community of potential threats. In Norse mythology, figures such as Freyja are associated with love and gold, while Angrboða is connected to themes of sorrow and regret. This suggests that Norse society placed importance on the idea that mythological entities could impact both the physical environment and the emotional well-being of their people.

### Sources

When assessing the accessibility of resources pertaining to Old Norse cultures and societal values, it is crucial to evaluate the significance of these sources and their ability to accurately depict Norse culture and attitudes. In contrast to the modern ability to capture photographs and videos, the sources of information from Old Norse society consist of the following types of evidence:

- Archeological Material: Physical exhibits discovered from archeological finds such as armaments, preserved articles of clothing, inscriptions, architectural structures etc.
- Written Material: skaldic poems and short stories, predominantly folklore tales.

### Deities in historic media

The representation of Old Norse legends and deities can be linked directly to the narratives of Norse literature, artwork and folklore. From these narratives, the Norse mythos has proven to be a valuable source of cautionary folklore tales for Norse society.

By looking at these literary and artistic representations of Norse deities, we can understand how ideology plays a role in communities that shared stories to educate, warn and inspire. By following this observation, we can promote the relevance of emotions within these shared stories and how effective these stories were in depicting deities and connecting them to the environment.

Some of the most well-known Norse mythological figures that have been prominently depicted in various forms of media include Thor, Odin, Loki, Hel, and Freyr. In videogames such as *God of War (2018)* and *God of War: Ragnarok*, these Aesir have been represented alongside Jörmungandr, Heimdall, Tyr and Baldr. God of War: Ragnarok stands out as one of the few games to portray Angrboða in popular media, showcasing her as a woman of African descent while also acknowledging her mythological roots as a Jötunn of Old Norse lineage.

### Representation of deities as a manifestation of emotions in the historic texts Poetic Edda and Prose Edda

#### Freyja
Within historic texts, Freyja is attested to in the Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, in the short story "Sörla þáttr", and in the poetry of skalds as an Aesir associated with themes of love, fertility, beauty, war, death, gold, and seiðr (the practice of magic for perceiving and shaping the future). These qualities are apparent in her portrayal as riding a chariot drawn by two felines, accompanied by the boar named Hildisvíni, and draped in a cloak made of falcon feathers.
In the poem Þrymskviða, Freyja is depicted as a selfless goddess, willing to aid others that have been subjected to misfortune, *(Thorpe, 'That I would give thee, although of gold it were, and trust it to thee, though it were of silver', 1866)* despite the value of her possessions or the effort needed to aid those she can. This poem illustrates Freyja's altruistic nature and willingness to assist others, serving as a model for the Norse community to emulate in order to restore harmony and appease the gods.

#### Óðr
Alongside Freyja, her husband Óðr in Old Norse mythology is associated with "Divine Madness", franticism and rageful behaviour. In Old Norse his name translates to "frenzied one".
In etymology, Óðr translates to 'mind, wit, soul' but by extension, in Proto-Germanic it extends to meanings like 'possessed and rageful'.
Prose Edda references Óðr as travelling for extended periods, while Freyja would weep tears of gold and travel tirelessly to search for her lost husband. By examining the various references to Óðr in the Prose Edda it could be suggested that Óðr is an embodiment of psychological instability and is used as an emotional understanding of psychopathy in Norse society.

### Representation of Angrboða in Poetic Edda and Prose Edda

The representation of Angrboða in mythology has received limited attention, despite her significant role in Norse mythology. In Prose Edda, she is depicted as a giantess and the mother of three formidable creatures: the wolf Fenrir, the serpent Jörmungandr, and the ruler of the underworld, Hel. Despite the importance of her offspring's roles in poems and Norse tales and her relationship with Loki, Angrboda is not frequently recognized as a prominent natural force in historic Norse literature.

A singular but vital role of Angrboða portrays her as the maternal figure of monsters, possessing an inclination towards causing sorrow and suffering by her actions and through prophetic dealings. She is mentioned in the poem Gylfaginning (Prose Edda) to have birthed Loki's children, leading to dire measures needing to be taken; ‘the prophecies that much woe and misfortune would thence come to them, and considering that much evil might be looked for from them on their mother's side, and still more on their father's’.

By analysing this and understanding the role that Hel, Fenrir and Jörmungandr within Norse culture, it can be understand that Angrboða's family tree is considered responsible for causing loss, fear, grief and dealings with negative connotations. The Prose Edda indicates major decisions were undertaken by Odin to prevent the incubation of further evil through Angrboða's parenting, which prompts us to believe Angrboða may pose a formidable threat alongside the monsters she birthed.

A paraphrased stanza by Snorri Sturluson in Gylfaginning reads, "from this clan will come a most mighty one called Moongarm. He will fill himself with the lifeblood of everyone that dies, and he will swallow heavenly bodies and spatter heaven and all the skies with blood." (Gylfaginning, 12–14, trans. A. Faulkes, 1987). Angrboða's offspring Fenrir is prophesised to birth the mightiest wolf that would unleash chaos and cause a disturbance in nature, causing hostile weather to arise and signalling the long darkness that appears after summer.

The Norse understanding of the changing seasons from summer to winter, hostile weather such as natural disasters and causes of emotional strife, grief and chaos are all attested to the family tree of Angrboða, which portrays their existence as the cause of danger that Norse people would experience during their lifetime. Despite her brief appearances in literature, it can be assumed that she is a prominent deity behind the majority of Norse mythological events of significance by association.

### Representation of Norse deities in modern media

Since the reintroduction of Norse mythology to popular culture in the 19th Century by George W. Dasent, Norse culture and representations of their deities have shifted from a means of life to artistic representation.
As humans, our understanding of our environments have strayed further from the spiritual towards scientific and logical findings and so belief systems centered around worshipping deities remains strong for some religions, and has fallen for others. Because of the natural progression of the human race, we understand that certain deities may or may not co-exist alongside scientific research and the debate of a greater power is another major discussion point still being discussed in modern society today.

When discussing Norse culture, it can be observed that the spiritual beliefs and practices of this civilisation were influenced by the societal norms and daily routines of the time period in which they existed. However these belief systems have not translated into modern culture, and so Norse culture remains a vivid part of Scandinavian history. Regarding this, it has inspired some forms of popular media to continue the legacy of Norse culture and reinvent them through artistic representation.

Some notable examples of Norse culture in modern media are:

- American culture:
-A collective of Marvel comics and films depict various locations synonymous with Norse culture as well as deities such as Thor, Odin, Heimdall and Hela (Hel in Norse mythology).
-In addition, Neil Gaiman's Sandman graphic novels depicts Odin, Thor, Loki and places from Norse mythology.

- European culture:
-Danish comic book series 'Valhalla'.
-Belgian comic book series 'Thorgal' is loosely based on Norse mythology mixed with other mythology concepts.

- Asian culture:
-Japanese manga and anime *Matantei Loki Ragnarok* (translated, The Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok) depicts heroes of the Norse pantheon.
-Japanese manga and anime series *Vinland Saga* takes place in 11th Century Iceland, with references to Norse mythology.
-Japanese manga and anime *Attack on Titan* has prominent themes that run parallel with Norse gods and Norse humans. The plot and concepts of Titans fighting with humans bears a similar ideology to wars between Aesir and Vanir in Norse Mythology.
-Japanese Manga Sword Art Online has characters and plots based on Norse mythology.

- Literature:
-Skulduggery Pleasant's novel series character Valkyrie Cain is based on the concept of the Valkyrie.
-H. Rider Haggard wrote Eric Brighteyes (1890) with influences from the Nordic sagas.
-The Broken Sword (1954) by Poul Anderson is inspired by Norse mythology, featuring Norse gods, elves and trolls, likely referencing the Aesir and Jotnar.

- Music:
-Burzum, a Norwegian Black metal band are inspired by Norse mythology for their music.
-Therion, a Swedish metal band based many of its lyrics on Norse mythology.
-Rebellion, a German Heavy metal band recorded a trilogy of albums, heavily inspired by Norse mythology.

- Mainstream Television
-Live action show Ragnarok is a Norwegian Netflix drama based off Norse mythology.
-In Xena: Warrior Princess, Odin and various valkyries briefly appear in the sixth season of the show's broadcast.
-New Zealand television series The Almighty Johnsons depicts a family who are all reincarnations of Norse Gods.

- Videogames
-God of War features a new addition to the saga focused on depicting the Aesir, Vanir and Jötnar as well as significant locations in Norse mythology.
-Valheim is a survival game based off Norse mythology and features various gameplay features centered around medieval Norse society and architecture.

These are some forms modern media interpretations relating to Norse culture and society, in which most of them depict the lifestyles of Norse people or depict a major deities to represent in media. There are countless more media interpretations of Norse culture and by looking at a select few, we can understand whether these interpretations are true to the historic texts or if they have been reinvented to fit the convenience of storytelling.

### Representation of Angrboða in modern media
In popular media, there have been very few iterations of Angrboða and this is likely due to other deities within the main bloodline of Odin's being at the forefront of historic texts. There are two instances of Angrboða being mentioned in modern media, one of which has brought a significant light to the background of her mythology:

- Genevieve Gornichec's 2021 novel The Witch's Heart portrays Angrboða as a witch giant and is based off the Norse representation of her mythological character.
- In God of War Ragnarök (2022), Angrboða appears as a recurring character in the story aiding the main character Atreus/Loki, following the mythological representation and becoming his love interest.

The limited representation of Angrboða leads me to believe that despite the impact of her existence in historic texts within mythology, she is almost untouched in terms of modern representation. It would be wiser to look at representing all existing influences of Norse mythology and their impacts on Old Norse society, especially when translating them to a modern culture. Angrboða is one of many deities within Norse Mythology that have yet to be depicted more, especially as Norse culture has grown exponentially in popularity in major forms of media like films and comics.

### Comparing God of War's representation to historic texts

God of War received mixed opinions on their basis for design when releasing content on Norse mythology. The concept designs for Thor and Angrboda were among some that were discussed by video-gamers and historians alike, debating whether their artistic representation is considered unnatural or welcome by the community.

Thor has in most forms of popular media been represented as a muscular, blonde-haired god that embodies strength, protection and fertility. Within the virtual universe of God of War, his character design had received an interesting concept, portraying him instead as a ginger-haired, thick waisted god with a large imposing stature exaggerated by his protuding belly. Thor's concept in God of War paints his character as a slightly obese but muscular being which is often how he is depicted in Norse mythology. It can be considered that the stature of Thor, his beard and colour scheme serves an important plot device in which the main protagonist duelling with Thor is reminded of their brutish nature and is goaded by Thor, calling him "a destroyer", with hopes to see the protagonist once again release their anger. In this scene of the game, it can be suggested that their similar appearances may lend to the plot developing ideas of their natures being similar as well.

Thor is portrayed as the defender of Asgard and is a character that exhibits a violent temper, cruel nature, is merciless towards his foes and has a prejudice towards giants, calling them "blights", despite Thor also being a half-giant. His virtuous and loyal nature to his godhood inspires the same desire for combative prowess and loyalty, a clear connection to Thor's representation in historic texts.

#### Angrboda
Looking at the representation of Angrboða in God of War, her appearance does not follow Scandinavian traditions and instead portrays her as a woman of African descent which is a unique artistic approach to her mythological representation. Her appearance in traditional texts has always been obscure as her mythological area of residence is said to be full of Jötnar, witches and trolls, and so her representation in God of War maybe be considered uncharacteristic by some, and welcome by others due to the vague nature of her origin in historic texts like Poetic Edda/Prose Edda.

In the game, Angrboða becomes one of the protagonists' confidants and close companion as they traverse the Norse locations of Jötunheim. Her clothing consists of a blue and gray hangerok, a white tunic, various leather articles of clothing, and a necklace crafted using rocks and snake ornaments from Jötunheim, likely a reference to the Midgard serpent Jörmungandr that Angrboða gives birth to in Norse mythology.

The Angrboða design in God of War prominently features elements inspired by Norse culture, particularly in the clothing items. The tunic, bracers, necklace, and hairpiece all reflect Norse style clothing and symbolize aspects of Norse culture in their design. The hairpin she wears is carved to look like a deer head, the necklace is adorned with snake ornaments and her tunic is held by golden clips that symbolise unity for Jötnar. Her core character design may not follow traditional expectations, but her character's nature and appearance is reflected well compared to the historic texts. Because of her brief introduction to the God of War series and the correlation of the plot relating to historic texts, it can be expected that Atreus/Loki and Angrboða's relationship develops and follows the timeline events that have been outlined in literature, namely Prose Edda.

### Conclusion of study

By examining various sources of historical Norse contexts, modern media representations of deities and comparing them, a clear correlation can be made between conceptual designs for modern content. Within videogames, the representations of Norse culture is strongly represented with clear connections to Norse culture through designs of game assets, the concept design for physical representation and the depiction of chronological events from mythology. Despite the relevance of Norse mythology in modern media content and the interest our society has with the historic depictions of Old Norse society, it is evident that our media selectively chooses deities, events and objects of interest that align with a narrative. While creativity and artistic freedom are important in exploring concepts related to Norse culture, it is recommended to engage in a more diverse exploration of Old Norse society. This can involve drawing inspiration from a wider range of influences, rather than solely focusing on mainstream and popularised aspects.

### Bibliography

Thorpe, B. (trans. 1866) ‘That I would give thee, although of gold it were, and trust it to thee, though it were of silver’, in Þrymskviða. Northvegr Edition. Lapeer, Michigan. Snorri Sturluson, pp. 97–104. Available at: https://www.norron-mytologi.info/diverse/ThorpeThePoeticEdda.pdf (Accessed: 11 March 2024).

Sturluson, S. (1222) ‘the prophecies that much woe and misfortune would thence come to them, and considering that much evil might be looked for from them on their mother's side, and still more on their father's’, in Chapter 9: Loki and His Offspring, THE PROSE EDDA. Prague: Univerzita Karlova, pp. 32–33. Available at: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiXvJPH1p6GAxVH9AIHHTrGB2AQFnoECBMQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fis.cuni.cz%2Fstudium%2Fpredmety%2Findex.php%3Fdo%3Ddownload%26did%3D62028%26kod%3DARL100252&usg=AOvVaw0e-04zHcrWf62n-IYx1LPA&opi=89978449 (Accessed: 15 March 2024).

Sturluson, S. (1222) Giantess in Ironwood, Angrboða. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angrbo%C3%B0a (Accessed: 05 May 2024).

Faulkes, A. (trans. 1987) Gylfaginning, pp 12–14. Available at: http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/EDDArestr.pdf (Accessed 16 May 2024)

---
# Concept Development

After conducting a mix of primary and secondary research, I decided upon creating concepts for my hero asset pack. From looking at moodboards and doing academic research on Norse culture I gained a stronger vision of how to correctly portray historical Norse values through environment assets. Taking my case study into consideration, I decided to create a statue of Angrboða as an element of my project work alongside my asset pack of 10th century Norse furnishings and personal effects.

## Process: 3D Hero Assets in Maya

I decided to begin modelling 3D assets that could be used throughout the entire project and following the primary and secondary research I collected as references, I was able to produce various Norse themed assets that could add to the overall theme of anenvironment with Norse influences.

Current list of assets in the hero asset pack:
- Banner design with support pole
- Fountain with Basin
- Weapon Rack
- Three iterations of chests which can be placed around the entire map
- Four iterations of handheld square/rectangular crates
- A crate for storage of supplies

*Screenshot of the current asset list developed, top view.*
*Screenshot of the current asset list developed, side view.*
*Screenshot of a close up on the Ornate chest.*

These assets would continue to be developed, added to and continually improved throughout the project so I would not be finished with developing 3D hero assets immediately, rather I would be continually working to add as many as I could for the project to have a strong, universal theme that connects to Norse culture.

Future list of assets to be added to the existing asset pack:
- Another banner design
- Another weapon rack design
- Long tables
- Desk/workstation
- Woodworking station with a vice
- Another Crate design
- Seating models such as benches, chairs, stools
- Pillars for architectural support
- Plinths for statues and points of interest
- Graves, potentially as tombstones or as a sarcophagus/tomb.

---
## Process: Angrboða Concept

My in depth research into Angrboða prompted me to pursue creating a concept design centered around her mythology and representation in historic texts. I chose to work on Angrboða as my focus for mythology as she proved to be a significant being in the Prose Edda collective of poems.

*Concept art for Angrboða's statue, depicting her as a woman of Scandinavian heritage with long hair, holding a human skull to symbolise her connection to Hel, a wolf skull and wolf cross on her wait symbolising a connection to Fenrir and her snake brooches/belt design to signify a connection to Jörmungandr, the Midgard serpent. I wanted a clear and thematic design for her statue to reflect her connection to her children and her title of being the "Mother of Monsters".*

---
## Process: Environment Concepts

Once I concepted Angrboða's statue, I moved on to the more crucial part of my project, creating the environment. I was comfortable using 3D environment blockouts, so I opted for creating some assets in Maya quickly to build a scene around Angrboða's statue that could feature as an important location within the game.

*Concept art of Angrboða's statue in a dark crypt-like location underground.*

---
## Process: Tapestry Concept Art

Once I finished my Angrboða statue concept and did concept art for environments, I decided to work on specific graphic elements of the project that could strongly connect my work to the Norse culture. After conducting research on artistic representation of Norse culture, I felt confident in being able to replicate the design process and create my own concepts for tapestries, banners and patterns for carvings, engravings or painted patterns for objects like shields.

*Initial sketches of patterns and designs for banners.*

*First initial concept for banner designs, inspired by Ringerike art in Norse culture and themed around Fenrir.*

*Second initial concept for banner designs, inspired by a blend of Ringerike art and modern graphic design.*

*Further designs for tapestry and banner use, inspired by Ringerike Norse art.*

---
## Process: Creating 3D Assets

After creating my concept art and designing tapestry and banner designs, I decided to move forward and begin my 3D modelling process. Following the modelling process I used before, I made sure to make a variety of procedural elements so that they could be easily replicated throughout the project.

## Process: Skulls Model

Due to the valuable resources I was able to gather from the Manchester Museum, I had a lot of primary reference images of canine skulls and in particular, a wolf skull that would aid me in my modelling process.

*First stage of modelling: Blocking out the key shapes and making soft cuts where eyes and jawbones intersect.*

*Second stage of modelling: adding more shape and angular protrusions where the cheekbones, ridge of the brow and nose rest on the skull.

*Third stage of modelling: correcting the shape and reshaping the upper jaw to look more canine.*

*Final stage of modelling: Refining the overall shape of the skull and adding indents where the skull fuses anatomically.*

## Process: Banner Model

Once I finished with the skull, I began creating my 3D model of the banner, also in ZBrush as it would give me freedom to create more natural concept for a primitive banner design.

*First stage of modelling: Creating sticks and binding that can realistically hold two or more branches together using twine, cloth or a similar material.*

*Second stage of modelling: I utilised the ZSphere tool in ZBrush which allows for quick blockouts of complex forms. Here I used a ZSphere to try and work out how a knot could tie together branches at an intersection that might be difficult.*

*Third stage of modelling: Refining the ZSphere and creating a clean version of the knot.*

*Fourth stage of modelling: Adding more natural bends to the wood and thinning the binding around the top.*

*Final stage of modelling: I decided to add extra characteristics to the banner, using tusks as a form of decorative mantle for the banner. Vikings were known for keeping trophy pieces and it felt fitting to add this to the banner model.*

*Final stage of modelling, front view of the final banner design.*

### Final Banner Model

As I finished a wolf skull and a banner concept, I decided to merge the assets together as it felt like a good way to reuse my assets and create a familiar concept through my work. Since my focus for 3D assets would be inspired by the Jötunn Angrboða, I wanted to continue to have a reflective theme to my work.

*Front view of the banner 3D model.*
*Back view of the banner 3D model.*
*Close up front view of the 3D banner model, highlighting the skull and banner decorative elements.*
*Close up back view of the 3D banner model, highlighting the knotwork.*

---
## Process: Weapons Model

I began working on weapon designs as these would synergise well with my weapon rack design and could bring stronger connections to the thematic for this project. I wanted my work to have multiple avenues of connection to the project's cultural theme and so began exploring as many opportunities as I could in order to produce a strong concept for a game based on Old Norse society.

When working on weapon designs, I worked alongside Alex, one of my peers as he had a lot of experience using ZBrush. He notified me of various tools such as ZModeler and the Hard surface sculpting options that made sculpting hard surface objects a lot more easier to do.

*Spearhead concept for a Norse spear, with Ringerike themed engravings in the tip.*

*Final 3D Model, optimised and ready for texturing in Substance Painter.*

*Collective of Spear heads, dagger concepts and sword assets inspired by Norse weapon forging processes.*

*Collective of Spear heads, a dagger and sword assets inspired by Norse weapon forging processes.*

---
## Process: Modelling Development

After completing my modelling process for the banner, weapons and wolf skull for Angrboða's statue, I decided to work on extra features that could be implemented into the game. I wanted to work on some more natural elements with a core connection to other colleagues work, so I worked alongside Alex to produce a stone with claw marks in the front, resembling claw marks that would be scratched into the rocks by Alex's model of Nidhogg, the main boss and core point of our Norse inspired game.

## Nidhogg's Portal Rock

*Front view: A rock that functions as a portal, showcasing scratch marks left by Nidhogg, the main boss of the Nordic inspired game.*
*Back view: A rock that functions as a portal, with jagged edges and smoothened out layers of rock, likely from the heat thats trapped from inside the rock.*

This rock could function as a portal, allowing for the player to teleport between core locations throughout the caves underground. The core concept of our project was focused around the concept of Nidhogg being trapped under the world tree and would focus on the player navigating the caves in order to find and slay Nidhogg before he breaks free from Yggdrasil, the tree of life.

## Angrboða's Statue

Once I had completed the supporting assets for the project, I moved on to creating Angrboða's statue. I wanted her statue to have an anatomical level of detail to it, despite her being a statue as it would improve on my ability to model anatomical models and would be a strong asset to have in my production log.

*First stage: blocking out the core shape of the torso. I created a simple mannequin using ZSpheres in order to get the correct anatomical ratio in terms of size.*

*Second stage: started adding muscles to the torso in order to complete the anatomical model of Angrboða's torso. She is frequently depicted as slender but muscular due to her giantess heritage.*

*Third stage: began cleaning up areas of the front of Angrboða's torso and comparing it to a visual reference before moving on to modelling the back muscles.*

*After adding back muscles that wrap around the arm and lower torso, I smoothed them out in order to finish off the torso model.*

*Final smoothed front torso of Angrboða.*

## Major Project Development Issue
By Easter break, I was comfortably working towards completing my 3D hero assets and working on the Angrboða statue. However during a session where I tried to copy over files to my university drive, I lost a significant amount of progress as one of my files did not save over and had disappeared from the original drive.
By this point, I had to accept that I needed to prioritise reworking my 3D assets in Maya because I had lost a lot of procedural assets that needed to be added to the game. This involved remodelling my pillars, weapon racks, tables, chairs, reworking my blockout for the project and redoing UV Maps for all models.

## UV Mapping 3D assets in Maya

Once i recovered progress, I worked on completing UV maps for all models. Here are a select few of UV maps produced that would be ready for texturing in Substance Painter via poly-painting.

*UV map for the Ornate Chest model rigged for animation (back hinges rotate and allow for the lid to be opened, this would act as a functional interaction with the player.)*

*UV map for the Fountain model with a basin for water to sit in, could be used as an interactible asset with game mechanics for restoring health to the player, etc.*

*UV map for one of four procedural pillar designs.*

*UV map for the long table model.*

*UV map for one of four procedural plinth model designs for statues.*

---
## Rendering in Autodesk Arnold

After managing to recover my progress for the project and remodelling majority of the lost assets, I was able to produce renders of the asset pack using Arnold Renderer in Autodesk Maya.

*Render of all the Norse inspired assets developed in Maya and rendered with Arnold.*

*Render of Norse inspired assets modelled in Autodesk Maya and rendered with Arnold.*

*Render of a Banner design, modelled in Autodesk Maya and rendered with Arnold.*

*Render of various crates and boxes, modelled in Autodesk Maya and rendered with Arnold.*

*Render of various storage chest models, modelled in Autodesk Maya and rendered with Arnold.*

*Close up render of various storage chest models, modelled in Autodesk Maya and rendered with Arnold.*

*Render of the fountain and basin, modelled in Autodesk Maya and rendered with Arnold.*

*Full render of all completed assets for the Norse inspired project.*

*Render of the various pillars, with thematic designs from Norse architecture, modelled in Autodesk Maya and rendered with Arnold.*

*Back view render of the wolf skull banner, modelled in ZBrush and rendered with Arnold.*

*Front view render of the wolf skull banner, modelled in ZBrush and rendered with Arnold.*

*Front full view render of the wolf skull banner, modelled in ZBrush and rendered with Arnold.*

*Render of the two weapon rack designs, with thematic designs from Norse woodworking, modelled in Autodesk Maya and rendered with Arnold.*

*Render of the two weapon rack designs, with thematic designs from Norse woodworking, modelled in Autodesk Maya and rendered with Arnold.*

---
# Final Asset Models

As I had experienced a loss of work and was required to recover my lost progress for the project, I ended up finshing up my work during the middle of my production process. I was unable to move towards texturing and introducing my models into engine alongside my peers in the group due to the time constraints of the project. However, I have greatly appreciated the ability to work alongside my studio group and receive their insight on how to tackle each hurdle of the project development.

*Render of all Norse inspired assets developed in Maya/Zbrush and rendered with Arnold.*

---
## Project Overview

Looking back at the various hurdles and development issues I experienced during the modelling process, it has provided me with an opportunity to reflect on the content of my work, the relevance of the work produced and how I could attempt to do better when tackling a large aspect of the project.

Upon review of my workflow, I am pleased to note that a significant amount of time was allocated towards researching Norse culture, uncovering intricate details of mythology from historical texts, analyzing said texts for insights into Norse culture, and gathering primary research to provide our group with an abundance of relevant references.
The case study in particular opened up an interest for me in obscure mythology within Old Norse tales and gave me an insight as to how these deities of Norse origin affected the lifestyle of Norse communities.

Utilizing a combination of extensive academic research and visual inspiration, I was able to develop the concept design for Angrboða's statue, as well as create impactful designs for tapestries and banners.
While collaborating with my colleagues, I contributed my ideas and worked together with them to enhance our Norse-inspired game

The final project is available as an .exe file, which showcases all the group member's works individually and can be accessed by contacting any of the following contributors of the group who worked on the project:

I would like to extend thanks to my group members for collaborating and aiding me in recovering progress, especially when I struggled to produce work. The full Norse inspired project can be accessed by the following group members:

Jack Furlonger
Alexander Leeming
Junaid Sheikh
Helena Jackson
Elin Hallakorpi

---
# Project bibliography

- Silver hammer cross with an animal head from Foss (1982) Eitri The Norse Artifacts Database. Available at: http://eitridb.com/ (Accessed: 12 February 2024). Accessed via searching 'animal head' in artefacts browser.

- Markussen, J. (2016) The Anatomy of Viking Art - Timeline, Viking Art - Introduction. Available at: https://jonaslaumarkussen.com/vikingartintroduction/ (Accessed: 22 February 2024).

- Thorpe, B. (trans. 1866) ‘That I would give thee, although of gold it were, and trust it to thee, though it were of silver’, in Þrymskviða. Northvegr Edition. Lapeer, Michigan. Snorri Sturluson, pp. 97–104. Available at: https://www.norron-mytologi.info/diverse/ThorpeThePoeticEdda.pdf (Accessed: 11 March 2024).

- Sturluson, S. (1222) ‘the prophecies that much woe and misfortune would thence come to them, and considering that much evil might be looked for from them on their mother's side, and still more on their father's’, in Chapter 9: Loki and His Offspring, THE PROSE EDDA. Prague: Univerzita Karlova, pp. 32–33. Available at: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiXvJPH1p6GAxVH9AIHHTrGB2AQFnoECBMQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fis.cuni.cz%2Fstudium%2Fpredmety%2Findex.php%3Fdo%3Ddownload%26did%3D62028%26kod%3DARL100252&usg=AOvVaw0e-04zHcrWf62n-IYx1LPA&opi=89978449 (Accessed: 15 March 2024).

- Sturluson, S. (1222) Giantess in Ironwood, Angrboða. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angrbo%C3%B0a (Accessed: 05 May 2024).

- Faulkes, A. (trans. 1987) Gylfaginning, pp 12–14. Available at: http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/EDDArestr.pdf (Accessed 08 May 2024)