Concept art & Process
Initial concept
Small One
From its inception, The player character had a few main characteristics that felt like an anchor to its design: It starts out small and grows along the way, it has antlers that grow and feel more significant in the progress, it needs to feel "of nature", and while it is a blank canvas the player can place themselves into, it also has its own personality and charm.
The main challenge was balancing a unique look that maintains its features but also grows into something very different at the end of its evolution, so the player hardly notices they've changed but by the end they're a completely different thing.
Mentor / BIG ONE
The idea was a character that felt warm and protective, and at the same time very similar to the player but a lot more mature and experienced. From the various elements hanging from its clothes, the complex marks on the mask, and especially the big antlers. All of which used as a point of reference that the player can see and draw a connection between the two and understand without dialogue.
The Underworld
The Enemy
The enemies – and the underworld as a whole – needed to feel like a complete 180 of the world above. While the world above was a pleasant, airy forest – The underworld was a suffocating and tense place with dangers crawling at every corner.
The design philosophy was that while antlers represent renewal, growth, and change – Horns represent power, aggressiveness, and darkness.
Using the enemy's main mechanics as an anchor point to the design – running and bashing forwards, and be used as a platform to jump on – the design serves as a twisted mirror of the protagonist. From the extruded battered horns, to the hunched back, and the cracked mask with sharp symbols on it.
animations
