Hi everyone, I'm fairly new to polycount so... Hi, i'm a 3rd year Games Art student from University of Hertfordshire
This thread will be focusing on my development for my 3rd year uni game, Tail of Inari, a 3D point-and-click adventure game. This thread will be ever-growing, so everything might change around; and CC's welcome at any point.
The Team
Paige Indy Sharp - Art Director
Hazel Rooney - Freelance Concept Artist (Interior Environments and Secondary Characters)
Bridget Kay - Freelance Concept Artist (Main Characters and map design.)
About:
Tail of Inari will be a 3rd person, stylised 3D point-and-click adventure game with puzzles.
A young Kitsune fox girl, Kit, has been sent unto earth by the Japanese deity Inari to become a Guardian to a human family. The game is about Kit's journey in aiding a young boy's family in order to become a human to stay on Earth forever. This will include helping him solve puzzles and defeating evil within the lands to protect the temple.
* * * * *
Characters:
Maiku (Playable)
The young human boy, around 8 years old, who Kit will aid when solving puzzles. He lives on the Japanese island with his family who tend to the Inari temple. He's fun, ambitious and wants to become a monk.
Kit (Secondary character; can be playable at certain times)
The young fox girl, around the same age as Maiku; who is a messenger of Inari. Her purpose is to be a Guardian to Makind and aid Maiku. She will be a secondary character to play as, similar to that of Sam and Max, where Max is the secondary character.
Goddess Inari
The deity of prosperity who creates Kit to bring protection to human famillies. Player talks to her spirit who comes out of a stone statue of herself.
The Yokai
The evil spirits and beasts Maiku must defeat in order to restore peace within the lands and protect Inari temple and Kit.
* * * * *
Generic Lore:
Takamagahara (Above-sky, Heaven)
The heavens which Inari lives in, all peaceful and quiet, with shrines, fountains and beautiful blossom trees everywhere. The birthplace of Kitsune.
Andāsukai (Under-sky, Earth)
Our world and home planet, Earth. The game will be set in a Japanese-style surrounding where Maiku, his family and Kit live and worship Inari through statues and shrines.
Andārundo (Under-land, Hell)
The demonic underworld to our world. Where the evil spirits and beasts come from.
* * * * *
Environments Within Playable Game:
Inari Temple - Exterior
Inari Temple - Interior
Akai Mori Forest Later changed to the Puzzle Cave
* * * * *
Additional
My original University Thread here
My Pinterest Mood Board here
Will be uploading the development photos later this weekend!
Replies
Looking forward to follow along!
Featuring Hazel Rooney and Bridget Kay
Here are some early character concepts me and one of my concept artists (Hazel Rooney and Bridget Kay) came up with at the start of the project (my peers, the other concept artist, are noted at the foot of each concept.)
Disclaimer: I'm not a concept artist, but as part of my brief I had to do some designs and drawings myself, so I did try! I know I'll be asking for crit on my 3D work as that's my strong point; but any crit on my digital painting skills would be very much appreciated too
Early Concepts with Hazel Rooney:
(Above: Before it was decided that Maiku would be around 8 years old, he was originally going to be 14 and the secondary character!)
(Above: by me. a really early concept of Kitsune, who was originally called Inari. Inari later on became the Goddess, and kitsune became the fox.)
(Above: by Me.a quick penicl sketch of an initial distinct style for Kitsune, when she was a fox.)
(Above: In the original story, there were baddies called the Oni who the player would have to beat up and help Kitsune gain another tail; back when she was a fox.
(Above: This storyboard shows how Kitsune was sent unto Earth by Inari. I'm not making a cutscene, but it was good to build a backstory which later turned into Maiku's wish for a little sister.)
(Above: A design of the interior of Temple Inari; featuring the Inari statue inspired by Hazel's designs)
(Above: Exploring different perspectives, to get a sense of how tall the room would be. I know I messed up the top half of the drawing but thats just down to not knowing how a temple roof is actually structured :P)
Some Early Mood Boards of the Environments:
From original Uni post: "I decided on three small environments I'd like to focus on for this project. They are doable by myself; as I'll be making assets that I can repeat to fill up a scene:
* Inari Temple - Exterior
*Inari Temple - Interior
*Akai Mori Forest
If this were to be an actual game, Id have the Forest and the Temple on different sides of the world map; but I'm going to incorporate both the forest and temple into just one small map. The Temple will be on a higher, mountainous ground; and at the foot of it will be the forest; so it's easy access for demonstration purposes. I will draw up the level map later on this week to show on here.
But for now; I have achieved creating moodboards of the three environments; with c arefully considered color pallets.
Refining Ideas:
(I went back to hand-drawn sketches, and found it much better to work with. This is the final design of the interior of the temple.)
(Above: a quirky design for Maiku, who is still around 14 at this point. But my lecturerer advised to make him more cute as the no-pupils looked kinda creepy.)
(Above: tried out some different color schemes. I picked the first one as the main color scheme for his robes.)
Finalising characters and Environments with Bridget Kay:
After showing Bridget my progress so far and sharing my feedback from the lecturers about making it more cute, Bridget joined the team and helped to make the characters appealing and cute! Thus was the birth of the new storyline, and a new, reimagined Kit!
All following images by Bridget Kay:
(Above: Fixing the creepy no-pupil problem and adding cute eyes to the characters, as well as working out their scale, and color pallets)
(Above: Giving Maiku and Kit personalities; Maiku is over-protective of his new little sister, but Kit just wants to have fun!)
(Above: Final map design after telling Bridget I'd like the temple to be on top of a hill with a cave tatue puzzle at the bottom.)
I'm going to make a seperate post with my 3D work, but enjoy this for now
CC Welcome at any point.