Hello, Metroidvania Fans! We're happy to announce that RIN: The Last Child is part of Metroidvania Fusion - an event dedicated to all metroidvania genre lovers alike! The celebration starts today, March 4th and will last until March 11th . That's a whole week of marvelous games t
Hello, Metroidvania Fans!
We're happy to announce that RIN: The Last Child is part of Metroidvania Fusion - an event dedicated to all metroidvania genre lovers alike! The celebration starts today, March 4th and will last until March 11th. That's a whole week of marvelous games to play! Make sure to check out all of the participants!
We're honored to find RIN: The Last Child among so many amazing titles. It's truly wonderful how many different approaches and mechanics developers can include in the metroidvania genre and we're more than thrilled to showcase ours!
To celebrate properly, RIN's available with a special 10% discount for the whole duration of the Metroidvania Fusion event!
Join RIN on her adventure and save the world of Aradia from eternal stagnation. Use Magic Aspects and Runes to create unique spells, visit different regions of the world and find out what happend to the world around you.
If you're a fan of RIN - we hope you'll have a great time returning to the game. If you're a new player - please, enjoy what our team prepared for you.
Hello! Thanks for bearing with us for the last week! Your feedback has been an invaluable help and allowed us to quickly add some elements that you've missed in RIN's gameplay. Let's take a look at all of the changes of Version 1.2: Version 1.2 Patchnotes: Map: added markers to t
Hello!
Thanks for bearing with us for the last week! Your feedback has been an invaluable help and allowed us to quickly add some elements that you've missed in RIN's gameplay. Let's take a look at all of the changes of Version 1.2:
Version 1.2 Patchnotes:
Map:
added markers to the world map
added fast travel portals to the world map
updated map legend
Gameplay:
the Phantom Blades spell can now destroy vines with hanging stones
adjusted [redacted] Boss' attacks
Other small fixes:
fixed the rune multiplication bug
added minor localization fixes
Thank you once again for your feedback! With all of the messages we've received during last week, we were able to prepare all of those changes and add community desired features to the game.
Stay awesome and enjoy playing RIN: The Last Child!
Hello! Thank you for supporting us during launch! We’re glad you enjoy our game and share so many ideas and meaningful feedback regarding the title! We’ve received remarks about the game's performance or bugged in-game mechanics. We began fixing those issues almost immediately up
Hello!
Thank you for supporting us during launch! We’re glad you enjoy our game and share so many ideas and meaningful feedback regarding the title!
We’ve received remarks about the game's performance or bugged in-game mechanics. We began fixing those issues almost immediately upon notification in order to get rid of them as soon as possible. Below you can find the list of elements that have been fixed with the first patch.
Version 1.1 Patchnotes:
Controls:
key binding – fixed an issue that prevented key rebinding
DualShock controller - fixed an issue with DualShock controllers
Xbox controller - fixed an issue with game not recognizing Xbox controllers
Gameplay:
adjusted camera work near [redacted]
fixed an issue that made the wall jump impossible in certain areas
fixed problem that caused sudden FPS drops
fixed problem with loading screen
made adjustments to the world map in order to make it more transparent
Other small fixes:
falling rocks are crumbling once they hit the ground
fixed the lake that bugged falling rocks
unified the name of the last boss
We’re already working on another update, this time focusing on gameplay’s transparency. We’ve heard that some of you miss a sense of goal while moving around the levels. Our plan is to upgrade the map and add objective markers to make it easier to read and plan your gameplay ahead.
Thank you for your endless support! Please, keep sharing your thoughts and ideas with us – RIN: The Last Child is a game made with you, our great community, in mind, so we want to make it as enjoyable for you as possible.
Hello! The day has come! The world of Aradia will finally be saved, or… Will it…? No more delays, no more waiting. We’re happy to announce that 🎉 RIN: The Last Child , our magical 2D platformer with metroidvania gameplay elements is finally ready and available to play! 🎉 Join R
Hello!
The day has come! The world of Aradia will finally be saved, or… Will it…?
No more delays, no more waiting. We’re happy to announce that
🎉 RIN: The Last Child, our magical 2D platformer with metroidvania gameplay elements is finally ready and available to play! 🎉
Join Rin on her quest to save the world of Aradia, abandoned by its Creator. During your adventure, you will learn to craft different spells and meet your order siblings, controlling different Aspects of Magic. It’s up to you how your meeting will go; the fate of Aradia and its residents is depending on your choices.
Thank you for supporting us during the whole stage of development. We couldn’t ask for a better and more patient community. We’re finally giving our game in your hands and we really hope you will enjoy playing it as much as we did making it!
Hello! First of all – we’re sorry for such a long time of absence. We know you were waiting for updates regarding RIN: The Last Child launch, however we needed some more time to polish up the game and get it ready. The Launch Finally, we’re thrilled to announce that our action pl
Hello!
First of all – we’re sorry for such a long time of absence. We know you were waiting for updates regarding RIN: The Last Child launch, however we needed some more time to polish up the game and get it ready.
The Launch
Finally, we’re thrilled to announce that our action platformer metroidvania will be available on Steam on January 25th, 2024!
Watch RIN: The Last Child - release date announcement trailer:
https://youtu.be/9v76M7hCNf8?si=KOa5-vGpPu4IpGOZ
Console Release
Back in 2023 we’ve informed you that RIN will also be available on consoles. And that will happen as well, however we need some more time to finish the port. However, the premiere will happen no later than Q2 of 2024!
We’re glad you’re here and we cannot wait to share the world of RIN with you! Hope you will enjoy this magical journey with us!
We have some important news to share regarding the release of RIN: The Last Child across all platforms, including Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. Originally, we aimed to bring RIN: The Last Child to all platforms simultaneously on September 21st to deliver the ulti
We have some important news to share regarding the release of RIN: The Last Child across all platforms, including Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
Originally, we aimed to bring RIN: The Last Child to all platforms simultaneously on September 21st to deliver the ultimate gaming experience. However, game development, especially for multiple platforms, is a complex journey filled with unexpected challenges.
Release Date Delayed to Q4 2023
We are committed to delivering an unforgettable adventure to you across all platforms at once. Unfortunately, we have encountered some issues during the certification process on consoles. Licensing process with Microsoft Corporation has been delayed, and we had to make a tough decision - to postpone the game’s release to Q4 2023.
What’s Next?
We would love to share the exact release date, and we are working tirelessly to resolve the ongoing issues. We will keep you updated and will unveil the new release date as soon as possible, so please stay tuned.
Thank you for being a part of our magical community. Your patience and support mean the world to us.
Today, we are thrilled to unveil the long-awaited news - we are sharing the official release date of our magical Metroidvania! RIN: The Last Child will be coming to PC on September 21st! Mark your calendars and get ready to embark on an unforgettable journey filled with mystery,
Today, we are thrilled to unveil the long-awaited news - we are sharing the official release date of our magical Metroidvania!
RIN: The Last Child will be coming to PC on September 21st!
Mark your calendars and get ready to embark on an unforgettable journey filled with mystery, untold secrets, and power of the Aspects. The magic adventure awaits!
Stay tuned for further updates towards the grand premiere. Don’t forget to wishlist RIN & remember - the fate of the World is in your hands!
Meanwhile, as you wait for the release, we have a treat for you! Enjoy the newest Demo of our game! Immerse yourself in a taste of what's to come and experience the gameplay of RIN: The Last Child.
We've been hard at work, refining and rectifying every minor detail in our game, as previously promised. As a result of our dedication, the game has now achieved Gold Master status. If you're wondering, 'Gold Master' is the version where all known issues have been resolved, and e
We've been hard at work, refining and rectifying every minor detail in our game, as previously promised. As a result of our dedication, the game has now achieved Gold Master status. If you're wondering, 'Gold Master' is the version where all known issues have been resolved, and every feasible aspect has been polished to its peak. The next step? Porting Rin to consoles.
Importantly, we've not only focused on quality-of-life improvements but have also managed to extend the gameplay time. Despite initially promising 8 hours, our meticulous polishing process has allowed us to safely increase this estimate to around 12 hours. This extension comes after considering all the elements - spells, spell upgrades, greater and lesser runes, and the minimum path to victory. As a result, we're thrilled to announce that a typical metroidvania fan will now be able to enjoy an additional 4 hours of gameplay.
We've got more surprises to come, so stay in touch and don't forget to wishlist RIN!
Greetings from the trenches! We may have been quiet, but we've been anything but idle - we're working our way towards a happy conclusion ;) Time has flown since our last update! Rest assured, we're still here and busier than ever, immersing ourselves in the most critical phase of
Greetings from the trenches! We may have been quiet, but we've been anything but idle - we're working our way towards a happy conclusion ;)
Time has flown since our last update! Rest assured, we're still here and busier than ever, immersing ourselves in the most critical phase of game development - finalizing the game. You're probably wondering, "What's been going on?" Allow us to shed some light!
Polish, Polish, Polish! Yes, indeed, we've been giving Rin the love she deserves in terms of game balance, level art, and addressing other nuances typically reserved for the end of the production pipeline.
In-depth testing. Our dedicated testers have been working tirelessly to ensure we uncover and address every single bug.
Bug fixes. As gamers ourselves, we understand how frustrating it can be to dive into a game that feels half-baked, which is why we're committed to delivering Rin at her very best.
But hold on, there's more good news on the horizon! However, we must keep you in suspense a little longer. Stay tuned, as we'll soon be sharing more exciting updates!
Check out the gameplay of RIN's Steam Fest Demo broadcasted by: - our VIP streamer MegaYoYo - game designer Olaf and chat with developers of RIN: The Last Child. MegaYoyo is a gaming boomer who's here to show you a good time with amazing indie games and incredible boss fights. Do
Check out the gameplay of RIN's Steam Fest Demo broadcasted by: - our VIP streamer MegaYoYo - game designer Olaf and chat with developers of RIN: The Last Child.
MegaYoyo is a gaming boomer who's here to show you a good time with amazing indie games and incredible boss fights. Don't forget to stop in and enjoy a high-quality display of his reviews and other gameplays: https://www.youtube.com/c/MegaYoYo
Will it be enough for you to taste the game? Are you going to want more? Let us know, and in the meantime here’s the link to the game’s Steam Card.
February 6th, 2023 is a celebration day, or should we say week, among gamedevs worldwide. It is when Steam Next Fest begins. Developers from all around the world are participating in a fight for the most precious resource of modern society - the attention. You adding their game t
February 6th, 2023 is a celebration day, or should we say week, among gamedevs worldwide. It is when Steam Next Fest begins. Developers from all around the world are participating in a fight for the most precious resource of modern society - the attention. You adding their game to the wishlist is a dream come true for these people. What better way to encourage you to wishlist their title other than letting you taste it? It is exactly what Space Fox Games, the developer of RIN: The Last Child, will try to do, by letting you play the demo of their game.
Key differences between the release version and the Steam Next Fest Demo of RIN: The Last Child
Enchanting runes will make your spells even stronger!
Enchants of Death, Life, Space, Time, Explosion, Lightning along with Runes of Power, Deflecting, and Cunning make up for a total of 7,776 combinations!
And Enchant of Explosion is the only one not available in the demo.
Spellcrafting Ingredients
There are going to be 5 Aspects:
- Aspect of Life, - Aspect of Death, - Aspect of Space, - Aspect of Time, - Aspect of Matter.
The demo allows you to use Aspects of Space and Time.
Locations
In the release version RIN will slay countless creatures in five locations:
- Final, - Void, - Overgrowth, - Time, - Space.
In the Steam Next Fest demo you begin in Final, and the game will let you complete 100% of tutorial, and 35% of Hub, as well as 15% of Void and Overgrowth.
Skills
RIN has a total of 13 skills to learn. During the demo you get to use 3 of them:
- Fading, - Dash, - Meditation.
Release version will let you learn e. g. Etheric Grab, Death Spikes, or Ghost. There are also 11 Skills upgrades, none of them available in the demo.
The enemies
Now you need something to smash! There will be:
Type of a creature
Creatures available in release
Creatures available in the demo
Names of the creatures available in the demo
Monster
25
6
Slime
Jumper
Flying
Pufferfish
Rolling Exploder
Volcanodon
Hive
Spitter Vertical/Horizontal
Mini Boss
3
2
Shildar
Mama Slime
Boss
6
-
-
A fight with Shildar Mini Boss ends the demo.
Will it be enough for you to taste the game? Are you going to want more? Let us know, and in the meantime here’s the link to the game’s Steam Card.
The third part of the Devlog about monsters and the process of their creation is finally here! In the meantime, we have released a Demo of RIN that you can download for free on Steam. Thank you very much for playing and for your feedback! (We addressed some of the comments and ha
The third part of the Devlog about monsters and the process of their creation is finally here!
In the meantime, we have released a Demo of RIN that you can download for free on Steam. Thank you very much for playing and for your feedback! (We addressed some of the comments and have already introduced some improvements!)
Now let’s move on to the last part of the monster’s Devlog. In the previous part [Devlog #6: Monsters & Creation process] we discussed the design process. Today we will try to present this process more closely on the example of Shildar with more technical details.
What happens after design?
After the brainstorming and designing era, we had the final image of the monster. But Shildar still needed to be brought to life with some animation!
We started with the animation process, for which we had to have suitable graphics. The entire Shildar art had to be properly cut and prepared for further editing.
Animations
We’ve made a mesh for all graphics in Spine. These meshes helped to reduce any distortions or bends and allowed us to build a 3D effect on flat 2D pictures. After preparing them, we moved on to building the skeleton. We often used Inverse Kinematics Points to make our work easier and to achieve more natural movements.
Once we had the skeleton, we attached the graphics to the corresponding bones. Through the Weights System, we could influence how much the movement of a given bone affects the selected area.
After these steps were completed, we started creating the final animations. We tried to make them dynamic, so we followed the principles of physics to make them as convincing and attractive as possible. Then, we exported the finished animations to the Unity engine.
Implementing
Having the prepared animations, we could finally implement the necessary mechanics, combine them, and put them in the game. We have implemented the mechanics of monster behavior in the form of separate scripts that are run using the Finite State Machine. We used the Playmaker tool to create it.
The Finite State Machine must have specific transitions between each state, which we obtained through iterative preparation of the behavior tree at the design stage.
Playmaker - state tree
Each behavior of the monster is implemented in the form of a Scriptable Object. Thanks to this solution, the balance of monsters is faster and easier because we do not need to change the code. We only need to put different values in the Unity editor to make adjustments.
Unity - editor
Only the animation transitions were missing to fully revive the Shildar. In this case, we used the Animator, in which we created a similar tree of state transitions.
Animator - state transitions
We finally managed to complete the entire process of designing and bringing this creature to life. We also taught Shildar to walk and do some magic tricks.
Shildar - final version, one of the animations
Watch out for it during your journey! Shildar is quite a strong opponent.
Hi guys! We are so excited to announce that RIN’s Demo has been downloaded over 4000 times in the first week after the release! Thank you so much for downloading and playing the game. We truly appreciate your feedback and opinions, and all we can say is that we take many of your
Hi guys!
We are so excited to announce that RIN’s Demo has been downloaded over 4000 times in the first week after the release!
Thank you so much for downloading and playing the game. We truly appreciate your feedback and opinions, and all we can say is that we take many of your comments into account. We will try to address each question and idea.
We are currently working on fixing some bugs, such as slower Rin’s movement on traveling platforms. We hear you and, among other fixes and improvements, we plan to:
Add key rebinding option,
Improve the feeling of fighting with the enemies,
Work on the enchanting system and runes to make them more accessible and understandable.
We will also reflect on your ideas and try to bring some of them into the game's final version. Your support is important to us, and our team considers every comment. Our mission is to provide the best possible experience to all of you. We will work on it during the upcoming development stages. Thank you very much once again!
Hi! How about some great news? After many months of work, we can finally announce that RIN: The Last Child Demo is here for all of you! Free demo of RIN: The Last Child is now available on Steam! Experience the beginnings of Rin’s story and accompany her on her journey. Rediscove
Hi!
How about some great news? After many months of work, we can finally announce that RIN: The Last Child Demo is here for all of you!
Free demo of RIN: The Last Child is now available on Steam!
Experience the beginnings of Rin’s story and accompany her on her journey. Rediscover your magic, create spells, and explore vast mythical lands as you uncover secrets hidden behind the Aspects of Magic. Try the magical adventure and visit the World of Rin!
Explore 3 different environments!
Discover the beginnings of Rin’s story!
Craft spells!
Defeat the miniboss!
We hope that you will enjoy the game. We look forward to your comments, suggestions and opinions. Your feedback will be greatly appreciated and will help us improve the final version of the game. If you would like to share your feedback in a more casual way, we welcome you on our Discord. Let us know your thoughts!
Hello! We are so happy to announce that as Space Fox Games, we will attend Gamescom 2022 ! During this year’s gaming festival in Cologne, we will be presenting our Metroidvania game RIN: The Last Child. We are delighted to show it to many passionate gamers during the fair. When?
Hello!
We are so happy to announce that as Space Fox Games, we will attend Gamescom 2022! During this year’s gaming festival in Cologne, we will be presenting our Metroidvania game RIN: The Last Child.
We are delighted to show it to many passionate gamers during the fair.
When?
We will be visiting Gamescom on Wednesday, August 24.
Where?
Hall 4.1, stand A-011g - B-020g
Gamescom is one of the largest gaming fairs in the world, and we are hyped about it. During the fair, you will be able to play the demo of our game and talk to developers. We can not wait!
Hello guys! Today we have great news for you. We are excited to announce that RIN: The Last Child Demo is almost here! Free demo of RIN: The Last Child will be available in mid-August on Steam. Experience the story of Rin and accompany her on her journey. In the Demo, you’ll redi
Hello guys!
Today we have great news for you. We are excited to announce that RIN: The Last Child Demo is almost here!
Free demo of RIN: The Last Child will be available in mid-August on Steam.
Experience the story of Rin and accompany her on her journey. In the Demo, you’ll rediscover your magic, create spells, and explore vast mythical lands as you uncover secrets hidden behind the Aspects of Magic. Try the magical adventure and visit the World of Rin!
What will you do in Demo?
Explore 3 different environments!
Discover the beginnings of Rin’s story!
Craft spells!
Defeat the miniboss!
Be sure to keep an eye out for announcements in the weeks to come. Wishlist RIN & Follow to receive the latest news.
The bestiary presented in the previous Devlog is the final result of our concept work. However, before the final versions were made, we went through the entire process. Today, as announced, we will present to you the process of creating a monster with the example of one of them -
The bestiary presented in the previous Devlog is the final result of our concept work. However, before the final versions were made, we went through the entire process. Today, as announced, we will present to you the process of creating a monster with the example of one of them - Shildar.
How were they made?
As you already know, ideas appear at the beginning of the creation. Lots of ideas! Some turned out to be too difficult to implement, and some were less demanding. Flying, glowing, with the ability of teleportation... There were many ideas. We rejected some of them by the method of elimination and compromises. We focused on further implementation of ideas that suited the most to the overall concept of Rin's World, as well as those that were feasible for us.
Shildar was supposed to be a monster requiring some tactics from the player during the fight. We wanted to make him immune to attacks. But we thought of giving him a weak spot that would make him vulnerable. We decided to cover this spot with his front legs, which by default were his shield but also became its weapon.
References
These ideas about creatures became our basis for the first concept arts. The initial assumptions allowed us to set the direction, mood, and specific features of the monsters that we could translate into their design. We also used various reference images that let us illustrate these visions even better.
First concepts
All these guidelines were the foundation for further design. Artist, prepare! Brushes and pencils in motion!
First concept arts
Adjustments
We had the first designs. At this stage, we decided to assess the visual adequacy of the original concept. We also focused on refining its appearance to suit the monster’s planned abilities and started working on minor corrections.
Selected concept art - further works
The Shildar’s design has been pimped out, but we have kept the powerful front legs and glowing weak spot. You can see its final look in the picture below.
Adaptation
Just like in the case of vegetation, we use several variants of the appearance. Monsters look different in each of the locations in the game. Shildar only appears in one of them, but we have adjusted it nonetheless and fitted its appearance to the terrain it prowls.
Next week we will tell you more about the technical aspects of creating animations and their implementation in the game.
We told you about the vegetation found in various locations in the World of RIN, so we must also introduce you to the monsters walking around them! Monsters Let us show you the famous and well-known Slime. As befits, Slime is the most basic enemy that you can find during your adv
We told you about the vegetation found in various locations in the World of RIN, so we must also introduce you to the monsters walking around them!
Monsters
Let us show you the famous and well-known Slime. As befits, Slime is the most basic enemy that you can find during your adventure. It has the form of a worm, and it slowly crawls on the ground. Slime does not have any additional skills and is easy to defeat.
Anyway, you definitely do not want to run into it. Watch out for the spikes!
But they are not the only one popular creatures that can be found in our World. You will often encounter Mosquitoes while exploring - one of the flying-type monsters. Sometimes you will meet them on your way in the company of a hive as their spawner. Be careful! Especially when they are flying in groups. Although they do not have a lot of HP, they can sting you and tease you by flying past your ear all the time.
Different locations, different monsters
As we mentioned, you can find both Slime and the Mosquito in various locations in the game. We made their appearance fit the areas where they occur. Although their mechanics remain the same, you will meet mosquitoes in the following variants.
All beasts take the appearance that corresponds to the character of a given location. The mosquitoes in the Void will take the form associated with fiery volcanic terrain, and those in the Final area will take on more crystal shapes.
Bestiary
The monsters mentioned above are one of the basic enemies in the Rin’s World. Of course, they are not the only ones! During your adventure, you will also meet other variants of opponents, such as Spiders, Tanks, and Jellyfish.
Tank (shown in the photo above) is one of the most powerful creatures. It has its own mechanics and specific behaviors during the encounter. They are armed with a large amount of health points, and the ability to create a shockwave by hitting the ground. That makes them more difficult to fight against. You will meet this monster in the lush and poisoned areas of Overgrowth (one of the Worlds). Beware!
In the attached photo you can look at various types of creatures that can be found during your journey in the wild jungles of Overgrowth. However, we haven’t covered all the monsters in the game here. You will also encounter Rats, Spitting Plants, as well as other more or less creepy beasts with abilities such as draining your mana. Depending on where you go during the gameplay, the beasts will be different and less or more challenging!
Not only monsters
During the gameplay, many creatures will disturb you. Some of them are slow and easy to deal with (such as the Slime worm), while others will become more challenging. For example, Spiders are fast and quite agile, which makes them a more difficult target that is harder to avoid. However, beasts are not everything in our bestiary!
Bosses
There are also 5 bosses waiting for us. Each of them has its own powers and unique mechanics. After the fight is over, Rin will make decisions about the fate of the defeated opponents. We will definitely tell you a lot more about them in the future! (As soon as it's their time to shine)
We hope you liked today's article. In the next Devlog post, we will introduce you to the process of creating one of the monsters in detail.
So far, we have told you in general about the game, the main character, and presented a plot. Today we want to show you a few things from ... Behind the Scenes To spice things up a bit, we decided to share with you some interesting facts about game development. In Devlog # 3, we
So far, we have told you in general about the game, the main character, and presented a plot. Today we want to show you a few things from ...
Behind the Scenes
To spice things up a bit, we decided to share with you some interesting facts about game development. In Devlog # 3, we introduced you to the world of Rin through the process of creating one of the locations available in the game. We want to dedicate this post to this topic as well, but this time we will focus on the details and production elements of our title. We hope you will like this insightful post as well.
Many Things To Do
As you know, a lot of things are needed to create a game. Programming, animations, graphics... but also planning and execution of these ideas. The more complicated the gameplay is, the more mini-projects there are. One overall game design can change up to hundreds, if not thousands, of successive minor projects broken down into different components. (Not to mention the bugs and their fixes...)
Using the example of the plant assets we use to create and beautify available locations in Rin, we will present an example of one such process.
Plants
Plants are an example of a mini-project in our game, which we mentioned above. We use a lot of floral assets in RIN. So... how did it all come about?
In our designed locations, they simply could not be missing. Each place has its charm and character. And, each of these lands needed different types of vegetation. Without it, the areas would seem empty and devoid of life.
In the photo, you can see a water lily. It was one of the reference pictures for our lily asset. Mother Nature creates the best things, so it's hard not to get inspired by her when creating plant designs! Most if not every plant in our game was based on nature.
A similar process - searching for inspiration based on photos of naturally existing lands and greenery - was repeated many times. The reference pictures were therefore the basis for designing our locations and their details.
More Plants!
Each location in Rin's world received not only its graphic design but also lush, thematic vegetation.
Some of them are quite standard, for example, based on vegetation found in rainforests, steppes, or deserts. However, in the case of one of the lands - a thematic mix of space and the underwater world - we allowed ourselves more creative freedom.
Assets
In Rin, you can expect 5 different locations [related to 5 existing Aspects in Rin's World] - in each of them, you will meet many plants and their variants. So, how many exactly are there?
In one of the locations where the vegetation is the most abundant, we have a total of approx. 680 assets of flora (and location details like rocks) alone. From creeper plants to fern leaves, fancy flower puffballs, and so on. In contrast, in the Time, there are far fewer plants due to the desert nature of the place. We have designed only 570 assets for this location.
Fortunately, we didn't have to program or animate the plants in any way. [We are planning some ambient animations - If we make these plans real, we will describe them in one of the future devlogs!]. Plant assets were prepared to beautify and enliven the game world. Most of them are static pictures that we combined into a given scene after preparing the terrain. These assets you could see in the images above are game-ready and just need to be implemented in the game engine.
BUT. With so many plants (around 2500+), we had to find a solution that would make all this work more efficient. There were just… too many assets, and adding them to the map in the standard way was not a quick solution and could cause a huge headache.
To help ourselves, we developed an art tool we call Xochipilli. The way it works is quite simple, but it significantly improves the speed of all the hard work of decorating the area.
The artist using the art tool first chooses one of the previously created asset palettes, e.g. flowers, stones, or trees. Palettes are also divided not only into asset types but also into game locations. It makes it easier for artists to start implementing the right and suitable objects at a given location. After selecting a specific palette, the art tool randomly selects one of the objects available. The artist can place this random object directly on a scene (on a path, or wherever else) perpendicularly or not, depending on the effect the artist prefers. An object can also be rotated or resized during placement.
However, this is not the only advantage of Xochipilla. The art tool also ensures that each placed object is correctly added to the folders and sorted in the scene files. Thanks to this, we avoid problems related to the organization of assets. We do not struggle with the mess of hundreds of props tossed everywhere.
Thanks to this tool we have much less manual work related to design implementation.
*/ Our developer is willing to describe the way the tool works in a more technical way, so we will definitely publish a separate post dedicated to this topic in the future.
