We would like to share with you all a bit of our development process here at What Pumpkin Studios NYC. Building the world of Hiveswap is becoming a finely tuned system: we rely on a lot of different people to transform an idea in Andrew Hussie’s mind into a finished 3D model. From artists to modelers to painters, everyone involved adds a bit of their personality and perspective to make the game feel like a fully realized place.

Concept Art

Before we do anything else, we need an idea to work off of. Jude’s treehouse is a great example for us to look at.

Drawn by the extremely talented Georgina Chacón, this concept art really sets the mood of the scene. With its patchwork ladder and ramshackle construction, we can get an idea of not only the way the treehouse looks, but a bit of Jude’s personality as well.

Modeling

The next phase in the process is creating a basic 3D model. Michael Rankin normally takes on the task. He describes his process this way: 

“We usually get a few sketches from the team of concept artists; then, the environment artists create a rough model we can use for staging animations, planning sight lines, and generally laying out the environment parts in a way that fits together nicely. The environment artists keep modifying that model as they go, lining it up with the aesthetic of the world, the unusual proportions of the characters, and the needs of the game’s puzzles. In the process, we sometimes take screenshots of the model and paint over them to get a sort of color script for the scene, before adding the textures, details, and lighting.”

Painting

After the basic model is complete, adding colors and details is the next step. Coloring an object may seem like a simple task – but in this phase, it is essential to create something that exudes personality and style down to the smallest detail. For this model, Veronica was in charge of bringing color to the world. As she says: 

“My process begins with picking an appropriate color palette that works well with the model’s surrounding environment. After that, I bring the model into Photoshop and start painting – making sure to calculate precisely where shadows and shines should be painted on, carefully cover up seams, and keep the model looking great from ALL angles. My favorite part is the polish stage, when I add decals like dirt, scratches, or (of course) Homestuck flair to a prop, environment or character! Keep your eyes peeled, there will be plenty of goodies. >:] ”

Lighting

With the painting complete, the last factor to account for is the lighting. The opening of the game – where the treehouse first appears – takes place at dusk on a brisk fall day. Accounting for the location of the sun and the amount of light in the sky, we can accurately set the location and intensity of the shadows on the model.

And so, with a lot of hard work and creativity from a bunch of different people, we have a finished product. Everything you’ll see in Hiveswap has been created like this – so be sure to keep an eye out for those little details when the game is released.