Zenomorph: The Art And Evolution Of Zeno Clash

[[ACE] cbordeu]

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/09/09/zenomorph-the-art-and-evolution-of-zeno-clash/

(A pretty detailed article about the creation of both Zeno Clash 1 and 2 in Rock-Paper-Shotgun).

[sere]

Really, a very excellent read. You guys covered many angles and considerations for the sake of detail.

Fathermoher's origin surprised me. Sounds like the character achieved its status thanks to a well intentioned focus-group. "He's going to eat that baby".

Thank you for treating color in the way it deserves. I am burned out on hue associations with genres. That is definitely a factor in Zeno Clash 1 for many people because back in 2009 the industry was going ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ crazy with brown brown brown.. and here comes from nowhere the little game that could; to save the day while daring to give a fresh visual experience. Reaching corwid woods was when I fell in love with the game.

[[ACE] cbordeu]

Father Mother's origin was less of a focus group thing and more of an accidental discovery. We weren't showing the bar scene with the character and the baby to see what people thought of that specifically - it was just a reaction some people where having when seeing these two props together (creature and baby).

Yes - Father Mother was inspired by an obscure prop in a work-in-progress level. I guess this is the sort of great stuff that you can get from going completely bonkers with the art design. You get some really interesting reactions... so much to the point where a set piece can become the inspiration for a key element of the entire game.

I'm sure a lot of people "see" things in the game we don't see. As a designer you become somewhat emotionally neutral to your creations. What is curious, shocking or disturbing to a first time player is much more "normal" for you as you get used to the aesthetics of the world you are designing.

This is where I think Zeno Clash draws one of its greatest strengths - from the experience of playing and seeing so many new things that open up the imagination. If we'd use traditional 'Tolkien-esque' fantasy, then everything would be predictable (it could be amazing and beautiful, but it would be pretty "common"). Seeing dragons, orcs and elves in videogames is as ordinary as seeing a toothbrush in a bathroom these days, and you won't get stories like the one that inspired the creation of Father Mother from that approach.

[MIND__LINK]

Very cool. Thank you.