We've asked our team, “Hey, how does the character creation process looks from your point of view?” And with their responses, we've gathered this update. We also got some juicy pictures from our concept and 3D artists of Lu-323! Finally, read until the end of this update to know the details of the first fan art challenge we’re throwing this week.
When we are creating stories, in this case, the kind you can play, we need characters to embody those stories. The Narrative Team is the starting point here. We wanted to make unique characters you can easily recognize: Jung's archetypes were a source of inspiration for this task. From an early phase, we considered how dynamics flow between the main characters and how the player would interact with them. This includes, of course, romance, but also their passions, their arcs, and every other aspect is included in a dossier for the Concept Team.
There’s a significant gap between a written character and its visual representation. That’s why clear communication is so important. With Narrative’s dossier in hand, we're on the path to imagining the character of our dreams (or nightmares).
Lu-323 Exploration phase
We gather their main characteristics, personality, and every possible quality, and translate them into this visual persona. The process is complex and sometimes means breaking and recreating the character many times. Moodboards, numerous sketches and references help along the way.
Lu-323 Portrait sketch
But it’s all worth it when it’s finally found and turned into final art.
Lu-323 Final Portrait
The 3D Team faces a hard task. The artistic challenge of translating 2D images into captivating 3D forms. Their part begins by diving deep into references and lore, truly understanding each character. Then, the sculpting magic starts! With Lu-323, the real trick was gracefully merging her organic and robotic sides and making them flow as one.Once the sculpture gets the green light, it’s time to transform it into a game-ready low-poly model and bring it to life with textures. This is a dance of constant iteration, where materials are tested directly in the game engine. The perfect result is finally a combination of every department that worked on the character.
The design goal for LU-323 was instant attraction. A charismatic, elegant android built for infiltration who is also a lethal killing machine when required. This is contrasted by a touch of innocence, as she's currently undergoing a complex journey to find her true self.
We’ve been stirring our cauldron and have crafted a spooky challenge just for you.The task is simple: Draw any of our revealed characters so far (Kole, Tycho, Lu-323, Sterling, Preach, Larva or Khali) in the Halloween costume you think suits them the most!What would Kole go as? What's Tycho's worst nightmare costume? Would Lu-323 dress as her favorite TV series star? Mmm… 🤔How to participate?
Post your finished fan art on Bluesky, Instagram, or X/Twitter.
Make sure to tag us and use the hashtag #AfterlightHalloween so we can find it!
You have until November 6th.We will select four of our favorite entries to be featured in an upcoming post or update, still working out the details.And don't worry, we’re not picky, this isn't about perfect technical skill. We're looking for fun, creativity, and personality!We absolutely cannot wait to see what you all come up with.
See you in the Drift! 💫
~ Alicia, on behalf of the Epictellers team