I had long been wanting to explore isometric art again, specifically where the horizontal and depth lines are angled at 30 degrees and the vertical remains the same. I attempted this style previously, but with minimal effort that consequently left me discouraged.
This time I used the same painting process as my characters, where first I sketch repeatedly and freely; it feels more organic, like modeling a sculpture out of clay. Once I have a decent sketch, I trace with thick outlines and splotch the usual colors with shadows and highlights.
My two previous projects Zombie Tactics and Demons Down Under turned into a handful. This time I wanted to create something a bit more confined and minimal, while also getting a feel for a new art direction. Therefore, here is the current progress of my next game:
In a nutshell, you must unlock and hire units to join a revolution in a fictional world, reminiscent of early Europe with a hint of traditional fantasy. The entire focus is destroying the statue, symbolic of a corrupt dictatorship.
It will play like a strategic puzzle game where the challenge is to destroy the statue in as little time as possible, balancing resources and economic power. The statue will have, say, a million hit points, and units (e.g. teachers, engineers) that arrive by train will have special abilities that can support surrounding allies.
This idea all started with just one unit gaining many various special abilities that must open a treasure chest by inflicting sufficient damage. The prototype was not very entertaining, so it evolved to this current iteration.
I estimate 90% of the art will be finished by the end of the week. Afterwards I'll be going on a week long trip with a laptop, so I can focus exclusively on programming. I already prototyped most of the game, so now it is a matter of filling in the gaps.
In the future I want to refine this art style, and pursue simulation games. There are so many new possibilities.
