A talk with an architect

The other day we had a talk with Jack Greasley our resident architect. He helped us alot with layout and design aswell as talking us through the right periods of architecture and what works well together. Most of the time was spent helping us get the core of the buildings old architecture sorted which helped Steve a lot. Jack did spend a little time on the interior and gave me some good pointers as he scribbled his ideas on a piece of paper. He seemed to click to my vision and really understood what i wanted to achieve. He then showed us lots of books and even had some marble textures i scanned for reference and texture. I am still designing my lobby area but Jack has really helped push my idea and made me even more excited about the finished thing.

Design Pitch

The Bank Heist

Design Pitch

Tom Lawson

[Design pitch for the joint FMP by Steve Jones (exterior)

Tom Lawson (interior)]

“As the smoke settled,

the true extent of the

damage was revealed.”

The Idea

The Midas International Bank level is a environmental piece telling the story of a well planned bank robbery and the chaos surrounding the event. The game is a first person action/shooter and the player will be free to explore the post-heist scene from the police filled streets and beautiful plaza to the shattered grand lobby smoke filled bank vaults. The player will possibly play the role of a detective or police officer after arriving at the scene however this is undecided and will play little part in the story telling of the environment.

This is a joint project along side Steven Jones who will be creating the outside exterior and I will be constructing the interior of the fictional Midas Bank.

I will be creating:

A lobby

Offices

Vault room

Midas Bank is situated in a unspecified metropolitan city within Europe (including the UK). The exterior will explore these cities architectural influences (Roamanesque Revivial, Medieval Gothic Revivial, Jacobethan, Neoclassical, Romantisism, Renesance Revival) and will be based on a set design once the style has been explored. This will flow into the architecture for the banks interior lobby and will affect the size and look of the room. These factors will be mutually agreed on before progressing with design however the banks other rooms will be fully converted into modern day interior spaces and will be easily adapted if at all to meet any changes to the outside.

“The level is to be a day time scene with a sense of calm after the sudden raid. Sirens can be heard but not much else, only the echoes of destruction and the distant radio chatter from the officers outside. At the moment the scene feels very cool, like a crisp spring morning so will be filled with warm yellow sunlight and ice blue shadows. The sense of being in the direct daylight is warming, emphasised by the glare of the low morning light and the shadows should feel colder as the lighting dips and shifts hue to the opposite shades. A gentle breeze blows through the shattered glass sky dome and ripples over the flags and banners inside the lobby.”

The Breakdown

The Midas Bank lobby will be the largest part of the interior with an open 2 story room with support pillars and central feature (fountain or sculpture). There will be a sky dome in the ceiling where the robbers have entered from via ropes. There will be a main desk and surrounding help desks and self service units like found in modern banks.

The aesthetic will be reminiscent of the exterior in architectural style terms but will have been built on and over as it was converted into the bank it is today. E.g. There will be the old building stair case and pillars however there will be new glass walls and dividers where the cashiers sit etc. The room will have tall towering windows with large shafts of light pouring through onto the marble and carpet floor.

This large entrance will flow nicely into the darker low ceiling offices behind the main desk. These will be accessible via a glass door or security barrier. The low lighting and roof will provide a complimentary contrast to the previous room and will enhance variety within the level.

This area will be split via dividers and will be separated office spaces with desks and computers. Paper will be scattered and bullet holes will riddle the walls as the robbers made for an escape maybe. Toward the back of the offices will be an elevator and staircase that can be followed down to the vault. There may be a side room here for server or security purposes but that may be relocated to the vault floor.

As you go down the stairs to the vault level you will pass through security checks as the alarm becomes more apparent. The building design down here will be very modern and practical with floor lighting and cold concrete walls.

The safe entrance has not been finalised yet but will include a small set of stairs moving down to the vault door. The door its self will be large and a-jar with smoke surrounding it. Within the vault its self will be lock safes covering the walls and maybe an empty centre piece hinting that something valuable was stolen.

Variables

Lobby may not have banners.

Lobby shape will vary as concepting progresses and settled with Steven on a mutual shape.

Time of day: Possible day/night cycle if time allowed.

Character persona may vary depending on final plot.

Lobby centre piece.

Room locations and player path.

The Specifications

Tri count: 500k

Platform: PC

Software: UDK, 3DS MAX (may use Cryengine depending on time and learning curve)