We've got our second semester briefs out for Graphics & Illustration. Most of them were as dull as ditchwater, but one did stand out from the rest. It's a character and environment design brief for a prospective computer game from Rockstar North in much the same vein as the Grand Theft Auto series.
We've to design three characters - one black, late 20's male, one white late 20's male, and one white early 20's female. There are no limitations on the format of the game, as long as its set in a European style city, and is somewhat in keeping with GTA. To that end, I've made the decision to base the backstory for my characters in Glasgow, and the location designs on the city's iconic Victorian architecture. I've also decided to make it an additional entry into the Grand Theft Auto series of games, and have given it the working title of Grand Theft Auto: No Mean City, a reference to a well known book about Glasgow gang culture.
In keeping with the frequently over the top, nigh on idiotic storylines of the GTA series, this game focuses on the life of the unlikely named FiFi La Shay, a professional car thief from Possil, who steals Skoda Octavia's which she then sells to the lead black character, the similarly stupidly named LaFayette "Thuggs" Velvet, a former gangbanger from NYC who got out of dodge when Rudy Giuliani started cleaning that city up, he's since relocated to Glasgow, and set up a chopshop near the Barras.
As you can tell from the description above, I'm not taking this entirely seriously, mainly because I'm no illustrator, but I'm trying to bring a bit of fun and perhaps even some satirical cheek to the style of the game, instead of playing it straight.
