Client: Glasslab Games - Redwood City, CA
Project: Mars Generation One: Argubot Academy
Role: Environment Design, Illustration
Tools: Pencil & Paper, Illustrator
Mars Generation One: Argubot Academy is a tablet-based educational game targeted at middle-school aged kids developed by Glasslab Games. In the game, players build and fight robots (known as argubots) against other robot opponents on a sci-fi base backdrop set on Mars. Players are taught to equip their argubots with logical, well-reasoned arguments to use as "attacks" in a battle of wits with their opponents. I worked as an environment artist on the project. As part of this capacity, I was responsible for the conception and execution of Argubot Academy backgrounds in addition to the delivery of several robot designs.
Each environment started out as a small thumbnail sketch. Approved thumbnails were then further developed in pencils. Finally, the approved concept drawings were taken into Adobe Illustrator and developed into the vector artwork that appears within the final game.
Early Dormitory Split View - Here you get a peek behind the curtain to see the amount of vector assets created for one of these environments. Each environment is made up of thousands of individual vector shapes.
This project was an incredible opportunity to work closely with the Art Director at Glasslab Games. Each environment went through a process of feedback and critique. After a few rounds of this feedback, we arrived at the final result you see in game.
Final design of the Atrium environment.
Here we see the kitchen environment with its many robot helpers taking care of the day-to-day operations of the base such as food growing, harvesting, preparation, and general cleaning. I designed these kitchen bots to fit into the established visual style of the project. I chose soft rounded forms for the bodies to emphasize their friendly and approachable personalities.
The workshop environment, where Argubots are assembled and tested before combat.
Library environment concept (not used in final game)
I really loved working on this project. Working under the art direction at Glasslab Games was an invaluable learning experience. The importance of exploring ideas with very simple thumbnail sketches cannot be overstated. This approach allowed me to iterate very quickly on ideas and get approval from the Art Director at each stage of development before investing the time it takes to create the final artwork for use within the game. A process which I continue to use in all my designs.