Following our article on biomes, we asked Sarah to tell us more about her work.
What tools have you used to create those biomes?
There are several steps to create a biome in OT2. The first step is the blocking that allows you to quickly create a shape to the future assets that will be put on the expedition map. Depending on the used squares, we need to find elements that will complement both the concept and the game design (spikes for squares with the “bloody” damage effects, mountains for blocked squares etc) and interest points as well (temples, villages etc).
Depending on the type of item created, I use Blender and ZBrush to sculpt more organics forms or details. At the same time, I create 3 different types of textures for the ground, each one will have different difficulty levels to be walked on. I also use Substance Painter and Substance Designer for the textures. However, I have a hard time quitting my old habits and I go back on Handpaint and sometimes use Photoshop instead!
One of the last steps is to import in the software models and textures, and import all the elements of the map that will be found on the squares of the expedition map. Finally, I define the light of the environment and the colors of it through post-processing in the aim of giving each biome a unique identity.
How did you find your inspiration?
Before starting a new biome, generally, I receive the illustrations of Benjamin Carré, our concept artist, as a reference. He is the first one to present colors, ambiance and shapes for the environment. From this, I will decline the same illustration multiple times depending on my needs (for variety’s sake or to maintain the game design intentions).
What I enjoy in a project such as OT2 is the diversity of planets in game, which allows you to have a lot of liberty when you create each environment. When there are no concepts for a planet, I use references linked to the art style and the ambiance of the biome (especially for points of interests or even whole biomes). It is an exercise that I enjoy as it is very motivating and enriching to imagine new things in a vast universe.
Which biome did you prefer creating and why?
If I had to pick one, I would pick one of the garden planets composed of waterfalls, lotus and a dense and lush vegetation. It holds a special place in my heart because I learned a lot while creating it, especially on shaders, I collaborated with Antoine, a technical artist coworker. The plant diversity, the colors, the verticality of the giant bamboos and the ever-present water in this biome give it a tropical and troubling atmosphere. I had a lot of fun creating it and I hope players will enjoy exploring it!
If you were a species of Out There: Oceans of Time, which one would you be?
Difficult question! I don’t know which alien I would be but I enjoy the story of the Zeros. They can only dream once in their life and that marks the accomplishment of something to them. Some Zeros wait for this dream eagerly and sleep awaiting for it to arrive. They sleep hoping for something that might never happen. I can’t explain it but I find this quest of an ephemeral vision very poetic and touching.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145290/Out_There_Oceans_of_Time/