DAVIGO is an online multiplayer cross-platform game where players battle each other as a mighty Giant or a nimble Knight. I served primarily as a concept artist on this project but also helped with ideation, modeling, and textures. Aside from this, I helped retopologize, UV, and implement 3D models into the Unity game engine and playtest the game.
Giant - Character/Creature design
The Giant was meant to look ancient, powerful, frightening, and somewhat alien. It also needed to have 2 layers: an outer, tougher shell; and an inner core, which would reveal its otherworldly strangeness.
As concepts were being explored, "stoic" was added to the list of keywords, which led to the concepts directly below.
Below are some concepts for the Giant's hands and the shield that the Giant can activate by closing their fist.
Eventually, the team settled on a model that was very close to the temp mesh used in early testing/betas due to it already being recognized within the DAVIGO community, needing no balancing changes from a differently shaped hitbox, and aligning with the director's taste.
environment design for maps
DAVIGO has many different maps to battle on, each with diverse layouts, themes, and visual hooks.
Since I joined the team after most of the maps had been tested and optimized for balanced gameplay, I had to design within the confines of the existing layouts and block-out geometry, sometimes quite strictly.
Here are a few concepts for various parts of different maps.
Since I joined the team after most of the maps had been tested and optimized for balanced gameplay, I had to design within the confines of the existing layouts and block-out geometry, sometimes quite strictly.
Here are a few concepts for various parts of different maps.
Concepts for shacks that were built upon a tiny, rocky island with a lighhouse
Various looks for stairs
Various looks for stairs
Various looks for stairs
A lot of focus was put on adding "Warrior-sized detail". The maps were built to accommodate both players but were meant to look as if the Knights built and lived in them. This meant that despite the large size of the models, they needed to be peppered with small details like bricks, cracks, and flourishes that matched the scale of the Knights.
Exploration for an Atlanis-style theme for the "Sunken City" map
Silhouettes explorong for the Atlanis-style "Sunken City"
A more rustic, European look was eventually decided up on for Sunken City
Some concepts for the bell tower
Concepts for chimneys the Giant could rip out and toss around
Some simple starirs, to help the Knight avoid falling of the map
Prop design
Throwable pillars and decorative lamps meant to represent a scrap-metal-styled cult
Floating obelisks also styled after the cult faction
Throwable blocks for an abandoned castle map
A throwable bell for Sunken City
Exploration for the alien ore, which sadly remained on the floor of the cutting room
Moodboard for the alien ore
FX designs
Below are various designs for one of the Giant's attacks, where it would block a hit from the Knight, absorb its energy, and fire it back at the other player
