Foroud Bayat
Luca Morote
The purpose of the Concept Art to Engine Pipeline was to establish a seamless workflow for transforming initial enemy concepts into fully-realized in-game characters. From sketching creative designs to sculpting detailed 3D models.
Our journey began with an extensive research phase, diving into the demonic imagery and cultural perceptions from the 17th century. We focused on creating biblically accurate designs, capturing the essence of how demonic creatures were depicted in religious texts and art of that era. By grounding our designs in historical and biblical context, we aimed to evoke the unsettling, otherworldly nature of these creatures. This research provided a rich visual library of twisted forms, symbolic elements, and religious undertones that became the foundation for our enemy concepts, aligning perfectly with the game’s Old Testament-inspired themes.
Demonic creatures of the 17th century were not just figments of imagination but manifestations of fear shaped by religious beliefs, art, and scripture.
Once the initial research was complete, we transitioned into a collaborative phase, where the entire team discussed the number and types of enemies, along with their narrative backstories. Our goal was to ensure that each enemy not only fit the gameplay but also adhered to a biblically accurate design language, where every visual element carried symbolic meaning. Working closely with the concept artist, we focused on crafting enemies with distinct appearances, personalities, and recurring artistic themes tied to biblical and historical references. Quick concept sketches were created to bring these ancient terrors to life, laying the groundwork for a cohesive visual identity. Through multiple iterations and clear communication, we refined each design, balancing immersion and strategic gameplay. Precise feedback was key—each round of refinement brought us closer to a unified vision, establishing a strong foundation for the 3D models that would follow.
Design is rarely a straight path, and this phase involved multiple rounds of feedback and refinement. We adjusted designs to ensure they remained faithful to biblical descriptions while enhancing their unique, threatening presence. Each critique session helped fine-tune the balance between historical accuracy and compelling gameplay visuals, ensuring that players could easily distinguish between enemy types while feeling the gravity of their spiritual confrontation.
With the designs finalized, the next step was creating accurate turnaround sheets in an A-pose for each demon. These detailed, multi-angle references helped our 3D modeler, Luca, stay true to the biblically accurate aesthetic while ensuring practical usability in animation and rigging. The A-pose was chosen for its flexibility, allowing for seamless integration into gameplay while maintaining the distinct and recognizable forms of each creature, as inspired by historical and religious sources.
The final concept art phase focused on a material and texture render pass for each enemy. Given the scope and timeline of the project, we opted for a minimalistic yet cohesive style, where textures and materials reflected biblically accurate design elements. This unified approach created visually distinct characters while preserving a consistent, reverent atmosphere across all enemies. By sharing textures and material principles, we ensured that each enemy felt like an authentic embodiment of a biblical nightmare, reinforcing the game’s dark, spiritual tone.
By blending biblically accurate inspiration with thoughtful design principles, our concept art pipeline seamlessly transitioned from historical research to fully realized enemy models, ready for implementation in the game.
To keep development moving swiftly, our first priority was delivering proxy enemies for designers and programmers to use. These placeholders were scaled according to design specifications but remained simple, featuring only a general human silhouette. This approach allowed for quick testing of enemy behaviors, scale, and interaction within the game environment, enabling rapid progress in early development stages.
While not essential for every project, we chose to iterate on the proxy models, ensuring their silhouette and scale were in line with gameplay needs. This second pass allowed the team to engage in discussions about character proportions and their impact within the prototype. These iterations provided valuable insights, improving the overall feel of the enemies and helping us align design and gameplay more effectively.
Once the proxies were refined, I transitioned to ZBrush for high-poly sculpting. Using the concept art as reference for front, side, and back views, I ensured the silhouette matched the artwork and added intricate details directly from the concept. Starting with an accurate low-poly model allowed me to focus on enhancing the finer aspects without worrying about overall proportions.
(Side note: We hit a significant technical snag during this phase—ZBrush lagged terribly when moving around, causing a 3-day delay. We suspected high-res images or software issues and even tested on powerful PCs, but nothing worked. Surprisingly, switching to an M2 MacBook Pro solved the issue instantly. Lesson learned: when in doubt... consider a MacBook!)
After integrating the initial sculpt into the game, we collected feedback from players, the team, and instructors. This feedback led to adjustments that refined the models further, ensuring that they not only looked visually stunning but also fit seamlessly within the game’s mechanics and narrative. This iterative process ensured continuous improvement and alignment with our artistic vision.
With the sculpts finalized, I moved on to texturing. Multiple iterations followed, each tested in-game to assess how the textures performed under various lighting conditions and gameplay scenarios. Feedback from the team guided each revision, helping us enhance the models’ visual impact while maintaining consistency across all enemy types. This meticulous process ensured the final textures elevated the overall game experience.
Seeing the enemies in full come alive in-engine was a pivotal moment in development. These once-static concepts were now animated, attacking the player, guiding their movement, and shaping dynamic, engaging encounters. Each enemy's presence on the battlefield added a distinct layer of tension and strategy, driving players to adapt and react. The encounters were designed to feel alive, with enemies not just existing in the world but actively influencing gameplay through their behaviors and attacks. The cherry on top was the immersive audio design, with each enemy boasting unique sounds that enhanced their character and made encounters even more impactful. This fusion of visual, animation, and sound design brought the world to life, making every encounter feel intense and memorable.