The Art of the Witness
Luis AntonioThekla Inc.
About me
DIRECTION
Jonathan Blow
ART
Eric A. Anderson
Luis Antonio
Orsi Spanyol
Alex Haworth
PROGRAMMING
Ignacio Castaño
Andrew Smith
Salvador Bel
COLLABORATORS
Casey Muratori
Jonathan Beilin
Eric Urquhart
Shannon Galvin
Andrew Hynek
Nicholas “Indy” Ray
David Hellman
Andrew Burlinson
THEKLA
INC.
fourm-designbuild.com fletcherstudio.com
THE WITNESS
THE WITNESSTHE WITNESS
THE WITNESS
• Minimize the amount of noise we put into the player's mind.
Jonathan’s art goals
•Art must support and extend the gameplay principles.
• Island based in the real world.
THE WITNESSOriginal island visuals
THE WITNESS
• Research and Inspirations
Finding the art style
THE WITNESS
• Research and Inspirations
Finding the art style
• Define Art Guidelines
THE WITNESS
• Research and Inspirations
Finding the art style
• Define Art Guidelines
• Implement and iterate
THE WITNESSResearch – Simplification
robh - broadviewgraphics.blogspot.com
THE WITNESSResearch – Simplification
Aleksandar Jovanovic / Makkon (Ben)
THE WITNESSResearch – Simplification
Alex Roman - The Third & The Seventh
THE WITNESSResearch
Mirror’s Edge – EA DICE
THE WITNESSResearch
Journey – thatgamecompany / TF2 - Valve
THE WITNESSResearch - Stylization
Buck.tv - Sherwin Williams
THE WITNESSResearch - Expression
Tom Brown / Deborah Secor
THE WITNESSResearch - Expression
Tom Brown
THE WITNESS
• Why don’t we just hire concept artists?
• How much can they actually bring to the project?
• They don’t have a videogame development background!
Architects and Landscape Studios
THE WITNESSArchitects and Landscape Studios
THE WITNESSArchitects and Landscape Studios
THE WITNESSArchitects and Landscape Studios
THE WITNESSArchitects and Landscape Studios
THE WITNESSArchitects and Landscape Studios
THE WITNESSArchitects and Landscape Studios
THE WITNESS
• Simplified reality
Art Guidelines
• Pleasant and harmonious
• Extension of the gameplay and core game design
THE WITNESS
• Man made structures
• Rock formations
• Vegetation
Implementation
THE WITNESSImplementation– Stone walls
THE WITNESSImplementation– Stone walls
THE WITNESSImplementation– Stone walls
THE WITNESSImplementation– Rock formations
THE WITNESSImplementation– Rock formations
THE WITNESSImplementation– Rock formations
THE WITNESSImplementation– Rock formations
THE WITNESSImplementation– Rock formations
THE WITNESSImplementation– Vegetation
THE WITNESSImplementation– Vegetation
THE WITNESSImplementation– Vegetation
THE WITNESSImplementation– Vegetation
THE WITNESSImplementation– Vegetation
THE WITNESSBringing it all together
THE WITNESSBringing it all together
THE WITNESSBringing it all together
THE WITNESSBringing it all together
THE WITNESS
• Don’t think about technical limitations
Conclusions
• Be aware of the big picture
• Have a reason for everything you do. (or at least for most of it!)