Our Elder Vampire Rulers
[p]Each ruler type we have designed so far has had a unique design process, and vampires, being a well-known fantasy creature, presented their own distinct challenges. Unlike our series-original Wizard Kings and Eldritch Sovereigns, lots of people have opinions about which vampires are the ‘right’ ones, and expectations about what ours should look like.[/p][p]Early concept exploration therefore needed to cover a wide variety of fantasies, so we could narrow down what felt right for AOW4.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/2b23aca04cad754fa749b8128230d2b690df5624.jpg"][/img]Image description: Early 2D concepts ranged from historical to fantastical[/p][p]Instead of defining our vampire guidelines from the start, exploring freely lets us take note of only the design details that jump out at us.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/4ff3cff27d2d0f56ebbb1a57bb49c0783ddc8ca9.jpg"][/img][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/d3aa9a6426c8b54f9d00fba125162965b647aba7.jpg"][/img]Image description: More 2D concepts[/p][p][/p][p]For example, after the concepts above, we noted how that rose theme in the last concept could combine with the thorns and chains in the earlier ones. This concept then took those aspects even further:[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/9193be31029f79aacfe8ee7db5bb10224a32a05b.jpg"][/img]Image description: 2D concept exploring the rose thorn theme[/p][p][/p][p]These notes hit all the right spots for us, and you’ll see a lot of what this final concept presents in the final in-game-visuals. From noticing what we love and what works well together, we create huge boards combining concepts, photo references, and notes to determine which options we want to make and their priority.[/p][p]Among the frilly dresses, corsets, high collars, and rose-thorn chains on this board, we also wanted a full armor option. I’ll use this armor set to explain in more detail how the full process for a customization set may look.[/p][p]Initial 2D and 3D concepts for the armor set explored armor textures and shape language, from ribbed to spiked. These touched on interesting themes, but felt too human and missed that unique AOW4 Elder Vampire identity we were creating.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/b29a9579d339d13a5e54ad71629119a65857122b.jpg"][/img]Image description: Early 2D concepts for the armor set[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/3da82c2307e5bd8a0ca54fb7bb671586f9adbad2.jpg"][/img]Early 3D concepts for the armor set[/p][p][/p][p]We did another take, now much more focused on their bat heritage and pushing silhouette further so they’d be recognizable even at a distance:[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/b02dc5828e02b60012f97bbb89f8b0f9e6e1e509.jpg"][/img]Image description: Final 2D concept for the armor set[/p][p]The red glass idea merged well with this expansion's new magic material, Blood Glass. Please play pretend with us and accept that this Blood Glass is shatterproof as opposed to its real-world counterpart. We loved how this concept hit on all of the core aesthetics, so took this into 3D. There we refined further through collaboration with our 2D and 3D departments, adding rose illustrations to the Blood Glass in the breastplate and shield.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/cf91141f93101c3cedcddce4c4ee5afea5fe4458.jpg"][/img][/p][p]Image description: 2D drawings used as textures for the breastplate and shield[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/e96fe72dd9c462e3cee79b0188f65da247bf0614.gif"][/img]Image description: In-game GIF of the Elder Vampire armor set[/p][p][/p]Pureblood vs Hybrid
[p]Elder Vampires come in two bloodlines: Pureblood and Hybrid. Mechanically identical, visually and thematically distinct.[/p][p]Pureblood Vampires look like the vampires we know and love. They range from beautiful to beastly, but all with bat-flavored features. Inspired by the saying “blind as a bat”, they also offer the possibility for two differing eye colors.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/f1d6720c4bb80d17413ffe200783eb3c4797c20a.jpg"][/img]Image description: Pureblood Vampire Elders[/p][p]Vampires, however, are not known to be picky with their prey. Thus, they quickly started turning anyone and everyone they came across; resulting in Hybrid Vampires. These mutts can be any form, because why would a rat not be able to be a vampire?[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/8282892a6a64777ae91d609f2b38dea6bb56c7c9.jpg"][/img]Image description: Hybrid Vampire Elders[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/b56da408f70375c83b1ebffca802e1bf9360a558.jpg"][/img]Image description: New weapons for Elder Vampire and Pantheon[/p][p][/p]The Vampire Castle
[p]We felt vampires worked best as a ruler type as opposed to a culture, but that came with the drawback of your vampire leading a very normal-looking city. We had a great desire to rule over a vampire castle, and we knew that you—the players—did too. So we give you the best of both worlds by replacing the Wizard’s Tower with a unique vampire version: The Vampire Castle.[/p][p]This castle is built using the vampire equivalent of wizard’s castle upgrades, where each upgrade is visualized with its own building. This way, you can create a castle that completely overshadows the culture city, feeding on it like an unwanted parasitic intruder.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/0a25eabe31721e5ae0def382229d80351227f056.gif"][/img]Image description: GIF of the Vampire Castle showing each individual buildable part[/p][p][/p]And more vampire quirks
[p]The vampires obviously also come with cool new ability animations, movement visuals, poses, … here is a small snippet of all of that, the rest of which I’ll let you discover yourself![/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/386c845beadec415935a0ed12fe1b7484eefce58.gif"][/img]Image description: GIF of Siphon Blood ability process: showing Michiel’s reference vs animation[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/43fd88619370701866a4cca0ac74502ee346bb03.jpg"][/img]Image description: Unique Elder Vampire poses[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/b8a546c19bb74215f5bf384acf933a0f69c7f291.gif"][/img]Image description: Elder Vampire movement with Vampiric Flight skill[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/52da03dd65366e2f71ce0418cb5d68533eaf6f35.jpg"][/img]Image description: Unique Hero ‘Embrace’ recruitment screen[/p]
Their Vampire World
Sunless Lands
[p]Bas previously covered the mechanics of Sunless Lands, the new terrain type. So let’s skip the talking and show you some of the behind-the-scenes goodies! We start with simple sketches as a proof of concept—these are quick, dirty, messy—but allow the team to see if the idea works visually.[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/b206a51210ba790dae729c011f837ffe59876ea0.jpg"][/img]Image description: Initial sketch concept for the Sunless Lands[/p][p][/p][p]Seeing this concept work in practice, and having everyone agree “yes, this is cool”, gives us the confidence to proceed with making all the individual assets. Some of these assets require further concept exploration such as the trees:[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/dd00f1d0850ed22d85dcdf57899b7aebe6cb1ff4.jpg"][/img]Image description: Additional concept art exploring sunless trees[/p][p][/p][p]Many are also made directly from the minds of our 3D artists, based on the initial proof of concept sketch. Like the delicious Tactical Combat (TC) ground texture:[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/7bdbd821383bad133838d5601d7184807fe5f033.jpg"][/img]Image description: Sunless Lands TC map[/p][p][/p][p]All pulled together in the end with FX such as bats and gravity-defying blood trails (a team favorite):[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/cf8e9169174260a40aa7d0e8b6f260bd63a3163a.gif"][/img]Image description: Blood Glass tactical combat map, showing blood trails and bats[/p][p][/p]Structures
[p]The terrain was also important because many structures in this expansion were going to call the Sunless Lands home. Their designs needed to heavily imply their connection to the terrain.[/p][p] For example: the Thorn Heart Landmark. By the time we were doing concepts for this, the Sunless Lands terrain was already (mostly) done. The concept below was done directly on top of a screenshot of the world map:[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/377fc0bc9166ec59f7689a90882a45a50bc95107.jpg"][/img]Image description: Thorn Heart Landmark concept[/p][p][/p][p]This landmark evolved throughout production, most noticeably with the center ‘heart’ turning into a literal heart.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/d364c3dfe8a495dc20a36bb9789d2f1a64646d3a.jpg"][/img][/p][p]Image description: 3D process from blockout to polish[/p][p]Out of all the landmarks we’ve done so far, this is my personal favorite. Just look how epic it is in motion! Make sure to zoom in on it yourself too, it has some epic heart beating sound effects that GIFs don’t allow me to include.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/8025d26491e84a8893b44d57d7b65a6fcd8e625e.gif"][/img]Image description: GIF of the Thorn Heart Landmark in-game[/p][p]Another one of my favorites is the Rose Choked Castle, our new Gold Ancient Wonder.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/40f412b17ad021612efc02bc026c0faf5af85ead.jpg"][/img]Image description: Rose Choked Castle, in-game screenshot[/p][p][/p][p]We have rarely shown TC map creation in the past, and I feel this structure has a particularly cool map to highlight. We had a pretty clear vision of what we needed the map to be, letting us start with photo references rather than concept art. From reference we derive a list of obstacles and props we need, helping us create a rough blockout:[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/4b337b6c8763a7a37c5019445a588ec175c5c43b.jpg"][/img]Image description: Rose Choked Castle TC map blockout[/p][p][/p][p]Blockouts allow us to test gameplay early so we don’t commit time to making assets that don’t serve the actual gameplay. TC maps need to work mechanically first, and visually second (rare artist confession). Once we get the green light for gameplay, it’s up to us to bring it home. Polish is done to materials, models, lighting, and FX.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/5399e68184db3e675b24aae96ff30630ead4ac52.jpg"][/img]Image description: TC Map props after a sculpt polish pass[/p][p][/p][p]All of this polish combined, we finally get what you—the player—will see in-game:[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/e1a6dacb9737efee523075085587bc5d1b5ac377.jpg"][/img]Image description: In-game screenshot of the Rose Choked Castle TC Map[/p][p][/p]Tomes and What’s In ‘Em
[p]Thrones of Blood introduces three new tomes, jam-packed with all of the emo themes of your dreams (at the very least, of my own).[/p][p]Tome of the Blood Rite[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/5df28172a22617d55af3d201c76e9a49eb4cd10d.jpg"][/img]Image description: Process for the tome icon; from sketch to polish[/p][p][/p][p]This shadow + chaos tome empowers the cultists among you through blood and sacrifice. I had recently rewatched the Da Vinci Code films, so conceptually there was definitely some inspiration from Silas, the bloodthirsty monk.[/p][p]The themes of this tome converge in the Blood Cultist unit:[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/0491c901622e3f6090289f786295c88ce10d343a.jpg"][/img]Image description: Blood Cultist[/p][p][/p][p]If you want to be equally fashionably scarred, you can take the Flesh Carved Runes minor transformation from the same tome:[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/75bbb478efea8d978e16862da187e8098fd40818.jpg"][/img]Image description: Breakdown of Flesh Carved Runes minor transformation[/p][p][/p][p]The Blood Cultist also comes with the new Dagger of the Rite ability, sacrificing their own health for increased damage.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/be3ab658894758866d7e40a1cce6913b5688c584.gif"][/img]Image description: Dagger of the Rite ability animation[/p][p][/p][p]In-game, with all that fancy FX:[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/c0d72a472322d4f63f1b271ccb566c1ca8577e5a.gif"][/img]Image description: Dagger of the Rite ability animation and FX in-game[/p][p][/p][p]And if you’re still craving more sacrifice, the tome comes with the Special Province Improvement (SPI) Blood Altar, to remind your enemies you’re all too happy having them over for “dinner”.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/33171e25055e4569288c271232258d5e3770734e.png"][/img]Image description: Blood Altar SPI, concept and in-game model[/p][p][/p]
Tome of Torment
[p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/05e358dff110f1615df0be957f6a619ea9c05cd3.jpg"][/img]Image description: Process for the tome icon; from sketch to polish[/p][p][/p][p]This shadow tome is for those who want to master pain and use it to their advantage; for those of you with cold hearts and an affinity for the sharp and stabby. Just like the previous tome, the themes all come together in a single unit. For the Tome of Torment, that is the Pain Bringer:[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/719331c1f68d42414a2e732006825e34113c120a.jpg"][/img]Image description: AOW3 Death Bringer (left) compared to AOW4 Pain Bringer concept art (right)[/p][p][/p][p]As mentioned in the previous dev diary, the Pain Bringer unit from this tome is a revamped Death Bringer from AOW3. We wanted to stay true to her original design while updating her to feel at home in this tome. The Pain Bringer can get racial transformations, so if you have the Eldritch Realms expansion you can also give her some perfectly thematic umbral touches![/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/f3307670162c3b60b4130837658ea3d621100ad0.gif"][/img]Image description: Pain Bringer with Gloom Strider and Umbral Flesh[/p][p]If this tome’s pain themes overwhelm you, pay a visit to the Basilica of Lamentation SPI to lament about those woes.[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/e6f2378ef9c8c1b1e7f797e4553160585c132baf.jpg"][/img]Image description: Basilica of Lamentation SPI, concept progression and in-game model[/p][p][/p]
Tome of the Crimson Reign
[p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/7c90ecbadc37013cee5cc13218bfcb38c587f484.jpg"][/img]Image description: Process for the tome icon; from sketch to polish (with a sudden change in direction)[/p][p]This high tier shadow + chaos tome secures your ultimate rule over blood and the units that thrive off it. The standout unit of this tome, but perhaps also of the entire expansion, is the Blood Exarch.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/ba1d4b13a3bf719bbe39581cd660caa973f4234c.jpg"][/img]Image description: Blood Exarch early concept art[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/a501ac9bd09fc631837c52f1b91d10a5f7136838.jpg"][/img]Image description: Final Blood Exarch sculpt[/p][p][/p][p]Who of course has some epic abilities and FX:[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/accb3a6a9f01492a387bff89ce7d433423472a40.gif"][/img][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/43d2afeb118bb8333064f845be9c41f4a983589a.gif"][/img][/p][p][/p]The stragglers
[p]Now I have definitely rambled enough, so here are some final quick-fire content highlights for your enjoyment![/p][p]A perfectly spooky & gothic UI Skin:[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/bca9b61c33b2c37b201c8376ae21e8ba730fec3f.jpg"][/img]Image description: Thrones of Blood UI Skin elements[/p][p][/p][p]The icons that seem to just never end:[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/4f2591e802deaff97998263c2d3b2eee27e655e3.jpg"][/img]Image description: Various icons made for Thrones of Blood[/p][p][/p][p]Also, free content! A full Hunter customization set for the Pantheon (in three parts - hat, cape, and outfit), as well as three item forge visuals to provide everything you need to hunt down those pesky creatures:[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/b0a8bafb34433467a5861b4aeac92330bad158c3.jpg"][/img]Image description: Pantheon Hunter set[/p][p]And lastly, also very much free-to-use, a variety of wallpapers attached to this dev diary!Download the wallpapers here!
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/43512488/d6c913bdf5ca152ced3f1b10c1f7d0cc34368593.jpg"][/img]Image description: Preview of the attached wallpapers[/p][p][/p][p]A big thanks for hanging out with me! As always, there is way too much I couldn’t include, but don’t fret: just like for Archon Prophecy, the art team will be compiling their favorite works of the expansion into an ArtStation art blast when ‘Thrones of Blood’ releases on November 11th.[/p][p]Look out for more information on that, and tune in again next week for the final dev diary on the Dark Culture Update![/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/3976440/Age_of_Wonders_4_Expansion_Pass_3/"][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Follow us and be the first to know when we drop new content![/p]
