STARIO: Haven Tower · published
Hello, everyone!
Today, we’d like to share a glimpse into the design of some of the buildings you’ll encounter in the game.
From the simplest Hut to the many varieties of Brick Factories, bringing these structures from concept art to what you finally see in-game is never a straightforward copy-and-paste—it’s all about trial, adjustment, and finding balance.
The Hut’s roof went through many experiments in concept: fabric, bamboo, even worn bricks. In the end, we settled on a clean, unified tile design—easier on the eyes, and more in line with the game’s overall art style.
Its upgraded version—the Brick House—also went through several design passes. We wanted it to have its own character without looking out of place. After multiple iterations, the version you see in-game today was finally chosen.
Brick Factories are one of the key industrial foundations in the Vertical Kingdom. Their colors were fine-tuned across many rounds of testing: How should we bring out the metallic texture of certain parts? How bright should the base tones be so that each type feels distinct yet visually comfortable? After plenty of tweaks, we landed on a palette that felt just right.
One of the biggest challenges in turning concept art into in-game models is ensuring smooth performance. Overly intricate decorations may look stunning on paper, but they also drive up polygon counts and risk slowing things down. Simplify too much, however, and you lose the beauty that gives each building its charm. Finding the right balance meant countless tests and adjustments.
Every building you see in the game—each tower segment, and even the strange little creatures drifting in the sky—has gone through its own series of unseen iterations, all in pursuit of harmony between aesthetics and performance.
And this is just the beginning! The EA version will bring even more distinctive buildings for you to discover—so stay tuned!