Project:Camelot Wars

In August I was playing a game called Happy Wars quite a lot.  It is a free-to-play MOBA, which is very low-spec and simplified.  While it is quite casual and fun, it is also a bit lame in many aspects, the character and weapon designs are boring and generic.  There are only three classes (so far) and they all use the same skeleton and base mesh.  While this is great for making quick and modular assets, the results are often mundane.

Anyways, I had a few days in the countryside without any internet, and I drew up some ideas for a re-visualization of Happy Wars.  I'll call it "Camelot Wars" for simplicity and to label it.

I like the three classes - Warrior, Mage, and Cleric.  They cover the main game-play classes, with the mage being the ranged class and the cleric being support.

As a rule I want contrasting and "easy to read" characters.  To aid this I exageratted the forms - With sharp and pointy bits on the warrior.  The mage has no/hidden arms and will wield floating weapons with magic - I have also made the form appear frail/weak with no defense.  The cleric has an armour focus - with a rounded forms and large shield.  I have tried to match the style still and keep the fundamentals prominent.

After a bit of work on each I put them together to check them together - Hopefully you can tell what class is what without notation!?

In the above picture I thought I was taking too-much influence from the game Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles.  The mage here is too close to the Yuke, but on re-checking with the internet I could see I can get away with it.

On seeing this character again I can see it's just the helm I robbed

I did go through some iterations for these designs - but not too many, knowing the fundamental forms and functions of each character I skipped the thumbnail stage - which I don't find useful unless for communicating with the project manager/originator.

The Warrior was the first one made - The project actually evolved from the top left image, which was to be a painting.  I wasn't feeling it though and this project idea was in my mind so I worked on it.

What Happy wars lacks are customizable skills, and clearer indications into each players own play-style and tastes - A very important element to the average gamer.  So I gave each character a key item or "Relic", which can be customised, upgraded and changed.  For example I thought the warrior/barbarian could have an "Ancestral Head" - the head attached to the belt, you can find like a dragon head, that will make some attacks erupt.  Maybe the beard grows as it levels up.  For the hippy in you you can find a rainbow beard or dye it.  This would apply to all characters and be a focus on the gameplay in and out of game.

The ancestral head actually has roots in ancient pagan faiths - fitting nicely with the character's straggly beard and leather armour - which puts their emphasis on attack and clearly not defense.  The mage might have a spell book - which will change the elemental familiar thing it has - The Book of the Dead may be made of bones and summon skeletons for example.  The Clerics item is maybe it's shield?

Here is the Mage - sticking to the main form and experimenting with different equipment - I am imagining the book and flame to be more animated than the actual person - reflecting there mental power over physical.  Also with different helms you can drastically change the look and feel - As long as you keep the conical shape of the body.

The cleric started of more of a support/trader looking - a bit Eastern looking and far from the Camelot theme.  I decided to keep them armoured up & looking a bit cute.

The cleric I quite like - The armour is simple and the religious links minimal - It's hard not to go into Christian and crusader territory, but at the end of the day I also want it to be easily identifiable as a medieval fighter/healer.

Here they are cleaned up a little, and with the values blocked in.

There are quite a few design descisions to make as I go forward.  But in all honesty I am not making a full game - I'm hoping to learn more UE4 and animating these bad boys with effects and composite animations.  This is a while down the road.  Anyhew I'll post progress as it happens.