I first learned about Media
Molecule's Dreams when IGN published a review in early 2020. Unfortunately, due
to the distractions that quickly appeared, I never got around to
installing the game. Looking back, it's easy to see how Dreams could have aided
my mental health during a time when I was experiencing significant emotional
and financial hardship. And now we've arrived. While I haven't played the PS5
version yet, I can tell that the PS4 version of Dreams continues to spark my
imagination and engage me in profound ways that I'm continually learning.
It's fantastic. That is why I want to tell you everything about it.
Media Molecule, based in the United Kingdom, specializes at creating inventive, appealing, and astonishingly playable virtual environments, as proven by its first huge hit Little Big Planet. Their approach to design is incredibly artistic, and no one else is doing what they're doing quite like them. Dreams are described as follows:
“From the comfort of their own sofa, players may build anything from games to devices, music to movies, puzzles to art, and anything in between and beyond.”
So, Yes. That all sounds fantastic. But, in the end, what does it all mean? What exactly is possible in Dreams, and how can it assist you in making the ideas that keep you awake at night a reality? Well, dear reader let me show you. Behold!
Everything you've just seen was made in a PlayStation game. Because you're not freaked out, I'll say it again: everything you just saw was made in a PlayStation game. Dreams is nothing short of a gigantic leap ahead that alters everything for animation and storytelling, and I say that with only the mildest hyperbole. As a result, let's go through the fundamentals of producing in Dreams and see what this software has to offer.
Camera Work
At
its essence, this game is about making a game. As a result, you'll be able to
create your own cut scenes. And what about those cut scenes? It's essentially a
series of short flicks. You begin each cut scene/short film by positioning the
camera tool wherever you choose within a setting. After that, you'll need to
figure out your field of view and decide what you want in or out of focus.
You can move the camera in whatever direction you want, and that movement will show up in the final shot. You have a surprising amount of control over the way your scene is recorded. You have complete control over your edit, including the transitions you use, whether they're hard cuts or dissolves. To make your shot look more cinematic, you can add black bars (letterbox) to it. So, how exactly do you move the camera? Of course, by using key frames! Much of the actual filmmaking in Dreams is deciding where your camera and actors start and then where they move by selecting the final position on the key frame "table" or "chart."
You'll be able to see a literal line/track of your camera's full path once you've set the key frames. As you build out and decorate the set, this visual depiction will assist you decide where to put specific characters.
Controlling the Characters
Moving
your models/characters is a straightforward, albeit time-consuming, process.
You must manipulate each of their limbs one at a time, using key frames like
you would in After Effects or any other 3D application. If you think
manipulating joints and extremities to control every movement seems like a long
process, you're not totally incorrect. But, much like learning how to edit a
movie or work with motion graphics, once you get the controls down, things will
get simpler and you'll be able to move faster toward your flow state.
Creating the World
Dreams'
core notion of creation is similar to Blender or Cinema4D in that you use the
program's built-in customizing tools to build things and environments out of
simple geometric forms. This entails extruding the sides of a cube and
rounding, tugging, and stretching them out to create the items and surroundings
that make up your characters' world. I'd have to write an eBook to explain
everything in Dreams, and I know you'd rather watch someone construct something
interesting than read about it. Begin with the video above, and then go into
the YouTube abyss. There's plenty of high-quality Dreams content to be found.
To sum up, I aim to inspire and motivate you with the following statement: This incredibly unusual game is 100% worth your time and money, it will enhance your capacity to think creatively, and it will help you raise your film-making skill in new and surprising ways. Try it out and see what happens.
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