“Almost four years ago, we set out to make a game that would build and improve upon the foundations that were our previous titles. The obvious challenges would be crafting a good multiplayer experience and growing the studio to tackle a bigger development scope than ever before. Artistically, we knew we wanted to keep our stylized approach to making good-looking games, and with the world of Reverie where tales and legends coexist, it just felt obvious to embrace an illustrative art style.If you're curious about Ravenswatch's art, you can visit the Artstation blast we published last month.
"Make a screenshot look like it could have been hand-drawn” was perhaps a bit ambitious as a goal, but it is the kind of compass you need to guide you through a game’s development. It always felt like we, 2D artists, were illustrating a book that 3D artists magically brought to life. As is often (if not always) the case, we didn't nail it on the first try; but I never doubted that we were on the right track, all thanks to the talented people I have the honor and privilege to lead at Passtech Games (AND the rest of the studio of course, but we’re here to talk about art, sorry guys).
It is a bumpy ride trying to achieve such a distinct look while continuously improving your home-made engine. Looking back, I can’t believe the amount of basic tools we had to build from scratch, and how many tricks and techniques we had to come up with so that one could immerse themselves in this aesthetic. It can be frustrating to think that most of those efforts end up being invisible to the players’ eyes. On the other hand, we’ve seen countless reviews praising how the game looks, so I can safely say it wasn’t all for nothing.
Also, the fact that you are reading this means that some of this background work is about to get the audience it deserves!
Allow me a cheesy analogy: Ravenswatch started from the idea that we could make a game starring heroes that would come together to face titanic challenges, each with their own personal strengths. I hope you understand where I’m going with this while browsing through the work of the Ravenswatch artists. I genuinely mean it.“
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