Bloodborne Exhibition at Victoria and Albert Museum Bloodborne Wiki » Art of Bloodborne » Bloodborne Exhibition at Victoria and Albert Museum

Source ❘ Edit ❘ Sitemap ❘ License page revision: 03, last edited: 08 Oct 2022

Table of Contents

Explore the design and culture of contemporary videogames

About the Videogames exhibition

Exhibition Gallery

Translated Victoria and Albert Museum Sketches

Early Map Comparison

Videogames: Design/Play/Disrupt - Explore the design and culture of contemporary videogames

This exhibition delves into one of the most significant design fields of our time, investigating the work of groundbreaking designers, creative player communities and the critical conversations that define the medium today. This exhibition will take place at Victoria and Albert Museum (Cromwell Road London SW7 2RL) until Sunday, 24 February 2019. Victoria & Albert Museum opens exhibition on video game art introduction video.

About the Videogames exhibition

Videogames: Design/Play/Disrupt explores the medium since the mid-2000s, when major technological advancements, such as increased access to broadband, social media, smart phones and newly available means of making, profoundly changed the way videogames are designed, discussed and played. This change has opened the door to new voices and ideas, allowing the medium to break beyond its perceived boundaries and aspire to new horizons.

Videogames: Design/Play/Disrupt. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Design What does it take to make a videogame? Rarely seen design materials from the desks and hard drives of leading designers sit alongside specially commissioned multimedia installations to provide new perspectives and insights into the craftsmanship and inspiration behind a selection of groundbreaking contemporary videogames. From the cinematic blockbusters of large AAA studios to the modest and often intimate work of independent designers, this section of the exhibition presents an eclectic and diverse range of voices and work from across game design. All are united by their ambitions to break boundaries.

Disrupt As tools to make games have become more available and distribution has broadened, game designers have begun to engage more widely with social and political debates. The second section of the exhibition presents the work and voices of the influential game makers and commentators who are leading critical discussion and debates that challenge not only ideas about videogames and what they should be, but how this relates to society as a whole.

Play Online player communities connected through servers and social platforms create, collaborate and spectate together. From mind-blowing megastructures built in Minecraft to the vast array of fan art that embraces and extends beloved virtual worlds, their work sees them transcend the role of the designer to democratise design on a vast scale. A large scale immersive installation in this section celebrates the dazzling imagination and creative chaos shown by videogame players.

From the online to the offline the playful exhibition finale looks to the rise of a new DIY arcade scene. Handmade arcade cabinets and interactive installations of spectacle and performance provide a punk alternative to the traditional arcade space that playfully reminds us of the social power of videogames.

Exhibition Gallery [taken by Alec]

download original size	download original size	download original size	download original size
01 - Info Panel for Cleric Beast Video	02 - Cleric Beast Gameplay with Commentary	03 - Cleric Beast Gameplay with Commentary	04 - Bloodborne, the Art of Combat with video of Djura fight
Transcript Battling the Cleric Beast: Bloodborne The Cleric Beast is the first major boss players clash with in the game. A successful attempt at defeating the beast is displayed here, accompanied by YouTuber and critic Matt Lees. You can also see a synchronised view of his hands on the controller and a series of previous failed attempts that repeatedly display the game's infamous message 'You Died'. Bloodborne demands extremely high levels of combat finesse. Players require multiple attempts to learn the techniques needed to defeat enemies and bosses. Sharing videos online with commentaries is one of the ways that players help others to succeed.
	download original size	download original size	download original size
	05 - Bloodborne, the Art of Combat Info Panel	06 - Bloodborne Character Designs Info Panel	07 - Probably Beggar Sketch
	Transcript THE ART OF COMBAT Bloodborne places intense combat-oriented roleplay within a fantasy world inspired by horror literature and Gothic architecture. From acclaimed director Hidetaka Miyazaki, the game stands out for its extreme difficulty and players' exhilaration at overcoming this. In the sinister streets of Yharnam, you must fight the victims of a curse that transforms those afflicted into hideous beasts. The game's imposing visuals, engrossing battles and dramatic classical soundtrack to create an overwhelming experience, and a sense of awe when encountering this dark world. Inexperienced players can expect to see the phrase 'You Died' many times on screen as they slowly master the combat techniques. This has inspired some fans to produce wikis and YouTube tutorials to support each other.	Transcript Character design notebooks The character designers at FromSoftware illustrated early ideas in notepads that would be developed into full designs. Shown here are the first iterations of characters including the Hunter, Doll and Maneater Boar. They illustrate the attempts at producing the level of horror that director Miyazaki envisaged. Alongside these creatures are ideas for the intricate weapon designs that are an integral part of the combat in Bloodborne.
			download original size
			08 - Cramped Casket Mimic Sketch
		download original size	download original size
		09 - Maneater Boar Sketch	10 - Notebooks

download original size	download original size	download original size	download original size
11 - Sketch	12 - Cainhurst Ghost Sketch	13 - Doll Sketch	14 - Choir Member Sketch 1
download original size	download original size	download original size	download original size
15 - Choir Member Sketch 2	16 - Greatsword Sketch	17 - Hammer Sketch	18 - Full Display

download original size	download original size	watch / download video	download original size
19 - Hunter Character Design Info Panel	20 - Concept Art for the Hunter	21 - Cloth Test Video	22 - Stages of Cleric Beast Development
Transcript Developing the Hunter The design of the game's protagonist, the Hunter, began with producing concept art (above) [20]. Below [21] this is a technical test of simulated cloth for the character's clothing, created during development. Previously, FromSoftware's characters were designed wearing stiff, heavy armour, relevant to their setting but also more achievable for the graphic and memory capabilities for hardware. Developing Bloodborne for a new generation console with higher processing power encouraged the team to create a world that had a softness to it, creating additional vulnerability in the player.
	download original size	download original size	download original size
	23 - Cleric Beast Concept Art	24 - Cleric Beast Model	25 - Cleric Beast In-Game Model
	download original size	download original size	download original size
	26 - Developing the Cleric Beast Info Panel	27 - Cathedral Ward Concept Art Info Panel	28 - Cathedral Ward Concept Art
	Transcript Developing the Cleric Beast These images are from the 3D graphic development process. FromSoftware's animators produced realistic fur with over 200,000 polygons (the flat planes combined to produce 3D shapes) programmed to flow with the beast's movements - a huge number for a single videogame character. The fully rendered figure is below. From top: Cleric Beast concept art Cleric Beast polygon view Cleric Beast fully rendered view	Transcript Cathedral Ward concept painting Bloodborne's visual influences are a mixture of 19th-century horror literature, from writers like Bram Stoker and H.P. Lovecraft, and Gothic Revival architecture. During the development process, the team visited Romania and Prague to immerse themselves in the architectural styles they wanted to portray. This concept art reflects both those literary and architectural influences. It depicts the 'Cathedral Ward' area of the game, created to inspire the studio's level designers.
			download original size
			29 - Character Art Info Panel
			Transcript Character concepts designs Bloodborne's once-great city of Yharnam is cursed with a plague that infects its inhabitants, transforming them into dangerous creatures that stalk the streets. Following their initial ideas on paper, the concepts artists at FromSoftware took the most promising character designs and developed them digitally. They incorporated further detail around the look of the characters, considering their actions in game. FromSoftware's character artists took these as inspiration for making the 3D character models.
	download original size	download original size
	30 - Maneater Boar Art	31 - Undead Giant Art

download original size	download original size	download original size	download original size
32 - Carrion Crow Art	33 - Scourge Beast Art	34 - Hemwick Witch Art	35 - Weapon Concept Art Info Panel
			Transcript Weapon concept designs In a shift from previous games by director Miyazaki, Bloodborne removed the defensive shield from the player character to produce a more action-oriented style of combat. FromSoftware instead introduced new types of weaponry, combining long-range firearms and short-range trick weapons for different attack styles. The digital designs were developed from the concept artists' initial ideas on paper and incorporate more detail around their in-game mechanics for FromSoftware's 3D artists to work with.
download original size	download original size	download original size
36 - Hunter Axe Art	37 - Hunter Pistol Art	38 - Saw Cleaver Art
download original size	download original size	download original size	download original size
39 - Ludwig's Rifle Art	40 - Greatsword & Hammer Art	41 - Cathedral Ward Building Models Info Panel	42 - Tower Model
		Transcript Cathedral Ward Building Models The 3D designers constructed models of the buildings of Yharnam, the ruined city in which Bloodborne is set, with polygon counts numbering several hundred thousands. These models from the 'Cathedral Ward' area are seen here in the pre-rendered state (before graphical textures are applied to the wireframes), revealing the level of intricate detail that went into producing each environment. They closely reflect the Gothic architecture the team research while developing the environmental concepts for the game.
download original size	download original size		download original size
43 - Spire Model	44 - House Model		45 - Level Planning Display

download original size	download original size	download original size	download original size
46 - Level Planning Info Panel	47 - Map of Building Interior	48 - Aerial Model Map	49 - Aerial Model Map 2
Transcript Level planning papers The level design in Bloodborne is very important to gameplay. Each area of the game is extremely intricate, connecting in countless, unexpected ways and reflecting the Gothic sensibilities of the game's influences. The level designers began their process in planning meetings where they worked up different ideas on paper for atmospheres, building types and routes around spaces, including suggestions such as moving staircases.
	download original size	download original size	download original size
	50 - Info Panel on Digital Level Design	51 - Sketchup Simple 3D Model of Area 1	52 - Sketchup Detailed 3D Model of Area 1
	Transcript Digital level design - Central Yharnam and Cathedral Ward Developing many of the initial ideas created on paper, the level designers of Bloodborne used SketchUp, a 3D modelling programme, to create simple layouts with temporary textures to carefully test the complex geography of each environment. Following these experiments, the graphics team created more detailed environments, adding assets designed in Autodesk 3ds Max, a 3D graphics programme. With minor adjustments and optimising, these levels were then implemented into the game.
download original size		download original size	download original size
53 - Player Character in Temporary Texture Test of Area 1		54 - Player Character in the In-Game Version of Area 1	55 - Sketchup Simple 3D Model of Area 2
download original size	download original size	download original size	download original size
56 - Sketchup Detailed 3D Model of Area 2	57 - Player Character in Temporary Texture Test of Area 2	58 - Player Character in the In-Game Version of Area 2	59 - Recording the Soundtrack Cleric Beast Edition Info Panel
			Transcript Recording Bloodborne's soundtrack The musical score that accompanies Bloodborne does much to heighten the sense of terror in the game. It was a collaboration between Japanese composers Tsukasa Saitoh, Yuka Kitamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, and American composers Ryan Amon, Cris Velasco and Michael Wandmacher. They took inspiration from the artwork, drew on key phrases like 'mortal struggle' and cut woodwind instruments and some brass such as the trumpet, to avoid grandiosity. Recorded in AIR studios in London, the soundtrack was performed by a 65-piece orchestra and the London-based 32-member Metro Voices choir.
download original size	download original size	download original size
60 - Cleric Beast Score Book	61 - Close-Up of Score Title (Parochial Head!)	62 - Video Played Showing the Orchestra Recording

Translated Victoria and Albert Museum Sketches [edited by John Lopez]

download original size	download original size	download original size	download original size
11 - Sketch_v01	12 - Cainhurst Ghost Sketch_v01	13 - Doll Sketch_v01	14 - Choir Member Sketch 1_v01
download original size	download original size	download original size	download original size
15 - Choir Member Sketch 2_v01	17 - Hammer Sketch_v01	47 - Map of Building Interior_v01	48 - Aerial Model Map_v01
download original size
49 - Aerial Model Map 2_v01

Early Map Comparison [by JSF]

An early map of Yharnam was on display at the Play/Design/Disrupt exhibition. It includes unused area layouts and is annotated by the developers.

Central Yharnam	Old Yharnam
► Yharnam is referred to as "Church City" in the developer notes.	► Referred to as "Ruins" in the developer notes. Old Yharnam's position on this map is different, and is facing the opposite direction that it does in the release version. Because this map is an aerial view, much of Old Yharnam's geography is obscured by other buildings. There is a developer note saying that the area is to be moved so that it connects with "Sacrifice City" (Yahar'gul).
A: The Great Bridge leading to Cathedral Ward. This version of the bridge is much longer, extending farther away from Cathedral Ward than it is possible to go in the release version. Following the bridge in this direction leads to a rectangular area labeled "Church City B".	A: The path leading across the river to the Church of the Good Chalice. Its design is noticably different. The path terminates without reaching the Church of the Good Chalice, although there are structures there which could be early versions.
B: The path leading under the bridge to Gascoigne's arena.	B: The building near the beginning of Old Yharnam where the Hunter Torch is acquired. It does not appear to be connected to the area outside the church.
C: Iosefka's Clinic, showing the original, more complex floorplan.	C: The pathway which currently leads to the Graveyard of the Darkbeast. As Old Yharnam and Yahar'gul are in different positions in this map, it is unclear where it led.
D: The empty aqueduct connected to the Dry Docks. This version extends further and twists around.	D: The church with the congregation of beasts, and the approximate location of Djura's tower in the release version.

Hemwick	Forbidden Woods
► Referred to as "Cemetery Town" in the developer notes. A developer note on the bottom of the map indicates that the player would initially be warped to the Hunter's Dream after defeating the boss of this area, suggesting that the game originally started here, rather than in Iosefka's Clinic.	► Referred to as "Woods" in the developer notes. It is positioned very close to Hemwick in this version, and there is a developer note indicating that it needs to be moved and rotated. Given the complexity of the geometry, it is very hard to tell what was and wasn't altered from this version of the map.
A: Witch's Abode. The room at the back has been added later in pen, and is connected with a far shorter path than the one which takes us to the corpse with the Rune Workshop Tool. A developer note states that there is a "Wandering Madman" at the back of Witch's Abode, and that "When you throw yourself in, you can warp", likely referring to the player jumping in the lake. An arrow connects the lake to an area called "Trap Road"; an early name for the Nightmare Frontier.	A: The entrance to Forbidden Woods from Cathedral Ward.
B: The "Hemwick Crossing" road. Developer notes indicate that this is the means to access Cainhurst ("Old Castle"), as in the release version, and that the player is taken there by a ghostly carriage.	B: The windmill near the bridge.
C: The barn area leading to the rooftops.	C: The upper part of the town, near the path to Iosefka's Clinic.
D: The house of the woman who cackles about "graveyard murmurs".	D: The lower part of the town leading to the second part of the woods.

Byrgenwerth	Cainhurst
► Referred to as "Big University" in the developer notes. As with Forbidden Woods, it is positioned very close to Hemwick in this version of the map, with a developer note indicating that it needs to be moved and rotated.	► Referred to as "Old Castle" in the developer notes.
A: The "Byrgenwerth" area visited in the release version.	A: The castle's entrance hall, connecting to the dining hall. Another wing, opposite the dining hall, is present on this map; it can be seen in the finished game, but there is no way to access it. Additionally, an unused and unseen passageway or bridge branches out perpendicular to the dining hall.
B: An unknown structure which corresponds to nothing seen in the release version.	B: The roof where Logarius is fought in the finished game. The tower, visible during the boss fight, is closer and appears to connect to the roof. Annalise' hidden throne room is not present.
C: The Lecture Hall, here located in the Waking World rather than the Dreamlands.	C: The library area and roof. The elevator to the second floor does not appear to be present.
	D: An early version of the path that leads to Logarius in the final game. Here the design is very different and leads to an unused structure that does not connect to Logarius' arena. This structure is located where the collapsed area full of parasites is in the finished game.

Upper Cathedral Ward	Yahar'gul
► Yharnam is referred to as "Church City" in the developer notes.	► Referred to as "Sacrifice City" in the developer notes. Unlike the other parts of the map, the individual sections of Yahar'gul are not connected to each other, making it difficult to determine the exact layout.
A: The Grand Cathedral and Lumenflower Gardens. The Altar of Despair is not present, and there is no bridge in front of the Astral Clock.	A: The underground and above ground sections Hypogaean Gaol / Yahar'gul Chapel. The tunnel to Paarl's arena comes out of the very back wall, rather than a corner.
B: Unidentified structure. It appears to be the interior of the Grand Cathedral or the Altar of Despair, but it is positioned outside of the Grand Cathedral's exterior, which is not true of the interior of other buildings. It is also parallel to the Grand Cathedral and inside of a mountain, while other instances of "floating" geometry are positioned outside of the map's boundaries entirely.	B: The street leading to Advent Plaza, beyond the locked gate.
C: Upper Cathedral Ward. The bridge connecting to Lumenflower Gardens is accessed via a structure on the side of the building, rather than being part of the front.	C: The connecting area between Upper Cathedral Ward and Yahar'gul. This is approximately where the player character is transported after defeating Rom in the release version.
D: This area connects Lumenflower Gardens to Yahar'gul via an elevator and some pathways. It was replaced in the release version by the circular plaza with the two Yahar'gul Hunters.	D: Graveyard of the Darkbeast.