2) Animations – Acting and Action
Finally updated my demoreel. This includes all the animations that were previously on this page, as well as a short compiled clips of some games I worked on at the very end. Enjoy!
Animation Demo Reel December 2008
Archive for October, 2008
Welcome to a Game Animator’s Blog
*You can jump to my Portfolio here
I love games. Not just playing them, but reading, watching and finding as much has I can about them. The X-factor that makes a game fun is never the same. Every game is a virtual world created to draw you in, bound by its own rules, with its own stories and drama (so what if its as simple as keeping the bouncing ball from getting past your paddle). But ultimately, I want to make my own games.
But in the mean time, I shall be part of the game making process. As an animator, the feeling of seeing your characters run around and moving as if it was born to belong in that virtual world he or she is in; it cannot be easily described.
This is my virtual scrapbook, a doorway into my world.
Check out the Animation and Models pages to see some of my in-game creations, from Monster Dungeon(TM) and Cyberversion(TM).
Enjoy your stay!
~ James “Zee” Phang . A.k.a. Zhanzhao
PS: I’ve just moved my site to wordpress, so I’m still working out the kinks and tidying the look. Look out for updates!
4) Models
To be a good animator, one also needs to know as much as he can about other specializations, so that they can easily really their requirements to the modelers and riggers. Its not fun for everyone if the modeler completes his model, the rigger does their magic on it, but by the time the animator gets their hands on it they realize that its unusable (be it out-of-place topology or unsuitable rig setup).
And sometimes its fun to just pop your animations into a model you created yourself and know that its all done by you. “Don’t think of it as dirty work”. Treat it more like its crafting a whole masterpiece of your own, bit by bit.
In game models for Monster Dungeon – Wolf and Fox NPC
Toyland Stage in Monster Dungeon
Concept character for Cyberversion (Prototype)
3) Animations (Games)
Animation for games is quite different from the typical film animations. Everything has to be rendered in real time, and must work with every other component in the game. Meaning you are working within a very rigid environment where any mistake could break the game.
As such, game animators have to work very closely with the rest of the team to make sure that you know exactly what they want, and how they want it, and you work within these constraints, while providing the best work you can. Sometimes working with as little as 30 bones per skeleton on a 1000 polygon character, while aiming for film quality visuals.
The following is a portfolio in progress.
Darkness Sun (working title) – Prototype Game (2008)
In a time of myth and legend, the dark wizard rules the land with an iron fist. There is no law and order, only the tyrannous might of spell and sword. The only hope lies in a young witch girl, who fights to bring peace to the land with the aid of her twin mystical blades.
Clip to be uploaded when approved the producers 
Work done: Rigging, animation for main characters (Witch girl, Wizard and Colossus); Conceptualization of spell animations
CYBERVERSION – Prototype Game (2008)
Police and thief in a virtual city. Play as the terrorist, mingle among the public undetected and carry out your insidious plans, or play as the law enforcers, looking out for suspicious behavior to spot enemy players and take them down before they carry out their plans.
Work done: Rigging, animation and mocap cleanup for all character; collaboration in level design; collaboration in gameplay design
MONSTER DUNGEON – School Project (2007)
A action/puzzle game where you control a sheep using various gadgets and traps as well as environmental, either individually or in combination, to clear the map of enemies while avoiding capture.
Work done: 3D Art Asset creation ; modelling, texturing, rigging and animation for all character and props; modelling and texturing for most terrain assets; level design; collaboration in gameplay design; collaboration in UI design.
Polygon count: 700-800 per character
